Author: The Loan Arranger

Strange Dysfunction

I had a strange dream the other night. I had moved to a country where the currency changed value depending on who you spent your

Where Your Source Is

I was traveling through the Prairies this summer and came upon a group of wind turbines. We have all seen them spinning away, making what

How Does It All Work Out

In a recent study by the Employment Benefit Research Institute retired people between the ages of 62 and 75 were asked about their finances and

Why Do We Do It?

There was a study done recently to see how one’s salary affects how they are seen by others. In this study, participants listened to two

This One Thing We Know…

Most of us can remember the day when we learned something significant about life. Some revelation came to us out of the clear blue that

A Small Window

I have lived a significant portion of my life in the northern latitudes, where a southern-facing window is valuable for letting in much-needed light. I

What They Are Hearing

The Millennials have a new term for the Boomer generation that you may have heard. It’s quite straightforward and rather direct – “yeah, boomer’. It

The Act of Worship

It was Thomas Edison who said, “Success is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” He knew what he was talking about as he lived

Those Familiar Stories

There is a possible risk that comes with learning Bible stories when we are young, which few parents have considered. It is difficult to foresee

Dreams of Destiny

If you think back into the secret places of your childhood mind, into those deep recesses of your psyche, you will likely remember some of

Pride’s Ways

“The proud person always wants to do the right thing, the great thing. But because he wants to do it in his own strength, he

A Good Joke

Most of us would agree that a good joke stands the test of time. One joke I particularly like was found carved on the wall

The Evergreen

 As we come near to Christmas our minds turn to thinking about those traditions that warm us from the inside. The older we get the

Faith vs. Fatalism

I have seen a lot of Christians over the past year very concerned about the political situation in the world. There is a widespread feeling

The Great Pearl

We have all heard sermons on the Pearl of Great Price. It is a common topic among pastors because the message is seemingly quite clear.

Giving and Taking

I have been reading a book lately by Adam Grant called Give and Take which has got me to thinking. In it he made some

His Will For Us

I was having a conversation with a close friend recently where I was voicing some of my frustration regarding the state of the Church. I

The Growth Stalk

In our backyard we have three different types of roses. There are several differences between them that I have noticed over the years that we

The King Who Saw God

Nezahualcoyotl, whose name translates to “hungry coyote”, lived from 1402 to 1472 in the city of Texcoco, just east of Mexico City. His father, who

Being In Pursuit

In many ways Church Investors Fund has had a great year. We have seen growth in our loans and in our certificate/bond sales, as well

The Spanish Flu of 1918

No one has been able to establish where the pandemic of 1918 originated. Some say France, while others say Kansas, and still others believe it

Understanding God’s Math

It is interesting to me that two-thirds of the people alive today have never seen snow—ever. They may have seen it on TV or the

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The Other Brother

I have read it countless times, probably as you have, but this time I saw something that I hadn’t noticed before. It is so often

Drafting

Drafting

We have all seen the famous “V” that ducks form as they head south for the winter, and most of us know why they do

Taking Them Captive

As we prepare to enter the holiday season from Thanksgiving through Christmas, it is natural to reminisce about those family times we have spent together.

Tozer Thoughts

I have been rereading AW Tozer’s classic book called The Pursuit of God, a book which helped me through some of the tough questions of

God’s Holiness and Grace

If you are over 50 there is a good chance you grew up in a church where God’s holiness was emphasized and with that the

The Fish Eye Lens

Too many families are not saving enough. There are several reasons why this is true, but a significant reason is that they spend too much

The Hurdles We Place

I was watching the International Track and Field Event this past weekend from Oslo, Norway. In my view, there is no more raw and honest

Giving Trends

Pushpay.com recently put out a 2019 Church Statistics Report that had some interesting facts in it. According to what they found, the trends for Church

The Family Circle

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. — African proverb The notion of family often brings

Dealing With Injustice

We see it around us every day—people making decisions that are not based on biblical truth. We understand as Christians we are not to judge

Who is Really Paying?

It is a point of frustration for many Americans, when they fill out their taxes during this time of year, to find out how much

The-Best-Laid-Plans

The Best Laid Plans

I have written several articles on the problems that come with not planning. I am by nature a planner myself and so I have often

A-Warning-Sign

A Warning Sign

We have all read stories about the Boomer generation being less prepared for retirement than the generation before them; this is not new. What is

Retirement Age

In a recent poll done by Gobanking.com it was interesting to hear how the average American (and Canadians wouldn’t be very different) is viewing their

The Platinum Rule

If you grew up in the church I am sure you have heard of the ‘golden rule’; it is long established as the gold standard

Act Justly, Love Mercy

From its beginning the Church has always struggled with balance. It doesn’t come naturally to individuals, so I guess it is bound to also be

Not So Common Sense

I was watching a documentary about Jews in Iran the other day which I found most intriguing. It talked about the fact that the Jews

Courage

I recently came across a quote from Winston Churchill that has got me thinking. In the quote he said, “courage is the first of human

Those Rich People

Think about the richest person you know. What makes you think of them as rich, assuming they haven’t come right out and told you? Usually

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Les Collins

I was born in Fall of 1963, within a few weeks of Kennedy’s assassination. It was a time of upheaval in many ways, and the

Bam

Over the past couple of generations some significant trends have changed regarding giving as a percentage of income; going down from a high of around

Giving Trends

With the new tax changes that have taken effect this year in the US, it has been estimated that 80-90% of households in the US

Is There a Hell?

Today we are interested in an easier Faith, one that does not involve too much dedication or sacrifice. Many Christians are interested in “new” interpretations

Reputation

I spent a decade of my life in Chicago and during that time met many of its people as individuals, and if I was to

A Missed Opportunity|A Missed Opportunity

A Missed Opportunity

Canadians have always had a unique relationship with the United States in part because of the huge percentage of trade that flows between the two

Gray Divorce|Gray Divorce

Gray Divorce

In a recent Pew Research Center poll, the rate of gray divorces, which is divorces among people over 50 years old, has doubled since 1990, from five per thousand

The Simple Life|The Simple Life

The Simple Life

We all have heard the nursery rhyme of “what good little girls are made of”. Many of us can think of a kind little girl

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