Tough Times

“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

Job 1:21

I am very excited about the potential of this New Year. For me personally, 2008 & 2009 were very difficult. Okay, 2007 wasn’t so great either. Starting a business from the ground up and then having to launch it during the greatest economic downturn since the great depression has been challenging. Thankfully I have some great partners that are making this journey with me. On the personal front, my Mom’s breast cancer reappeared after being dormant for two years. She fearlessly battled the disease for a year before going to be with the Lord on April 3, 2009.

I know that many of you have been enduring tough times as well. You might have lost your job and had to start a new chapter in your life at a time when unemployment is above 10%. You might have lost a loved one and wondered why their life had been cut short. If anyone had a reason to get down or give up during tough times it was Job. Job was very wealthy and seen as the greatest man of his time. He had a great family including a wife, seven sons and three daughters. Life was good. Then Satan brought everything crashing down around Job. In one day he lost all of his livestock (7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 oxen and 500 donkeys) and had all ten of his children killed when their house collapsed on them. Even in the midst of this personal tragedy, Job was able to proclaim “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” Job continued to go through tremendous suffering for a time but was ultimately blessed greatly for his continued faith in God. His previous wealth was restored twofold and he had seven more sons and three more daughters.

While the last three years have been challenging for me personally, I am able to look back and see God’s hand in the midst of the storm. The economy has forced us at the Bellota Group to get very good at accomplishing much with very little. This has positioned us well for quick, profitable growth as the economy recovers and consumer spending increases. I have also crossed paths with many talented, Godly individuals who could one day become apart of the Bellota Group in some form or fashion. While my Mom’s passing was incredibly difficult, my Dad, Sister and I and our families had the opportunity to come together and battle the disease with her. This process re-established a family closeness that had declined a bit as we were all out living our separate lives.

If you are experiencing tough times today, keep the faith! God is at work and He is in control.