Are you a Christian entrepreneur who wants more than a job, and wants more than a business, but wants to make a difference in this world? You know God has called you to start a business, but you don't know what's missing. You're just like most of the rest of us, then. Jesus knows struggle. He knows all the feelings that we have. Not just because He’s God, but also because life’s circumstances caused Him to go through all life’s troubles that we have as well. Let’s look at the first Christmas to see how struggle played a significant role. According to Jewish culture, Mary and Joseph were engaged (it was almost like a marriage at that point, so more than engaged). They were preparing for marriage already, and God had other plans for them. God was going to bring Himself into the world through Mary. The curse from the Garden of Eden was on the seed of man, so there wasn’t a way for God to come into the world by using Joseph, or else Jesus would have been born into sin. What happens next is amazing. In Biblical times, adultery was forbidden by the law (and even punishable by death). Joseph had the chance to send Mary away, as it appeared that she had been unfaithful to him. While Mary didn’t give birth to Jesus out of wedlock (as in having cheated on Joseph), God used this very out-of-ordinary circumstance to change Jesus’ human past. There would have certainly been rumors spread about his family, leaving the family in a very unusual predicament. This was Jesus’ human past, perhaps having people look down on him and his family. This is what Jesus went through and is, therefore, able to identify with us as humans. But it wasn’t just Jesus who went through this, his entire family, which must have included at least four siblings (since the Bible talks about his brothers and sisters, plural). They all went through the struggle because it was God’s Will. It was predetermined that they would have this struggle, and there was nothing they did that was wrong. More parts of the Christmas story show struggle (though these were more Mary and Joseph’s struggles, not struggles related directly to Jesus). Joseph was responsible for traveling hundreds of miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem with Mary, who was pregnant (Luke 2). There were likely dangers on the way, but even the journey without hazards would have been a hard struggle, as likely Mary would have had to ride on the donkey. Another struggle was finding Mary and Joseph’s place to stay (as there was no room). Mary was about to give birth, and not finding a place to stay would have been very difficult for them. After the Wise Men came, Joseph received word from God in a dream that he had to flee to Egypt. Traveling that distance would have been hard, especially with a newborn child (and, again, likely with a donkey). The next time King Herod killed every baby boy too and under was a huge struggle for Israel. Matthew 2:13-16. This Christmas, remember us that the first Christmas had struggles, just as many of us struggled during this pandemic. For some, the business has slowed down. For others, their businesses had to stop the way it functioned. So, they have had to find other ways to do business or find another business to be involved in. The struggle that Jesus had means that you have an advocate with Jesus, who identifies with everything you’re going through. How often do we, as Christians, try to fix our problems instead of going to the One who can help us? When we face struggles, we have to remember that no struggle is as big as God. Jesus will have the last say in any of your problems. And, if you see anyone struggling this year, be sure to share with them this good news, that they can access the Creator, who also went through struggles and can identify with their struggles as well. This article is written by Jeremy G. Woods, CEO of FaithVenture Media and President of Potter’s House Ministries Romania. #GainConfidence

With all the uncertainty surrounding both our personal and professional lives due to the Coronavirus You can also develop your joy and grow your faith in business again, even in the midst of a pandemic, If our source of joy only came from the act of walking out our calling, I believe we would all develop

Do you wake up every morning to run a business you hate, with clients and employees you don’t like, getting paid less than you're worth? Do you feel like quitting the ENTREPRENEURIAL race and going back to a 9-5? The REAL problem is you haven't found your "purpose" in business yet. Without a purpose, your business has no meaning, no sense of destiny, and no sense of specificity. The greatest tragedy in business is an entrepreneur without a purpose. But this tragedy is completely avoidable. God wants to guide us on our entrepreneurial journey. He's got a specific plan for each of us, and they are plans to succeed! Failure only happens when we choose to go our own way and veer off on our own paths. But if we do some simple shifting of our mindset, we can uncover our purpose, discover the business God created is to start and begin living a purposed-focused life full of all the riches God has already set aside for us. 1) YOU'RE NOT ALONE No entrepreneur is a mistake; not one of us is a mistake. We are sent here specifically to do something valuable. This means God has something that needs to be done that made you and your business necessary, yet most of us don't know our purpose on earth. The average entrepreneur doesn't know why they´re on planet