A Career That Cares

I’m writing at the hotel I am staying with Jason at in Denver for the weekend since he is up here on and off all month for training for his new job. As most of you know, he recently accepted a wonderful position as a Financial Advisor. This week, he got to start his dream career. It has been an absolute pleasure to see him feel so fulfilled and productive. It’s crazy how many of us, at one point or another, have taken our jobs for granted. They’re draining, they’re time-consuming, they don’t pay enough, you name it. However, seeing Jason working has made me think twice about that. He was devastated when he had to retire from the Marine Corps at the age of 22. He has spent the last two years feeling bored, and even “useless” as he says (although he is FAR from that). When he was accepted for the job he now has, he was ecstatic.

Told you he's ecstatic! 

            You would think the countless hours he has put in since then would have ruined his excitement, but that is not even close to the case. I’ve barely spent time with him since he got hired. Between studying for insurance tests and the series 7, even Jason’s weekends are spent mostly in the office. He began his training here in Denver on Wednesday, and I feel lucky to spend the weekend up here with him since we’ve actually been able to get some quality time out of it. So far, he has very much enjoyed training. He LOVES what he does.

            If you know Jason, you know that he gives 100% to anything he invests in, and his new position is no different. It is refreshing to see someone enjoy a job so much. There are so many reasons he could find to complain or give up. His career has a 90% dropout rate due to the immense dedication and amount of time required for success. Yet, Jason shines through the high expectations. Of course he loves the investment and insurance part of financial advising, but more than that, he really cares about his future clients. You’ve heard all those stories about scammer advisors, who will say whatever is needed to get their paycheck. I just know that will never be Jason. Every individual he has considered as a possible future client, he has brainstormed out loud to me how he could help them. He wants to help injured guys make sure their injury compensation goes towards benefitting their future. He wants to help military members make wise financial decisions who are about to deploy, so they can focus on their service and know their families are taken care of no matter what. He has thought of plans to help hard workers retire instead of being bound by hopelessness and lack of planning.

            Safe to say, my husband has picked the right career field. I’m just a lucky bystander! I just wanted to share this encouragement with you because I know it will help me appreciate my jobs more and I hope it will help you remember what a blessing a steady income is as well. God bless!

We were in Woman's World Magazine last week!

Dreams & Prayers

After weeks of preparation, this is the week Jason starts his new career as a financial advisor. He has already passed his insurance tests, so this week he will take his big series 7 exam. Then, he will spend a month in training (mostly out of town) with the wonderful company he is so proud to now be part of. While this will hopefully be one of the most rewarding months, it is also going to be one of our most challenging.

Outside of his new office- He's SO excited!

Jason had planned on being in the Marine Corps his entire life, so when he was injured, he could have easily lost hope and found himself in a devastating mindset. However, being the overcomer he is, Jason instead chose to find a new plan for his life. He spent his two years in the hospital teaching himself about the market. He spent days and late nights watching Jim Cramer’s “Mad Money” and read books to learn how to invest. After learning everything he possibly could during that time, he put all of his injury money into the stock market and managed his own investments. All of this led to the great new job he is starting now.

We believe that God led us to the company he will be working for. The team is willing to do anything possible to help Jason be able to have a successful career with them. They’ve offered to help with carpooling when they have business meetings that are out of town, they made sure he had a cubicle his wheelchair could fit into, and they even took the time to meet with me to ask about my concerns and how they could aid me. As if that weren’t enough, they are letting Jason hire me as his administrative assistant. Normally, employees have to wait at least a year before they are allowed to hire personal assistants, but they made an exception for Jason. They also gave me a workspace instead of me having to worry about renting it. Humbled and blessed doesn’t even begin to cover our feelings.

Even with the monumental kindness and help the company has given us, Jason’s career will mean a lot of hard teamwork for us. We have not figured out a solution for Jason to transport himself alone, so I will be dropping him off, picking him up, and helping him get to client meetings every day. I will also be helping him get his prosthetics on some mornings, and helping him get his suits and ties on every morning. I will need to make sure his lunches are packed and his office is set up for him. In addition, since I’m his admin, I’ll be taking care of calls and paperwork.

             

The obstacles in front of us seem monumental, but our faith is even bigger. We have never felt so solid in our walk with each other and with God. It wouldn’t make sense for us to be in this place without the divine intervention of Him, so we have no choice but to believe that he will equip us with the tools needed to excel. Still, we ask for your prayers as we learn how to adjust. We also really need prayers for a solution to the driving situation. Jason can’t do the wheelchair lift by himself, and prosthetics have still not been fitting right, which keeps him from being on them all day. This has made driving solely my responsibility. Things in that area haven't changed in a long time, but that doesn't mean that they can't, so we choose to believe and persevere!

Hope and courage from us to you!

Go Broncos! 

“Consider it joy, brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

James 1:2-3