Depending upon how a person was raised, what they may have been taught as a child or depending on their cultural background, the fact is that we are all different. Regardless of the situation or circumstance it is just fine to have an opinion. Everyone has an opinion concerning different things or maybe even different ways of life. This is what makes this world a great place. If everyone shared the same ideas or had like minds, one could only imagine where we might be today. When God created man, He gave him a free will; He gave man the mind to think and do whatever he wanted.

However, during the creation process, a set of tried and true rules had to be put in place based upon the Word of God, but this is not what I am referring to. What I am referring to is the free will to make decisions and to have opinions. We all have the ability to make decisions and to form an opinion. Some things we can all agree on and some things we will never agree on. Having a mind of our own and being able to express our thoughts helps us to understand each other.

We can learn a lot about a person based on the opinions they have. Opinions usually bring judgment, and these judgments can carry over into various actions. In the community, certain actions can affect the entire group causing everyone connected to that group to be found guilty. One person is not a representation of the entire group, especially if that person is a bad representation.

I have many friends who are part of a religion, yet we all go to various churches, with different denominations and different religious systems. Are we all Christians? Do we all believe in the Godhead? Without taking a survey on the matter, I would have to say that the answer is yes, but it would be wrong to group us all together based on one individual’s actions or opinions.

God loves everyone; He only asks that we do one thing, and that is to follow the rules. Unfortunately, these rules are easily broken, and have no immediate punishment. Right or wrong opinions matter. Agreeing to disagree is wisdom in the making.

Many people have come to the end of their rope. They have lost all hope in building a future for themselves and for their family. Stocks are down, the request for employees is down, housing is down and spirits are low.

The fact of the matter is that many have know come to the reality of the reality. After spending many years in the work force build a prominent future. Many have been forced into the streets and left wondering how they are going to make it. In the meantime there are those who seem to have missed this skid in the economy completely.

During one of the worst economic down turns in my lifetime, I noticed something that made me think. I wanted to figure out how when so many were losing their homes, facing unemployment and layoffs, others were building new homes and taking exotic vacations. Was it because these people had premier jobs? Maybe they were so smart and intelligent that a company could not afford to let them go? I can assure you that it was none of these.

Many of these individuals have not had to depend on a company or corporation for many years. In real they are called successful entrepreneurs but in their world they are called independent wealth builders. Yes, these individuals are the people next door who you always talked about who never went to work. They are the ones who set on the patio in the mid afternoon talking on the phone. These are the individuals that you said were going to never amount to anything, the ones who you assumed would be evicted from their homes. In reality, these individuals said the same thing about you. They knew that there was a better way, a way to secure a legitimate future, without having to depend on the economy. Who are these people? They are your friendly network marketers, the multi level marketers, they are the ones that introduced people to their business years ago and were told that they were a pyramid scam.

Today these individuals sit in high places and seem to be enjoying life. However, this does not have to be “the other guys story.” This can be your story. Opportunities are waiting and it’s never too late. A backup plan beats not having a plan at all. The decision is yours to make, now is the time to become independent wealth builders.

We all have stories to share, and that is nothing to be ashamed of. Often time’s people will sit down with me and say that they want to write a book.  I will ask them, “What do you want to write about?” The common response to this question is that those individuals want to write about their own life experiences. We can always learn from another person’s experience in life. It has even been said that, “experience is the best teacher.” Parents will often times share stories from their past, with the hope that their kids will not make the same mistakes they made.

My goal is to not only share my stories, but to encourage people to keep moving forward despite any setbacks they may have.

No matter what you have done in this life, and no matter where you are now, God has a purpose for you—a plan that was established long ago—and it is the hope of the Father to see His plans for you come to pass.  There is a saying that I use quite often, that says, “If God ordained it, God will sustain it.”

I am not a big fan of living in the past, but I think it is important to reference the past in order to grow.

Most people can reach in and pull some skeletons from their closet. Getting the skeletons out of the closet and expressing one’s story can not only become beneficial to someone else, but it can also help refresh or reenergize the one who has been willing to share their story.  If a person has a sincere respect for you, they will listen to you and learn from you. I truly believe that God wants us to use our skeletons to build a structure for all to see and to know that regardless of our past, we should never fear our future.

What inspires you? What is you motivation? What is it that makes you tick? What is it that makes you strive for more? Is it your family? Is it your life situation? Maybe it is simply a neighborhood that you past on your daily commute. Whatever it may be, use it! If it helps get you out of bed on a daily basis, use it to its fullest advantage and make sure that inspiration can become your reality.

It all comes down to this—what you give your attention will become the reality of your world. If a person gives their attention to scandals, murders, war and fear that negative influence will program their creative computer and the world around them. A better idea would be to focus their attention on what’s good, wonderful, abundant, wholesome and possible in the world.

Focus your attention on ideas, information and knowledge that can help you grow, prosper, create and contribute. This will allow you to make a positive difference based on your unique talent, skills and effort. Turn OFF the rest… it will change your world and your life!

