S.M.A.R.T. Goals

In a college Leadership Class I recently took, I was given an assignment to write out a Personal Leadership Plan. 

There are 6 parts to this Personal Leadership Plan. This is the final part that I will post here on my blog.

1. Knowing Myself
2. Knowing my Past
3. Vision & Mission
4. SMART Goals
5. Mentors
6. Skills (Competencies) I Need

This assignment was: S.M.A.R.T. Goals:

• Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, & Time Specific
• Goals pertaining to each role in life

Business, Ministry, & Spiritual Goals:

2-5 Year Range

I would like to accomplish graduating with my bachelor’s degree in this time range, and then focusing on getting my master’s degree in Taxation or Accounting. After this is done I would like to start studying for my CPA (Certified Public Accountant) & EA (Enrolled Agent) exams. I would like to then sit for these exams and pass. I would like to have my first book written and published by the end of 5 years. I will organize a seminar for sharing God’s Principles on Finance & Stewardship. I will measure progress in a week-by-week format. I will categorize these goals with 10 being the most important and 1 being the least important, and then focus on the goals that are rated as 10 and knock them out of the way till I come to the least important rated as 1 (or my lowest rated goal – whatever the number is). At the middle of 5 years, I will make sure that I am 45% or higher finished with my goals. I will use the CollegePlus program or Verity Institute and their resources as a catalyst to propel me on towards my bachelor degree in accounting. Then I will probably use Liberty University to earn my Master’s Degree in Taxation or Accounting. I will use my bible, the notes in my bible, and other Christian Books to propel me towards a study on Stewardship & Finances. The goals in the area of studying will advance me because 1) I will need these classes to help me on my way towards a bachelor’s degree, 2) I will need a bachelor’s degree & possibly a master’s degree to be able to become a CPA & EA, 3) I want to become a CPA & EA in order to be able to further my work in the tax & accounting sector of business, 4) I want to further my work in the tax & accounting sector of business so that I have more knowledge, experience & stories from clients to be able to share with those that I believe I have been called to work with (which is mentioned in my vision & mission statements). Writing my first book will be a precursor to other books that I plan to write in my lifetime. The first book will give me the experience to be able to share my thoughts on paper in an articulate and persuasive way.

5-15 Year Range

I would like to accomplish passing many more exams during this time period to further distinguish myself from other practicing accountants that will help others to recognize my practice. Some of these exams are as follows: CMA Exam (Certified Management Accountant), CFM Exam (Certified Financial Manager), CFP Exam (Certified Financial Planner), CGA Exam (Certified General Accountant), ABA Exam (Accredited Business Accountant), ARA Exam (Accredited Retirement Advisor), ATA Exam (Accredited Tax Advisor), CSA Exam (Certified Senior Advisor), CTC Exam (Certified Tax Coach). These are all secular designations & Credentials. Then I would like to focus on becoming a Dave Ramsey Counselor, then become a Crown Money Map Coach, then become an advisor with Ronald Blue Company. I will continue working as an accountant during this time period. I will also hopefully be starting a mentorship with Chuck Bentley @ Crown Financial, and then with Steve Dulin @ MasterPlan Business Ministries. Again, I will use my model to measure progress in a week-by-week format. I will categorize these goals with 10 being the most important and 1 being the least important, and then focus on the goals that are rated as 10 and knock them out of the way till I come to the least important rated as 1 (or my lowest rated goal – whatever the number is). At the middle of 5-15 years, I will make sure that I am 45% or higher finished with my goals. I will need 1-2 full days a week for devoted time for studying for these tests. I will need a strict schedule and a quiet place to be able to study for these tests. I will need to study the Bible to become a Counselor, Coach, & Advisor with the different listed ministries. I will need to be able to travel around to be able to be a mentor of Chuck Bentley & Steve Dulin. Through all of this I will need a steady income to support myself in these goals which is where my job as an accountant plays into the scene. Why is this relevant to my overall vision? I would say that these goals are a crucial turning point in my ministry and vision for the future. This is where I can mold my life into the model God has for me and my ministry.

15 – 20 years

I would then like to focus on growing a tax & accounting firm to increase revenues & profits. I would then like to focus on building a model for future seminars & books that I will write. I will use the same model to measure my progress as I have in all of my other goals. I will use the abilities & gifts that God has blessed me with to be able to grow the accounting business. I will use the Bible as my starting map for the seminars & books. This is relevant because I will need the knowledge of tax & accounting as a model for the future in seminars & book writing. I will also need the income from these sources to maintain the ability to put on seminars & spend time writing books.

