My Jackpot Inheritance

A few weeks ago, lazily enjoying a final summer trip with my family, I received an unexpected call with somewhat expected news. My mom’s dad, “Appy,” passed away at the age of ninety-seven. Joy and sorrow mingled in quiet tears. My grandfather was no longer restricted  by the slow deterioration of his mind and body that had quietly reduced his days to eating and sleeping. No longer in pain. No longer an Alzheimer’s patient. Best of all, he is with my mother in heaven. That’s a glorious reunion I would love to have witnessed! So much over which to rejoice!

My sadness is for the loss of a great man of God. A connection to my mother. A warm smile, genuine embrace, and voice of love, encouragement, guidance, and affirmation. When you read this, I’ll be in Oregon at his service. Considering what to say, my thoughts naturally wandered through my life and memories, resting clearly on our lineage. Not the embroidered or painted family tree hanging in the hall with photos of the greats and their greats. Rather, the lineage of grace. The branch that leads to heaven, where family is forever.

With the exception of the first four months of my life, I have lived between six and thirteen hundred miles from my extended family. Sadly, we didn’t share birthdays, holidays, and the every day of daily life. At the most, we saw each other once a year. Less as we grew older. Thankfully, distance didn’t stop the Lord from using Appy to tell “to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done... (making God’s testimony and law) known…that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments” (Psalm 78:4-7).

God’s testimonies were the rejoicing of Appy’s heart (Psalm 119:11). He loved the word of God, and he saw Psalm 103:17-18 come true in his family: “The mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them.”

We don’t take anything with us when we die, and the material possessions we leave behind mean little in light of the void left by the one they represent. I experienced this truth first hand as I wandered my mother’s house after her death. None of her things mattered when all I wanted was another moment with her, and what I value most is the living inheritance my mother left. The spiritual heritage instilled in her by my grandmother and Appy.

Psalm 37:18 tells us, “The LORD knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever.” Appy left behind the ultimate, eternal inheritance. One that rust and moths cannot destroy, thieves cannot steal, governments cannot squander, stock markets cannot threaten. No fire, flood, storm, natural or economic disaster can take away this priceless gift. My heart echoes the praise of 1 Peter 1:3-5: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Because of his love for Jesus, Appy’s “net worth” passed to his children’s children in the form of salvation. Like Paul, God used Appy “to open (our) eyes, in order to turn (us) from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that (we) may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in (Jesus)” (Acts 26:15-18, pronoun changes mine).

Jesus is our portion. He is our inherited wealth. He is the birthright Appy passed to us. Because of him and my grandmother, and through my mother, my children were born with a royal pedigree: children of children of the King of Kings and Most High God. Jesus is now their heritage, too.

Phooey on houses, cars, jewelry, bank accounts, and the like when you can enjoy:

·         Forgiveness of sins (Acts 26:18)

·         The Holy Spirit as a guarantee of eternal life in heaven (Ephesians 1:13-14)

·         Peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7)

·         A spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus (Ephesians 1:17)

·         Power (Ephesians 1:19)

·         Spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:11-12)

·         Wisdom given generously and without rebuke (James 1:5)

·         Strength in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)

·         Love and discernment (Philippians 1:9)

·         Angelic protection (Psalm 91:11-12)

·         Sanctification (Hebrews 13:12)

·         Hope (Colossians 1:27)

·         A plan for your life (Jeremiah 29:11)

·         Righteousness you don’t earn or deserve (Philippians 3:9)

·         Mercy (Luke 1:78)

·         Grace (Acts 15:11)

·         Abundant life (John 10:10)

·         Freedom from worry (Luke 12:29)

·         Provision (Luke 12:31)

I assure you my list falls short of capturing the fullness of this inheritance, but it’s a start. And to top it all off, Isaiah 54:17 tells us, “’No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me,’ says the LORD.”

What we do and pursue will be the true inheritance we leave our descendents. Are you amassing the wealth of the world to the detriment of eternal riches? Or are you storing up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20)?

What’s your spiritual inheritance? Are you grafted into God’s family tree, adopted by grace through faith in His Son Jesus Christ? Have you received “forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in (Jesus)” (Acts 26:18)?

