Search this site

By nature, I'm optimistic. I see the good in everything and everyone. I believe this makes me as opportunistic as an entrepreneur could be. I see a new venture opportunity in so many areas. I've come to realize this is both a blessing and a curse. Let me explain. Being opportunistic is a blessing because my antennas are up, and I'm alert to new partnerships, new products and services, and new ways to solve problems in the marketplace. However, my optimistic side makes me vulnerable to not seeing ways the enemy can attack me through a seemingly good idea to pursue. As Christian entrepreneurs, God wants to use us tremendously in the marketplace. However, the enemy knows this and will constantly attack our minds to distract us - sometimes without knowing it's happening. How do we discern a Good-opportunity from a situation where the enemy is in control of our minds? How can we be in a constant state of service to God, alone? One technique I've shared is needing to get better at separating ourselves from the enemy's control over our minds. In this post, I want to share another technique to adopt: active waiting. Actively waiting is a special kind of waiting for the state, like when you’re aware that something important or serious could happen at any moment. This is called situational alertness. Another type of waiting is opportunity alertness. This is when your antenna is up for any opportunity that may present itself where God wants us to do something. I like to call opportunistic alertness the lifeblood of Godpreneurship because it's all about tuning in to where God wants you to go with your business. In both the situational and opportunistic state of alertness, all of our attention is focused on the present now because, at any moment, the enemy can pounce on our mindset, or God can act or speak through our spirit, the environment, or someone else's spirit. When we get into a state of active waiting, there’s no time for daydreaming, planning, or remembering that usually distracts us from the present. For example, while doing a consulting session with a client, we should waste no time worrying about the results but instead remain fully present and pay very close attention to the person in front of us that God wants us to guide. We are entering a state of active waiting (prayer and meditation) shortly before the session can help us achieve that. Another example of active waiting is an entrepreneur's ability to immediately see an opportunity to solve a problem, do something better, or sense a change in the marketplace. This is vital for identifying opportunities God wants us to pursue (or leave). It could be a new venture, a partnership, or an opportunistic way to structure a contract. Our present Holy Spirit led alertness can have an impact on the mindset needed for exploiting the opportunities. While in this state, we also pay attention to our body because this is where our Spirit dwells, and it has to be ready for anything to occur. As we’ve already seen, this focus on the body is also crucial to living in the present and hearing from God's direction. For example, when I feel goosebumps in a conversation, I know it's something God wants me to pay closer attention to. The Bible teaches us about this state of alertness as the Christian way of life. In these two verses, we see both situational alertness and opportunistic alertness. SITUATIONAL ALERTNESS 1 Peter 5:8 ESV says "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." In this alertness, you are supposed to guard yourself from the enemy retaking control of your thoughts. Mark and Matthew also have stories of Jesus sharing more examples of situational alertness. OPPORTUNISTIC ALERTNESS Luke 12:35-48 ESV says “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes." In this alertness, God wants you to be ready for opportunities He wants to bring you. If you're "awake" when He comes, you get to participate in that venture. Since we don't know when God will speak or when the enemy will attack our minds, we MUST stay in a permanently alert state. We must avoid making grand plans for the future and being taken into the past. Instead, entrepreneurship in the spirit means we're constantly aware of our bodies and surroundings to ensure we don't miss God's directing in our present moment. #EnhanceFocus

As Christian, is it possible to have fame and fortune, yet still, be rooted in Christ? Can I be the exception to the rule that “its hard for a rich man to get into heaven?” I struggled with this because I wouldn’t mind being rich and famous, but I don’t want to miss out on heaven! So, what does PROPER AMBITION actually look like? Yes, rich business owners go to heaven all the time. The issue isn’t how much money we have, the test comes to where our heart is at. Yesterday I talked about improper ambition and using my work as a means of making a name for myself. When the Babylonians tried to build their fame and fortune, God “scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city” (Genesis 11:8). To God, the motives behind my ambition obviously matter a great deal. The bible says: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23 NIV 1 Corinthian also echoes how our ambitions should be set: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV Imagine a marketplace where people aren’t out for themselves and not using their creations to glorify themselves, but instead, they are laying their creations down as an offering of worship to God. Godpreneurs are called to be ambitious, to work hard, and to be good stewards of the talents God has given us. But we are called to own businesses, not for our own glory, but to “do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). When our entrepreneurship is motivated by a desire to glorify God, serve others, and create products and services laid down as an offering to God, then we have the proper ambition to create with everything we’ve got. #StrengthenIntegrity #EnhanceFocus

