209. Here's to a Prosperous 2024!

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Hello Friends!

Another year is coming to a close. It’s been a year of ups and downs, but I’ve had mostly ups. I hope the same for you. In the spirit of wrapping up 2023, I wanted to share a few highlights that I thought you would be interested in.

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As 2023 comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on my spectacular journey. Here are the highlights so far:

• Born on Nov.12, 1981, at Clear Lake Hospital in Texas and raised in the South Houston area;

• Battled severe asthma and allergies with multiple hospital visits for asthma and three rounds of allergy shot treatments over time;

• Watched my dad have seizures and learned from his optimism and intellect throughout his battle with epilepsy;

• Grew up in a single-mother, relatively lower-income household for most of my life after my parents divorced twice before I was 10;

• Learned strength and love from my mom, who struggled while raising my sister and me, and gained wisdom from my grandparents, who I lived with for two years;

• Completed K-2 grades at a private school, 3-6 grades at public schools, and 7-12 grades at home school;

• Experienced life as a "rockstar" drummer in the band Sindrome, which was a top rock band in Houston, and was a tumultuous “rockstar” period as a young adult (17-20 yrs old);

• Flipped at least six times as a front passenger in a 2002 Acura RSX after wrecking into the back of an SUV while racing at around 120 mph and then life-flighted to a hospital in Houston with a potential head injury but was released that night (20 yrs old);

• Turned closer to God and prayed for His guidance which directed me toward my calling to let people prosper through His lessons, lessons from family and friends, and the tools of economics;

• Enjoyed my time at Texas Tech University and learned much in courses, gained many great friends, and led several organizations;

• Unexpected loss of my father from epilepsy in April 2011 of what’s called SUDEP when I was 29 yrs old;

• Graduated in 2013 with a Ph.D. in economics from TTU after neither parent graduated college (31 years old);

• Sudden loss of my mother from end-stage liver disease in April 2022 when I was 40 years old;

• Worked as a lecturer at Texas Tech, Sam Houston, and others, as a chief economist at the White House’s OMB, chief economist at TPPF and Pelican Institute; and with many other think tanks over the last decade; and

• Now at 42 years old, I’m blessed to have God’s grace, be married to an inspiring, beautiful woman and best friend, have three amazing kids, have amazing extended family and friends, and have had an experience in Virginia but glad to be back in Texas, founder and president of Ginn Economic Consulting, and continue living God’s will for my life.

• There’s no way that I could have planned this. The ups and downs. The uncertainty, faith, fear, and love. These events and many more make me the man I am today. As 2023 comes to a close, I thank God for these blessings and the courage to overcome many obstacles along the way, including many of them this year.

• I started praying about and choosing a word to act as a guide each year since 2018. My word for 2018 was “prosper,” 2019 was “flourish”, 2020 was “thrive,” 2021 was “serve,” 2022 was grow,” 2023 was “grace,” which all fit perfectly.

• My word for 2024 is “joyful” because I know that many challenges will come along, but as long as I’m joyful about my free will along God’s journey, the rest will work for my good.

• What’s your word for the year? (Leave in comments)

• I appreciate your friendship. I hope my testimony can help someone know that anyone can reach their goals with God’s favor and one’s persistence.

• Here’s to a spectacular 2024!

Don’t miss my top 10 commentaries of the 96 that I published in 2023. Here’s my #1 that was in the Wall Street Journal.

Here are my top 10 most viewed shorts from the Let People Prosper Show in 2023.

Don’t miss my top 10 most-viewed videos of the Let People Prosper Show in 2023. This episode was #1!

Check out my work's influence on defining the narrative of top issues across the country in 2023.

Bible Verse for 2024: LOVE

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