The Paradox of Prosperity

In the US especially, there is a common belief that "the more you have the happier you will be."  Makes sense right? Does the squirrel with the most nuts win?

When Cathy and I first got married we lived in a little apartment in Manchester, NH.  When I say small - I mean small, small.  I guess a Realtor might call it cozy, actually we did too.  We were just starting our lives together and we felt like we had it all.

Back in those days we had two used cars - not much else.  Life was simple, life was good.  There wasn't the responsibility to maintain much because we didn't have much.  We were happy with what we had and we made the most out of every weekend together.  Life was simple.

"Young" Jeff & Cathy

At some point, like most young newly married couples, we began to think about the house with the white picket fence, the dog in the front yard and of course kids.  Eventually we found our first house and the Lord blessed us with McKenzie.  It wasn't soon thereafter that we started to realize that the carefree days were over.

It seemed like in the most inopportune moments the water heater would break down, the car needed repair or Kuma (our dog) needed surgery again.  Of course we also felt that we needed to have the best lawn in the neighborhood.  We needed to travel, dine-out, spend weekends away and on and on.  Life was becoming less simple.  I could feel the treadmill of life beginning to move faster - a lot faster.  We were making more money and spending it.  Then two more little blessings came along and we were now a family of five and of course we had to get a new house right?  Of course a bigger car, no SUV.  At this stage you're thinking life insurance, saving for retirement, saving for college...it goes on and on.  The treadmill started moving even faster.  As you read this, I can see the smirk on your face.  Life was becoming more complicated.  

What I am describing is the "Paradox of Prosperity."  It's the illusion that by simply having more - life will be better.  

I've seen it as financial advisor to the folks that "had it all" and I could plainly see their stress, discontent and sometimes sadness.  It used to confuse me, that is until I started to feel it myself.  Having more, maintaining more, managing more can result in a complicated and often stressful life.  When you have little, but enough, life is simple.
Where did we get this wrong, when did I get this wrong?  I know that I never seem to be more at peace than when I'm in a simple fishing cabin in the middle of nowhere with just the basic necessities.  God's gifts are plenty, plain to see and enjoy.  I find myself overwhelmed with joy.  Life is simple.

Paul wrote in Philippians 4:12-13:

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

The apostle Paul knew it - you can be contented with little.  What is being contented exactly?  The Webster's dictionary defines it as: feeling or showing satisfaction with one's possessions.  Notice that it doesn't say endless or an abundance of possessions.  It doesn't say a boat, corvette or a second home.

Could it be that living more simply may lead to a simpler life?  Henry David Thoreau, although an extreme example, became a national treasure by living such a life on Walden Pond.  The goal should be for us to find out just how much is enough.  This is especially important for those blessed with much.  This is also key for having enough in the long term.  So how do we get there?



If you don't have it - don't spend it.  If you don't need it - think twice before getting it. The funny thing is, is that at some level we all know this.  For some, we just got caught-up in the race.

When we strive to learn "how much is enough" we often find that we have some left over.  Your abundance could be the answer to another person's prayers.  In fact, many people choose to live on less just so they can give more.  Giving brings you abounding joy.  When you let go and give - there is such freedom!  And when you give, there is the joy that you helped another.  Jesus talked about nothing more than this.

In my years of counseling clients on financial decision-making, I have found that, no matter the income level, people struggle with fear, frustration, and guilt in their financial lives. In my experience, those who are most free from those emotional by-products of financial decision-making are those who are the most generous. Why? Why are generosity and financial freedom so tied together?

I believe that the reason financial freedom and generosity are linked has to do with what Randy Alcorn calls “The Treasure Principle” in his book by that same name. Matthew 6:21 says simply, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” God wants our hearts, not our money. He wants us to know and to absorb the fact that He owns it all. God – the all powerful, all knowing, and all loving God – owns every resource, including those entrusted to our care. When you and I give, we open our hand. We loosen our grip on the resources He’s given us. We acknowledge His purposes as higher than our own and His provision as more complete than our own. When we give, we put our treasure into His kingdom and we free our heart from the constraints of our own “mini-kingdom.”

