Changing Relationships

My oldest son has been close by my side even from his earliest days when I would let him ride in the truck with me to work doing construction. He would put on his work clothes, grab a hammer and just have a good time banging on pieces of wood.  As he grew older he would take on larger projects such as sheet rocking walls, painting and building sheds.  After college, he came to work with me as a construction manager for building projects that I had developed.   One noteworthy project was a very large multi-million dollar project where he gained a deeper level of understanding of commercial building and real estate development.

Soon after this project ended and because of large government budget cutbacks, we had to layoff staff and my son was one of the persons affected.  We did a few side projects together to make ends meet but at some point the desire to work together began to disappear and while we didn't know it at the time, this was God's way of preparing us both for a Paradigm Shift.  God brought new people into his life and he brought new people into my life and we both charted new and exciting courses leading us into new opportunities to prosper. 

My son moved to a large vibrant metropolis and took on a corporate job and i began to have new people coming into my work  life with seasoned skill to help me expand my business enterprises.

Looking back, if we had not yielded to the move of God, both our lives would have been limited, slowed or unfulfilled because we were not in synch with the plan of God.  We would have been stuck in a rut and our attitudes toward each other would have deteriorated while our service to God would have fallen short. 

So now we are both feeling energized by our new and evolving assignments.  The expansion of resources, fresh ideas and new discoveries about ourselves makes for a life of satisfaction.  Even the challenges seem small because our energies have been renewed.

If you feel uncomfortable in your present situation you really need to see if God is using this to move you away from people and into a new expansive and prosperous role.  God is a God of Paradigm Shifts and Changes.  It is made clear when we observe the natural seasons Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring.  And each season has it's unique cast of characters.

May you embrace the power of God to have a fulfilled life.

Everything Matters

In this journey called life it is important to understand the signs of life; both spiritual and natural. In spiritual language it is called wisdom and discernment. In the natural the understanding may be called knowledge. Nevertheless, it is very important because it will inform us on when to make a move, when to be still, what to endure, and what to eliminate in our journey.
 
 As part of a bonding ritual with my two sons, I taught them how to play chess at an early age.  I recall how I would beat them regularly and how I would celebrate.  I would see their disappointment and hurt because their emerging male ego had been smashed in defeat.  One day, I was soundly defeated by one of my sons in a 3 move checkmate.  Now the tables had turned and I was the one with the bruised ego and both of my sons celebrated the defeat to their dad with a deadly 3 move checkmate.  You see all the victories didn't teach me a whole lot.  I didn't take the time to understand that this might not last long and that I may have awaken a fighting spirit in my sons to eventually defeat me in chess.   In fact, I got comfortable and careless, but that defeat taught me something.  I don't even remember many of my victories, but I totally remember that defeat which took place 15 years ago. I pondered it because I knew it mattered.  I realized that I needed to be alert, tighten up my game and that my opponent was getting stronger. 

So goes life, we must understand that Everything Matters.  The celebrations matter, but also the defeats because the defeats can teach us how to be alert and aware of the 3 move checkmates.

Painting Walls; Are You Serious?

Are you feeling the weight of your problems depressing you?  Do you feel trapped in situations that seem to constrain you.   Then I have a suggestion for you today.    Take a few steps back, give yourself the benefit of this distance, and then just do Something different.

Some people may think that this is weird and that you should throw all your mental weight and energies to your troubles, but I disagree with this.  Pushing yourself too hard can have devastating effects on your body, soul and mind. It can lead to a nervous breakdown and other physical problems.

 I have found different things to help me relax.  One of them is painting.    No, not on canvas, but on walls in houses.  I go to Wal Mart or Home Depot and find paint that has been mixed wrong and I purchase it very cheap.   Sometimes I turn on classical music or Jazz, find a distressed looking wall, and I go at it.  Something about seeing an immediate change in the wall that encourages my Spirit.  It gives me a sense that I can control the images I see.  That I am participating in making something that may help others feel good and peaceful when they sit and allow the colors to speak beauty.   My troubles seem to melt away as I focus my attention on the wall versus my problems.  No matter how bad the problem is, I get a sense of accomplishment as the walls speak to me with excitement just like a child with a brand new set of clothes for Easter Sunday.  I can come back to it whenever I want and I can see that I created something of beauty and no matter how many mistakes I make out there in the world, I know that I created beauty on these walls and within these walls I have peace.  

You see these walls are not critical, they don't argue over the colors or the texture of paint.  They stand still and allow me to be all creative in making my selections.  They seemed thrilled to get some attention and to receive a new color to display to the world.  They welcome every paint stroke I make and realize that when its all said and done no matter what the critic says, the walls say I am new.

