A Great Day!

Today was my first day of training for the brokerage firm! I have decided to name my company Buckeye Insurance Brokers! James said that this was a good move because of being in Ohio and most people (in my opinion, smart people) like the Buckeyes and it is the state tree lol and Ohio is called the Buckeye state. We ran only one appointment and he had an absolute lay down of a sale, he would've had to be a moron to mess this up. If it was me doing the selling I would have made $1,100 in less than 2 hours! I think I could've handled that, there really wasn't much too it at all. I am really looking forward to being able to get out in the field on my own again and make some serious money, and with ten different companies to choose from you can always get them the best rates. Ooooooooooo, I can't wait!

Finally!!

Today I am meeting with James Humphries regarding the insurance job that I have been wanting. I am riding with him to a few appointments and we will see how they go. I am still not sure if we are training or if this is just a "come with me and see if you like it" day. I am eager to see how things are done and I love learning new things and the income potential is what ever I want to make out of it. If I want to make 150K a year it is in my hands. I want more than that though I want to be blessed by God and be able to bless His people in return, while living comfortable. I do not believe that God wants His people to live or settle on mediocrity. I have a great desire to succeed in the insurance industry and I have seen the benefits of not only being in this industry but from working hard and being persistent at it! Fourteen years ago I loved in Florida with my Uncle Ron. He had been working hard for awhile and loved in a modest 3 bedroom home which is all he and his wife Sally really needed. Two years ago he and his wife owned 5 Auto insurance offices and he managed another one for Nationwide. He sold all of them but the most profitable and then he moved to Georgia and he bought a home and paid cash for it, but more importantly are all of the ministries that he supports. He helps support over 20 different ministries at Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa, Florida (the same church that Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts attends as well as many of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). I know that God has put this opportunity in my path for a reason and I am going to seize the moment and make this happen.

A wild end to a great day!

My day started out awesome, Up early getting ready for church. I was in an awesome mood this morning I knew today was going to be a great day. Left for church got their a few minutes early, worship was awesome, Ray's message was phenomenal as always. Went to the CPFL football draft had an awesome time there annoying Chris...lol. Then we ran home to do a couple of things then back down to Danny and Sarah's house for Small Groups. Tonight was the first time I had ever played the guitar in front of anyone with the exception of my family, I think it went well! Nobody left and no dogs were howling outside. Small Groups was fun as always, we had a nice surprise...Ray and Melissa showed up. Then the wild part started, we went home! After we got home I called my cousin Brent back who I had put off because of all the days activities, and started talking to him about his mom (Betty Curtis). He was just blasting God saying there was no God and pretty much saying anything he could in blasphemy. I was as polite as I could be and just told him that I loved him and that I was praying that God would change his heart, I guess this pissed him off somehow. Then we got on the subject of his mom and her cancer and he is blaming the doctor who is a christian for his mothers condition. I told him that maybe Betty had done what God had called her to do and maybe it was her time to go to heaven, he got more mad and said that's just something Christians just say to make their selves feel better! Like we don't still hurt when we lose a loved one! He should know he was as close to my dad as I was 17 years ago! I told him that I too once blamed God and my eyes are finally open to His majestic presence! Then he had to go and talk about my momma! He started off by calling my mom a liar because she had said that Betty had gotten better. This just irked me like no other, my Mom cares for Betty like no other! They are sisters after all and why would my Mom do anything to put someone she cares so much about in jeopardy. I wish God would smack him right across the face and knock some sense into him before I have to do it again!

Two Mouths and One Ear!

