Jerry Falwell passed away a month ago.

I will tell you this.  Whether you agree with Falwell's positions or not, you cannot dispute the following facts.

1.  He was a man of great vision!

• Jerry Falwell was given a God-inspired vision to reach Lynchburg, VA.  He took hold of that vision and unabashedly proclaimed from the mountain tops, streets, and anywhere ears were present to listen!
• He was given a vision to start a university.  From its start in 1971, it has grown to over 20,000 students.

2.  He flat got it done!

• Thomas Road Baptist Church has grown to a membership of over 22,000 people.
• Liberty University has grown to over 20,000 students.

3.  His integrity was unquestioned!

• With all of the heat that Jerry took from his opponents, they would have LOVED to have something on him to derail his vision.  It never happened.

4.  His family was STRONG!

• You look at Jerry and you see his wife, sons, daughter, and grandchildren.  A tight family.  What better legacy could anyone leave than a TIGHT family?

5.  He aimed HIGH

• He purchased the land for the university on a prayer (he didn't have the money).  By the time the note was due, the money was there.
• He bought a MOUNTAIN for the university.  God can move mountains.  He can also give mountains!

At the end of the day, let the people say what they want or wish, but let the FACTS show that I was a great father, husband and that I took hold of the God-inspired vision given to me and DROVE it to completion!

Let the FACTS show that I had a TIGHT family.  Let the FACTS show that I got it done.  Let the FACTS show that I had unquestionable integrity.  Let the FACTS show that I aimed high.

Thank you, Dr. Jerry Falwell, for a life well-lived.

Well, my 10-year old car is starting to make decisions that could alter our relationship.

First, she decided to die in the middle of my 10-year anniversary evening.  As you can see in the comments to this post, my MOTHER actually wrote a comment telling me to dump the car.  The car's brakes went out.  When Jenn went to get the oil changed and tires aligned, they made her sign a waiver because the oil wouldn't register on the stick and the tires were too worn to align.  While at the oil changing joint, someone HIT the car.  Now, the stupid vent fan won't operate again in the low setting (I've had this problem before - $19 fixes it).

Total expenses since September 2006 have been around $1,200 (around $120/month).

I was wondering, if your 66-year-old mother tells you "ON THE INTERNET" "THROUGH YOUR BLOG" to get rid of the car, should you?

UPDATE TO STORY:  You won't believe the rest of this story.  More on this in the next couple of weeks.

The Financial Learning Experience at NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC last night was AWESOME!!!

I am PUMPED UP by the fact that 272 people attended and had the opportunity to learn the actual tools that Jenn and I used to win with our finances!

Here are my thoughts about last night:

• 272 adults attended FOR FREE
• 77 children were cared for FOR FREE
• NewSpring volunteers are awesome!
• Lives were changed last night - no doubt about it
• Everyone who was there CAN achieve freedom from debt and win with their money
• The stage set-up was awesome - stripped down and simple - this is something we can definitely take on the road with us!
• The NewSpring staff works well together to pull off great events
• On-line signups work great
• I made it - even after having triple hernia repair surgery 7 days prior!  When you are on a crusade, you sometimes have to play hurt!
• I love getting to do what I was made to do!
• I-O=EZ - Never forget it!

TONIGHT is the Financial Learning Experience at NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC.

It is FREE!  It has FREE childcare!  It will change your life!

Sign up HERE.  Sign up your parents!  Sign up your spouse!  Sign up your children!  Sign up your neighbor!  Sign up your friends!  This is open to the entire community!  If you are within 3 hours of Anderson, SC, you should register and get into your car and come over for an evening that might just change your financial future FOREVER!

The Financial Learning Experience takes road trips!  Interested in bringing the Financial Learning Experience to your church or business?  Contact Joe HERE!

I am PUMPED about the Financial Learning Experience that is being held at NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC TOMORROW, June 26, 6:30PM - 8:30PM.

It is FREE!  Childcare is provided for FREE!  It is open to ANYONE in the community!!!

