It seems I’ve heard the saying, “You Reap What You Sow” thousands of times over my lifetime, which I’m very thankful for now. It’s no doubt a great principle in life that keeps on producing results depending on what is done on the front end (good or bad).  I had an experience recently that crystallized the principles into my mind and I’m writing to share about it.  Now, this would be a great story whether or not it involved my son.  I just have a unique perspective since it is about our 11 year old son.  The principles shared will benefit anyone who embraces them. In May of 2015, our son David started up a summer reading program through the library that gave him prizes based on the number of books that he would read. I had the idea about him reading a combination of books that he chose & books that I picked out of my library for him to read.  We agreed to pay him to read the 10 books that I wanted him to read.  We had paid him to read other books of my choosing previously, yet never 10 motivational books in a span of a couple of months.  We did have him give us verbal book reports, yet I didn’t think much about the possible impact this would have on him. At the end of August, he received a popcorn fundraising sheet through his Boy Scout troop that he joined in March 2015. He immediately told me that night that he wanted to be the number one scout in sales within his troop.  He had never voiced a goal to be #1 in popcorn sales the previous five years in Cub Scouts.  I asked him what he thought it would take to be the top seller in the troop.  His answer was $2,500 in sales, since someone did $2,300 the previous year.  Interestingly, the best he had done in any of the past five years was $300 in popcorn sales.  I told him I would help him go after the goal of $2,500 for popcorn sales. I did help him come up with a script and travelled with him door-to-door as his coach because he definitely was getting discouraged at different times. Yet, it was his motivation and hard work that helped him hit the $2,500 goal in the first 3 weeks.  If we were in town and he had completed his homework, he was asking to go popcorn selling almost every day.  At one point before hitting $2,500 in sales, he said, “It’s not I can be the top seller, I will be the top seller!”.  It was exciting to hear him talk like this for the first time in his life!  Since he still had 3-4 weeks before the sales were due, he raised the goal to $3,000, which he quickly hit.  Then, he rose the goal to $3,500 and he hit that as well.  He finally raised the goal to $4,000 with a week to go to the finish line.  He ended up selling $4,296.75 worth of popcorn to 190 customers. This performance caused him to not only be the number one seller for his troop, but he was also the #9 seller out of 44,000 scouts in the Greater St. Louis Area Council for the Boy Scouts of America. As you can imagine we were thrilled to see him excel like this.  I kept wondering what happened to cause such a shift in his attitude.  I finally put the reading of the books several months prior with the cause of his positive attitude and determination to be #1.  He also was very motivated for the prizes he was to receive from the scouts for selling the popcorn. First, I would like to share the books I had him read in no particular order and what I paid him for reading each. Then, I will share the rewards that he earned for doing so well in sales.  Cause and effect or reaping what he sowed!

1. Peaks & Valleys – Spencer Johnson                                          $10.00
2. Jonathan Living Seagull – Richard Bach                                   $10.00
3. Five Wealth Secrets 96% of Us Don’t Know – Craig Hill      $10.00
4. Life Is Tremendous – Charlie Jones                                           $10.00
5. God’s Eye is on the Sparrow – Brenton Dearing (me)         $10.00
6. The Nature of Success – Mac Anderson                                  $ 2.50
7. The Power of Attitude – Mac Anderson                                  $   2.50
8. 212° – The Extra Degree – Sam Parker & Mac Anderson   $   2.50
9. The Prayer of Jabez – Bruce Wilkinson                                 $   2.50
10. If How To’s Were Enough, We Would All Be Skinny, Rich
11. & Happy – Brian Klemmer                                                           $10.00

Total                                                                                                        $70.00 The prizes earned from the Boy Scouts for popcorn sales are as follows:

1. Scout Store Gift Card for achieving over $600 in sales       $ 20.00
2. Camp fees paid for achieving over $2,500 in sales (NYLT) $300.00
3. Scout Store Gift Card for achieving over $4,000 in sales   $200.00
4. Camp fees paid for achieving over $4,000 in sales              $260.00
5. College Scholarship of 6% of total sales of $4,296.75         $257.81
6. 14 tickets to Star Wars for > $4,200 in sales (12/19/15)   $168.00
7. (he was able to take 12 of his scout friends & me)

Total                                                                                             $1,205.81 What are the key principles from the story?