I confess that I’ve had unhealthy ambitions to create a name for myself, and this temptation still plagues me at times. Deep down, I want to build a big brand with my ventures so I can be recognized as a thought leader, innovative entrepreneur, and build wealth so I can be rich. I’ve created out of a desire to make a name for myself, or, to put it in more worldly terms, to accumulate fame and fortune. If I’m honest with myself, I’m essentially trying to save myself. Let me explain. When I came up with my companies, I wasn’t content simply putting my innovations to work to help others. I wanted to leverage my creations to make a name for myself. Why? What is it about the human condition that causes me to use my work as a tool for proving something to the world? Deep down, I know there’s something wrong with me. I know I’m flawed. I know I’m not “right.” Deep down, we know that I “have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Each entrepreneurial venture is me trying to cover up these flaws with my accomplishments. I think that if I write a bestselling book, or sell a business for millions of dollars, or have hundreds of employees, or get 100,000 Instagram followers, or build the world’s largest agency, then I’ll be able to mask my sinful human condition. Essentially, I use entrepreneurship as a means of saving myself. I know better! And every day I’m choosing to transform and renew my mind. I know it’s not that I need a bigger company, it’s that I need Christ to be bigger in me. The bible says I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 NIV) As a Christian, I know that the work of salvation is complete! Because Jesus said, “It is finished,” I no longer have to use my companies as a means of saving myself. What incredible freedom I experience when I let that truth really sink into my heart! Because of the gospel, I am free to work and create not as a means of making a name for myself, but as an act of worship to the One who made me, saved me, and called me to Godpreneurship. This truth replaces my improper ambition with proper ambition that flows out of a love for Christ and a desire to make His name famous throughout this earth and the next. Father, help me to remember this every second of the day as I lead my businesses. (PS – I write self-deprecating blog posts for 3 reasons. First, to confess to others. This helps call out the sin. Second, to process my own thoughts and declare new ones to myself. Third, that it might help you too.) #StrengthenIntegrity #EnhanceFocus

In my post-college proclivity, I desired nothing more than to start a great idea, grow it, and cash out so I could retire in my twenties. My first, second, or third ventures didn’t work out and I was now into my thirties…and still no fortune and fame. Around 2008 is when I started going back to church and gaining a new perspective on everything in life. One mindset shift I began to feel was that my ambition began to shift from selfish desires (fame and fortune) to wanting to help others and feel significance in my work. My struggle was that I still wanted fame and fortune, but I also wanted to serve others and be in God’s will for my business life. As Christians, is it possible to be ambitious in our entrepreneurial ventures and still have our self-worth and identity firmly rooted in Jesus Christ? Tons of self-help books and motivational coaches tell us that ambition is essential to accumulating wealth, fame, and glory for ourselves. The general consensus of entrepreneurship today is that it is the primary means by which we make a name for ourselves in this life and prove to the world that we are important, valuable, and worthy. Of course, this is nothing new for entrepreneurs. After Adam and Eve, human beings have been using work to make a name for themselves, rather than to glorify God and serve others. Take the Babylonians as an example. In Genesis 11 we read the account of these ancient entrepreneurs discovering the incredible technical innovation of brick-making. With the invention of the brick-making process, the Babylonians could build better homes, roads, and cities—all wonderful things; but driven by pride, the Babylonians’ ambition wasn’t to glorify God through their work. Genesis 11 reads Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:1‭-‬4 NIV Their ambition was to make a name for themselves. They said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:4). And if there was ever a question as to whether or not our motives matter to the Lord, the rest of the passage provides the answer. “The Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city”. Genesis 11:8. Creating a new business is not inherently bad. Our entrepreneurial ventures can and do reveal God’s character and love to serve others. But when we create a business out of a motivation to make a name for ourselves, we are attempting to rob God’s glory that is rightfully His. In Proverbs we read: All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord . Proverbs 16:2 NIV While Scripture makes clear that creating to make a name for yourself constitutes improper ambition, the Bible makes equally clear that ambition can indeed be God-honoring, so long as it flows out of a response to the work Christ did on your behalf on the cross. As Godpreneurs, this mindset could be the very thought that will turn everything around for us if we truly believe it. My prayer for Godpreneurs today is that you would re-align your ambitions to be healthy and in the direction of your born-to-do identity – your calling to do God’s will in the marketplace. #EnhanceFocus #StrengthenIntegrity

