We became followers of Jesus Christ a little differently, and a little later than most people might expect. I asked Jesus to come into my life right around my 30th birthday. Until that point, I had been consumed with other things having started a successful insurance and investment business right out of college.
When I hit the age of 23, I was working with New York Life as a Life and Disability Agent exceling in the area of employee benefits. Then at the age of 25 I started Cano Insurance Services which went on to become Corporate Choice Benefits. During that period, I began to write and service pensions, mutual funds, and investments as part of our ongoing employee benefit solutions for corporations.
As time went on, we felt there was something still missing in my life. Don't get me wrong, we had a good marriage, a wonderful daughter, and plenty of finances to go around. Even though we had a lot of positive things going on in our lives and career, we felt unfulfilled and empty inside, as though we were taking one step forward and two steps back.
In October of 1990, after a sequence of events, we turned our life over to Jesus Christ. From that time on, we have never looked back, nor felt so sure and secure in our life decision to follow Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.
Now, after we gave our lives over to God, He put us on a new path. We ended up enrolling in pastoral courses called International Theological Training Course (ITTC) that was run by New Covenant Ministries International (NCMI). Since then I have pastored and led two churches.
In 2010, my wife, Susan, and I moved to Upland, CA to start Gracious Living Church where I am the Lead Pastor. I also partner with the Upland Foothill Kiwanis Club and sit on the Board of Directors for the Inland Valley Recovery Services (IVRS).
Now, if you are reading this, we trust you have already made a decision to give your life to Jesus Christ. We are also thrilled to be a brother and sister in Christ and invite you to partner with us into the City of Upland and beyond. If for some reason you have never asked Jesus Christ into your life we encourage you to pray the same prayer we prayed that fall day in Southern California:
Dear God, I open my heart to you and invite you into my life. I confess that I am a sinner. I ask that you would forgive me of all that I've done wrong. Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, who died for me and who gives me the opportunity to know you. I want to be your follower. Thank you for accepting me. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen
