In the early part of my business career my pastor at the time, the late Dr. James Zirkle, told me something that I tried to apply in my life. He observed that many Christians at the end of their days wished they had taken more chances in life.
Maybe I have always been a little crazy, so risks may have been a little easier for me to take than others. While attending college in Golden, Colorado my roommate and I decided we would try to hitchhike from Denver to L.A. over spring break. We started with a total of $40 and made the trip in 9 days including a ride on a flat car of a freight train. It is probably best that I don’t tell the entire story, since this was when I was age 20, single, and not a Christian.
Then, in 1982, my wife and I took the risk to take a one-year leave of absence from my good paying engineering job to move to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma to attend a Bible College. Looking back, this was one of the best things we could have done even though it was a little risky.
At age 55, I felt the Lord leading me to become active in business again, by purchasing a business. The business He led me to buy was much bigger than I was expecting but looking back, I can say I am extremely glad I took that risk.
I regularly book flights to China, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Guatemala, Turkey and other countries around the world. I fully intend to visit my missionary friend who is moving to Muscat, Oman. Some people think I am foolish to take these risks in travel.
Lessons I learned about “taking a risk”:
- The things of God are progressive. Each time I took a risk it was a stepping stone, not a leap. Don’t try to copy anyone because you may not be at their same step. There is no glory in risking and failing. Taking the wrong step could cost your financial future, marriage, and family.
- Do your homework to be ready. The steps I took came in line with things I was already thinking and praying about. I had done a lot of research, prayer, and thought prior to the opportunity coming my way. When the opportunity came my way, I was ready.
- Whenever I had the peace to move ahead and took a financial risk I had the attitude of “no turning back”, “whatever it takes”, “no quitting”, and “with God’s help, I will make it”.
- It is true – the bigger the risk the bigger the reward. But don’t act in foolishness and presumption.
Will you share where you took some risks and succeeded and/or failed? Will you share when you think you may have missed it by not taking a risk in your life, now that you look back?
Consider sharing with a foreign audience on a business topic by joining us on a www.BusinessMissionTrip.org.
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Those that might want to travel internationally and share your business wisdom, please let us know. Some of the destinations and dates are listed in this link.
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