Giving changes our perspective. It orients our thinking toward God’s ownership, control, and purposes. It frees us from believing that we are ultimately responsible for our financial well-being. It reminds us of the bigger context of our world and our place within it. It expresses that we trust that God’s economy is the real economy.

Yes, giving is so important because Jesus tells us to look after the needs of others in the world who are hurting. That is why giving is important to the needy. The reason giving is important to those of us who are full, warm, and safe is because it changes our perspective. It opens our hand. It brings us closer to the heart of God.

Find out How Much is Enough, Give joyfully,

enjoy the blessings...

My "Duality" battle

Facing the "Duality" battle

No one likes to feel alone.

I think that is especially true when they are facing a rather large and uncommon issue in their life.  I had been feeling just that way concerning a personal struggle over the past two years and especially at the beginning of this year.

For those that know me well they may attest that "Jeff just isn't the old Jeff that I used to know".  I have heard that being said about others over my lifetime and usually in the context of that person in question making a turn for the worse.  No one likes to hear about good people having fallen.  I'd like to think that I have gone the other way.  Not thinking I'm above any other person, but perhaps attaining a better state of mind, being more at peace - having oneness.  The genesis of this growth in my life began with my frustration of living in "duality".  I actually thought that I was coining a phrase as I thought that I was going through this particular issue on my own. I couldn't have been more wrong nor more pleasantly surprised to learn that I wasn't.

The duality that I speak of is this:  I was on the one hand aspiring to live a Christ-centered life by night and on the weekends and by day having to tuck that away in the secular world.  Keep quiet, fit-in and remain "PC." 


Even worse, I was not acting in a way that really reflected who I really now was.  I found myself often reverting back to the old knuckled-head self that I was once famous for.  

There are many reasons to "pocket" your beliefs while being in public, if for no other reason not wanting to offend someone that may not share your beliefs.  No one wants to be accosted by someone regarding their particular brand of faith. However, considering my profession specifically - change was eminent   I feel that the gospel speaks such timeless wisdom regarding finance, interacting with people with caring and doing it all for a higher cause - keeping it a secret just wasn't an option for me.  In short I wanted to be "Jeff the Christian Financial Advisor."  

Even for the believer you probably feel the awaiting strife for me if I were to speak of and market myself as such.  Well, I guess it's too late, because that is who I am now.  The good news, I found a group of amazing and talented financial advisors out there many of whom receive intensive mentoring at Kingdom Advisors.  These industry leaders have simply been an inspiration to me.  They represent some of the best and the brightest people in my industry that seamlessly ingrate Biblical wisdom into our modern day financial matters.  The result is extraordinary success, joy and peace of mind for the client.

In addition to the change in my financial planning practice I am in the process of creating (with the aid of some amazing people that share my vision) an organization that will offer professionals: tools, resources, prominent speakers while fostering wisdom, strength and confidence to eliminate their own duality. The Christian Business Network has begun.  More on that in the future. 

The ultimate reason for this monologue is that I want to share a book.  A great book.  A book for you who may have a similar struggle as the one that I shared or simply want to find a more complete self.  The Book is "The integrated Life" by Ken Eldred.  Read it.

The Integrated Life
Experience the Powerful Advantage of Integrating Your Faith and Work

We’re all exhausted. We struggle with conflicting demands of life—work, family, and faith. We sense an unsettling disconnectedness between those competing spheres. How do we resolve the tension between work and spiritual life?

What if we recognized a deep connection between faith and business? What if biblical values weren't roadblocks but actually the source of successful business? What if the real goal of business were more noble than profit maximization? What if we could see our everyday work as having spiritual value? What if we could approach it as ministry? What if it were our calling, a calling as high as that of a pastor or missionary? What if God cared deeply about our work and wanted to be involved? And what if we could even partner with him in our business?

