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  • Answer Anyway

    I had a deal fall apart this week.
     
    Everything was lined up. We were clear to close. Then—24 hours before closing—the buyers got a survey back on their rural property. Neither their agent nor I knew they had ordered one. We didn’t require it for the loan, but the buyers felt like they wanted to get one anyway.
     
    But once it showed up, it changed everything. 
     
    Because there was a problem.
     
    The surveyor said he needed to go back out and confirm a few things. So we pushed closing to later that day, hoping it would all be resolved.
     
    It wasn’t.
     
    Turns out the house was 14 feet over the property line. Not a fence. Not a shed. The bedroom and a bathroom were over the line! You can’t just move that.
     
    So now the title company, attorneys, Real Estate agents and property owners are working through an easement agreement. If all goes well we’ll close in about 10 days.
     
    So what does this have to do with being a Real Christian Businessman?
     
    Everything.
     
    When this all surfaced, everyone started calling me.  The buyers.  Both buyer’s agents (a husband-and-wife team).  The seller’s agent.  The title company.  Even people internally asking, “Why aren’t we closing this loan?”
     
    Everyone wanted direction. Everyone wanted answers. Everyone thought I should somehow fix it.
     
    Now, once we go under contract, the loan officer does act like the quarterback, helping move everything toward the finish line. But in this case, the survey wasn’t required by us. Once it existed, it became a title issue that had to be resolved before we could move forward, not a loan issue.
     
    Still… the calls kept coming.
     
    I could have ignored them.  I could have said, “Why are you calling me? I can’t fix this.”
     
    But I didn’t.
     
    I answered the calls.  I returned the texts.  I listened.  Then I listened some more.
     
    I didn’t have solutions. But I showed I cared. Because at the end of the day, this situation could derail a family getting into their home.
     
    In reality I didn’t want to respond that way. I wanted to step back and let everyone else figure it out and call me when it was done!
     
    But that wouldn’t be compassion.

    “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” — Col 3:12 (ESV)

    As a Real Christian Businessman, we’re called to something different.
     
    Sometimes leadership isn’t fixing the problem. 
    Sometimes it’s simply being present when people are frustrated, stressed, and looking for help.
     
    This week, if you find yourself in a situation you’re only indirectly involved in, don’t ignore it. Take the call. Listen. Show that you care.
     
    Because sometimes people don’t need an answer.
     
    They just need someone who will answer anyway.

  • Shiny New Toy

    “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” Coll 3:2 (NIV)

    How many times do I get enamored by things that are all around me;  That new car someone is driving, the beautiful clothes I see at the store, or an amazing looking house that I drive past… I do it all the time! 

    Instead we need to focus on things above – like love, wisdom, peace, and righteousness!

  • Almost Done

    I’ve been working with a particular buyer for almost two years now.

    As a Loan Consultant, that length of time isn’t unheard of. Some buyers take months. Some take years. But this situation has been a little different than most.

    My buyer was born outside of the United States. She is now an American citizen and speaks English — but with a heavy accent that can be difficult to understand. She understands English as well, but I often have to slow down, reframe things, and explain concepts multiple times to make sure we’re on the same page.

    On top of that, so much of the home-buying process today is electronic. Disclosures. DocuSign. Online education courses. Loan paperwork.

    And that has been the hardest part for her.

    There have been many times I’ve spent hours on the phone — often on FaceTime — walking her step by step through forms, signatures, and required documents just so we could keep moving forward. What takes most buyers minutes has taken us hours. Sometimes days.

    Her credit is great, she has money for a down payment and she has a solid job.

    But her income isn’t high, which has made finding something she both likes and can afford a real challenge.
    And in full transparency I have considered walking away more than once.

    Not because she wasn’t serious.
    Not because she wasn’t trying.
    But because of how difficult the process had become at every turn.

    But she didn’t give up!

    And neither did I.

    After nearly two years of searching, paperwork, obstacles, and persistence… she finally found a home she loves.  We made it through all the requirements (finally!), and we’re scheduled to close this week!

    This story isn’t about me being some amazing loan consultant for sticking it out. 

    There have been plenty of times in life and business where I didn’t persevere the way I should have. This just happens to be one of the times where I did — and it is going to end well.

    It is a reminder of something every Real Christian Businessman needs to hear from time to time:

    Working with people isn’t always easy.
    Doing the right thing isn’t always convenient.
    Perseverance is rarely comfortable.

    Yet that’s often where the greatest fruit is found.

    “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Gal 6:9 (ESV)

  • Repay

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

    Why do I always stir around and rehash in my head those that have wronged me in some way, trying to figure out how I can get back at them or “give them what they deserve”?
     
    God’s got my back on this – We’ve got to remember that!

