David's Blog

Every Church gets to develop some exciting traditions.... And we have found a definite KEEPER. At Eastgate Church today we got to celebrate our SOUTHERN SUNDAY - - a day where we can kick back and celebrate all things Southern. This year was especially cool - as we got to host country singer Mandy Gawley. Her song "It's the little things" really touched my heart. It makes me glad to kiss my little girls good night every night! The kids rode around on ponies from the Little Red Barn, and the food! Y'all know we can't get Southern without a whole mess of good eatin. We had Fagan's Biscuit Barn for breakfast, and Jim n' Nick's BBQ for lunch. YUM, YUM, YUM. Today the Lord put a special message on my heart about the QUEEN OF THE SOUTH. A simple message about how people that serve God have found that missing piece to life. With Christ as the center, we have found real love, lasting peace, and true joy. It is the ONLY way to really live. And after sharing that message... we counted 32 decisions for Christ today. NOW THAT IS A SOUTHERN SUNDAY! www.mandygawley.com littleredbarn.us www.fagansbiscuitbarn.com www.jimnnicks.com

It's a regular occurance here in Alpharetta & Cumming - and I suppose just about everywhere else. When a realtor hosts an open house, here come the neighbors. People that live all around, who know the neighborhood (they live there after all) and everything about the area want to see the INSIDE.

I suppose it is human nature to want to be an insider.

Last night Eastgate church had a truly wonderful water baptism service. My two lovely daughters were both baptized. And as I watched the service, I felt so amazed to catch a glimpse of the hearts of those taking this amazing step. As each shared a glimpse of the heart behind the baptism, it became more than a tradition.

We had a chance to go on an open house tour of our friends and neighbors commitment to follow Christ.

And in essence, that is what baptism is all about. It is about inviting the neighbors in to see what Christ has done in our hearts. It is about turning outsiders into insiders.

And that whole process is something that adds joy to life.

 

Today we had the privilege of bringing both natural and spiritual foor to the people of our community. And a few other churches in Cumming had the same idea. I love it when God's people are hearing the same message: give them something to eat!

A wise friend once shared with me that spiritual outpouring in a community is like a water table - it rises from under the ground until it becomes like a flooding stream.

Today we witnessed a flooding stream of generousity, personal connection, and people using their talents and gifts to reach our neighbors. People from Cumming, Suwannee, Alpharetta, and Johns Creek all got needed food, prayer and encouragement.

It was also a treat to go to the No Longer Bound Ministry's Cumming location and let them know their friends at Eastgate church are standing with them. We learned they are expanding out west and so have been short supplied with staff and food. God knew in advance of their need and we were privleged to bring much needed vegetables, bread, fruits, and other treats.

All throughout the day I kept seeing God connect people with the same spiritual theme and desire. It just shows how God links His people together in His purpose.

And whenever God's people walk together in unity - the Bible tells us that He commands a blessing. So freinds get ready, spiritual blessing is coming!

I recently read a news article about an exciting event in Cumming, Georgia....

It stated:

The IHOPs in Cumming and Dawsonville will be among some 1,500 restaurants nationwide that will serve free pancakes Tuesday as part of the company's observance of National Pancake Day.

From from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., customers can enjoy a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes.

They are invited to donate what they would have paid for the free pancakes to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals or other worthy local causes.

First, I am totally excited about a National Pancake Day.   Just the idea sounds great.

But secondly, I think this is a really great example of using what you have to touch our community.  At Eastgate Church  we want to touch our community.  We want to touch Cumming and Alpharetta and Suwanee and Johns Creek.  We want to touch Atlanta.   Sometimes we think we need something great or something powerful to make a difference.  But we can make a difference by just using what we have.  That is what it means to be an East Gate.  We bring God's presence and God's love to our world through our lives, becoming a gate way of God's glory.

In the Bible, there was a widow who was to feed Elijah.  He asked for pancakes and she told him it was all the food she had left in her house.  Yet when she gave to Elijah, God multiplied the food.  And for 3.5 years, everyone was fed.

I hope that IHOP in Cumming is like that.  That everything given will be multiplied.  I hope that everyone from Eastgate church will go out on Tuesday and eat a few pancakes.

Because afterall - there is nothing like having breakfast for dinner.  Especially when it is for a good cause!

What is the greatest love story in the Bible?

When we think of great love stories in the Bible we often think about the story of how Isaac loved Rebecca or how Solomon wed the Shunamite.   Then we consider what Paul wrote, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife.  It is a mystery, but I am speaking of Christ and the church."

When I put the two together, it makes me think that the greatest love story in the Bible should be a picture of the love that Christ has for the church.  And when I look at the church, I see many people who were sinners but are now saved by grace.  People who didn't deserve the love of God, but experienced His mercy any way.  People like you and me.

It makes me think that the greatest love story in the Bible is the story of Hosea and Gomer.  The story of a man who found his wife pregant by another man.  Not once, but three times.  The story of a woman who abandoned her family to prostitute on the streets only to be arrested and sold as a sex slave.  The story of a faithful husband, though abandoned and betrayed by his wife heard God whisper to his broken heart - go and buy back your wife and love her, because that is how I loved my church (Israel). 

The greatest love story is not just a story of windswept passion, but a story of immeasurable grace.  It is a story of a special kind of love... that kind that overcomes human shortcomings and inadequacies.

