Actions Speak Louder Than Words

  Actions speak louder than words. It’s a phrase that we hear quite often. Sometimes from a friend in a time of encouragement, or from someone scorned that you aren’t acting in their expectation of you. Graduating college is easily a great relief in life. No more homework (until grad school), no late night essays, no all-nighters in the library. You’d think it’d be the easiest time for a college student. 

  You’d think.

  College offered me a comfort of something I knew I was good at, with peers who were there for the same reason (majority of the time). But graduating actually became more stressful the closer I got to the date because I had to actually make a decision on what I was going to do with my life after graduation. Getting a degree in Finance was a huge blessing, I have a good number of options on what I would want to get into, and even with COVID crippling the job market, I could still afford to find a career had picking one actually been that easy.

  It wasn’t.

  Any 23 year-old that can pin point a trajectory to their dream job, kudos to you, I’m genuinely impressed. I had more questions and even a lot less answers the closer I got to graduation. But I knew a few things were sure: I wanted to continue to grow in my faith, I wanted to make a decision that would grow me as a man, and I wanted to be close to my family again. 

  The more conversations I had with people, the more I realized I was just giving a lot of lip service that sounded really good, no matter how genuine it was. I could’ve gone to Cleveland and gotten a really well paying job out of college. I could’ve gone back to my hometown in Tampa and work with a great up and coming company that I could put my head down and grind through the ranks in hopes of being in a position that was favorable by my 30th birthday. But I had to ask myself as I looked in the mirror, will you be happy? 

  I always knew money wasn’t the key to my happiness, and I made a promise to myself in July 2018 that I would never make a decision with money being my number one priority. Transferring to UWF after UCF offered me $2,000 in scholarships was a humble pie that I had to eat slowly, but I learned the best lesson of my life in making that decision, my God is a God who always provides. 

  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew‬ ‭6:33‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

  I wondered what this verse looked like for me in my new life as a college graduate. And thanks to my good friend and pastor Andrew Roberts, a decision that I felt I couldn’t make, suddenly became clear and so easy.

  Jacksonville. Awaken Church. Ministry.

  Live back with my family, come back to the church where I found Christ and continue to grow spiritually, and lastly, go into ministry where life lessons will grow me as a man. I found my answer. 

  I NEVER thought that I would be serving on staff at a church to be honest with you, but serving on leadership at my college ministry at UWF opened my eyes to a future that God had for me all along. 

  I don’t know how long I’ll serve strictly in ministry, but I do know right now, that I’m exactly where God wants me to be and that I’m surrounded by the people that I love most in my life (minus my mom who I miss immensely as I am writing this).

So what has my summer looked like? Well, my first week back in Jacksonville, I organized my own protest. Black Lives Matter, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know this. I will use my voice and platform to bring ideas of bringing about REAL change, and use my education to educate others on REAL issues that are plaguing American communities, disproportionately communities of color. As a Christian, we should be terribly burdened by this, and be working to help right the wrongs of this country that exist and make this an America where all people are treated with respect, love, and kindness. 

  I began support raising for my internship (almost reached my goal!!), which being in the financial situations that I’ve been in before and seeing God move the way He did, I never even blinked. Thats solely because I trust that I serve a God that provides and has already set a provision for me.

  I was a part of my first church staff meeting, which was insanely cool to be a part of and have the curtain pulled back on church operations and decision making. 

  And when God platforms you, you use it to grow and influence His kingdom in the way that He intended. 

  More on that next time though, these are enough words, I’ll be back with more actions.