by Carla Green
I've been thinking lately about who inspires me? Our Executive Pastor talks about the 5 people that you hang out will help mold who you are, or something like that (sorry Ron, wasn't listening for exact wording). Let's see if I can identify five people:
Tina, friend, amazing daughter of the King and businesswoman. She is
someone that is willing to do life with me and help me discern what God
is saying in situations I may not be able to see so well.
Tom, my new business partner, has become a good friend and has helped me become measure for our business venture. His level of knowledge and much of his purpose joining my purpose is a true gift. I'm excited for the my level of leadership to be catapulted forward turning years into weeks.
Joseph Prince (pastor of one of the largest churches in Asia), while we are not friends, his teaching has catapulted my knowledge and understanding of grace further than anyone else I know. His books, "Destined to Reign" and "Unmerited Favor" along with his program on Christian television feeds my soul on almost a daily basis.
TD Jakes (pastor of a large church in Dallas, TX), again not a friend, but have a fabulous opportunity to meet him this week and spend two days in leadership training. Conferences are a great opportunity to get a lot of information, inspiration, and encouragement in a short amount of time.
Now if you don't have close friends that inspire you, there are other ways to get at this too. How about using Scripture to find mentors and characters to learn from.
Joseph in the old testament is one of my favorite characters. He had a dream, was misunderstood, had faith, did the best work he could in every situation he was given, found favor by all, persevered and became second in command in all of Egypt. Hang out with Joe for awhile.
Or Paul, all these early churches and people groups that He was managing. Trying to break down old paradigms of the Old Covenant and teach New Covenant. Paul was exposing the lie and covering it up with truth all the time. He knew his purpose and he would not be swayed.
The best friend or guide that we have is Holy Spirit. With Jesus' example as a guide and Holy Spirit directing us. We are on the path for success in the Kingdom.
Finally Rick, my husband, a kind and gentle spirit that always helps bring a
level of calmness to situations that I don't see. He also shows me a
level of support that has been unmatched in my lifetime, which makes me
be a better person for others. When someone is committed and loves
pouring into you, it really helps lift you up to be all that God created
you to be. Who lifts you up and who are you lifting up?
What do all these have in common? They all take a commitment of time to build a relationship or to allow God to speak through others. If you are running on empty, these are the types of relationships that will fill you up, inspire you, and encourage you to move forward.
MERGE Moments capturing where we can expect, seek, and find God in our professional lives.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
The Business of Marriage
by Carla Green
Genesis 2:18 (NLT)
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”
How do you look at your marriage in business? Is it a separate thing that you try to balance? Are you in business together? Do you have the same goals and purpose? What role do each of you play? It seems like there are many ways that this could go.
My husband, Rick and I have very different leadership skills and types. However, he is fully aware and supportive of my purpose and often hears from God on the direction I need to take. He provides insight into what decisions have life and those that don't. The ones that he would not support used to frustrate me but I started to realize that he wasn't wrong and often discerned from God what I was too close to to hear. He also has a purpose on his life and I work at ways that he has more room to align his work with that purpose. We dream and plan together. We network and research for each other. I have increased my resources by partnering with my spouse. I don't know about everyone else but I have limited energy in a day and arguing with my spouse is not a good way to move my purpose forward, but partnering with him exponentially helps God's purpose for my life.
God knew what He was doing when He sent Adam a help mate or partner and He knows what He is doing now. My questions is are you an asset to your spouse in their work? Are you promoting their purpose? What is the purpose God has given your marriage? Get together on this, it's totally worth it.
Genesis 2:18 (NLT)
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”
How do you look at your marriage in business? Is it a separate thing that you try to balance? Are you in business together? Do you have the same goals and purpose? What role do each of you play? It seems like there are many ways that this could go.
- Your spouse really doesn't have anything to do with your business or your work.
- On the good side you are able to balance it and compartmentalize your life and the two shall never mix.
- On the bad side, it bleeds over all the time and causes a host of problems. Your spouse feels like they have to compete with your job. They don't understand it and question your decision making. Your attitude at home is directly related to the kind of day you have had.
- You are both involved in each others work, maybe you even own a business together. You try to explain what you do but may not offer all things. Or you have different ends to why you are in business.
My husband, Rick and I have very different leadership skills and types. However, he is fully aware and supportive of my purpose and often hears from God on the direction I need to take. He provides insight into what decisions have life and those that don't. The ones that he would not support used to frustrate me but I started to realize that he wasn't wrong and often discerned from God what I was too close to to hear. He also has a purpose on his life and I work at ways that he has more room to align his work with that purpose. We dream and plan together. We network and research for each other. I have increased my resources by partnering with my spouse. I don't know about everyone else but I have limited energy in a day and arguing with my spouse is not a good way to move my purpose forward, but partnering with him exponentially helps God's purpose for my life.
