The church will soon meet Jesus in the air. No one knows exactly when He will return, yet we know He'll judge our salvation based on our choosing to acknowledge Him as Savior before men. He’ll determine our worthiness for various heavenly rewards based on our stewardship of the earthly possessions He divided to us.

Millions of unsaved people in your community and throughout the world need to be saved so they won't be judged to eternal hell fire. This should cause godly stewardship to arise from your relationship with Christ to produce abundant giving today to meet ministry needs, a lifestyle that lives off less than is received in income, and consistent saving to take care of your future responsibilities and emergency needs in case Jesus tarries awhile.

You need stock, bond, and guaranteed investments like money market accounts, certificates of deposits, and treasury bills, bonds, and notes in your portfolio to cover short and long-term needs. The stock market has earned more than government and corporate bonds in the vast majority of twenty year periods that have been measured, however stocks are more risky than bonds over shorter periods of time because they usually fluctuate between highs and lows much more. Bonds can fluctuate in price as well, even government bonds, when you try to sell them to someone else prior to their reaching maturity. However, they don’t usually fluctuate as much because they are normally based on a guaranteed yield at maturity that is much lower than the average annual growth that stocks normally produce. The guarantee is made either by the corporation or the government, whichever party is selling the bond.

Money in money market accounts and certificates of deposit normally have lower annual returns that are normally similar or below corporate bond returns. At government insured banks, these instruments are guaranteed by the federal government up to certain limits such as $100,000 per bank holding company. Higher guarantees can be had on these instruments in some instances such as joint and retirement accounts. It is important to peruse the FDIC.gov website so you’ll know what the guarantees are so that you can place money in these accounts in as many bank holding companies as necessary to protect your principle because the portion of your portfolio placed in these savings should be your six month emergency fund and any moneys that you may need to withdraw within five years due to anticipated living expenses, home purchase, replacement car purchase, etc.

Generally speaking, your portfolio should contain more than 50% in diversified stock mutual funds when you’re younger than 50 and contain less than 50% in diversified corporate and/or government guaranteed saving instruments. When you reach 50 years of age you should take an assessment of your risk tolerance and adjust your portfolio weightings so that bonds and government guaranteed savings are used to a greater degree when you find that you will need the money within five years or you simply don’t have many years to recover from a serious cyclical stock market downturn or you just don’t have the stomach to take inevitable stock market downturns in your retirement years.

Through it all, craft your investment plan to invest in seven or eight different vehicles and re-evaluate it annually and don't worry about day-to-day stock market swings and economic cycles since you're generally invested for the long haul based on biblical financial principles. This roadmap will help you be a good steward who prospers immensely.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!

Proverbs 11:14, Ecclesiastes 11:2, Luke 19:13, Acts 6:2-3

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Here are a few points you should consider when choosing investments and diversifying. Don't invest money with any financial counselor, brokerage firm, fund company, or bank until you've researched them and competitors and the investment vehicles they offer. You can quickly check on the individuals and firms by calling the federal and state banking & securities divisions to ensure that they are properly licensed and to make sure they do not have an unreasonable amount of complaints filed against them.

Next, ask for and inspect the investment prospectuses for each investment vehicle to see what their one-year, five-year, and ten-year investment returns and expense ratios have been. This will generally denote that you should be investing in mutual funds until you are very knowledgeable about other types of investments (individual stocks, futures, oil & gas leases, etc.) and have set aside a small portion of money you’re willing to risk to determine if you have the skill to make money in those investments.

Many of the mutual funds you choose to purchase will have an electronic funds transfer provision that will allow you to immediately start investing in them by giving the brokerage house authorization to electronically transfer as little as $50 per month out of your savings or checking account that it will use to purchase shares of the mutual fund you choose to purchase. The electronic funds transfer option allows you to avoid the minimum start-up investment (normally $1,000 or more) that many funds require for people who send checks to the investment firm. If you can't or don't wish to use an electronic funds transfer option, then it's worth your while to save the amount of money needed to meet the required minimum investment for the investment vehicle you want to invest in.

Don’t let market conditions fool you. It is always a good time to invest in mutual funds if you have taken care of the basic elements of your financial plan like adhering to a spending plan that keeps your monthly expenses below 70% of your take home pay, faithfully tithing and offering to you local church, saving six months of your take home pay in a money market account, eliminating all your debts (except your mortgage), being committed to never co-signing for anyone else’s loans/debts, saving for the short-term (a period less than five years until you need the money) and investing for the long-term horizon (five years or more until you will draw from the money but can afford to lose principles and is willing to take the risk).

