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Opportunity (n): a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something. This year has flown by! I guess it is true that the older you get, the faster times seems to go. I can honestly say that 2017 has been the best year I’ve had. If I could review this entire year of my life, it might turn out to be more of a book than a blog post. I could focus on many things that happened in my life like graduating college, connecting with numerous people in my possible career field, starting school at UAB, meeting Dale Earnhardt Jr., or my many adventures. When I first started attending Gardendale on a weekly basis, one of the first sermons Pastor Kevin preached on was on a watch word. A watch word is a word that God gives you and uses it to grow you throughout the year. I deeply felt the word “opportunity” whispered into my soul. My final post of this year will focus on 3 opportunities that occurred in my life that I didn’t see coming. 1) God Gave Me the Opportunity to Get Connected

The Chavez Family has obviously been through a lot this past week with a tragedy that has occurred. I'm not here to talk about details about it. If you want more details, you can check the local TV station websites. I'm here to talk about how God has comforted us this week. This audio blog is a little long (close to 40 minutes), but it is worth listening to. Listen to it on the way to church, a loved ones house, or even in your spare time. Why can I have joy, hope, strength, and forgiveness in this hard time? I would pray that you would listen to the podcast and even follow along with the notes provided. Again, thank you for your prayers for our family during this tough time. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST/AUDIO HERE DOWNLOAD AN OUTLINE WITH REFERENCE VERSES AND TO FOLLOW ALONG HERE *NOTE: When I speak about "us", "we", or "family" and how we feel, I am speaking on behalf of the five of us, not necessary how the entire family involved feels.*

Everyone has their own way to work out and exercise. For me, I walk about half a mile every day I go to class. But on the weekends, things change! I have a collection of VBS DVD’s and VHS cassettes from every VBS I have attended (with the exception of 2005, 2008, 2015, and 2016). My favorite parts are the music videos. If you’re familiar with LifeWay VBS, you probably have heard of Jeff Slaughter. Jeff did the VBS music from 1996 to 2012. Every Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon, I grab a few of the VBS DVD’s or cassettes and go to the music section. Some people may consider these VBS songs just for kids. All of these songs hold a special place in my heart. Sure, they were written for VBS, but they are loaded with scripture and important truths found in the Bible. For example, there’s one song from 2009 that drilled the verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Another song from 2011 teaches about the Great Commission. I could go on and on. All th

This past weekend I celebrated my 21st birthday! Nothing big, just time spent with my family. The one thing I prayed/wished for, God granted. I did a birthday fundraiser to help raise funds for my mission trip in 2018. All 21 spots were taken, and I am very thankful for the people who decided to donate. The day I came into this world was December 2, 1996. Interesting fact…I was born a UAB. Who would’ve thought that 21 years later, I would be attending UAB. I was born with a sinful nature. We all were. No matter what good I do in this world, if I didn’t have Jesus as my Savior, it wouldn’t help me get into heaven. I realized this at a young age. As many of you know, Vacation Bible School has always had a special place in my heart. Since 2001, I have attended VBS at Cleveland First Baptist. The people there mean a lot to me. They helped me build my foundations of Biblical knowledge. Jesus said that everyone needs to be born again. I encourage that you read this truth in John 3: 1-21