What are the odds?

It was after my fourth or fifth surgery and I was 8 or 9 years old and I had already lost track of all these surgeries. I remember waking up and having these bandages wrapped around my head and having to wear them for a month or even more. I wasn't allowed to take them off and that was the worst part.

Every time after surgery, the moment I woke up I would spend the next hour throwing up. It was a miserable time. Why me? Why do I have to be born with "Microtia"? (Deformed ears with no canals). I would feel so much guilt as a child being a burden to my family and even to the hospital. Sometimes I would say under my breath to my parents, "Sorry"..... It was those moments when i didn't realize how much God was present in my life.

It took two pieces of my ribs and a lot of my own skins graphs and a total of 9 surgeries to complete this task in my life. Growing up mostly in the hospital, it really affected my social skills. Why me?I had all these questions like what am I going to do when I when grow up? Who's going to want marry me looking like this? I'm never going to be popular in school or play sports. I hate my life. Who am I but a nobody?

When I thought all odds were keeping me from discovering life and actually living it instead of complaining about it, my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Pergrin my told me something that I actually believed. "Aaron, everything we do in life is a choice and we can do anything that is possible but leave the impossible to Jesus, you understand me Aaron Ortega?" and that moment a seed was placed inside of me that grew in faith.

It was time to face the odds, here's how I dealt with my conditions in life;

Accept yourself - This isn't easy because sometimes it means having to accept something you don't like but it's necessary to become whole with yourself. A lot of times people who are angry with themselves or uncomfortable with themselves begin to project on people around them.

Change the way you think about your flaws - Start believing flaws can change for better. When you see flaws, always have in mind the word "Improvement" because it's possible for weaknesses to improve to become stronger.

For every new accomplishment learn a new song- Songs are the best way to learn to express your excitement. I know this might sound like a waste of time, but worship has became more personal to me because in my greatest moment I sang to God and not to myself. For whatever reason the awards in life can blind us from true glory and that is to God..... If you want to learn how to give glory...... sing.

Lastly, what I really learned was, Change the way you talk - If you constantly talk negative you're going to be negative. If you are tearing down dreams, hopes and changes remember that these dreams, hopes and plans, are not the problem, YOU ARE. Stop talking like the villain and start talking like Christ. Also, stop hanging with negative speakers and get around the people who will lift you up and believe with you.

Of course there are a lot more but these were the essentials in my life. But here's the funny thing, God chose to assign the odds against me and the obvious question here is why would God place trials in our lives? Because the Father in heaven looks down on his kids and keeps whispering, "I believe in you I wouldn't have made you if I didn't."

And for some reason I believe it.