Proverbs 11:14

Proverbs 11:14

For lack of guidance, a nation falls,

But victory is won through many advisers.

There’s really no good way to introduce Saul; he was an asshole.

Before we knew him as Paul the Apostle, Saul was known for persecuting early Christians in Jerusalem. He was present during the stoning of Stephen, cheering on the crowd. He believed he was doing the right thing, holding tightly to his belief system, blind to anything outside of it. And then came Damascus. Somewhere between 34–37 CE, Saul set out on the road with a mission: find more Christians and ruin their fucking day. Instead, he was interrupted by grace. A blinding light, Jesus Himself, stopped Saul in his tracks. He lost his sight for three days.

Enter Ananias.

Ananias laid his hands on Saul, his sight returned, and something deeper shifted. Saul didn’t just regain his vision — he gained purpose. He took on his Greek/Roman name Paul, devoted his life to Christ, and became one of the most influential voices in Christianity. The same man who once tried to destroy the movement helped spread it across continents. Talk about God's plan.

I love this story because there's so much good to take away from it, like how Jesus didn't restore Paul's vision himself; instead, he sent Ananias to do the bidding because he knew there was a bigger butterfly effect to come from it. Imagine our mighty and gracious God being humble enough to say, "Nah, I'm going to sit this one out, go ahead, Ananias, I know you got this. It gives me goosebumps. Or the fact that Paul had such a corrupt past, and Jesus said, "Hey, I love you. I know what you did, I know who you are, and I see the potential of who you can be. I'm going to take away your sight right now, and though you might not understand it now, you'll get it later."

I'm getting overstimulated writing this, but damn, it really is exciting. It's insane to think about. I could go on and on about how beautiful Paul's transformation is, but honestly, this blog isn't about Paul. It's about my personal Ananias, CJ.

I worked with CJ for a bit; it was actually my first IT job. I was in school for IT and thought computers were going to be my world. I knew I had a drive and passion for media, but I was convinced I'd never make a living doing that, so I'd settle for just IT. I fucking hated it, my god, I hated it. I loved working for CJ. He was great to all his staff. More than great. I knew if I didn't like doing IT for one of the best people I had the privilege of working for, I wasn't going to like it anywhere. I then spiraled a bit with some pills, lashed out at one of his managers, to be fair, he was a bit of an asshole. Mainly because I gave him every reason to be, but that's neither here nor there! I was on pills and hated life at the time. Violet was about my only glimmer of light, so I might have been a bit of a shit head. Sorry Jeremy.

Through it all, though, CJ never gave up faith in me. Even seeing a broken shitass of a human, he saw something in me that I didn't. I could always appreciate that being around CJ made me feel better about myself because I would do charity events with him, and we'd pray over every meal. The things that should make you feel good. I had completely lost touch with faith before meeting CJ. Violet brought me back a bit, but it was just so she could be divinely protected if there was something. I wasn't believing for the right reasons. Every event I did with CJ, every time we prayed, every time we talked, I just felt something bigger than us. I couldn't explain it then, but I knew he would play a big role in my life. Shortly after leaving CJ's company, I introduced him to someone who would, in turn, become a partner of CJ's, and they're still doing business together to this day. That was what, 6 - 7 years ago? 🫠 Now this is where the waterworks come in, and I get chills telling this story. A year or so after that deal happened, I had gotten a letter in the mail from CJ. I opened it, and it was a check for $700, the finder's fee for the partner deal. I called him and asked if it was a mistake, and he said, "Nope, been trying to get that to you for a while now. Enjoy!". Talk about being honest through and through. After a month, any one of my previous bosses would have pocketed that shit. I had been wanting a camera to start photography as a hobby, I ended up using that check to buy my Canon EOS M50 Mark II, WHICH would be the camera that I would go on to start Max Patino Photography with..... WHICH would rebrand to Violet Skyy Media on November 3rd, 2024.

WHICH would be the gateway to my website and writing blogs, WHICH LED ME TO WRITING ABOUT GOD AND MY MISSION TO HELP OTHERS RESTORE THEIR DAMAGED FAITH!

Isn't that absolutely insane, y'all? CJ never gave up on me and helped restore my faith in god (and humanity). In turn, would unknowingly create the platform where I would preach my gospel to all you heathens. It blows my mind every time I think about it, but the moral of the story is, let the good in. When someone is trying to get through to you, let the good in. Let the good in and experience the rest.

Your story is just beginning.

CJ and I praying over a Thanksgiving meal, 2025

I love you, CJ. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for always staying in touch. Thank you for being one of the best parts of my life, but not just my life, others as well. You are a forest of knowledge and wisdom, and I look forward to many more years of mentorship and monthly Pizza outings.