Although the world around us is literally quaking, in these epic times of uncertainty and turmoil not seen in generations, you CAN experience peace. Although regimes are toppling and war, terrorism and devastation seem to be commonplace, you CAN have hope. Regardless of the lack of leaders who govern with action and with an uncompromising moral rudder, you CAN design your future. You CAN live a significant, purposeful life, despite the ever-increasing tremors of economic turbulence and the headwinds of crushing debt, the appearance of rising prices on the horizon, and a flood of personal and national financial pressures. Have you lived a “half-full” or a “half-empty” life? Despite your past failures, feelings of worry, or spiritual drought, you CAN overcome fear and regret. You may not feel it or believe it, but I believe without a shadow of doubt that you CAN leave a Lasting Legacy! You CAN transform your future, your family, your finances, and your faith.
My true belief is that A Lasting Legacy will help you live a rich, exciting, rewarding, secure life so that you can know beyond a shadow of doubt that your heritage and your life will not only radically influence your present world but also change our future world one home and one family at a time. This book is about the past, the present, and the future. It will help you preserve your past. It will help you live life loud in the present. And it will help you make a generational impact beyond your life. Your future is now! 
Some people say that it feels like the “end times.” Some doomsayers feel there is little or no hope for a successful future. Others are feeling like that plate in a microwave oven that spins around and around, feeling the heat of a pressure cooker “issue of the day,” whether it be their 401k account; their mortgage; unpaid and pending bills; lack of employment or job satisfaction; or the stress of dealing with a struggling marriage, child, or relationship issue. You might not be able to think about next month or next year, let alone tomorrow, because of the uncertainty of today. Gaining an internal peace and a sense of security for your future might be like chasing after the wind. Yet, time is no respecter of persons. It marches on.
I have had a heavy burden for several years that families and individuals be able to develop a generational mindset and action plan and not be so overwhelmed with the flames of today’s fires—their problems and challenges. This book is for you. I believe you truly want to live a purposeful, successful life in all seasons and at every age of this journey called life. You might be seeking financial freedom that enables a secure future or a stronger, more authentic and rewarding spiritual life. You might want more successful family relationships or a more real, authentic relationship with others or with God. However, desire and reality often seem to be separated by a Grand Canyon of fear, doubt, worry, or just a plain lack of knowing what to do and how to do it.
Most people I know struggle with developing a practical plan for a successful, influential future. They might not have had the best examples in their past or present to help with the “how-to’s” for living a connected, joyful, influential, and vibrant life. As our world and our families careen towards a crisis at the crossroads, what can you do? In these turbulent times, NOW is the time for you to lead your family, develop a generational mindset, and secure your future. A Lasting Legacy will assist you in this endeavor.
My approach provides practical and applicable solutions and plans. Anyone can slap words onto a paper, brag about a few successes, or come up with a few great ideas. But my sole purpose for writing this book is YOU! I want to partner with you to make your life count and to help revive and renew your heart, mind, and soul. I pray that a sense of excitement and expectation will begin to stir inside of you as you launch into a more passionate pursuit for living life to the fullest. A mundane life with no influence is not rewarding. You have a God-given purpose, and you must not only start strong but also finish strong. It is time to dream again and to run your race called life with purpose. It matters not whether you are running with a tailwind or you are running up a steep hill and into a headwind. You might have a crowd cheering you on, or you might feel that you are running this race alone with tears streaming down your face and with no one to see or care. Whether you are on top of the mountain, standing on an ant pile of problems, or sinking in the quicksand of worry or fear, God knows your every need. He knows the blind spots in your life. He loves you more than you can ever realize. You are of great worth. Let Him love you and help you.
A Lasting Legacy not only articulates the problems and challenges but also provides a “why to,” “how to,” and “what to” practical, proven toolkit that will help transform your future, your family, your finances, and your faith for generations to come. I have not taken this material lightly. It has percolated for decades and been soaked, saturated, and marinated in prayer, fasting, and years of research. I don’t believe it is accident or happenstance that you are reading this now. But my knowledge and experiences alone are meaningless. In fact at times it seems barely enough to get me and my own family through the day at hand. Thus, I have read more than a hundred books in preparation and have read, studied, and meditated upon the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation with a generational mindset, this book, and you in mind. Some people have sports as a hobby; others enjoy television or reading and relaxing with a good book. My main hobby outside of my family for this season of life has been this book. But I ensured that my writing did not interfere with my family or my job.
More important than all of my study and research, however, is the fact that God personally cares about your future. As you read this book, my prayer is that my written words and ideas will be accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit. If that prayer is answered as you read the book—and I believe it will be—then I simply ask that you have an open mind and heart, that you obey any direction, act upon any conviction, and listen as He speaks to you personally. My goal in writing this was a difficult one: To make this book simple enough for any high-school student to read, understand, and apply and yet to challenge the intellectual, who is much smarter than I, with my simple words. I can relate to C.S. Lewis, who wrote,
A Lasting Legacy is segmented into four buffet areas:
Part 1 addresses your future. There is no legacy if you are not addressing your own future, your own life. It will help you determine what you want to do with the rest of your life and help you create a plan to achieve it.
Part 2 addresses your family. This will help you build a strong family and pass the baton successfully. It will focus on parenting, marriage, and practical tips to improve both.
Part 3 addresses your finances. It will lay out a case for your economic future; how you can invest effectively; and how you can get ready for retirement, pay for college, budget effectively, and get out of debt.
Part 4 addresses your faith. It will help you ask some introspective questions and develop a plan that will lead to peace, hope, and a joyful life.
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