My Back 9

I quite often hear people talk about happiness; and inevitably somewhere in the conversation the term “ success ” gets attached to the dialog.   In my last piece I made reference to the premise that God doesn’t call us to be successful; He calls us to be faithful.   In my view, joy is derived from the pursuit of something pure, something that is actually tied to your legacy and to your eternity.   I’ve studied quite extensively over my many years in business about success; and like most people; my pursuit of happiness was usually tied directly the amount of money I could earn.   Success meant having things, living in certain neighborhoods, and keeping up with the other “ successful ” people.   Over the last few days; I was reminded again, that I was finally on the right path; no longer chasing something that wasn’t there to begin with.   No doubt that this new found focus flows in direct proportion to my new relationship with Christ; as I now find myself...

It occurred to me this morning while I was reading a devotional by John Piper that the Grace offered through Jesus Christ is actual POWER and not just pardon. Even though God's grace is served up freely to us, we still have our part to play. There is effort involved in living out a righteous life, but it doesn't come from our own strength, it comes from the inner strength the God provides.   By faith alone we are redeemed; but others need to see us walk this out and produce the fruit of a Christian. This is our division of labor. This message really hit home for me this morning, and I am hopeful that those reading this can draw upon instances in their own lives where this may be prevalent.   Most of my adult life I have been outer determined. Determined to succeed, determined to make money, determined to have nice things, and determined to prove to everyone that I was something special. The pressures of this world are plentiful, and many of the components tied to "w...

The Bible tells us in 1 st John that “greater is He (The Lord) that is in me than he (the enemy) that is in the world ” Nowhere in my life has this been more prevalent than during my first business trip in several years; to Las Vegas.   Yes; that’s right; 3 weeks out of rehab for many addictions; but mostly for gambling; I went to Vegas for a Mastermind Summit for top producers in my field.   It was a great trip, and I truly felt more empowered and centered than I ever have on a business trip.   In the past; it was time to let it all out; take it to the edge, never really sure what I was trying to prove; just testing the limits.   But this time I was very calm, focused, and NOT distracted by the usual suspects that dance in the devil’s playground; something I’m quite familiar with from day’s past.   It’s almost like I was “outside” myself; looking in to see what I would do.   There I was, at the scene of the crime where I made an enormous amount o...

Taking a Stand First and foremost; I would like to extend a heartfelt greeting to all of you special people reading this message.   It’s been quite some time since I wrote publicly; and I’m hopeful that this letter finds you well; and your lives are moving along wonderfully.   It’s been quite an interesting and life changing 365 days for me; a year where many issues from my past came into focus; and the lens I look through now is crystal clear.   This new clarity comes from one source; and that one-true source of light is NOT myself; it’s My Lord and Savior; Jesus Christ.   For most of you who do not know; I have spent the last year of my life in a Christian-based rehabilitation center in Orlando, FL; called Fresh Start Ministries .   It’s an establishment dedicated to helping people recover from life debilitating addictions through the utilization of the 12-step process combined with a spiritual component that, in my view, truly distinguishes this pl...

The Price of COOL I was talking with a close friend the other day, and he was concerned about me sharing too much to a widespread audience that includes family members, friends, and business colleagues.  His theory was that from a business perspective, sharing personal thoughts might be risky, a point I have considered and certainly understand.  However, my perspective is that I feel “called” to share, and the feedback I receive ( especially from my deepest personal messages ) validate the notion that this is what I’m supposed to do.  If there are business opportunities that pass me by as a result, my sense is that it’s not meant to be anyway.  Therefore, I will press on, speak my mind, and follow my path in an attempt to uncover hidden gems that have the potential to inspire.  This piece is no different, a tale of diving deep into your soul to unpack what’s true and real in life.  I hope you enjoy. This premise of “coolness” has been m...