Maybe no one left you a godly heritage. Start one. The bloodline of Jesus is available to all who place their faith solely in Him. Be the one to establish an inheritance for your children and their children’s children.

It’s not too late. As long as you’re breathing, it’s never too late.

“O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance. I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:5-11).

May Jesus be the inheritance we leave not only to our children but also to those around us as we become more wholly His today.

Shauna Wallace

Holy His

Ten Steps to Unforgettable, Guaranteed!

Nothing exasperates me more. Nothing will limit your possibilities or slam more doors in your face. It threatens to change the very landscape of our country. I see it most often in young people, but sadly, it increasingly manifests itself in adults. My heart breaks for this epidemic of ignorance that sabotages futures. What is it? “I can’t!” Excuses, negotiations, arguments for one's own agenda, whining, complaining, selfish motives, pitting oneself against another to gain an advantage, and all other forms of manipulative behaviors.

I'm all fired up about this right now. The men in my life would say I'm hot and spicy! The spark? Teenagers vying for their wants without consideration for the one who will end up left out. A student requesting help while rejecting every suggestion offered. A person searching for a job and being choosey when they don’t have that luxury. Someone who knows nothing but thinks they know everything. A young adult quicker to give up than go the extra mile. Employees who play games on their phones at work instead of asking the boss what else they can do. Cashiers texting between customers. 

Young person (and anyone else who wants to set themselves apart), you have an opportunity to be neon in a dessert of mediocrity!!! You weren’t made to blend in with the dirt and tumbleweeds. The rulers of this age are grooming you for a desolate life; God’s desire for you is abundant life through Jesus Christ. He created you for significance!

But there’s a catch. In order to set yourself apart from every other human in your generation, you must first lay a foundation of other-mindedness. Jesus taught this mindset in Mark 9:33-35 when the disciples disputed among themselves about who would be the greatest. His answer in verse thirty-five: “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” It’s a biblical truth and immutable principle: the first shall be last, and the last shall be first. Focus on serving others, and He will lift you up. It’s 1 Peter 5:6 in action: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” In other words, make or bring yourself low as compared to others and trust the Lord to exalt or lift you on high according to His perfect plan and His impeccable timing. It’s not going to be easy, but it is worthwhile. He gave us the Holy Spirit as a helper because He knew we would need it, so draw on that power to adopt a can-do attitude based on advancing others; a way of thinking that will elevate you above your competition when applying for college, internships, jobs, and other opportunities. Now is the time to develop the values and character traits that will help you attain greatness later.

From a mom, a former public relations executive, a former direct marketing sales director, a co-op teacher, a home schooling parent, an author, writer, business owner, and employer, here are my ten fool proof steps to becoming unforgettable:

1.     Eradicate "I can't" from your vocabulary. Whether attempting a first, pushing harder, facing the impossible, or otherwise stretching beyond your comfort zone, think of reasons you can rather than reasons you can't. Ask for help, and then do what they tell you to do without whining, excuses, or complaining. “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23).

2.       Give up excuses. Take responsible for your part, choices, actions, and shortcomings. Even if you have a legitimate reason, don't let it become an excuse. It will only hold you back and get in your way. Don’t blame or point the finger at someone else, and forget about what the other guy is or isn’t doing. Just focus on you!

3.     Look for ways around obstacles. If something isn't working, try something else. If you need help, ask. If no one is readily available, go find someone else or wait until someone is available.

4.     Be willing and ready to make short-term sacrifices for long-term gain. You might lose sleep, money, advantage, pleasures, or what you want now to gain something greater later, but your extended vision will enable you to escape the trap of instant gratification, a favorite diversion of the devil.

5.     Look for ways to go the extra mile. Work hard at school and your job. Leave your phone in the car, a locker, or somewhere else where it can't be a distraction. Look for extra ways you can help wherever you are. Don’t accept average. Use God’s word as your gauge and strive for His standards.

6.     If you're looking for a job, seek your top choices, but be willing to work anywhere. When you're eager to do anything, you'll be amazed at the doors God will open for you to do what you prefer.

