When I was in college, I participated in a mission trip to Nicaragua. While in Nicaragua, our team was primarily responsible for preparing the foundation of a new church building. That trip challenged me in many ways, and I had many great experiences during my time there. One of these special experiences was a trip to the Corn Islands, just off Nicaragua’s eastern coast in the Caribbean Sea. While visiting… Read More
The Master’s Minute – Positive Disruption
You don’t need me to tell you that this year didn’t go as expected. Although I had a delicious and enjoyable Thanksgiving Day dinner with my immediate family, it was disappointing not to spend the day in the way I typically do with extended family members. As we approach Christmas, most of our usual gatherings and group celebrations are being put on pause while we’re already fatigued with months of… Read More
The Master’s Minute – Generous Relationships
On Thursday, many of us experienced a Thanksgiving that was different from ones we had enjoyed in the past. Some of us may have stayed home instead of traveling, others had a smaller gathering than usual, and a few of us may have been responsible for more cooking this year than in past years! I suspect that in this unusual year, many of us were more reflective than we would… Read More
The Master’s Minute – Being Thankful…Intentionally
I know a mother who has two young children. They are wonderful children, but occasionally, they will slip into a negative, complaining state of mind. When this happens, their mother sends them to Whiners’ Jail. Whiners’ Jail is located at the bottom of the basement steps. To get out of Whiners’ Jail, they must say something they are thankful for each of the ascending steps. It’s not easy to get… Read More
The Master’s Minute – Generosity & Stewardship (Part II)
Have you ever seen what happens when you put Mentos breath mints in a two-liter bottle of Diet Coke? If you haven’t, here is a YouTube link for you to see what happens. In brief, when the Mentos react with the Diet Coke, a massive eruption occurs. This is the second article in our current Stewardship and Generosity series. I recently read an article entitled “How to Enjoy Wealth to… Read More
The Master’s Minute – Generosity & Stewardship
Today’s blog is the first of a series focusing on Generosity and Stewardship. The two featured topics are undoubtedly linked yet vary slightly. Both contribute greatly to a meaningful, life-giving, and successful financial plan. I count it a privilege to “set the table” for the next several weeks of thoughts on two topics that we are very passionate about. Let’s first look at the topic of stewardship. Simply put, stewardship… Read More
The Master’s Minute – “On The Business” Week
The Master’s Minute – Three Benefits of Alignment Living
My wife and I were recently shopping when we saw an elderly man near us collapse. We asked the lady with him, who we later found out was his daughter, if she needed help, and she indicated she did. Fortunately, we were able to find a doctor and a nurse who were also shopping in the store at that time. Neither of them could find the man’s pulse so they… Read More
The Master’s Minute – The Sudden Money Event
Most people think it would be great to suddenly come into a large sum of money. They dream of what they could do with all that money and fantasize about being set for life! But more than half the people who come into sudden wealth lose it in a few short years. Unwise decisions, bad habits, and sadly, unscrupulous advisors can cause wealth to quickly erode. Whether sudden money becomes… Read More
The Master’s Minute – What Constitutes Good Advice?
Being in the business of advice-giving, we are continually thinking about the most effective way to advise our clients. How do we communicate most effectively? How can we increase the success rate of the implementation of that advice? How can we learn the art of when to speak and when to listen? I think a few tenants of advice-giving can serve us well in solving this puzzle. Advice is Personalized… Read More