Market downturns are perfect for doing what you really need to do to make money investing: buy when share prices are low and later sell when share prices are much higher. Yet, when investing for the long-term it is simply good to consistently invest month after month, which is called dollar cost averaging, because market history over the past decade has shown that very few 5 and 10 year periods have experienced share prices being less at the beginning of the period than they were at the end of the period.

Of course, past results are no guarantee of future returns. However, you can be very comfortable that being invested after your financial ducks are in a row will put you in a much better position and cause you to greatly exceed the inflationary factors in our economy that would otherwise diminish your assets over each 5 and 10 year period of time. So, by all means start investing or start working to create the situation in which you can use this great income producing and wealth building tool (investing) to enhance your life and ministry and thus enhance the lives of many others.

Please pray for this ministry and email any questions. May God bless you richly as you follow His plan!!!

Proverbs 6:6-11, Proverbs 30:25, Luke 19:8-10, 1Timothy 6:17-19

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Today, if you are a smart employee, you recognize that you must develop your skills, grow yourself and promote yourself to get your boss, and the marketplace, to appreciate your performance.

Imagine yourself as a product. Like any product, you have attributes of benefit to your consumer (your supervisor, employer, shareholders, etc.). Figure out what it is that distinguishes you from all the other smart, creative, industrious people walking around your office.

What are those attributes? What do you do that adds exceptional, measurable, unique value? What are you most proud of? What can you truly brag about? What do your colleagues (or your competitors) say is your greatest strength? What have you done lately -- this week, today -- that makes you stand out?

Now it's time to market that product. You. And the key to marketing yourself is visibility. Promote yourself. In your company and throughout your industry.

Many people feel uncomfortable with this concept. But don't think of it as boasting or self-service. Your company will applaud your efforts at self-development. As you grow, lead projects, develop a network, and delight your customers, your company receives the credit.

Here are five good ways to build your visibility, to make you stand out within your company and in your industry:

1. Take on an extra project

Sign up for a new assignment inside your organization. Expand your sphere of influence, meet new people, showcase your work to a new set of colleagues. Take on a free-lance project outside your company that puts you in contact with a whole new group of people. Or volunteer for a charitable organization, and make a difference. Chair a committee at your local YMCA or head up your company's United Way campaign. You expand your network and have a whole new circle of folks singing your praises.

2. Teach a class

Try offering your services to the local community college, adult education program, or even within your company. You boost your visibility, position yourself as an expert, and increase the probability that people will come to you for advice in your field. Best of all, you stand out from the crowd.

3. Write a column or opinion piece.

Try penning a piece for publication. You don't have to start with The Wall Street Journal either. Your community weekly, industry trade publication, or even the company newsletter all have white space to fill. Use your clippings to build your credibility, and your visibility. Send one along to a colleague with a note, "Thought you might find this of interest,” etc.

4. Give a speech

For many, nothing is more frightening than standing up in front of a crowd and talking. Yet we do it all the time, at the office, at parties, at the kid's soccer match. Start by speaking to your local Kiwanis or Rotary Club. Sign up for a panel discussion at a conference, or offer to run a workshop or seminar. Use these to build your confidence. From there, it's just a short hop to a major address at your next industry trade convention.

5. Email

It's the communication method of the 21st Century. In the era of the telephone, the glib talker reigned supreme. No more. Today, clear, succinct, readable email sets you apart from your colleagues. As your email opinions and recommendations are circulated throughout your company, with your name attached to them, your visibility grows.

Your career is a portfolio of projects designed to earn the respect and admiration of your colleagues. Along the way, you acquire new skills, gain new expertise, develop new capabilities, and grow your network of friends and admirers.

Make sure the marketplace (your company and your industry) is aware of your product (you). Because you may need, from time to time, to test the market.

At least once a year, ask for feedback on your performance, your skill set, your development. Go on a job interview, even if you're not interested in leaving your present job. Find out what you're worth on the open market.

You may just be pleasantly surprised. And, when you're ready to make your move, you'll be in a better bargaining position.

There are SBA Loans, Micro Loans, Personal, Minority Loans, Investors, Refinancing, and of course your family.