earth. They wake up every morning to run a business they hate, with clients and employees they don’t like, getting paid less than they're worth. They're quitting on the business too soon, closing up shop from frustration because they don´t know why they exist. I discovered that the greatest tragedy in entrepreneurship is not a business shutting down. There’s something worse than a failed venture. The greatest tragedy in business is an entrepreneur without a purpose. Nothing is worse than being running a business and not knowing why. This is a tragedy to give the best years of your life to build something and still not know why you were called to entrepreneurship. That’s a tragedy. Without a purpose, the business has no meaning, no sense of destiny, and no specificity. Why are me and my business here? And this is the frustration of many entrepreneurs. Millions of business owners are searching for their purpose and their brand - the "why" of their company's existence. Maybe that includes you? 2) GOD AS YOUR ENTREPRENEURIAL GUIDE God has a will and a plan for all of us entrepreneurs. Don't ever listen to clients, loved ones, or even your own internal voice tell you your business is unimportant. Anytime you feel unimportant, immediately think, "Jesus died so that I could be free to pursue the business God created me to start! And He didn't just die for me, He died for all the clients, employees, vendors, contractors, prospects, and competitors I'll be doing business with!" God knows all about your background and all the fears you would bring up. You think God can't use you, you're not good at business, or you don't have enough money. God knows all about you. He knew what business you would run before you were even born, and this means has a will and a plan for all of our business visions. The tragedy is that most entrepreneurs will never think about business from a "God" perspective. They were never told that entrepreneurship is God using humans to solve a problem and fulfill an unmet need in this world. They never thought about it from God's point of view - that God had a special plan for their business life. Yes, He does have a blueprint already laid out! 3) GOD'S HAS A BUSINESS PLAN So, what’s God's plan for your entrepreneurial life? Have you ever asked him? Proverbs 3:5-6, for example, one of my favorite passages says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Just trust him, see what he’ll do when you simply ASK, "God, what's my entrepreneurial purpose? What problem am I here to solve? What business do YOU want me to start?" God desires the best for your entrepreneurial journey. And if you're lost, confused, and overwhelmed, then your starting point is to tell Him: “Lord, I don´t know what you can do, or how you're going to do it, but God here I am, Father, take me like I am." 4) GOD'S PATH TO YOUR SUCCESS In Jeremiah 29 verse 11, God says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." God already finished you before He started you! God already created the business you were born to step into! It's yours for the taking! The bible says God cared for you before you were born. Isaiah 46:3 continues, "I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you." This means God knew you'd be an entrepreneur one day, and because of that, He's going to take care of that business! Verse 10 continues, "Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish." God says He plans an entrepreneur's future before it even happens. Why? So that we would realize that we have an opportunity to PARTNER with Him to bring the visions to life. He's going to do it with or without us. What do you think He prefers? Here’s the good news: God would not allow you to have been conceived in your mother’s womb unless there was a business already finished that you were born to start. That means your choice of becoming an entrepreneur was not a mistake! You are starting a destined business that's already finished. God never begins with the beginning; he begins with the end, then He begins. Your success is already finished! Only you have the unique DNA God has designed to carry out a certain business He predestined for you to start and operate in. Here’s what Ephesians 2:10 says: “For we are God's handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance to do,” the living translation says: “For we are God's masterpiece, he has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things He planned long ago." Now stop and process that! You are God's masterpiece. Before you were born, he created you for your entrepreneurial purpose and at the same time, He created your calling not for anyone else but you. 5) WARNING: WHY ENTREPRENEURS FAIL For this reason, be very careful about comparing your business journey with others. There’s always someone who seems more successful or more accomplished than you. If you’re not careful, you can slip out of your purpose and begin imitating their calling, even without realizing it! If you look at another entrepreneur for the pattern of who you should be, you’ll miss out on discovering your calling in business. God made your gifts, talents, and specific set of circumstances so that you could travel your own unique journey. God drew up the blueprints; Jesus is who we need to look to for revelation of that plan. The secret about you existed before the world began. God didn't give you birth and then tried to figure out why you exist. He established your destiny first and then gave you birth. That means that the