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Q: The Lord has blessed you with things that people of this
world go to great lengths to achieve (such as success in
business and accumulating financial wealth), but is that what
life should be about?
A:
I thought I was fortunate in life to achieve the "things of
this world" early in my career. The reality was very
different, the reality was that money, success, and power
could never buy me happiness, peace or purpose in spite of how
much money I made.
Q: What was the driving force in your life before you were
saved? And did it satisfy your heart?
A:
Material Success and Achievements were my motivation, yet
achieving these things ultimately lead me to thoughts of
despair and suicide. This is common when you pursue and
achieve the things of this world. You see this with with young
successful people, actors , entertainers and such.
Q: When C28 and NOTW was just an idea, were there spiritual
battles going on to prevent you from stepping out in faith?
A:
Totally, my wife Peggy and I went through a 4 year full bore
attack on our marriage, if it were not for Christ, we would of
divorced. Another thing was going through a period of years
experiencing an overall discouragement, In spite of the
awesome ministry and people coming to Christ, I doubted that
we would ever make ends meet and that God was truly behind me.
To make things worse, I also lost about $4 million in stocks
immediately after I made the decision to start C28.
Q: Can a true Christian also be a shrewd business person in
this world? If so, how?
A:
Totally, I think God calls us to be good stewards of what God
has given you. The bible actually calls us to have the heart
of a dove and be shrewd as a snake.
Q: I know there are Christian business owners out there that
have been definitely called to open a Christian coffee house,
bookstore, clothing company, etc. However, they're struggling
to pay the bills every month and wonder if it's all worth it.
What kind of advice can you give to them?
A:
Go into business only if you are certain that your God given
gifts and talents are truly in business. God is a logical God.
Q: C28 has grown from 1 store in 2001 to a total of
6 stores around Southern
California. What do you attribute that to?
A:
Faith, in what the Lord has called me and equipped me to do.
After 5 years of no yearly salary, $2.4 investment cost, and
no yearly profits, we just had our first profitable year in
2006!!! And we praise God for that, so we can keep growing and
sharing the gospel!!!
Q: Your C28 website states that
5411 people have
accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior through C28. Could
you have ever imagined that God would use a retail store to
touch so many lives?
A:
No way, I remember when it was just 7 people that had accepted
Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior!!!
Q: Anything else you would want to add?
A: After 8 years of walking with the Lord I know Him to
be an extremely merciful God, full of grace. A God that
pleasures when we obey Him. The awareness of the grace I have
today is 100 times greater than when I initially came to
Christ.
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