There’s something about sacrifice that isn’t glamorous. It’s not flashy or headline-worthy. It’s gritty. It’s often quiet. And sometimes, it’s deeply personal.
Years ago, I found myself in the middle of a financial storm. My business partner, who’d been both a friend and mentor, blindsided me by attempting to buy me out of the very company we built together. One day, I was running a firm on track for $20 million in annual revenue. The next, I was out.
I had a mortgage, car payments, and a family to support. No clients. No income. Just a conviction that quitting wasn’t an option.
So, the next day—on my 38th birthday—I started over. I formed a new company, J.L. Wallace, Inc., with nothing but a second mortgage, the proceeds from a boat I’d just sold, and a whole lot of faith.
That Sunday, our church hosted “Missions Sunday,” inviting members to give toward overseas ministry instead of the weekly tithe giving. However, our pastor felt prompted that someone in the room would cover the church’s entire tithe/offering need that week—a number that matched exactly what I had just received from selling that boat.
In my heart, I wrestled. We had no cash flow. Our future was uncertain. Then I looked over and saw tears running down my wife’s face. “It’s us,” she said quietly.
And she was right.
We gave it. All of it.
I can’t explain the math, but within the year, we were profitable. By year’s end, our net income was ten times the amount we had given in the offering. J.L. Wallace, Inc. was later recognized as one of Florida’s fastest-growing companies. But more than that, I had learned a timeless truth: Real success is born from real sacrifice.
A Legacy of Service
June 14th marks the 250th birthday of the United States Army. As an Army Veteran, I’ve carried that experience with me ever since I first laced up my boots. I served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne and a Sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier—an honor that taught me firsthand what it means to show up every day with unwavering discipline and selfless resolve.
There’s a shared thread between military service and entrepreneurial grit: sacrifice. The willingness to trade comfort for conviction. To do the hard thing, not because it brings immediate reward, but because it’s right.
The Army’s legacy isn’t built solely on battles or victories—it’s built on ordinary men and women who choose service over self. Who give up time with family. Who endure long nights. Who stand watch so others can sleep peacefully.
I think the same spirit lives in all of us, whether we wear a uniform or not.
Sacrifice Isn’t Just for Soldiers
You don’t have to be in combat boots to know what sacrifice feels like.
Parents make sacrifices every day to raise children with character. Teachers stay late and buy school supplies out of their own pocket. Entrepreneurs risk financial security to bring a vision to life. Faithful believers give generously, not out of abundance, but from a place of trust.
These sacrifices don’t often get applause. But they build lives. They shape legacies. They tell a story much deeper than success—they speak of faithfulness.
And often, it’s faith that makes sacrifice possible. Faith in a cause greater than ourselves. Faith in the unseen—the freedom that hasn’t yet been won, the child who hasn’t yet reached their potential, the future that’s still unfolding. When we believe there’s purpose beyond what we can see, sacrifice becomes not just doable—but powerful.
As Thomas Edison once said, “Genius is two percent inspiration and ninety-eight percent perspiration.” The same could be said of a life well lived. It’s not the mountain-top moments that define us—it’s the daily choice to keep showing up with integrity, even when no one is watching.
A Question Worth Asking
If you’re in a season of challenge right now, I want to encourage you: the seeds you’re planting in faith and perseverance, may grow into something you never imagined. Sacrifice isn’t about losing—it’s about trusting. It’s about creating space for something greater.
So, here’s the question I leave with you today:
What’s holding you back that, if released, might be the open door to something better?
Whether you’re leading a team, starting over, raising kids, or rebuilding after a loss—your sacrifice matters.
It’s not the flashy kind of success. But it’s the kind that lasts.