Behind all this excitement something awful was happening, a very challenging situation. My wife at the time, had cancer. She was diagnosed a few months prior to me accepting this job as a Senior Pastor. I believed for her healing, but on December 29, 2005, she passed away. 

They say that our characters are exposed in tribulations. I wish I can say I did everything right, but I did not. The opposite, I did many things wrong. Inside of two years after accepting the call to pastor this church, I resigned and moved back to Florida. Less than a year after my wife’s death I was on my way to get married. 

I was still hurt; I was still suffering from my first wife’s death, but there I was, getting marry again. I wanted what I lost; after all, it was all I knew. I married Ileana when I was only 19 and was married to her for 18 years before she went on to be with the Lord. Sadly, inside of two years that second marriage ended up in divorce. I went deeper into the valley of suffering. I felt depressed and oppressed every day. I have been running from the pastoral office ever since. Like Jonah, I have been running from my call!

To be continued…