Foundation Builders

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  • Prepare the Way: Daily Devotion to Start Your Morning Right

    Prepare the Way: Daily Devotion to Start Your Morning Right

    Daily Prayer is an online devotional page that I use in my morning Bible study.

    👉🏽 Read Today’s Devotion

    Today’s Scripture focuses on Mark 1:1–11—a powerful beginning that reminds us how John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus. It’s a great place to jump in. You can begin your own daily practice of reading the Word. Reflect on its meaning.

    “A voice is calling, ‘Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.’” — Isaiah 40:3 NASB

    Make sure to read the thoughts after the Scripture. They offer rich theological insight and help connect the passage to real-life application.

    Foundation Builders
    Strengthening Men for Life, Leadership, and Legacy.

  • Thoughts From Mars

    Thoughts From Mars

    4% Rule

    I’m at an age where I ask myself, what will retirement look? Where will I live? What kind of lifestyle will I be able to afford? Will I truly be financially independent?

    I consider myself a pretty average American 401(k) investor. In my 20’s, I took the advice of some wise boomer co-workers. I started contributing to my retirement account. Truthfully, I didn’t fully understand how the system worked. I just knew the game was supposed to be long-term. Buy, hold, and trust the process.

    And I did. Through the ups and downs, through market crashes and rallies, I stayed the course. But now, with retirement starting to peek over the horizon, I find myself asking… Now what?

    As a Fidelity customer, I dug into some of their advice (link below). They frequently mention the “4% Rule.” It is a guideline. It suggests that if you withdraw 4% of your retirement savings each year, your money should last you throughout retirement.

    Sounds good, right? But let’s break that down. If you have $500,000 saved, 4% equals just $20,000 a year. And that’s with 90% certainty that you won’t run out.

    Honestly? I felt a little gut-punched. My younger self thought $500k would mean a comfortable retirement, not scraping by on $20k a year. Reality check: it’s not enough.

    So here’s the real question — how do we close the gap?

    How do we save more? How do we invest smarter? How do we plan better? We need these strategies so that we’re not just surviving in retirement, but actually living.

    It’s not too late. Not for me, not for anyone willing to start now. Small, consistent steps today can completely change the story tomorrow. Time to get serious. Time to plan. Time to build a future that doesn’t just get me across the finish line — but lets my family thrive for generations to come.

    Let’s get to work.

    How can I make my retirement savings last?

  • Don’t Take It Personally: Trust the Bigger Plan

    Don’t Take It Personally: Trust the Bigger Plan

    It’s Saturday morning.
    I get up, have my coffee, and start my Bible study. I always end my Bible time with a brief meditation. Since it’s the weekend and I have more time, I like to sit cross-legged on the floor to meditate.

    While loosening up, I browsed the Insight Timer app. I found a meditation by Liza Colpa titled A Meditation For Not Taking Things Personally. It was a great 10-minute session.
    This wasn’t what I initially set out looking for, but the topic instantly grabbed my attention.
    It’s a life lesson I first learned while rehabbing my very first rental property.

    It’s easy to get upset when things don’t go your way.
    Your response to challenges is a testament to your commitment to finishing strong. This is especially true when the repair doesn’t last. It also applies when the contractor doesn’t show up. The same goes for having to start over because you trusted the wrong people.

    Every living being operates from their own perspective.
    Things happen for a reason, whether they work in your favor or not. There is a plan at work.
    Even if today isn’t going according to your plan, it’s still going according to His plan.

    Here’s the truth:

    Most of the time, people’s actions have very little to do with you.
    They are responding to their own emotions, fears, biases, and insecurities.
    You just happen to be standing nearby.

    When you take something personally, you’re making someone elses behavior about your worth.
    You’re interpreting their bad mood, their careless words, or their distracted attitude as a personal attack.

    But what if it’s not about you at all?
    What if they’re just having a rough day?
    What if they don’t even realize how they came across?

    Choosing not to take things personally is choosing freedom.

    It’s a conscious decision to protect your peace instead of giving it away.
    It’s standing firm in who you are, even when others are unstable.
    It’s refusing to let someone else’s storm drag you out of your sunshine.

