 |
| "Equipping you with Biblical wisdom to win in the marketplace." |
 |
The good folks at Kingdom Business Journal have invited me to be a guest on this Thursday night’s teleseminar to share powerful strategies from the Rainforest Strategy book to help people survive and even thrive in the new economy.
If you haven’t already gotten onboard the Rainforest Strategy wagon train, you might want to check this out. It is this Thursday at 9:00 pm EST. Just click here to attend.
I hope you can make it!
Are revenues down? Are things tight right now? Are you feeling financial pressure like never before? The economic hurricane sweeping our country is leaving few people unaffected. And while the effects at first may seem devastating, crisis always brings opportunity. That’s the very nature of crisis. In the midst of crisis, you must learn to see the opportunity and seize it or it will pass you by and the thing you greatly fear will come upon you.
The economic crisis we’re walking through has with it great possibilities because adversity and opportunity are always joined at the hip. It’s the measure of the adversity that indicates the measure of the opportunity. Judging by what we read in the news and feel in our finances, we’re poised for great opportunity! But you have to have eyes to see it.
You see, what’s happening now is a naturally occurring process. In the rainforest it’s called Creative Destruction. It’s where something is destroyed and that destruction makes way for something new and creative. If all you see is the loss it can be depressing, but the very fact that the loss is occurring is proof that something new is on the horizon. A new door of opportunity has opened and you can walk through it!
Without Creative Destruction, the rainforest would never have become the most fruitful, productive and diverse ecosystem on the planet despite having limited capital, poor topsoil to work with. Creative Destruction drives the economic engine of the rainforest and if you learn its secrets, it can power your economic engine to higher levels of productivity and abundance.
Get a complimentary copy of Rainforest Strategy now and learn all about the best business model on the planet. All we ask you to do is cover the shipping and handling and consider the offer for our printed newsletter (The R.A.I.N. Report) when you’re done. But first, get your free copy of Rainforest Strategy.
Has business slowed down for any of you? Are you feeling the financial pinch like never before? Well, millions of Americans find themselves unwittingly living in the midst of the biggest financial storm of our lifetime. We’re experiencing a financial hurricane and almost no one told us it was coming, but I’ve got some good news for you.
A couple of years ago I visited an ancient rainforest in Tobago. I was looking for the really big trees but to my disappointment, there were none. The big ones had all been blown over in a recent hurricane, creating openings in the rainforest canopy, for light and rain to reach the many smaller trees beneath. And for the very first time, the little guys flourished!
Sound familiar? Do the names Bear Stearns, AIG, GM, Chrysler or Ford ring a bell? They’ve all been slammed by a financial hurricane that’s affecting our entire economy. But there’s good news. It’s also opening up unprecedented opportunity for those who have eyes to see. You can sit around and complain about the tough economy or you can seize the moment, reinvent your business, your job or your life and thrive in the midst of colossal change.
And just like the rainforest, when big trees fall, it creates an abundance of opportunity for the early adapters (the little guys). But you’ve got to see things differently. What used to work, no longer does. If you seize the moment and change, the opportunity is immense! To do that, you must receive the light and drink the water that was previously available in limited supply. In other words, receive the vision; the possibilities God is showing you - embrace them and then take in the information you need to help you fulfill the vision.
My job this year is to spend the bulk of my time helping you as best as I can to bring you water (information, revelation, know-how) so you can fulfill the vision God has put on your heart. I look forward to walking with you in 2009.
“I would have fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Psalms 27:13-14
I got up at 4:00 AM on Saturday when I had really hoped to sleep in a bit. I spent some time with the Lord and I believe He spoke something very significant to me about the times we are in and the upcoming year. It is sobering and yet encouraging. I feel to not share that until after Christmas. Watch for it then.
As I write this I am wiping the tears out of my eyes thinking about each one of you. My heart is full of appreciation for your contribution back into my life over the years and I carry you all in my heart wherever I go. As I look to the future, I pray for you all, desiring the very best for you during these times of change.
To put it another way, I simply love you all with the love the Holy Spirit has shed abroad in my heart. (Romans 5:5) If that makes you uncomfortable, please forgive me. Watch this video and reflect on God’s great gift of grace to you this year. Be sure to have the sound turned up or you will miss the message. Be sure to receive His love as you watch it.
