BE a TUTOR, GET a TUTOR - a service opportunity

If you're excited about Hagerstown Convoy of Hope, then this is for YOU!

Lifehouse West has launched a new educational ministry called Community Life Institute.

This is an exciting opportunity to both be served and serve!

Check it out here and found out what's available and how YOU can get involved.

This ministry is offering tutoring to get a GED, school tutoring, Continuing Education Courses, or Community Awareness Programs. If you NEED this tutoring, then check out the website and register.

If you are WILLING to be a TUTOR! Also, go to the website or comment on this blog.

What do we do in this turbulent economy?

I got the privilege to attend a breakfast presentation this morning with Steve Forbes and Northwestern Mutual CEO John Schlifske in DC. What amazed me was that much of their thoughts/ teachings was how much of it was biblical wisdom that it regularly offered in sermons weekly (or at least should be). Love it when truth is shared that reaffirms our faith. Truth is truth regardless of where it's applied or what industry embraces it. It works every time. Read for yourself.

These are notes adapted from the forum discussion by these financial wizards (and I've adapted some of them into biblical, spiritual, church-oriented principles):

3 steps to financial strength:
1. Financial plan- like a game plan- each person needs both an offensive & defensive plan,
2. Financial advisor- like a coach, we need someone to help guide and implement that plan,
3. Save more. Consume less, save more. Basically, the borrowed the Lifehouse-ism of "live on less to give more" (or in this case, retire with more).

• When investing, emotions are our enemy. They do immense harm causing people to buy high, sell low. -Forbes.
• Be patient when investing. Compound interest is a true miracle -Einstien.
• If it feels good, don't. If feels bad, probably right. This one surprised me. Sounds like the counter-cultural, counter-intuitive teachings of Jesus and the way of the cross.
• 3x harder to preserve wealth than to build it. Why? Once we have, we spend/ waste. We adjust our lifestyle to abundance, rather than maintaining our values and purpose for wealth.

Top Focus for Investing:

• Keep long-term perspective rather than looking for quick fix solutions. 'When do you plan to use your investment?' If you have time, then don't panic, don't jump early. When people panic, they do stupid things when market fluctuates and make bad decisions that are personally destructive. Same could be said spiritually.
• Life expectancy continues to increase, so plan further ahead. Make sure your making preparations for deep into retirement. Plan to live a long time. (On spiritual note- are we planning past retirement to eternity? How far ahead are you planning?)
• Greatest risk is to under-estimated expenses in retirement, esp. health care costs. So, plan for higher expenses in retirement. (Spiritually, greatest risk is not to be prepared for eternity and underestimate the reality of hell/ eternity. It cost Christ more than you can imagine.)
• Most critical tool in current business climate- cash flow. Businesses need working capital. Don't waste cash in moment, but plan 5 yrs down the road.
• Can eat well or sleep well, but not both. (Spiritually, whatever you sow, you'll reap. If living for self, reap destruction)
• Stay focused on core competencies rather than areas where you can't add value. Clear on mission & purpose both in non-profit & business. (I think they borrowed this concept from Blanchard's Leading at Higher Levels and Warren's Purpose Driven Life).

How do we balance risk & investment? (allow me to insert the word faith for risk, just for the sake of spiritual application)

• Recognize key areas of risk- disability & out-living your income. Faith areas- possibilities that we can predict and eternity.
• First, focus on risk management, then think about wealth accumulation. Take care of "risk" areas first, then start to build wealth. (Faith trumps this lifetime. Have we made proper preparations for eternity or are we just re-arranging the chairs on the Titanic).
• Quickly adapt to change and new factors in market. The speed of adaptability determines longterm health of business.
• Accept changes- plan for them, then take risk step of investing. (Do we appropriately expect challenges and hardship, then allow our faith to full us through? Are we willing to take bold steps of faith in the midst of difficult circumstances, even when the odds are against us?)
• Gold, like oil, won't stay up forever- only 5% of portfolio. (Nothing lasts, even gold will eventually be destroyed)
• Like at-bat in baseball, take risk on 3-0 count, since you'll get another chance if you miss NOT on 0-2 count when you'll strike out.

What's holding economy back? (this one's for church leaders. Application- think "what's holding back the church from fulfilling her mission?)