 

7.     Be concerned about what makes others happy. Be the one to compromise and give up what you want. Be the one to lift up the underdog and extend a hand of friendship.

 

8.     Make the things that advance your priority goals your first priority. If you're saving for college or a car, resist the temptation to have the latest and greatest. Find ways to make money (just make sure it’s honest work). Forego purchases and save. Buy the car, get the job, go to college. Set yourself up to one day have the things you gave up to do what was most important.

 

9.     Show initiative. Brainstorm. Talk to everyone. Be the one to offer ideas. Start your own business. 

10.  Be professional now to be a professional later. Use the phone, not text. Say “Yes, ma'am” and “Yes, sir.” Look a person in the eye. Speak with confidence and volume. Articulate your words. Shake a strong hand. Role-play with your parents or other adults. Talk to people who do what you think you want to do. Ask them what you can do now to position yourself for success later.

DISCLAIMER: Nothing I have said is worth a cent without the saving grace of Jesus Christ. You might as well dismiss it all as self-help psycho-babble. Without God's grace to turn us to Christ and Christ-like virtues, all we know is selfishness and vain conceit. Can-do living requires sacrifice – giving up our own understanding and agenda to make sure someone else gets what they want, achieve something we don't know how to do, or make someone else feel loved, appreciated, or special.

Will you stand out or will you join the rest of a generation being indoctrinated for mediocrity and entitlements? Choose life, and have it abundantly! The life Jesus promises those who are His. Are you? Is the Holy Spirit tugging on your heart to put your faith in Jesus as your Savior? Is He tugging on your heart to obey your Savior by living your life according to His word? Do it!

Lord, give grace to each and every person reading this today. Move on their hearts to become more wholly Yours today.

Shauna Wallace

Holy His

An Economy All His Own

When the economy began its downward turn several years ago, and every forecast and news report about the housing market was dismal and depressing, people would ask us with grave concern how we were doing. It was as if they were finally going to see the other shoe drop on our still-flourishing custom home building business. The doom they expected for our crazy adventure would finally catch up to us. But whether we have a mere handful of houses going at one time or a dozen, whether the bank account is fat or skinny, whether the news is good or bad, whether the rulers of this age say it’s a good time or a bad time, we keep moving forward with our eyes on Jesus and our hearts set on doing things His way – tithe, give, and do the right thing, even when it’s really hard. In doing so, we have found that we are not under the economy of this world.

“The world is Mine, and all its fullness” (Psalm 50:12).

The Lord can do whatever He wants with what is His, and it’s all His. As His children, we don’t have to worry about how it will all work out. We don’t have to know every detail and secure guarantees. We just have to trust the Lord to do what He says He’ll do when we do what He tells us to do, including and especially with the money and resources He’s given us. It is one of the hardest thing to let go of because of the false security the world would have us believe it gives us. Money can’t be our sense of security; here today, gone tomorrow. Especially with our current economic, political, and cultural environment. The Lord is the only one who can give and deliver on guarantees. He is the one who holds it all together for us. He has done just that. With every downturn in the economy and housing market, our business has remained steady and grown. He baffles bystanders and gives us the opportunity to witness Jesus.

“He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:17).

Nothing we’ve done has made sense to the world. But it made sense to God, and He made it make sense to us. He’s given us a perspective beyond what the eye can see:

“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:1-7).

I want to clarify one thing as I close our story: I am not promoting a prosperity gospel by which we give to get or obey to receive. Our motive is not to manipulate God; it is to obey Him out of our love for Him, and then we can rest our faith in His faithfulness to work in us “to will and do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13), working all things together for good “to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). We believe firmly in the word of God and in His principles. In His law of choice/consequence. God sets forth very specific means for living. Laws, statutes, guidelines. He tells us what will happen when we obey, and what will happen when we don’t. He’s very forthcoming and never breaks a promise. Therefore, we can put our full confidence in Him to deliver when we are obedient. The prosperity is His faithfulness. That’s God’s word. It never returns void. I don’t believe for Cadillacs or jobs or things or circumstances. I believe in the power of God to accomplish what He says He will do in His word, according to His will, which I believe is good. All the time.