Make this Christmas one to remember, not for the money you spend or the gifts you give, but rather for the love exchanged with those who are close to you. Be extravagant with your love. Create a lasting memory. Things will be different next year. Take some time over the Christmas season to practice Psalm 27:14 and never forget the previous verse either!
I will resume my blogs after Christmas, but will be answering emails concerning the rainforest trip mentioned in Friday’s blogs. (Have already received a good number of responses and will be praying over that selection.)
With love to you all this Christmas
I have spent the last 3 ½ years studying the ways of God in the context of business.
I am turning all of this into what I believe to be the most impactful business coaching program on the planet. It is based on the rainforest as a business model because it is the most productive, most fruitful, most resilient, most diverse ecosystem on the planet despite having very limited capital (poor, shallow topsoil) to work with. How God gets abundance from relative scarcity is what every business owner, entrepreneur and professional needs to know.
Top Business for a Down Economy in 2009…
Just this month, Entrepreneur Magazine published their 2009 “Trends to Watch” list. In that article they predict the top 10 businesses for a 
down economy based on current trends. Discount retailers like Wal-Mart came it at #7. With people being tight on money they predict fewer face lifts will result in more facials, putting beauty salons at #6. Environmental services come in at #4 due to what they call, “the greening of America”. Alternative fuels to cut energy costs came in at #3, but the # 1 business trend that is predicted to succeed in a down economy is business coaching due to the huge entrepreneurial surge coming and those folks will need help to succeed.
I want to find twelve individuals who are serious about building a business, want to make a lasting impact on this generation and leave a legacy that continues for generations. The twelve professionals I will personally build with will have a successful background in business and / or business coaching / consulting. I will pour everything I know about what I have learned into twelve of you. It will be my mentoring project for 2009.
To help you succeed, we have a strong marketing plan using the Rainforest Strategy book for credibility and national media exposure. We also have a unique business model based on mentoring that allows you to build a long term business with unusual earning capacity.
Here is my process for picking the foundational team…
It’s natural you will have questions concerning the coaching business opportunity so we will be explaining all the details in full at the resort during the certification training. Trying to answer the questions in advance out of the context of the bigger picture would do neither of us any service. I will tell you that the financial commitment is not only minimal for my foundational team, but the financial equation is heavily weighted in your favor going forward should you decide to pursue this. If you can attend the meeting, you should be well able to build your own coaching / consultancy using our rainforest model.
Other questions relating to travel, extended stays, proper attire etc we will be glad to accommodate.
Very Important Note…
Our trip is planned during the high season when they are normally at 100% occupancy. We are obligated to guarantee the rooms with a 50% non-refundable deposit no later than January 20th. We are tentatively reserving the necessary rooms for our guests now, but everything is subject to availability until you confirm your interest. The sooner we receive your confirmation, the sooner we can guarantee your participation. If you know this isn’t for you but know someone who would be perfect for this, feel free to pass on this email to them. (They can bring back some great pictures from the rainforest!)
Next Step
After reading the vision and the book, pray. If you feel this may be right for you, then email me at admin@RainforestInstitute.org with the information I requested in point 4. Time is of the essence.
2009 will be an extraordinary year for our team. I am hoping we can build with some of you! God bless you all!
“And of the children of Issachar, who were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do;” (1 Chronicles 12:32)
We will long remember 2008 as the year our nation passed through the gate. This was a word the Lord put on my heart over a year ago and it has come to pass. Presently we are standing in the new field. One that is both familiar and unrecognizable to us. We are gazing reluctantly into 2009 and we collectively know it will be a year like no other - so far. I will give you a hint about 2009. It has something to do with how wine is made and the Holy of Holies, but I will share more of that when we get a little closer.
But first, let me recap the situation. Stocks have lost about 50% of their value, but even if they rose today back to their highest levels, it would still be a net loss because of the loss of purchasing power of the dollar. (In 2007 it took $1.20 to buy what you could have purchased for just $1.00 in 2000.) I’m sure you heard about the big banks failing, AIG, most states on the verge of running out of funds to pay unemployment insurance benefits, other states and cities on the verge of bankruptcy, entire malls going out of business, massive layoffs, yada, yada, yada. I can certainly lay out a far more comprehensive review, but suffice it to say, America has come through the gate in 2008 and the field ahead is at best unfamiliar to most of us.