Something weird happens when I’m starting a new venture or launching a new product. Everything starts out wonderful, there’s excitement in the air, things are flowing…and suddendly something bad happens. I either run out of money, someone leaves the team, the product doesn’t turn out to be the ‘hit’ I thought it would be, or there’s a little bit of success, then I hit a wall and nobody’s buying anymore. In the past, I would simply quit and move on to the next thing. That’s easy to do. I can get get excited all over again and feel the ecstasy of launching a new thing. In the pattern of start and re-start that is entrepreneurship, I’ve come to learn that right before a business blooms into what it’s supposed to be, there comes an of hopelessness. I’ve felt so much depression, bitterness and anger towards myself and others, so much that we wished I just had a steady job and the burden of entrepreneurship would be lifted from me. Had I not burned the 9-5 bridge, it might have been a legitimate option on my list. Let’s just be honest with each other right now: sure as the sun will rise, we will experience a deep, dark valley right before success is going to hit us. I believe this is on purpose. I’ve felt that I’m at the end of my entrepreneurial career, I’ve given up hope on my products and services, and I’ve looked at the business partner I once called a best friend and said, “I don’t even like you anymore.” This is the moment I know I’m on the doorstep of what God has for me. I don’t give up. Instead, I reach for the promises of God. The bible says to Godpreneurs, "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." —Isaiah 26:3 “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.” —Joel 2:25 It’s a beautiful image! When my business looks like that utter wasteland, God says, “You see that devastation? I will restore everything that is lost. I will bring it back to life, new life in Me.” I never believe my business is hopeless – I believe God’s promise that He will make all things new. The lie is that my business and entrepreneurial career are hopeless. The truth is that Jesus can revive EVERYTHING! God, in the midst of these troubles, I trust in You and You alone. Heal my heart and give me hope for my business. I fix my hope on You, focus my mind on You, and depend on You to live through me so that I can walk in Your Spirit today. Amen. #FindMyCalling #SharpenLeadership

Owning a business can either be a blessing on a family or a curse. If mom and/or dad aren’t ‘present’ because the business (bringing in money) is more important, we can have problems. I think it’s very simple. It’s not about how hard I work, it’s about WHO I work for. If I’m working for my family and kids, so they can have a great life, I might get stuck in the pattern of giving the business more importance and taking full control. If, instead, I take on the mindset of working for God, I become more aware of my duties and obligations as a spouse and parent by putting the business in its rightful place: after God and family. Here is what I pray my child sees from me and my wife as parents who are entrepreneurs: Focus on Christ – Christ is the only one who can mold the heart fruitfully. My kids need to see me and my wife be faithful to Christ and see how He is conforming us to Himself. Seek outside help – It’s often hard for entrepreneurs to look for help from others. Kids need to know that it’s okay not to know all the answers. They need to see us seeking out and confiding in others who can help bring answers. Crucify our flesh – Our fleshly desires for personal satisfaction come at the expense of people around us. My kids need to see adults look to others with compassion, even if it’s inconvenient and painful. Break old patterns – Things don’t have to be the same. My kids need a role model that removes our bad habits and focuses on Jesus and the things He has planned for our business lives. Forgive forever – Often our hearts and love are compromised by grudges towards employees, vendors, contractors, clients and even each other as a married couple. Kids need to see us forgive and forget, willing to work on past hurts, even to the point of forgiving. Trust in Christ – It’s easy to try meeting our own spiritual needs with “stuff” or “better circumstances.” My kids need to learn that Christ is the only one who always provides and always supports us. Kids need to live in a loving, nurturing home with both parents working through the hardship of entrepreneurship together. Surrendered to Christ, they exemplify for their kids that owning a business is hard (just like marriage), but so, so very worth the commitment now and during the long run. The bible says "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:9‭-‬12 NIV) The lie is that the kids will be better if we work harder and longer hours today in the business. The truth is my kids will be worse off if they don’t see me and my wife working together to put God first in our entrepreneurial ventures and our faith and trust in Christ and God’s provision. God, for the good of my kids and everyone around me, I place myself and my business in Your hands now. I hold my children dear in my heart. Reveal to me how I can be a better spiritual leader to them by leading my business in Your Spirit today. Amen. #WorkLifeBalance #MarriedEntrepreneurs #TimeManagement