    Here’s how to start:

    • Pause and breathe. Before reacting, give yourself space to assess the situation.
    • Ask yourself: “Is this really about me?” Nine times out of ten, it’s not.
    • Choose compassion. Maybe they’re struggling with something you can’t see.
    • Set boundaries. Not everything deserves a front-row seat in your mind.
    • Stay anchored in truth. Know who you are so deeply that outside noise can’t shake you.

    When you stop taking things personally, you live lighter.
    You love better.
    You lead stronger.

    So today, make it your mission:
    Don’t absorb — observe.
    Protect your peace. Guard your heart. And keep moving forward in strength.

  • Laying the Foundation: How I’m Rebuilding My Life Through the Word, Wellness, and Wisdom

    I didn’t start Foundation Builders because I had it all figured out. I started it because I needed it myself.

    There came a point in my life where I realized the cracks in my foundation were showing — stress, financial strain, physical fatigue, and spiritual drift. I was surviving, not leading. And if I was going to be the man God called me to be — in my home, in my community, and in my work — I needed to rebuild from the ground up.

    This blog is an invitation to join me on that journey. I don’t claim to be a guru or a coach. I’m just a brother who’s decided to take God at His word, manage what’s in my hands, and grow stronger — one disciplined day at a time.

    📖 Rebuilding My Mind Through Scripture

    One of the most powerful shifts began with Romans 12:2:
    “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”

    I started digging into the Bible not just to check a box, but to actually renew my mind. My Bible study became less about quantity and more about clarity. I would take one passage and sit with it all week, asking:

    • What does this say about God?
    • What does this say about me?
    • What does this require of me today?

    Right now, I’m studying Proverbs — wisdom straight from the mouth of God for daily living. It reminds me that leadership starts with character, not charisma.

    🧘🏾‍♂️ Learning to Be Still: My Meditation Practice

    Before I reach for my phone in the morning, I try to reach for stillness. Some days, it’s five minutes of silence, focusing on my breath. Other days, I meditate on a single verse — just repeating it slowly and letting it sink in.

    This practice has helped me manage stress, stay present, and connect with God beyond just words. If you’ve never tried meditating on scripture, start with Psalm 1. Set a timer for 3-5 minutes. Sit still, breathe, and let that verse become a part of you.

    💰 Getting Free from Debt and Consumerism

    For years, I thought making more money would solve my problems — until I realized I had a spending problem, not just an income problem.

    I started tracking every dollar. Not just to pinch pennies, but to learn what I actually value. I asked myself:

    • Why am I buying this?
    • Does this align with my goals or feed my impulses?

    One major shift for me was realizing that debt is often a symptom of misplaced desires. I didn’t need more stuff. I needed more discipline, more contentment, more vision. Stewardship isn’t about scarcity — it’s about purpose.

    🩺 Managing Pain: Strengthening My Body and Soul

    Pain has a way of humbling you. Whether it’s back tightness, inflammation, or fatigue, I’ve had to face the truth: I can’t lead well if I’m physically worn down.

    For me, managing pain has become a discipline — stretching, walking, hydrating, eating whole foods, and getting good rest. But it’s also spiritual. When I feel weak, I remember 2 Corinthians 12:9:
    “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

    Pain reminds me I’m not invincible, but it also reminds me I’m not alone.

    🎧 Feeding My Mind: What I’m Listening To

    I’ve started trading music and mindless scrolling for audiobooks that build me up. Here are a few that have impacted me lately:

    • “The Richest Man in Babylon” – for timeless financial wisdom.
    • “Atomic Habits” by James Clear – for building better routines.
    • “Boundaries” by Dr. Henry Cloud – for managing relationships and priorities.

    I listen while I drive, walk, or cook — always trying to feed my mind with truth.

    🧱 An Invitation to Build With Me

    You don’t have to change your whole life overnight. Just pick one brick and lay it today.

    • Read one verse.
    • Meditate for five minutes.
    • Track your spending this week.
    • Go for a walk and breathe deeply.
    • Choose wisdom over impulse.

    Foundation Builders isn’t about perfection — it’s about progress. Let’s grow stronger together.

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