The year was 1986, I decided to start my own band with my cousin, we went to our first heavy metal Concert. I was in awe, I wanted to be one of those guys that people cheered for. I wanted to feel needed. I wanted to be someone special. I wanted to be heard. So I got into the loudest, hardest type of music that is out there,”Speed Metal / Death Metal” at that time also known as “Thrash.”
We played in many places. I thought that we were going to be the next Slayer.
The truth is, we could have been, but everything took a turn for the worst in my life.
I started to hang out with a different crowd, the Evil Spirit of Deception got a hold of me. You see I had this nickname that every one knew me by, the devil used this name to trick me. The name was “Beef” or “Beefman”.
What a lie from the devil. Looking back now I can clearly see that it was a lie from the devil telling me that I was famous because everybody knew my name. Satan is the father of lies and because I was walking with him and not in God’s will for my life, the devil had full rights to my life because I had not repented from my sins.
JOHN 8:44 –
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.
He was a murderer from the beginning, and abodes not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
I started to get involved with drugs. I was kicked out of every band that I would play with because of my lies and drug use. The rest of that story is in my book “A New Life Is Expecting You”.
I will now fast forward in to the next phase of my lost life. I was still known as “Beef” or now it was “The BeefMan” and I went into radio.
A Hip Hop radio station took me in as a Morning show DJ. At this point of my life I am very deceived by the devil. In my own mind I am that “Rock Star” that I always wanted to be.
The inner fact was that I was worse now living the night life, hosting concerts at huge venues and using my radio name as my front.
I then started to manage a strip club at night. I was just going deeper and deeper into deception.
Boy, I really thought that I was something special.
I hit an all time low when I started to steal for my drug habit.
As time went by I would end up losing both of my jobs because my drug of choice was crack.
I lost everything.
I was living so wrong that I still thought that I was a “star” because I shared meals with Rock Stars, Hip Hop stars, I was on local TV shows, but I was living a sinful dream.
I left God.
I left God’s will for my Life.
I had gone far away from Him.
I had hit rock bottom.
I was one day in my apartment hiding in my closet high on crack crying. I was so high I couldn’t even move my arms and legs.
I heard a knock on my window-boom boom boom!
I heard my name but it sounded muffled.
I heard my mother calling my name “Leandro ! It’s me mom” I heard her voice again “Leandro! …Come out! Open the door, I love you son. Please open the door.”
I didn’t come.
I stayed quiet but tried to reach my hand out towards my window but I couldn’t move.
Nothing would come out of my mouth.
I am saying “Mom” …”Mom” but nothing would come out of my mouth.
I broke down in tears and realized that I was in my closet but I so wanted to come home.
The next day I woke up in the same spot that I fell asleep in.
I crawled my way to the shower and I cleaned up. I then called my parents to come. I told them that I realized that I was living in Sin. I realized that I had been deceived by the devil because the truth is not a single person out of the thousands that I partied with or bands that I played with even knew my real name.
They only knew “Beef Man.”
The devil meant to destroy me but God used that right there to protect me. Nobody knew Leandro,they only knew “Beef”. I too was deceived by “Beef Man.” It was “Beef Man” craving the stardom,the recognition, the fame.
Satan gave that spirit of deception a name; “Beef Man”; but God spared my real name because He had big plans for me.
Everyone that I had know for many years in the music industry, Radio, Drug, Club Life, Never came looking for me to be my friend.
Just like the prodigal Son. I rejoice and give God all the Glory. I realized that I am the son of royalty, the son of the One true Living God! The King Of Kings and The Lord of Lords, and He receives me with open arms.
He gave me purpose. He gave me a new dream to turn Worldly stages into God’s Altars.
To reach out to the Lost.
The Hurt.
Deceived.
Lonely.
Afflicted.
Addicts,
and so many more that need Jesus Christ.
The Lord is looking out for you.
He is waiting for you to come home.
If you are already home He is waiting for you to wake up.
He wants to take you to a whole new level in your Christian walk with Him.
I Glorify God! He dusted me off, kissed my face, told me that He loves me. He has given me a beautiful wife and four children.
I am now Associate Pastor of the Family Ministry and a book Author.
There is no limit to what God can do in your life. You just have to be willing to let Him.
Friends, A new Life Is Expecting You.
Come Home. ~Lenn Olivarez
To read more of Lenn’s story, check out his book, A New Life Is Expecting You, sold
on line through the following:
Amazon.com
Barnes&Noble.com
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