The Integrated Life reveals the secrets to:

• Bridging the work-faith divide, thus ending the compartmentalization in our lives that tends to burn us out
• Understanding the erroneous messages from both business and church, which lead to compartmentalization and disintegration in the first place
• Debunking the fallacious separation of church and business, which actually share a common goal
• Living a new paradigm of work that views it as a calling and sacred ministry

The Integrated Life is punctuated with:

• Practical steps, concrete principles, and rules of thumb that lead to abundant living in work and faith
• Inspirational and instructional real-world stories of the author and others in the marketplace, from CEOs to grocery baggers, who have found ways to integrate their faith and their work
• An exciting and motivating picture of how the marketplace and society can be transformed through business people who are willing to bring their faith to work
  
  Order it now at Amazon.

I hope that you enjoy this resource as much as I have.  You're not alone in feeling this way.  God doesn't want only our "off-time" he wants our life in full.  How can you change your life to honor the Lord "all day" while feeling more complete and positively affecting everyone that you come in contact with?  

Also:

  

Raising generous kids

Raising generous kids

The best and only good part in working late is walking into the house to witness the chaotic whirlwind of running screaming kids, a terrified cat and a laughing wife. Tonight was one of those nights, yet McKenzie my oldest, I guess, wanted to give me some subject matter to ponder yet again.

Imagine being a seven year old girl with twin three year old brothers... undoubtedly your probably thinking poor McKenzie!  Nope, she rocks.  I am greeted at the door by the boys, telling me in their three year old "twin" language that they just went trick-or-treating.  Yeah I was a little confused.

Upon inspection I noticed that they had plastic pumpkin candy-buckets with goodies in them.  Long story short, McKenzie had invited them to her room for trick-or-treating.  She had a hidden stash of candy in her room (yeah I know) that she decided to give to these little guys.  They were all excited - and she had a deep, joyful smiling face - a face full of grace.  Daddy's heart was melted.  That's just McKenzie - a loving, caring, giving, albeit crazy little girl!

I'm not sure how much credit or even if I should take any credit at all in McKenzie having the heart for giving that she does.  I'd like to think that Cathy and I have some tangible part in that beautiful aspect that helps to define her, but I must admit, I think she gets most of that from her Memere's.  

I wondered, will Ashton and Connor turn out the same way?  Is it inherit, learned behavior, spirit or something else?  It's all of it and more I think.
Love, caring, sharing and giving is learned by kids when they receive it and are given the opportunities to exercise those same gifts themselves. Sigmund Freud need not apply. 

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35

They are ALWAYS watching and eager to help

It's hard not to find joy in doing things for our kids.  Whether it's buying them a little something special, taking them out for a day of fun or playing in their homemade tent in the living room.  

Today while reading Randy Alcorn's book "Manging God's Money" he cautioned that when a child that has "all that they need and more", they might end up a spoiled kid and an under-performing adult.  But don't we want the best for our kids?  Of course we do, but we also want our kids also to have all the qualities that a loving, sharing, compassionate, hard working, polite and appreciative person can espouse.

Just because we may find all these qualities in one person rare these days,

doesn't mean that we can't help to foster one ourselves. 

Today I saw an outline by Dr. Paul Donahue, a clinical psychologist and author of "Parenting Without Fear," which provided some great tips on how to raise generous and compassionate kids.  

Here are some of his suggestions:

Teach giving, not taking - at home - If kids have opportunities to help at home and contribute in a way that they can, they will learn how good it feels to be givers, not takers.
One of the main ways kids can help out at home is helping in the kitchen.  Even young kids can make a real contribution to a family meal.  Stir the soup, set the table, help to bake cookies.  

Older kids can help their siblings: doing homework, reading to them, teaching them sports and games.  It's a great way to let kids know they're all in it together, rather than "every man for himself."

Teach kids about respect and caring and be a model yourself - In addition to teaching your kids how to speak to people (please and thank you) and teaching kids how to take turns and share, parents should always be a model themselves.  Respect for others equals caring and generosity of spirit.

You might have heard the phrase, "be polite to see polite."  Parents should always speak respectfully to others: to spouses, grandparents, teachers, babysitters, workmen, waiters.  Kids are always watching us.

Control your own frustrations in front of your kids, such as waiting in line patiently at the grocery store, not getting upset when a salesperson makes a mistake, or rolling our eyes at other parents whose kids are misbehaving.  Once again, your children are watching and they are ready to mimic your every eye roll.