When we live from loving God, be ready:

“For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required;

and to whom much has been committed,

of him they will ask the more” (Luke 12:48).

I hope I haven’t overstayed my welcome on our story! I pray God has used the testimony of His work in our lives to encourage and strengthen you in a way only He could have known you needed it.

As we each seek to be more wholly His today, I pray  the Lord will compel us to obey out of our love for Jesus, that we may experience the wealth of His word and His presence everywhere we go, in everything we do, becoming more wholly His each step of the way.

Shauna Wallace

Holy His

The Prosperity of Obedience

James and I are often asked what we did to be so successful in our business, how a trucker became the CEO of one of the top custom home building companies in our area. Let me say first and foremost, it’s the grace of God. He has ordered every detail of our story. Every house, every customer, every contract, it’s all from Him. We give Him every ounce of glory. Whatever skill, talent, acumen, idea, vision, or knowledge we brought to the table was put in us by Him in the first place. I can’t begin to propose to know the mind of the Lord and why He’s done what He has with and for us, but I can tell you what I have observed of my husband. Ways he did things long before God changed his career. The way he does things now. Principles found in God’s word; commands God desires each of us to obey in order to enjoy the promises He attaches to each one.

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men”

(Colossians 3:23).

James’ number one priority, from the day I met him, has always been to do whatever it takes to provide for his family. He didn’t care if it was a menial, unimpressive job no one else wanted. He didn’t care if the hours were inconvenient and exhausting. He would do whatever it took, and he was determined to be the very best at that job, which happened to be driving a truck. For many years, he drove for a company that paid him by the load. No benefits. No extras. Then the Lord moved him to a freight company that was union. The pay was better, he received benefits, and it was nearly impossible to get fired. He could have done the bare minimum and brought home the same benefits. But he went to work every day resolved to glorify God by working hard for his employer. He pushed himself to complete every delivery and every pick up on his manifest. He worked nights. He worked weekends. His worked overtime. He sometimes wondered if there was something more for him, but he never compromised in the effort he put forth, and the word of God was proven true:

“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much;

and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much” (Luke 16:10).

He was careful with every resource God gave us when we had little, and when He blessed us with our business, he was careful with the stewardship of all that was placed in his trust. He respected the customer, did what he said he’d do, and did the right thing, every time, even if it cost us. We continued to tithe, and when the Lord laid it on our hearts to make a significant contribution toward our church’s building fund shortly after starting construction on our first spec house, we learned what He meant in Malachi 3:10 when He said:

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you

the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing

that there will not be room enough to receive it.”

We had our new mortgage, the construction loan for the business, and no guarantees for success. But the Lord clearly spoke to my heart: “If you’ll sow into my building fund, I’ll sow into yours.” When I told James what God said and how much He said, he thought I was crazy. But as we prayed about it, we knew we were supposed to do it. And we did. Not out of abundance. Not out of security. Not out of our own generosity. Not as a way to manipulate some return from God. It was pure obedience and faith that God would be true to what His word says. We didn’t give to get, but let me tell you, God’s principles don’t fail. He said to give, we did, and He blessed our business. It’s not a formula. We can’t look at our checkbook and say, “Lord, I’m going to give some money to you today so I can have more tomorrow.” But when we are obedient to give when and what He says to give, He does what He says he’ll do – opens the windows of heaven, pouring out such blessing that there won’t be enough room to receive it.

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,

and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity;

for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

We love to sow bountifully because God’s ways are sure:  when we give God what is rightfully His in the first place, the Lord will do what He says He will do. When He puts a need before us and puts it on our hearts to meet that need, we give. And then we praise Him. For His goodness. For His abundance. For His provision. For the mighty way He will use the seed He’s sown through us and the harvest He will reap through it. We are always excited to see what He will do, remembering whatever comes from His hand – finances, peace, relationships, understanding, wisdom, discernment, open doors, closed doors – is all part of the abundant life promised us in Christ Jesus. God’s abundance isn’t measured money and things. It is every way He makes our life full, exceeding what is expected, bringing into our lives that which is superior, extraordinary, and uncommon. It is His very presence. His very hand at work in our lives to work out His will. That IS the abundant life; our relationship with Jesus and doing what He says the path to finding it.

