Roads To Success 11

Ron and Cristy Varela (continued)

New Horizons

Facing the daunting challenge of breast cancer, Ron and Cristy bonded together as they had through so many other crises in their lives.  Together they considered the options available to Cristy.  Together they researched, consulted with doctors and together they prayed for guidance. 

“It didn’t take very long but for some reason I had a peace about everything I decided to do that I can’t explain,” Cristy recounted.  “I know now that comes from God.”

Ron summed it all up with, “We made the decision together that she was going to have surgery and then just put our faith in the Lord.”

The surgery was successful, and through the ordeal, the Varela family had grown stronger because of it.  There was a new closeness, a greater openness and a tighter bond between not only Ron and Cristy, but the entire family.

“It really brought us to what was really important in life,” Ron stated ardently.  “It brought our family together even closer.”

“This is really all that matters, your family and your relationship with God,” added Jason.

Ron and Cristy’s walk of faith is obvious in them both; it rests easily on them, defines them and guides them.  As their faith matured they involved themselves in a small, Christian media radio station based in Prescott, Arizona, helping whenever and wherever they could.  At the time we taped the Varela interviews Carol Stensrud was the general manager of KGCB and I asked her on camera to give me her assessment of Ron and Cristy.  “What I see in them are two people who are so hungry to please God now,” Carol answered.  “They just want people to have the excitement and joy they have.”

“For both my mom and dad, I think they rely a lot more on prayer every day, all day, for all the decisions they make, big or small,” Jason told me during his interview.

“I think before it was how many toys you can have and how much money you can have in the bank,” Ron added.  “We changed our priority about material things.  Now we’ve had the opportunity to give back.”

Carole Stensrud confirmed Ron’s statement, “They’re generous in so many ways.  Not just here at KGCB but around the world.  I just can’t get my mind around all they do to bless other people.”

“We’ve been able to go to Ecuador, Bolivia, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic,” Ron explained enthusiastically.  “We’ve been able to share the Gospel and share with some of our finances to help out.”

“Now I see a new success in their lives,” Jennifer related.  “With being able to affect other people, and going to other countries, and reaching out to people, just being effected by it and caring.  They see people that are in need and they want to help.”

Today, Ron and Cristy have restructured their business into The Varela Companies.  Most of their business is in residential development and they operate a grading company as well.  The Varela Companies even encompass their Arizona ranch.  At the time of their television interviews in 2006 the companies were collectively generating annual revenues in the tens of millions.

Ron and Cristy have little doubt where their success comes from.  Cristy put it this way, “I know that our success is because God has given us the abilities, the opportunities, opened doors for us, and helped us grow strong.”

“From having a lot to losing just about everything, and then they got a second chance to grow,” reflected Jason.  “I think with all the things that happened in their lives with cancer, and losing companies and all the bad things, they got to say, ‘Okay how do we do it this time?’  It’s allowed the companies to grow and headed us in the right direction.”

Ron, having already acknowledged God’s grace and provision in his family’s life, added this, “With hard work and perseverance you can succeed.  Next month it’ll be thirty-eight years that we’ve been married.  We have two wonderful kids and five wonderful grandkids.”

“We don’t give up,” Cristy agreed.  “We have a reason not to give up, mostly because God has given us the courage to go forward.  We trust each other and we trust Him.”

© 2011 Philip Kassel