Sometimes I think about how easy it would be to have a 9-5 job. Just tell me what to do, and I do that one thing. Set me on my path, lay out my duties and responsibilities for me, and make sure that check is in my bank account on the 1st and the 15th. But this is a big fat LIE, and I know it! This lie is really just a sub-lie of one of the enemy’s other favorite lies that “easy is better than hard.” Whenever I’m struggling in business, I sit down and look at the vision board I created for my future and realize that it could never happen with a 9-5 job. I picture myself standing in front of audiences teaching them about business. I imagine myself signing books, leading big paying consulting gigs, and in a cool office environment I co-created with God. And then I have a fake conversation with myself: “remember back in the day Alex, when you wanted to quit, when you were anxious about the business surviving, when you wanted to go back to working in an easy environment? Thank goodness you didn’t, bro!” Honestly, easy is seldom better than hard. The truth is that entrepreneurship is one of God’s best ideas, and a good business is an inexpressible joy. Work? Yes. Pain? Yes. Blood, sweat, and tears? Yes, all of that too… but it’s worth it. The bible says "From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward." —Proverbs 12:14 At some point I made new business with the mindset that I promised to stick through it all. I reaffirmed my commitment to follow through it, and agreed to engage fully to restore and build the business that God had for me. As He works in me today, I consciously look at how I’m changing into God’s image through my business. It’s a process and it will never be perfect (don’t expect that), but I know that I’m in God’s will, and that my business is worth every bit. The lie is that entrepreneurship isn’t worth the bother. The truth is that your business is worth the effort. God, renew my mind according to Your Truth. Take my worn-out heart and strengthen it. I can’t fix this on my own, so I ask You to be at work in my business life. Use it all, good and bad, to conform me to Your Son and give me the conviction that it is worth it. Amen! #BusinessBibleStudy #WorkLifeBalance 8 Lies of Entrepreneurship In this course, I show you 8 lies that keep Godpreneurs bogged down in feelings of inadequacy, insecurities of owning a business, and 8 truths to combat lies. Heard of the Godpreneur Academy? Grow Your Business, God’s Way! Bible-Based Video Courses for Entrepreneurs Putting God First In their Businesses Click here to create a Free Account

Some years back, I realized that I didn’t like entrepreneurship anymore. I knew I couldn’t just stop and close up my shop . I wasn’t just going there and getting a job. But I knew I couldn’t stay where I was. So, I looked at my business model and said to myself, “Do I really want to live like this for another 10 years?” When I get pounced and tossed by these thought of quitting, I picture Paul from the bible. Paul learned the lesson of contentment in extenuating circumstances. As he wrote Philippians, he was in jail, had no money, and was near execution; but he still found joy in Christ. Paul’s joy didn’t come from improved circumstances. It came from living according  the truth rather than buying into the lies of the world, the flesh, and Satan. It’s the same for you and your business. Remember, the secret of Godpreneurship is you walking the marketplace like Christ – in the Spirit, worshiping God by doing what you were born to do. Let’s do something about that, following the pattern Paul laid out in Romans 12:1-2: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will." LIES Out of the eight entrepreneurial lies we’ve uncovered, identify the ones that are most pressing on your business right now: Entrepreneurship is irrelevant Owning a business is the only way to be happy Your business will complete you You can handle it on your own Getting a 9-5 is an option Working more is better for your children Your business is hopeless Godpreneurship isn’t worth it TRUTHS Read the truths that replace the lies that you find directly affecting you: Entrepreneurship is divine, timeless, and significant Solo-preneurship is a gift to cherish or a season to enjoy Christ is the only one who can complete you You need outside help to handle your business Getting a 9-5 is only an option in certain extreme cases Time with kids is far more important than time in the business God offers hope and restoration for your business A godly entrepreneur will bring Him glory and bless the business immensely Now, take both the lies and the truths to the Holy Spirit and ask that He would do the work that only He can do. Spirit, show me, right now, the lies that are oppressing my business. In the name of Jesus, I rebuke Satan who is the father of those lies. I reject the lies as destructive and wrong. Renew my mind. Replace the lies with life-giving Truth. Reveal to me now specific changes that You want to make in my attitude and my actions. I surrender to You now. Live through me, moment by moment today, according to Your truth. Amen!!! Reflection: What lies about business and entrepreneurship have I believed? What is God specifically saying to me about these lies? What will I do about it? What does God want me to share with someone who’s struggling in their business? #BusinessBibleStudy 8 Lies of Entrepreneurship In this course, I show you 8 lies that keep Godpreneurs bogged down in feelings of inadequacy, insecurities of owning a business, and 8 truths to combat lies. Heard of the Godpreneur Academy? Grow Your Business, God’s Way! Bible-Based Video Courses for Entrepreneurs Putting God First In their Businesses Click here to create a Free Account

