I had a client that, after completing everything for the job, put in a chargeback for $2500 with her credit card claiming she didn’t get the deliverables she wanted. The problem was that I didn’t have that much money in my bank, so when the credit card company pulled that money back from my account, it overdrafted. This then caused a domino effect because it was unexpected, so I had paid bills and all of those payments began to bounce, causing over a dozen overdraft fees of $35 each. Also, I couldn’t pay myself for a short period of time there. I wouldn’t have been so shocked if it was my fault if I deserved the chargeback because I didn’t deliver the services. But I did some of my best work! I spent so much time and energy on the project, going above and beyond what was agreed and paid for. I sent in the paperwork required to prove I was right, and eventually, the money was returned to my account as her credit card sided with me and denied her claims. I had a right to be bitter. I could have been very angry. I should probably still be holding on to resentment against her. After all, she caused me great distress and embarrassment as checks bounced and overdraft fees piled up. I have witnessed a lot of tribulation, abuse, and hurt by the powers of the marketplace. When I feel I have been created by a client, partner, or employee, I make a choice to allow myself to become bitter and withdrawn or I can decide to learn from the experience and become better. Here is the wisdom I’ve gained on the subject of forgiveness from the Bible: "Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends." Proverbs 17:9 NLT At the peak of my agency life, my partner was stolen from me by my best client. This rocked the entire operation. Both my client and my partner were an integral part of my income. But this was not the end of my life as I supposed. It was merely a temporary detour that eventually helped me move in a more positive direction with my company. God has revealed to me that the way I choose to interpret what happens in my business life, more than the actual circumstances and experiences, is what determines my destiny. Bitter or better—I get to decide! Here is my observation: It is the one who has been wronged in business who has all the power, not the one who does the wrong. And my power comes in the form of forgiveness. When I forgive, I liberate myself to live the business life God has given me. Godpreneur Rule: Forgiveness is a powerful force in the hands of the Godpreneur who has been wronged. #DebtFreedom #LaunchingMyBusiness

I think Missionaries have the hardest, yet most rewarding job on the planet. They get to invest in people’s lives down here, who will one day join them in heaven. Could you imagine being thanked in heaven by someone who’s like “Hey man, thanks for telling me about Jesus, I’m here because of you!” We entrepreneurs can also participate in missions. I don’t mean that you should go on a mission (of course you can go on a short-term mission – I go on two missions per year). What I mean is that God’s given us the opportunity to make money and support things that will bring people to Christ! So how can we do this? Jesus says in Luke 16:9: “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”(Luke 16:9 ) You and I have businesses that accumulate worldly wealth. It’s paper money that we don’t take with us when we’re gone. It’s the house and car that don’t follow us to heaven. But what Jesus is indicating is that there is something that DOES follow us to heaven: people we directly or indirectly lead to Christ. This is how you invest in heaven. A portion of your investment portfolio can and should go directly towards efforts in bringing people to Christ. Here are some practical ways Tithe – when you give money to your church, they are supposed to be using it to grow the church. The more the church grows, the more people come to know Christ. You had an indirect impact. Great investment! Support a Missionary – Maybe you’re not going to stop everything you’re doing to go to Guatemala for five years to do mission work and plant churches. But my friend Gabriel is! And my friend Stacy is going on missions too! You and I have friends that do mission work. Invest in them. Lunch with Colleagues – God’s put employees, vendors, contractors, partners, prospects, and clients all around us. Business is our mission field! You can set aside a budget for taking individuals out to lunch for the purpose of Discipleship and ministering the gospel. However you choose, a portion of your investment money should be used to bring people to Christ. Purpose to add that line item to your budget sheet. It’s the best financial investment a Godpreneur can make! “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:20-21) We can send investments to heaven not only because people will meet us there, but because it makes sure our heart is in the right place to continue to receive MORE of God’s financial blessing. When He sees that we understand the true investment, He channels more money and opportunity our way. Godpreneur Money Rule #6: Godpreneurs make investments into eternity by investing money into spreading the gospel. #BusinessBibleStudy #FindingMyPurpose #ShareYourTestimony The 19 Rules of Money Management for Christian Entrepreneurs This course will help you develop a better sense of money management God’s way. 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

