Facing Giants- Part 3

The Giant of Financial Losses

What are you willing to lose to gain the knowledge of God? The older folks would often say: “we lose some and we win some.” However, I believe a Christian never truly loses, they either win or learn. Both are beneficial to the journey to become more like Christ. Slayer number 3 has something to share with you, here goes:

It is of great necessity that we forgive ourselves for not having the foresight to know what seem so obvious in hindsight. Despite the sadness, frustration and the overwhelming agony our mishaps may have caused, we must get to a point where we understand that this life comes with hard lessons and tests; they have the potential to break you or make you. Ultimately through these experiences God’s purpose will be revealed and fulfilled in us.

Today, I live to practically and personally use Lamentations 3:22 as my testimony; “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassion fails not“. Looking back at my life, some of the worst decisions I’ve ever made could have resulted in me losing my mind or giving up on my faith, ‘but God’. Knowing what I now know, I would not have made some particular financial decisions. In less than twelve (12) months, I lost a few million Jamaican dollars. Now, if you are from a similar background as I am; from a rural community, and one of the first child in your immediate and extended family to go to university, then you will understand that losing even half of a million dollars alone is devastating. This is especially difficult when you are in the first year of marriage and have now adopted the awesome responsibility of providing and taking care of your family.

I cannot count the many marriages that have ended in a divorce because of bad financial decisions but today I thank God that my wife and I didn’t part ways. Take a journey with me as I unveil some of what could have decimated my faith in God and ended my marriage but by His fortified grace my wife and I remained sane and together.

It should be every man’s responsibility to be able to adequately sustain his family and this was no different for me. I wanted to do that and so much more, including being able to affect the lives of those around me by financially contributing where possible. A regular 9-5 job just wasn’t going to make the cut. Not in Jamaica, at least. Everything was all set, or so I thought. I was ready to start my own commodity trading business. During a series of research, I stumbled upon a business opportunity for a sub-venture in the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper that triggered my hopes. My expression at the moment was ‘this is it’. Without a shadow of a doubt, I picked up my phone by faith, yes, I just said by “faith” and called the number that was listed in the advertisement. I was ecstatic that I was going to become a business owner, my dream of being able to properly take care of my family was finally coming through. I believed wholeheartedly that this was my prayers being answered.

The advertiser assured me that this was a great opportunity and I believed him. I ran the idea by some close friends and they too agreed that this was a good business to get into. Meetings were organised with the managing director and operations manager with intention to review and sign the contract. However, I thought I was doing due diligence when I continued to research the company and found that it was a legally registered company and one that is licensed to operate. What was even more delightful was that the managing director made it clear that he cannot sub-contract any part of the business to an unregistered entity and so he was very instrumental in helping us to register our business at the Companies Office of Jamaica.

I couldn’t contain my excitement and as usual, whenever I encounter a good opportunity, I always try to share details with my friends who have similar interests so that they too can benefit. I successfully convinced a colleague of mine to join in this venture. Two operations sites were visited. One, the administrative office which was located in Trade Centre on Red Hills Road in Kingston; and two, the warehouse and distribution centre at Newport East (wharf). No doubt, things were in full operation. What could possibly go wrong? After much consideration and deliberation among ourselves and with legal representatives, we both invested our monies into the establishment and operation of what was now ‘our’ sub-venture.

For a while, we thought everything was going well. There was no cause for alarm. I was confident that things would work out just as I prayed and imagined.

Within the first month of signing the contract and depositing the required amount to purchase goods for distribution across the island, things started to go downhill. The first glitch was that trucks to be assigned to us were not ready on time. Then it was a change in operations manager and that persons needed some time to catch on to things before proper handing over of staff and equipment could take place. By the time the first month was through, all hell broke loose. There was no sign of any handing over forth-coming and so we started to demand a refund. Again, he gave excuses as to why he couldn’t return the money within the time specified on the contract as per breach clause. Things got intense. The police got involved and to date, this man has not been found. Within less than a week of notifying the police, all operations ceased; warehouse emptied, administrative office unoccupied, his employees were now unemployed. It was so surreal. To date, not a dollar has been recovered, neither has there been any leads on his whereabouts.

We have sorrowed bitterly, we have even asked God why. After all, I just wanted to work hard and feed my family. Why couldn’t God stop it? Where was His voice when we sought Him about every decision?

As if that wasn’t enough, about four (4) months later my wife and I decided to purchase another vehicle because our job duties increased significantly. The intention was made known to a few friends and family members who would occasionally scout for and recommend sellers to us. We needed a really affordable car given our financial history. A family member found this young lady who was selling; she buys and sells cars. So again, what could possibly go wrong?

