The promises of God are true. The Lord has been providing. The verse from Matthew 6:33 is proving to be correct in my life. “As we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, all these things will be given to you as well.”

Let me start with me coming to the United States, how unlikely. I came to this country at the age of 24 after a difficult battle with disobedience from God’s guidance. I was having sexual relations before marriage without repentance, full of pride, and definitely not serious about my education. On one occasion, I chose to go to the Gym instead of taking all of my final exams. This decision caused my grades to drop from A to C and one B. Unbelievable.

My God took me to the United States. I needed to fix the mess I put myself in academically. I also needed to fix my spiritual mess.

It is true that my parents had the funds to sustain me, with sacrifice but they did. What the Lord did was nothing less than a miracle. He transformed a vagabond into a lifelong learner. This is precisely what he does to the people he calls, transform their minds. He “transformed by the renewing of their minds.” (Romans 12:2)

My parents paid for my adventures, mistakes, and academic recovery in a foreign currency. The mighty dollar was then 5 times more valuable than the Brazilian real. I was then 5 times less valuable than the average student, yet the Lord rescued me. “He rescued me because he delighted in me.” (Psalm 18:19)

God’s faithfulness didn’t stop there.

I studied the English language for a few months. Then, the Lord enabled me to score a 550. This was on the then TOEFL test scale. This score would allow me to attend any big ten school nationwide. It was a living miracle for a student who had no record of excellence in academics.

The first challenge came but the Lord was with me, one more time. Get into a university and manage to find somehow extra funds to pursue my education in a second language was the challenge. My parents couldn’t pay the cost of my college tuition in dollar for four years. I had to find a scholarship source. I had five problems, though: First, my grades in high school weren’t good. I graduated with a barely 2.0 GPA. Second, My college record was not good, either. I think I had a 1.7 GPA, after three years. Third, It was already late October when I decided to apply for college to start in January without having any of my transcripts notarized. And lastly, I was a foreign student with an legal student international visa, only.

How would I find a university to accept me? How can I manage to have them pay for at least part of my tuition with my academic record, then? During November and early December, I exchanged multiple emails with an international admissions counselor from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania to prove that I would do the work. Eventually, she decided to look beyond my academic record and give me a chance. SRU was the only school that did not automatically reject my college application.

I ended up accepted by God’s grace. “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” (Ephesians 4:7)

After that, God was faithful with me in every way until graduating from Slippery Rock University with more scholarship. I never failed a test in college and graduated in the top of my class, a God’s miracle.

In my first year, I could barely understand what the professors were saying. there is a big difference between a 550 TOEFL score and being fluent in English, I quickly realized… The Lord helped me to graduate, nonetheless.

I quickly found myself in another predicament… Now, I’m a college graduate with only one year OPT (Optional Practical training) under my legal student visa. It allowed me to stay in the United States for one more year.

Meanwhile, my parents now live in the United States permanently. I only had relatives living in Brazil, ones that I usually don’t even speak with.

I realized that I could go graduate school and extend my stay in the USA legally that way, too. Another miracle would need to happen because I didn’t have the funds to pursue any masters degree anywhere in the Country. I had the grades and the Lord, thank goodness.

To my surprise, the Lord found me a way to get accepted and get half tuition at Claflin University of Pennsylvania, where my then fiancee was from a months and a half after my graduation. I told to myself, I don’t know how I’m going to pay for the remaining portion of my tuition but in faith, I will believe.

A month into my studies, a graduate student transferred and his funding went to me.

What is more miraculous… God enabled me to live with an income of $5,000 a year, above a principle’s garage, in a 100 SF space! The year was 2002.

Then I married Amy (my first wife) — and received the conditional green card and could finally breathe. I completed my masters degree and was in line to work for the university in its admissions department. I prayed for the Lord to give a full ride for a PhD program. My professors encouraged me to pursue a doctoral degree. An invitation to a superbowl party in the house of a Penn State professor was the ticket I needed.

Amazingly, this event led me to pursue a PhD at Penn State with tuition, stipend and later on extra grant funds given by the same professor who brought me to happy valley.

Truth; The Lord granted me a masters and doctoral degrees fully funded with a stipend. Looking back on these two developments alone, I can only say that “The LORD will provide.” (Genesis 22:14)

Let me speed up 17 years… The Lord’s grace didn’t stop in graduate school. He granted me three letters of tenure, in three different states. I have a network of professionals and friends now. He has also given me the ability to write books, articles, and even pursue a recent post-doctoral training in leadership at Harvard University fully funded.

In all trueness: I didn’t deserve a quarter of it.

Now with a wife, daughter, pets, and a career… the thousands of students in five states that I had the privilege to teach and much more. I reflect.

I am grateful for everything He did to me. God is faithful. It is worthwhile obeying His will.

He didn’t abandoned me. He will not abandon you, either.

“No one will be capable of standing against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or abandon you.” (Joshua 1:5).

In sum: Dedicate your life to God and be obedient. His blessings are indescribable and given for those who believe. It’s the best way… It’s the only way.