Teach kids about contributing to the community - Teach kids the value of living generously through giving of their time and effort.

Kids will always benefit from a form of giving that has a personal touch.  Visiting an elderly neighbor or delivering meals to families will have a lasting impression on children.  So the next time your family is all together, consider taking a trip to the local food bank to serve together.  

Not only will this bring your family closer together, but it will inevitably grow the seeds of generosity within your children. 

Stewardship involves the recognition that everything we are, everything we have and everything we can do - is a gift.  A precious gift from God and one bought at a price.  

The best gift that we as parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles, all of us can give - is to teach our children just how good "being good" can feel.  This way they will know the abundant joy that that those they are good to will feel themselves.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Memere' Boutin

The world's best bug hunt.

It has been said that the best teacher is someone that has "been there themselves."  Take for example a drug addiction counselor.  If you lived a pristine, all but perfect life and you  have never used drugs, never had withdrawal symptoms, what kind of drug counselor do you think you would make?

It's not that you don't care or don't want to help people, it's just that relating to one another would be very difficult, would it not?  

When I think about this topic I am reminded about the movie "Good Will Hunting."  A great movie.  In it you have the main character "Will" who comes from a poor part of "Southie" (South Boston).  He is experiencing a lot of pain from a tough childhood and even a tougher time finding his place in a polished, self serving world.  He soon meets a counselor who he is initially not impressed with at all.  He thinks that this shrink has no idea of where he's coming from.  After he learns that this guy is also from a tough part of town and has had a tragic life that makes Will's look like a fairly tale - he then relates and has an immediate and life changing bond.

In this blog I talk about Stewardship.  If I'm talking and teaching on the subject one would imagine that "this guy must be a good steward himself." I'd like to think that Cathy and I now fit that description.  Moreover, my new goal in life is to someday to hear "well done my good and faithful servant" more than anything.  But were we always the perfect stewards, not even close.  In fact if you were to measure my past Stewardship level on a sliding scale from 1 to 10 - I'd put myself around a 2 at most. So I wasn't a good steward, but hey I was a pretty good person and went to church on Sunday. So who cares?  Well, he does and he tells so in the Bible and in fact - more than any other topic.

Discovery is the best part!

My daughter McKenzie is your typical 100 miles-per-hour moving inquisitive kid. Always on the lookout for something cool to discover. This summer, has been the summer of bugs.  She has held captive more bugs than I can count and the jailhouse is still growing for these creepy crawly things. I noticed something about McKenzie - when she finds and captures a new bug, she has to tell all but the mailman about her discovery! Her excitement simply cannot be contained. She has the compulsorily desire to tell the world!  When I learned about and embraced Stewardship I felt the very same way. Excitement is contagious and we often share with others new discoveries by our nature.  Hence, show and tell.

I imagine that when I share to others my excitement about Stewardship they just might think "gee thanks for sharing."  In fact, had someone shared their excitement about Stewardship to me a few years back I might say "well that's nice - good for you" and go back to living my life.

Unlike a cool looking dragonfly that I can peer into McKenzie's jar and see and touch, I can't really put Stewardship in a jar and let people poke it to see what it does.  I guess it's something that you need to feel and see it's results before you can garner a McKenzie-like smile.

On a "bug hunt" you need to get your net, walk through the field and keep a keen eye on your potential discovery (victim).  There's a bit of a rush digging into the field and stalking your prey awaiting that moment of discovery when you can, with a big swat, snag your prize for the neighborhood to see.  I'll admit, selling the concept of going on a Stewardship hunt isn't nearly as exciting as hunting down a firefly - but I can tell you from experience the feeling you get when you catch it - is far more rewarding than the firefly, that will die no matter how well McKenzie cares for it.

As humans we have sensory abilities that really bring to life a new discovery. Seeing a caterpillar and feeling it crawl over your hands is something you just have to experience to really get excited and relate to it.  Sure McKenzie has books about bugs and she loves reading them (look at the pictures), but not to the point that she's running around the house saying "Dad, Dad you've got to see this!"  Yes seeing and feeling things are powerful senses and easy to immediately relate to.

You can't put it in a net, but you can see and feel it.

