When Dreams Are More Than Wishful Thinking

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Zoro grew up with 6 siblings in a single-mother household in the inner city in Los Angeles.  They were often evicted from their apartments for having too many occupants and by the time Zoro was in 4th grade, their family had moved 23 times.  “I grew up feeling rejected, inadequate, disqualified, overlooked and ashamed,” says Zoro.  Yet despite feeling unworthy, Zoro felt in his heart he would somehow overcome his circumstances. As a young kid, Zoro always felt like the Lord was with him.  His mom, who passed away in 2004, was a strong woman of faith and took him to church.  One day at a summer Bible camp, Zoro gave his heart to the Lord.  (Whenever Billy Graham came on TV, Zoro gave his heart to the Lord all over again everytime!)   
    
When Zoro was in 4th grade, he performed in a school talent show. He played on a big refrigerator box with his bare hands.  “From the onset of that very special moment, I wanted to be part of the school band and play drums,” says Zoro.  The band director turned him down until finally in 10th grade, he let Zoro play the trumpet.  His dream to play drums in the school band didn’t happen until he was a sophomore in high school and he bought his first drum set with money he saved. His family moved to a small town in Oregon and when he was 16, Zoro devised a plan to see his dream of playing drums professionally come true.  He asked experienced musicians for their advice who told him to move to LA because that was the epicenter of the music industry.  After graduation, Zoro landed a gig with his first professional working band and moved to LA, but before they could go on tour, the band fell apart.  

Zoro wanted to meet new friends his age and was playing on a drum practice pad at lunch at Beverly Hills High School.  One of the first kids to come talk to him was Lenny Kravitz.  Lenny took him under his wing and they became best friends. Lenny, Zoro and a few other kids started playing together.  For the last 35 years, Zoro has toured and recorded with some of the most famous legends in the music industry including Lenny Kravitz, Bobby Brown, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, Sean Lennon, Lisa Marie Presley, etc.  He has consistently been voted the #1 R&B drummer and clinician by premier music magazines.  

LIVING FOR SO MUCH MORE
Zoro, known as the “Minister of Groove,” says he is here for one thing: to impact other people’s lives in a positive way.  “I share the love of God with them,” he says.  “I don’t expect them to be where I’m at; everyone is at a different place.  It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convict them, God’s job to judge them and my job to love them.”  He says people get disappointed in life when things don’t go as planned.  He came up with 9 keys to unlocking our limitless potential: (1) Surrender: Surrender your life to God.  God has a plan and purpose for your life and surrendering to Him gives you access to that plan. (2) Discover:  Discover you gifts and talents.  Ask God for confirmation of your gifts.  Figure out what makes you feel most alive. (3) Dream: Uncover your purpose.  Dream on purpose.  All God-inspired dreams require dependency on Him. (4) Strategize: Formulate a plan.  Set short and long-range goals.  Be intentional.   (5) Pursue: Take iniative to reach your dreams.  Be excellent in all you do.  (6) Believe: Live by faith.  Refuse to stop believing. (7) Bend: Remain pliable.  Be like a palm tree that bends in the storms, not an oak tree that breaks in the wind.  (8) Be: Embrace your individuality.  When you internalize you are a child of God, you will better understand your identity in Christ.  (9)  Impact: Make a difference in the lives of others.  His book is available at www.ZoroMinistries.org