secret about you cannot be discerned by human intelligence or by your high school grades. How many of you have allowed your high school ranking to determine who you are? You may have been an A student or a B student or C student or an average student - and you take that score with you from high school into an average job because you think, "I can't start my own business, I'm not good enough, or smart enough. I didn't go to an Ivy League school. Well, I´ve come to tell you that’s a lie. That's not who God created. He doesn't create average things. Some entrepreneurs already have their life mapped out. Sometimes it's your parents, and so your mother is calling you rather than God calling you. How many children are living the dreams of their parents rather than God's purpose? And that´s why they’re frustrated. They’re doing things they were not born to do, to please their parents, not to please God. I say it again; no human knows the truth about you because the truth about you is hidden in God. When I study the bible, I see every single human, every last one, was different. Every single human that God met disbelieved him first - everyone! Abraham. Yes, Lord You are the father of many children Abraham was barren! Moses Yes, Lord You are a mighty warrior and deliverer Moses was a shepherd hiding from the law. David you are a king This kid was a shepherd behind the rocks! You see, the truth about our Godpreneurial calling is so incredible that we ourselves find it hard to believe. The world doesn't know who you are yet. The truth about you will defy your self-concept because the picture you have of yourself is the one that the world gave you. God's picture of you is very different. I wonder how many miracles we miss in our businesses...I wonder how many just flat out astounding things God would do in an entrepreneur's lives if we could ever get over caring what everybody else thinks and only focus on the calling God gave each of us. Listen, the God who created this world can do anything he chooses to do no matter what´s been in the past. That's who he is. You’re talking to the God who makes the impossible. Business isn’t about using God for your purposes; it’s about God using your business for His purpose. It's about the Lord Jesus showing you how you fit into his plan...and you do fit in! God has a lifetime of purpose stored up for you and me. 6) HOW TO FIND YOUR UNIQUE PURPOSE Thank God for the strength you need to be an entrepreneur. Thank him for your weaknesses, too. Weaknesses create your dependency on God throughout the life of the business. Once you understand that your strengths and weaknesses form the uniqueness of you, you’ll be well on your way to pursuing the business God created you for. So, first of all, present yourself and your business to God. Hand it all over. Then say to yourself, I am a unique creation of the almighty God! He made me alone and threw the plans away. There’s no Godpreneur like me on planet earth. He has a special thing for me to do! Maybe you’re thinking, "I´m not sure the business I'm created to start in God's plan. What if I don’t like it?" Oh, you will. It's what you were made for! This is what you were born to do! If you don´t embrace God´s plan, you´ll miss the entrepreneurial purpose for which he created you! The bible is very clear about that. This what Jesus said in John 8:12: “I am the light of the world, he who follows me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life. When you follow Jesus' plan for your business, you will be walking in the divine wattage of God's light. There's no other source of ultimate purpose. All other ventures lead to darkness and futility. When you venture off, it's because you're still afraid to present yourself and your business totally to God. Do you think He'll mess up your business by telling you to launch something you don't want to do or go to some business event you don’t want to go to? By my own testimony, I can tell you that everything I ever dreamed of doing in my business, I found in God's purpose for me. I cannot imagine doing anything else than what I’ve done. As He has led me, so many of my dreams have come true! Plus, quite a few dreams I never even knew I had! I can't reiterate enough how the first step in pursuing your God-given entrepreneurial purpose is to present yourself totally to God. He loves you, he wants the best for you, and you can trust him. When you find your purpose in business, you stop chasing things that will never satisfy you. Instead, you find the joy of pursuing the next steps God has for you. Some of you have no idea what God would do for you and your business. Well, the only way you’ve ever going to know is to step out and find out. God told Abraham to leave everything you’re familiar with and go to a place that I will show you. He had to step out. I wonder how many people live with business dreams and visions and amazingly great things in their hearts, but they’re afraid even to take one step in that direction to see what God might do. You´re not waiting on God, God's waiting on you. He's waiting to give you and your business his best. Listen, if you wait till you figure it out, you´ll never do it. What do you think God will do? He’ll amaze you. #FindingMyPurpose

Dear Christians entrepreneurs, I shared this personal consumer experience to draw your attention to your

