ENCOURAGEMENT 34 MARCH 2026 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition "Failing to plan is planning to fail"... fair enough, since this quote has been attributed to both Ben Franklin and Winston Churchill, wise leaders indeed. This judiciousness was missing during the siege of Constantinople (Istanbul) when the Byzantines left a gate unlocked causing the Turks to storm the city and destroy their empire. How about the lack of prudence of the White Star Line, which failed to provide sufficient lifeboats on the Titanic? This proclivity was devastating to both Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler, who tried their hand at invading Russia and returned home with "their tail between their legs." Or how about the French government purchasing 2,000 trains, not realizing the new design couldn't accommodate 1,300 of their stations? Enter Blockbuster, who refused the offer to purchase the DVD-by-mail Netflix for $50 million in the year 2000 and today has no blip on the radar. Closer to home, how to revisit the safety protocols in place prior to the tragedies at Columbine, Sandy Hook and Marjory Stoneman Douglas? Closer to me, how about JFK and the CIA's lack of commitment and outright reneging during the Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961 that led to the death of my two uncles while in battle against Castro's forces? Unexpected orders We grieved our family members and moved on, or so I thought. As we were preparing for our 1989 Christmas celebrations, I got a call from Washington D.C. Headquarters, ordering me to immediately travel there prepared to continue to an undisclosed overseas location with the expectation of harsh conditions. Not the kind of holiday gift I envisioned. Very, very, very reluctantly I complied. There we were met by members of the Military Intelligence Corps, the aforementioned CIA, the Secret Service, the U.S. Marshal's Office and other sundry federal agencies where we were told that we would be traveling in an Army C-130 military transport aircraft that same evening to invade Panama in the company of battle ready soldiers and marines. It was during the flight south, as we were given our briefings, that it became apparent that we were to storm the country without intelligence as to the whereabouts of dictator Manuel Noriega, "the reason for the combat season." Suddenly, I felt the frustration of my uncles' demise so many years before. We militarily encroached on a sovereign nation for the sole purpose of bringing one man back whose whereabouts were unknown to the invaders. The main reason as to why "Operation Just Cause" became a successful endeavor was mostly due to Noriega himself, who decided to stay in country and not take cover in Cuba, where his buddy Fidel would have protected him, much like the many U.S. fugitives who have taken permanent residence there. I personally arrested Panamanian dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega during the evening hours of January 3, 1990, after U.S. military forces released him to me to stand trial in our country on drug trafficking charges. It took two weeks, the lives of 516 Panamanians (probably more), 23 U.S. soldiers and millions of dollars, among other things, to accomplish our goal. My ruined Christmas vacation became so, so insignificant. He was found guilty, served prison terms in the U.S. and France before being extradited to Panama where he died in prison at the age of 83, the victim of a hemorrhagic stroke. A surgical operation Fast forward EXACTLY 36 years from the handcuffing of Noriega to the early morning hours of January 3, 2026, when Delta Force operatives raided Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's compound and in a surgical operation extracted him without suffering one casualty, while both Venezuelan and Cuban personnel protecting him suffered heavy losses. "Operation Absolute Resolve" is a testament to intricate and painstaking planning, nothing we experienced in our botched attempt in Panama. This was cathartic for me for it underscored that "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeating it." Maduro, and his wife Cilia, remain in federal custody in New York awaiting trial on drug trafficking charges. Some Christians may find fault with concentrating on so much shaping and preparing given that we should move by faith and not framing. True enough but let us remember that the prophet Nehemiah's life was framed by faithfulness AND perseverance. He was distraught about what had happened to Jerusalem, prayed to God, asked permission from the king to leave Babylon to rebuild the holy city's walls and was granted his request. What followed was a testament to exhaustive proper planning as the project was completed in 52 days despite fierce internal opposition. This was a "Holy Delta Force" invasion, to say the least, and it was accomplished through faith and works. Projecting in faith is active stewardship as we reduce risk, increase confidence and obtain higher success, not so much for us but for the Kingdom. In fact, my slow path of sanctification has been highlighted by planned interruptions, where I willfully carve out small portions of time during the day in order to "allow the Lord to disturb me." Our faith walk demands intentionality not passivity; what can be more deliberate than the Father sending The Son to shed his blood for us in order that we may attain eternal life? Commit to intentionality My existence can be characterized as a litany of failures, both in the personal and in the spiritual. Yet, these setbacks have allowed me passage into a more fruitful and content experience. Proverbs 27:12 tells us that "a sensible man watches for problems ahead and prepares to meet them. But the simple minded man never looks back and suffers the consequences." Solomon counsels us in Proverbs 16:9 to make our plans counting on God to direct us. Rick Warren, the Christian pastor and author, warns that we fail when we don't plan, when we think we've arrived and we are afraid to take risks, thus we should plan for tomorrow and live for today. I don't know about you but my life has been characterized by fleshly passion and spiritual passiveness; I am so spontaneous at "putting my foot in my mouth" and so cautious at "putting my heart in my hand." If we are to be successful and allow the Lord to use us, the inverse is needed; we must be prepared to share our testimony while subjecting our temptations. We must be more intentional and inclusive; we must commit to intentionally include Jesus Christ in every aspect of our lives, for His plans never fail ... and He never fails to plan. Omar Aleman is a retired federal agent and consultant. He and his wife Julianne assist and support several Christian non-profit organizations both here and abroad. - Omar Aleman - Aleman and Associates God Doesn’t Move Parked Cars Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro General Manuel Antonio Noriega
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