Billy,
On those early birds - it is odd that only a very few come up that early and most of the rest wait until the first week in April.
I did not notice your post on the opportunity you have and your request for prayer on the decision until I went back and read the previous page of post.
The Bible actually addresses financial issues quite well and as you know it is the best place to actually get wisedom from.
Below is some information I put together for you and I hope it helps you out.
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Debt...
Proverbs 22:7 - The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave to the lender.
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TNhunter - The older I get (I am 51 now)- the more I dispise debt. My only debt is my home at this point and I am making good progress on it - should be paid off in the next 5 years. I agree with Dave Ramsey on debt - that you should avoid it completely if possible, with exceptions to that being something like Land/Home and then you finance it for as short a period as possible and pay it off ASAP.
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Investing...
Ecclesiastes 11:1 - Send your bread on the surface of the waters, for after many days you may find it.
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TNhunter - At first reading that one may not be so clear to you.. below is some commentary on that verse.
Here is a call to faith. Solomon advises us that the use of faith will always contain an element of risk of loss because we do not know the end from the beginning. We can only vaguely conceive the future. We have a desire for eternity within us. We wish to have insight into how our present situations will be resolved, but we do not know the complete answer.
Therefore, Solomon says it will never work out right unless we decisively commit ourselves to live by faith: \"Cast your bread upon the water.\" Cast your lot with God; take the risk.
If we do this, it will demand commitment in the same way a businessman must commit to his investment if he wants to make a profit. What if a businessman commits his capital to some investment and fails to ensure the business makes a profit by devoting his time and energies to it's success? The endeavor will fail.
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Diversifying...
Ecclesiastes 11:2 - Divide your portion to seven or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.
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TNhunter - Don't put all of your money in roots or Ginseng my friend - spread it around some (7 or 8 different ways) - need to diversify
![:-) :-)](/media/kunena/emoticons/smile.png)
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Risk...
Ecclesiastes 5:13-15 - There is a sickening tragedy I have seen under the sun... That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed.
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TNhunter - that one sort of speaks for itself.. do your best to determine that you can make this a good venture before pulling the trigger.
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Counsel...
Jeremiah 33:3 - Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and mighty things you do not know.
Psalms 32:8 - I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
Psalms 119:24 - Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.
Psalms 119:98 - Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me.
Proverbs 12:15 - A fool's way is right in his own eyes, but whoever listens to counsel is wise.
Psalms 37:30 - The godly man is a good counselor; because he is just and fair and knows right from wrong.
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TNhunter - when facing a very important decision like yours - seek counsel from 3 sources. The counsel of the Lord, The counsel of Gods word, Then counsel of Godly people (who are experienced in the area in which you are attempting to make a decision on).
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Wisedom...
James 1:5-6 - Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
TNhunter - I have lifted you up friend and will continue to do so.
Remember that God often speaks in a still small voice, and that the world is busy and loud and distracting.
Jesus himself often broke away from the crowd and went up on the mountain to pray.
When seeking Godly counsel consider men that you know to be godly and also experienced in realestate dealings and have them give you their honest opinion on this venture that you are considering.
I do hope that it works out for you brother !
The part that sticks in my mind is 20 acres of ideal ginseng growing area.
In Scotts book he gives some details on what to expect from 1/2 acre of wild ginseng (giving detail of cost and profit) over the 9 year period. Net Profit was 20,460.00
Some of his cost may be a little low for today, but he also priced the ginseng at 350.00/lb which may be a little low for today too.
With 20 acres of ideal ginseng growing area - you have 40 (half acres).
If you took a farily conservative estimate... say 10,000.00 per half acre x 40 = 400,000.00
That is exciting... but to get there (as you know) it is going to take a lot of hard work and patience (9 years) and there are lots of risk (disease, pest, theives, etc).
On the hard work part... as you know when it's something you really enjoy doing - it takes most of the hard out of the work.
Best of Luck Billy !
TNhunter