My mind likes to switch back and forth from a defeated mindset to a victorious mindset. My defeated mindset is when thoughts creep into my mind that the idea I have isn’t going to sell, that the product I have isn’t going work in the marketplace, or that client is going to say no. My victorious mindset is when I’m super confident in my plans and that nothing is going to stop me from achieving this goal for my business. My mind likes to switch between both daily, hourly, constantly. Which mindset wins? The one I feed. So, how do I feed the victorious mindset? No matter what I am going through in my business, I must remember God comes through on time! Despite the product launch setbacks, client payment holdups, waiting periods of no sales, or seasons where it seems like God isn’t there. I trust that God is working everything out in the marketplace for my good and has positioned me for greatness for His divine purpose and plan; the plan I was born to do. As I live my life as a Godpreneur in Jesus Christ, I walk obediently in His will, word, and way because God says I’m already victorious. Do you ever feel like your business dreams won’t come to pass? Do situations in your business cause you to feel defeated? I love these verses I’m going to share because they are a reminder that we are already victorious, a this is the mindset we need to operate in more and more throughout our day. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 NIV "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9 NIV "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." 2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." Psalms 23:5 NIV "For we live by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV "The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." Psalms 34:10 NIV As an Entrepreneur, It serves you no good to doubt in your mind. Your employees, vendors, contractors, prospects, and clients rely on you to have a winning mindset. They are looking up to you as their confident guide. And God is expecting you to know that He’s got your back always, no matter what, and He’s going to produce VICTORY. As a Godpreneur, God’s got such a fantastic business prepared for you. Nothing will be lacking. You’ll be firing off on all cylinders, and everyone will know it’s because of God. But what about the people you work with that don’t believe in God, and think you’re crazy for giving so much trust to a God that has nothing to do with business? We Godpreneurs run and operate God-honoring businesses which means we WILL experience naysaying ridiculers who doubt God’s promises for us.  These haters will even laugh at us because we elect to trust God in the challenging times in our businesses wholeheartedly and refuse to operate them apart from His glorious plan for the marketplace. Even though today things might not be going the way that we desire in your business, God has already lined up our perfect product offering, the people that will work with us, and the clients that we will serve. So when our minds want to shift over to defeat, we must stop and immediately remember some of the Bible verses I shared, and we must trust that we’ve already accomplished that thing we want for our business because God says so. Imagine if all entrepreneurs operated 100% throughout the day in God’s victory, wisdom, discernment, and peace. It would make the waiting so much better. #DifferentiatingMyself #BecomeDisciplined

Personal popularity, ego, and fame seem to override God’s intent for wealth. Take on one person at a time. If you are not yet wealthy, you may be on your way to becoming.

Let’s define confidence. What does confidence mean to you? In my opinion, it meant never showing my weaknesses, letting others know my doubts, and pretending that it was all good in front of others. My understanding of confidence meant that I had to keep myself distant from others’ insecurities. I applied to jobs with this same mindset, and I was trusted to perform in every one of them, even when I didn’t have the experience to accomplish the tasks; and this was because of the mask I wore. Some of you may relate to my journey in one way or another; maybe it wasn’t the way you showed up for a job. Still, it was when you were meeting someone you love, or perhaps it was trying to fit into the popular crowd; either way, the fear of your insecurities has to lead you to show up in a way your insecurities still drive you to show up. Here is what Google has to say about the meaning of Confidence Confidence: it’s the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust. "We had every confidence in the staff." It’s the state of feeling sure about the truth of something. "it is not possible to say with confidence how much of the increase in sea levels is due to melting glaciers." It’s a feeling of self-assurance arising from one's appreciation of one's abilities or qualities. "she's brimming with confidence." As I dive deeper into the meaning of confidence and look back at my life before I knew about my identity in Christ, I asked myself, is it possible to genuinely have this confidence level in oneself and others? At a very young age, I learned that putting my absolute trust into someone or something was a guaranteed recipe for disappointment. We, human beings, are born with a sinner nature, and we are vulnerable to disappointment and fall short on anything we say or do. What about the state of feeling sure about the truth of something: How can we be so sure about information that derived from another sinner just like you and me and in whom we have no proof of? I often see family members and those around me living by what they