Phil's Story Unpacked



"I had reached a measure of success, but I had no real fulfillment."




I grew up in a caring family that attended a large, well-known church in southern California, but I'd have to say that I essentially grew up in a non-Christian home. We clocked in for our two hours on Sunday morning and clocked out. The rest of the week we lived a secular life. My father was in banking for most of his career, and he taught me that the goal in life was to have a professional career and plenty of money, so this became my goal. He taught me the value of hard work. When I was ten, my father helped me to start a neighborhood lawn mowing business. At age twelve I became interested in magic as an art and entertainment form. At fourteen I began to do public performances, and by age sixteen I became a professional magician. By seventeen I won the Jr. Magician of the year award, and subsequently was one of the youngest magicians to be invited to perform at a famous Hollywood magic club. This lead to engagements at various famous venues in Hollywood and the greater Los Angeles area, including numerous private clubs and civic groups. Because I was the only magician that would attempt fire-eating, I was hired by a major film studio and an opera company for premieres and special effect work. I continued my study of filmmaking by going on to a prestigious school of cinema & TV. I continued to work in Hollywood as a special event photographer. After graduation I went to work for a man who was considered to be the most powerful agent in Hollywood. The hard work that my father taught me gave me the discipline and perseverance to succeed in an industry unlike any other.

At the age of twenty-five, I was tired of chasing the elusive dream of "success" and money only to find myself empty. My major decision on Friday evenings was whether to spend the weekend on my sail boat, penthouse at the beach, or my apartment up in Beverly Hills. I had reached a measure of success, but I had no fulfillment. After having spent the last thirteen years in the performing arts and motion picture industry, working seven days a week-days that would typically begin at 6 am and end at midnight-I quit the entertainment business.

I had delayed marriage and any other distraction that would pull me off track. Now what would I do? After taking a couple of months off, I decided to accept a management position at a major telecommunications company, and thus began a new chapter of my life. While at a dinner party, I met my future wife Patricia, and a year later we were married.

The pastor that married me and Patricia wanted to follow up with us for the next six months. I agreed and we met monthly with him. The first time we met, he suggested that I read through the book of proverbs. By the second meeting, I had read through Proverbs and the book of Matthew. I was profoundly moved at the depth of truth about life contained in Proverbs. I began to see that the Scriptures do in fact contain principles for life and living. I knew that what I was reading was truth! It was also like looking in a mirror-I could also see my own sinfulness. It was at this second meeting that the Pastor explained the gospel of Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection which pays the penalty for my sin that I was unable to pay. As a youngster at church, I had heard the Bible teachings of Jesus Christ and how he had died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. I did not doubt the truth of this teaching, but it was merely intellectual agreement. I was not truly a Christian. But at this second meeting with the pastor, my wife and I repented of our sins and accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior in that meeting. For the next year this pastor's parents, who were missionaries on furlough from Brazil, met 1-2 times a week. They tutored us in the scriptures and taught us how to live and think in our day-to-day to lives according to biblical principles. That year we experienced a profound transformation in every aspect of life.

Trouble was brewing at work, though. The deregulation of the telecommunications industry was shaking up my company. Watching the ongoing reorganizations, I suspected that I could be out of work within a few years. I had been extended an offer by the vice-president of a large film company to come back to work in Hollywood, but I declined. Instead I became intrigued with what the Bible had to say about our financial affairs and how to manage money. I enrolled in a training program sponsored by an organization that taught Biblical principles of financial planning. I counseled people that were in financial difficulty or just trying to properly manage their money. I could see both ministry and career opportunity in this. I was encouraged to begin professional training in tax, accounting, and financial planning. Over the next three years I received my state tax license, a certificate in accounting and my Certified Financial Planning credential. The next year, after surviving three prior waves of downsizing, I was laid off from my ten year career. It was at this point that I began a tax and financial planning practice. The Lord was gracious in building my practice. Today I have a multi-faceted career. I have the opportunity of serving and counseling with over 400 clients in the area of personal taxes, investments and finances. I have enjoyed numerous awards from my financial planning firm, an adjunct teaching position at a Christian College, and regular conferences with White House advisors and senior economists.

Although I enjoy my work and career, it is still only a means to an end. The goal is to glorify Jesus Christ with my life, my work, and even my hobbies (clarinet playing being one of them). The pursuit of this goal gives me great joy and contentment. That elusive goal of fulfillment that I sought in "success"-I've found it in Jesus Christ!