I went to the grocery a little while ago and as I was driving home I saw one of those church signs with a funny saying on it! It instantly made me think of Ray. It read "If God wanted us to speak more and listen less He would've given us two mouths and only one ear!" Ok before you think that I am saying that Ray speaks way too much, you are right......just kidding. I was actually thinking about how he was such a good listener, on one of the VBS nights I was having a pretty bad day/night I kinda blew up and vented to Ray and he was feeling awful on his own fighting pneumonia. I just kept going on and on about my problems and he just listened...finally after we pulled back into the church he offered what had been some of the best advice I have ever received. Then last Sunday I was battling with some past issues that have been kind of haunting me again lately, I admit I was slightly distracted from worship and life in general and Ray came over and prayed for me. Later that evening Ray and I were talking and he told me that God had told him to come and pray for me. At first I felt like it had distracted me a little more, but as I reflected on it I knew that God had sent him to do that. Ray, I love your obedience and I love that you are an awesome listener, Thank You brother. If you have a similar story with Ray or anyone else please share it, these are testimonial blessings.

Thank You for your prayers!

This is a photo to help you put a face with the name. My Aunt Betty has always been a very important figure in my life as well as my Uncle Jody. I feel like I am a million miles away from this situation and completely helpless. My mom (Bonnie Smith) has been in Texas since the 1st of July nursing her to health or at least trying to. My mom has been a nurse for 30+ years and this is probably one of the hardest times she will ever have because her and Betty are so close! Anyways please continue to pray for her and the entire Curtis family, she has been battling cancer for several months and she had been progressing rather well until the last two weeks she had been pretty weak and finally she had some blood work done and they said she had anemia, so that was causing her to be weak and they hospitialized her then the ran some more tests and things look a little bleak at this point as Betty had stopped breathing this morning! My cousins are flying out to be there and just pray for there safety as they travel and that God will move and still heal my Aunt Betty!

Movie Night at Center Pointe Church

Tonight the Simpson/Smith Small Group presents "Facing the Giants". Everyone from Center Pointe is invited out to enjoy the film, snacks, drinks and pizza will be provided. It will be a great night of fun, fellowship, and food! The movie starts at 6pm so don't be late! See you there.

New book and a crazy dream!

I started re-reading Joel Osteen's book "Your Best Life Now". Man God sure has put a positive spirit in this man. He talks of expecting God to do more, and not only in your spiritual life, but every aspect. If you set goals of mediocrity that's just what you will get, but if you set your goals on God sized goals, that is what you will get. It makes alot of sense. Anyways, I have really been battling with a few things in my life and employment just happens to be at the top of the list, but recently I have had a few unipue opportunitys come and go and then some other promising ones kinda fizzle from a better view! But, the one job I have had my eye on for a few months now is standing strong, but there are some downsides like the thought of going back to 100% commission. A few others that are no where near as big as that. So this afternoon I laid down to take a nap, and I had this really crazy dream. We (my family and I) were in the back of a big SUV (which we do not currently own) and a huge cloud of tornados in a perfect line like they were standing at attention. There were quite a few of them and the just came along and took us up and the last thing I remember was asking if we were in heaven! It's kjnd of crazy how things work out, but I was reading that book yesterday and it is talking about stepping out in God's name believing His favor and taking faith in His name. I woke up really groggy and a little confused as I went to the rest room, I thought to myself...can it really be that easy. This insurance firm that I am going to go to work with has many different companies (the funnels maybe) and the pay is supposed to be very exceptional (thea heaven maybe), I know God will give us everything that we need and I need this! I need to feel like I am providing for my family, I need to feel like I am giving my all to church and this will give me both feelings and the time to do both! Please pray for the Holy Spirit to just wash over me and make this an even easier decision than it seeming like it will be already! I choose to believe that God has great (not good) things in store for me and my family!

A rough week! Yet eye still on God!

Hey everyone sorry but the net is still down at our house, and I have been resorting to going to the library to surf! Tonight Diana brought home her broadband card so I get to do some blogging/venting. So anyways, I found out that 2 of the jobs I was looking at sort of fell through, kinda depressing but I am looking at it as a blessing, God will provide something even better. I also scratched my right eye pretty bad this week and haven't been able to wear my contacts for 3 days which has really sucked. My eye is still bothering me and kind of pink because I have been scratching the crap out of it cause it's been so itchy. But I know God will heal it. Life can always throw us many curveballs and it is up to us to either swing away or to leave the outcome to God! I choose to leave the outcome to God.