Thomas Maldanado of Landscape Solutions tells his story about how losing everything led to a journey that had him end up in a monastery in Paris. He had put his life on "pause" to explore if there was anything to faith. He went by himself, fell asleep on the train, and ended up so far away that he was late and missed his job assignment at the monastery. After getting settled in he was waiting in line and told a joke to a woman in line who is now his wife and she did not think the joke was funny but found something about him intriguing.

Through a series of circumstances in the Taizé monastery, he ended up finding what he needed. This trip made a lasting impact when he returned home to his business. 

He began to work with a prison ministry which led him to transition home. He was leading small groups during the evenings and working during the day. And one day he needed help on the jobsite the next day and a man recently released from prison was talking with him and he had a lightbulb moment. Why not invite this man to work with him the next day.

The following day he paired the man from the transition house with a young man who was starting to make some bad decisions involving drugs. Thomas could overhear their conversation as they worked that day. The man in recovery happened to have gone to prison for the same types of decision that the young man he was working along side was currently struggling with. It was at this moment that another light-bulb went off for Thomas. Here are his two worlds of passion and work colliding, everyone was getting paid, and he was helping transform lives in an area of his passion.

He got the opportunity to realize that his values, the thing that you really wanted to spend your time doing didn't conflict with your job. This allowed his job to become his passion.

Also mentioned in this episode:

• The transition house Thomas serves at is called Pardoned by Christ