Labor Day, 2013

I've been working the vast majority of my life. Growing up on a farm in northern Minnesota taught me a lot of things and one of the most valuable lessons was developing a strong work ethic.

There were early mornings of feeding and milking cows with my Dad and Uncle on the family farm before school. The long summer days of picking rocks, baling hay, combining, and plowing were just a few of the activities my parents used to teach me about the pride that comes with a hard days' work. I've worked as a janitor, retail associate, lawn mower, trainer, and even an interviewer at the county jail for personal recognizance bonds (stories from those days are for another blog). After college, I've had the pleasure of working for companies that range from start-ups to the Fortune 500. The one thing that has paid dividends throughout my career is the willingness to work hard at whatever I was doing.

The last few years have been difficult for America. We've seen unemployment remain high and new job creation stubbornly low. If you read the newspaper or watch the news on TV, you can get pretty depressed pretty quickly.

I know what it feels like to face bills that are due when there is no income. When my Wife and I were first starting our lives together and our daughter was one year-old, I lost my job. It could have been devastating. And when the recession hit the company I was working for in 2008, I was caught up in a "reduction-in-force" a week before Christmas.

It's in challenging times like these that your core beliefs are tested. Remembering promises like that found in Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'" help keep things in proper perspective. Through difficult and good times, there are some things that remain constant:

America is still the land of opportunity. God has blessed this nation and dreams still come true here. Even if circumstances look bleak, know better times are coming. You are only limited by your own thinking. Let your creativity soar and see where it takes you. The answer to your situation may be way outside conventional thinking.

Never underestimate your network. The old adage, "It's not what you know but who you know" is alive and well. Today, we have the benefit of social networking sites like Linkedin and Facebook to assist us in our efforts. And remember your network is made stronger by giving and taking. Sometimes you may need what your network offers. Other times, your network will need what you have to offer. Never hesitate to help others.

Finally, never lose Faith! There is a reason you're going through what you are. Look for the lessons to be learned and let the growth begin. Never compromise your character and integrity, no matter how tempting that may be. In extremely challenging times, God allowed me to learn more about myself and what I'm capable of much more than when times are good.

Happy Labor Day! Be thankful for the opportunities we have as citizens of this great nation, continue building your network and help others that may need your assistance, and never lose Faith that your best days are ahead of you!

"You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours." Psalm 128:2

  "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: 'The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.'” - 2 Thessalonians 3:10