20 Years – till dead

At this point in my life, I would like to have a large & successful Tax & Accounting Business. I would like to write books on each of the subjects that I mentioned my Vision & Mission Paper. I would like to develop a course to lead people through each of these subjects in a biblical way. I would like to be able to successfully lead people to financial freedom and living for the kingdom of God through the way they handle their finances & are a steward with what God has entrusted to them. I will use the same model to measure my progress in this area as I have in other goals. I will use the abilities & gifts that God has blessed me with to be able to run & manage the large tax & accounting business. I will use the Bible as the Foundation to all Principles shared with others in the Biblical Worldview of Finance & Stewardship. This will accomplish my vision and mission for life here on earth.

Goals on Marriage

I would like to marry someone who is completely sold out for Christ. Someone who desires Christ above all else and will live sacrificially for the kingdom of God. Someone who is not afraid to share her faith with others but has a boldness & courage to witness to others that only God can give. Someone who is committed to living a Biblical Worldview in all areas of Life even when it becomes hard to do so and will withstand criticism to the Glory of God. I will measure success by her passion to live completely for Christ even in opposition. I will need to be seeking a strong relationship with Christ and be someone completely sold out for Christ and has a Biblical Worldview in all areas of life as well. Why is this relevant to my vision - Because a strong wife in the Lord will benefit me and will be a help to my ministry. I want to wait on the Lord’s leading on this important step in life and let him lead and direct me down this pathway of life.

Mentors from my Past

In a college Leadership Class I recently took, I was given an assignment to write out a Personal Leadership Plan. 

There are 6 parts to this Personal Leadership Plan. 

1. Knowing Myself
2. Knowing my Past
3. Vision & Mission
4. SMART Goals
5. Mentors from my Past
6. Skills (Competencies) I Need

This assignment was: Mentors from my Past:

• People who have mentored me intensely, occasionally, or passively
• Lessons I have learned from them
• These Mentors can be authors, people who I have had personal contact with, family members, etc.

• Byron Miller has mentored me extensively for the past two-three years of my life. Byron is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist, and works for the Local County with teenagers from Foster Homers doing counseling work. I have learned much from him in the area of listening, counseling, & finally coaching. I have spent many hours with Byron sharing with him struggles, challenges, obstacles, strengths, weaknesses, gifts, talents, abilities, progress in school, etc. He will always sit there and listen attentively, then ask me questions like, “How did this “struggle, challenge, etc.” affect your overall goal? What do you plan to do differently? How do you plan to do differently? What did you do that worked great in the past in this area? How can you use that strength to overcome this weakness? How do you think that this failure could be used as a catalyst to push you on to achieve God’s Plan for your life? And many, many, many more questions such as these. Then he will spend some time coaching me from his life experiences. He will use stories from the teens that he has worked with in other counseling situations. He will tell me of his time as a teenager growing up and how he might have had the same obstacles, and how he overcame those obstacles. These are all competencies that I know I will need to have to be able to accomplish the vision and mission that God has given to me while I am here on earth. I will actively pursue these competencies, and learn from Byron how I might be able to put these competencies into practice as well.
• Chris Bauman has spent a lot of time with me in the past year especially in my spiritual walk with Christ. Chris is a farmer who farms Almonds & Walnuts for a living. Chris has showed me by his example what it means to have a passion for living for Christ especially in the area of Missions & Outreach. Chris has worked with me in helping me to overcome my fear of man & to be Bold for Christ. We have spent many hours discussing the Biblical command to, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son & Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” and how that applies to us here in America where we live. Chris has mentored me in the area of Boldness both by talking with me, and by witnessing together to the lost. I have greatly appreciated the passion that Chris has poured into my life in the area of Boldness & having a pure and clean relationship with Jesus Christ. I will continue to pursue these competencies, and learn from Chris how I can continue to put these competencies into practice.
• Mark Grover has been in my Bible Study group for the past year. Mark is the owner of a large landscape maintenance company. He is also the head elder of our church. Mark has shown me by his example the power of Humility, and how it is put into practice. He has demonstrated the power of Humility in the life of a Leader. This has shown me how important it is that as leaders we must have the quality of Humility in our lives.
• Jim Sammons created a Seminar on Financial Freedom that has forever changed my life. Jim transparently shares the insights he learned through his tragedies and triumphs. Today, as a result of applying these lessons to his own life, Jim is one of the most successful and trusted real estate developers in the Dallas—Fort Worth area. A lot of the material that I have gathered and applied to my life and in the course of action that I plan to use to share with others a Biblical Worldview in the area of Stewardship & Finances has come from Jim Sammons. He has mentored me through his videos and through his life testimony.
• For over a decade, Chuck Bentley has traveled the world teaching biblical financial principles to the affluent, middle class, poor and ultra poor. As host of the daily national radio broadcast of My MoneyLife, Chuck connects with all generations and inspires his audience with a strong scriptural emphasis. I have learned much from Chuck as it pertains to managing our finances God’s Way. Chuck has mentored me through his podcasts, and through his books, and videos on pursuing a Christ-like Vision in our life in the area of Finances & Stewardship.
• In 1996, Steve Dulin founded MasterPlan Business Ministries, a Christian organization dedicated to assisting Christian businessmen in fulfilling their God-given purpose in every area of life. Through events like The MasterPlan Business Seminar, discipleship groups and training programs, MasterPlan is equipping Christians to follow God’s way, strengthen their families and relationships, and build successful, principled businesses that testify to the world that God’s Ways Work. I have benefited much from Steve in learning how that God’s Ways work when we surrender our lives, our businesses, our families, everything we have and are to God. He will bless us in many ways when we do surrender everything we have to God, and allow him to run our lives, our businesses, our families, etc. He can run them much better than we ever dreamed of doing. Steve has mentored me through his videos and taught me the principle of living for God and surrendering everything we are and have to God’s Control.

