Haven’t felt the need to write in here in a while but felt compelled to do so after a 4 hour conversation on the campus of Biola with my good friend Alain. We walked around campus going through remember whens, even walking through the hallway we first lived in together.

Flash back four years earlier when I first stepped on the Biola campus, ready to conquer the world, ready to achieve the dream.  Little did I know the obstacles, trials, tribulations, memories, decisions, and lessons I would encounter for the next four years of my life.  Through college I have made decisions, none of which I regret, but some of which I would go back on. 

The biggest lesson I learned in college is that you are only as strong as you make yourself to be, and you are only as weak as you allow yourself to be.  Through these four years I have encountered trials, tribulations, and triumphs.  I have encountered big ups, and big downs.  I have loved and lost, and learned to love some more.  But through it all I’ve learned to never lose a sense of self or who I was.  To always stay true to what I believed was right.  To take initiative for my mistakes, let alone, confront them.  I think my biggest problem was that I would live, and never learn.  I would see how to do it, but never was willing to do it. I was to cocky to think I was ever wrong, and too prideful to think that whatever I did was that bad.

Flash forward to now.  I am truly blessed.  I have a family that has been with me despite our hard times, I have friends that I can count on no matter what, I have a ministry that makes sure I am always straight and never crooked, and I have a God who assures me that everything will work together for my good.  To put it in simpler terms, I am thankful.  Thankful for everything (good and bad) because everything made me into who I am today. 

Alain D.: No one has ever pushed me to be the best person I can be, from our arguments while playing ball, to our talks about girls, to telling me that I need to be a better man of God.  You always expected my 100 percent in everything I do.

Miles J.: I look up to you so much, we were so dumb as freshman, even more dumb as sophomores.  I’ll never forget the memories we went through.

Amanda Manalo: You have seen me at my best, and at my worst.  But through it all you have always been someone I can talk to and turn to. love ya.

UTC: Thank you for constantly reminding me that faith without action is nothing. God is good.

My family: unconditional love is the only way I can put it. this was for you mom.

and everyone else, thank you.

God Can. Know your Worth.

Time to walk that stage…

:)