Sometimes I get jealous when I see other competitors get certain clients. I start to compare our portfolios, and I get all worked up because I feel they have better clients than me. The same also happens to me with money and material possessions. I’m happy for my friends that succeed in business, but deep down, I’m jealous they have great offices and more revenue coming into their companies than mine. We Entrepreneurs all do this. We see our friends on Instagram traveling to Disney, and we get the itch to book a vacation. We notice someone opening a new location and we get down on ourselves for not having launched that new growth opportunity that keeps haunting us. We Entrepreneurs compare, and it robs us of our contentment. When we’re not content, we’re not able to think in the abundance that God has for us. Inadvertently, we block money from channeling to us. If we don’t get this contentment issue under control, it will be hard to manage any money. We’ll want to buy more things and make bone-headed decisions all in the name of keeping up with the Jones’s. The first thing we must do is stop comparing ourselves to other entrepreneurs and become content where God has us today. This mindset shift will take a lot of time and practice. But don’t take my word for it. The Bible is clear when it says: “You shall not covet … anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17) God cares so much about changing our “comparison” mindset that He made it the 10th commandment – right alongside not murdering or stealing! Why? Because wanting someone else’s blessings is telling God that what He’s doing for you isn’t good enough and that you’re not willing to manage and grow what’s already yours. So, do you think God’s going to give you more to manage with that attitude in your mind? You’ve got to stop comparing your business to someone else’s if you’re going to learn full contentment and receive the next level of release that God has in store for you! So, how can we stop comparing? Great question! The answer is to start admiring. Yes, do the opposite. Why? Because it’s not like you can isolate yourself from the world so that you don’t see other things. You can’t disown your friend that’s succeeding. You can’t stop looking at Instagram or visiting your friend’s new office or house. Instead, you must learn the art of Authentically admiring what they have, and not need to acquire it yourself. God is blessing your friends and competition. God is doing something great in their lives, and you must learn even to thank God on their behalf – especially if they don’t know Christ. What an opportunity to turn to your friend and say “God is good. He’s blessing you tremendously. Praise God.” You’re there to admin what God’s done for them and give the credit to God. Be authentically happy for other business owners with they prosper without any feelings of jealousy or envy! Imagine that you can ENJOY what others have without having to own it yourself. Imagine that one day that same thing that used to make you jealous and mad is now making you proud and glad for your fellow entrepreneurs. The Bible says: “It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else” (Ecclesiastes 6:9b GNT). Let’s be clear though – it’s OK to desire something. Desires come from God. It’s when the desire is uncontrolled that it becomes coveting. If the desire is bringing up feelings of jealousy or envy, that’s a red flag that you’re coveting. Desiring is the positive antithesis to coveting. It’s controlled, it’s methodical, and it’s spiritual. We can’t do anything unless we desire it, so desiring is a great thing! But when we’re in the bad habit of comparing ourselves to other entrepreneurs, it stops becoming desiring, and it starts becoming covetousness. Godpreneur Money Rule #4 Content Godpreneurs don’t compare because comparing leads to coveting. #BusinessBibleStudy #GodpreneurAcademy The 19 Rules of Money Management for Christian Entrepreneurs This course will help you develop a better sense of money management God’s way 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

My parents aren’t entrepreneurs; they are middle-class Americans that chose to work for the public sector. Dad’s retired from the Army and from teaching high school in Miami, and mom has also put in over two decades of public work for the Army. But THEIR parents were both entrepreneurs. My mother’s side owned a convenience store. My father’s side was in the auto repair business. What I learned later on in my thirties was that both sides of the family had failing businesses. Neither accumulated the wealth needed to pass along to the next generation (my parents). So how do you think that affected their decision NOT to start their own business? And, how do you think it affected the way they brought me up? They urged me to get an education and seek a stable job, preferably with the Army. Money is guaranteed, and retirement plans run themselves, so you don’t have to put much thought into wealth building, and to get rich, you can just live comfortably while avoiding the pains you saw your parents go through. God designed our minds like computers. By his design, the most important programs were installed in childhood- the patterns anchored within us are based on our earliest impressions. The things we heard our parents repeatedly saying about money as children are permanently saved in our minds, forming our ideas that end up determining the way we think about money later in life. Sayings like “Money is the root of all evil;” [misquoting 1 Timothy 6:10 on purpose] “Money doesn’t grow on trees;” and “You can’t buy happiness” were ingrained in our minds as money blueprints, thus forming our opinion on wealth. These were told to us over and over because our parental figures thought they were “protecting” us from something negative they experienced in their lives. Since our parents influence our behavior mostly when we’re young, there