Things Change

As a nation and as a community we have seen many changes in the past few years. Changes we may not have anticipated. That was certainly the case at Atlantic Funding Group, my previous business. Having spent 30+ years in the financial services industry, primarily mortgage origination, I had witnessed the industry re-make itself on more than one occasion. I’ve decided not to take part in the current “re-make”.

Having spent 30+ years in the financial services industry, primarily mortgage origination, I have witnessed the industry re-make itself on more than one occasion. I’ve decided not to take part in the current “re-make. I am taking my expertise and success from my past experiences and applying them helping families understand their options regarding their life and health insurance and prepare for a stable retirement.



While originating mortgages I was always involved in a win/win situation. I was able to help my clients attain the dream of home ownership while providing a decent living for my family.

With the drastic downturn and over regulation of the mortgage industry I decided to turn my expertise and success from my past experiences and appl them to helping families understand their options regarding their life and health insurance and prepare for a stable retirement.

Things Change. Sometimes it is hard to get your head around that, but change is inevitable. If you find yourself facing some tough changes here are a few things I have learned:


• Be Open Minded; look at every opportunity. You never know when you might find yourself in the right place at the right time


• Find a new niche; don’t cling to what you’ve always done just because you’ve always done it.


• Don’t be afraid to move forward; take your expertise from your past experiences and apply them to your future.

Where's My voice?

Where do I start? I’ll just tell you my story and if you find yourself relating, then maybe you will jump in and get involved.

I’m 55 years old and have seen things change drastically in our society in my adult life. As a child all adults were my boss and my teachers believed pretty much the same thing as my parents. An undisciplined life brought shame to you and your family and most families had a mom and a dad. And of course, just about everyone went to church or they were embarrassed to admit that they didn’t.

Today it seems like we live in an upside down world. In 2005 37% of all U.S. births were born to unmarried parents. Forty seven percent of adults in their 30’s and 40’s have lived in cohabitating relationships. Forty Three Million unborn babies have lost their lives since the U.S. Supreme Court made Roe v. Wade (and its companion Doe v. Bolton) the law of the land.  As of July 8, 2008, Massachusetts and California permit same-sex couples to marry. California voters took to the polls and passed legislation banning same sex marriage only to have it overturned by one activist judge.  The states of Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey and New Hampshire offer civil unions.

How did we get here? Is anyone in particular to blame? Can we fix it and how? Well, I have an opinion, so here goes. I believe the church got comfortable. We gorged ourselves on the blessings of God and left the things of the world and society to the undisciplined. As things spiraled down the church was told they didn’t have a place in making the rules of society and many believed it. Now we are left standing alone on the prairie wondering “Where is My Voice?” “Can anyone here me?”

Now is the time to be heard.  Effective citizenship begins with knowledge. Today, Christians need to play an active role in government again like never before.  If we are going to be able to change policy and influence decisions, it is imperative that people of faith become committed to doing what Ronald Reagan called "the hard work of freedom". We are driven by the belief that people of faith have a right and a responsibility to be involved in the world around them. That involvement includes community, social and political action.

Ok, maybe you're not 55 years old and maybe you didn’t live in the “Good Old Days”, maybe you are a young family starting out, and you’re shaking your head wondering what is going on here and what you can do about it.

We are in the heat of a political season right now.  As I type this,  early voting for Florida's primary is in progress.  The results of this primary will determine our candidates for the November election.  This November mid-term election is crucial.  We will not just be choosing candidates, we will be choosing the direction of our country. It will be more than just deciding big government over small government.  It is more than just  choosing whether the public sector will work for the private or whether the private will work for the public.   We will be choosing one world view over another;  Where do our rights come from?  Are we truly "endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights"  or is it time for a "second bill of rights" as many on the left have called for?  

 Choose wisely; it could be your last opportunity

Is It Worth it?

Is It Worth It?

America is in a challenging time. A time, like few before, that will have a permanent impact on the direction of this country. Our nation is in the midst of deciding more freedom or less freedom, more self reliance or more government reliance, more of God or less of God, or maybe even none of God.

