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BOOK OF THE MONTH: HUMBLED BY THE JOURNEY by Miguel "Mike" Benito Fernandez (& Giveaway!)


GIVEAWAY:  One lucky reader will receive a free copy of this book.  Just leave a comment below or retweet our post on Twitter. 



I am proud of my Cuban heritage. At the same time, I am an American, through and through. I care about the community I live in and I’m grateful to the country that gave me a home. Many take the meaning of “home” for granted. I don’t. -- Mike Fernandez



Happy New Year from The Latina Book Club.  We wanted to start 2015 with an inspirational book and we found the perfect one by Miguel "Mike" Benito Fernandez. 

Story Farm, Jan 2015, with Martin Merzer

HUMBLED BY THE JOURNEY: Life Lessons For My Family ... And Yours is part self-portrait, part adventure story.  It tells two tales: one is about a penniless Cuban immigrant, who became one of Miami's most successful business leaders and philanthropist. The other is the tale of his 508-mile, 3-million steps pilgrimage on El Camino de Santiago / The Way of St. James to help raise money for Miami's Children's Hospital.  (Incidentally, this will be the hospital that later performs open-heart surgery on his 19-month old granddaughter.)

Mike has much to brag about -- overcoming his humble beginnings, succeeding in business, friends in (very) high places, a large happy family, a healthy bank account, but he doesn't.  He prefers to work behind the scenes, to be the best that he can be (Yes, he was in the Army) and to always pay it forward. 

HUMBLED BY THE JOURNEY is packed with life lessons, some learned from his parents in a Havana apartment with bullet holes in the walls; from a stranger at a link fence in Mexico City; from a stint in the Army; from working hard to be the best; from being a peregrino on a 1000-year old route through Europe.  The book also contains pictures and journal entries from his pilgrimage, which are stunning and very moving.  

Below are 10 of our favorite of Mike's life lessons, affirmations if you will:

1) You have to take care of those who come after you.

2) You have to live your life as though you're going to die on Monday.  We are all on God's timetable, and it's up to us to make a difference.

3) Find your passion and dedicate yourself to it.

4) We always are surrounded by opportunities in life. But it requires effort to see them and act on them and benefit from them

5) Don't allow anyone to define you.

6) Embrace failure.  Mistakes quite often lead to success.

7) Give back to the community. Relationships and networking can save a life.

8) Treat others the same if not better than you treat yourself.

9) Leave this world a better place than you found it.

10) Be grateful and show it.
 
 
We hope dear Reader that you find HUMBLED BY THE JOURNEY as inspirational as we did.  And we wish you and yours a Happy 2015 and Happy Reading! --mcf
 
 
Note:  Proceeds from this book will go to The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation*.
 
About The Author: Miguel "Mike" Benito Fernandez is the founder of MBF Healthcare Partners, a private equity firm that invests in healthcare service companies nationwide. Mike has been honored frequently for his business achievements, named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa, from St. Thomas University, a degree that acknowledges and celebrates his outstanding achievements as a humanitarian, leader and philanthropist.  A gifted storyteller with a terrific sense of humor, he lives in Miami with his wife Constance and their family.  HUMBLED BY THE JOURNEY is his first book.  For more information on this book, visit www.booksandbooks.com. Also, follow Mike on Facebook/Humbled by the Journey by clicking here.
 
*About the Early Childhood Initiative Foundation:  All proceeds from HUMBLED BY THE JOURNEY go to The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) focused on early childhood education, development initiative and "universal readiness" -- that is, making available and affordable high quality health, education and nurturing for all children between birth and age 5 in Miami-Dade County, population 2.6 million, Florida's largest county, with more people than 16 states. In doing so, the initiative works toward the social, physical, emotional and intellectual growth of all children so that they are ready and eager to be successful in the first grade and, indeed, in life.  For more information visit: http://www.teachmorelovemore.org/ECIF.asp.


GIVEAWAY!  Remember to leave a comment below or to retweet our post on Twitter to win a free copy of this book.  Good luck!--mcf


Comments

Connie Leon said…
This book sound amazing! I would LOVE to learn more about Mike and win a copy of his book!!! Would be a perfect way to start 2015!
Native NYer said…
We have a winner! Congratulations to Connie Gomez on winning a copy of HUMBLED BY THE JOURNEY by Mike Fernandez. Email us offline with your address at latinabookclub@aol.com. AND, thank you all who commented here and on Facebook and Twitter.---mcf