Competencies I Need

In a college Leadership Class I recently took, I was given an assignment to write out a Personal Leadership Plan. 

There are 6 parts to this Personal Leadership Plan. I'm not sure yet if I will post all of them here or not.

1. Knowing Myself
2. Knowing my Past
3. Vision & Mission
4. SMART Goals
5. Mentors
6. Skills (Competencies) I Need

This assignment was: Skills (Competencies) I Need:

• The top 20 competencies I will need to lead effectively
• A Plan for how to get the counsel I need.

Webster’s defines coaching as, “to instruct, direct, or prompt as a coach.” I believe that I will strongly needed this competency as I plan to coach those that I am called to share with as a part of my vision & mission in life. I will ask one of my mentors a couple of questions on Coaching that I believe will get me on the right track to accomplishing the competency of Coaching. These questions will be ones like, “What are the characteristics of coaching that have been the most helpful to you as an individual? What are some of the books & audio materials that have helped you develop the skill of coaching? What is your history as a coach and how would you best instruct me in the skill of coaching?”

Webster’s defines listening as, “to hear something with thoughtful attention, to give consideration.” One of my mentors has shown me this competency by his life example. I plan to ask this mentor a few questions on listening to develop this as a competency in my own life. A few of the questions that I will ask are ones such as, “What are the techniques of listening that have proved most helpful to you? What are three things that are essential to become a good listener? What are some areas that are detrimental to becoming a good listener?”

Webster’s defines counseling as, “professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes.” I plan to ask  one of my mentors questions like, “How did you become a counselor? What led you to become a counselor? What do you think is the most critical to become a good counselor?”

Webster’s defines managing as, “to handle or direct with a degree of skill.” I will ask Don Beachler questions like, “Share with me your experience as a manager in your business? What would you do differently now in hindsight? What was the best decision you made as a manager?”

Webster’s defines writing as, “the act or process of one who writes.” I will ask  one of my mentors questions like, “What are the techniques of writing that are the most critical to be a good writer? What are the best resources on writing that you know of? How strongly do you feel that good writing is critical to success as an individual? Why do you feel this way?”

Stewarding is being a manager of the assets that God has entrusted to us. I will ask  one of my mentors questions like, “Share with me the experiences you have had as a steward that you wish you could go back and redo? What are some of the experiences that you have had as a steward that were strong points? Why were they strong points? How strongly do you feel that stewardship is critical to success as an individual? Why do you feel this way?”

Gratitude is the state of being grateful. I will ask  one of my mentors questions like, “What are the key points of Gratitude that you believe would best influence and shape me into being a Grateful Person? Do you have an example of when you were not grateful you could share with me? How did this affect your life? Do you have 2-3 examples of when you were grateful that you care to share with me? In what way did this influence your life?”

Wisdom is best found in the life of Solomon. Solomon was an extremely wise individual. An individual that I think has a lot of the same characteristics is another one of my mentors. I plan to ask this mentor questions like, “What is critical about wisdom to the success of an individual? What are three books that you find to be the most helpful on Wisdom? Share with me some ways to become a wiser person from your own life example?”

Operating is the process of being a good operator. I plan to ask  one of my mentors a few questions about being a good Operator. A few of the questions that I plan to ask are, “What are three of the most helpful techniques I should spend time on to become the best Operator at any given operation? What is the most important aspect of being a good operator that you know of to be a successful person in life? Tell me about your history of being an operator and how you became a Good Operator?”

Implementing is the process of putting different ideas into practice. I plan to ask  one of my mentors questions on implementing like, “How is implementation critical to being a good leader in life? What do you find to be the best way to be able to implement some new procedure or process? Do you know of any good resource that would be beneficial to me on implementation?”

Webster’s defines guiding as, “one that leads or directs another's way.” I will ask  one of my mentors some questions on Guiding like, “Share with me some strong points in Guiding / Shepherding that is critical to good Leadership? Do you have any examples you can share with me? What are the most detrimental things to Guiding / Shepherding that I should avoid? Do you have any life examples? What has been the best resource that you have found applicable to your life on Guiding / Shepherding?”