God knew what He was doing when He sent Adam a help mate or partner and He knows what He is doing now. My questions is are you an asset to your spouse in their work? Are you promoting their purpose? What is the purpose God has given your marriage? Get together on this, it's totally worth it.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Where is Your Focus Today?
I Corinthians 4:5
Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God. (NASB)
Today, I find myself sitting in my hometown Panera Bread. It's a place my parents find themselves every morning when they aren't snowbirding in Arizona. I came to get some things done but find myself looking into faces that I knew long ago. I see how they have aged, the gray hairs, the wrinkles but they are still recognizable. It makes me wonder if their life is all they wanted it to be. It makes me wonder if they are still living out their dream, their call, their purpose even though they have retired from their vocation? Are they still dreaming how to change the world? What do their conversations sound like?
It is such a stark contrast against the younger people that are meeting with purpose and trying to make their mark on the world or make a living for their family. Not even paying attention to anything in their surroundings. I'm wondering if the questions the young people have could be answered by the older ones.
Where do I fall? In the middle. My mid-forties have set in with needing reading glasses. Why do I bring that up? Because if I put my reading glasses on, I have to focus on my work, if I take them off I can take in what is going on all around me otherwise I can't see it...it's blurred. It seems to be such a bother someone of my age that has never worn glasses to now need them to see things up close. But maybe it's a blessing. My best sight is distance, is further out. I can't see up close anymore, so I can't really focus on what's happening up close without help of magnified glass. I'm in this sweet spot or curious spot of seeing the future more clearly than what is directly in front of me. I see the urgency of how close I am to needing help with all my sight. With not being able to do what I've been called to do (not tomorrow but I am half way through life) at least in the way I imagine it.
I also find that it's funny that the glasses or lens that helps me see up close distorts the distance. I'm sure there is something terribly profound in that. Like what I see up close doesn't define my future. My distance is fuzzy through these lenses. Which is in stark contrast to what my daughter a first year teacher is experiencing, today. A bad day of kids not being orderly because they have fallen out of routine and she is rethinking her life purpose. Sometimes what is happening today makes us fret about tomorrow, when it could just be a bad day.
The hope I have in all of it, sight or not. Is that God knows the plans He has for me. He knows my past, present and future. I can rest in Him, even when it's not clear, even when I don't have it all figured out, even when it's going bad and looks bleak. I don't have to judge it. God will bring to light when it needs to be brought to light.
Back to Panera, an older retired gentleman just walked past a table of young professionals. The advice he gave in passing was "I don't know what you working on but I know whatever it is you are working entirely too hard." They didn't even hear it or let the wisdom of those words soak in. He may have seen his years of working and striving hard, not worth it. But from God's perspective, he wants us to rest in Him, pay attention to what we need to pay attention to. God is really good! I didn't even intend to blog today and this is what was given to me today, judge it for yourself.
Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God. (NASB)
Today, I find myself sitting in my hometown Panera Bread. It's a place my parents find themselves every morning when they aren't snowbirding in Arizona. I came to get some things done but find myself looking into faces that I knew long ago. I see how they have aged, the gray hairs, the wrinkles but they are still recognizable. It makes me wonder if their life is all they wanted it to be. It makes me wonder if they are still living out their dream, their call, their purpose even though they have retired from their vocation? Are they still dreaming how to change the world? What do their conversations sound like?
It is such a stark contrast against the younger people that are meeting with purpose and trying to make their mark on the world or make a living for their family. Not even paying attention to anything in their surroundings. I'm wondering if the questions the young people have could be answered by the older ones.
Where do I fall? In the middle. My mid-forties have set in with needing reading glasses. Why do I bring that up? Because if I put my reading glasses on, I have to focus on my work, if I take them off I can take in what is going on all around me otherwise I can't see it...it's blurred. It seems to be such a bother someone of my age that has never worn glasses to now need them to see things up close. But maybe it's a blessing. My best sight is distance, is further out. I can't see up close anymore, so I can't really focus on what's happening up close without help of magnified glass. I'm in this sweet spot or curious spot of seeing the future more clearly than what is directly in front of me. I see the urgency of how close I am to needing help with all my sight. With not being able to do what I've been called to do (not tomorrow but I am half way through life) at least in the way I imagine it.