“I have come that they may have life,

and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Lord, lead us into the abundant life Christ died for us to have. Fill us with Your power to do what You say as we become more wholly Yours today.

Shauna Wallace

Holy His

When Experts Aren't the Experts

God taught us a whole new way of walking by faith when He moved us from Houston to suburbia and into the custom home building business (see last Thursday’s blog “Unbelievable but True: A Trucker’s Road to CEO” http://shaunawallace.blogspot.com/2012/07/unbelievable-but-true-truckers-road-to.html). In doing so, He planted our feet firmly in the starting blocks for the race that lay ahead. The faith it would require. The degree of obedience He would demand. Each lesson merely a beginning. Conditioning for a time when we would need prior experience to move forward with greater faith.

While I lived the start of our business, I was merely a spectator to a most incredible metamorphosis as the Lord birthed in James what was obviously conceived into the very fiber of his being. He did not go to college at all, and his only work experience was trucking. Yet the Lord placed him at the helm of his own custom home building business and harvested what He’d sown in James from the start. James had no training. No schooling in building and construction. He didn’t read any books or attend any classes. Yet, his keen eye to detail and uncanny ability to know how to build a sound home quickly set his houses out from the crowd. His extra touch became his signature. He immediately knew how to watch the numbers, vigilantly reviewing every bid, negotiating, purchasing, and watching expenses. The only explanation is that all that skill and ability was already there.

“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me,

when as yet there were none of them” (Psalm 139:13-14, 16).

Whatever James needed in order to accomplish God’s purpose for him was inherent within him. All God required was faith and obedience. God’s path circumvented the counsel any expert would have insisted was necessary to do what we did.

Psalm 19:7 says, “The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” Along those same lines, First Corinthians 1:20 tells us, “Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” Verse twenty-seven answers, “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.” God will do what He’s going to do, challenging the ways of this world to do it.

“We speak wisdom among those who are mature,

yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age,

who are coming to nothing” (1 Corinthians 2:6).

The rulers of this age will tell us and our kids there’s one path to success: theirs. If we don’t follow that course, we won’t be successful. God says the only wisdom we need to heed is His word and His way of doing things. Any other wisdom is coming to nothing. When the world says it’s foolish and stands in opposition to us, it’s going to require faith to move forward God’s way.

When it became obvious to our son that college was not for him, there were people who gently implied it was a mistake, insisting a degree was the only way to a hopeful future. Foregoing higher education flew in the face of “the way it’s done.” Had he followed the world’s way, chances are good it would have come to nothing. But God had other plans. Perfect plans. He started working full time for his dad, attended real estate school, earned his license, and now works his own business on the side, perfectly complimenting the work he does for his dad. No college degree. No prior training. At the age of twenty-three, he has already achieved more than most kids his age who pursued a degree and a white collar career. Not that one is better than the other; one just wasn’t God’s plan for Ryan, and the other didn’t limit his possibilities at all. Once again, I am a spectator as God draws the same vision and attention to detail from Ryan as He did from his dad, perfectly positioning him as an asset to our company, our customers, and his own future. Because of what God did in James, we were able to assure Ryan of His perfect plan for him, even as it defied everything conventional. God’s sovereignty rules, and no amount of wisdom of this age can alter His will. Not for you, and not for your kids.

As our oldest daughter prepares to apply to a four-year university, we can say with confidence that God will open the doors He needs her to walk through for the plan He has for her life. As fellow homeschooling parents consider putting their high school aged children in school because the rulers of this age say a spot in the top ten percent of the class guarantees entrance into any university they want, we can stand in faith that whatever God desires for our daughter is what will prepare her for His plan, and we don’t have to panic that His plan doesn’t fit with those of the world. As my niece struggles to retain a healthy weight and her joy in the face of pressure from school counselors to take advanced classes and already have her major and higher education all planned before she even starts her junior year of high school, she can be assured that God already has it all worked out. She can roll her cares upon Him (1 Peter 5:7) because His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30).

