The most eloquent prayer is the prayer thru hands that heal and bless. The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service. The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless - Billy Graham
Male
32 years old
BOYNTON BEACH, Florida
United States
Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior, my lovely wife Karla,hanging out with people,theology, sociology, social justice causes,culture,education, learning Spanish, politics, ethnic food, swimming (pool and beach), reading, exercise, kids, nature, large cities (especially NYC), travel, music, movies, NBA basketball, animals, amusement parks, bowling, billiards, camping
Music
electic blend of Christian music - from worship music (Hillsong Australia, Chris Tomlin, Aaron Shust), to Gospel (Israel & New Breed, Fred Hammond), to rock (Third Day, Jeremy Camp), to hip hop/rap (Cross Movement), to inspirational (MercyMe), to Spanish - even though I can barely understand it! (Leon de Judah and whatever is in Karla's CD player)....pretty much depends on my mood and who I am with (I am a chameleon - I just blend in with whoever I am with)
Movies
I am not the huge movie buff that my wife is, but I do like movies. She makes fun of me for this one (but I still love her), but the "ROCKY" films have always been a major inspiration! I can relate to Rocky's ups and downs, and reslience more than most people will ever know. The "Passion of the Christ" has brought me closer to Him more than any Jesus movie ever made. "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy is cool (Karla's favorite), "Chronicles of Narnia" and "Prince Caspian" is cool....great teacher/educator inspirations are "Coach Carter", "Lean on Me", "Stand and Deliver".....then there's movies that are so stupid yet hilarious like "Nacho Libre" and "Napoleon Dynamite".....kid's movies (teachers need to know what the kiddies are watching) like "Cars", "Ice Age" or any Pixar flick....cool special effects like "Spider Man" or "Transformers"..."Incredible Hulk (2008 version)" reality documentaries like "World Trade Center" adventures like "Pirates of the Caribbean".......I like a variety of movies.
Television
I don't watch lots of TV...except occasional NBA games, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel,Travel Channel (ANTHONY BOURDAIN ROCKS!!!), History Channel, whatever catches my attention at the moment...
Books
I love to read books! The Bible and "The Cross and the Switchblade" by David Wilkerson have been most influential. Beyond that, anything that helps my spiritual, emotional or professional growth I will devour. Examples - "Letters to a Young Evangelical" by Tony Campolo (spiritual), "Velvet Elvis - Repainting the Christian Faith" by Rob Bell (spiritual), "Spiritual Leadership" by Henry Blackaby (spiritual), "The Emotionally Healthy Church" by Peter Scazero (emotional), "Changes That Heal" by Henry Cloud (emotional), "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Steven Covey (professional), "First Days of School" by Harry Wong (professional)
Heroes
Jesus Christ, Rev. Billy Graham, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Charles Stanley, Tony Campolo, Tim Keller, Jim Wallis, Ron Sider, David Wilkerson,Tony Evans, William Booth, John Wesley, A.W. Tozer....there are actually alot of people I look up to and admire but I could go on and on with a list! If you don't know who any of these people are just do a google search! If you don't know Jesus Christ go to www.gotlife.org!!!!!!
I am a laid back guy pretty easy to get along with. I enjoy meeting new people and learning about their life stories. I like to associate with a variety of people and cultures - keeps life interesting!
I have lived in South Florida since the summer of 2005 and am a native of Bergenfield, NJ in the Northern New Jersey/NYC metro area.
The most important thing in my life is my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ! He is my life's passion and the reason why I live! It is my daily motivation to live for Him and serve Him. That is where true joy is found!
After Jesus, the love of my life is my wife - Karla. We've been married since March 10, 2007. She is a beautiful and sweet BORICUA (Puerto Rican)! Our wedding was in her hometown of Juncos, PR.