hear and even make life-changing decisions because of those stating their facts, what they believe to be true. This also is a recipe for disappointment and lack of trust in others. Lastly, according to Google’s dictionary, Confidence also means; “A feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s abilities or qualities.” Growing up, I had little understanding of who God truly is and who we are in Him; I grew up in a catholic home, attending catholic school till the age of eight, but never had a relationship with God. I despised those who called themselves Catholics or followed some sort of religion because their talk did not match their walk, which led me to quickly rebel against those who wanted me to believe in their words, themselves, and the bible. By this time, my only choice, I thought, was to rely on my “Self-Confidence,” which was also a recipe for failure and disillusion. I began to rely on my image for self-confidence, which made me feel good about myself but only for a short period. I also relied on my capabilities only to feel disappointment when I let myself down or was told by someone else that I was not good enough. I relied on my possessions and accomplishments to only fall short when those did not fill my expectations. Self-confidence without a solid, godly foundation [God’s Divine confidence] is not the answer but instead a path to disappointment and destruction that leads to denial in one’s participation and responsibility for the consequences of our actions and choices. As women in business, it becomes easy to binge on “self,” we live in an environment that leads us to worship “self,” believing that we are “self-made,” but this can not be further from God’s truth. It is the path that keeps us trapped and further from knowing about God’s Divine Confidence. It’s the thing that the enemy uses to keep us going in circles until disappointment defeats us in self and others leading us to doubt our existence. The Bible says: Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. Jeremiah 17: 5 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. Psalms 118: 8 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord! Isaiah 31: 1 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Galatians 6:3 Perhaps growing up, your story is different from mine. You either grow up with a solid, godly foundation or not; either way, your life experiences have led you to put your trust in the things you see, touch, and hear without discerning the foundation of those who share their truth. You feel disappointed in yourself and those around you. You’ve reached a point of exhaustion. You are at a point you can’t seem to find a way out. I invite you to put the bat down and instead use that time and energy in growing your relationship with the Lord and ask Him to give you his Divine Confidence, one that is not shaken by the standards of the world. When we do this, we learn to take responsibility for our part and live a life out of Denial; we become aware of ourselves and have the choice to seek what God has to say. We learn to take responsibility for our actions and preferences. We remove the weight we put on other people when we expect perfection from them or hold them responsible for our life’s outcome. When putting our confidence in God, how much quicker we could step into our purpose and be the Brand ambassadors God has called us to be? #GainConfidence

Do you remember saying as a kid Sticks and stones can break my bones But words can never hurt me. It’s so catchy, it even rhymes. Very easy for any child to memorize. That’s by design. Teachers knew people would come up to us and tell us lies or mean things, so I was supposed to recite that OUT LOUD to combat the attack with my words instead of letting my emotions get the best of me and attack back. Since kids, we’ve been taught to fight lies with truth. We’ve been told to stand up against our problems by using statements of positive affirmations. But we’ve lost that. It’s as if we think that it’s childish to do that. We’re grown up now and we can handle things more aggressively. Right? Listen, the devil doesn’t want to see us make breakthroughs in our business and marriage. So he’ll get in our head to tempt us into thinking it’s over, the situation is lost, it will never change, you deserve better, you should be happy, you’re weak, you’re a terrible spouse, your business sucks, you’re not smart enough… Etc. This is when we need to recognize that a bully is doing whatever He can to stop us from the breakthrough God has for us. If the devil wasn’t scared of our potential future, he’d leave us alone! How do we combat the lies in our heads about our business and marriage? How do we stand up against the thoughts that keep us up all night? Reciting “sticks and stones” would be a bit childish. We’re grown up, and we have a lot of new phrases we can memorize. They’re not as catchy and will take some time to commit to memory. We fight lies and experience breakthroughs when we memorize bible verses to combat each lie. The bible says: For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) When the voices are saying that your business and marriage are over, you need to have a Bible verse memorized to combat it. And you need to say it out loud. I have a list of Bible verses that relate to me and my business that I read every Monday. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 NIV For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalms 23:5 NIV For we live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Psalms 34:10 NIV See, God knows temptation from the devil would intensify the more you are honoring Him in your business and marriage. The enemy wants you to fail and get a divorce. But God made the Bible so that you could have a chance in this invisible fight happening in your mind. Your mind will either stop the breakthrough… Or Breakthrough the stop. It’s your choice because you choose what to combat the lies with. You’ll either agree with the lies and give in to the temptation to quit or you’ll combat the lies with God’s word – the truth about God’s calling of victory and favor over your situation. God has big plans for Godpreneurs. God wants our business and marriage to move forward to conquer new levels of purpose and passion. He knows our future and deems it will be successful! My business and life verse is Jeremiah 29:11 KJV. It states, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” This is the first verse that comes to mind when I’m being attacked. We all need a fundamental verse that declares victory when the poop hits the fan in our business and marriage. Pick one. Memorize it. Say it out loud when you see the storm coming. It will send the clouds in a different direction. Bible verses beat the devil 10 out of 10 times. Godpreneur Rule: Godpreneurs combat business and marriage lies by proclaiming the powerful Word of God. #BusinessBibleStudy #MarriedEntrepreneurs 21 Days of Breakthroughs in Business and Marriage This course provides needed strength and faith, in the truth of God’s holy Word, for breakthroughs in both your business and marriage. 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

Life has never been fair to anyone, not even to Christian entrepreneurs, but there's an exception. Life can be fair to those who make the right choices amidst the circumstances that life brings. Life in this world is full of turbulent times, good times, and bad times, and no one is immune to these experiences. No one is smart enough to avoid running through one of them. Troubled times are no longer strange to man. They have become part of our living. Whether turbulent, troubled, complicated, perilous, or stormy times, none is a pleasant life experience. They hurt, cause pain, discomfort, stagnate, distort plans, kill destinies, leave people devastated and bewildered, and sometimes bring loss of money and business. I am yet to find one who has complete mastery over these storms. However, I have seen these difficult times leave people at different levels of impact, making them either better or worse, stronger or weaker, richer or poorer. Despite the daunting challenges these experiences present, many have come forth victorious. In my opinion, the victory was not entirely the case of "tough times don't last, but tough people do,” but a matter of making the right choices at that time. Storms in business can manifest in the forms of losses, betrayal, disagreement with partners, slow pace of business, low patronage, funding, rejection of products, loss of market share, regulatory issues, tax issues, human resources, and other variants of storms. How long the storms would persist varies, depending on nature and individual involved. The truth remains that, in the process of doing our businesses, we encounter some moments of storms described above. These are typical life experiences and are common in the business environment. It is good we understand that we can all emerge through the storms as victors. Victory over storms shows how strong we are through the strength of the Lord. We must reckon that; storms are raw materials that firmly establish the foundation of our businesses. The devil does not orchestrate all storms, but whatever the source, the Bible says of God, "The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm" (Nahum 1:3 AMP). This scripture points out that although storm and whirlwind are violently stubborn and harmful, God and his power can be seen in them to control their course, to determine their operations, and to shield His entrepreneurs and businesses from being harmed by their violence. God is actively present in the storms to cause His divine purpose to be worked out for His people. Until a Christian entrepreneur understands this, the storms are likely to persist for a long time. For anyone that must have an easy way out of the stormy business experiences, he must see God at work on it, put their trust and take refugee in Him, and seek His divine guidance to act. He must also know and be assured that "He uses everything that happens to them to bring good results on their behalf" (Romans 8:28 Easy English). The application and appropriation of these truths are an easy way out of stormy business experiences. Furthermore, the Psalmist testifies, "He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; So, He guides them to their desired haven" (Psalm 107:29-30 NKJV). It's incredible to know that God does all of these for His people. He is much more present than the storms to ensure the desired results are seen and enjoyed. This is another assurance that no storm can perpetuate itself in your life or business. We also saw Jesus calm the raging storm that was contrary to the peace of His disciples (Mark 4:39). He has promised never to leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). You cannot have a better reward than you know and apply all the above knowledge against every coloration of storms. Your insistence or persistence on them not only threatens