Praying God’s Word

One of the most significant events of my life was when Cora introduced me to the concept of praying the very Word of Christ. Consider the awesomeness of praying the Word of God. During my life walk with Christ, I began to appreciate when my prayers intertwined with the will of God then things happened. The difficulty was knowing what to pray confident that it was the will of God. Now when I pray God’s Word, there is no doubt it is His will. It is His Word! I sign the prayer as a contract with the signature of Jesus Christ written in the blood shed on the cross for my sins.

I put this principle into action as I was waiting for my court case to be called and my time to testify. There were a dozen or so individuals who wanted to hang me (some figuratively and others for real). In events leading up to the court date, I had conducted myself with the highest morals and integrity. I did all I could do to protect those that now wanted a piece of me. I stood alone counting on God to see me through the storm. Cora had written verses on note cards God had put on her heart for me. While I waited, I prayed the Word of God written on these cards. It established God’s presence and His protection.

As a person, I am nothing. I have no authority or power to ask anything of God. I deserve nothing! With Christ, I am a child of the King. I comfortably and humbly fall on my face before the very throne of grace and submit my petitions. I am confident God hears and responds, providing the abundant life He has promised.

^“13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. ¹⁴You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14

It is a great place to be. I only wish I had not given so many years of my life away before I discovered His abundant Way. What is your experience in praying God’s Word?

Definition: Abundance – God’s perfection of His will and purpose in ones life.

The Ugly House Story

The year 2007 was the most difficult year of my life and spilled over to became the most difficult year of my bride’s life and the lives of many others. My heart, the very essence of my being was broken. Body and soul teetered on collapse. One in authority commented it was men at my age, in my situation, that many times experienced a physical heart attack or suicide. Kenneth Lay of Enron could testify to this fact if he were alive.

At 54, this was to be my last run for the gold. I was attempting to build a company fast, strong and big enough to take public. I felt like this was my turn. As it turns out, it will be my last run for the gold. God took this incredibly bad experience in business and life to create in me a new person. He established a man in me He would use to perfect His will and purpose in my life and the life of my bride.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”. Romans 8:28

The real estate industry was HOT! I had just moved from Arlington and left a great paying engineering sales job. My father had passed away in San Antonio. My mother needed help getting through this period of her life and my son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren lived in San Antonio. It was time to move and enjoy the family. We arrived in San Antonio healthy and ready to take on the world.

I had been studying to get my real estate license when I discovered the ‘ugly house’ industry. It centered around the concept of finding an ugly house, buying it, fixing it up and then reselling it. I discovered there were hundreds of people like myself in San Antonio and thousands in the US that liked real estate investing and were aggressively pursuing the opportunities. I thought investors at the local level could band together and each contribute their individual talents for the success of the group. Then, everyone could benefit from the relationship and meet their individual investment goals.

Having successfully launched a business earlier that I was honored to present to a Wall Street investment banking company, I believed a new company could have what it would take to launch an IPO. The economic timing seemed right. The industry was aggressively growing. There was plenty of inventory in distressed homes. There was international interest in US real estate and the numbers were big enough to attract Wall Street.

This company quickly grew profitable. It was organized to allow individuals to invest in houses and share in the profits. Participation in the deals was based on the premise that everyone had a certain set of talents and resources they could contribute toward the success of the company. They individually shared in the profits. It was a great time. Many houses were bought and sold. Profitability was eagerly consumed by the investors.

A business model was developed for the purchase of ugly houses that provided plenty of room for what was considered worse case scenerios and still create reasonable profit. Investors would find opportunities in ugly houses and bring them to the company for others to invest in. We rapidly grew and word of our organization spread nationally. Then, we discovered Alamo Heights.

Alamo Heights had plenty of small ugly houses that could be purchased at less than $120 /sf and remodeled to include adding 1,000 sf or more. The increased size produced houses that would appraise upwards of $240 / sf. Everyone was excited to see the profits that could be produced. Investors brought many Alamo Heights homes to the company and pushed to have them purchased. Millions of dollars were invested in these homes at the request of the companies’ investors and stock holders. What we didn’t know was that Alamo Heights was considering how to stop what they called, ‘the mansionizing of Alamo Heights’.

We had just bought a group of Alamo Heights ugly houses when the city council stopped work on all remodeling while it figured out what to do with companies buying small, building big and selling these investment homes. The companies’ remodeling efforts were totally shut down. The rules for building permits seemed to change daily. One person at city hall said one thing and the next person said something else. While all this is going on, the company was servicing a debt of over $50,000 / mo.. It doesn’t take a business scholar to appreciate time was limited.