If you are within a three-hour radius and want to take your personal finances to the next level, you need to be at NewSpring Church TOMORROW evening!!!  Bring your friends!!!  Bring your spouse!!!  Bring your parents!!!  Bring your children!!!

To register for the FREE class, sign up HERE.

The Financial Learning Experience takes road trips!  Interested in bringing the Financial Learning Experience to your church or business?  Contact Joe HERE!

I can't wait to host the 2nd Financial Learning Experience at NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC this coming TUESDAY, June 26, from 6:30PM - 8:30PM.

It is FREE!  Childcare is provided for FREE!  Your life might just be CHANGED FOREVER!

Come join me on Tuesday!  This is open to the entire community.  You can bring along your friend, neighbor, parents, children, spouse, or in-law!

Just register HERE, and be at NewSpring Church on Tuesday evening at 6:30PM! 

If you are within a 3-hour drive of Anderson, SC, you will not regret driving over for this event! 

I went through a big break-up about five years ago.

It was painful, but man I am SO GLAD that I made that decision.

You see, it was about five years ago that me and DEBT broke up.

We parted ways.

We aren't even friends anymore.

If I met DEBT on the street today, I would have this to say: "Too bad.  So sad.  Go call your Dad." 

OK - pardon me while I jump up and down and have a general fit of craziness!

Here's the deal.  You all know that I am on a crusade to help others with their finances.  You all know that I have met with over 300 people in the last eight months helping them put together a plan to win financially.  You all know that I have been traveling around teaching the "Financial Learning Experience".  You all know that I am on a quest to teach 100,000 people over the next five years.

Well, I am on this crusade because this stuff works!!!

Here is the latest example:

A man came in to my office last October, and we put together a plan for his finances.  When we calculated his DEBT FREEDOM DATE, it showed that he would be debt-free in July 2009.  Guess what?  His world has been rocked.  He is on a mission to achieve freedom from debt, and he is now on pace to become debt-free in January 2009!!!!  That is SIX MONTHS sooner.

Folks, let me put it to you this way, in the EIGHT MONTHS that he has been working towards debt freedom, he has GAINED fourteen  months!!!

That's what happens when you apply the first rule of holes to your debt - "When you are in a hole, STOP DIGGING!!!"

Way to go, man!  You pump me up!

Dave Ramsey is one of my financial heroes!

It was a book that Dave Ramsey wrote that helped position me to truly pursue financial freedom.

The name of the book?  Financial Peace, Revisited

Jenn and I became debt-free in 14 months by learning the most powerful word in the English language - NO!  The experience birthed a passion in me to help others accomplish far more than they ever thought possible with their personal finances!  So much so that I left corporate America and negotiated myself a massive pay cut to do so.  Don't feel sorry for me!!! I LOVE what I do and I no longer have to work for a living!  I am on a CRUSADE!

Part of this CRUSADE must be to meet with Dave Ramsey.  I would love to be able to meet one-on-one with Dave Ramsey to obtain mentoring and to be able to learn from him!

Some questions I will ask Dave when I meet with him are:

• How do you balance family with your work?  The opportunities are endless at this point to do something other than go home to your family - what helps keep your family the highest priority?
• You wrote your first book, type-set it yourself, and had it self-published.  What did you learn from that process?
• You are in a field that can be emotionally draining.  What keeps the passion high for what you do?
• What do you look for when hiring a new employee?  What are the absolute MUST-HAVES?
• Has your mission/vision changed since you started?  How has it changed and what helped you figure this out?

Dave - I want to meet with you!  Tell me when and where.  I'll be there, buy the lunch and ask all the questions!

My blog last week about "Another Costly Life Thing Today" generated a stir.

Apparently, my blog left the impression that Jenn and I were going to announce a new addition to the family.  We only wish it were so.  However, you can pray that we make that announcement in the very near future!

The truth, in fact, is that the "Life" thing is happening today.  It is happening to ME.  In fact, I might even be asleep or under the influence of some powerful drugs while you are reading this!