That’s where Life Impact Ministries comes in.  They offer “hosted places of rest, retreat and renewal (called an Oasis)” in the United States and all over the World.   Please enjoy my interview with David Knauss, as he shares the ministry’s vision of bringing hope, healing, and restoration to Kingdom leaders.  Then share your comments below!

Reflection:  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Journal:  What’s one inspiring thing you heard in this interview?  Share your thoughts below!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Now that the Holiday season is winding down, it’s a great time to reflect on how things lined up with what you envisioned. Please enjoy this video, and share your insights below!

Reflection:   “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:32-33).

Journal:  How did your vision for Christmas compare to what actually happened?  What was your most memorable moment?  What are some things you’d like to do differently next year?  Share your thoughts below.

The Christmas shopping season has officially begun!

In this radio interview with Ms. Anita Dean at WPOL, I share some tips for creating an intentional plan to remain unified and in control of your holiday spending. Please enjoy, and add your comments below!

Reflection: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3).

Journal:  What’s one thing you heard that you’re willing to apply this year?  Share your thoughts below!

Are you an entrepreneur who wants to be a light for Jesus as you enjoy building your business? These three men I met at the C12 Group National Conference shared some practical tips on how this can be done. Please enjoy my conversations with them, and tell me how it impacts you!

Reflection: “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Journal: What’s one inspiring thing you heard in this interview? Share your thoughts below!

It’s no secret that I am PASSIONATE about godly marriages and families. So you can imagine my delight when I saw the booth for “Family Life” at the conference I recently attended in Orlando!

This interview is with Chris Randazzo, a regional ministry representative for “Family Life”.  Please enjoy as he shares about what they do, couples retreats they offer, and what he enjoys most about working in full-time ministry.  Then share your thoughts below about what inspired you!

Reflection: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1Corinthians 13:13).

Journal:  What’s one inspiring thing you heard in this interview?  Share your thoughts below!

I recently attended a conference in Orlando, Florida for Christian business owners and CEOs.  There, I had the privilege of interviewing some very inspiring people about their experiences with money in various aspects of their personal and professional lives.

This interview is with Mike and Jacqui, a precious couple celebrating 13 years of love and financial faithfulness.  Please enjoy their story, and share how it inspired you below!

Reflection: “Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find” (Proverbs 20:6).

Journal:  What’s one thing you learned from hearing their story?  Share your thoughts below!

A few weeks ago, I encouraged you to join me in taking an honest inventory of projects that you’ve started but weren’t able to finish. The list doesn’t include assignments from your job, but only things you chose to pursue.

The next step is to decide what to do with your findings in each of these categories. Here are some simple ideas:

1. Projects which are obsolete:  donate them or discard them.  I had a “starter” guitar that I used to play until I saved up to buy the nylon-string classical guitar that I really wanted.  So that “starter” guitar, even though it was still in great shape, had officially become clutter. I gave it away, making sure to find out what kind of documentation was required for a tax deduction.
2. Projects you HAVE to complete:
   1. One option is to schedule a time to finish them ASAP.  Make a short to-do list, enlist the help of your family, and set a firm date to work on it.  We recently had new carpet installed in 5 rooms of our house, which required me to remove numerous items from those rooms into the hallway or the storage room.  The carpet looks great!  But the items I removed never got put back where they go.  Unfortunately, the family needed access to those items, so we’ve had to hunt for them or dig them out of storage every time we need them.  I just set a task reminder on my calendar to replace the items in 1 room at a time over the next few days.
   2. Another option is to hire someone to finish the project for you.  I had begun to scan old financial documents to electronic files, and put them in a box to be shredded.  But when I ran out of time and energy, the un-scanned papers remained in a pile, and the scanned papers remained in a box in my office.  Thankfully, a young lady who needed some extra money was available to complete the job for me with minimal instruction.  Next week, I’ll have her deliver the papers to a shredding service.
3. Projects you want to complete… someday: put them in storage.  Once a year, you can revisit these items and decide if they are still of interest to you.  If not, they get moved to category 1 and donated.  My collection of decorating idea books was fun to look at.  But since my focus is on decluttering right now, decorating will have to wait.  I packed the books are into a storage box and put it away.

How is decluttering going for you? Please share your comments and discoveries below.  I’d love to hear from you!

On a personal note, I’ve enjoyed sharing this leg of my personal journey with you over the past couple of months, as I followed God’s directive to clear the clutter from my life. I’m planning to devote the next 2 weeks to tying up some loose ends.  Then I will return to feature some inspiring interviews with Christian men and women who are living out their faith in the marketplace!  Stay tuned!