In (Christ) are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith,

as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit,

according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world,

and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of

the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him,

who is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:3-4, 6-10).

In Christ, you are already complete. Don’t be deceived! The wisdom of this age and the rulers of this age tell us to trust in ourselves, to do everything their certain way in order to position ourselves for the illusion of their ever-shifting definition of success. Our family is living proof of a God that makes foolish the wise and wise the simple. Our job is to put our faith in Jesus, to seek the Father’s direction through His word, prayer, and others He uses to speak into our lives, and to obey. He has already put in you everything He needs you to have. Whatever HE requires to accomplish His purpose, He will make a way for that to happen in your life. If He doesn’t require it, you don’t need to stress about it.

I pray the Lord strengthens all our faith as we follow Him against the tides of an ever unbelieving society. Lord, give us Your wisdom generously without reproach (James 1:5) as we place our faith in your power (1 Corinthians 2:5) and disregard the wisdom of this world as You accomplish Your plan in each of us. We are wholly Yours, Lord, and place our trust wholly in You.

Shauna Wallace

Holy His

Unbelievable but True: A Trucker's Road to CEO

In Houston, you either live “inside the loop” – a freeway that circles the heart of the city – or you don’t. As a general rule, inner-loopers don’t travel outside the loop. Ever. It’s entirely too far (even if it’s only a few miles). That’s why they live inside the loop – so every urban luxury or necessity they might possibly need is at their fingertips, from their job, to restaurants and the arts, to professional sports and the like.

Our first house was a few blocks outside the loop. While we couldn’t officially claim inner-loop status, we shared the aversion to driving away from the city. When a dear friend and her husband started a church in a suburban town about thirty-five miles north of Houston, I edited a column he wrote for the local newspaper. As I read and revised his drafts, I was drawn the vision God had given him. Late one Saturday night, James and I decided to visit the church. We loaded up the kids the next morning and conquered the forty-five minute road trip to the other side of the world. Driving down a rural, two-lane highway, thick trees hugging both sides of the road (as opposed to concrete and billboards), I elbowed James and joked, “Wouldn’t it be funny if God gave us a couple acres and a house out here?” We laughed it off and went on our merry way.

Several months later, still trekking back and forth to this little town for church Sunday mornings, curiosity drew us to peek around a few neighborhoods, just to see how much houses cost. It became a weekly affair, and before we knew it, we were house hunting. We never would have dreamed of moving out of town. It was too inconvenient! James would have an hour or longer commute with traffic, we would be changing our kids’ schools, moving further from family. Yet we knew God was drawing us to the area. We put that first little house on the market and continued searching for a new abode. Building wasn’t our preference, living so far away. We had no desire at all to tackle that kind of project. But when every resale fell through, it became our only option. God’s hand was clearly shutting and opening doors to lead us to a very specific neighborhood and a very specific builder (remember, we were NOT going to build). But alas, we pre-qualified for a loan, found a plan, and took the plunge.

James developed an almost immediate compulsion to stop at every house he saw at the same stage of construction as ours. It didn’t matter what we were doing, where we were going, what time we had to be there, or who was with us. If we happened upon a new neighborhood with dozens of homes in various stages of construction, we might be there all day! He studied how the houses were being built and the materials used, and then he would research what he saw on the Internet. God opened James’ eyes to an epidemic of cost-saving corner cutting to the detriment and complete ignorance of the customer, and he was determined protect our investment from shady construction practices.

Fast forward to our final walk-through. James was working, so it fell squarely on me to blue tape the house and review the punch list with our superintendent. Standing at the front door, wrapping it up, I asked our superintendent how he got his start in construction. I casually mentioned that I thought James seemed to have a real eye for building, and then completely forgot about it. Never mentioned the conversation to James. Just plowed forward with our move.

That summer, as James delivered freight in the thick of Houston’s July inferno, no air conditioning and extremely long days drained him physically. One day, the Lord spoke to him. Not audibly, but clearly. He told him to build a house, told him exactly how to do it and who to do it with. James called the superintendent who built our house earlier that year, acknowledged that what he had to say might sound crazy, and then proceeded to tell him what the Lord said. The guy’s answer: “I’ve been waiting for you to call!”

