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Paul Ludacka, CFP, CLU – Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
When I was in elementary school, I remember staying at hotels up to 3 times per week because it was too dangerous to sleep at our home. When I was in middle school, I remember standing in front of our home, on a perfect summer day, with my family & neighbors all around, watching in horror, as my stepfather destroyed our home from the inside out…every table, every door, every wall, every piece of glass…everything destroyed! As a teenager, I left home. I thought living on my own would be great. No parents, no rules, no accountability, no boundaries. Unfortunately, I discovered as a young man that a life without restrictions is a recipe for disaster. At a very young age, I fell into sin. Before I was able to drive a car, I became sexually active and like my stepfather, my father & my grandfather—I began to drink my life away. There was one thing I had going for me as a young man, I was extremely gifted athletically. Football was my religion and my god. By the time I was a senior in high school, I had only lost 3 football games in the past 10 years. I knew our team would win the state championship, I would be the next great Husker quarterback, go on to play in the NFL & live happily ever after… right? Wrong. Double overtime, state semi-finals, ball at the 1-yard line and the game on the line—I fumbled. Game over. I was 17 years old, no family, no friends, no football, no future. There were days I wished I were dead. Six months after graduating from high
school, I almost got my wish. I was driving my 1969 Chevy pickup during a snowstorm
when it rolled. I cried out, “God save me!”…then there was darkness.
I had lost consciousness and broke 2 vertebrae; but most frightening of all was
the fact that I Yes, I was religious, I was a ‘good guy’, I didn’t kill anyone…surely, I would go to heaven…doesn’t everybody? Ten months after my accident, I met a man who claimed our meeting was a “divine appointment.” He shared with me 7 verses that changed my life:
That night, I realized we all have a God-shaped void in our lives & only Jesus Christ can fill it. On February 9, 1995, I fell to my knees and received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Jesus did not save me because of anything I had done…but despite that. If Jesus Christ can save Paul Ludacka, He can save anyone. I was a nobody, from nowhere with nothing. If God can save me, He can save you! Today, I should be an alcoholic, a drug addict or far worse. By the sheer grace of God, I have a beautiful wife, the two coolest kids, and a successful business. I may not be the man I want to be, but praise God, I am not the man I used to be. I am a member of a CBMC Forum and find CBMC an excellent way to build & refine my personal, professional & spiritual life. Ann Kelleher, President/Owner Integrity Staffing
As a young adult, I attended church intermittently and drifted away from the Lord. The vacuum this created in my life led to several regretful choices. Later I reconnected with the Lord, attended church regularly and considered myself to be a Christian. Yet, I now realize I had only a superficial relationship with Christ. I had grown up with a tremendous sense of self-sufficiency—perhaps as a result of growing up in a farm environment, and losing a parent at an early age. I lived my life largely through my own power and energy. The Lord was in my life, but I didn’t know how to depend on Him. When I became a business owner, I was faced with many challenges. When one issue would get settled, others would surface! My own deficiencies became apparent to me, and I found that my own power was inadequate to deal with all that confronted me. My anxiety level accelerated. At a point of high frustration, I was invited to Bible Study Fellowship. Through a deeper study of God’s Word, and interaction with other Christians in the BSF setting, I started to better understand who I am in Christ. I began to trust Him with some of my burdens. As my faith increased, it seemed that the relationship with my business partner became more and more strained. It came to a point where that relationship ended. At the same time, it seemed that the Lord was opening doors for me to start a new venture on my own. In 2002 at a
very challenging time in our economy, I founded a new business. For several months
I prayed to God to bring me some wise Christian counsel. By attending one of the
CBMC business lunches, I learned about Forums. I asked if I could become a Forum
member. God not only called me to be a member, but to carry out a vision to establish
the first Women’s Business Forum of CBMC. When it comes to Christian counsel,
this Forum has been all that I had prayed for and more. Not only do I receive
valuable input on planning and decision-making, I now have true friendships with
other Christian businesswomen. The presence of the Holy Spirit is so evident when
we share with each other whether it is on a personal, business or spiritual level.
The vision of our Women’s Business Forum is that our group can be the beginning
of a movement, both nationally and
About CBMC: our vision, our mission, our core values, our history. Read it on www.cbmc.com.