are only one of two possible ways to deal with their ideas about money and fortune: Identify with and accept them Rebel and reject them The Bible says: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:2) You can either think about money and wealth on the same scale as your Earthly parents, or you can do things radically differently and think like your heavenly father. WARNING: When I say “rebelling,” I mean the POSITIVE rebel, not the NEGATIVE rebel. I warn you not to let resistance against your parent’s principles, alone, be your motivation to break the pattern of your financial blueprint. Rebelling for the wrong motivation won’t lead to wealth. You don’t want to get rich- you just want to recoil against your broke, sometimes un-spiritual, parents or feel superior to them. Instead, all of us ‘Godpreneurs’ must rebel against the enemy that has our behavior captive to the way our parents thought. If we rebel against our parents, the thought is still there, and we’d be fighting the wrong enemy. Even if we put a lot of effort into our businesses, and earn some money, we’ll probably lose it quickly because we haven’t worked thoroughly on our mindset to break the chains that internalized the money blueprint in us. As ‘Godpreneurs,’ if we believe anything is possible with God, then anything is possible when God provides us with more money to manage. We’ll all have a facile time making money due to our motivation is to be free from the thoughts of the enemy by holding on to the possibilities of God! Godpreneur Rule: We ‘Godpreneurs’ can identify and turn from our family’s mindset on money, and acknowledge that God wants us to take on His new mindset for our business’ profit. #BusinessBibleStudy #FindingMyPurpose #GainConfidence Secrets of the Millionaire Mind A Christian entrepreneur’s book summary of the New York Times best-seller Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. 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

The COVID-19 pandemic has made many people think twice about their decision to be an entrepreneur. Many people who were passionate about opening a restaurant won’t be re-opening. Business owners who didn’t have their finances in order and can’t pay their bills will second-guess the love and commitment they once felt for their venture. It’s easy to tell ourselves, “This is a good time to throw in the towel. I gave it a shot, but now it’s time to go back to the 9-5 grind and see who’s hiring.” But this is NOT a time for Christian entrepreneurs to be settling. Settling will only bring more depression into the heart because it begins to believe the lie that our purpose and calling in business is over. The dream dies a slow death but leaves in its place a void that depression and regret fill. No matter the tragedy of having to close your doors and lay off people. No matter what unpaid bills you face today. No matter what circumstances arise in the future after this pandemic is over. Jesus heals the darkest wounds of the Godpreneur’s heart. Instead of retreating or giving up, a battle-wounded Christian business owner needs to assume a fighting position he or she should have already learned to be in daily — knees bent, bowed head, hands together, and a heart crying out for Jesus saying “This battle in my business is not mine, it’s the Lord’s.” When the COVID-19 pandemic began to hit the United States, my clients started calling me to “pause” their retainers with my agency. I was counting on their monies for payroll, rent, bills, and payments. From one day to the next, 75% of my revenue dropped. It could have been easy for me to throw in the towel, lay off all of my employees, tell myself “Oh Alex, how many times are you going to go through these financial struggles before you realize you just need to go work for someone. You don’t know how to run a business. You can’t keep your clients. You’re not going to make it past this one this time. Your time is up.” And although I’ve had those same thoughts throughout my 15-years of entrepreneurship, I was already battle-ready when I begin to hear those thoughts creep into my head. As business owners, we’ve already been through trials, tribulations, challenges, anxiety, stress, back-stabbing, layoffs, debt, and every other negative circumstance in business. The journey of entrepreneurship isn’t a straight road with perfectly paved roads. No. Going out and starting a business is a pilgrimage of twists, turns, and unknown dangers around every corner. And how did we get back up every time? We guarded our hearts and our minds of any negative thoughts. We silenced the enemy and the critics. We went against the sage advice of our mothers-in-law and we kept on fighting for our calling of entrepreneurship. The Bible says: "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." (Proverbs 4:23) The heart has to be guarded because not only is our own heart deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), but everyone’s hearts are also plagued with wicked hearts. This is why GUARDING the heart is the most important thing an entrepreneur needs to do daily. God has called you to Entrepreneurship, right? God gave you a vision for a business, correct? You feel a purpose and a passion to fix a wrong in this world, true? You have a burning desire to lead a movement and share something God’s put on your heart, amen? If you let your heart drift towards negative thoughts of defeat, failure, and uncertainty, then it will be easy for the enemy to sell you a lie as the truth. Even our well-intentioned parents can unknowingly be attacking your calling in business, and these are our most trusted advisors! The truth about who you are can only be found