Called- Sweet Surrender: The Amazing 20 Year Triumph of Plumbing Doctor

DAVIS, Calif. - June 11, 2013 - PRLog -- God is a storyteller. His characters are His people. His plot are our trials. His silver lining is revealed in every story with a lesson that is so parallel to our real life that we silently understand the importance of surrendering.

For Michael Farias, Founder & CEO of Plumbing Doctor in California his story has an iconic parallel to Joseph's amazing journey of surrender and trust in God while he was in Egypt.

At age 18, Mike a struggling High School dropout, desperately needed a job. Mike was always tenacious and determined. He didn't know what he wanted to do, so he started with offering the skill of digging holes. He knew that someone would hire him. He was agile, determined and hungry to get started on his journey.

Mike's eagerness and hard work landed him a job within the plumbing industry.

One day at a job, Mike hovered at the top of a large hole that he dug. He quickly knew that he enjoyed the view from the top vs. inside of the hole! This started a motivation inside of him to move quickly towards a goal.

At age 24 he received his plumbers contractor's license.

Mike decided to pursue the Lord when a life changing event happened. He stepped foot in a church, listened to the call of God, and God began to mold him from that point on.

Mike was molded into an outstanding pastor and began preaching at a couple churches and at one point, thought he would never return to the plumbing industry.

He made a home with a few other God fearing men within the Church Care Network community. It was a small compassion ministry that helped provide resources to the community. Today that ministry is an international compassion organization called Convoy of Hope (http://www.convoyofhope.org/).

Mike spent the following 10 years dedicated to the plethora of knowledge flowing towards him. Mike started to learn new skills and techniques that added to his already determined personality by rubbing shoulders in several conferences with business leaders, CEO's and executives.

Over the next few years, his perspective on plumbing began to change. Perhaps it was Gods' way of calling him back into the industry. Mike noticed in particular the hardworking men. He noticed how old they were, how hard they worked their bodies, and how worn out they were from labor grueling jobs. He looked at these plumbers as brothers. He made the diagnosis in the midst of witnessing the reality of the plumbing industry and began stirring up ideas about how he can change the way the industry treats and views plumbers.

Mike was so moved and reflected being in these plumbers shoes just 10 years prior! Mike was motivated to do something about it.

There was no doubt about it, God was calling Mike to play a part in a big story.

In 1992, after a decade of preaching, Mike a father of 3 beautiful teens at this time decided to step aside from full time ministry. His bold belief caused him to take action. Mike took his $7,000 of ministry retirement, traded in the minivan and bought a used ambulance in hopes that someone would call for his plumbing business.

Mike's initial reasons were to be financially free and then go back into the ministry since this is his main passion. Mike knew that pursuing this idea would come to life.  He made a deal with himself that he would go back into the ministry once God let him know it was time. He didn't know how he would know when it was time, but he trusted that God would let him know.

Mike believed in the vision he had. God was now putting him to work. Mike knew he could develop a brand, teach plumbers how to succeed in this industry and package this concept for other plumbing contractors to use. He wanted to teach, but rather from the pulpit within the pipelines.

He worked house calls at 11PM and jobs that were far beyond his capabilities. What kept him motivated was his unwavering belief that God was bringing this vision to pass.

In 2012, 20 years later Mike found himself at a Urologist appointment having an important conversation with his doctor.  

"I'll never forget, the doctor said to me- 'you'll be just fine after surgery' and shows me on this big screen the images of my liver and kidneys. At one point I had to snap myself back into reality because I was so focused on the word surgery!"

"The doctor pointed to my left kidney, it had marks on it unlike my right kidney."

The doctor told me, "Mike, you have kidney cancer. But, you must have a shining light on you from above. If you were to make an appointment because you were experiencing symptoms, we would be having a different conversation right now."

This was undeniably, divine intervention.

30 days later, Mike went into surgery and his cancerous left kidney was removed.  

He wasn't entirely in the clear yet, the doctors wanted to make sure that the cells did not spread.

"You start having thoughts about getting your house in order and I felt like my life was an hourglass and that time was running out. The waiting, was not only frustrating but agonizing!"

Two days later Mike received the call with the news.

"The pathology lab was reviewing the cells to make sure that the cells have not spread. Mike, you are cancer free."

"At this point, I realized the hourglass flipped back over, it was time to step aside from business pursuits and go back to the ministry I was involved in 20 years ago. God is calling me out of Egypt 20 years later."

This amazing story from struggle to success and the roller coaster of emotional ups and downs have credited Mike Farias as one of the most influential men within his industry. Mike's tenacity has reached thousands through public speaking, news publications and recognition for being one of the fastest growing companies. Let us remember that just as the lesson was used for the story of Joseph, the same lesson was for Mike's.

When you surrender and obey through trust in God and His plans, God makes it happen. God really does mold you and brings whatever necessary toward your path to see His vision through. God uses situations to speak to us. Whatever caused Mike to walk into a church in his early 20's to commit his life to God is the reason for ALL that Mike has accomplished today.

Mike listened. He surrendered and he trusted. He found himself in "Egypt", having moments of struggle and doubt, but God prospered Mike.

Mike acquired federal registration for Plumbing Doctor, nabbed up the domain, concept and fully developed Plumbing Doctor. He now has 5 franchises open and serves thousands of customers nationwide.

Mike credits the success of Plumbing Doctor in a great way. He says, "Being able to employ people is the most rewarding part of what this visions real success is."

His hopes of sharing his life and journey with the public as well as making plumbing more educational will help pave a new path for the view on plumbers and the plumbing industry.  

www.plumbingmd.com
www.convoyofhope.com
Available for speaking engagements, teaching, training.
Please contact: mike@plumbingmd.com