The subprime mess mostly behind us, we now face the Alt-A’s and ARM’s resetting. These were balloon loans or adjustable rate mortgages offered at teaser rates to lure folks in. Both of these mortgage types are beginning to reset now building in a crescendo effect through 2011 and about twice the financial weight of the subprime mess alone. We are at the beginning of the second wave having not yet fully measured the damage from the first wave. But here’s the scary part, those mortgages are already defaulting at record rates despite their low interest rates. When they reset at higher rates, they expect a 50 - 70% default rate based on current default rates. Furthermore 8,000,000 Americans are expected to lose their homes in the next four years. We truly have come through the gate in 2008!
Believe it or not, I have no interest in scaring anyone or causing fear. The sons of Issachar had understanding of the times and they knew what to do. If you want to make wise decisions going forward it helps a lot to rightly discern the times in which you live. Burying our heads in the sand or covering our ears will not help. I am more optimistic about 2009 than ever before because God is helping me understand the times and to know what to do. In the remaining blogs we have this year, I will do my best to share with you the glimpse He has given me in the hopes it may help you. I am as one peering through a crack in the fence or as Paul said, seeing through a glass darkly. I do not by any means have the full picture and gladly welcome your view from whatever crack in the fence you are peering through. To be continued…
Hi folks… I am so looking forward to begin sharing with you next week the insights the Lord is giving me concerning the times in which we live. After today, our Christmas rush is over. No more sales for a long time. No more books, CD’s etc being offered at ridiculous pricing. No more materials at or even below cost. It’s over today, though orders will be accepted all weekend. On Monday, we’re changing course and everything goes back to pre-sale pricing. This is not hype. This is fact.
I have many very serious things to begin sharing with you concerning our economy and how we can not just survive, but thrive. Join me next week for that dialog. In the meantime, if you want to do some last minute Christmas shopping, click here to enter the discount store. It will be closed next week because after that we cannot get items to you in time for Christmas. If you missed yesterday’s Bible Incorporated sale, click here for details.
God bless you all!
It was twenty years ago this month. Our very first self published book, The Bible Incorporated in Your Life, Job and Business was introduced to the world on national television. Within months it exceeded all expectations and was a best seller. Over the years, letters poured in from every continent but Antarctica of coworkers being saved, hopelessly lost family members coming to Christ and businesses turning around. Soon business owners were buying them by the case and using them to share their faith.
But when the idea for this book first came, we were in terrible financial straits. One night we heard our pastor preach, “Instead of trying to get God to bless your efforts, why don’t you find out what God is blessing and do that!” That was a rhema word for us and when we sought the Lord about it, He answered “blessed are those who publish the gospel.”
We knew nothing about publishing. There was no internet or websites and we had no distribution channels whatsoever. We certainly had no way of paying for the 25,000 books we ordered in our first print run. What we did have was a word from God. And that was enough! Of course, faith without works is dead and we did our part stepping out on the water, but God kept us afloat, met our needs and the story is nothing short of amazing. And many of you helped make it that way.
One example among many is Jim Crenshaw. He travels the state of Florida in his chosen profession of sales. Along the way, he carries a case of Bible Incorporated with him to share with prospects, clients and others he meets along life’s journey. Jim has been ordering these books by the case for as long as anyone can remember. The stories he shares of the lives affected from his outreach lift everyone’s spirits and makes our work worth the effort. (If you have a story about the Bible Incorporated, please share it with us on the blog. It will encourage many.)
This week as we celebrate twenty years of God’s faithfulness to us, we thought you might want to get some for gifts or just to touch someone in need. With that in mind, we are offering this classic, pocket sized book to you at 1988 pricing. You can even get a case of 60 for under $3 each. Our inventory is low and we won’t be reprinting until next summer so take advantage of our offer now if you’re interested. Our sale ends tomorrow.
Our country is experiencing an economic hurricane, but God is Lord of the wind too. Eric Beck has a profound understanding of our times and he knows what to do. I’ve asked him to guest host this week and pass on his highly relevant insights. Please share these with your friends…
That’s right. It’s out there! Not on the news per se but it’s there. In this 3 part blog I’ll show you the surprising location it resides in and how you can get it. But first we need some background.
