You’re Not Just Facing Difficulty; You’re Building a Great Testimony

In the midst of a recession, the stories of heartache and financial distress can be heard on nearly every street corner. Many in our great country have lost their jobs, their homes, and even worse, their hope. The Bible says that “hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Prov. 13:12) and these days there are certainly a lot of fabulous believers with ailing hearts, as they try their best to make their way through these difficult times.

If you can’t tell from the title of my blog, I am passionate about Christian entrepreneurs. I want to create them, develop them, train them, encourage them, and then watch them grow. As much as I’d like to think that all Christians are thriving in the midst of this recession, I know that in reality that is simply not the case. And in periods of economic contraction, many times it is the entrepreneur and small business people that feel the crunch the most. That’s why I want to encourage you today with an uplifting word from the Lord.

As the Biblical poster boy for suffering and loss, Job experienced this same type of hopelessness as he went through major trials in his life. After experiencing tremendous success & personal achievement, Job tragically lost his entire family, his possessions, and everything he held dear in his life. As a result, Job’s passion for life and hope for the future had all but disappeared. "What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient?” (Job 6:11).

Job saw nothing positive on the horizon, and because of the surrounding darkness, was unable to see the victory on the other side. The story of Job’s redemption has encouraged believers for centuries, but as Job sat covered in sickness and poverty, the future benefits of his story on the Church were the furthest thing from his mind. Perhaps if he had picked his head up and looked forward to what God had planned for him, he would have maintained his hope and joy through what was otherwise a tragic time in his life.

It’s always difficult when you’re in the midst of a trial to see through to the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel.” When we go through trials and tribulation, we oftentimes become very egocentric and inward focused, removing our ability to look UP, look OUT, and look AHEAD to the promise of a better future. You must realize that you’re simply going through a difficult time, not stuck on a treadmill of misfortune. Like Job, you are building a remarkable testimony that will encourage others for years to come. You are writing a powerful story of triumph in God that will resonate in the future with those who are facing similar circumstances.

So, if you’re facing financial or business related challenges, and find yourself discouraged and disheartened, I am here to speak TRUTH over you and get you out of your funk! LIFT YOUR HEAD UP and see beyond today to a powerful and prosperous future. Your future will be greater than your past (Job 8:7) and you will undoubtedly be the HEAD and not the tail (Deut 28:13). Our God is faithful to watch over his Word and make sure it does not return void (Isaiah 55:11), and so I have no doubt that He SHALL meet ALL of your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). He has plans to PROSPER you and NOT to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future (Jer. 29:11). Hallelujah, Amen, and SO BE IT!

To Your Success, Matt Robinson

(Encourage yourself with this great worship video, “Your Latter will be Greater” by Israel Houghton, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j5gTIXmsOs )

CNBC's Olick - Homebuyer Credit Again?

"Just when I thought the housing market was finally being left to correct on its own, I'm starting to hear talk regarding yet another home buyer tax credit. From HUD to the hedge funds, it sounds as if it is gaining steam yet again. This one could involve not just first time/move-up buyers, but a credit for buyers purchasing foreclosed properties or short sales (when the bank allows you to buy a home for less than the value of the outstanding mortgage). HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, appearing on CNN's State of the Union this weekend, didn't rule out another tax credit. He did say it's 'too early to say,' but then added that 'we're going to be focused like a laser on where the housing market is moving going forward, and we are going to go everywhere we can to make sure this market stabilizes and recovers.' After that several Congressional candidates in Florida threw their voices behind the possibility, and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist then chimed in on the same show, saying that another tax credit, 'would stimulate the economy. It would increase home sales in Florida.' He finished with: 'I would absolutely encourage the president to support that because it would certainly help my fellow Floridians."

"So of course then I went the official route and followed up with a HUD spokesperson who responded: 'No news here...there are no discussions underway to revive the credit.' Is it all political? And is another tax credit the answer? 'I don't think it's all political,' says housing consultant Howard Glaser. 'I think they are panicked that the economy/housing got away from them.' Glaser doesn't sound convinced the tax credit is really on the table. 'They can do a lot off budget with the GSE's and FHA with no Congress.' I know a lot of you out there would argue that a housing market correction, as painful as it is, is necessary for housing to truly find its footing again and recover for the long term. Another artificial stimulus could just prolong the agony and set us up for the same drop off in sales and prices that we're seeing right now. But it could also move some inventory quickly." "With inventories of new and existing homes dangerously high, and the shadow supply of foreclosures pushing that volume even higher, more stimulus could be a necessary evil.