What if I told you that I have felt and seen Stewardship?  I know, the caged butterfly is far more exciting. But you can - really.  How do I know this?  Because I once was living a life in which I hadn't yet found it.  I had in a sense an empty net with no bugs in sight.  Not on the hunt however I did start to notice people who had caught it.  I was able to look at these people captivated by what they had caught and see their excitement.  They glowed as if they were the firefly.  I was able to plainly see how different they were and feel their generosity for myself firsthand. Seeing is believing...that's always been a bugger for the Christian telling others about their faith hasn't it?  But if we look at most Christians and just observe them you can see their joy, their peace and their glow.

Biblical stewardship is the use of God-given resources (time, talent, treasure, truth, relationships, etc.) for the accomplishment of God-given goals and objectives.

Another way to see Stewardship in action is to head to the local soup kitchen, youth ministry, or in the mission field.  Often when I ask people what is Stewardship they invariably answer - tithing.  They're partially right.  A good steward gives not only money, but time, talents, and love.  When I see people that are walking billboards of this behavior - they're like a shining light on a hill.  Being around them makes me want to be a better person and really that was where I had my first discovery.  I had seen it.

A little "light" reading.

It's a daunting task to start reading the bible isn't it? There are stories about man eating whales to the ocean being parted.  In today's times it's tough for many to grasp these stories. As I mature in my understanding of what is written I am able to understand what is literal and what is a parable.  Both have much to teach us.

You may not know this but the number one topic from cover to cover relates to money and Stewardship.  Numero Uno.  In fact if you take your net and hunt through the Bible you'll be amazed at just how much is in there about Stewardship.  So what do you get when you add all these messages up - what's the takeaway here?  It's simple and it encompasses a few key expectations from God:

• God asks for our "first fruits."  Meaning the very best and the first of our yield - not what's left over after the entertainment budget went over again.
• Jesus tells us plainly and through parables the importance of giving not only our tithe (10% of our gross income) as the Old Testament describes, but even more to those who are in need.
• Lastly, don't give out of guilt or begrudgingly as you won't stick with it and you will miss out on the good stuff.  Give with a joyful heart! When I see that check clear in my bank account it makes me smile! I did the Lord's will and I get to further his Kingdom and help those that he chooses.

The way we spend our money is a measure of our real priorities.
- MATTHEW 6:19-21

So let's say that you take the Stewardship challenge. Not just giving, but giving until it hurts.  From experience I can tell you that when Cathy and I started to tithe - some days it hurt!  We would look at the check we just wrote in the church parking lot and had a "whew" look in our eyes.  Then you know what happened...we smiled and even laughed.  That's feeling!  We got the same goosebumps as you get when a caterpillar crawls up your arm.  We call them "God bumps."  However we experienced a sense of peace that I can't even describe.  

Two reasons we felt this joy: (1) We were following the command of God. (2) We knew that this money was going to help needy families, kids, missions in other countries - simply put - help others.  That felt good.  We also could see and hear about the people that we were helping.  Lastly we were amazed at just how fast God put that money right back in our pockets as if we never gave it in the first place.  Simply amazing.  

Keep in mind however Jesus isn't our genie.  Don't expect that just because you gave, Publishers Clearing House will be waiting with balloons when you get home from church.  He will however always give you what you need - I promise.  Instead we all need to keep an eternal and Biblical mindset.  If you are a Christian, you should believe that our time here on earth is only temporary and our real home is waiting.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  MATTHEW 6:19  

To live the charge that Jesus called us to in its entirety is hard.  In your quest to be good stewards just remember that "God owns it all."  We are but only his servants and his stewards.  When you really understand this, I mean feel it in your bones, not only will you give with a joyful heart - you also place far more respect of what you keep.  

Appreciation, admiration, gratefulness and joy that illuminate who you are (like a firefly) will now be what people who are on the hunt will see and so will God.

Written by Jeff Boutin

www.jpbfinancial.net

    

Where should a financial advisor seek wisdom?