Webster’s defines structuring as, “the aggregate of elements of an entity in their relationships to each other.” I will ask  one of my mentors questions like, “What are the techniques of structuring that are the most critical to be a good leader? What are some of the best resources that you have found on Structuring that would be helpful to me? What do you find to be the best way to be able to structure a new project or restructure an old one?”

A tendency of Anger is having a bad temper. As leaders we must control our temper. I will ask  one of my mentors questions like, “How is having control of your temper a key aspect of Leadership? Do you have an example of when you lost your temper that you care share with me? How did this affect your life? Do you have 2-3 examples of when you were able to control your temper that you care to share with me? In what way did this influence your life?”

Being able to socialize with other individuals in a positive manner is a key part of being a good leader. I will ask  one of my mentors questions like, “What is critical about Socialability to the success of an individual? What are the areas of being Sociable that I need to be careful & Cautious of? How did you become a socialable person that others enjoy to be around?”

On the flip side, we must be people of strong personal character as leaders. We need to be people who are able to develop key areas of personability to be able to connect one-to-one with others. I will ask  one of my mentors questions like, “How is being personable to others key to becoming a good Leader? In what ways have you demonstrated the competency of being personable to others? In what way did this affect you? In what ways have you not demonstrated the competency of being able to be personable to others? How did this affect you?”

Availability is the quality or state of being available. Availability is a key part of leadership. I will ask  one of my mentors questions like, “What pointers can you give me as to why Availability is key to becoming a Good Leader? Why is this essential? When is too much availability detrimental to becoming a Good Leader? Do you have any examples in your life that you care to share with me on the quality of Availability?”

I believe that Boldness & Courage are also key parts of leadership. I will ask  one of my mentors questions like, “Why is Boldness key to becoming a strong Leader? Is there a time when you can possibly be too bold? Is this detrimental to your success as a Leader? Do you have any resources that have been key in your life that have helped you to become bolder?”

Contentment is a quality that all individuals should have but especially me as a leader. I will ask  one of my mentors questions like, “How is contentment critical to being a strong leader in life? Do you have any tips on how to become more content in life? Are there any examples from your life where you care to share how that contentment affected you?”

Creativity is the process of creating new things. I will ask  one of my mentors questions on creativity like, “What are ways that you would recommend that I could become more creative in my approach to different obstacles? What resources have you found to be helpful that you would recommend to me as I pursue creativity as an aspect of my life? Share with me some experiences that you have had at being creative? How did this affect your life?”

Humility is recognizing that it is actually God and others that are responsible for the achievements in my life. I will ask  one of my mentors questions on Humility like this, “In what way is Humility a key aspect of Leadership? What have you found to be the best resource on Humility? Do you have an example of when you were not humble that you care share with me? How did this affect your life? Do you have 2-3 examples of when you were humble that you care to share with me? In what way did this influence your life??

Purity is a key quality before God and other men. I plan to ask  one of my mentors questions like, “Why is Purity key to becoming a strong Leader? What resources have you found to be helpful that you would recommend to me as I desire Purity to be a central aspect of my life? What would you say is the most critical point in continuing in purity? How does this affect me as a Leader?”

My Vision and Mission for my Life

In a college Leadership Class I recently took, I was given an assignment to write out a Personal Leadership Plan. 

There are 6 parts to this Personal Leadership Plan. I'm not sure yet if I will post all of them here or not.

1. Knowing Myself
2. Knowing my Past
3. Vision & Mission
4. SMART Goals
5. Mentors
6. Skills I Need

This assignment was: Vision and Mission:

• The How & Why of God's Calling as I now understand

My Vision Statement:

My vision is to equip believers throughout the world to walk a more Christ-centered life in the specific area of Biblical principles of finance and stewardship. My role in this vision is to serve and influence those that are struggling in business, to encourage the poor, and provide counsel to those who have legitimate needs. My ultimate desire is that each Christian would be equipped to live their lives in the way of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ in all areas of life, and specifically in the area of stewardship & finances. 

I desire to see both believers & non-believers living out a Biblical Worldview in all areas of life, but especially in the specific area of Finance & Stewardship. I have had this passion and desire for probably the last 3-4 years. I have spent much time in prayer and scripture reading about this vision and passion that I believe the Lord has placed in my life. Here are some specific areas that I believe God has called me to spend time sharing with others to build a Biblical Worldview in the Area of Finance & Stewardship. I have included some scripture on some of these points that will lead/have led me & guided me in these areas.