in one place: Jesus Christ. If you don’t guard your heart and the calling that God has over you and your business, you’re leaving the door of depression wide open to destroy the destiny God has for your entrepreneurial journey. Depression can creep in when your heart begins to question God’s truth. That’s how depression kills. And that’s exactly why Jesus came to heal. The enemy sold a lie to Adam and Eve, made them question their purpose and calling from God, and changed the trajectory of humanity. Your depression might be a deep cut that’s been untreated for many years, and this pandemic re-opened wounds that are simply too painful to bear. Jesus wants to heal those deep wounds that have resurfaced. He wants to take the darkest tragedy in your life, and turn it into your biggest triumph! Let Jesus into your heart to fight the enemy, heal your wounds, and set you free into the business God created you to start. Say “The battle is not mine, it’s the Lord’s.” Imagine if we would have developed the habit of presenting our concerns every morning in the loving hands of our Heavenly Father. When this pandemic hit and things went haywire, we wouldn’t have been hit so hard. The anxiety wouldn’t have stayed for more than 24 hours. The depression wouldn’t have been allowed to form because we would have turned it over in our morning time with God. Now is the time to develop the habit of guarding our hearts and minds by giving the current circumstances over to God, resting in His presence, and awaiting his marching orders for our businesses. The time of solitude from others is a time we all joyfully persevere by guarding our entrepreneurial hearts, all the way through this valley to the end of this quarantine. We must protect our joy for business ownership. Let’s rely on God, not ourselves or the news. Praying every morning and pressing into God’s word is more powerful than turning on the news to find comfort in being informed. Only the personal presence of God powering our spirits will produce the INSPIRATION we need to move into the NEW He has for us. Every morning, we need to authentically come to God with the deceitful lies and wicked thoughts of our hearts. He already knows He’s waiting for us to RELEASE it to Him so that He can fight the battle while we go out and fulfill the calling He fashioned us from the womb to accomplish. Godpreneurs, this isn’t about us. Stop making this circumstance so personal. We need to take ourselves out of the economic scenario in the world. God operates in a whole different stock market. In His kingdom, Jesus is the President, King, Prime Minister, Minister of Health, and Head of the Federal Reserve. It’s all about following the way Jesus followed His own calling and purpose. Jesus guarded his heart in the desert, and that allowed him to finish his purpose. We need to do the same. In everything we do, we need to strive to become the entrepreneur Christ died for us to be. Let’s pray Today, I pray that you will guard your heart against the things that take away your joy and delight in the PURPOSE God gave you for your business. May we never drop the precious gift of your calling over our entrepreneurial life in exchange for things like worry, anxiety, and depression that are not meant for us to carry. Your presence over the thing we were BORN TO DO is enough, will always be enough, and is what I commit to staying focused on. Even when things around me are uncertain, my calling in the marketplace is still true today! Rid my heart of toxic thoughts and replace them with thoughts that please You and obey your calling over my identity in entrepreneurship. Lord, because of You I am forever grateful and equipped for every good work. Guide me towards the problems you need me to solve; the light you need me to be in this NEW world you’re creating. The world is shaken, but my purpose in You is not. Amen! #BusinessBibleStudy #GainConfidence Overcoming Depression in Entrepreneurship Join us on a 5-Day Plan to shift your mindset to the MORE God has for you. 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 remember the first time I tried my hand at a sales job. I was twenty-two years old, living in London, England. I’d done very, very well in customer service with the company I worked for. I was young, energetic, and full of confidence (in myself - and not the right kind). Pride preys upon the spiritually inexperienced. I wanted to sell for that company, but they took so long to move me to sales that I applied elsewhere … and got offered a job selling memberships at a health club in the financial district. Everything seemed to be going right. But the truth is I didn’t know what I was doing. Very quickly, I found myself spending one day after another, getting nowhere. I sold “zilch, zero, nada” for most of my brief tenure at my new employer. Typical of the time, they offered little to nothing in the way of true sales mentorship. Eventually, I blew my stack (via e-mail) to my boss, and he fired me. Without going into detail, those days led to a lot of “if only” moments. If only I’d realized how good I was at customer service and stayed where I was, I might be part of an executive team today! If only I’d understood that in the Kingdom, service IS sales … I probably could have sold quite well! But I was just an infant in my journey, and I thought sales was about having charisma and “knowing all the right things to say.” For any observant reader, my story sheds light on how deeply pride and greed operated beneath my new Christian façade. (Is it any wonder Paul counsels against the appointment of new believers to high office in the church?) To make truly valuable sales, I believe Yeshua would