First, congratulations on being named a finalist for the 2025 International Impact Book Awards Author of the Year. What did this recognition mean to you personally at this stage of your life?
Although I was not selected as the Author of the Year in the Nonfiction Inspirational category, I considered being named a finalist for this award to be like receiving an Academy Award nomination while not getting the Oscar. It’s still a great honor.
You and your late wife Mary shared more than 50 years together. How did your partnership shape the spiritual and entrepreneurial principles explored in your book?
Making a joint commitment to step away from our comfort zone to embark on a voyage of discovery to find the full limits of our capabilities and the best ways to using to benefit ourselves and others led to exciting and rewarding lives of challenge, adventure, and accomplishment far beyond anything we had ever imagined
At 83, as a three-time cancer survivor living with atrial fibrillation, hypertension, and a pacemaker, what sustains your strength and optimism?
I am now a 4-time cancer survivor having just had a second melanoma surgically removed. The knowledge that God still has a purpose for me gives me reason to remain strong and optimistic.
What does the term “Spiritual Entrepreneurship” truly mean to you, and how is it different from traditional ideas of success?
To me spiritual entrepreneurship is the only way to fully achieve your God-given destiny by leaving your own comfort to allow God to allow the plans he has for your life. You’ll then find that his way is much higher than you can imagine.
In your book, you speak about discovering your “true self” and God-ordained purpose. Was there a defining moment when that realization became clear to you?
Discovering your “true self” and the purpose God has for you is not an event. It is a process that gradually becomes to you, usually through trial and error, In it you can learn from your mistakes so you can avoid repeating them.
What were some of the biggest mistakes you and Mary made along the way that ultimately became your greatest teachers?
When Mary and I started out on this path we assumed that God was calling us to enter full-time Christian service. That was indeed true, but not in the way we imagined. After trying twice to become part of fulltime Christian ministry, God showed us that our place to minister was in our secular jobs where we associated with people who probably would not be reached by any Christian ministry organization or even a church.
How did facing life-threatening illnesses deepen your faith and understanding of God’s calling?
Mary and I both faced life-threatening illnesses but surviving them helped us realize that God would provide whatever we needed to respond to his calling on our lives.
Many people struggle to connect faith with daily work or business. How can someone practically live out their spiritual calling in the marketplace?
If you are committed to following Jesus by living in accordance with commandments to love God with all your heart, mind and strength and to love yourself as God loves you and to love your neighbor because God loves them also, people will notice that and will ask you about the reason you re so joyful.
After losing Mary, how did you find the courage to continue living with adventure, challenge, and accomplishment?
After Mary passed away, I asked God “Why am I still here? Since taking care of her was a large part of my purpose in life. Then “What is my purpose in still being here? And he has been showing me the purpose he has for me over the last 8 years.
Your book received the Readers Choice Award in Spiritual Leadership and later recognition in Life Experiences. Why do you think your message resonates so strongly with readers?
I hope that those who read the record of our life experiences and what we learned from them will realize that we are really no different from them and will be inspired to join us on the path we chose toward an abundant life.
What advice would you give to someone in their 20s or 30s who feels uncertain about their purpose in life?
Anyone of any age can only learn God’ purpose for their life by being willing to their preconceived ideas and letting God show them what he has in mind for them
How has aging changed—or strengthened—your understanding of destiny and calling?
Having lived for over 83 years now has strengthened my understanding of God’s calling on my life and the destiny he has ordained for me.
What role did perseverance play in both your health battles and your spiritual journey?
I have learned (often through trial and error) that it is through faith and perseverance that you inherit the promises of God. He is always faithful, but his timing often means we have to patiently wait for him to act.
Looking ahead, what legacy do you hope Spiritual Entrepreneurship: Fulfilling Your God-Ordained Destiny leaves for future generations?
My only hope is that current and future generations will be inspired to follow the path we chose to fulfill the destiny God has ordained for them.
What are your thoughts on social media for marketing or promotions? Are you enjoying your experience with AllAuthor so far? Would you recommend this platform to your author friends?
In today’s world you don’t exist if you are not actively participating in social media. I like using it because it is an inexpensive way to get your message out . I am enjoying AllAuthor as one of those ways and would recommend it to anyone with a story to tell.