1. Know what it means to be financially free.
• Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, … And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. (Deuteronomy 8:11, 17-18)
2. Know what God’s Purposes for Money are
• For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…” (2 Chronicles 16:9)
3. Choose to serve God rather than Money
• No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. [Money] (Matthew 6:24)
4. The importance of Tithing & Christian Giving
• Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (Malachi 3:8-10)
5. The danger of Debt & the clear scriptural principles against Debt in the life of a Believer
• Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:8)
6. Self-Control from dangerous spending habits
• I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (Philippians 4:12)
7. Learn Accounting Principles that benefit the life of a Believer
• Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:2)
8. Never Co-sign for someone else
• Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. (Proverbs 22:6)
9. Choose a Good Name (whatever the cost)
• A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. (Proverbs 22:1)
10. Principles of Praying for Money
• And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (1 John 5:14-15)
11. The dangers of Business Partnerships
12. Biblical Principles of Retirement
13. The place of College in the life of a believer
• Look at John 21 & Deuteronomy 6
14. Avoid Divorce by living in Financial Freedom
• God made the man and the woman specifically to complement each other in marriage. Concerning divorce, Jesus said unequivocally, "From the beginning it was not so" (Matthew 19:8). God did not say to Adam, "Now I made this woman to be your wife, but if your marriage doesn't work out, you may divorce her, and we'll try another rib!"
• The Scriptural account of God making a suitable companion for Adam concludes with the statement, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). This speaks clearly of lifelong fidelity.
15. Avoid the trap of slothfulness
• For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10)
16. Give your Business to God
17. Set Priorities
18. Balance Life & Work
19. Strengthen Your Relationship with God
20. Build a Lasting Heritage
• But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:20-21)

My Mission Statement:

My mission in life is to help believers become educated in Biblical principles of finance & stewardship so that they will use their money & resources in a way that would please our Master. I will do this by writing books, counseling others one-to-one, speaking in front of live audiences, and by using technology to be able to reach as many believers around the globe as possible. I will live my life in a way that will back up, and not contradict, my written and spoken word. I will seek the counsel and guidance of older godly men who have lived a life of Christian service and have greatly sacrificed of their resources for the Kingdom of God.

My Mission is played out in the specific area of sharing the specific 20+ Principles I laid out above.

Why has God called me to this ministry? Because I believe that many Christians and non-Christians alike are bringing God’s judgment upon their lives and upon our nation through not living out a Biblical Worldview in Finances & Stewardship. Hardly anyone is stepping up and clearly warning others of God’s Judgment coming upon our nation & specifically upon our individual lives by not living by his principles in this area. God has given me a passion and a desire to see true genuine Christianity played out in the lives of believers through how we handle our finances.

Check out my blog about my College Life here - http://calebjenkins-collegeplus.blogspot.com/

About Me (Caleb Jenkins)

In a college Leadership Class I recently took, I was given an assignment to write out a Personal Leadership Plan. 

There are 6 parts to this Personal Leadership Plan. I'm not sure yet if I will post all of them here or not.

1. Knowing Myself
2. Knowing my Past
3. Vision & Mission
4. SMART Goals
5. Mentors
6. Skills I Need

This assignment was: Knowing My Past:

• Life experiences that have shaped me and continue to shape me.
• Understanding of the shaping influence of my life experiences.
• Relation of these life experiences to my current direction in life.

Knowing my Past:

I was born on June 12, 1994 at the home of my parents in Ceres, CA. I was 8lbs, 12oz when I was born. I started crawling at 18 months, and started walking at 2 years of age. I was starting to know how to read right before my 4^th birthday. I started preschool that year which was 1998-1999. Right off the bat my favorite subjects were math, logic, bible, & spelling. As much as I liked Math, I hated Science with the same passion (to this day, I still really don’t like Science). I had a deep love for reading books from a very early age. I started drinking coffee about the same time (5-6 age range). To this day you can still usually see me by my coffee mug. I have read hundreds if not thousands of books and many of those books, I have read over and over and over again. For example, I have read all of the Christian Heroes: Then & Now Series at least 3-5 times each as well as the Heroes of History Series at least 2-3 times each. I also developed an early attraction to technology and computers. I was fascinated by computers, which led me to learn more about their operations (I never really have been interested in the service & repair side of things though). By age 7 or 8, I was teaching my parents and older siblings how do to misc. things on the computer. I loved to sharpen my skills at typing on Mavis Beacon (I spent countless amount of hours practicing, and practicing and practicing, over and over and over again). In 2004, our family moved from on the edge of the city where my parents rented a house to a 10 acre almond farm in the country 3 miles outside of town. That was the year that I turned 10, as well as the year that my Grandpa Jenkins & Great Grandma Wagoner died (they lived in Indiana). I remember that being a sobering event in my life. In the years of 2005-2006, I spent a lot of time outside in our orchards, but I forever loved to spend whatever spare time I had still reading books & messing around on the computer. In May of 2008, I graduated from 8^th Grade. My speech was on Boldness & Courage (two things that were in the life of Caleb in the Bible that I want to be modeled in my life). Then in June of 2008, my life took a huge turn. One evening a few nights after my birthday, I could not sleep. My stomach hurt terrible bad. I tried to relieve the pain but nothing worked. When I would stand up to walk I would about collapse from the pain. I walked with my waste up parallel to the floor because of the horrible amounts of pain. Finally a few days later my parents took me to the hospital. In the emergency room they did a CT scan on me (before they did this, they made me drink some nasty flavored juice that was supposed to taste like Orange Juice, but to me it was a terrible substitute for the real thing). The emergency room doctor came and told us that the CT Scan came back with nothing. He said that it could either be that I had a bad case of the flu, or else I could be developing children’s kidney stone problems. My father did not like the answer, which the doctors sensed, so they called the general surgeon and he came and looked at me. He wanted to admit me to the hospital. After admitting me to the hospital he came and did a few tests on me, and told my parents that he thought I had appendicitis and wanted to do surgery on me. So the next day they did surgery on me, and to their surprise realized that my appendix had actually ruptured, Now this wasn’t just any ordinary rupture either. It had actually ruptured back in May of 2008, and had healed over and then re-burst in June. There was infection spread throughout my stomach area from the rupture. I spent about 14 or 15 days in the hospital because of this problem. I believe that the reason I spent this time there was a wake up call from the Lord about my personal salvation to which I did not respond to at that time being. Then in September of 2008, I prayed a prayer and “gave my life to the Lord”. I was baptized on October 5, 2008. I went down the path thinking that I was saved and tried on my own strength to be a true Christian. That fall I started working for my father doing tax & accounting work which I loved doing (It allowed me to focus on my strengths in Math & Logic while allowing me to work with $$ doing Financial Accounting & Bookkeeping which was my absolute joy – and still is). That next tax season (January-April 2009) I worked 4 days a week at the front desk as a receptionist. Then I started a small roadside fruit business for three weeks. This was a really good experience that allowed me to make some money and have some experience with entrepreneurship. I continued working for Daddy full-time from this point on doing mainly Accounting work, but also Personal & Corporate Tax Work on the side. Then in November of 2009, tragedy struck home. I had a four-wheeler wreck. I was riding my four-wheeler beside my brother on his four-wheeler in our orchard when I guess I bumped into his back tire (I don’t remember doing this). That threw me off my four-wheeler and into one of our almond trees. Miraculously, I was wearing a helmet at the time being (normally I don’t wear a helmet when just riding in our orchard). I was knocked out, and so my father who was riding with us, came up and instantly decided that I needed help. He called 911 and they sent out an ambulance and fire truck. The EMT’s decided that it might be too dangerous to transport me to the hospital in the ambulance so they called for a helicopter. After they medi-flighted me into the hospital I was in ICU for 3 days, then in the pediatric ward for another 7 days. I had broken my scapula in two spots, a bad break to my collar bone, and nine of the spinas on my vertebrae. When I was released from the hospital I had to wear a sling around for 6 weeks. That was fun to work at the office in (not)!! So after healing from that accident, I went through the tax season in 2010 and worked long hours (pushing 70 hours per week). During the summer I examined my future, and decided that it would be best to go down the route of becoming a CPA which would require a Bachelor’s degree to do. At the height of tax season in 2011, I worked 70-80 hour weeks. I loved every bit of this tax season with its challenges to further exceed and excel. Then in August of 2011 I went on a Journey to the Heart up in the Northwoods of Michigan. This was a life transforming event. I believe I really came to know Christ as my personal Lord & Savior on this trip. I was able to find freedom from sins that I was hiding in my life through confessing them & being open about them to my parents, and then through brokenness towards God because of the hurt that it had caused him. When I came home from that trip I started working on the Leadership course on Management & Communication through CollegePlus. I thoroughly enjoyed this class as it was challenging and heart searching to find answers in my life. Then this year in 2012 I survived tax season after working some 80 hour weeks. I graduated this spring from High School. My speech was on “A Biblical Worldview on Finances & Stewardship”. During this summer I took many trips to various places that challenged me to live for Christ. One of these was to a Missions Conference in OH. The Lord began to open my eyes through this event to his heart for the Nations. Then in August of this year I went on a trip to PA for a conference called “Kingdom Fellowship Weekend”. There the Lord began to open my eyes to the kingdom of God and what it is, and how it applies to my everyday life. I then traveled to OH and helped out a young lady going through demonic attacks. Through this experience the Lord began to open my eyes to the Spiritual Warfare that is happening all around us every day. Then I continued my trip to NYC where a friends & I did some repair work for Mennonites and then in the afternoons/evenings went out into the subways and sang and passed out gospel tracts and witnessed to Individuals about the Lord Jesus Christ. Through this experience the Lord began to open my eyes to his heart for every lost individual around us every day.

Now – how does all of this relate to where I am currently at and headed in life? Well going back, let’s look at a few things. I have had a interest in Math & Logic from an early age. I have always loved to read. I have always longed to be able to work with numbers. I enjoy working with computers and new technology. But more importantly, I have a desire for a close walk with Christ through Prayer & Scripture reading, & Evangelism. One of my Joys in life is sharing the Gospel with the lost and Biblical Principles of Finance & Stewardship with those that profess to know Christ. 

