Part of this program is we’re going to be doing a whole teleseminar course on defining your private lending program, meaning all of the various factors that are involved, not just interest rates. Obviously, that’s part of it. You want to know the terms that you’re going to use. Are you going to short-term, long-term? Are you going to offer different pieces of collateral, just real estate, or personal pledges, or all the various other pieces that might be involved?

Loan to Value Ratios

We’re going to talk about loan to value ratios. What loan to value ratios are you going to lend up to 7% to 80%. Believe me, there are 10 or 15 different elements that you need to think through and work through to develop your unique private lending program. It might be similar to mine. That’s up to you, but it will be a program that is yours, and you need to think it through. As part of that call I will probably give you a number of pieces of homework that you would do.

You would address all these various issues so at the end of those calls, you would have a very well-defined private lending program that you could then talk to other people about and tell them, “I’m going to offer this interest, this term, this collateral,” and just go down the list of various pieces that you’re going to offer private lenders.

Group or Individual Presentations

Are you going to do group presentations or individual presentations? You need to figure out what your strength is. If you’re comfortable talking in front of groups, that’s wonderful. That’s a very powerful way to get started. If you can talk to elderly groups, professional groups, accountants, any of these types of things, small groups of 5 people, 10 people, you can get up to 20 or 30 people. Just try to get in front of as many people as possible.

Obviously though, most people are not going to be interested in your program but a few will and those are the few, once you’ve identified them, you need to kind of nurture those people along and develop those relationships.

Figure Out What Works for You

Group speaking is something some people are comfortable with. Others are not. That’s fine. You need to figure out what works for you. If you want to do one-on-one or smaller networking types of relationship meetings, that’s fine. Again, as I said I have migrated from group meetings to one-on-one meetings. I’ve just found it better. I find my closing ratio is much higher when I can do a one-on-one type of thing. Again, whatever works for you.

“And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11 [NKJV]

Christmas is only a few weeks away so I’m getting wish lists from my children and grandchildren. I always know what my husband wants: cold hard cash or a gift certificate from his favorite train store. He has a model train hobby and needs endless cash to sustain it. But this year I might divert and surprise him with something romantic and sentimental.

I’m going way back in my memories today to a certain Christmas in my childhood. I was in grade three and a mere eight years old. I don’t remember which present lay under the tree for me or what I opened Christmas morning but I know I got what I was hoping for.

That was the Christmas I got my mom back.

My mother had been very, very sick. I was sure she was going to die. I heard whispers in church at prayer meeting. I saw the ladies’ pitying looks as they tried to smile at me. Men got up in church and prayed long prayers asking God to spare my mom and make her well.

I didn’t know why my mom was in the hospital. At first I thought she was having another baby but my older sisters assured me it wasn’t so. At home my older siblings and Dad talked quietly not wanting to worry us younger children.

So I prayed. I too asked God to heal my mom and bring her home for Christmas. My family was large. I had thirteen brothers and sisters.

A year or two ago another large family in our church had lost their mom. She died. Their father remarried so the children now had a new mom. I did not want a new mom. I loved my mom. I made all kind of promises to God – good Christian things I would do if only He would bring my mom back home to me from the hospital.

And God did bring my mom home for Christmas but only for a couple of days and then she had to go back for surgery.

But that was enough for me.

As I embraced her I was comforted and was able to let her go again. I believed that because she had been gone once and came back she would come back next time also. I was right. She became even sicker than before but she had her surgery. God healed her and many weeks later she came home to stay. God heard my prayer.

When I think of the wise men laying their treasure of gold and perfumes at Jesus feet that first Christmas season I join with them in adoration.

But that Christmas when I was eight all the wealthy material treasures that the richest kings could have laid at Jesus feet could not have compared to the treasure He gave me – my mother.

This Christmas, I encourage you to remember the special gifts Jesus has given you.

It’s that time of the year again, the holidays are here! The nights become brighter as people put up their festive lights, and all the decorations really bring about the holiday cheer! We all get together with family and friends to really enjoy each other’s company with lots of wonderful food. It’s a great time of year to make memories, and don’t forget the presents!

Gifts are great, but they also create some extra stress for a time of the year that can already pile it on. After all, we have to focus on cooking and entertaining friends and family on top of everything else. And then, we have to get the “right” gift for our family and friends, and sometimes coming up with an idea can be difficult. Especially when you only have a couple of weeks to figure out what you want to buy them. Luckily, whether you need a big gift, or just a small stocking stuffer, this article has a great idea for you: stuffed animals. This is a present that can be great for any age, especially around the holidays.

Stuffed Animals for Kids

Getting a plush toy for a child is something of a no brainer, after all, traditionally toys are for children. And stuffed animals in particular are great for kids. They give them something fun to play with, and let them learn about animals. They can even be a great substitute when mom and dad don’t want the child to have a real pet. A lot less mess, but still a lot of fun! Even though it’s the age of technology, stuffed animals will never go out of style, and they will certainly continue to help children jump start their imaginations.

Stuffed Animals for Teenagers

Teens are the consumer generation, and there a ton of items marketed to them, but this just gives you too many choices. Make things easier by giving a stuffed animal. There’s a lot more to plush toys nowadays then just the small, traditional teddy bear. For teens, one good idea is to get them a gigantic plush toy. These big stuffed animals can be around 5 feet tall, bigger than some people! These can be a particularly great gift for a teenage girl. Not only does the sheer size of the toy make it a “wow” gift, but it becomes a conversation starter when anyone else sees it. Just imagine her bringing a gigantic teddy bear to college, her dorm mates would want to ask about it and it could be a great icebreaker. Plus, something nearly her size could become a good friend, and keep her from being lonely. That way she’d have something soft to hug when she is upset. A gigantic stuffed animal can really be a fun, and unusual gift for a teenager. Consider one the next time you have to buy a present for someone in this age group.

Stuffed Animals for Adults

It may seem like toys are an inappropriate gift for an adult, but this is not the case at all. Many adults actually collect stuffed animals, so if you have someone who’s a collector it should make things easy. But even if they are not a collector, a stuffed animal can still be a great gift for an adult. Nowadays, there are many plush toys that are made to look realistic. This realism makes them a great item that can be used in decorating a home. It could give a little something extra to a living room or a home office, just for a few examples. For example, a natural appearing stuffed animal could give a home an exotic look. Or if the adult has an African theme for a room, a stuffed lion could be the perfect addition. Or maybe they have a vacation home on the ocean, gift them with a plush dolphin to add some life and color to the décor.

So as you can see, stuffed animals are a great way to avoid holiday shopping headaches. They are appropriate for all ages, and lots of fun too! Plus, they are guaranteed to make everyone smile! Remember, when you’re stumped on your holiday gifts this season, consider a stuffed animal for those of all ages.