My Response to Michael

A few days ago I sent out an email titled "How will life be different for you in 2010?"  I have included a copy of that letter below. Just after that you will see a reply I received from Michael and my response to it. I hope you enjoy... Jackie O'Quinn




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Michael,



Here it is 2010. Do you remember the year 2000 and the whole Y2K scare? Wasn't that a joke? Doesn't it seem like just yesterday it was 2000 and now it's 10 years later. Let me ask you John, how different is life for you today than it was ten years ago? In other words if someone would have asked you New Year's 2000 where you would want to be at years later, what would you have said? Are you there now (10 years later)?



If you have accomplished all of your goals such as save for retirement, financial freedom, save for kids college, have your own business, travel more if you have been able to do these things then congratulations on your success with those goals. What are you next goals?



If you have not then the question is simple, what are the steps you are going to take to make 2010 better than the last ten years. What are you doing to do differently this year. Don't just say it, make a plan for it. Figure out what steps you need to take and start focusing on taking those steps. This is a fresh start it's a New Year we get to make this year anything that we want. Let's be sure to live this year by Design and not by Default.



John, let's make it a great year. I wish you the best in 2010! I have just one question for you. What will you do differently this year?



You are in my thoughts,



Jackie O'Quinn
Coastal Travel Director
http://www.flexiblebiz.com/michael
1-888-309-5759



Michael's reply

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YOUR GREAT MY FRIEND - WANT WILL I DO DIFFERENT IN MY LIFE THIS YEAR - WELL I JUST KNOW ONE THING AND THAT IS (THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL OF ALL OF ARE LIFES WHETHER WE BELIEVE OR NOT BUT I WILL CALL YOU THIS YEAR AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

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I felt the need to reply to Michael in part because I agreed with him. God is in control but in part because I have seen so many people forget they have freewill. Hence living by "default" versus living by "design". I am assuming Michael didn't mean he has no control of his life or that he was not responsible for his actions and inactions but his email struck a cord with me. I immediately started typing back. Hopefully it wasn't anything he took personally or wasn't offended.


Hey Michael,

The New Year is under way I hope you are off to as good of a start as we are. You are right my friend God is in control. He is the one the brings every oppurtunity our way however, he never controls our decisions. That is where our freewill comes from.


For example if we make bad decisions that do not allow us to live up to our potential. God is not responsible nor in control of that. We are. God blessed us with amazing oppurtunities to take advantage of and incredible obstacles to learn from. The decisions we make, or don't make rest squarely on us.


That reminds me of a story...

A man was trapped in a flood. He begged God to save him. As he was praying the water started coming into his home. There was a knock at the door and it was his neighbor and his neighbor offered to help him get out with as much stuff as they could carry. But the man said, "Don't worry about me help someone else. God is going to save me".


Before long the water was waist deep in the man's house. He begged God to please save him. About that time their was a knock at the door, when the man opened the door he saw a Sherriff's Deputy in a small boat. The Deputy told the man he was there to take him to safety. The man refused saying, "I can't afford to leave my house. I can't afford to replace my things. Besides I am praying and God WILL save me."

After a while the man's house was almost completely covered with water except for his roof. He had managed to escape to the roof with the few things he could carry. A National Guard Helicopter flew over and a soldier rapelled down to the rooftop and told them man that he was there to save him. The man responded, "No I can't go with you. I can't afford to leave behind these few positions it's all I have. Besides, I prayed to God and I have faith he WILL save me..

Eventually the man's house became covered with water and he drowned. When he went to heaven. He pleaded with God, "God, I served you my whole life, I was faithful, why did you not save me".

God responded, "My child I wanted nothing but a long and prosperous life for you. When I first heard your prayers I immediately tried to save you. I sent your neighbor to save you early on but you refused my help. I sent the sherriff's deputy in a boat but you turn me away again. I even sent the National Guard with a helicopter but your refused me then as well ".

Mike, this is obviously a fiction story but it parallels my own life. When I was a nurse, I realized I could never become debt free and be able to retire working as a nurse. So I asked God to give me a way. A way to be debt free, a way to be my own boss, a way to have more free time to serve him. I exhausted every avenue and ever oppurtunity that presented itself and then I discovered Coastal Travel. My knee jerk reaction was I can't afford but then I said God if you presented this to me then I will find a way if this is what I am supposed to do. It was not easy, it was humbling to say the least, but I found a way. Today, I am almost debt free, I am my own boss, and I have more time to serve my God.

I wonder what God would have said if when I died I went to heaven and told him that I could not accept the answer to my prayer that he guided to me because I did not have the money? Maybe he knew finding the money was the very thing I needed to do to be committed to my own success but who knows that's all just speculation.

So I'll end with this. Attack every obstacle and oppurtunity with enthusiasm and excitement because they are always there by his Design.


Happy 2010,
Jackie O'Quinn
Coastal Travel Director
http://www.FlexibleBiz.com/michael
1-888-309-5759