(it's not a trick question and has nothing to do with Wall Street)

If it wasn’t clear before, it is now: Wall Street and Washington have some major issues. Crime, corruption, gridlock, compromise, fraud, financial manipulation and tremendous debt. We could make a list a mile long of choice adjectives to describe the brokenness of our global financial situation and we’d still be lacking.  

Because we must steward our resources in the midst of this financial mess, it is nearly impossible to remove ourselves completely from the world’s broken financial system.

There is hope, and for that wisdom we can look right to the Word of God.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.” - Romans 12:2

This passage gives clear instruction on how to live and manage life and finances in the world. You don’t need a financial advisor conformed to this world -- quite the contrary. Instead, we should strive to find wise counselors who desire this transformation and who seek God’s will. Instead of worldly counsel, we need to seek Godly Wisdom.

Without wise counsel plans fail, but with many advisors they succeed.

- Proverbs 15:22

Wealth is Deceitful

We listen in Matthew as Jesus explains The Parable of the Sower. He describes one of the seeds which was planted among the thorns. While the seed is successful in sprouting, “the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.” 

Wealth is deceitful -- plain and simple. We read as King Solomon, in all his riches, describes his wealth as fleeting.  A financial plan, without Christ at the center, will offer no security, and no amount of money will provide the long term security we all need. Wealth is only a tool. It is just one of the many ways that God has richly blessed us. A financial advisor who shares your values can help you to use money effectively while keeping God in the driver’s seat. 

The World’s Best Isn’t Good Enough

The financial industry has set up rules and regulations to protect consumers from mismanagement in the financial system. Even with these protections, this worldly system has left us disappointed.  As a fiduciary, your financial advisor is expected to do what is in your best interest. But as a financial advisor and a fiduciary myself, I am going to suggest that even the world’s highest standard is too short sighted. Based on the passage above from Romans, we know that there is a higher calling.

What if you had someone who could walk alongside you in your stewardship and was unwilling to be conformed to this world? Imagine someone took the fiduciary standard a step further. They agreed to look out for your best interest, not only today, or through retirement, but in light of Eternity? Your financial planner should be held to a higher standard as they desire to be transformed and to see clients transformed to the will of God.

Instead of Charging You More, Your Financial Planner Should Help You In Giving More.

As a family spends assets down or gives assets away, your financial professional manages less. The financial system in America today incentivizes financial professionals to keep more of your assets around. This can be a conflict of interest, especially when a family believes what the Bible says about giving. Seek a financial planner who knows what God says about generosity. Search for someone who will go against the grain to back you up as you obey God and use what you have to be generous on every occasion. (There are some excellent passages on generosity throughout the Bible. My favorites are in 2 Corinthians and in 1 Timothy.)

A Different Idea of Success

The world’s financial planner measures success by the size of their practice and the assets under management. More clients and larger clients lead to more fees and more commissions. This ultimately leads to larger spending and more lifestyle. 

A financial advisor with his or her sights set on God will not measure success in the same way. Instead of more billing and higher fees, they will strive for a higher level of contentment. Instead of more personal wealth and more assets under management, they will work to be generous and to lead clients to contentment and generosity.

Empowering Clients to Live Life to the Fullest!

I recently heard it said that many Americans are now dying at age 60 but are not being buried for 20 or 30 years past that. The quote was meant to discourage folks from a self-serving, un-purposeful life in retirement. 

The concept of retirement is not necessarily good or bad, but it is certainly not a practice defined in the Bible. Last I heard pf a financial planner in his late 80’s at a Kingdom Advisors Conference. He received the Larry Burkett Award for integrating Biblical wisdom into his advice and counsel. The emcee presenting the award jokingly said, “You are getting pretty old. When do you think you’ll retire?” The planner responded, “I have never been more equipped to do my job and to point families and their finances toward Christ than I am right now.” I think that his response was beautiful.

The fact is that you have never been more equipped to make a difference for Christ. Your financial advisor should seek out your capacity. They should help you to find what you were made for. Instead of a message on retirement or a sales pitch on long term care, you should leave your planner’s office with sound financial advice, but even more importantly, a feeling that you can do all things, through Christ, who gives you strength!

Surrounding Yourself With Biblical Counselors. 