Here's our wedding pics (copy and paste): http://picasaweb.google.com/karlexa/WeddingPics
Here's our honeymoon pics (copy and paste): http://picasaweb.google.com/karlexa/HoneymoonCarnivalCruise
Since August of 2008 I have been serving in a full time urban missionary ministry in South Florida with a faith based non profit organization called URBAN YOUTH IMPACT - WWW.URBANYOUTHIMPACT.COM . I've already been serving as a volunteer for 3 years as a tutor in the afterschool program, Bible teacher in Kids Church, coordinating the giveaway of 2,500 backpacks/school supplies, etc.
My role there is to serve as mentor and tutor for a group of 2nd grade inner city boys and girls in an African American community in West Palm Beach where over 80% of the children live in single parent homes, and is considered the 3rd most dangerous neighborhood in FL (after areas of Miami and Orlando). This is a unique opportunity because many non-profits (Christian and secular) have mentors as part time staff or volunteers. But this position will allow me to invest in their lives on a FULL TIME BASIS.
I will need the help of others to accomplish this urgent mission. Copy & paste this link to see how:
I have spent the last 13 years preparing for this role. It has been a long journey, but very fulfilling and fruitful.
Answering a call to ministry in my high school years (1990's) I attended a Bible College called Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa Falls, Georgia, and later on Nyack College/Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, NY and NYC. I was trained in Biblical Studies, Pastoral Ministry, and Intercultural/Urban Ministry. It was a challenge, yet a blessing.
Throughout the years, I've been blessed with opportunties in NJ, NY, GA, FL as well as a few Latin American nations. I have preached and taught the Word of God to people of all walks of life. I have ministered to children and youth through Christian afterschool programs, Christian schools, summer camps, Kids Church and youth groups.
Much of my experiences have been in urban and multicultural settings, such as the Bronx and Manhattan, NYC, Jersey City, NJ, Atlanta, GA and the inner city area of West Palm Beach, FL. God has revealed himself to me more in these ministries than anywhere else. It's been in these challenging environments where my faith has grown the most.
But I have also ministered in suburban areas of NJ & FL and rural areas of GA - because I believe that God cares for ALL people. (John 3:16).
Somewhere along my life's journey, I also cultivated a passion for education. As I worked with kids more and more in children's ministry and public school substitute teaching, I saw that there was an educator in me as well as a preacher/missionary!!!
So I took the plunge and became what's called an "alternative certification" teacher - a person whose degree is not in education but demonstrates potential to teach and gets on the job training, taking classes while being a teacher. I've been earning credits from Palm Beach Community College to enhace my professional growth.
That comes out of personal conviction that there are alot of good hearted people who want to help kids but lack the professional credentials to really help them!
I am burdened over the fact that many children can barely read or understand what they read. And that many are below grade level. I think that is a moral problem that people of faith need to address.
So in the last few years I've taught 2nd, 3rd and 5th grades as a regular teacher. I have also taught special education grades 3-8 for students with learning disabilities (dylexia, ADHD, reading comprehension issues, illiteracy). And I have been a one on one in home reading and math tutor for elementary students of low-income families.
At this point in my life, I am taking a break from the classroom and seeking to combine the ministry and teaching experience/training I've received for the last decade and COMBINE them into ONE HOLISTIC GOAL at Urban Youth Impact. This has been my dream for a long time.
In other aspects of ministry...my wife (Karla)and I are volunteer lay leaders in a dynamic downtown church in WPB called The Ascent - www.cityplaceascent.com
I coordinate an intercessory prayer ministry, teach baptism classes, baptize people, co-teach a church membership/intro to Christianity class, help with children's ministry and local outreaches. Our church is in the beginning stages of launching a homeless ministry to alleviate the homeless CRISIS in West Palm Beach, too.
Karla is a natural born leader and she teaches pre-K kids diligently each week and coordinates volunteers. She also helps me with alot of behind the scenes administrative stuff no one knows about! She is a great wife!
She is a cell biologist who works for a medical device company in Fort Lauderdale developing heart stents. She is a very smart woman!