Ultimately, we filed chapter 11 bankruptcy to protect the company and investors. We wanted to buy the time to get houses remodeled, placed on the market and sold. Unfortunately, in chapter 11 we were unable to borrow money to finish the remodeling of permited houses and completed houses did not sell. The real estate market had begun a downward trend that is even more evident today. This precipitated the collapse of a dream, a company and many investor dollars. You can only imagine the displeasure experienced and expressed by the companies’ investors.

As accusations of impropriety fly….

“Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds”. Matt 5:11-12

Mysteries of the faith. Has God taken failure as defined by man and produced fruit in your life?

Two Kids in Love

My bride and I were childhood boy and girl friend. I don’t think there ever was a time from the beginning of our relationship that there was not an attraction. We met the summer of 1965 somewhere between the 6th and 7th grade of school. Cora was writing my name in the street with chalk and I was busy ignoring her as I rode down the street on my bicycle. Forty two years later, Cora continues to proclaim her love for me and I am doing a little better at not ignoring her.

Thank you, Sweetie.

May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wifeof your youth. Proverbs 5:18

Note: Early married life in Germany

Debt Free Living

After years of encouragement by Cora, I finally agreed to adopt a budget and live debt free. I took the verse from God’s Word that says neither a lender or borrower be and applied it literally to our life. The lender part was easy, because we were broke anyway. The borrower part was an invitation for trouble. We didn’t have any money to fall back on and I was unemployed. Isn’t it humorous that God would take one of the most difficult financial times in our married life and encourage us to apply His Word to our life.

Craig’s list is an amazing phenomenon. We began listing just about everything we owned on the listing service and sold most of it. God provided plenty of people to buy at fair prices. We were loaned a house to live in rent free. A dentist pulled my cracked tooth for free and referred me to another that repaired a broken tooth. Friends paid to get my truck out of the shop. My father-in-law bought a collector’s edition rifle I had given Cora, so we could make the payment on my truck.

Cora and I both got perfect jobs and even get to work together at our church. Jeff and April have taken over payments on their investment house, graciously relieving us of the burden. God continues to provide in wonderful and unexpected ways. Pray His abundance on Jeff and April’s investment.

“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.” Matt 5:3

Prayer on Calloused Knees

My dad knew how to pray. His prayer life led to his knees building callouses. That was how often and long he committed his life to prayer. When the Berlin wall fell, he took me aside and shared that he had been specifically praying for a couple big events over the course of a few years. God had put these prayers on his heart. One event was for the Berlin wall to fall. He began praying years before anyone had any reason to believe the Berlin wall would ever come down. It was just a seemingly crazy prayer that God put on his heart. Dad was encouraged and impressed when Reagan announced that the Berlin wall was being torn down.

I was later told by my mother that a couple friend of theirs were desiring to have a baby. They were airline pilots. Dad prayed for them over a period of time. Ultimately, the wife gave birth to a beautiful baby and they give God and dad’s prayers credit for their miracle baby. This couple later graciously assisted a niece to become employed as an airline flight attendant. My mother was blessed with their attentiveness towards the niece.

My dad told of the time he was diagnosed with leukemia and was scheduled to go to the hospital to begin treatment. He checked in and began the battery of tests prior to treatment starting. Much to the doctors’ amazement there was no sign of leukemia. The Word refers to God as the great physician. There was no doubt who healed my dad. It’s likely he was not surprised by the lack of disease. God’s healing likely just met his expectations.

There was another time, I was struggling in a business venture. My mother and dad were praying for me and my success quite diligently and fervently. One of my adversaries died from natural causes. My dad quoted the Word as saying it wasn’t wise to go before an angry God. It makes me wonder about what ‘natural causes’ implies……

When has prayer made an impact on the outcome of your life?

“Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”. 1 Thess 5:17,18

Be Prepared For Struggle

Cora and I have a passion for marriage. We know it is God’s will and purpose for all marriages to be fruitful and the partners enjoy an abundant life. It is heart breaking to see the results of failed marriages. There was a time in our ministry we hosted small groups of couples in our home to share what God was doing in our marriage. We wanted others to know they too could struggle and also enjoy a fruitful relationship with their spouse.

During the start-up of a new couples group, we warned everyone to get ready for a struggle. Satan would not like us to work toward a closer walk with God and subsequent closer marriage relationship. We knew this to be the case from warnings provided in the Word and our own experiences in life. To everyone’s surprise, I lost a great job the very next week. Everyone was blown away by our experience. Cora and I knew struggles come with stepping out for God and expected distractions to come. No big deal. Just life.