The seller who happened to be a woman had a strong American accent and claimed she worked at the airport. She also indicated that she wasn’t Jamaican. When asked why she was selling the car, she claimed her spouse bought her a new car and so she was selling this old, small, hatchback at a reduced cost because she really has no need for it.

The cost and the model were simply perfect. Based on previous knowledge it is normal for people to actually reduce the cost of items when desiring a quick sale. So my wife and I really believed that this was the case.

Fast-forward to the day of the transaction. This woman showed up without the car title and claimed her spouse accidentally went to work with it. We negotiated and agreed that we could somehow meet up later to collect the title which was supposedly already stamped by the Tax office. Because she isn’t a local, she came alone to conduct the transaction and she said it was her first time selling a car, so we thought it was a ‘genuine mistake’. But somehow after we exchanged the money for the vehicle there was an awkward feeling that remained with me. When I called her, she said she couldn’t speak because she was headed to work – at the airport. Something just still didn’t sit well with my spirit and so my wife and I took the car to the nearest police station.

This was absolutely the longest day of my life. The first police station we went to make the report sent us to another location although they confirmed that the car was not reported stolen. Whew! While we were at the second police station making a report, the owner of the car came to report his car stolen. Can you imagine that? He is a prominent entertainer who was accompanied by an entourage. Bewildered, he admitted that the car was indeed for sale but that this woman, our seller, actually took the car without his permission and the story got even more twisted as he spoke. We tried to negotiate with him to see if he would still be willing to sell us the vehicle. Somehow he thought that we were the perpetrators, or we were involved with the young lady who sold us the vehicle. Upon further investigations we were brought to understand that the owner of the vehicle was in a common law relationship with the young lady who sold us the vehicle. Her behaviour was nothing new, the police are aware that she is a repeated offender in cases of such and they have also had to intervene in other matters regarding dispute over the right to sell. To this date the matter remains unresolved. The woman has disappeared with our money and the police station presumably is still in possession of the car which is considered ‘disputed property’ according to the law.

What can I say? The Holy Ghost has always been right. In every situation He gave me or my wife warnings against the decisions. The dreams, the clues, the unsettled mind, the lack of peace; we took them for granted. Often, we feel that God should somehow always respond to our prayers in a dramatic way but He doesn’t always. He wants us to be in tune with Him so that our steps are ordered. I have stopped asking why God didn’t stop that or stop this and have started asking why am I not listening to His voice?  Through all of this, I have really learnt the importance of the verse; “In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths” and to be honest, I really don’t want to have to keep learning this principle.

In all of this, what caused me to remain sane was my ability to trust the process, not playing the blame game with my wife or over indulgence in conversations about the losses. An important life lesson I gained was not because the intention is pure makes it the will of God. God was showing us signs but we did not fully understand what He was communicating to us. My wife and I started doing other things to make us happy, we started investing in financial institutions instead of random businesses. Many nights we were unable to sleep but we repented having come to the understanding that we were living in disobedience. The peace of God truly surpasses human understanding and it was that peace that helped us survive the storms of the losses; our giants.

My wife and I believe God granted us the maturity not to blame each other but to take the losses with good grace. We have come to the conclusion that this is the will of God concerning us, we are wiser and much better. We have prayed and asked for the peace of God to bring us through and He favoured us. The most hurtful aspect of this process was the fact that my colleague came into the business deal because of my persuasions and she had to bear her loss alone, whilst I had a strong woman by my side helping me to rebuild. I am very sympathetic towards her more than I am for myself. The business deal has cost her a lot financially but she too will come out of this as pure gold. The scripture rightfully declares: “a just man falls seven times but he rises again.” My dear friends, giants have the ability to knock us down but we choose to stay down or to rise to fight again. Once there is life, there is hope. It doesn’t matter what you have lost, this can be your season to rebuild. God is able! – Anonymous.

Prayer: Lord I often times stray from the path that You have chosen for me, I pray that You forgive my constant need to do my own thing and to follow my own path. Today I want to thank You for always being there to redirect me. Your mercies never fail and grace never gives up on me. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, I ask that You humbly order my steps in Your words. May I never use my free will to disappoint You but help me always to please You. You are Lord over my finances. I pray that You’ll forever be my priority, in my budget and a part of my spending. In all my decisions henceforth let me be guided by You. Lord keep me near the cross. Let the Spirit of truth be my tour guide through this troublesome world. I am prone to fail and I need you every hour. I commit my all into Your hands and I leave satisfied knowing confidently that You will do what is best for me. Amen.

Will you break or will you defy the odds and break a record? Choose wisely! There is more in the series so stay tuned. Be reminded that you too are a giant slayer in your own right. Peace be!