  • It’s Cold

    I grew up in Atlanta, but spent about 12 years living in Michigan (Detroit and Grand Rapids!).  I still remember when we first moved there.  I was so cold! I didn’t understand why it was so cold in April.  And also in May! And even sometimes into June!?  People would laugh at me because I would try and wear just a jacket, and they kept saying, “wear layers”… but it took me 3 years of living there before I ever figured it out (or actually listened to them lol).
     
    Last week here in the Nashville metro area we experienced very cold weather (it’s still cold here!), and some snow, but mainly ICE.  It was the worst Ice Storm this city has ever seen.  The sleet came and the precipitation froze all the trees.  The temperatures have not really risen much above freezing and it has snapped more trees and power lines than I have ever seen. It looks like a tornado came through!  Some of our friends are still without power as of this writing (we somehow didn’t lose power this time thankfully).  It has taken a toll on our city.

     
     Working during times like this can be difficult.  Trying to work without power, trying to care for elderly parents who may not have power, or just trying to get around where we live has been challenging.
     
    But a Real Christian Businessman knows no matter what our situation is we can always lend a hand to help.  I talked to numerous referral partners and clients last week who were without power.  I immediately shifted the conversation to what can I do to help and never once talked about business.  Business takes a back burner during times of need!

    “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Gal 6:2 (NIV)

     
    So the next time a natural disaster hits, let’s remember to put our own situations aside and try and help our fellow neighbor.  No matter who they are or what they believe in, God loves them all.   And he has asked us to do the same.

  • Think Up

    Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things”. 2 Coll 3:2 (NIV)


    It’s so easy for me to get fixated on the shiny new toy or material things that surround my everyday life. 

    I need reminders like this constantly, as the world pushes a completely different agenda! 

    “Think up!” 

  • Bad Job

    I worked on a file the other day for a client to try and get them pre-approved for a loan so they could start looking for a home.  I was rushed that day since we were leaving shortly to take my daughter back to college for her 2nd semester of school, and I didn’t do a good job on it!

    I messed it up. I didn’t take my time and couldn’t seem to get them approved.  I left it for later, and actually realized as we were driving to her school what my mistakes were. Later that night I got it all fixed and got them what they needed but I clearly didn’t do a good job when I started to work that day. 

    Have you ever done poor quality work – basically work that wasn’t that good and passed it off as being ok?

    Have you ever gotten to a point where you “didn’t care” and just went through the motions?

    “The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work.” coll 3:25 (MSG)

    A Real Christian Businessman knows that doing “shoddy work” is not representative of who we are.  Even though we are allowed to make mistakes, being a believer doesn’t give us a pass to cover up our mess or to do bad work.

    Fortunately I recovered from my poor quality work that day, but I don’t always remember to make it right every time.

    Join me in remembering this week that while we are doing our jobs, going through the motions or working at it halfway is not who we are.  Together let’s put forth the maximum effort and don’t take a pass just because we are believers and think it represents well.

    Because it doesn’t.

  • Others

    “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others.”  Phil 2:4 (NIV)


     I often forget about doing this – I’m always looking out for MY best interests!
     
    When was the last time you lent a hand to someone without thinking about what you would get in return?
     
    I needed this reminder this week more than I thought!

  • Resolve

    A New Year usually brings about discussion about resolutions and goals.  I don’t really set “resolutions” any more, but what I usually do instead is set goals, and write them down and try to accomplish them every year.  I take a review of how I did the last year, and set a few goals for the coming year and focus on those every day.
     
    I’ve had some time over the last several weeks to reflect and do this while away from work during the holidays.  Taking walks, exercising, driving, journaling, thinking… just trying to assess what I did well last year, what is most important for the coming year, and what I can do better.
     
    Do you do New Year Resolutions or set goals for yourself each year?
     
    Do you have an idea what you want to accomplish or where you want to go in 2026?
     
    A Real Christian Businessman knows that goal setting is a basic part of what God wired us to do.  This doesn’t mean you have to go on a retreat for a week in a secluded place and come back with a 7 page list of things you want to accomplish for the coming year, but it does mean thinking about how you can better yourself and better represent your faith in the workplace by thinking about it for a bit.

    “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” Prov 21:5 (NIV)


    The simplest most basic way to do this I have found is to just have no more than 3 things you want to accomplish in the next year.  Nothing fancy, nothing outrageous, just 3 simple things. 
     
    Then write them down.
     
    It would be great if you posted it on your mirror to look at every morning, but you really don’t even have to do anything else with them except write them down at least one time.  There is something about physically writing goals down that make them actually sink into your mind and helps to make them happen.
     
    So think about it for a moment.
     
    And write down 3 things you want to accomplish in 2026.

     “And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” Hab 2:2-3 (ESV)

  • Anything & Everything

    “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Phil 4:6 (NIV)

    One of my favorite verses!
     
    A New Year can sometimes bring worry and anxiousness to us all.
     
    Let’s remember what we are to do when all of those thoughts enter our mind!
     
    Pray up!