Have you ever asked yourself how you
could be an instrument in bringing more people to know Christ personally, or how
your commitment could help to disciple followers through their journey as they
grow closer to the Lord? Have you ever wanted to find a way to reach out to your
neighbor, the moms and dads, or teenagers in your Heartland community? If you
have, then financially supporting the efforts of CBMC right here in the Heartland
allows you to be a part of something bigger, something that makes a difference
in the world today, something heroic for Christ. If CBMC has made a difference
in your life through any of their many ministries or you want to find a way to
contribute right here in your Heartland Community, you can help others to know
the Lord and grow deeper in their relationship with Him with your donation. You
can help change the world, one person PEOPLE ARE WOUNDED! THERE IS A WAR GOING ON! GOD IS MOVING! ARE YOU AND I GOING TO BE HIS HEROES? OR ARE WE AWOL? Change the world by supporting CBMC. Your contribution makes a lasting difference. Please contribute to CBMC Ministry today! CBMCFORUM MINISTRYBusiness men and women face growing demands every year. Many aren’t sure where to turn for counsel or who they can even trust. For decades, CBMC has leveraged the power of a businessman’s testimony to make inroads for the Gospel. One man sharing his spiritual journey with others is our “hook,” our attraction, for finding common ground between business associates.
Providing godly counsel and support for business and personal issues is one of the greatest ways we can do this. As they grow spiritually, we can begin to train them in the tools and vision that CBMC has developed for connecting business men and women to Christ so they can learn how to produce eternal dividends. “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). Dan Hazuka of Omaha is one such “ reliable man” the scripture speaks of. After more than 30 years in business he is now teaching and training business leaders through the CBMCFORUM ministry how to do business God’s way and how to use their business as a ministry platform. Dan is able to serve others by sharing the life experiences God used to teach him in dealing with stewardship, giving, employees, customers, vendors and many other areas of business life. Most importantly Dan has learned to “ store up treasures in heaven” by investing in those God has put into his path. God is moving! Under Dan Hazuka’s leadership – there are now 12 Forum groups in the Heartland – including the first Women’s Forum Group in the United States. Comments from LeadersJohn Reimer works with various Bible studies, outreaches, and special events. He touches many people – that, in turn, touch many more. Here are some comments from some of John’s leaders of leaders:
“I attend Friday morning Bible study for the friendships and relationships fostered between Christian men. The accountability of staying in the Word daily keeps my focus on Jesus Christ and deepens that relationship with Him. This overflows into my life, my family, and work.” - Mark Pelan “It is important for me to be regularly involved in faith-filled fellowship. I need to close ranks often with others in armor to fend off arrows, rocks, and even spears – to learn how His Truth and His Word directly apply to choices that face me in the market place every day. Behind small groups of shields, we minister to each other, adjust our armor, and sharpen our swords. Behind our shields we draw closer to Him to bring joy to Him and to each other. CBMC Bible studies fill a vital between-Sundays need for me. It is within theses studies that we discuss employee, employer, and colleague issues in the Light of His Word. God is good, and it’s rewarding to spend frequent time with Him among ourselves.” - Chas Magdanz I show Him how much I love Him through acts of worship; Bible study, Operation Timothy, prayer, time with my children and wife, my job. All these things are acts of worship when I stay focused on Christ. He’s #1 and everything seems to flow when I keep that focus. CBMC is my vehicle. My tool, if you will, that God gave me to give back what has been given to me.” - Jeff Burch
1065 North 115th St. Suite 100, Omaha, NE 68154-4423 (402) 493.4495, Fx (402) 493-7054 Ken Korkow , John Reimer , Dan Hazuka Dale Burklund , Wilson Metz , Sandy Metz | | ||||
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Most
people have fond memories from childhood. My first childhood memory was the day
my father left. As a child, I wanted nothing more than a dad— somebody to
wrestle with, somebody to play catch with, and somebody to
I
grew up on a farm and was guided by a Christian mother. At the age of 11, I accepted
Christ as my personal savior and was baptized. Also at the age of 11, my life
changed dramatically when my father died suddenly of a heart attack. All through
the years I faithfully attended Sunday school and church, but that changed after
entering college.
“The
Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good
news to the poor; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty
to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” Isaiah
61:1
God
calls us to go and make disciples of all nations… At CBMC, members dedicated
to this calling are leading people to Christ every day. In the first 10 months
of 2003 - CBMC-Heartland has held 47 Outreach Events with over 3,000 people in
attendance—308 people indicated that they prayed to receive Christ as Savior
and 649 people indicated that they had asked the Lord to give them one person
to be involved with in discipleship.
CBMCFORUM,
a ministry of CBMC, uses this same hook for serving and training business men
and women to become spiritual reproducers and teach them how to use their businesses
as a ministry platform. A CBMCFORUM is a group of
5 to 8 Christian business owners or executives who meet monthly for several hours
to discuss how to integrate Biblical principles into their personal lives and
business operations. In time they grow into a ministry team, providing godly counsel,
support, prayer, and confidential accountability for one another.
“Why
do I go to Bible study?