Last year I stumbled upon an organization, mentioned above, called Kingdom Advisors. I signed up immediately, however I wondered about who my fellow advisors would be.  I was hoping not to find financial salespeople using Jesus fish on their business cards to sell bad annuities to helpless widows. I can’t tell you how pleasantly surprised I was with what I have found, how it has changed my life and business and the amazing people that are comprised in this organization. I have been even more excited to meet the financial advisors who wanted to serve God by serving clients better. Instead of conforming to the world, or abandoning the financial system altogether, they desired to use their unique seat to honor God. 

In other forums of financial planners, I have heard endless concerns about our economy and much cynicism regarding our nation’s future. It is refreshing to work alongside this group of men and women convinced that our nation could change if we would just turn to God. The voluntary membership organization is now more than 1000 members strong. These folks are Christians and Financial Planners. This doesn’t guarantee that they will not make mistakes, but it adds a bit of comfort that they will share your values, relying on Biblical financial principles instead of the wisdom the world has to offer.

I am an new advisor and person because of my mentor Ron Blue and his organization.  When speaking about financial planning to people now, instead of a long boring talk about why they might want to work with me or address their financial planning concerns, I actively remind them of this first:

The mind of the man plans his path, but the lord directs his steps. - Proverbs 16:9

Your Capacity Is More Than Money!

Whether they grew up in a church or not, most folks have heard the story of David and Goliath.  To the onlookers, David didn’t have a shred of a chance.  You see, he was just a scrawny wimp.  The folks on his side thought he was crazy.  They tried to equip him for the fight, but the armor and the sword they gave him were too heavy.  He didn’t stand a chance.  

For every reason conceivable, David should have chickened out, but he realized something important that gave him the confidence and the ability to defeat a giant. 

I would suggest that each of us have that ability.  We have something special that would allow us to do great, unimaginably great things.

So what did David realize that was so special?  Well, instead of focusing on his weaknesses, his puny arms, and the overwhelming odds against him, David focused on the things he did have.  

David was a shepherd, and the son of a shepherd. He grew up protecting sheep and had used a sling and a stone more times than he could count.  He had defeated wild beasts and become confident; the sling wasn’t just a tool, but an extension of David’s arm.

Compared to the shining swords, pointed spears, armor and the smell of battle, this skill of David’s seemed like child’s play.  Yet he rested on his skill, on his beliefs and on his calling.  He realized that he had capacity to make a difference.  

It is easy to stand in the midst of giants and to focus on what you don’t have, but this bit of truth just may free you up to claim your true capacity to make a difference and to have fun doing it.  You have so many resources at your disposal.  Sometimes even the folks closest to us can’t see how much we have to offer.  You have the capacity to make a difference--you just have to embrace it. 

Sure, money helps!  When the community comes for help they often ask for money.  We crack open the wallet, moths fly out, and we feel like we have nothing left to give.  Even when we do have money to support a cause, giving without involvement can leave us disconnected from the difference we could make.  Your capacity is more than your money.  

Experiences: the good, the bad and the ugly.  In life we have mountaintop experiences, joy and fulfillment.  We also have awful, painful, hurting experiences--the kind of disappointment and sorrow and grief that lasts a lifetime.  Some of us have more good memories and others have it rough.  No matter what experiences pepper your past, you can use those to relate to others and to make a difference in their lives like no one else can.  How can you put your experiences to work?  How can you relate to others today by sharing these stories? 

People You Know.  Where do you have influence?  Who looks up to you?  Who do you look up to? These relationships are so important and you have more authority in the places where you have earned a right to be heard.  Foster these relationships and seek out new relationships in your community with folks that care about the same sorts of things you do.  Help to make their lives easier and more enjoyable by doing what you love together.  How can you multiply your capacity by using the word we instead of the word I?  

Outlook and Attitude.  Folks live life with either an outlook of scarcity or of abundance.  This can shape every action they take.  We looked at the example of David; he didn’t see his lack of resources. He saw what he had and he used it.  Those who live a life of scarcity seem to take-take-take.  They are engaged in Win-Lose situations where they try to win at others' expense.  In the end, this mentality ends up costing them more than the alternative.  