When have you stepped up to the plate, prepared to deliver a home run, only to have circumstances blind side you?

“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.” Matt 5:10

Family, Friends and Blessings

I believe God is restoring to Cora and I all of what we have lost and is multiplying it many times over. It is not a dollar for dollar exchange. It is an exchange of what we thought was valuable for things that are of much more value. It seems God is putting us on a fast track in valuable relationship building. David and Jo have been super heroes of faithfulness and risk takers in our lives when it might not have been the safest thing to do.

Last year, I took an ugly house in the country and reinvented it into a beautiful large country home on acreage. It was the house of my dreams. I advised Jeff to invest in it. It seemed like a safe thing to do since as a worse case if it did not sell at a profit, I could move into it and cover his risk. At the time my real estate investment companies were going strong and I didn’t see the downside. But then there was the proverbial train wreck. The business collapsed.

We moved into the country house and attempted to make the house payments. We quickly lost all sources of income and could not cover the payment. We lived too far from town to get a real job. We needed to move into town to find work. This left Jeff with a house, big payment and no help from dad. I still feel rotten at how things have turned out. But, I believe God is not finished. He has a plan and will reveal it in His perfect timing. Thank you Jeff and April for believing and being faithful in the midst of a storm you didn’t create.

With the collapse of the real estate investment companies, we needed a place to live close to work and church, yet a safe place away from the storm. Tony and Julie heard of our need and graciously provided us with a beautiful house to live in rent free until we got on our feet. It was an incredible blessing. I am use to giving, but not so accustomed to receiving. God has done a wonderful thing in all our lives. This is a God thing that will not be forgotten.

Jeff and April graciously allowed us to move out of their ‘investment’ house while owing them rent and blessed us with encouragement. We still look to God to see how he works out the details of the future of us all and how the needs of Clover Court are met. I pray frequently for God’s grace on the situation.

“Job lived on another 140 years, living to see his children and grandchildren—four generations of them! Then he died—an old man, a full life”.

Job 42:17

Broke, Devastated and an Alaskan Cruise

My real estate investment companies collapsed. It felt like an explosion that was heard around the world. I was devastated in body, soul and spirit. I wondered if I would literally survive the outcome of this adventure. I’m told, many men at my age with this pressure do not survive. I was in a pressure cooker with incredible need for relief. I wasn’t sleeping. I periodically had tightness in my chest. Mentally, I wondered if I was going to collapse. I know the struggle was incredibly difficult for Cora and our extended family, also.

In God’s grace, Cora’s mom and dad asked if we’d like to go on an Alaskan cruise with them. We had frequent flyer points to cash in and they had a travel agent’s voucher to redeem. God was so incredibly good to allow us to temporarily escape the pressure being exerted on my family and I while finding peace away from very real threats. The cruise provided the perfect opportunity to relax and allow God to replenish our empty cups. Some say a ten day cruise is too long. I’d be ok with a lifetime cruise.

“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought”.

Matt 5:5

Finding Jesus on a Gravel Road

My dad survived tuberculosis in Kerrville, Texas. He surrendered to preach and began his ministry in a Baptist mission in Gold Run, California. I remember after one Sunday morning service where we met at the Odd Fellows Hall, we were driving down a gravel road to our house. I asked mom if I could become a Christian. She said, ‘yes’. I asked God to forgive me of my sins and invited Him into my heart. It was that simple. I asked. God said, ‘Yes’.

It is easy to forget a lot of happenings in life. This one event was forever etched into my memory. It was the first conscious moment of realizing I needed God and without a struggle inviting Him into my heart. How precious it is that God loves us all and simply wants us to ask.

“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world”. Matt 5:8

Time is short. Do you know Jesus?

Cora and I were eating at Panda Express in San Antonio. There was a guy in a wheelchair struggling to get his ‘take out’ stored in the back of his wheelchair. I asked if I could help. He allowed me to. Later, he began struggling to get his wheelchair out the front door and into the parking lot. I asked if I could help. He said, ‘Do you know Jesus? Time is short and it is important to tell others about Jesus.’ I acknowledged that Jesus was important to me and I knew Him.

This crippled up young man was headed across a very busy intersection and parking lots to go to Target. I volunteered to push him and get him safely across the distance. He told his story of doing wild things as a teenager and a car accident left him crippled up. He said it was a good thing because now he knew Jesus and could tell others that the time is short. His message was simple, ‘If you know Jesus, tell others before it is too late’.

I wonder what it is like to entertain an angel?

“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for”. Matt 5:7