It is a love that only can come from God.  It is Agape love.  An unconditional love that lasts forever.

For more listen to the 2/13/2011 "Love Your Wife" sermon at www.eastgatechurch.org

Expanding your borders is a great idea for investment and for business.  In tough economic times, people often fall back on what is familiar looking for something that is safe.  But a good financial advisor will tell you that putting all of your eggs in one basket is a high risk approach!

One of the best ways to gain additional security is to diversify, diversify, diversify!  We read newspapers and magazines about how the real estate markets have crashed in certain parts of the country.  Recently I read about homes being sold in Detroit for as little as $1.  When I took stock of my local real estate market, I realized it likely wouldn't see the gains in appreciation I would hope for over the next 10 years.  So I looked into buying outside my state in a market with a bigger upward potential.

The same is true for business...

If you don't have enough customers in your local community, then perhaps you should consider reaching out to a larger client base?  Recently at our firm, we made the decision to go national.  We've opened offices in FL, MS, and LA - and have welcomed a great team aboard our staff!  We've also taken the steps to be approved to close in all 50 states.  So if business can't always come to us, we are able to go to where the business is.

So if you are looking to increase your business, or to strengthen your portfolio - consider hiring a competent real estate professional to guide you to a growth area that will pay you dividends for years to come!

A lot of press is being given to the sudden drop in the stock market... and behind it all there are further intimations of loss in the bond markets.  And while losing money in a 401K can be upsetting, for most of us our biggest investment is still our home.

Every real estate market experiences cycles.  That means what goes up can come down.  But it also means that what goes down can also go up.

So have you lost money in your home?  The answer may surprise you.  The real answer is you don't lose money unless you sell.  We often hear talk about having thousands of dollars in equity in our homes.  That may matter if you are trying to get a loan or a line of credit.  But the fact is, even when market prices drop you still have your home.  So hang in there, and eventually prices will rebound.  Real estate can be a poor short term investment because it is difficult to sell, there are a lot of costs associated with a transaction, and because the cost of ownership can easily erode any short term gains.  But as a long term investment - real estate is always a bargain.

When the stock market tumbles, I'm glad I own a home.  Companies file bankruptcy and their stock values evaporate overnight.  But real estate - though prices sometimes drop - rarely goes to zero.  So have courage and hold on.

The real value of a real estate holding is secured by the fact the US population is growing.  That means eventually the demand will catch up to the available supply and prices will rebound.  So while we may have liquidity issues, we still can have a roof over our heads! And for those who are able, now is a great time to buy!

 

Have you been thinking about moving up to a larger, more expensive home but are afraid that the housing market and credit crunch makes it unwise or impossible? Sometimes being financially successful means you have to start thinking differently than the common person.  Investment success requires strategy, and home buying definitely has to be an investment.  Those who are most successful have learned you have to lead the market rather than allow the market to lead you, meaning you need to sell when others are buying and buy when others are selling.  So what does this mean for real estate?

There has never been a better time to move up!

I know the traditional thought is that you want to sell your home at the top of the market.  And that's true if you are cashing out of the market.  But most of us have to live somewhere, so we are not really selling out, we are just shifting our positions in the housing market.  Prices today are low - and as a result now is the ultimate time to buy!

Consider these important factors as you weigh your decision:

#1. Selling your house now will actually save you TENS OF THOUSANDS of dollars in real estate fees.  In most places, it is the home seller that pays the realtor commission fees.  That means that if you sell at a low point in the market, you save money you would otherwise have to pay.  This works because a realtors commsission increases by thousands of dollars as th value of a home goes up.  Its also true because of the taxes you pay when you sell a home.  The more you gain from the sale, the more likely you are to hand over your well deserved rewards to Uncle Sam.

#2. You can buy your dream house now at an affordable price.  Amazing deals can be found on homes in just about every part of the country.  Areas that were once considered reserved only for the rich are now available to the savvy.  Pay close attention to housing prices around, and you may just find a seller desparate enough to give you an unbelievable price.

#3.  When the market rebounds you can multiply your leveraged position into high returns.  Think about this: if a $200,000 home goes up 10% in value, how much money did you make? $20,000.  But what if you own a $500,000 home?  That 10% uptick represents $50,000 = an additional $30,000 in profits.  Everyone knows the housing market will come back. And when it does, you want to own the property that will give you the largest return.

#4. Bank incentives, government programs, and a difficult market have made buying houses easier than ever.  The city of Atlanta is giving away $10,000 down payments to buyers.  They also are offering 4% payments toward closing costs.  Suntrust mortgage is offering bridge loans that allow you to make little or no payments for 6 months, a year and then an additional year after that.  Some builders are buying homes just to get you to buy into their subdivision.  Everyday the market is working to offer people great opportunity to buy in. 

My only piece of advice - if you are thinking about moving up but aren't certain you could handle paying a double mortgage - sell your current home first.  Once it goes under contract, you'll have plenty of time to make an offer on the dream house of your choice.  And yes, houses are selling even in this market.  The key to getting your home sold?  That is for another blog - but choosing the right realtor has a lot to do with it.  Some realtors are setting records for sales while others are visiting pawn shops to pay their bills.  You need to work with the right realtor who knows how to bring a deal to close....

I hoped you enjoyed reading this!

 

David Houtsma, Attorney at Law