Being in the construction field for many years has allowed me to understand what it really takes to build a structure. Building a structure takes planning, it takes commitment and it takes skill. The builders all know and understand their responsibility to the trade but they all turn to one general source for guidance.

The person in charge is not to be considered the know-it-all but more like a coordinator. The idea of the coordinator is to make sure that the foundation is laid before the walls go up. The entire process associated with building can take years to complete. Once the structure is complete it will stand tall for years to come. People will admire its beauty and will grace its doors.

On the other side of the coin that same building that took so many years to build. That same building that was orchestrated and coordinated. The same building that people learned to admire and adore can be torn down in less than a day. No real planning is needed. The only real plan is to make sure the building is evacuated and abandoned before the demolition crew shows up. Once demolition is complete it could be years before another strong structure rises from the ashes.

The analogy used here can easily be associated with life especially in the world of business. When building a strong business it is important to coordinate, plan and execute. Those who are helping build the business also need to know and understand the plan associated with building a strong business or team. If the business is built on a strong foundation and all the pieces come together in a planned, coordinated fashion, then success can and will be achieved. However, a strong business can be destroyed in no time if the leader loses focus and neglects their duties. One swing of the demolition ball and everything that was built can come tumbling down. People look for strong leaders who know how to build and can continue building. The choice is yours to make, so make it the right one.

Mrs. Leola Payne

“10: Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 11: The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12: She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 13: She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 14: She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 15: She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. 16: She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 17: She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 18: She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. 19: She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. 20: She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 21: She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22: She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. 23: Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. 24: She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 25: Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 26: She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. 27: She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.  28: Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29: Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 30: Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. 31: Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates” (Prov. 31).

When Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes chapter three, he wanted to stress a very important point; he wanted everyone to know that God has a plan. Although we may face many problems that seem to contradict God’s plan, these problems should not be considered barriers to believing in what has been written.

When face with adversity, it should be looked at as more of an opportunity to discover that without God, life’s problems have no lasting solutions.

Timing is important. All things will eventually work out in their appropriate time. The secret is to accept and appreciate God’s perfect timing. The danger is to doubt or to resent that timing. Doubting can lead to despair, rebellion or moving ahead without the advice of sound counsel and guidance.

Sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture. Things may not always workout the way we think they should but under divine order, they will eventually workout. In fact, when you can go through something and learn a valuable lesson it makes it all worthwhile.

We all have plans; goals and dreams but more importantly we all have a purpose. What is yours? The old saying says, “It is better to give than to receive.” I find this to be very true. Giving can create a purpose in you that you never knew existed and the returns on your giving can never be matched. Why do you think so many fortune 500 companies give so openly to various charities? It’s not for the tax write-offs it is for the return on their investment. They realize that their giving will reach millions of people and create more opportunities for them in the future. Are you ready to build your future? If you are I suggest that you learn to give. It has been said that if you help another person reach the top of a hill then you will find yourself standing on the top as well.

Many people go through life hoping and expecting. They hope for change and expect to receive the promises that have been laid out before them. These types of people are what I call the motivated group. Their hope and expectations keeps them focused and pursuing their goals. They tend to not let setbacks and roadblocks keep them from moving forward.

On the other side of the coin you have those who feel like they deserve everything. They always have to remind everyone as to how they work hard everyday and make sacrifices for everyone. These types of individuals spend most of their life in disappointment. They are easily frustrated when life deals them a bad hand.

As I always say, “life is what you make it, the choice is yours to make.” Make a decision as to how you will spend your life. You can spend your life in constant disappointment or you can spend it hoping and expecting for better things to come. My prayer is that you would choose the latter of the two.

Donald

Many people, wonder aimlessly in fear. This fear is not because they are scared of their neighbors, monster or clowns. The fear that I am referring to is associated with failure. This failure can come in many ways. The most common is the failure of success. I have to speak truthfully, having a fear of missing one’s life target is normal but it is not the end. Many people have had setbacks that cause them to have to start over. I was one of them but I learned to adjust, make changes and bounce back from my own personal mismanagement.

During my time of folly I was obsessed with becoming successful. I made the critical mistake of thinking that my level of success was based on what I owned. Needless to say I was foolish, I lacked wisdom and was preparing myself for downward spiral that would take years of readjustment on myself my attitude, and my ideas of what success really meant.

I had to re-teach myself the meaning of an abundant life. I started reading more, learning more and listening more. This process helped me build character, self-esteem and wisdom. It also helped me realize that there was more to my life than just what I could see. 

In reality, the fact that I was unsuccessful is not what really scared me. It was the fear of others knowing I had failed. Yes, I realize that this is a foolish thing to consider but based on my conversations with others, I know that I am not alone in this matter. As I indicated in the beginning of this message, many people spend their lives trying to accumulate possessions to prove the level of their success, only to find that the rest of their life is in disarray.

Balance is the key. Yes it is indeed a pleasure to have nice things. It is also nice to have wealth, but know that what you have does not dictate who you are. Things are only temporary and will diminish over time.

Learn to overcome the fear of failure. Once the fear is gone success will follow.