October marks my 40th anniversary of preaching the Gospel. It was the first time I spoke in public, and the first time I truly felt alive. On that fall day, I discovered my true passion, and my life changed forever. Author Howard Thurman wrote, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
It was the fall of 1975. I was a member of the youth ministry of my home church on the Lower East Side of New York City. Every Saturday at noon, the group met for prayer before heading out to the streets to hand out literature, visit the sick and hold what we called a “street service.”On that day, Sylvia, our fearless leader, looked at me, pointed, and said, “Pablo, you are going to preach today. Get ready.”
My heart was pounding, my hands were sweaty, and the butterflies in my stomach began to flutter. I thought to myself, What am I going say? What if one of my friends sees me? I had never spoken in public before, much less preached.
We walked out of the church, headed east and positioned ourselves on the corner of East Broadway and Clinton Street. As it began to drizzle, we sang a few songs. Then it was my turn. Nervous and with no microphone in hand, I knew I would have to be strong and project my voice.
I opened my mouth, and one after the other words began to come out. The longer I spoke, the more empowered I felt. It was an incredible feeling, unlike anything I had ever experienced. When I finished, my heart was filled with joy.
Unbeknownst to me, a seed was planted that day, and it grew into a passion that would last a lifetime. So much of who I am today was shaped by that moment. There is a proverb that says,” A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”. That first step impacted the rest of my life.
What makes you come alive? Please share with us.