Karla is a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan, PR with a degree in biology. She spent a year in medical school, too. And no, she does NOT believe we evolved from chimpanzees!!
www.reasons.org
I love my wife! Not only is she beautiful and intelligent, she is a godly woman of strong moral character, discipline and an intriguing personality. She is full of compassion, loyalty and kindness. She is very funny and lots of fun to be with. She is my best friend in the whole world! And she tries to teach this gringo Espanol and cooks great "arroz con gandules y tostones" (and other wonderful foods!)!!!!
She has a myspace below (karlexa) but I will warn you and tell you she hardly uses it.
In recent years I have becomes more politically inclined....
I am somewhat of a socially progressive evangelical Christian. I used to be one of those people who thought that being a Christian meant you have to be a Republican. Not anymore! Jesus is not a Republican or a Democrat! There are good and bad virtues exhibited in BOTH parties.
(If you are a Christian and vote for Obama, it will not make you less spiritual than if you vote for McCain! Likewise if you vote for McCain it doesn't make you less spiritual either. God is not on either side. It is a matter of personal decision).
After originally being almost as conservative as Rush Limbaugh, Rev. Pat Robertson and Rev. Jerry Falwell in my High School years, then going for years not thinking much about politics except only when it came to abortion and homosexuality (the narrow trap many evangelical Christians have been sucked into) I began to realize that in God's eyes the political agenda needs to be broader. I owe the credit to a guy named Rev. Jim Wallis and his friend Rev. Tony Campolo.
www.sojo.net
By that I mean that I am still pro-life and do not support the homosexual agenda. These are immoral and perverse lifestyle choices that break the heart of God, but so does bombing abortion clinics and holding up signs that say, "God hates fags"! This past year I helped to raise money for a crisis pregancy center, and both my wife and I signed a petition that came in the mail to protect traditional marriage as ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN FOR LIFE.
HOWEVER.....we need to broaden the social "conversation" beyond just those two issues. What about poverty, racism, AIDS, compassionate approaches to immigration, ending the Iraq war, global warming, animal rights and urban education? Aren't these social issues dear to God's heart, too????.
Mike Huckabee put it very well:
"Unquestionably there is a maturing that is going on within the evangelical movement. It doesn't mean that evangelicals are any less concerned about traditional families and the sanctity of life. It just means that they also realize that we have real responsibility in areas like disease and hunger and poverty and that these are issues that people of faith have to address."
Christians also need to remember what St. Francis of Assisi said: "PREACH THE GOSPEL AND IF NECESSARY, USE WORDS".
Anyway, I'm very driven and passionate about lots of things, but I'm still a normal person (LOL)!!!
I love to spend time with my wife, family, friends, travel, read, exercise, shoot hoops, watch movies and TV, eat many kinds of ethnic foods, hang out on myspace, try to learn Spanish and take Latin dancing classes with my wife (I'm horrible and have a long way to go!).
I like to laugh with people and have a good time! I enjoy people. Life is good.
I am happy with our life together and excited about where it is heading! Life is an adventure!!!
Who I'd like to meet: I made this myspace account primarily as a way of staying up to date with family and already existing friends and acquaintances. It's also a great way to get back in touch with people from college.
Of course, but I don't know if she receive my opinion or council... jejeje, I can say something, I LOVE IT, there was at 4 down zero.... very coldd, but I LOVE IT.....
Hey Brian and Karla how are you? What's happening in your life, I'd love to hear all about it. I want an update! Texas is AMAZING! It snowed today. It is beautiful!
Greetings My Friend! It is amazing here. I love it and it so suits me. I am getting settled. I am eager to get to blogging about my journey and I am so eager. I do not get my internet and phone until Monday. I have a lot of catching up. Thank you for your friendship. Miss everyone lots! Lori
Hey guys. Happy Turkey Day to you as well. We look forward to seeing you at Christmas. Have a safe flight and congrats on becoming an uncle again. I hope all is well with you. All my love to you both. Theresa