have us operate from humility and generosity instead. But among His people who wrestle pride and greed, those two qualities are not easily developed. In this podcast conversation with one of my mentors, Shae Bynes, I detail how these pivotal decisions led me to 20 years of professional chaos afterward. How To Sell Biblically: The Close of Boaz One example of this appeared in the ancient Book of Ruth. One of Yeshua’s ancestors, a wealthy tzaddik (righteous man) named Boaz, used the same strategy to outmaneuver social traditions so he could marry Yeshua’s ancestral grandmother, Ruth. Similarly, Messiah allowed Himself to be sacrificed according to prophecy and tradition. Boaz approached his kinsman (who had first rights to Ruth and her deceased husband’s land), detached from controlling the outcome. He risked losing the entire deal. Boaz led off by reminding the unnamed relative he was “first in line” to increase his estate by purchasing it from Ruth’s mother-in-law, Naomi. The man excitedly declared his intent to follow through. It was only then that Boaz reminded him, “By the way, on the day you acquire it, you also acquire the man’s widow as your wife.” Oops, wait a minute. Acquiring an “unplanned wife” can complicate any estate plan, but mostly a Moabitess! No respectable Jewish business person with lands and houses to pass on to his heirs would want to go near a widowed woman of Moab. Boaz artfully withheld this “make-or-break” tidbit of information … until just the right time. You might think I overstate the case, but I believe there’s a reason Boaz didn’t merely walk up with a bag of silver and offer to “buy” Ruth outright. He respected tradition and social order. He honored the inheritance rules and treated his relative with complete honesty, and didn’t try to “steer” him in any particular direction. Boaz was: Authentic - he refused to engage in deceit or trickery. Transparent - he told the whole truth, accurately. Vulnerable - he risked losing the deal upfront Above all else, Boaz understood that outcomes belong to God. He took the chance that it might not end the way he hoped it would. Not everything God orchestrates dovetails with how we think it should go, but that doesn’t make it bad. As the First Century Rabbi Gamzu was known to say, “This too is for good.” I believe this is how Yeshua would have us approach sales conversations - authentic, transparent, and vulnerable - entrusting outcomes to Him. This is why we can say, in reviewing the results, “You either win or learn.” #MakingMoreSales #RaisingCapital

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

One of the natural consequences of wealth is influence. Influence should be about impact. However, influence has created more problems for people than it has done them good. Instead of benefiting from the course of influence, society has been oppressed by the beneficiaries of wealth. Personal popularity, ego, and fame seem to override God’s intent for wealth. The ignorance of the purpose of wealth could be responsible for these. I used to think that my wealth is all about me. Many times, Christian entrepreneurs (we) forget the reasons God allows us to handle wealth. Many of us go self-centered and seek undue glorification. This sometimes shows how wretched we are in understanding how well we can reach out to people for a positive impact. Acquisition of wealth is a means to a godly purpose. Let’s consider a Biblical example of one man that used his wealth and influence for a real purpose. “When she got up to go back to work, Boaz ordered his servants; Let her gleam where there’s still plenty of grain on the ground, make it easy for her. Better yet, pull some of the good stuff out and leave it for her to glean. Give her special treatment” Ruth 2:15-16 MSG. The above talks about a man called Boaz, and a young widow called Ruth. In Ruth 2:1, Boaz was introduced as a man of great wealth. This means he had great and abundant possession. He had many servants working for him. His wealth made him influential. At this time in history, Ruth came back from Moab to Judah with Naomi, her mother-in-law. It was the time of harvest. Both had little or nothing to get life going. Ruth decided to go to the field, to whomsoever would favorably allow her to gather leftover grains for food. Anyway, she had no choice but to take this step of faith. As the Lord would have it, she stepped into the harvest field belonging to a wealthy man, Boaz, and started gleaning the corn that fell from the harvesters (Boaz’s servants) by chance. This act suggests to me that, though these servants were not the custodians of the wealth, they had learned to influence others with the wealth they managed. Those who have excuses for not impacting lives because they don’t control wealth yet must think twice. In that regard, Jesus has this to say; “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much…” Luke 16:10 AMP. Incidentally afterward, Boaz reported to duty, and Ruth was introduced to him. Boaz instructed Ruth not to go to another field to glean but remain in his own. Not just that, Boaz gave her lunch, and she was satisfied. He further commanded his servants to permit Ruth to glean from plenty of grain, where the bundles of sheaves were lying. This was against her picking from careless dropouts. Boaz was intentional in impacting Ruth through his wealth. He said, “Also, let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean and do not rebuke her” (Ruth 2:16 NKJV). Boaz just wanted Ruth to have more than enough. She received special treatment that changed her life. The peak of it all was that Ruth kept gathering grain from Boaz’s field until they completed the