the storms but truncates their tenure. However easy it might be to escape from storms, you must dispense patience while walking through them. By the nature of storms, you will experience a measure of discomfort, but it won't be to your destruction or eventual ruin of your business, and the discomfort is nothing compared to the glory ahead. God is mighty to see you through the stormy moments, but you have to take advantage of the presence and leading of the Holy Spirit to make the right choices per time. Imagine how sweet a victory over business storms. Imagine being at peace during business challenges. Imagine showing others how you made it. Imagine how successful our business will be because we overcame the storms. This is the state God has always wanted us to be. Let’s do the needful. The storms are over now. #DifferentiatingMyself

Knowledge is so underrated. The turning point in the life of Adam and Eve was the advent of knowledge. They were instructed not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. That suggests that good and evil might have already been at play in the world at that time, but Adam and Eve did not know of them (Genesis 2-3). You see, knowledge has the potential to turn anybody's life around. It has the ability to create. It can bring your downfall, as it can define your dominion. 1 Corinthians 2:8 says: ..."the princes of this world crucified the Lord of glory because they knew not the wisdom that was concealed for our glory". Did you see that? Even wisdom is known. In becoming who we were sent to be, Knowledge is essential. Hosea 4:6 tells us that the reason we perish is that we lack knowledge. John 8:32 tells us that it is known truth that sets us free. Knowledge is essential to make it in the life that we have been called to live. But until we avail ourselves to knowledge, having it and walking in it will remain a mirage. What does it mean to avail yourself of knowledge? It simply means to expose yourself to atmospheres and environments that celebrate, promote, and advocate for knowledge. It means to put yourself in the presence of someone who has knowledge and releases knowledge and be open to receiving it with meekness and gladness. You remember Mary and Martha when the Lord visited their home? Mary availed herself to knowledge, and the Master commended her for it. In fact, the Master said knowledge was the ONE THING that is needful (Luke 10:38-42). In considering knowledge, there are 3 things to be mindful of: The Source: God places a premium on the sources where we get knowledge from. It is because the source of knowledge determines whether or not it's worthy of our consumption. That's why God’s first thing addressed with Adam and Eve was the source of their knowledge when they said they were naked. He asked, "...who told you that you were naked?" (Genesis 3:11). The source of knowledge will determine the content of it. The Curation: Knowledge Curation is simply the organization of knowledge. Is the knowledge you're exposed to well organized to communicate meaning? Is it in the right progression? Is it in the right quality and quantity? Curation will determine the usefulness of knowledge per time. The Communication: The source/content of knowledge may be right. The curation may be accurate. But if its communication is wrong, it can change the whole narrative and make an impact on it. It can deter meaning and intent. That's why, as Christian Entrepreneurs, it's high time for us to start paying due attention to where and who we get our knowledge from. Who or where is the source of knowledge that we use in running our businesses? I think it's high time we started having our own kingdom summits, conferences, seminars, and workshops to submit to our King. We should not only be a talker but also a doer, I'm taking the first step in doing that. I'm putting together a 3-days life and business transforming summit for Christian Entrepreneurs who want to walk in dominion in the marketplace in 2021. The event is scheduled for December 17-19 and runs from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST daily. At the event, we have kingdom impact makers on the lineup to disburse knowledge. I’m talking people like Horst Schulze (Founder of The Ritz Carlton Hotel and The Capella Hotel Group), Jordan Raynor (Entrepreneur and Executive Chairman of Threshold 360), Joel Manby (Former CEO of Herschend Enterprises, Saab Automobile USA, and SeaWorld Parks), John Ruhlin (Founder and CEO of Giftology), Candace Junee (Digital Marketing Maven, Social Influencer and CEO of Epic Fab Girl and 11Eleven Fashion), Alex Miranda (Founder of Daily Godpreneur and CEO of Creative Complex), Rebekah Lyons (Author of Rhythms of Renewal), Carlos Whittaker (Author of Moment Maker and Kill The Spider) and Milton Chefoin (CEO of GEM Systems). Everyone speaking at the event has a proven track record of results that are befitting for the kingdom. Each and every one of them has honed in one specific area of focus, acquired, and become leaders in it. They are very well-curated at it and are now ready to communicate their knowledge with other Christian Entrepreneurs who are prepared to commit to leading lives and running businesses that reflect the Kingdom of God. Let’s share knowledge from God and lead you to DOMINION in 2021. Find out more at www.gemvirtual2021.com

Godpreneur Rule: Godpreneurs memorize and repeat Bible verses that help us grow personally and in business

Therefore, for a successful person, every second count.