I liken it to what I'm doing with my lawn this week. All summer I fought the weeds, pulling them, using the organic sprays and repellents, spreading mulch to deprive them of any air. And then I gave up. I called the lawn service and told them to bring every chemical in their arsenal. Shock the overgrown mess into submission once and for all, so that I can start fresh again and reseed this fall."
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Matt's Commentary: Oh, someone please tell me it's all a bad dream! They're not really considering another tax credit, are they? They say that the definition of "insanity" is doing the same things over and over and expecting different results. Well, if that's the case, it's time for someone to put a straight jacket on the whole city of Washington D.C.

If some government intrusion doesn't work, then the answer has to me MORE government intrusion, right? WRONG!!! Can they please just let the markets correct themselves, regardless of how long it takes, so we know where we stand? With the November Mid-terms lurking around the corner, these rumblings about another credit absolutely reaks of politics, but we have to learn lessons from the past. This is especially true when the "past" was just a few months ago.

The homebuyer tax credit did nothing to stabilize the housing market or to remove excess foreclosure inventory from the market. All it did was take sales that would have occurred in the 3rd and 4th quarter of the year and moved them up to the 1st and beginning of the 2nd quarter. That truth manifested itself when pending home sales fell 30% in May, and existing homes sales had a similar drop of historical proportions in July.

Republicans and Democrats alike, please listen loud and clear; just stay out of our business! I've never seen more of a reverse-Midas-touch than that which exists with the federal government, and it's time that they just GET OUT OF THE WAY. Don't turn the American Dream into a nightmare with your constant meddling. Keep taxes low, keep motivation high, and let this great country do what it always has....SUCCEED.

Multiple Streams of Income, Part 1

"The Trouble with the Rat Race is that Even if You Win, You're Still a Rat." ~Lily Tomlin

I absolutely love this quote from Lily Tomlin, because it couldn't be more true. How many people do you know that have spent their lives climbing the corporate ladder, only to find out it's leaning up against the wrong wall, one that really doesn't satisfy their inner desires and personal passions?

Who do we consider the "winners" of the rat race? Doctors, lawyers, and maybe a handful of other professions come to mind. But when you really take a close look at their lives, the 9 to 5....erhhh, more like 9 to 9 grind that they go through every day, is it really all that glamorous? They're really just a more successful version of a wage slave, with a little bit nicer car.

As creative small business people and savvy entrepreneurs, we need to commit to creating multiple streams of income in our lives. In today's tough economic times, it's very risky to have all of your proverbial "eggs" in one basket, relying on just one revenue stream. Creating multiple sources of income helps create a safety net, especially when they are diversified across different types of products or services.

One example of this would be to have an investment in small grocery store or farmers market, while at the same being heavily active in real estate or the stock market. While the latter may suffer in the midst of a recession, the former is considered a "staple" and is less likely to be affected by the rise and fall of financial markets. By implementing business strategies that produce multiple revenue streams, you can rely on one source of income if another one is diminished for a period of time due to unforeseen circumstances.

After you have developed numerous income streams, it's time to turn your focus towards making those streams as passive as possible. You should examine every aspect of your business and find out which tasks or activities can be delegated and/or outsourced. The more time you are able to free up in your day, the more time you have for creating additional revenue streams. The goals is to eventually have all of your income streams completely passive, so that your money comes in whether you're at work or on some island in the Caribbean. That's when you have officially graduated out of the rate race and are back in the game of truly enjoying life.

For a great way to visualize yourself getting out of the dreaded rate race, play the game Cash Flow 101 by Robert Kiyosaki. He also makes a great kid's version to start your children off early thinking the right way about money. I would also highly recommend Timothy Ferris' book entitled, "The 4-Hour Work Week". It's the entrepreneur's outsourcing handbook, and an absolute must read for small business owners.

**Make sure you come back for part 2 of this series, as I will be examining Warren Buffet's money rules, as well as the resurgence of the Entrepreneur. To your success!**