 Maybe you think I am making too much out of merely  painting a wall, but if you had the experience of obtaining peace and creating beauty all at the same time you too may be drawn to the art of painting walls.  

For I have learned that it's the simple things that usher in solutions to big problems and puts your mind at ease.  Happy Painting  :-)

Every Challenge Can Be Overcome

Yesterday, I gained a deeper insight on how God used me to accomplish something quite significant against overwhelming odd's and at a time when the whole world staggered as if she had taken a severe blow to her head.  This in large part was due to one of the harshest global recession in history being visited upon the earth.  In biblical terms it would be called a great famine.

About 20 years ago I  had a vision to establish a company that would serve the people while at the same time make noticeable changes in the way the community looked.  This would come from a varied approach such as creating jobs, removing blighted housing and creating new homes for low income families.  The broad term for this type of work is called economic development.  I had a vision for CHANGE but what I lacked was the blueprint to achieve it.  About 10 years was spent moving around the southern part of the country, particularly, the Black Belt states that included the Carolinas, Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.  I recorded in my mind the conditions that the poor lived in and the huge disparities in wealth.  Plantation homes on one side of town and shacks on the other side.  This was the fuel that I needed to bring my passion for Change to an inferno.  And that is just the type of fire you need to do what it is you are called to do.  But passion alone is not enough and the human condition is so weak that it is very hard for us to endure the many hardships that will befall us as we strive to reach our goals.  That's why as a people we suffer.  It is our inability to sustain that Passion when the winds, the storms and the heat of the day afflicts our plans.  Too many give up and give out.

However, I was blessed to discover a method that would sustain my passion and also knock down every hardship.  That method came right out of my King James Bible and it said this:
Hebrews 11:6
New King James Version (NKJV)
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

This short bible verse is so powerful that it can destroy every doubt and hindrance to your plan.  It tells you that the key element is Faith that the key person is God and the ultimate blessing is Reward.  But the glue that holds all of this together is "diligently".  That means day in and day out you must practice seeking God and in this search you will build up your Faith and this strong tower called Faith will give you insights that you never had, resources that you never saw and access to God that you did not know existed.

Define Me Not

The first thought on my mind this morning was on how controlling others people's definition of us is, if we allow it.  My thoughts went to how stubborn I have been throughout my life in not accepting the various tags people have attempted to label me with.   Not that they were all bad, but they were not accurate and if I would have accepted those definitions then I would have missed my assignment and my calling and would have become something other than i was created to be.

Giving in to others definition of who you are submits you to their thoughts, their notions, and their agenda for your life.  It places you on the stage of their fantasy theatre and you are made to be the character that their mind frames up for you.  And guess what?  You have to perform according to their script.  I refuse to live on someones stage.  I purpose to live out my own realities.  My script is divinely inspired  and connected to an abundance of resources designed to lift me and direct me to every goal designed for my life.

Why let someones definition of you reign supreme when they have no real resources to support you in your achievements.  Of course they can applaud you when you read the lines of the script they have written and when your performance conforms to their story lines.  But that is such a weak resource because it only last until their fantasy is satisfied.  But what about you?  Is your soul satisfied?  Are your life goals being met and is that inner gift of yours being polished and presented to the world in its fine fashion.

My hope is that you will never be subjected to someones definition of who you are and that you spend the time building your stage,  writing your script and acting as the main character in your own production.  Why, because at the end ...your life needs to be yours and your legacy remains while all else perishes.

From Zero to Millions doing it God's Way- A True Story

Anyone who has known me over the past few years knows that I have received the manifestation of a huge faith project.  One that I have worked on for more than seven years.  I have consistently tried to pen the many stories that have happened during this seven year incubation process and have encouraged my faith by looking back over the various episodes.  It's the twists and turns the peaks and valleys that shape a persons faith and gives them the muscle tone needed for bigger and better things.  The process is what it is, it doesn't always feel comfortable because God is constantly moving us out of our comfort zone.  However, if we are willing to go through the process we will become so much better and as this story will show, new doors will open for opportunities.  The story goes as follows:

Several weeks ago I received a phone call from a business man who wanted to connect me to a large real-estate developer.  This developer had a desire to build three new buildings in various areas in the state and outside of my own area where I had previously done real-estate development.  They wanted to come over and discuss a partnership which would allow my company to receive a substantial sum of money over a period of time.  This would be done as a result of a special designation that my company has and it is very unique and limited in our state.  This federal designation gives us preferential treatment in developing real estate for low income persons.  This real-estate developer is also in the business of developing affordable housing, however, with the recent cuts in federal and state funding for affordable housing, this special designation that my company has gives us preferential treatment for limited public dollars.  Therefore, if this company partners with us, they get access to funds that they normally couldn't obtain due to the scarcity of funds.
This special designation is so important to this company that they are willing to cover all the cost associated with these projects.  This isn't a light matter because the planning and application cost for each property is around $100,000 per project.  Or in other words, a total of $300,000.   The cost to construct, lease up and manage the properties is more than $12 million.  (An aside here.  Don't focus on the money, focus on the process of getting there).
Now we are a small corporation and these numbers seem quite astounding to us.  But these are the kinds of relationships and business deals that God brings your way if you can withstand the tough times.  It takes faith to withstand the tough times because everything in the world will tell you that you are crazy for pursuing your dream.  The devil will send messengers with bad news, mockers who laugh at you at the village gate, scorners who hate that you have the audacity to try something this ambitious and beyond your reach.  But if you hold up your shield of faith and quench those fiery darts from the devil you will enter into new and bigger realms of opportunity.

And this is what I purposed to do over the drought years, the valley periods, I kept my eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. 
You may ask what is it that caused these business men whom I have never known to engage me in such a large business transaction where we will be nicely paid for many years and where the risk and labor will be done by them.  It is as a result of laboring through a very difficult time of believing against all hope and then building a magnificent building with very little capacity or people on the team.  This astonishes people because some, particularly those in business knows how difficult the work is and how risky it is.  They respect the fact that you navigated tough times and came out a winner.  Good Business people know a winner when they see it and they want to place their bets on a winner.  They may not know the testimony, that will all come in time as God gives you space to share,  but in the mean time you get a chance to experience the blessings that come from thinking big, boldly and courageously. 
I expect that this relationship will yield much fruit as I now get to see how the big boy's do business.  More education for me for free.  More doors to open and more people to bless.  As long as you stay humble and focused on achieving Goals not only for yourself, but for other people, God will bless you mightily and open up wide doors for you.

Proverbs 10:22
It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it.

Community Development: How it All Began

I have been asked by several of my FB friends and others, how did I get started in the Community Economic Development field of work.  My response could have been a mystical one, in that I could speak about the supernatural pulls, the call on ones life or various kinds of inspirations.  Or I could be less transcendental and philosophical and focus on some applied lessons.  I think what I will do here for starters is give a little of both.  Because if I were to leave off the spiritual, transcendental and philosophical, I would do the reader a great disservice because these are the aspects of the journey that has helped the most when identifying and affirming my call to this field of work.  But I also must bring the practical aspects to the reader as well because those are the experiences, the trials, challenges, failures and triumphs.  These too have been affirming and clarifying to my journey.  So let's begin.

First it was around 1984 when I purchased my first home at the age of 25.  It was a risky move and I was advised not to do it for several reasons.  One, I was moving into the neighborhood that I grew up in and it had declined from the days of my youth.  Two, I didn't have a great deal of money and this was not in the traditional wisdom, to purchase a house without a surplus for repairs and maintenance.  But there were some great lessons to be learned and this home purchase set the stage for the work ahead in many ways.  First, I purchased this house on faith.  Yes, faith that my poor credit would not hinder the purchase, faith that my age would not deter the lenders from giving me favorable consideration and faith that once I moved in, I would be able to make the repairs and handle the upkeep on the home.

I also, felt a strong desire to go back into the community to make a difference.  While all of my friends were choosing to move into the suburbs, I decided that it would be good to go back and fix up the house and try to inspire other young people to do the same.  I moved into a neighborhood where community development was becoming a reality and a neighborhood bank decided to stay rather than move downtown to try to anchor the community and make small business loans to potential entrepreneurs.  This also was compelling to me that their was a spirit of "Can Do" occurring in my neighborhood and I wanted to be a part of that.

So here we begin to move into the inspiration aspect of my work.  I think anything that we do in life, especially as it relates to making social or economic change, requires some form of inspiration.  My recent trip to Washington DC to hear President Barack Obama inauguration speech was inspiration, going to Tuskegee to visit the Tuskegee Airman museum and to see the great work of Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver, was inspirational.  All along the way I have received inspiration to help me clarify and affirm my work.

Traveling was also very important to my work in community development.  You see, perspectives change from state to state, regionally and even urban and rural.  It is important to grasp as many different perspectives as possible to sort through them and create your own unique perspective on the work you are about to undertake.

I am going to stop here for now and in my next blog I am going to go into more detail about the inspiration and the perspective for doing community economic development.

For a definition of what Community Economic Development (CED) is, please check out this excellent web site that covers many important aspects of CED.

North Carolina Community Development Initiative