“My wife and I got married and took a six-week honeymoon in the South Pacific backpacking. And it was beautiful and it was great. (Although for a honeymoon I would recommend staying in a place that has air conditioning!) During the six weeks, all that we had was on our backs and that was enough. And when we came back to our rental house with all our stuff in it, we recognized that really don’t need much more than that. Two months later our house burned down and we lost everything. Some of the sentimental things like pictures and yearbooks were kind of a bummer, but honestly it wasn’t that big of a deal. It’s just stuff. It’s ok to have some things and to take care of them, but giving things away is very freeing.”
Rob Herrema, CALIFORNIA
“Leading takes courage. In business there are so many challenges, so many variables. It has never been easy to navigate all of the demands while still running a family and being a wife. At 25 I think it would have helped to hear that courage is required. A few years ago someone gave me a plaque with a quote on it from John Wayne: “Courage is being afraid, but saddling up anyway.” I think I would have loved hearing that at 25 instead of almost 50! The very best news I could have heard at that age is that the Lord will be with us in every challenge, no matter if it’s business, family, health or anything else! I can saddle up anyway because I know he is with me. It’s his name and his promise. He is Immanuel, God with us, and he promised, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
Susan Peterson, GEORGIA
“What I wish I knew at 25 about giving and generosity was that it pleased God and that it is connected to reaping. 2 Corinthians 9:6 talks about giving by saying, “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” The clear truth here is that God allows us to participate in sowing and reaping; it is our choice to sow a spiritual harvest by giving towards his kingdom work or forgo the blessings of reaping in his kingdom.”
Sanford Coggins, CALIFORNIA
© 2025 John Rinehart