by Carla Green
Do you ever wonder where or how your needs are going to be met especially when you sense that God has asked that you do something? God has given me a vision for helping businesses through the local churches. There are certain start-up costs associated with starting a business and this is no exception. This business need has come up at the same time as the Lent season, so a 40 day fast of some sort seemed appropriate. Not from the sense of trying to manipulate God but to spring clean to hear and receive everything God has for me. While there are some food modifications in this fast, I sensed that fasting from spending outside of groceries was in order.
The first day I felt like God was telling me to fast spending came while enjoying a skinny latte at Starbucks. So I said to myself, "Enjoy this one because it will be 6 more weeks before I get another." That evening, I was at a church event where our group won a stimulating round of trivia. The reward was a $5 gift card and bonus for me, my husband doesn't like Starbucks, make that $10. Within 12 hours my "Abba, Father" gave me 2 trips to Starbucks.
A couple of days later, I was driving between meetings and found myself hungry but no food. I asked how this was going to get resolved and God said to lean on Him. I thought that was to prompt me to pray that my hunger be taken away. When I got to my appointment, I was met with "I want to take you to lunch and order what I like, my treat." Again God comes through with a great lunch, I tried something new, and I let someone take care of me, and it was amazing.
This fast has become a reliance on how God will take care of my needs. Giving up control and spending? Crazy but He more than satisfies, He surprises, and spoils His kids. I'm not sure how He is going to take care of the business start-up costs but I'm still seeking His direction.
Matthew 6:31-33 (the whole chapter is great on this!)
Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
MERGE Moments capturing where we can expect, seek, and find God in our professional lives.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Pressing On Through the Storms
by Carla Green
As business owners and professionals do you ever wonder why you are in the business you are in? Do you question your purpose? Do you wake up and wonder why you didn't choose an easier path? What keeps you going through these times of questioning your decision? How close do you get to picking up your exit strategy and executing it? Does it scare you when the drive and excitement that you had to start this venture is no longer there?
Maybe I'm the only one this happens to but it scares the day lights out of me. It steals me of my joy and robs me of my hope. It feels like I'm boarding on depression and I wonder if I will ever return from it. Here are some things I do that help me manage these times.
1. Return to the source - When I'm questioning my destiny, I go back to the one that put it there in the first place. I need to press in more to the comforter, my encourager, the author of my life to restore my hope and joy. I could say if you have a healthy rhythm of going to God in good and bad times there might be less bad times. This could be true and more time with God is never wasted but this line of thinking might have an adverse effect. I don't want to punish yourself for being in a state because you didn't do everything right.
Having some extra time with God to really press in to why I'm feeling this way always seems to help and provide the insight I need to move forward.
Proverbs 3:5-6 - Lean not on your own understanding
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
2. Rest - Are you tired? Maybe you need a long nap or a get away weekend that involves a lot of sleep.
"In quietness you possess your soul - the storms of like will keep you from being creative." T.D. Jakes
3. Community - what does your community look like? Is your spouse on the same page as you are? Does he/she understanding your calling and your purpose? Have you enlisted them to help when things are not going well or do you shut them out having too much pride to admit when you are weak? Do you have a close friend that you can confide in and can lift you up? Do you have a small business group of people that you trust that can see the truth through the lies?
All these people are instrumental in your journey. They can walk you through the dessert and point out the promise land. Keep them close.
4. Structure and processes - do you have enough of a routine and direction that you can keep working through it even when you don't feel like it, even when it doesn't make sense for today? These activities should probably not include selling your vision or decision making. Save those for when the drive and purpose have returned. If you have to make decisions, run them past your trusted inner circle to make sure they are sound.
Philippians 3:12-13 (NET) - Pressing on
Not that I have already attained this—that is, I have not already been perfected—but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead.
5. Assess - Start taking note when these moments of questioning your purpose happen. Are there ways to build more structure around it so it doesn't happen? I know that I get a little down after I come off leadership conferences if I haven't planned how I'm going to use the information. The amount of information is daunting and it seems like a burden more than a help. So I try to make time to plan how I'm going to use the information. There are other things throughout the month that require a lot of administrative type work. This is also another drain since my leadership type is entrepreneurial and luminary. I need to hire for this extra administrative work so as not to impact my purpose.
As business owners and professionals do you ever wonder why you are in the business you are in? Do you question your purpose? Do you wake up and wonder why you didn't choose an easier path? What keeps you going through these times of questioning your decision? How close do you get to picking up your exit strategy and executing it? Does it scare you when the drive and excitement that you had to start this venture is no longer there?
Maybe I'm the only one this happens to but it scares the day lights out of me. It steals me of my joy and robs me of my hope. It feels like I'm boarding on depression and I wonder if I will ever return from it. Here are some things I do that help me manage these times.
1. Return to the source - When I'm questioning my destiny, I go back to the one that put it there in the first place. I need to press in more to the comforter, my encourager, the author of my life to restore my hope and joy. I could say if you have a healthy rhythm of going to God in good and bad times there might be less bad times. This could be true and more time with God is never wasted but this line of thinking might have an adverse effect. I don't want to punish yourself for being in a state because you didn't do everything right.
Having some extra time with God to really press in to why I'm feeling this way always seems to help and provide the insight I need to move forward.
Proverbs 3:5-6 - Lean not on your own understanding
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
2. Rest - Are you tired? Maybe you need a long nap or a get away weekend that involves a lot of sleep.
"In quietness you possess your soul - the storms of like will keep you from being creative." T.D. Jakes
3. Community - what does your community look like? Is your spouse on the same page as you are? Does he/she understanding your calling and your purpose? Have you enlisted them to help when things are not going well or do you shut them out having too much pride to admit when you are weak? Do you have a close friend that you can confide in and can lift you up? Do you have a small business group of people that you trust that can see the truth through the lies?
All these people are instrumental in your journey. They can walk you through the dessert and point out the promise land. Keep them close.
4. Structure and processes - do you have enough of a routine and direction that you can keep working through it even when you don't feel like it, even when it doesn't make sense for today? These activities should probably not include selling your vision or decision making. Save those for when the drive and purpose have returned. If you have to make decisions, run them past your trusted inner circle to make sure they are sound.
Philippians 3:12-13 (NET) - Pressing on
Not that I have already attained this—that is, I have not already been perfected—but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead.
5. Assess - Start taking note when these moments of questioning your purpose happen. Are there ways to build more structure around it so it doesn't happen? I know that I get a little down after I come off leadership conferences if I haven't planned how I'm going to use the information. The amount of information is daunting and it seems like a burden more than a help. So I try to make time to plan how I'm going to use the information. There are other things throughout the month that require a lot of administrative type work. This is also another drain since my leadership type is entrepreneurial and luminary. I need to hire for this extra administrative work so as not to impact my purpose.
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