How do we develop the skill of waiting for a perfect client? We have bills to pay, employees that depend on us, and personal goals we want to achieve.

I have a Google Doc where I periodically go in and write my “victories” for the month. I bullet point everything that comes to mind where I felt victorious in my business that day, week or month. I’ll jot down new clients, praise reports, significant breakthroughs, new launches, great people I met, and new goals I achieved. There’s always something to be thankful for. I do this because, at times, I need to go back and remember those victories. There are moments in my business where I get hit with some unforeseen circumstance, an unexpected bill, a client that hasn’t paid on time, or a failed project. In these moments of uncertainty, I need a jolt of faith to kick my mindset back into shape and move forward in victory. Now that my mindset is back in a “faithful” mode, I can inquire about the next step I should take in solving the situation I’m confronted with. It’s tough to figure out how to get out of a situation without faith-filled guidance – The Holy Spirit. Feeling Overwhelmed Business’s challenging obstacles and seasons can cause us entrepreneurs to feel overwhelmed with frustration, depression, sadness, and loneliness. It’s during these times we need to draw closest to God – and He’ll draw close to us. You might be facing a season of waiting, and you’re looking for direction. You might be up against the wall with the vendors you owe money to. You might have encountered a major problem with an employee that threatens the whole house to come crumbling down. Godpreneur: remember that God, our CEO, all-knowing Dad, saw this all coming before you even started the business. The Bible says "Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8 NIV That business-altering experience you’re going through might come as a surprise to you, but not to God. That’s why he gave us the Holy Spirit – to guide us to victory and encourage us along the way. God has a great purpose for you and your business despite the tough circumstances or season you’re in. God Shows Up God’s going to show up on time for you. You have the spirit, you have a relationship with God. But you have to remember these 3 steps: Keep worshiping God, so that even in the distress of the moment you can be strengthened and encouraged in God. Remember your past victories when God showed up right on time and showed you the way out. Now that your mindset is correct, it’s time to ask God for the way to victory in this situation or season you’re in. When we encourage ourselves in God, I believe we’re about to inquire God’s direction because our faith believes in a provision, protection, and promises performed in the past. We now know that, without a doubt, God’s timing will be perfect. #FindingMyPurpose #WheretoStartFirst

Do you have thoughts like: I need my business to fill the empty places in my life. If I find that business, my loneliness will be gone and I will be whole. The right business will make me happy. Etc., etc., etc… You can go on believing that fantasy if you want, but the truth is this: Your business will NOT complete you; your business will complicate you. If you aren’t an entrepreneur yet, trust me on this one. If you are currently in business, you can stop nodding your head right now. One of God’s purposes in entrepreneurship is to use our business to reveal our flesh patterns, selfishness, and sin. If you are looking for true purpose and passion, only Christ will complete you. "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:14-19 As we come to grips with the love of Christ, we find fulfillment in Him, and then we get to delight in the business we have been given. All I can say is that it works for me in my business. When I walk in the Spirit, rather than the flesh, I really see Jesus as my answer, Jesus as my power, Jesus as my strength, and Jesus as my love. When I see myself as completed in Christ, all the pressure is lifted off my business, and I actually start delighting in my entrepreneurial venture. "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness." Colossians 2: 9-10 The lie is that your business will complete you. The truth is that only Christ will complete you. Father, show me where I am depending on my business to complete me, rather than receiving my completeness in Christ. Refocus the expectations I place on my products, services, ambitions, accomplishments, vendors, employees, contractors or partners to complete me. I know I was designed to be filled by You! Amen. #StrengthenIntegrity #GainConfidence