LGCY Threads

There are many reasons why people start their own businesses. Time freedom, financial freedom, to own and operate a business as a family, and so on. When I started my business as a Realtor, this question was often posed to myself and others.

Whether you were just starting out in the real estate industry, or you were a seasoned veteran...every coach, guru, or broker would ask this question, "What is your why?" Essentially prompting you to think about what made you start on this path to be a business owner. My response was always, "generational wealth."

I grew up not just poor, but impoverished. My childhood consisted of abuse, neglect, and abandonment. I often had to make my own meals. I would climb to the top cabinet above our stove to find and pour my own cereal. I would stand on top of the counter to reach our freezer and heat up my own frozen breakfasts. These events that I can still recall to this day, happened between the ages of 2-4 years old.

This lifestyle was normal to me. Taking care of not just myself, but also my mother. Placing a trash can under her head from being hungover and dope sick from the previous night. Witnessing extreme abuse towards her from my step father, and then have him turn around and abuse me as well. 

So when someone asked me why on earth I wanted to start my own business, the answer was really very simple. I never wanted my children to go through what I experienced. Not the pain, heartache, abuse, neglect, and financial lack. I wanted them to have a life and a future that in no way reflected the lifestyle I experienced as a child. 

While this question, and ultimately the subsequent answer are not inherently bad, my heart posture ended up being fixed solely on money. The more I chased it, the more I received. However, I quickly found out that the pursuit of money presented challenges that I did not foresee with the very family that I was seeking to provide for. I was working 7 days a week. Answering my phone in church and walking out of the sermon to provide service to my clients, when I was supposed to be learning how to serve the Kingdom of God. Constantly leaving home on a moments notice to rush off to an appointment to show a house or take a listing. 

My wife and I sat down and had a conversation 6 months into my career as a Realtor and decided I had to change the way I did business as an agent. Over the last 6 years as a real estate professional I have made a lot of money, and have also lost a lot of money. I have closed over 200 transactions, and have helped friends with one of the most important financial decisions of their lives. However, none of this completed me, or made me feel whole. I haven't been able to save extreme amounts of money, as we usually find ourselves having just enough.

So one day I really thought about it...what is actually important to me about owning a business? What am I actually trying to accomplish? Is generational wealth a bad notion, or the wrong pursuit? That's when I felt the Holy Spirit guide me to this word, Legacy. That's it. That's exactly what I was working to pursue for my family. To leave a Legacy that Lasts. I thought about how you live determines what you leave, and while financial security isn't an evil aspiration, it's certainly not the most important one. So now whether I'm selling a house, a shirt, coaching, or just being with my family I know who all the glory goes to.

The most important, and the ONLY Legacy that lasts for eternity, is one rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says, "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children..." This is the Legacy that I want to leave to my children, their children, and so on. I want to show them the importance of writing the word on their hearts, by living a life myself of devotion to Jesus. 

My mom and I have also not only reunited, but God has completely restored our relationship. We Co-Founded a non-profit named, Her Hope Kentucky. This organization is a Christ Centered program that helps victims of abuse, neglect, addiction, trafficking, and so much more. We were once these victims, now made victorious in Christ.

This newfound meaning and focus towards what is truly significant lead me to redefine what generational wealth looks like for my family. Proverbs 13:22 says, "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children." And while Solomon (the author of Proverbs) was blessed with great wealth from God, he knew the most important thing was a relationship with Him.

We buy things as status symbols to present ourselves in a way we want to be perceived. We get permanent tattoos of things, people, or events that are significant to us. 
We wear clothes based off of brand or messaging. 

Every time I look at my children, I see the redemptive nature of God. Every time I look at my tattoos, I'm flooded of beautiful memories of friends and family. And now...every time I wear a piece of LGCY Threads clothing, I'm reminded of Who I should be living for. 

It's not just for looks. It's for a LGCY.