I’m married. But I was a single entrepreneur before, so I can speak as to the “before and after” of having a business while single versus being married. I’m writing this because I have single entrepreneur friends that look at me with envy and think “man, I wish I was married. If I was married, I think my business would do better.” I’m also writing this because I have married friends that tell me they would be so much more focused and driven if they didn’t have a wife nagging everyday about how they feel neglected because they care so much about the business. I’ll just start by saying that neither is better or worse. They are simply a season of your life. If God is present throughout all seasons of my life, then each season has its glory (and challenges). Single entrepreneurs…whoever told you or whatever thoughts crept into your head thay “I can’t be successful and happy unless I’m married” is simply false. Think you have to be married to be whole and happy in business? Get this: Paul spends the whole chapter of 1 Corinthians 7 convincing people not to get married. Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” … I wish that all men were as I am [Paul was single]. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried… I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs – how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world – how he can please his wife – and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world – how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord". —1 Corinthians 7:1-1, 7-8, 32-35 Do you believe you can’t have a successful business unless you’re married? The truth is this: Singleness is either a gift to cherish or a season to enjoy. And for my married entrepreneurs…. Listen. The loneliest entrepreneurs I know are not single. The loneliest business people are people I know trapped in a bad marriage. Marriage is not the happiness pill a lot of people think it is. If I want to be happy in business while I’m married, everyday I must remind myself that true joy and fulfillment are found only in Christ. Marriage isn’t meant to make me happy in business, it’s meant to make me holy for the marketplace. God’s word says, “in Your presence there is fullness of joy.” Lay claim to that truth right here, right now, no matter if you’re single or married, happy or discontent. Married or single, all of us entrepreneurs should turn our hearts towards God as our source of true fulfillment – filling each of us until we’re full – in “need” of nothing else. #MarriedEntrepreneurs #BusinessBibleStudy 8 Lies of Entrepreneurship In this course, I show you 8 lies that keep Godpreneurs bogged down in feelings of inadequacy, insecurities of owning a business, and 8 truths to combat lies. Heard of the Godpreneur Academy? Grow Your Business, God’s Way! Bible-Based Video Courses for Entrepreneurs Putting God First In their Businesses Click here to create a Free Account

Going back to when I first got into a partnership with my friends to start the marketing agency, we did everything on our own. I didn’t seek advice. After all, I had just paid $130,000 for an Ivy League education at Cornell. It wasn’t until after the partnership displaced and I went on my own that I came across the notion of “mastermind” and forming communities of advisors to help bounce ideas with. Even though my partnership was 3 of us, like marriage, I considered myself one in business with them. We couldn’t handle the struggles on our own. The enemy’s strategy is to divide and conquer. He wants me to think that I’m the only ones going through financial issues and employee crisis. He wants me to feel more embarrassed about my failure than I feel motivated to get help. He wants me to avoid the people who speak truth and love into my life. He wants me to disobey one of the foundational principles in Scripture: "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching." —Hebrews 10:23-25 I need that. I need it even today as I’m writing this. It’s a lie to think otherwise. It’s called loving biblical community. Ironically, the worst I’m doing in business, the more I retreat and put up a front that everything is all good and I don’t need to meet with my counselors. That’s the enemy winning. This is the moment I actually need to stop everything I’m doing to meet up with another entrepreneur for advice. What’s going on in your key relationships? What’s up in your marriage? Are you trying to handle it on your own? If you want to go it alone, I suppose you can try, but why? Maybe it’s time to flush some pride and ego and get connected like God designed it? The lie is that you can get through the tough times in your business alone. The truth is that a Godpreneur surrounded by a wise biblical community will do better than a business owner in isolation. God, I accept that I am not an island. I need You in my business. I need what You provide through others when business is tough. I confess my prideful, independent flesh patterns. Make me willing to accept Your grace, wisdom, and support through other Godpreneurs. Show me whom You want me to connect with today. Amen. #BusinessBibleStudy #ArticulatingMyIdeas 8 Lies of Entrepreneurship In this course, I show you 8 lies that keep Godpreneurs bogged down in feelings of inadequacy, insecurities of owning a business, and 8 truths to combat lies Heard of the Godpreneur Academy? Grow Your Business, God’s Way! Bible-Based Video Courses for Entrepreneurs Putting God First In their Businesses Click here to create a Free Account

I’ve had my non-believer friends tell me “The bible was written so long ago by people that don’t know things today, that’s why I can’t take it serious.” I’ve also had entrepreneurs tell me Christianity is an archaic institution and irrelevant in the modern business world. Heck, even some believers can’t connect God to their business because there’s nothing in the bible that talks specifically about what they do professionally.  I could imagine some are thinking if putting God at the center of our business is even worth it.  They ask “Why do we even need this? Does God even care about my industry?” This is the way God always intended it: he wants to express himself in any way, through every industry to every human being, and he’s going to use me and you to make that happen. I struggled with connecting how making logos and websites made any difference in God’s big plan. I thought you had to own a nonprofit or run a church to be doing significant stuff. As I got deeper into the understanding of God and the fact that he gives purpose and passion, and that he calls us each to uniquely do something, I realized that, in fact, I don’t do logos and websites. Instead, I bring to life the vision of God to entrepreneurs about their purpose and calling. I’m guiding people towards what they were Born to do vocationally. Thanks big stuff! Jesus said this "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you." (John 15:16 NIV) We all have the opportunity of discovering what God’s purpose is for each of our businesses because God chose us, not the other way around. It’s revealed once we surrender our businesses and understand that it’s not there just to make us money or for us to pass the time here on earth. There’s a reason for realtors, barbers, accountants and car salesman. Each plays a significant role for God. I’ve branded hundreds of companies and met thousands of entrepreneurs. Each one starts not knowing their exact purpose and significance. By the time I’m done with them, they know why God wants them to exist. The truth is that owning a business is divine, timeless, and significant. You might be in it or out of it – either way, your work here is part of God’s eternal purpose for the Body of Christ… and it will be until our time is up. The lie is that the bible is archaic – that it’s written by people who didn’t know the internet existed and it’s obsolete. The truth is that God wants to impact your business, his wisdom is timeless and significant for our growth. God, make me a vessel of Your truth. When I begin to doubt the validity and need for you at the center of every business move, make me willing to take that thought captive. By Your Spirit and Your Word, convict me of Your divine purpose in my business for my good and for Your glory. Amen. #BusinessBibleStudy #FindMyCalling 8 Lies of Entrepreneurship In this course, I show you 8 lies that keep Godpreneurs bogged down in feelings of inadequacy, insecurities of owning a business, and 8 truths to combat lies. Heard of the Godpreneur Academy? Grow Your Business, God’s Way! Bible-Based Video Courses for Entrepreneurs Putting God First In their Businesses Click here to create a Free Account

