A LONG TIME HAS PASSED SINCE I WAS A


Bernie Bostwick CAP®, ChFC® President


SMALL CHILD. Such a long time, in fact, that when asked where I got the toys you see in this picture, all I could think is that I think they were handed down by older siblings… I think.


Over time and many moves, the toy has taken a beating of sorts. Te front wheels have fallen off, and I must find a way to fix them. (We had to do a temporary repair for the picture!) In holding Howdy Doody, I reflected on how much ‘stuff,’ including traits, are passed down from other people. Personally or in business, things that are broken may still get passed on, even if there is only a short-term solution for a fix.


I think most would agree that 2020 has been a challenging year, to say the least. Because of COVID-19, it seems like the year started off well, but—like the example of my childhood toy—when we pulled it out of the box, the wheels fell off. Te ramifications from this and other events seemed to increase. Te further into the year we progressed, the hat fell off our little cowboy, Howdy Doody’s arms bent, and now, all of


us seem to be holding our breath as we wait to see if the back wheels are going to dislodge and cause the whole toy to finally fall apart.


I think that much of this negative attitude has been passed along to me through the world in which I live. What I have learned through all of this is to trust in God and not become fearful. One scripture verse I often repeat to myself many times as I lay awake in bed is, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4: 6-7). God is teaching me to handle events like this differently, by trusting in God and not becoming anxious. I want to pass along to family, coworkers, friends, and clients an attitude that, “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).


Looking back at this year, God has blessed Ambassador Advisors and enabled us to keep moving forward by not dwelling on the difficulties—and instead, looking for solutions. Education has always been a hallmark of what we do as a firm. Often, we educate people by giving seminars through our work with the ministries we are involved in. We work with a few Christian


conference centers, and, throughout the year, go to their facilities and present seminars. What happens when, because of the pandemic, they can’t host guests? Before Coronavirus, many of us had heard of Zoom, but few of us utilized this technology daily. But we adapt. We’ve created what we now call “Zoominars” and reach many groups through nonprofits and churches, keeping them up-to-date with what they need to know due to the many changes in government programs designed to financially help them through this time.


Trough doing these virtual seminars, we are able to share ideas that will help keep people inspired in the truth of the gospel and how it relates to their desire to be the best steward of what God has entrusted to them. In the beginning of the pandemic, and in some cases still today, meeting with clients in person was a challenge. Regardless, these meetings are extremely vital for the well-being of our clients. Te same concept behind “Zoominars” has been used for one-on-one virtual meetings with our clients. Although we are hopeful for the day that we will be meeting all of our clients face-to-face again, we will continue to use virtual meetings as necessary.


God has enabled us to keep moving forward by not dwelling on the difficulties— and instead, looking for solutions.


One exciting new opportunity that we began to introduce in our last magazine issue is our new Biblically Responsible Retirement Solution. Our financial strategies and wealth management departments have created Biblically Responsible Investing 401(k) plans. Tis concept is somewhat new for many Christian business owners. Companies can now offer a retirement plan to their employees that screens out ungodly investments, while deliberately seeking out companies that make a difference in the world and earn a profit doing so.


Even through the challenges we’ve faced this year, Ambassador Advisors continues to expand our presence in areas like New York and Florida. With a concentrated focus due to the pandemic, we feel confident 2021 will propel Ambassador Advisors into the future for the benefit of the most important asset we are entrusted to steward: our clients.


My hope is that, through living a life that looks to God and seeks to glorify His Son, a new trait will be passed along. We can learn to take what is broken and fix it permanently. Revelation 21:4-5 promises, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’”


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