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  • Keep It Going

    My last several weeks at work have been busy.  A couple of my folks that have been out looking for a house finally found one and went under contract, and then another family who was already under contract was having a bad experience with their loan officer and switched over to me with less than 3 weeks to close.
     
    In the past I haven’t managed having multiple deals going on at the same time too well.  It’s not that I drop the ball on the deals, they get extra TLC. It’s the other part of my business that suffers -continuing to prospect and follow up with past and current clients.
     
    This time was different though.
     
    I was actually able to maintain my routine of cultivating new business while still managing the active deals I have going on, without working too much overtime to make this happen.  I have been working on being able to do this better over the last 6 months or so and this time my work and prayers paid off. 
     
    How do you when things at your workplace get busy unexpectedly? 
     
    Do you double down and work extra long hours to make sure everything gets done?
     
    Or do you have systems and processes in place to maintain a steady workflow even when things get a little out of hand?
     
    A Real Christian Businessman has processes in place that help us maintain our current level of busyness, while also allowing us to handle the parts of our business that can change. But the biggest difference we can make is to put the extra work burden on God and let Him actually help us get through.

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

    The secret sauce when things get busy is to pray up and put it into God’s hands.  I definitely don’t do this all the time, but lately I have had a good run at praying more when things get busy and asking for His help to get through. 

  • Payback

    “God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you.” 2 Th 1:6 (NIV)

    Stop worrying about how you will get that person back at work for what they did to you.

    We have so many other things to be concerned about!

    God’s already got it all taken care of! 

  • Sun vs. Rain

    We just got back from spending a week on the sunny beaches of Florida (the Emerald Coast has the best beaches! I’m obviously partial to that statement since I have been going there most of my life!).
     
    We had a great time! Spent time with family, hung out, ate out, ate in, went for walks, read books, played board games, did puzzles, snoozed on the beach, hung out by the pool – all the stuff you do while taking a break on the beach!
     
    The weather was fabulous too. Even though it rained the first 36 hours we were there, we experienced breaks in the rain and the sun came out …so we were able to be outside on the beach every single day!
     
    When I got home though, it rained.  Hard rain. Bad rain, “flood watch” rain.  3 inches of rain, thunderstorms, and high winds.  Dangerous weather that kept me inside all day.
     
    While I was at the beach –my attitude and outlook were great! The sun was out. I was relaxed and enjoying the beautiful views and the sound of the waves crashing.
     
    When I got home my attitude and outlook changed.  I was somewhat somber.  Missing the beach and the sun and the waves.  The sky was full of clouds and heavy rain and thunder and lightning.  The house chores and task list was staring me in the face again.
     
    I had to make a choice.
     
    I started out by being gloomy and monotone once I got home. Upset about what I was no longer experiencing.  What I “didn’t have”.  Sad because the sun wasn’t out. The weather wasn’t beautiful like it was in Florida.  The rain seemed like it never was going to stop.
     
    I basically picked the wrong attitude to have.
     
    A Real Christian Businessman knows that some days will be filled with sunshine while others may have rain and lots of thunderstorms.  It’s how we choose to react to all of this that will determine how our day ends up going!
     
    Eventually, with some positive prompting from my wife, I overcame my gloomy attitude while it was raining and embraced the day… and the chance to hang with her and watch some college basketball /March Madness together (something I LOVE to do!).
     
    Make a choice this week when things aren’t going all sunny and rosy and decide which attitude you will have.
     
    Our co-workers are watching!  And it’s a small way we can show others “why we have the joy we have not matter what the circumstance.”

    “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Th 5:16-18 (NIV)

  • Seasoning

    “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Col 4:6 (NIV)

     Seasoning our conversation is key!

    I usually use too much salt and lots of pepper!

    Let’s remember this simple recipe for our speech this week and use the right amount ingredients. 

  • Cough Cough

    I’ve been sick the last 2 weeks.  Nothing major that is taking me out completely, but sick enough that it affects my work and personal life enough. I went to the urgent care after a week of feeling like this and I tested negative for Covid, RSV, Influenza A and Influenza B.

    But I still feel terrible.

    Apparently I have some bronchial infection, which is causing me to cough a lot, be weak and “not be at 100%”. Since it was a virus there really wasn’t any medicine that could be prescribed.  “Rest and drink plenty of fluids.” We have all heard this before.

    Most days I don’t want to get up in the morning. 

    But lying in bed I can’t go back to sleep!

    Most days I want to lay down at some point during the day.

    But once I lay down I can’t really go to sleep and it doesn’t really seem to help.

    I just feel meh, and my work is suffering because of it.

    My tendency while in this situation is to lash out at others while I’m down. I overreact to work situations and I make unwise business decisions. 

    Its hard to stay focused and do a good job when you just don’t feel your best.