It was early 2016 and I found myself all alone at my office. I had just let go of a bunch of staff to “restart” my business in a new direction. The conversation in my head went like this Okay Alex, we really need to talk. You got all these clients, but you can barely stand them. Managing employees is a drag, having this rent is a burden, and the attacks from clients is unbearable You know you can get a job and go work for someone for waaaaay more than you’re making trying to do it on your own. No, no, no… There has to be a way to keep going! I stared more at the blank screen, hoping all my problems would go away. Then the conversation started again. What if I’ve been doing it all wrong. I’m great at what I do. I love what I do. I just don’t exactly love who I’m doing it for, and in the way I’m currently doing it. What are my best clients? What were my best experiences? I just stared at my screen in silence. It was a defining moment for my career as an entrepreneur. The future on my business hung in balance. I realized that the business I had constructed was a poor imitation of what God really had for me. I also knew I was locked into the journey of entrepreneurship because it’s what I was born to do. Would I just sit there and let my business continue to die? I’ve learned a lot since then, and I’ve become more and more convinced of a simple truth: The enemy divides, and the Holy Spirit unites. The enemy is at work in our businesses, our nonprofits, and our campaigns to further our causes, and some of his favorite tools are his lies. The enemy is a stronger business man than you’ll ever be alone, he’s out to make sure you don’t accomplish your Born to To identity. Through deception and deceit, his lies will convince us of many things that God has already declared ‘NOT TRUE’. If you believe those lies, your business can disintegrate before your eyes and you’ll wonder what happened – at least, that’s what happened to me. Paul laid out a counter attack: "Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible – and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” —Ephesians 5:11-14 That night alone at my office was a turning point. I didn’t know how I got where I was, and I didn’t know where I was headed. But I decided that I was going to put in the hard work, learn to be painfully honest with myself and my clients, and ask Christ to give me the business that He longed for me to have. As I journeyed out, I became acutely aware of several lies of the enemy that are rampantly believed in businesses that are in trouble, like mine was. Feeling trapped like I did? The truth can set your business free. Father, right here, right now, begin to expose the lies of darkness that I have accepted as true. Expose them with the light of Your Word. Wake me, elevate me, may the light of Jesus shine on me, my business and my relationships with my clients and coworkers. Amen. Start experiencing God in your business daily! Click here to get daily biblical wisdom from Alex Miranda delivered to your inbox. #BusinessBibleStudy #EnhanceFocus #ShareYourTestimony 8 Lies of Entrepreneurship In this course, I show you 8 lies that keep Godpreneurs bogged down in feelings of inadequacy, insecurities of owning a business, and 8 truths to combat lies. Heard of the Godpreneur Academy? Grow Your Business, God’s Way! Bible-Based Video Courses for Entrepreneurs Putting God First In their Businesses Click here to create a Free Account

