The quality of your leadership is defined more by what happens in your absence than in your presence.

Giving 

Always give without remembering; always receive without forgetting.

William Barclay 

There is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving.

Henry Drummond 

In many regards, the essence of Be the Beans is giving back to the world in order to make it a better place. If you have read Be the Beans, you know that Jake Carmichael’s life was changed when he began to invest in the lives of his staff, family, and ultimately in the life of single-mother, Carrie Schneider. 

In my own life, giving has played a tremendous role in helping shape my view of the world and how one individual can truly make a significant difference in the lives of others. I whole-heartedly believe that one person can make a difference. One single spark can start a forest fire. The same can be said of men and women who commit themselves to making the world a better place.

My first experience as an adult “giving” back was shortly after Tanya and I moved to Houston. On December 31, 1993 I read an article in the Houston Chronicle about a man named Winston James who started a homeless shelter in the Fourth Ward of downtown Houston called The Life Center. That next week I went downtown to meet Winston to learn more about his ministry and his focus on impacting the lives of the homeless in Houston. From that point forward, I have been deeply committed to Winston in terms of praying for him, helping him financially, and introducing him to other friends of mine who can join him as partners in ministry. I consider Winston one of my closest friends and he has had a tremendous impact on my life (ironically, he says the same about me). To learn more about The Life Center, please visit their website (click here). 

One of the main motivations I have in promoting this book is raising money to help others. Specifically, I have in mind the work of East-West Ministries in Dallas, Texas. East-West Ministries trains church planters and pastors in more than 39 countries around the world. I also have several good friends on staff with East-West. Provided below I have provided a brief overview of this ministry, but for more information, please visit their website at http://www.eastwest.org).
 
East-West Ministries began because two men couldn’t resist the call of Christ’s great mission . . go into the world and multiply His disciples. East-West Founders John Maisel and Bud Toole spent the 1980s traveling secretly behind the Iron Curtain. During this time, the two men trained 4,000 to 5,000 students underground through Biblical Education by Extension (BEE). 

Communist governments soon collapsed in the early 1990's resulting in the fall of the Iron Curtain. The 300 million people who had been taught the doctrines of atheism began to seek real answers . . . resulting in an incredible spiritual hunger. A new need arose—to train church planters and pastors in these nations characterized by restricted Christian activity during its 70 years of communism. John Maisel and Bud Toole recognized this need and responded. 

In May 1993, East-West Ministries International was established to train and mentor faithful and reliable national pastors. These pastors could then become a catalyst for indigenous church growth—evangelizing the lost, equipping new believers, and establishing grace-oriented churches. 

Since 1993, the Lord has been faithful in expanding the reach of East-West Ministries. During this time of expansion and development, East-West has grown from two men to over 100 staff members and hundreds of national partners. 

Now in 39 countries, our staff is privileged to lead many strategic and creative ministries. We work primarily in limited access countries and among unreached and unengaged people groups around the world. East-West has offices in Plano, Texas; Houston, Texas; Moscow, Russia; Seville, Spain; New Delhi, India; and Central Asia. 
 
The second "motivation investment” is my desire to start a scholarship for students attending Texas A&M University. As you might have read on the My Story of Aggieland page, Texas A&M has had a tremendous impact on my life and has contributed significantly to my view of the world. I would like other young people to have the opportunity to be impacted by this wonderful institution. Aggies are Being the Beans around the world on a daily basis; serving as soldiers, missionaries, pastors, business leaders, professors, stay at home moms, and countless other noble professions.