December 2025
Jason and Chrystal Nichols
Jason Nichols family from left: Jason, Claudia, Ayden, Cameron, Chrystal, Landon, and Ashlyn and Hugh Mitchell
BFG Spotlight - Jason Nichols
Sometimes God reaches out in the most unexpected places, and for Jason Nichols, it was at a gas station in Wichita, KS. A college sophomore at Cloud Community College at the time, Jason was home for the holidays and wrestling with deep questions.
Pulling in for gas, he found his former high school counselor at the pump beside him—the kind of man who always had Scripture on his wall and carried a joy Jason didn’t understand at the time, but respected.
“Although it wasn’t the day I became a Christian, it was the first time the Lord did something I couldn’t explain,” Jason said. “My former school counselor was someone I could open up to, and—in a city of about 300,000 people—there he was, out of the blue.”
They talked, the counselor promised to pray for him, and it became one of several nudges God used to guide Jason onto a path he never expected.
Jason grew up with a Wichita address but near the small town of Maize, where he attended school. He lived on five acres with neighbors close enough that his wife, Chrystal, who was raised on a dairy farm in northern Kansas, teased him for calling it “the country.”
He and his older brother, Travis, grew up playing sports and learned the rhythms of Midwestern life from their parents, Jim and Janice, who—after 56 years of marriage—still live in Jason’s childhood home.
After high school, Jason attended Cloud Community College on a soccer and track scholarship, where he met Chrystal. Without a decided career path, or answers to the purpose of life, an emptiness pushed him to seek answers.
A scholarship then took him to Westmar University in Le Mars, IA, where God reached out again.
One day an accounting professor, whose class Jason wasn’t in, introduced himself and invited Jason to a small Bible church. It was the first time he truly listened to Scripture rather than simply attending church as a child.
“After that, my life took a whole new direction,” he said. “My desires and ambitions began to change, and I started to understand what sin was and how desperately I needed a Savior.”
Chrystal noticed the changes in Jason and began seeking Christ as well. They were discipled by many in the small church, and the pastor later married them in Chrystal’s hometown, Marysville, KS.
Just before their wedding, a Westmar soccer coach recommended Jason for an open coaching position at Hannibal-LaGrange University—turning it down himself because he knew Jason’s faith made him a good fit.
Immediately after their January wedding, Jason and Chrystal packed up and moved to Hannibal. Five days later, on January 8, 1998, Jason stepped onto the HLGU campus as the assistant men’s and women’s soccer coach.
Investing 24 years at HLGU, Jason worked hard to implement a Christ-centered mission in athletics, serving as the head women’s coach for 16 seasons, with many of those years as the athletic director.
Meanwhile, he and Chrystal raised their five children and homeschooled for many years.
“The Lord was faithful in providing, and I have many fond memories of HLGU,” Jason said. “I was blessed by their Christ-centered mission, and the opportunities I was given to grow as a coach and leader.”
In 2022, God made it clear it was time to turn the page. Without knowing what was next, Jason stepped away.
“It didn’t make sense on paper, but I kept hearing the Lord’s nudge: lay it down, trust Me, and wait,” he said. “God used Chrystal’s voice to remind me that obedience comes first, even when the next step is still hidden.”
Jason reached out for prayer to his friend, BFG partner Jeriod Turner, who he served with on the FCA board. At the time, Jason had no idea his name had already come up as a potential fit for a position at Benson Financial Group—before anyone knew he was leaving HLGU.
After prayer and discussions with Chrystal, Jason accepted the role of Director of Operations. Similar to his former position at HLGU, he coordinates and leads support staff, assists advisors, manages daily details, and serves on BFG’s leadership team.
“It is quite different from what I did serving student athletes, and a little more behind the scenes, but it’s also the same in many ways,” Jason said. “As Christians, we are to do all of our work for the glory of God, and it’s been a blessing to see that mission at the heart of BFG.”
Jeriod said Jason’s quiet leadership and faith helps shape the BFG culture. “Jason's greatest gift is that he finds things that need to be done and does them,” Jeriod said. “He always finds ways to add value to our team.”
Jason’s journey has led him to keep this verse close to his heart:
It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.—Deuteronomy 31:8
/Open-Handed Living: How Intentional Generosity Strengthens Your Planning
By Aaron Hill, CFP®
If you’ve ever watched a toddler defend a cupcake, you know we don’t necessarily start life with a generous tilt. We arrive on this earth with a tight grip and a strong sense of “mine,” but in the end, we cannot take any of our “things” with us.
That simple truth tends to reframe the middle: the years where we earn, spend, save, invest—and decide whether our resources serve only us or spill over into others’ lives.
In the short run, every dollar earned can do five things: meet daily needs, grow through investing, pay taxes, service debt, and give. Not that our priorities should be in that order, but statistics show us that giving is generally listed last.
As our income rises, people often assume their giving will naturally rise, too—but the percentage often shrinks. Our culture is built to sell more, not to nudge us toward generosity. In other words, we won’t drift into open-handedness. We choose it—on purpose—just like we automate savings or pay down a mortgage.
Think of money like water.
A variety of reasons can bring a season of drought. Underemployment, overspending, or crisis can leave the riverbed dry. Flood seasons come as well, and a lack of spending boundaries may falsely create a sense of freedom until the damage is already done, leaving our own destruction, or the destruction of others, in its wake.
There’s also the Dead Sea effect—where plenty flows in and nothing flows out. From a distance it can look impressive but underneath it’s lifeless.
The goal is a living river—healthy banks and a steady current—where resources are put to good use to be productive for all around, including you.
Giving Warm-Handed
The gift of giving is truly meant to bless the giver as much as the recipient. There’s beauty in giving “warm-handed” and funding experiences and needs where you can witness the impact, rather than your heirs receiving the funds after you’re gone.