• Policy- gov't runs $. Like running the engine of a car, if it lacks gas, goes empty but too much gas, flooded. Fed putting in too much 'gas' by printing $, which slows down recovery and drives up prices, (What codified policies are holding back the Church from impacting our communities? What "old", not necessarily biblical, methods are flooding the church with the wrong busyness and distracting her from her mission?)
• For economy to truly stabilize, the dollar must be relinked to gold, which has intrinsic value. (Where does the church derive value? Faith in Jesus, truly living the absolute truth of the Bible)
• Tax reform- congress must simply the tax code. Most significant documents in world are brief, unlike the 9.5 million word tax code. (Keep our faith in Jesus simple and practical)
• Need positive reform of health care by cutting out the middle man 3rd-party system to allow free trade between customer & medical providers. Give patients back control of their health care.
• US in painful pause but not decline,
• Revenue base (taxes of 2.2 trillion) devoured by entitlements (about 2.3 trillion) plus all the rest of government spending (another 1 trillion).

Where's interest rate going?

• Inflation/ bonds won't explode,
• Biggest issue is employment,
• Greater risk in deflation now than inflation,
• 8% annual expectation for return on investments is hopeful not likely,

Leadership thoughts:

• In business and investing, keep focused on core purpose/ mission (yeah, that works well for the church too),
• Earning trust- great leaders don't leverage position but earn trust over time.
• Help people (those you serve and those you employee) see something bigger than themselves (find bigger purpose/ Cause- can't think of a Cause greater than eternity),
• Respond quickly to 'curveballs'- focus on changes, adapt fast,
• Focus on details to generate productivity or the details will devour it,
• Stick to Values: NorthWestern Mutual's: 1. Strength (provide a stable, strong investment environment for clients); 2. Pay dividends (add value to those you serve); 3. Do the right thing all the time (wow! any church/ Christian could take these values, which seem very biblical and apply them to their life).

Secret to growth:

• Don't rest on laurels from past or relax or try to preserve greatness, since there are others trying to catchup,
• Don't forget the "why" & where your going (keep your eye focused on the destination).

Hope you found this helpful from both a financial and personal/ spiritual/ leadership perspective.

Would love feedback and thoughts?

What's Keeping Us from Living Our Dreams

It's not intentions or dreams that matter. It's action or the lack there of.

What's keeping us from living our dreams is not ability, competence, resources, or the right connections. Initially, you might be tempted to disagree and disregard my post. BUT...

I've heard lots of people share big ideas, powerful dreams, and grandiose plans with me. All of which are entirely possible. However, while they're sharing, I'm tempted to ask, "are you really serious about living that out and seeing it through?" Sharing a dream is one thing. Having good intentions is encouraging. But neither actually make anything happen.

Want to know how dreams are lived, plans are laid, and ideas are fulfilled. Action! That's right! Execution. Implementation.

It's what you actually DO that determines whether you'll accomplish your dreams or not.

If you say one thing, but continue doing what you've done or never actually do anything to move toward that dream, guess what? You're not going to live those bold ambitions.

Andy Stanley teaches and explains it best in his podcast, The Principle of the Path (listen here or read his book here). It's the steps you take in a direction that lead to a destination NOT your intended destination. You can want and dream to arrive at a specific destination. BUT if you step in another direction, you will invariably arrive at the destination with which you've actually walked.

So, you want to live your dream? Do something. Write out all the action steps it will take over the next 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years. Then, discover and decided on one action step that you can take immediately to begin living out that dream.

Read a book. Start writing a book. Take a college course. Start down-sizing. Start giving more. Run ONE mile. Throw out the cigarettes or soda or chips. Make the phone call. Send in the application. Make the appointment.

You can save a baby's life!

The Hagerstown Area Pregnancy Center is an incredible organization that serves those in a crisis pregnancy, as well as their unborn child.

Several churches in our area have rallied support behind the Center to raise funds to help them become a full-care center open 5 days a week.

If you're collecting coins for the Hag.Pregnacy Center, fill your baby bottle and bring it into Lifehouse by the end of February! (Please return unfilled bottles as well.)

Thanks so much for turning your change into a BIG change!