1. Put the correct input into your head for the correct output.
2. Have a vision of what you believe you are to accomplish.
3. Keep focused on your goals and keep raising them when they are accomplished.
4. Put forth the effort and time when most people are not willing to do it.
5. Expect great rewards for your accomplishments.
6. Tell yourself you will hit your goals.

Are there any principles that stick out in the story that were not mentioned? What will you be, do and have as a result of this story? May you be encouraged to sow in anticipation of reaping this year & beyond! To Your Success & Significance, Brenton Dearing

We’ve heard the phrase “sticks and stones may break my bones, yet words will never hurt me” over the course of our lives.  This is completely false though.  The Bible says the exact opposite in Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”  Words are very important. The words we speak over ourselves and others either bring life to the situation or death. For example, if a child is being unruly; listen to the difference the words that a parent may use:  “What is wrong with you?” versus “What are some possible solutions to this situation?”  The first question disempowers the child and the second question at least has the possibility of empowering the child. From the training on blessing people I’ve received from Family Foundations International www.familyfoundations.com I was recently asked to give a blessing to my nieces and nephews.  Thus, I selected the following words to bless Brayden, Rayne & Azariah Dearing recently at their dedication service March 22, 2015.  I included their older siblings, Kailyn, Leora and Paxton Dearing in this blessing as well. This blessing applies to anyone that will embrace it for the 7 Areas of Wealth in their lives.  I have personalized the scriptures in the following areas: Spiritually – You will seek the Lord, your God and you will find Him (Deut. 4:29).  The Word is near you in your mouth and in your heart.  You confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead so you shall be saved (Romans 10:8, 9).  You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might (Deut 6:5).  You shall keep the commandments of the Lord, your God to walk in His ways and to fear Him (Deut. 8:6). Physically – I bless you that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and you will take care of your body (1 Cor. 6:19).  You will be in good health.  God will be your Great Physician and Protector (Exodus 15:26, Psalm 121).  You will walk in wholeness and prosper in health as your soul prospers (3 John 1:2). Relationally – I bless you that you will honor your father and mother as the Lord, your God has commanded you that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you in your life (Deut. 5:6).  May the Lord bless you with deep friendships that draw you closer to God and encourage you in the ways of the Lord (1 Thess. 5:11). Emotionally – I bless you in the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control (Galatians 5:22, 23).  Thus, you will not be anxious about anything, but in everything with prayer and thanksgiving you will present your requests to God and the peace of God which transcends everything will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6, 7). Intellectually – Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, I bless you that your mind would dwell on these things (Philippians 4:8).  I bless you with the Spirit of God in Daniel who applied himself intellectually and was found to be 10 times wiser than his peers (Daniel 1:19, 20).  I bless you that you will study God’s Word to show yourself approved (2 Timothy 2:15).  You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13). Influentially – I bless you such that you serve, mentor, disciple and assist others so they see Christ in you the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).  God’s blessings shall come upon you and overtake you when you obey the Lord, your God.  Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the country.  Blessed shall be the offspring of your body (Deut. 28:2-4).  Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall be when you go out (Deut. 28:6). Financially – You will be savers and investors instead of over-spenders and debtors.  The Lord, your God will supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).  Everything you put your hand to will be blessed.  You shall not lack anything (Deut. 8:9).  The silver and gold that God entrusts to you will multiply and all the amounts in bank accounts that you are stewarding will multiply (Deut. 8:13).  The Lord will make you abound in prosperity (Deut. 28:11).  But you shall remember the Lord, your God for it is He who gives you power to make wealth that He may confirm His covenant (Deut. 8:18). May you be blessed above and beyond all you can ask or think (Ephesians 3:20)!