Some of you, who read my posts, know me personally, but many do not. For those of you, who don’t know me; let me give you some background. I love my country. I love my God and I am a follower of Jesus Christ. He has never let me down. For 20+ years I was a single mother of two children, a smart, funny, compassionate boy and a multi-talented extraordinary girl. Both are now married, serving the Lord and contributing to the good of society and I am now re-married. While raising my children, I worked in the mortgage industry and participated politically, although not as much as I have been lately. I thought, like many American’s, that voting and raising my voice on occasion, was all that was needed. That those elected to office were “looking out for us.” I see you snickering, but didn’t you?

I no longer believe that. I believe Washington has become obese with power and corruption and few even remember that they were sent there to represent. This realization has motivated me to be more vocal, more active and more aggressive in trying to inform others. I had become weary in well doing. I found myself wondering, what is the use? Is anyone listening? Is it worth it? I spent 30 years building a mortgage business to see it decimated by industry and government corruption. I moved on to the insurance and securities industry, which I’m afraid, may take the same route as the mortgage industry. And the corruption in Washington reigns on.

I have painted on the back window of my Mini-Van “I am 1 of the ‘Angry Mob’.” I have been considering removing it, feeling it was pointless, perhaps offending. Yesterday, as I was out trying to build yet another business, I had the radio on, tuned to conservative talk. A mother called in distraught with the conditions of the country. She said she was a 51 year old mother of a 6 year old. She was crying. She said she could no longer support this corrupt government and was not going to send them anymore tax dollars. The host encouraged her to reconsider, because her 6 year old needed her at home and not in jail. It was very emotional. At the same time a car pulled up next to me. It was an elderly man, perhaps in his late 70’s. He was connected to a portable oxygen tank. He turned his head slowly and looked me in the eye, raised his hand and gave me the thumbs up. Why? He had read my back window. I heard that still small voice say “Is It Worth It?” I cried the rest of the way home…and am still emotional as I write about it. I will never forget the look on that man’s face. I felt he was saying, “Thank You”.

So, for the 51 year old mother of a 6 yr old, for the elderly gentleman next to me on oxygen, and for you, I will keep on. I will shrug off this “weariness in well doing” and I will continue to fight for the inalienable rights endowed by our creator. I invite you to join me. You may not be able to do the same things I do, but you can do something. I urge you to stay informed, seek the truth, and communicate what you learn.

“The choice before us is plain. Christ or Chaos, conviction or compromise, discipline or disintegration. I am rather tired of hearing about our rights and privileges as American citizens. The time is come, it now is, when we ought to hear about the duties and responsibilities of our citizenship. America’s future depends upon her accepting and demonstrating God’s government.” Peter Marshall, The Rebirth of America.

Regina Brown

Largo, Fl.

Stress, The Silent Killer

I don’t know about you, but what I see and hear going on in our country troubles me…it causes me “stress”. Stress is actually an engineering term. It describes the forces that try to tear a structure apart such as weight, wind, temperature and pressure. In humans it is much the same, certain pressures try to tear us apart. Sometimes these stresses come from inside of us; sometimes the pressures tearing us apart come from the outside. Where does stress begin? Stress is caused by change – any change. Change requires us to rearrange our priorities to meet new circumstances. Stress is the accumulation of all the things that pull us apart. The antidote to change is homeostasis. The Greek word “stasis” means to stand still or to stand equally. It describes a point where the tug-of-war balances out and motion ceases. Can you imagine that? Homeostasis is the ability to adjust our internal environments to create balance. We are created with it. Just imagine all of the stresses pulling you apart every day. What balances that tug-of-war? God’s Word tells us to STAND against the devil’s schemes. To STAND our ground, and after we have done everything, to STAND. STAND FIRM. Isn’t God awesome that he would create within us the ability to “stand still”, an antidote for the pressures pulling us apart? Our “homeostasis” is the Armor of God.

The Armor of God
Ephesians 10-20: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."

Have a homeostasis week!

Regina