God’s field is limitless, and it cuts across all industries and sectors of society. He is the Creator of all things, and all things are held together in Him. Therefore, as entrepreneurs, our businesses are God’s creation, and they are being held together by Him. For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:16, AMP) With that said, how do we live through the quiet seasons of our businesses? How do we wait patiently for the Creator of all things to fulfill His promises? Quiet seasons are difficult to embrace. The quietness can unfold in different ways: The rhythm of the business slows down, or the growth of the business becomes stagnant. Circumstances that lead to the quiet seasons may be out of our control. However, the way we respond to the quietness is within our control. It is easy to strive and get things moving in the business, for example, make follow-up calls with your customers or pitch new products to potential investors, but your efforts fall short, and you are back to the drawing board. At this point, you begin to realize that you are helping God. The quiet seasons are not punishment, even though they may feel like that. God uses these seasons to grab your attention and show you things you may have overlooked during the busy seasons. He reveals different aspects of your business that are outdated; for example, your team needs to learn more about digital marketing and the importance of using social media to reach your customers. Additionally, He provides you with new strategies to adapt to the current market trends, or He shines a light on the hidden areas of your life that are holding you back. Moreover, God uses quiet seasons to remind us that He is God and we are not. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10, AMP) The busyness of our lives can make us forget that He is the Creator of all things, Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. Therefore, God in His infinite wisdom slows down the rhythm of our businesses and gently whispers: Be still. Will you be still? The stillness is uncomfortable but knows that God is with you in the stillness. His still small voice doesn’t have to compete with other voices. His voice becomes the leading voice as you navigate the quiet season. After that, you become more aware of His voice, and you can tune into His frequency when the rhythm of your business picks up again. All in all, God wants to be number one in every aspect of your life. Will you be still? #DifferentiatingMyself #TrustOnGod #WaitingOnGod

A little over a month ago, I was recovering from some mild burnout, and somewhere in there, the call in my spirit to change my approach to business came welling up out of me. Since then, I have been pursuing Kingdom engagement daily in my approach to everything I do at my desk. I somehow stumbled on a Daily Godpreneur Devotional Plan, and that is how my road here started. The prayer I wrote below is what I pray every time I sit down at my desk to work, ensuring all of me is aligned and submitted to hear God’s voice amid the goals, the customer reach-outs, the strategizing, team-leading, etc. You will notice a space for you to insert your name near the end, so when I say this for me, I say, Kelly Bat Yahweh, which means Kelly Daughter of Yahweh. If you are a male, you would say, Alex Ben Yahweh, for example. Be blessed today in whose you are and as you go about your work on behalf of His Kingdom. I invite you to pray this with me: Father, I come to you in the precious name of Your Son Jesus and thank you, Jesus, for your blood that allows me to come boldly before the Father’s Throne of Grace. Father, I thank you that you hear me and that I am welcomed. I thank you for making me in your image I and praise you for the purpose and destiny that You have imbedded in my DNA and my spirit; I call it forth now and choose to step into it at this moment. Father, I humble myself and put you in the highest place - above the abilities and strengths inside of me. I recognize my need for you and declare with humility that apart from you blessed Father, Lord Jesus, and Holy Spirit; I can do nothing. I turn away from the systems of this world that would compete for first place and dictate how to operate. You said in Your Word that we are to be in this world but not of it - so I sever all ties to the wisdom of this world with the Sword of the Lord and apply the blood of Jesus to this faulty and anti-Christ system. I set myself to honor Your Word and choose the wisdom of Heaven for all my business-related actions. I repent and turn away from the idolatry and gods of this world - social media, fear, and Mammon - that dictate how my business will flourish. I declare that my success is not tied to algorithms or systems of this world. I align my soul and spirit to the spirit of God, and I thank you that in James You say that if anyone lacks wisdom, you will give it generously when we ask. So, Father, I ask for fresh wisdom from Heaven and thank you that in John 3:27 you say that a man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven, so I open my hands, soul, and spirit to receive this perfect gift from above. Father, I thank you and ask for a fresh strategy from your kingdom and government to operate with success, love, and productivity. Thank you, Father, that you provide my every need. I declare that I turn from my abilities to you as my Provider. I humble myself and ask for your forgiveness for where I have set myself above you as the provider. I turn to you Jehovah Jireh and give you first place and remove all confidence of my flesh and submit to and trust you. Great I AM; I invite you into the work I am about to set my hand to and ask humbly that I might partner with what you are speaking and doing. I talk to my ears to be open to hearing the still small voice. I speak to my mind to be submitted to my spirit, and I speak to my spirit that it would be submitted to the Spirit of the Living God. In the power, the Name, and the blood of Jesus, I decree a matrix of protection overall technology and tools or myself and those I am interacting with. No weapon formed against me will prosper, and no satanic agenda will succeed. I thank you, Father, for the honor of being called Your own and that I am seated with You in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus where I rest in the authority that You have given me through your precious blood Lord Jesus. God, may you sent your angels in my favor that will secure Kingdom opportunities and divine appointments that will further multiply my purpose to expand the kingdom of God on the earth with the business I am about to engage in. Lord, in all that I do, may your name be glorified and exalted. May I be a conduit of your Kingdom and win souls for your name. I clothe myself in love and ask that you would bless the work of my hands. Thank you for prophetic insight for how to operate, who to reach out to, and be a voice and instrument for your glory. I praise you for the opportunity to love and serve others and thank you for your favor and open doors. You are my Great Reward, and I set myself to honor you as I work in this world on behalf of Your Kingdom. I love you, sweet Father, and thank You for calling me your own. Thank you for giving me your name, (Insert Your First Name) Bat/Ben Yahweh. In You, I live and move and have my being. I seal all of these things with the blood of Jesus and praise you because if God is for me, who can be against me. Amen. #GainConfidence

