My Hero's

In 1992 Monico and Andrea Melchor gave Joe and Carmen Trevino (my parents) a two-story apartment building just outside of downtown Houston. Many people could have seen this as an excellent opportunity create wealth and positive cash flow, but not my parents. They saw an opportunity to help people. The property was old and rundown and had become a magnet for drug and criminal activity. After much cleaning, painting and repairs (the place still didn’t look all that great), my parents announced the opening of a free program that would offer a Christ-centered approach to curing drug and alcohol addictions.

In 1994 Victory Family opened up its doors to the city and no one showed up! What good is a free community program if no one knows about it? We needed to spread the word. So drove around town and started to get the word out. When we saw a homeless person we would get out of the car and loving tell them about a place for change. We had flyers printed up with our information and we hit the streets like crusaders on a sacred mission to love the addicted. We found ourselves walking around downtown, under bridges, at the bus station telling anyone who would listen that there was a place to shower, eat, sleep, get off the streets and change their life, all for free. It was gorilla marketing at its finest.

I remember the very first man we brought into the home. He responded right in the middle of the street. “Can you take me there right now?” he said in a low voice that weighed heavy from years of addiction and homelessness. We were shocked that someone actually wanted to come in that we had to hide our amazement. “Of course you can,” we told him and soon he was riding in our car toward his new life.

Since that day, thousands of men and women have poured into Victory Family. We average 60-80 men and women everyday living in the Recovery Center. These men and women don’t just come in from off the streets anymore. They come from Galveston to Conroe, From Beaumont to Sugerland; People come from all over the United States, Canada, Mexico and even overseas. The people who come for treatment are not just homeless, they are fathers, mothers, professionals, college educated and have careers. People from all walks of life are coming for one reason. Drug addicts and alcoholics are changing at Victory Family.

DE:motivators

No single raindrop believes it is to blame for the flood.

MOTIVATION. Psychology tells us that motivation- true, lasting motivation- can only come from within. Common sense tells us it can't be manufactured or productized. So how is it that a multi-billion dollar industry thrives through the sale of motivational commodities and services? Because, in our world of instant gratification, people desperately want to believe that there are simple solutions to complex problems. And when desperation has disposable income, market opportunities abound. Demotivators.com

-I though it was funny, -PST

The Rhythm of God

There is a rhythm and flow to God. All creation is designed around a pattern of give and take. The seasons are an example of this principle that governs all creation. Summer heats and winter cools, spring buds and fall removes. The human heart expands and extracts, our lungs must inhale before they can exhale. Light always springs out of darkness. Suffering is the pathway to blessing.

You may be experiencing a time of abundance and peace, but know that the ebb and flow of life will allow that season to change. Equally if you are deep in despair and trials they are only for a moment. Your season will change. Cling to your cross and allow it to perform its work in your life. The cross you bear will be the cross that bears you. Life always springs out of death.

-PST

What season are you in right now?

Sins Leaders Commit No.3 // Exodus 17:17-27

3. Failing to Delegate V.21

Some surveys rank “inability to delegate” as the No. 1 reason that
leaders fail.

You can’t do everything by yourself. And even if you could, doing everything by yourself isn’t the most effective use of your time or talent as a leader.

You may be highly skilled and and excellent worker, but when you become the leader of a team of highly skilled, excellent workers, your job CHANGES!

Your job is no longer to only carry our your responsibilities, but to manage and develop a group of people and help them become better leaders.

When you delegate responsibilities to others, you multiply the amount of work that you can do.

A project that seems overwhelming on the surface is suddenly very manageable when you divide it up among 5 different people.

When you delegate work to others, you also create opportunities to develop them and their leadership skills. Whenever you take on a new assignment, task or an ongoing job, ask yourself whether one of the men can do it instead (and if the answer is yes, then delegate it!)