SBA Loans are government loans set aside for first time business owners but, unless your credit is substantially higher than the norm, they will not assist you. This money, in my opinion, is set aside for people just moving into the country. It sets them up for success. If you are in this majority, good for you, if you're not; like I was it was difficult.

I actually had extensive experience in the field but, I don't think that matters a bit.

Microloans are just a little easier to get depending on your credit. You will receive a smaller amount than typical loans. Usually $25K-50K. These are also accessible through the SBA.

Another option is a Personal Loan at your bank. Again, you must have great credit and
when you tell them what the money is actually for, be prepared for a very lengthy speech.

Banks don't like lending money for restaurants. It's highly risky for them and of course most restaurants fail in their first year. However, I do want you to know that restaurants only fail due to lack of knowledge, it's not just about the money.

If you are woman, there are Minority Loans available. You can check them out at www.sba.gov or just put in minority woman business loans in Google and you'll find a plethora of resources.

Investors can also be a good source however, please do your research. It may be easier to get your money from a family member. Use them as an investor.

Regular Investors will normally take more of a cut of the monies than you want to give up. They will want to put their 2 cents in even though they may have had no exposure to restaurant industry. They're not all like this. Hopefully you can find a silent Investor.

A good Google term to search under in Angel Investors.

Refinancing your home. We are all aware of the present state of the housing market but, if you are one of the few that does have some equity in your home, this is a great way to go. I went this way and came out with over $60K. This is a great start.

Let me reiterate. A good start

Depending on the type of business you plan to open, it typically takes up to $150,000 to get you through a year of business. This cost includes: build-outs, inventory, plan reviews, licensing, equipment, small wares, tables, chairs, Serv safe certification, office supplies, credit-card processing equipment, lease money, and so much more.

If you plan on renting a location, you must have the funds for a deposit, first and last month's rent, and about 6 months more of rent money while you wait for your plan review to be accepted by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

In this time, you need to make sure you have the money put aside for you to live. You may want to consider keeping your old job until the restaurant opens. I know it's hard, and the excitement gets the best of you but, trust me you have to be smart about this.

I left my job a bit too early and I learned that this was not the way to go.

Nevertheless, I know that if you have knowledge and the patience to make your dreams of owning a restaurant a reality, it will happen. Don't give up, there's always a way.

It is now commonplace to find items made from cane in a wealthy persons home and also in restaurants, hotels and places of attraction.

Cane is derived from a type of palm plant, the stem of the plant is solid, strong and flexible, this makes it ideal for use in the manufacture of furniture, baskets and other woven products. It is easy to work with, requiring only simple tools and low-cost machines. Eighteen species of the plant can be found in Cameroon, however only three species have the required diameter, fibre wall thickness and density of fibrous tissue that make them most suitable for commercial use.

The increased demand for cane based products is proving to be a boon, many jobless Cameroonians are turning to the trade as a means of earning a living.

In Douala, those who design such products are clustered in different parts of the town, their goods are clearly displayed to attract customers.

24 year old Nwanawasa Paul has been involved in the trade for the past 7 years, he was previously jobless and got involved as a means of trying to earn a living, he soon discovered he had a natural ability with cane. We caught up with him to find out a bit more.

AG: What do you manufacture and what are the materials and processes you use?

NP: I produce chairs (sets), tables, baskets, cupboards and other general items, I use cane/ rattan to construct them. Larger sections of cane are used to create the frame and for strength while smaller pieces are interwoven to provide definition and beauty.

I use steam to bend the cane rather than a blowgun as it reduces discoloration and tarnishing through scorch marks. I then bleach the finished products to obtain uniformity of colour, this is especially important when cane from different species are used to make a product. I sometimes dip the cane in kerosene; this provides protection against insect attack. When I use varnish I apply it in two coats, I usually sand lightly before adding the second coat, this ensures an even and long-lasting finish.

AG: What is the profile of your customers?

NP: It varies, I have customers from all walks of life, both private and trade e.g. wholesalers and exporters, although exporters are the most difficult to come by.

AG: Why are exporters difficult to reach?

NP: The truth is I am not very well connected so I find it difficult to reach them.

AG: What other difficulties do you face?

NP: Rain, during the rainy season my activities are greatly interrupted. I can come up against material scarcity due to the fact that suppliers are also hindered by the rains.

AG: Do you work in collaboration with others?

NP: Yes, I need the expertise of a tailor who sews cushions, I also engage with carpenters who supply me with wooden components that I incorporate into some of my designs.

