Asking God to handle something and then trusting him to do what is best for you could be one of the toughest prayers you can pray.

Taking your hands off the control switch and really being ok regardless of the outcome is very tough to do. Many times we may pray over something and in the back of our minds, we think God doesn’t know what our real plan is. Ha.

Have you ever tried to negotiate with God over something or someone? It goes like this, God, if you will do this or that, I will promise to do such and such. Think back on times in your life when you have negotiated with God, and then ask yourself if you kept those promises. All I can say is that I am personally thankful for God’s grace and you probably are also.

What we want is usually in the here and now and involves, jobs, money, cars, relationships, promotions; when we ask for these things, it is usually “I need it now.” God takes a much longer view of time over 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, etc. God is the only one that knows what a decision today will result in 15 years from now. Trusting God to put you in the right place at his timing and to keep you out of the wrong decisions takes a great deal of faith and trust that he, and he alone, knows best.

As I look at my own life and my family, I can only conclude that God had it planned and that there is nothing I have done that got us where we are today. It was all him and him alone.

When you are facing big decisions in your life, there is this little thing called peace that comes over decisions when you are handling it the right way. There is also this little thing called uncertainty that comes over you when you are making a wrong move. My advice is to pray for the peace over the decision and not to move forward until you have it.

In business, I have gone into more meetings than I can count where I didn’t know the answer or how to address something only to get into the meeting and have a spike in my spirit about how to take the conversation forward. Many times before a meeting, my silent prayer is “help me, Lord Jesus and give me your wisdom.” Also, because I stutter, my prayer is always “let me speak fluently and let your grace go before me.” There have been deals that have been lost or engagements I wanted to get hired on that did not work out, but as I look over the 25 years of selling hotels, I can see God’s hand in my life and in my business with absolute clarity.

My main objective is to finish well in life and leave a good reputation for my children and son-in-laws to follow. I think about family members that have gone before me and the great example many have set for my life, and I want to be able to have my children and grandchildren say with pride that I was their daddy and grandfather. I don’t believe there is a greater calling than to do what is right and to be honest while you are doing it.

So, my advice is to really seek God’s will and move only when you have the peace over your decision. KT

If we took a survey of 10,000 people in the US across all locations and all economic classes and ask them what are the top 3 things you want in life, I believe the word “peace” would be on that list.

If you think you would have peace if you had money, fame and power, all you have to do is read the newspaper about Hollywood stars and pro athletes to know that peace doesn’t come because of money.

I believe peace is a choice. Philippians chapter 4: 4-7 say the following.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

In the King James Version, the last part of that verse reads that he will “keep” your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus. The word “keep” means he will hold fast to your heart and mind and keep your mind in control. See, peace eludes us when we let our minds and thoughts ramble and begin to imagine all manner of things; we worry about our lives, families, health, jobs, money, etc.

For me to get peace in my life, I have to lay the issues at God’s feet and trust him to take care of me. Worry has never changed one thing except the amount of sleep you get. In my opinion, trust, faith, and knowing can only come from me choosing to speak to God and lay out my petitions; I thank him in advance for handling it.

The book of Proverbs says that peace is a gift like gold and silver to be cherished and never taken for granted. So, today as you head into the holiday season, choose peace because joy always comes when peace is present. KT

Two years ago, we were having a high school class reunion at the Marriott in Stone Mountain, Georgia. I graduated in 1976 when you wore red, white and blue and everyone had a flag on the porch. It was the American Bicentennial year.

So, we got to the Marriott and we were going through the conference center space; there were other conferences going on beside our reunion. The first group we came to had a sign out about a class reunion, so Elaine and I went over to the desk to sign up. They couldn’t find our name. Come to find out, it was different high school reunion from 1966. Ha. So walking up to that check in desk, I was thinking man these people really look old. Once I found out we were in the wrong place, I was actually relieved to move on to a group 10 years younger. We continued down the hallway to our reunion, and I looked at all of our people and thought good grief, we look as old as the other reunion.

Keep in mind that I still have not aged much (so I thought) but all of my graduation class members have. They were all gray headed, bald and carrying many more pounds; they were still trying to look younger, and it wasn’t working for them. We were, however, age appropriately dressed with no tight pants or short skirts.

So, I wondered how did all my friends get so old and then I realized I was right there with them.

If you are in your early 30s, the last 10 years went by in a blink of an eye. If you are in your early 40s, the last 15 years went by in a blink of an eye. If you are in your mid to late 50s like me, 20 years went by in a blink of an eye. To me, 1994 seems like yesterday, and I can remember everything about that period in my life. Then, I realized that in the same 20-year blink of an eye from 1994, I will be in my 70s.

The conclusion for me is that life is moving on at a very rapid pace, and no one has enough influence, power or money to stop it. We had better make the most of the time. One day, we will all be on the one-yard line of life wondering how it went by so fast.

My advice is to make a decision on who you want to be, what you want to be, and then start the process of becoming that person. KT