You can see this in the business world.  A business that serves customers well can make a profit but when the bottom line becomes the only goal, the customer suffers and the business struggles for it.  On the other hand, someone who sees life through a lens of abundance will leave the world better than they found it and for their efforts, they will find themselves in a better world.  

Beliefs and Values.  I was raised in faith yet I wasn't really encouraged to get deep into the bible.  Once I started - something special happened.  What once was unknown to me and honestly daunting - had become a daily ritual.  I was soon introduced to the Gospel, to myself and my purpose.  I soon embraced my beliefs and values and walk the path that I believe that God would have me to do.

As a youngster I’d cut corners on every task and try to make life easier in that moment.  It never paid off.  Once I stopped doing things for myself and started doing them for God’s glory, the desire for excellence became more natural.  I used to complain about mowing my lawn, now I mow it to honor Him (neighbors may disagree).  I once had to force my work and loved the snooze button on the alarm clock.  Now, as I honor Him in my work, it comes easy and brings joy.  I still struggle, but behind my beliefs, there is more capacity than the world has ever known, and I am invited to tap into that as I work for something bigger than myself.

What is your passion?  Imagine two musicians in front of a crowded room. The first is a violinist while the second plays a saxophone.  We ask them to trade rolls.  The sax player picks up the violin and makes a noise like nails on a chalk board, breaks a few strings and nervously sets the violin down.  The violinist knows nothing about a saxophone and honks away for a while.  The crowd doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry.  

Now we place the proper instruments in the hands of the professional.  The sound is so pleasing that the entire room is energized, especially after the frightful performance at the beginning.  

When a person is in the wrong role you can tell, can’t you?  You also take notice of a person in just the right role.  When a person matches all of their capacity with their passion, something special happens.

Linear Change vs. Exponential Change  When somebody realizes their capacity and puts it to good use, it makes their life better. They are able to do more and they feel better about their work.  

But isn’t there more to it than just that? 

Just like the previous example, when there is a fit, it’s not just the individual that does better and feels better.  There is a positive energy around that person.  The folks around them are better off.  Their family, friends, clients and community are better off.  They are Win-Win people, and for some reason these folks breed positivity.  Instead of just a slight positive gain in their own personal satisfaction, they produce and reproduce good vibes.  As they use what they have effectively, we don’t just see a smile on their face more often. We see a contagious joy spreading.  That is exponential growth.  

Unpack your bags and get to work building a platform.  Now it’s up to you.  What capacity do you have?  Life can certainly be lived in a mentality of scarcity, but a life that is full and amazing--that takes a mentality of abundance.

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

– Teddy Roosevelt

Moving Closer to Contentment

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

                                     1 Timothy 6: 6-10 (NIV)

I love this quote by Benjamin Franklin,” It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it."
Contentment… I’m going to be really honest; this is not an area in which I specialize.  Often I’ll let myself get excited about a new toy and I’ll head on over to the store to take a look at it. I’ll read reviews and research and find just the right item to meet my needs. Even though I don’t buy with credit and I don’t go into debt, I still allow the purchase to consume me. Something that I hadn’t even thought of, just days or weeks before, now seems like a necessity; all because I cracked that catalog open. Picture me like the character from The Lord of the Rings saying, “My Precious, MY PRECIOUS.”
I love this quote by Benjamin Franklin,” It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it.”
Check out this great article on the blog Christian PersonalFinance. Joe Plemon writes a compelling article, Why You Should Be Happy With What You Have. Joe also writes at Personal Finance by The Book and is a financial coach, helping folks around the country plan for financial peace. You can catch up with him here.
My wife was shocked the other day when I came home to a new sporting goods catalog and said, “I think I have all the outdoors equipment I currently need.” It could mean that I have spent way too much time and effort acquiring "stuff" but hopefully it also means that I am inching closer to contentment.
A good friend of mine growing up shared that we all have a God shaped hole in our heart. We try and fill it with toys or relationships or money but it never seems full. Outdoors equipment won’t ever fill the hole in my heart, only the love of Christ will do.
What earthly things are you trying to fill the God shaped hole in your heart with?
Is there one desire that you could suppress that would put an end to all that follow?