When my company used to do marketing for nightclubs, I would always have the owners and marketing directors ask me: "Alex, what's this new social media platform and how can we use it?" This was back in 2005 when Digital Marketing was in its infancy. I would tell the nightclubs, "go online and search articles and you'll find a bunch of people talking about it." The problem is that all of the articles were written from a small business perspective, and not a nightclub perspective. It was difficult for them to grasp the concepts because the articles weren't relating to them. So I searched for an article on Social Media Marketing and REWROTE the entire article, but changing all of the examples and language to something nightclubs could understand. Once I did that, they were able to grasp the concepts. I continued to do this "rewriting" strategy for a few years. I had a blog called Nightlife Marketing Resource. Nightlife marketers from around the world appreciated that I was able to take confusing Digital Marketing concepts, and break them down for them in a way they could learn and implement into their marketing. Is Rewriting Ethical? Before I teach you my strategies for spinning, rewriting, and curating blog posts to better serve yourself and your readers, I want to draw the line between making good use of research and blatantly stealing someone else's content. I have a few criteria that I go by and expect from the writers of Daily Godpreneur that I'm going to share with you. Being that I run a branding agency that writes content for my clients, and I have a blog with thousands of readers, I understand a few basic rules of the game. First, plagiarism is never OK. Plagiarism is taking someone else's work, changing the author, and posting it as yours. However, being inspired by someone else's work is not plagiarism. We are not expected to produce content that is 100% original and written off the cuff. That's not how God designed things. The Bible says: What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9) God took the first 7 days to create the entire world. He's the original creator. After that, everything has been an inspiration from that, passed down throughout the ages. Someone's story inspired the next person's experience. Traditions have been passed down and rewritten, spun, and analyzed to create new thoughts. This is how God designed "human progress" to work. When I see that my followers are struggling with depression in their business, I don't just close my eyes and start thinking of how I can help them. No, I open up the Bible to research what's already been said about this. I'll google others who have written about it. I'll watch YouTube videos. Sometimes, I'll find a great article that was not written to a Christian audience, and I'll use the outline to re-write it from a God-first perspective. I find the Biblical perspective on the topic and re-present the article so that a Christian entrepreneur would be inspired by it. Had I not done this, the article might not have impacted them the way it could, and should, when I find a Biblical truth to back a concept up. The Right Way to Rewrite Articles The wrong way to rewrite an article is to not change any of the examples or context for your audience, and try to pass it off as your own thoughts on a subject. You made no effort to reorganize the ideas through your own personal experience. Here are some good tips to guide your rewriting process: Identify a problem your niche is having (depressed entrepreneurs) Find an article that has all the information you need (an article on why depression happens) As you read the article, make note of details that aren't in your base problem and include them in the finished product. (what the Bible says about depression) Start with your own experience (I used to suffer depression in entrepreneurship) Reorder details to create a unique flow in the information (your personal example, what we all go through, what God has to say about it, and what we can do to change) Many people have written great articles on depression and overcoming it, but not until I wrote about it did someone write it from a Christian entrepreneur's perspective. (Browse Topic: Depression) Curating Existing Content If you don't want to "rewrite" an article, you can curate content you find on the internet for your niche. For example, you can find an article that you like and present it in an editorial way that gives the content your own unique voice. God could use you to make the content, His, through your own insights and perspectives. I call this method "giving credit to where credit is due." It's taking someone's article and simply prefacing it with what the Bible has to say about that topic. Can we ethically rewrite and curate content? The better question is: what is being written out there that God wants you to re-present to the world from His perspective? You can work directly with other people's content and, in good conscience and spirit, write your own version. Just make sure you make it your own unique voice in the subject. My process consists of: If nobody's going to bring God into the topic, I'm going to rewrite it. I'm researching the Bible to see what verses can back up a certain thought. I really do take the time to be certain it makes sense, Biblically. I write so that my content is relevant and unique to my readers. If I read a popular book or blog post, and God isn't given the credit, I'm going the curation route. Follow those steps, and you'll never have to worry about feeling like you aren't creative because God wants to show your ideas through others. P.S. You're more than welcome to take ANY article of mine on Daily Godpreneur and re-write it for your audience's perspective. Be my guest....it's all God's content anyway ;-) #ChristianBloggers