As you know the economy is not doing well and that’s really no surprise. How did we ever expect a system running on the “mutual pursuit of self interest” and perpetual debt to ever work? We’ll we’ve been sold down the river on this and the world’s most sophisticated companies are dropping like the last few dried leaves of fall.
Here’s my point: If you think waiting for the economy to come around is a good strategy for your business…you’re in la-la land. Consider this… If the most powerful, well-informed companies in the history of the world are failing…what makes you think you can survive in the same game?
If you can’t run with the footmen, what will you do when the horsemen come?
The New York Times’ Matt Richtel said this year, “…Fractured attention comes at a cost. In the United States, more than $650 billion a year in productivity is lost because of unnecessary interruptions, predominately mundane matters, according to Basex. The firm says that a big chunk of that cost comes from the time it takes people to recover from an interruption and get back to work.” Did you hear that?
If you haven’t read Michael’s book on the Rainforest Strategy you probably don’t know what a “no pest zone” is, but you should. Clearly many do not and are dying because of it.
For now, let me give you the first bit of help in this otherwise dreary situation: Every person can rise to the near miraculous when there are no pests, no interruptions. But keeping the pests away requires a tool that’s up to the task. It also requires a change in thinking. Michael will tell you about the tool part below. Here’s the thinking part:
Remember when Jesus marveled and said about the Centurion, “I’ve not seen such great faith in all of Israel!” What did the Centurion do to evoke this absolutely unique response? Well apparently he simply understood authority - the authority of “authorized work”. He understood the power of doing ONLY what one was authorized to do. In my next post, I’ll show you what hides your “authorized work” from you and how you can save your business.
I have asked Eric to expand on his ideas in a free webinar next week. He has graciously agreed to offer two time slots (Tuesday and Wednesday) for those who run businesses or non-profits and one on Friday for everyone else. As always, we have limited slots which is why we’ve booked three different times. Click here to register now.
“Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saves them out of their distresses.” (Psalms 107:19)
About 30 years ago I experienced my first hurricane. I was in Hawaii and a category one blew onshore in Kauai. Hours before it arrived, the surf was the highest I have ever seen in my life and some guy from California was teaching me to body surf. Sometimes we would be standing in ankle deep water, look over our shoulder and the incoming wave would be towering over us. Our only defense was to dive into the belly of the wave and let it pass over us. After each wave passed over, we would find ourselves being rapidly drawn out into deeper water, until the next wave came to tumble us in the sand. (This was the riptide I referenced on Tuesday.)
After a few of these waves passed over me and my new friend, who had assured me this was nothing to be concerned about, had now grown quiet, I experienced something I only later read about. It was called a riptide and it was sucking us out to sea at a rate faster than Michael Phelps could have possibly swam against. That’s when my new friend, whom I had trusted, informed me very soberly that we were going to die! Some friend! I remember feeling betrayed by him. I remembered also the verse above and in a loud voice, without apology, and without embarrassment, cried out to the Lord for help. My new friend was on his own!
The waves were frighteningly high, so much so that when they approached me from the back I would just sink and let them pass over me. But then it changed. Immediately came a string of small 4 - 6 foot waves that we could ride in and they carried us safely to shore. As soon as my feet were able to touch bottom, the very next wave was a monster, but I didn’t care. We were safe. The Lord heard me in my trouble and He delivered me. If you need help, cry out to the Lord without fear of what others may think and watch Him deliver you out of your distress!
Speaking of not being ashamed, be warned that what I am about to say could be classified as a commercial statement where a financial transaction may result. Only read this if you are interested in personal growth and want to get a great deal on our teaching materials. A sense of humor also helps (o-: Cheryl has put together the best deals ever to be had on all of our CD series, DVD’s etc just to get out of having to pack and move them. Discounts range from 50 - 80%. Click here for details but the sale ends forever December 12th. I think it would be cheaper to hire a mover than to discount so deeply, but I really do want to keep Cheryl happy. She started her seventh year with us in August and she really holds things together for us! If you think she is awesome like we do, feel free to let her know.
