Towards the end of what proved to be the most challenging year of my life, I came upon a book that proved to be a true Godsend.  Fearless by Max Lucado sets forth a compelling case for why the book’s subtitle, “Imagine Your Life Without Fear”, is not only possible, but completely rational given the overwhelming evidence to support such imaginings.  However, to get there from here, the reader ...

Once again, the Ambassador Leadership Team attended the Willow Creek Leadership Summit via satellite on August 6 and 7.  Once again, I left convinced that The Summit is the greatest leadership development value on the planet.  "No pain, no gain" was a reoccurring theme this year.  One faculty member particularly stood out as having experienced unimaginable pain in preparation for expo...

During our 33 years of marriage, Elaine and I have had countless dogs that have helped us ride herd over five children and three granddaughters.  Only one canine, however, became THE family dog.  His name was Kona.  Our two youngest children, Caleb and Bradley, grew up with Kona as their constant companion.  His recent sudden passing rocked our world in a way that we truly couldn’t imagine.  ...

I've just returned from a 24 hour "missions trip" to the Hope Children's Home in Tampa, Florida.  This trip was courtesy of my best friend, Tim, who has been so impressed by what God is doing down there that he insisted upon giving me a first-hand look.  I'm so glad he did.  Though God is no doubt at work in our "Carmel-By-The-Retention-Pond" backyard, His abundant grace is ...

I started anticipating our 20th anniversary (April 1, 2009) early in 2008.  Whenever I’d mention it to anyone, they would invariably say something like, “Wow, twenty years in business.  That’s quite an accomplishment.”  To which I replied, “Oh, it’s not that big of a deal.  Many people have built much larger companies in much less time.”  I stopped saying this about halfway through the fourth q...

During tough times, one of the toughest things to do is to stay focused upon the few things that you can control, while refusing to be distracted by the many things you can’t.  In my experience, I’ve found only three things that I can consistently control –my thoughts, my attitude and my effort.  Let me hasten to add that I also consistently fail at my efforts to control these things.  Nonethel...

It was painfully to the point – “financs, rejection, loneliness, migraines”.  That was it.   Her entire prayer request was four simple, pain-filled words.    “Mary” had found the link to the Ambassador Prayer Team on our web site.  How fitting that “finances” was misspelled, as it seems that our entire nation has forgotten how to spell anything having to do with finance or money matters.  Was Mar...

So who am I to think I have a better plan for saving the American auto industry?  Why not?  After all, the plan on the table calls for $15 billion dollars (oops, now its down to $14 billion) in taxpayer money to be sent straight down the bail-out rat hole.  But it certainly won’t stop there.  Recall the original request was for $36 billion.  Does any thinking American really believe that that $...

I'm trying to break myself of a bad habit I picked up as the current economic malaise came calling upon our company.   In response to the proverbial, "how are you?" greeting, I've taken to answering, "stressed but blessed".  Sort of like positive self talk with a spiritual twist, I suppose.  Sounds better than, "it's tough, but I'm gonna make it", don't you think?  W...

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Deep Survival:  Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why by Laurence Gonzales over the Thanksgiving break.  Within it I discovered many survival tips well worth knowing, including how to survive the current recessionary winter. “The climb up the edge of the cliff was the hardest and most dangerous thing I’d ever done.”  Yates arrived at the top “shaking and so strung out tha...