I also find that it's funny that the glasses or lens that helps me see up close distorts the distance. I'm sure there is something terribly profound in that. Like what I see up close doesn't define my future. My distance is fuzzy through these lenses. Which is in stark contrast to what my daughter a first year teacher is experiencing, today. A bad day of kids not being orderly because they have fallen out of routine and she is rethinking her life purpose. Sometimes what is happening today makes us fret about tomorrow, when it could just be a bad day.
The hope I have in all of it, sight or not. Is that God knows the plans He has for me. He knows my past, present and future. I can rest in Him, even when it's not clear, even when I don't have it all figured out, even when it's going bad and looks bleak. I don't have to judge it. God will bring to light when it needs to be brought to light.
Back to Panera, an older retired gentleman just walked past a table of young professionals. The advice he gave in passing was "I don't know what you working on but I know whatever it is you are working entirely too hard." They didn't even hear it or let the wisdom of those words soak in. He may have seen his years of working and striving hard, not worth it. But from God's perspective, he wants us to rest in Him, pay attention to what we need to pay attention to. God is really good! I didn't even intend to blog today and this is what was given to me today, judge it for yourself.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Finding Your Business Purpose
Don't you just love it when you find something that describes the essence of what you do? Whether it is found in history by someone that preceded you in success or something so profound that you stumble upon or maybe it was your life motto and it's become real.
I found that in Scripture, rather God gave it to me in Scripture. This is a verse that I would sing in youth group in the 80's. Something my youth pastor came up with and I never heard anywhere else. One day I woke up singing it and it happened to be on a day when I was facilitating a business lunch. It is perfect for the heart and soul of what MERGE is:
or stand in the pathway with sinners,
or sit in the assembly of scoffers!
2 Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands;
he meditates on his commands day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by flowing streams;
it yields its fruit at the proper time,
and its leaves never fall off.
He succeeds in everything he attempts.
I love it in every version and struggle with which one to use. But this verse is perfect for MERGE and perfect for business owners/professionals. In fact, this verse is on a picture hanging in my dad's office that I gave him, it's one where a business man is consulting with Jesus. When I gave it to him almost 20 years ago, I didn't realize the significance in the verse or in what I would be doing.
How powerful is this scripture:
Personally, I'm very grateful for what the author of my life put on my heart over thirty years ago. He did it in such a creative way and keeps showing me my path. We serve a great and amazing God!
I found that in Scripture, rather God gave it to me in Scripture. This is a verse that I would sing in youth group in the 80's. Something my youth pastor came up with and I never heard anywhere else. One day I woke up singing it and it happened to be on a day when I was facilitating a business lunch. It is perfect for the heart and soul of what MERGE is:
Psalm 1:1-3 (NET)
1 How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked,or stand in the pathway with sinners,
or sit in the assembly of scoffers!
2 Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands;
he meditates on his commands day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by flowing streams;
it yields its fruit at the proper time,
and its leaves never fall off.
He succeeds in everything he attempts.
I love it in every version and struggle with which one to use. But this verse is perfect for MERGE and perfect for business owners/professionals. In fact, this verse is on a picture hanging in my dad's office that I gave him, it's one where a business man is consulting with Jesus. When I gave it to him almost 20 years ago, I didn't realize the significance in the verse or in what I would be doing.
How powerful is this scripture:
- We are blessed when we don't follow the advice of the wicked (I would even say the world)...that must mean that God has something different planned for us.
- We can delight in his commands and look to scripture to find our counsel. When we talk about reading Scripture from a marketplace lens, it applies here.
- Before, I looked at it from the standpoint of not hanging out with wicked people but obeying the Lord's commands. I missed the grace and promise of verse 3. If you think about a tree, they aren't doing any work, just soaking in the refreshment of the flowing streams. Isn't that what a life with knowing Jesus is all about, He did the work, we are to drink it in. There is rest in this promise.
- If we ground or plant ourselves by the instruction of Jesus through the Holy Spirit than we will prosper, we will be fruitful. We will succeed in "Everything we attempt", The Message says "bearing fruit every month, never dropping a leaf, always in blossom", NASB says "whatever he does, he prospers."... Who wants that? Count me in! Praise Jesus.
Personally, I'm very grateful for what the author of my life put on my heart over thirty years ago. He did it in such a creative way and keeps showing me my path. We serve a great and amazing God!
