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Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
From the Desk of A.B. Ridgeway:
"I had 2 choices...either I send an email about my disappointment, or go see what God had for me!"
That was my thought early this morning as I woke up at 1 am too excited to sleep!
The Live2Learn Tour was going to be in my hometown and I was going to be there!
For a whole week, I was under the impression that I was going to meet Dr. John Maxell and Eric Thomas. Two profound speakers who have changed 1,000s of lives through their teachings and insight into life and business practices.
I even invited a friend of mine to come along who is looking to become a motivational speaker.
I wanted to learn everything I could about the event. I made sure I had a map of the location. I doubled checked the time that the doors would be open. I even planned on going early in hopes of catching a 5-minute conversation with a passing keynote speaker.
I logged into my computer, went to the main website, and my heart sank as I read...
Dr. John Maxwell will be LIVE in Atlanta, Georgia October 7, 2022!
(Screenshot from https://www.johnmaxwellacademy.com/live2lead-2022-atl)
This had to be a typo, because they are supposed to be in Lafayette, Louisiana October 7, 2022. I frantically searched the site where I bought my "tickets", and it was true. This was a conference and not a speaking tour. I would be watching it virtually, in a church, instead of live and in-person. So...I had 2 choices...either I send an email about my disappointment, or go see what God had for me! And I chose the latter. I am going to the event and figuring out why God wanted me to go. It took some prayer this morning but I realized something. My firm is built on a virtual platform. And I am still able to:
Engage with my clients in an impactful way
Teach valuable lessons about life, finances, and Christianity
Empower my readers/listeners/watchers to unleash their God-given abilities
If I can still deliver value virtually, why couldn't I receive value virtually as well? No longer upset, I invoked my inner financial advisor and did a quick cost analysis of my choices, and weighed the pros and cons. Soon, I realized that based on why I wanted to attend the event, I technically made the most cost-effective choice. That is the power of financial planning. I could have made an emotional decision to ruin my experience and been sad. Or run the numbers and see that I was receiving all of the upside potential with none of the downside risk.
And what about meeting them in person?
With some research, I found the price plans below and I wouldn't get to meet them anyway without paying $1,799, and ain't nobody THAT famous for me to pay that much to see them.
Below is my cost breakdown:
(Screenshot from https://www.johnmaxwellacademy.com/live2lead-2022-atl)
General ticket- $179
Roundtrip Airflight from Lafayette to Atlanta $298 (luggage $25 extra both ways)
Hotel- 2 nights- $329
Rental Car- 2 days- $100
Meals- $90
Parking - $40
Total: $1,086 That's a lot of money for 4 hours of information. Now contrast that with my $79 ticket for the same event! Savings: $1,007
Let's just say that seeing the numbers made me feel better.
Plus! I won't be alone in my office watching it.
I'll still be able to get that in-person feel, as I fellowship with others in the church. Not only do they share the same values, but we live in the same city, so this may be an opportunity to build some strong connections as well. I guess it isn't all bad. As a matter of fact, it isn't bad at all...but good. I almost tricked myself out of an opportunity of a lifetime because of my own misconceptions. So this is my promise. I am going to get the most out of this conference so we all can benefit. On Monday, I am going to share some of the key takeaways and lessons I learned today, so you too, can be blessed. Words of Encouragement: Today's scripture comes from Romans 8:28 and says, "and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." One thing for sure is that I love God and this too shall work together for good. Have you ever felt that way? That for some reason, God had let you down, but in the end, you realized that He didn't let you down, that you let yourself down by not having faith? You have probably heard the phrase, "it is not what happens to you, but it is how you respond", right? I am going to take it one step further. In life, you have to develop a sense of responsibility in your life. What is 'responsibility'? It is the "ability to respond"! When you are given a task and you respond appropriately through action to complete the task, you are considered responsible. When life throws us a curve ball we must be able to respond appropriately. We can not simply react. So today, I want you to take responsibility for the things that happen to you, embrace them, and respond accordingly. I hope that you have been blessed. Until Next Time, God Bless
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About the blog:
Many Christians struggle with the seemingly conflicting views about our faith and the pursuit of financial gain. They were taught that poverty was piety and that a lack of money was the only way to truly detach themselves from the love of money. Our blog debunks some of those claims, teaches you that you can be rich and righteous, and at the same time fulfill your obligation to tithe and give to the less fortunate. We are dedicated to helping you become cheerful givers by organizing your personal finances, providing investment tips to help you create wealth, and encouraging you to create a gifting strategy that will make your family and God proud.
Meet the Author:
A.B. Ridgeway, MBA (info@abrwealthmanagement.com) is the owner and Christian Financial Advisor with A.B. Ridgeway Wealth Management. With a decade in the finance industry, his goal is to give believers clarity around the most confusing topic in the Bible, money, and tithing. A.B. Ridgeway helps tithing Christians become cheerful givers but unlocking their money-making potential, so they can prosper and be the great stewards of the wealth God has entrusted them with.
This communication is not intended as an offer or solicitation to buy, hold or sell any financial instrument or investment advisory services. Any information provided has been obtained from sources considered reliable, but we do not guarantee the accuracy or the completeness of any description of securities, markets or developments mentioned. This is strictly for information purposes. We recommend you speak with a professional financial advisor.