So where does all of this lead me in life? Well, my vision is to equip believers throughout the world to walk a more Christ-centered life in the specific area of Biblical principles of finance and stewardship. My role in this vision is to serve and influence those that are struggling in business, to encourage the poor, and provide counsel to those who have legitimate needs. My ultimate desire is that each Christian would be equipped to live their lives in the way of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ in all areas of life, and specifically in the area of stewardship & finances.

You may ask, "How and where is this mission & vision carried out?" The answer to this question is, "I'm not sure." In the past year or so, my vision has changed from an American Christianity perspective on finances to a more Biblical Christianity view of finances. My sights are now on the whole world instead of just America. My sights are now set to see lost people saved, and Christians edified and challenged to grow in their walk with Christ. I want to see a group of believers from every tribe around the world who are passionately on fire for the Lord and who live the radical life of Christianity as was displayed by those in the early church who gave sacrificially of the time, money, possessions, and even to the point of death for the spread of the Gospel to all people groups around the world.

I hope that reading this college essay paper has helped you to understand more of who I am and who God has made me to be.

Halloween - How should Christians Respond?

The traditions of Halloween are based upon the worship of false gods, contact with the dead, foretelling the future, and communing with evil spirits. Does the bible have anything to say about these practices?
The worship of false gods is condemned numerous times in both the Old and New Testaments and is emphasized so strongly that it is the very first of the commandments given to Moses on Mt. Sinai.

In Exodus 20:2-3 the Lord writes with His own hand:

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.”

In Deuteronomy 11:16 He warns the Israelites:

“Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them.”

The Psalmist warns in Psalm 81:9:

“You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god.”

John even closes the “Love Letter” of 1 John with the admonition to “…keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).

The passage in the bible that most directly addresses the customs mentioned above is Deuteronomy 18:9-14, where we read:

9 When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. 14 For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so. 

We see here about the most inclusive list of the activities upon which Halloween was established that can be found anywhere in the bible, and the practitioners thereof are labeled “detestable.” Those habits are, in fact, the very reason the Pagan nations were driven out of the Promised Land.

In Amos 5:14 The Lord tells Israel, “Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.” He goes on in the next verse to say, “Hate evil, love good.” Note the emphasis (added) on the statement “just as you say He is.” Even though one may be making a profession of faith, Amos is clearly saying that the Lord Almighty is not with those who are actually seeking evil, instead of good. Peter reminds us of this when he says “…the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12).

The scripture has a lot to say about participating in such activities:

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you’” –2 Corinthians 6:14-17.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 says to “avoid every kind of evil.”

Jesus said it best in John 3:19-21:

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

Finally, Paul gives us an idea for a costume to be worn on Halloween (or any) night in Romans 13:12:

“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

There will certainly be people who will still rationalize ways to participate, at some level, in the festivities of Halloween. To this the Lord replies in Proverbs 3:7

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil,” and 8:13 “To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” Will we seek to push the boundaries of our faith to see just how far we can go? Or will we seek to serve the Lord with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength? “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Isa 5:20).

The Lord equates Spiritual maturity with the ability to discern good and evil. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that they should “stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults” (1 Corinthains 14:20). The author of Hebrews makes it even more clear when he says “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14).

For those who would still insist that they can participate in such activities with a clear conscience, there is another aspect to think about: the example you are to those around you.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God– even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved” (1 Corinthains 10:31-33).

I BEG (IMPLORE) YOU TO:

• Spend much time today in prayer over all of the lives that are subjected and forced into satanic worship & those that are demon possessed. 
• Implore a holy & righteous God to execute his wrath upon Satan and all of his demons.
• Implore a merciful & forgiving God to show his mercy & pardon on all of the children & babies that are forcibly made to participate in demonic activities, and rescue them from that lifestyle. 
• Reach out to those that are trapped in this lifestyle, and show them that you love them, and that God cares about them, and deeply loves them.

My Favorite Verse says:

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Please humble yourself, and pray, and seek God's Face, and turn from your wicked ways today, & God will hear from heaven, and God will forgive our sins.

My Personal Past (Caleb)

In a college Leadership Class I just took, I was given an assignment to write out a Personal Leadership Plan. 

There are 6 parts to this Personal Leadership Plan. I'm not sure yet if I will post all of them here or not.

1. Knowing my Past
2. Knowing Myself
3. Vision & Mission
4. SMART Goals
5. Mentors
6. Skills I Need

The assignment was this:  - Knowing yourself: 

• Your Preferences
• Strengths
• Gifts
• Talents
• Tendencies
• Are examples provided to support your conclusions?