Monday, January 7, 2013
Your 2013 story - Part 2 of 2
A couple of years ago, I was on a retreat and was asked, "what Bible character most reflects your life?" I'm not sure I have ever been able to answer that question. It is an interesting thought and I think it helps you identify what God has in store for your life. What story is He writing for you? Has He given you glimpses of it through another character in scripture?
Our Bible can be used to help us in so many ways in the business setting. So many times we believe the stories are for church use and don't realize that most of the stories are in a marketplace setting. Jesus focused on the marketplace. According to Os Hillman, in The 9 to 5 Window, "Of His 132 public appearances in the New Testament, all but 10 of them were in the marketplace, and 45 of His 52 parables had a workplace context. Forty divine encounters listed in Acts, 39 occurred in the workplace."
I've had two business owner friends in the past two months that have told me stories of God showing them that they had Jonah's in their business. These were Christian employees that God was asking them to throw overboard. While both of these were hard decisions, the Jonah story gave the picture of the sinking ship. That if they did not remove these employees there would be serious ramifications to the business (their ship if you will). Both situations while difficult to administer letting the employees go, resulted in a better situation for both the owner and the employee. If we understand the truth that God doesn't take away from one to bless another, than we can walk in faith that throwing good people overboard when directed from God will be beneficial. But the key is they both heard from God and they both clearly heard the story of Jonah.
God uses scripture to show us what is best for us. We can also see the heart and character of God in all these multitude of situations. Through this realization that God uses scripture to speak to us about business and not just me as a person or for my family, I feel like I have a brand new book to read in my Bible this year.
Our Bible can be used to help us in so many ways in the business setting. So many times we believe the stories are for church use and don't realize that most of the stories are in a marketplace setting. Jesus focused on the marketplace. According to Os Hillman, in The 9 to 5 Window, "Of His 132 public appearances in the New Testament, all but 10 of them were in the marketplace, and 45 of His 52 parables had a workplace context. Forty divine encounters listed in Acts, 39 occurred in the workplace."
I've had two business owner friends in the past two months that have told me stories of God showing them that they had Jonah's in their business. These were Christian employees that God was asking them to throw overboard. While both of these were hard decisions, the Jonah story gave the picture of the sinking ship. That if they did not remove these employees there would be serious ramifications to the business (their ship if you will). Both situations while difficult to administer letting the employees go, resulted in a better situation for both the owner and the employee. If we understand the truth that God doesn't take away from one to bless another, than we can walk in faith that throwing good people overboard when directed from God will be beneficial. But the key is they both heard from God and they both clearly heard the story of Jonah.
God uses scripture to show us what is best for us. We can also see the heart and character of God in all these multitude of situations. Through this realization that God uses scripture to speak to us about business and not just me as a person or for my family, I feel like I have a brand new book to read in my Bible this year.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Your 2013 story - part 1 of 2
I've been thinking a lot about the power of story or testimonies. We put stories of people that use our products on our websites. We love being able to go home in the evening and think about how what we do changed or impacted the life of someone. I remember my State Farm days and how they used stories to form culture. Whether we were talking about the founder, G.J. Mecherle, and his story and vision for the company or the numerous stories of lives that were impacted after a major disaster and your neighborhood State Farm Agent was there. Or how the 1980's AT&T commercials left you crying in less than 60 seconds because it was about people's stories being told across the phone wires. If AT&T can move us with in 60 seconds to "reach out and touch someone", what is your story doing for you?
Most recently coming from a church setting we use stories and testimonies to glorify God and for faith to rise up. This isn't any different than the businessowner that wants faith in a service or product to rise up in their customers or potential customers. But we don't often think about it as a way to glorify God because it's a business setting. Your marketplace vocation is your full time ministry. Creating products and services that meets the needs of people is ministry. Creating jobs for people to meet the needs of their families is ministry. Solving problems is ministry. We glorify God when all these things and more are in motion. As business leaders we have access to the greatest partner, God. Are you engaging with Him on your business matters? Are you co-creating with the greatest creator of all times? What story are you writing for 2013?
Most recently coming from a church setting we use stories and testimonies to glorify God and for faith to rise up. This isn't any different than the businessowner that wants faith in a service or product to rise up in their customers or potential customers. But we don't often think about it as a way to glorify God because it's a business setting. Your marketplace vocation is your full time ministry. Creating products and services that meets the needs of people is ministry. Creating jobs for people to meet the needs of their families is ministry. Solving problems is ministry. We glorify God when all these things and more are in motion. As business leaders we have access to the greatest partner, God. Are you engaging with Him on your business matters? Are you co-creating with the greatest creator of all times? What story are you writing for 2013?
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