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1 Samuel 7:12 “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."

Hi, my name is Tito Velasquez. I came from Colombia five years ago when I was 16 years old in order to pursue a career in the health care field. I enrolled at UIC and started my journey, or should I say, odyssey in the american college life. Let’s just say that I survived and, by the grace of God, graduated as a dietitian last Thursday.

I want to expose on three main points:

1.  God’s plan has prevailed over my plan.
2.  Ambition and independence were both my best friends and worst enemies
3.  God has helped me to this point.

First: God in my life during my studies

God’s plans have prevailed over my plans. I have always said that it was God’s plan for my life to come to the US at such young age. It was God’s plan to bring me to this church through Dr. Jose Ahn. It was His plan for me to be here tonight. I could mention the hundred little things in school and personal life where I have seen the hand of God intervening and redeeming me, like passing a what we all once experienced to be the most difficult class and final ever. All those countless, minute miracles many times made my day, but more important is the big picture, the end of the line looking retrospectively to the completion of my career where it is clearly evident that God was always been there ensuring every step of the way that I would graduate. I strongly belief that this end result is solely God’s plan in my life and God’s doing in my life, and I attribute all credit and thanksgiving to Him.

Second:  Ambition and independence were both my best friends and worst enemies.

My human drive are ambition and independence. Since I first came to Chicago, every year I have moved to a better home, a better neighborhood, a better place. This year i’m breaking in my fifth apartment. The point is that even though every time I thought I was making the right choice because, based on societal standards, I was progressing and improving, in the light of the Word of God and my mother’s feedback I was growing away from God. At one point I let myself get engulfed by consumer behavior, shallow networking at fancy restaurants and cafes, vain talk; and all these things filled in my heart until today. Today I can see how these two buddies, ambition and independence, are my worst enemies; and I thank my mom for being upfront, rebuking me, and pretty much putting me back together to the humble person I used to be a couple years ago.

I mean, in the beginning, ambition and independence truly helped me to achieve many good things, such scholarships and grants that helped me graduate with no debt; honors and awards that where received throughout the career; internships and jobs that today have opened the doors to better things; and so I called them best friends. This is a lie from the world and the devil for the One and only who allowed me to have and live what I have experienced is God. Only God can be my best friend and only Him can receive the honor and glory from my part. Undoubtedly human effort plays a role on this, but only by the will of God things happen and no matter how hard I had studied or attempted to achieve or obtain something it is only by His will that it was granted onto me.

Third: God has helped me to this point

I would like to read the verse 1 Samuel 7:12 “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us." God has helped me to this point. Thank God I can see and testify that He has been with me to this point. To the present day He has sent me His faithful and good servants to counsel me, direct me, and support me unto what is to come in the future. In the past week I have had a lot of distress and confusion as to what to do next. Questions I ponder are whether if I should stay in Chicago and accept the best job in pediatric rehabilitation therapy or go back to Colombia with my parents and start an amazing public health project? How is my decision going to affect my relationship with God? How will my personal life look in the future, in one year or five years? This is such a pivotal point where every decision is life-changing for good or bad. Because of my incertitude of what to do, I will ask you to please pray for me. Pray that God may reveal His plan for my life and that His will may continue to prevail over mine so that in one or five years from now I can say “thus far has the LORD helped me”

One Word: Ebenezer, Thus far has the LORD helped me