From helping family, or others, with a car repair, a down payment on a first home, a summer camp or mission trip, or a multigenerational trip they will never forget—you will experience the joy of generosity along with them.
Compare that with leaving a large pre-tax IRA to a high-earning 60-year-old heir who must empty it within a set window; it’s still a gift, but often less efficient and less meaningful than help offered earlier.
Start with the heart and decide what “enough” looks like. Then create a plan, name your people and causes, match vehicles to goals, and stress-test your plan so generosity stays steady in choppy markets.
That’s when your money stops being a reservoir and becomes a river.
- Point gifts to the best buckets. Not all dollars are taxed alike. If you plan to bless both people and charities, consider leaving pre-tax IRAs to charities (they can use every penny tax-free) and Roth IRAs or stepped-up taxable assets to people (often friendlier for heirs). One beneficiary change can keep more of your legacy doing what you intend.
- Give directly from IRAs in your 70s+. If you’re eligible, qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) send money from an IRA straight to a charity so it never becomes taxable income—and can satisfy required distributions once those apply. For many retirees, it’s the most tax-efficient way to give.
- Use a donor-advised fund (DAF) when you have gains—or want to “bunch.” Donating appreciated stock or other assets to a DAF can avoid capital gains, create a deduction (subject to rules) in the funding year, and let you grow the asset value and recommend grants over time. It’s also handy for funding multiple years of giving at once.
- Aim education dollars wisely. Today’s 529 plans are flexible, and ABLE accounts can thoughtfully support loved ones with disabilities without disrupting benefits.
- Teach the habit. For our younger generations with earned income, a modest annual gift to a Roth IRA plants a long-term seed—and a powerful lesson.
Generosity is a heart posture, and it’s also maximized by smart tactics. Strategic giving ensures each dollar given has the most impact on what matters to you. Want more insights on giving strategies? Check out this blog.
Call us today, and we can help guide you into generous living.
*This article was based on BFG’s November Seminar Giving with Purpose: Personal, Charitable & Strategic Insights led by Financial Advisor, Aaron Hill. To watch the seminar, and other BFG seminars and videos, visit our channel on YouTube.
This material is for general information and educational purposes only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
Investing involves risk including the loss of principal. There is no assurance that the views or strategies discussed are suitable for all investors or will yield positive outcomes.
Prior to investing in a 529 Plan investors should consider whether the investor’s or designated beneficiary’s home state offers any state tax or other state benefits such as financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors that are only available for investments in such state’s qualified tuition program.
Withdrawals used for qualified expenses are federally tax free. Tax treatment at the state level may vary. Please consult with your tax advisor before investing.
/A Fellowship of Christian Athletes Night of Champions
A few weeks ago, our team attended Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ (FCA) annual Night of Champions banquet.
This event was filled with great food, inspiring stories, and reminders that if we set our talents and gifts before the Lord, He will use them.
Guest speakers included Rafe Jones, senior student athlete at Palmyra High School, and Abi Haire, teacher, coach, and FCA Huddle Leader at Scotland County R-1 School.
Keynote speaker Sarah Roberts—author, speaker, and chaplain for the University of Oklahoma softball team—reminded the crowd of the time a young boy presented all he had to Jesus. In human hands, the boy’s five loaves and two fish would only feed a few, but once placed in the hands of Jesus, 5,000 were fed, with plenty left over.
BFG Partner Jeriod Turner has served as an advisory board member for the Mark Twain Area FCA for about 10 years.
On middle school and high school campuses, FCA hosts extracurricular meetings and various events. During their annual “See You at the Pole” event, students, teachers, and community members gather around the flagpole before school to pray and worship.
They also host an annual evening of worship and student testimony on a local football field during “Fields of Faith.”
“FCA is one of the few—if not only—sanctioned Christian affiliation in schools today,” Jeriod said. “It’s not exclusively for athletes but for like-minded students who are sharing Christ and getting into His Word together.”
The local FCA director, Jennifer Durst—and former director Joe Brandenburg—have both invested in mentoring coaches through Bible studies. This year, Jennifer has worked with football and basketball coaches.
“They are pouring into those who are pouring into the kids, who then pour into each other—it’s really reaching all levels,” Jeriod said. “This is truly just a great organization.”
/Turn the Page with Connie
If your New Year’s resolution includes reading more books, we have you covered at BFG.
The January newsletter will be the first to feature Connie Benson’s new series, which will inspire you to spend a winter day under a blanket with a good book. Turn the Page with Connie will spotlight a favorite title each month from the Christian nonfiction genre.
“God’s Word is number one in my life, but He also uses many Christian authors to minister to me,” she said. “I love sharing my favorite books with others, and I can’t wait to share them with all of you.”
Check out November’s newsletter to learn more about Connie’s book ministry at both BFG locations, where favorite titles are available for clients to take home. You can also request a copy of Connie’s recommended reading list from either location.
Team Celebrations!
20 Under 40: Aaron Hill
We’re proud to celebrate Aaron Hill as one of Quincy Herald-Whig’s 20 Under 40 honorees! From his days as a professional basketball player to his current role as a Certified Financial Planner® at BFG, Aaron exemplifies leadership, excellence, and community impact.
Congratulations to the Gibson Family
BFG is excited to announce the September birth of Maelynn Rae Gibson to BFG advisor and partner Justin Gibson and wife Brooke along with big sisters Madison, McKenzie, and Mila.
/Upcoming Holidays & Closings
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with warmth and happiness!
Please note that our office will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Benson Financial Group, along with financial markets, will reopen on Friday, December 26, at 8:30 a.m. Additionally, our January newsletter will be sent to clients on January 12 due to the holiday schedule.