Laying in bed that night, we dreamed up a name for our new company: Possibility Custom Homes (www.possibilitycustomhomes.com if you want to check it out). Our business plan? Let’s build a house, do it the right way, price it fair, and see if it sells. That was it. We didn’t even write it down. We formed an agreement with our former superintendent to work with us, incorporated, hired a graphic designer to design our logo, signage, and business materials, and bought Quick Books. We found our first piece of property, chose a plan we thought someone might love, secured a second loan (remember, we had only had our new, improved, much larger mortgage for about six months), and construction commenced. We were in business!

Second Corinthians 5:7 tells us, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” That was certainly true for us! James drove a truck for a living. I sold makeup. We didn’t know what would happen. The only experience we had was building our own house. There were no guarantees. What if the house didn’t sell and we couldn’t make the payments on the construction loan? What if James was laid off or my sales dropped? What if our superintendent bailed? What if we lost both houses? When doubts assailed us, God’s peace assured us. We placed our faith in Him and took each next step as He laid it before us.

A month before the house was complete, it sold. Shortly after closing, we started our second spec. A casual conversation with a friend led to an Associated Press newswire story that went nationwide. Area newspapers and our local Fox television station ran the story, telling of a small builder in a little town who was building its houses on the word of God, literally. Starting with our very first house, we buried a Bible in every foundation. Not as a marketing ploy, but as a reminder to us, with every house, that He is the foundation of all we do. As Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” We never advertise it. We simply tell our homeowners right before we do it and invite them to join us as we pray a blessing over their home.

For fifteen months, James drove a truck full time, including overtime. As a sales director, my home-based business required more than forty hours a week, and I was still new to home schooling our oldest daughter. Our superintendent kept his daytime job, as well. We worked all hours weekdays and weekends. It was a crazy time. I thank God for His grace! It is most definitely the only thing sufficient. When it became obvious that James could no longer maintain two pursuits, we faced another huge step of faith. In order to continue growing our new company, James clearly had to give up our only source of guaranteed income and benefits (read security). It was time to place our eggs in the basket God held in His hand. We had only built two houses at the time, but the Lord was beginning to bring us contracts from those homes. He gave us the faith to take the leap, and we never looked back, no matter what others thought.

I am so in awe of God every time I remember and retell this story! It has amazed many, especially those who know where we started: tens of thousands of dollars in debt, living paycheck to paycheck, blending two families, marriage falling apart, miserable. He took us head first into the unknown as He increased our faith to move us forward even when circumstances looked impossible. As we learned obedience and contentment and actively trusted God in all things, HE changed our lives, our marriage, our family, our work, and our lifestyle into something unrecognizable.

Eight years and roughly eighty houses later, I share our story here so you can see God – Who He is and what He is capable of doing. The truth of His word. His power to circumvent the wisdom of this age and the rulers of this age to accomplish His will. His power to transform a truck driver into a CEO, seemingly overnight.

As amazing as the facts of our story may be, they pale in comparison to what I have to share with you Thursday. Lessons He taught us about the indisputable principles that govern our walk with Him.

It is my deepest desire that we walk the Word in every area of our lives. I thank the Lord for His faithfulness to keep each one of His children on a path toward Him as we become more wholly His today.

Shauna Wallace

Holy His

Mighty Dollar vs. Mighty God

One of my favorite books is Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim’s Progress (Oliver Hunkin, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 1985). The cover illustration of Christian as he trudges toward Celestial City perfectly depicts James’ and my life when we were first married (see www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Journey-Story-Pilgrims-Progress/dp/0802836194 for image). By grace, through faith, the penalty for our sin was paid. We no longer carried that burden, yet the consequences of our sin remained strapped to our backs. As God began to instruct us in His ways, He gave us understanding that His guidelines are for our own good, to put us in a place to receive all He has for us. He moved on our hearts to desire Him and His ways and opened our eyes to the individual boulders nestled in the net.