Reflection: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,5,6).

Journal: Have you come up with any great ideas to keep the project clutter out of your life? Share your responses below!

1. When I’m bored or overwhelmed with duties, starting a new project is often my escape.  It makes me feel like I’m accomplishing something, even if the “something” isn’t really what I’m supposed to be doing.  If I’m honest with myself, I don’t feel free to fully enjoy these projects, because the duty is still hanging over my head.
2. When the excitement is gone, I move on.  Filled with zeal and anticipation of the unknown, I would embark on an exciting new adventure.  But once the initial excitement wore off, I’d abandon the project for something else more exciting.

I was both humbled and surprised to discover that the project clutter in my life wasn’t just caused by having a creative mind and multiple interests. It was created by escapism and lack of commitment. Ouch!

But before I started feeling condemned or trying to figure out how to fix myself, My Perfect, Loving, Heavenly Father reminded me that He loves me, even in the midst of my clutter and my many unwise ways. He gently opens my eyes. He teaches me new ways that are life-giving and fruitful. And He will do the same for you, too! Thank You, Lord!

Reflection: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you” (Psalm 32:8).

Journal: Did you discover any patterns as you began to inventory your unfinished projects? Reflecting on Psalm 32:8, what do you think the Lord is teaching you? Please share your responses below!

Is what you believe about money actually Truth?

The Truth About Money Lies might become the catalyst to a transformation in how you think and deal with money.

Each chapter of the book begins with a story based on real people’s experiences with a specific area of their finances. Their story is followed with the lie that is influencing their dilemma, and then counteracts the lie with Biblical truth.

Russ Crosson, an experienced financial planner, then shares more instruction and insight to support the Biblical truth.   And throughout the book, Kelly Talamo (one of Crosson’s clients) backs up Crosson’s insights by sharing how they revolutionized his own dealings with money.

In the years I spent practicing as a financial planner, I saw the end results of errant, non-Biblical thinking. But the authors of this book have effectively exposed the root of this thinking, and replaced it with the specific truths that can set you free!

If you or someone you know is feeling stuck, defeated, discontent, or anxious about any area of their financial life, this book can help. Understanding the Biblical principles that govern every area of their finances can give them a renewed hope, and a greater peace of mind.

At the 2012 Kingdom Advisors conference, every registered attendee was provided with a copy of this book. If you were one of those attendees like me, you graciously took the book and put it on a shelf to read “someday”. I highly recommend that you do as I did a few weeks ago: let “someday” start today! Blow the dust off, prop up the book on your exercise machine, and enjoy a fun and powerful read!

Reflection: “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’” (John 8:31-32).

You’ve probably heard the saying about what to do when life gives you lemons:

make lemonade!

Right after my last blog post, we discovered that none of the school options we were pursuing for our youngest child were going to work. My “lemon” was suddenly discovering that I had four weeks to clear my schedule and set up a homeschool. Although my personal and professional plans were dependent upon our children being away from the house during the day, God had another plan…

a plan that (initially) made me very sour!

After I acknowledged my disappointment to Him, He began to gently guide me. One step at a time, He showed Himself to be faithful and intentional about making this plan come to fruition. It was like He picked up my hand, squeezed the lemon into a glass, and sweetened it Himself!

None of this was easy, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our friends and the homeschool community. But we now see it as the best path for our daughter and our family, because it gives her a learning environment that is tailor-made to her special needs. Now our school day focus is helping her thrive as a precious gifted child, instead of focusing on how to make her conform to a classroom setting that she’s not currently designed for.

Has life handed you an unexpected change or challenge that is making you sour? Take some encouragement from what this experience is teaching me:

• It’s healthy to pause and acknowledge your feelings. God is always a perfect listening ear, and journals and good friends are also nice places to vent.
• Reach out for help. Can you think of somebody who has been down this road already? Get some tips from them.
• Search the internet for organizations and information. There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. There are plenty of blueprints online for any challenge or task that you may be facing. It’s just a matter of finding the right one, and not getting lost in cyberspace in the process.
• And finally, ask the Lord to help you to see the blessings and to see His hand. They are easy to miss when you’re shocked and overwhelmed. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit can open your eyes to see God’s work, feel His loving comfort, and receive hope for things to turn out well!

Reflection: “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Journal: What lemons has life given you lately? Try some of the tips above, and please share your experiences below!