June 28th, 2009:  Searching ideal candidates through Facebook for my fraternity, I message an individual and invite him over to my apartment to share with him a presentation of the fraternity.  Instead, he catches me off-guard with some questions, and a simple link.  I reviewed the link with him.  I didn’t recall this type of presentation being introduced to me during my twenty-three years of schooling.  I ended up making a statement that would eventually lead me to view others with respect, love, and dignity.

Looking back today, I have to admit that I was living a reckless life that would have ended up in more confusion and destruction.  I couldn’t have lived that way anymore.  I decided to forgive those who had attacked me in the past. I also had to decide whether to accept the gift of forgiveness for all of my own rebellion, or keep digging a grave for myself.

What I am about to share with you is something that might cause more questions, doubts, or even anger, but please take the time to hear me out. People who have suffered for too long have been changed, and as a result, have been a testimony to others. For instance, family members were impacted by my transformation and they have been changed. Here’s the basic message:

There is freedom knowing that we were created for a purpose, and that we are NOT an accident.
We were meant to walk side by side with someone who both created us and actually loves us.

We rebelled against such love, wanting to be our own gods, and imminent death became the consequence. Think for a second: our bodies are not physically immortal, so we are not our own gods!

And yet still, our creator gives us a second chance at escaping eternal death and separation: He identified with the rest of the world and became man. He never sinned, yet He still died in our place. We have hope over death because He resurrected from death.

The same power that raised Him from the dead
is the same power that heals the sick and hurting today.

Only His love can defeat a vicious cycle of destruction, death, unforgiveness, and anxiety.

It is not through manipulation or abuse: this message is out in the open for all to hear.
He gives us a free will to choose.
Eternal life is through relationship with a loving Creator.

His invitation is extended to us. This is the Good News.
Recognize any sins you’ve committed, whether big or small, and admit them to God. Ask Him for forgiveness; He is willing to forgive you.
God sent His Son Jesus to save us; invite Him into your heart now. Tomorrow is not promised, so receive Him now with open arms. I share this with you because I have experienced joy and peace that I never had before, and I want you to experience His love.

See Video Testimony of a Man who gave Jesus a chance. >>

Here is a mini timeline of what happened to me next:

• After listening to the Good News that the guy shared with me, I decided to give Jesus a try. Seriously, what did I have to lose?!
• February 2010:  After returning from a retreat, I started feeling better internally.  The next step in God’s plan came to a total surprise for me…
• March 21st, 2010:  In Washington D.C., at a march for immigrant rights, out of 200,000 people, there was a group of people from my home state, and I happened to be walking next to a lady who asked me a simple question:  “Are you Colombian?”  I was wearing some gear from my mom’s native country, so I told her that my mom was from Colombia but my dad was from Ohio.  We started to chat and I ended up getting her phone number.  She only lived about two hours from my hometown.
• Amazingly, when I invited her to visit my apartment, she saw my friend there (the same guy who shared the Good News with me), and I discovered that she knew him from her hometown church.
• April 28th, 2012: I ended up marrying her, and my friend became the best man at my wedding.

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