The heftiest weight? Tens of thousands of dollars of debt. We both worked sixty to seventy hours a week outside the home. We lived paycheck to paycheck, making no forward progress. I desperately wanted to stay home with our children, but our debts demanded my income. We were slaves of our own poor choices.

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender”
(Proverbs 22:7).

Because our commitments exceeded our income, we didn’t tithe. While I had been trained by my parents to give ten percent of everything, and would do so while charging other expenses on credit cards, James, as a new believer, had a harder time with giving money to the church when we owed so much to creditors. I feel a future blog stirring on this topic, so I won’t go into detail about giving today. I am also not making any theological claims with my story. Only sharing the conviction of the Holy Spirit on our hearts, and the incredible blessings we experienced as He empowered us to obey. We prayed about our debt and withholding our tithe, and we felt the Lord was leading us to deal with both at once. It was time to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one
and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).

We enrolled with Consumer Credit Counseling for debt consolidation services, and we cut up every credit card we owned. If we couldn’t pay cash for it, we didn’t buy it. Period. We paid a hefty monthly debt payment, and started giving two percent as a tithe to the Lord. Every time we paid a credit card off, we took the amount of that monthly payment and divided it between increasing our tithe and increasing our payment to the next lowest credit card balance.

God changed our mindset. He broke the bonds of borrowing for instant gratification, and obeying Him became more important than the things we thought we had to have or do. The satisfaction of living free of the affliction of sin was greater than the temporary pleasures of that sin.

“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:13

He taught us that what we had was enough, and then He met every one of our needs, every time, even when we couldn’t see any possible way. We learned that God’s way of meeting needs is always abundant, always right on time, and always just what we need, but we had to be willing for God to do it His way. Like a boss who let me bring my newborn to work with me the first eight and a half months of her life, allowing me to be with her full time and nurse her. Or when a mom would call and offer garbage bags full of used clothes for our kids, and sometimes for me. Other times, my dad and his wife would visit, and she would take me shopping for a “happy” – new clothes for work, just because. A garage sale became a gold mine. Grandparents would buy clothes and supplies at the beginning of the new school year. God even provided with unexpected bonuses, extra overtime pay, and even a surprise check from the estate of a precious elderly neighbor who had been a foster grandmother to my sister and I growing up. In the midst of paying off our debts, when no mortgage lender would touch us because we were active with Consumer Credit Counseling, God opened doors for us to buy our first home. He made a way when there was no other way.

At the end of three and a half years, all glory to God, all our consumer debt was paid, including our cars. We were giving our goal of ten percent of our gross income, and that included every gift we received, every bonus, every penny that came into our household. We continued to live frugally, buying only what we could afford with cash, and we saved. We were financially free.

"For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Matthew 11:30

Slowly, even though the numbers never made sense on paper, God opened doors for me to cut my hours to half time, and my employer agreed to let me work from home, an unusual arrangement at the time. We knew it was God’s desire that I be home with our kids, and He gave us the faith to trust Him. Shortly after that, I started a home-based business on the side that eventually replaced the income from my job. I was finally able to stay home with my kids – the desire of my heart met by an almighty, all-powerful God who can cause anything to happen.

Lining our finances up with the word of God can be one of our most faith-challenging areas of obedience. God shows us what to do, and He gives us the power to do it, but it falls squarely on our shoulders to take the action. We have to do the obeying. God’s deliverance came through the complete submission of our finances to Him. We had to stop the sinful behavior – no more charging. We had to pay those we owed. We had to do what His word says and give our firstfruits to Him.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask
or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory
in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations,
forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

That first house – an impossible possession made possible by a mighty God – four years later in a declining market, sold for $65,000 more than what we paid, enabling us to build a custom home in a small town outside the Houston area. If we could have concocted the most incredible scenario possible based on our wildest dreams at the time, we never could have come close to the unbelievable plans God had for us starting with that house. Plans to turn a truck driver into a CEO. That story next Thursday.

Lord, money can be such a stronghold and stumbling block for us. Move in our hearts to obey you in all ways with our finances as we become more wholly Yours today.

Shauna Wallace

Holy His