AG: Is business very good?

NP: The products I produce sell at between 2.5 - 500 pounds. I only know if I have made a profit at the end of the year when I prepare my yearly accounts.

AG: What is your goal?

NP: There are many. I dream of having a big factory that supplies wholesalers and exporters. In order to expand my business, I plan to seek the financial assistance of government and other organisations that promote small and medium size enterprises.

AG: Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.

In Cameroon, cane is considered an "open-access" resource that can be collected from forests, there are very few laws regulating its harvest and state control often does not adequately monitor its exploitation. Increasing urban growth has led to developments that are encroaching on forests and high demand for cane products has led to the threat of over-harvesting of the resource; this can lead to poor quality cane stems being used and thus inconsistent quality of products.

Cane is important at many levels in local communities, its exploitation through the cutting and trading of raw cane for transformation into goods, can occupy up to about 35 per cent of a households time. As it can be harvested all year round, it provides valuable cash income for much needed school fees and medical expenses

Cane is one of the most important non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in Cameroon. The gathering, selling and processing of it has many advantages and can help forest dependent people lift themselves from the margines of poverty.

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A home, that is! Before you take the plunge, there are many things to consider. This is just a brief glance. The first being how much house can you afford? There are many payment calculators online that allow you to input the taxes, interest rate, length of loan and more and you'll have the number instantly at your finger tips. Keep in mind that the amount the bank approves you for is often greater than in reality what you can afford monthly. You also will want to take into consideration repairs, associations, fees, maintenance and remodeling costs. These can add up to $500 - $100 or greater depending upon your area and age of the home.

You also have to consider the property taxes for the region and any waste removal/recycling fees. Often times, your home can be paid off and you will still be left with a sizable payment due to rising taxes. If you are retired or on a fixed income, be sure to steer clear of high tax states so you will be able to stay in your home.

It is a myth that you need a lot down, that's the good news. The bad news is the less you put down, even 0 down, the greater your payment. And, put less than 20% down and you are on the hook for private mortgage insurance, which does nothing, more than insure the bank's interests in your property. This can add money onto your payment. You can look into splitting up the loans and avoid this unpleasant experience. If you want to have lower payments, you may want to stretch the loan out longer, to say a 30 year mortgage. If you have erratic income you may not want to escrow the taxes and insurance. Meaning, you would want to pay them directly yourself, not have them be part of your payment.

If you don't mind doing some maintenance yourself, a home could be a good solution for you. It will create a lifestyle, somewhere you will raise your family and build memories. Even if you cannot do maintenance, hopefully some family or friends will help you out if you give them a hand. If not, you could join your local Habitat for Humanity or a class at Home Depot. If you do not have time for this, consider hiring a local handyman to help out. Be sure to check references first.

If you aren't a person that needs a yard, much freedom or relishes yard work, try a condominium or “condo” on for size. Don't forget to allow $150 - $300 or more in monthly maintenance costs. And, these might rise over time. But most people who don't want to worry about home ownership like this option, and they can still build equity. Many condos come with amenities and a built-in sense of community. You need to weigh the options. If you have a young family or small family, this may be acceptable to you depending upon the amount of space you need and square footage.

If you have a larger family, most condos are not built large enough to accommodate and then there's the noise and outside factor to take into account. Unless of course they have a play area, that's always a bonus!

Or, should you just keep renting? Contrary to popular belief, it does not always make sense to buy instead of renting. For example, if you buy a home in a depressed or decreasing market value area, you may end up actually losing money and not building the home value for the future you had hoped. And, you can also fall into the trap of tapping into home equity loans too often and end up owing more on your home than it's worth that way.

With renting, you do not have the worries if something breaks down. If you're not handy, no problem, someone else will come and fix it! You also have added security with some type of lease that includes a time clause in it. Take good care of the property, and you'll receive your security deposit refund in time to apply it to your next place.

Realize renting does not always mean you are confined to an apartment. In many areas there are homes, condos, flats and side-by-side units to rent. Just be sure the costs aren't excessive or what you would pay for a home.

There is no one size fits all solution to this dilemma. And, it may change during different stages of your life. You can always move up or out of homes as well, so keep this in mind. Make a list of the pros and cons for the situation you are in now and allow for some changes down the road ahead. You may be surprised at what you come up with when you see it right in front of you. Good luck!