Chapter 19. Beware of Other People’s Opinions
seller but was loved by everyone I knew who read it. So I said “what the heck”, kept an open mind, and booked a flight to Jack- sonville to hear Joel live and then meet him after his service. I was not sure what to expect but I knew if I was going to reach out and try to expand my relationship with God, Joel Osteen seemed like the guy who could help me get there. You have to understand that I grew up Catholic, which had some very tough guidelines for what was right and wrong. Also when I was a kid I was under the misguided belief that TV evangelists were in it for just the money. So I had to throw those limiting beliefs in the gar- bage and go see Joel with an open mind and an open heart. I was blown away with what Joel was sharing with people. He allowed people to see the connection between success in your life and God in such a simple manner. He didn’t cram God down your throat like many others I had seen on TV through the years. I liked the fact of feeling the love of God rather than the fear of going to hell for not being perfect. I personally felt empowered on another level. While preaching, Joel seemed kind and truly caring, attributes that I hoped were sincere. After the service I met Joel, his wife Victo- ria, his mom, and his brother. Every single one of them lives the life they teach, preach, and try to share with others. The fact was that Joel not only talks the talk, he walks the walk. I’ve since flown to his Lakewood church in Houston simply to participate in another ser- vice and meet him once again; his message and caring stayed consistent. If I was going to take advice or find a mentor to expand my relationship with God, then Joel would be my guy. I don’t think I will ever be a preacher or a perfect Christian and I will never push God on anyone who does not want to learn what I have experienced. But I have found a new relationship with God that I enjoy and it is because I learned from and was inspired by someone who was doing it in a big, important way, in a way that I wanted to model. I have had friends and even family mem- bers make a joke about the fact that I wanted to explore this area of
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