I do not mean to post these assignments to brag about who I am, but rather as a tool so that you all can better understand who I am. If you do not think this really represents who I am, I would ask that you please let me know how and why it does not clearly represent who I am.

Part 1: Strengths

My strongest strength would be in the area of Evaluating & Analyzing. Webster’s defines Evaluating as determining the significance, worth, or condition of, usually by careful appraisal and study & Analyzing studying or determining the nature and relationship of the parts of by analysis. An example of this strength in my life would be evaluation of whether or not to become a Certified Public Accountant or an Enrolled Agent or both about 4-5 years ago. I examined the average pay rates of both designations, the ability to do different jobs, the public status & recognition of the different titles, the public education needed, and many more tests. My results of the study were to first become a Certified Public Accountant and later in life become an Enrolled Agent.

            Another strong strength would be the ability to organize. Webster’s defines Organizing as setting up an administrative structure. Organizing is the collaboration of Systematizing, Collecting, & Organizing. An example of this strength in my life would be organizing information for presentations (PowerPoint’s, Handouts, Articles, etc.) for the past 3 years or so. I enjoy collecting the different sources of information and organizing it into the best attraction to the eye and in the most logical order.

Part 2: Talents

            My strongest Talent would be in the area of Logic & Math. I love to sort, categorize, and characterize. An example of this in my life would be in the area of my vocation. I started in the Accounting / Tax arena about 4 years ago. I have loved every bit of the adventure. I love working with the calculations in Tax & Accounting, and love fixing a complicated problem. I love the thrill of solving and balancing the books while working on corporate & personal tax returns.

            Another strong Talent in my life would be the intelligence of self. I would say that this talent is linked to one of my spiritual gifts of Serving. I love to serve quietly by myself where nobody notices. An example of strong characteristics of Self in my life would be spending my spare time typing out devotionals or talks or books or possibly chapters of the bible. I love to do this in the early morning and the late evening when no one else is around. I also love to listen to sermons when I am alone. How I would classify this as serving others would be that this prepares me to be better equipped to know how to relate to someone else, or to give them counsel in that given topic, or to lead them to the scriptures in a Biblical Study. I can recall many different sermons or different topics and apply that to my life and others lives to whatever situation they or I might be facing.

Part 3: Spiritual Gifts

            My strongest Spiritual Gifts would be Giving & Serving. Looking back over my life, I don’t think I can truly separate the gifts of Giving and Serving. I think that they each compliment the other gift to the point that if you remove one of them the other loses most of its significance. I serve an individual by giving to them. This is done by giving of my resources (time, treasures, talent, etc), and many other ways, including, giving of my experience and knowledge to bless someone make correct decisions in life (decisions about – Life Purpose, Life Goals, Education, Marriage, Children, Vocation, Calling, etc.). The reverse of that is that I give to individuals by serving them. I serve them by finding joy in doing the small things in life that others may not notice or enjoy doing that will bless them in a very certain way.

I believe that the cycle you can see with the children of Israel of: God’s Blessing on them, turning the blessing into materialism, turning the materialism into Idolism, God’s Judgment on Idolism, the Children of Israel’s Repentance of their Idolism & Materialism, God’s Blessing on them, over & over again is also a pattern in Church History as well as our Individual Lives. I believe that the way that this cycle is stopped is by realizing that God’s Blessing is not meant to be turned into Materialism but rather to be used to bless others for his kingdom, for his glory, for his honor & praise!

When I look at the gift of serving, I believe that it is displayed through finding Joy in doing the smallest tasks however menial & tedious they are. I have heard a lot of people say that the people, who have the gift of service, are usually not the most efficient at what they do. I don’t believe that is completely true, especially in my life. When I find something small/tedious to do that would be of a benefit to others, I usually find myself asking this question, “Is there a faster way to do this task that would be more efficient and produce greater quality or quantity?”

An example of how I served by Giving is: Through this last year I have found many ways to give to people & projects that I believe was truly serving them with my time & resources. It is truly such a blessing to give and not expect a return, which will always lead to a blessing from God. He may not & usually does not bless in the exact way that you gave though. For example; if you give away your money, he may bless you with time, or stronger relationships, or better health, or more money back.

An example of how I have given by Serving is: Every month a ministry that I am actively involved in called LAMB Services, Inc. has an evening for the community to come together and pack different things to bless others around the world with. The first in the cycle is a food pack, the second is a clothes pack, and the third is usually an assortment of projects. One of the events is a Pack of Good & Evil Books for Prisoners in CA. It has been my privilege to set up and manage some of the systems that are in place for this project. One of the main systems that I manage is a program that was built in excel for easy entering of the inmates information (address, ID#, Cell#, etc), & easy label printing. During this process, I have realized how much of a Joy & a service it is to do the small & tedious things when they are a service to God.

Check out my new blog about my College Life here - http://calebjenkins-collegeplus.blogspot.com/