    A Real Christian Businessman knows that there are going to times when we just don’t feel well but still have to get our job done.  This is the part that is hard!  Maintaining a good attitude while our physical body is not running at its peak is very difficult to do.  Pushing through with the right attitude is something we all strive for, and it is exactly the approach that we need to take.

    If you aren’t feeling well this week, know that I understand! 

     Let’s do our best to not let it affect how we work and interact with others.

    “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Phil 4:13 (NIV)

  • Contented

    “I know what it is to be in need, I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret to being content in any and every situation.  Whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Phil 4:12 (NIV)

     How we handle each situation is what matters most.

    Not the situation itself!

    Are you living in plenty or in want right now?

    Read the very next verse to find out the secret to being content!

    Philippians 4:13

  • How’s Business?

    The home mortgage business has been slow the last 8 weeks or so.  This time of year is typically a time when it is slower overall, as people aren’t looking to purchase a home as much as they do in the Spring or Summer, but lately it has been slower than normal.  Even though I have been doing all the right activities to keep my business going and have numerous clients out looking for a home to purchase, not many are going under contract right now. 

    People seem fearful of what is happening in the world economy, our own economy, their job situation and their own personal debts (credit card debt is at the highest levels it has ever been).

    It is an interesting time to say the least.

    How is your business doing? 

    Are things at work busier than ever?

    Or have things slowed down so much so that you are worried you may lose your job?

    A Real Christian Businessman knows that things at work can slow down or speed up at moment’s notice. It’s how we REACT during these times that shows our true colors. 

    When I lost my job the last several times, people were looking for me to bad mouth my former employers because of “what they had done to me”. Yet this is not what I chose to do. 

    When things are slower than normal in my business due to things beyond my control (market conditions, people’s personal financial situation, etc.) I am choosing to work on the things I can control (follow up, meeting with clients and referral partners, attending events) instead of moaning about “those” things that make my business suffer.  Complaining about things that are beyond my control only tends to make things worse, and I have yet to see it improve business conditions!

    So no matter what state your current job or business is in (good or bad!), how we react to it all is what matters most.

    And it is what people are watching the most! 

    “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Prov 3:5-6 (NIV)

    What path do you choose to take when business is tough?

  • Gentle

    “Rejoice in the Lord Always. I will say it again, Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all…” Ph 4:4-5a (NIV)

     How many times has our “gentleness” been revealed to others?

    Opening the door for someone.

    Speaking kindly to the check out person at the store.

    Responding considerately to our co-worker who is upset.

    Not a word we always think of, but let’s try and practice some gentleness this week!

  • It All Blew Up

    I had a closing recently that went very poorly.  Although it was nothing that I or my team did, it still reflected poorly on us and our company. 

    The title company that facilitated the closing and signing of the documents dropped the ball.  Throughout the process they were nonresponsive with the selling agents requests, and at the closing table the 3rd party notary that they hired to have the seller sign the documents was terrible (it was an out-of-town signing hence a 3rd party notary was needed).  The notary showed up 40 minutes late and then didn’t have all the documents needed for the seller to sign!   The seller got emotional and started crying, and if it wasn’t for the seller’s title company person that stepped in and helped (the signing happened to transpire at the sellers preferred title company for logistics purposes) this deal would have never closed.

    Even though I had nothing to do with this part of the transaction (my job is to mainly make sure the buyer and the buyer portion of the transaction is well taken care of), for this particular loan product and closing, we required both parties to use a title company that WE chose (usually the sellers/sellers agent choose the title company they want to work with, and the buyers/buyers agent choose the title company they want to work with.)  Since we required everyone to use the same title company the egg is ultimately on our face!  The seller agent was upset (why couldn’t we just use the title company we always use?), the buying agent was upset (why did you require me to put in the contract we had to use your title company?), and the sellers were upset (for obvious reasons).

    I was copied on everything that was happening and I saw it all going south right before my eyes. I tried in a subtle but firm way to guide the situation to a more positive outcome, but much of what was going on was beyond my and my teams’ control.

    A Real Christian Businessman knows that in situations like this that may reflect poorly on us but are beyond our control it can be very hard to manage!  Even though I wanted to also get upset and start blaming people for what happened (my company, the title company, the notary), somehow I kept my cool and talked to leadership about the situation calmly and how we could make it right once it was all over.
    When we have a situation that is beyond our control, yet it reflects poorly on us, remember to take the high road and react in a calm yet firm manner.  Even though we end up with the blame and an indirect black eye, our reaction to it all is what people will remember. 

    Don’t blow up too!
     

     “In your anger do not sin, Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Eph 4:26-27 (NIV)

  • Just Be

    Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Eph 5:15-16 (NIV)

    A very simple reminder for the week that doesn’t need much else to be said about it more than what it already says…

    Just be wise!