harvest (Ruth 2:21). Boaz influenced the lives of Ruth and Naomi. I ask, how much influence have you made on someone’s life to make him better? How many people have come to you for leftovers (like Ruth) that you helped turn their lives around? You cannot be wealthy to yourself. That is not God’s design. Some people would not even allow dogs to pick crumbs from under their tables. It is a big shame. Such fellows are tending to poverty (Proverbs 11:24). How wealthy you are should be a reflection of the number of people you have impacted their lives. If your wealth or resources cannot influence lives for good, then you are poor. If you were rich, then you would influence people. Imagine how accomplished you will feel having helped someone’s destiny. Take on one person at a time. If you are not yet wealthy, you may be on your way to becoming. Ruth eventually became the progenitor of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Boaz had no idea he was impacting a woman’s life through whom the wealthiest and most influential man would come. Today, we are all enjoying the benefits of the right influence Boaz created with his wealth. Oh, destiny is beckoning on us today. This is how far-reaching our influence can be. #DifferentiatingMyself

As a young girl, I had many friends, and I would come home from school and eagerly tell my parents and sibling about my day and what I did with my friends. As the years rolled by, my relationships began to dwindle, and I wondered why I had fewer friends than my younger self. When I took the bold step of starting a business, my friendships reduced drastically, and I became a handful. This change dampened my hopes, and I began to find myself wondering if I had made the wrong step by starting a business. The choice of starting a business and resolving to continue building a business is very personal, and the majority of entrepreneurs know from a young age that they will start a business at a later stage or start many more as time goes by. The entrepreneurial journey is lonesome, and we can find ourselves struggling to maintain friendships or relationships because they do not understand our resolve to build a business. The story of Gideon came to my mind. When he faced the call to deliver Israel from the Midianites. Gideon minded his own business, beating wheat in the winepress because he had to hide and save it from the Midianites. Then the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and told him to save Israel from the hand of Midian. Gideon is shocked that God could choose him but eventually, he obeys, and he sets out to attack Midian with 32,000 men. (Judges 6-7) I can only imagine Gideon thinking that he has the right number of people to fight against the Midianites. However, God says “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ 3 Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’ ” And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.” (Judges 7: 2-3, NKJV) Gideon watches the troop dwindle in size, yet God continues to tell him that there are still too many people. A test is done to select the men, and those who lapped water were 300, and these men were to proceed with Gideon. Therefore, are you willing to let God choose your 300? Are you willing to let God choose your tribe? Even if you see people leaving your life, friendships ending or team members quitting along the way? It can be challenging to watch the people around you reduce to a handful but imagine what you could accomplish by allowing God to choose your 300. Like Gideon, the Midianites were destroyed, and Israel was delivered. Our businesses can only reach greater heights if we let God be God in our lives and businesses. He knows who is best for us. He knows who will contribute to the business honestly and wholeheartedly. He knows who will stand by you when the storms of life come your way. So, the next time you see a person leave your life, remember Gideon and his 300. #DifferentiatingMyself #HiringtheRightPeople

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

I used to see my business as the tool to get out of debt, save some money, buy a home, a nice car, and live comfortably. But what if I told you that my mindset was utterly WRONG about money, business ownership, and happiness? While working on a branding project for a client of mine, I began to study the concept of “travel experiences.” I read research that people are happier when they EXPERIENCE things rather than receiving something. For example, buying someone a $5,000 trip on an African safari would be more impactful on that person’s life than buying them a $5,000 Rolex. This got me thinking about my own thoughts and desires around the accumulation of wealth and what the purpose of money is for entrepreneurs. My whole business life I’ve been trying to climb out of student loan debt, but could that goal have been met a lot sooner? Could this journey of entrepreneurship have been much more enjoyable had I just thought differently about money? We, business owners, are all in this to make money, but the question is – why? That “why” will either be a motivator of something God wants or a chain that binds us to something the enemy wants us bound to so we don’t see the truth. Being a Godpreneur, I first went to the Bible. The Bible says: “thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.” (Haggai 1:5-6 NAS) The Prophet Haggai is talking about God’s perspective on money and happiness. Through Haggai, God was addressing business owners frustrated about the accumulation of money. The wealthier they got, the more they were dissatisfied. The problem was they were viewing their use of money on a scale of the accumulation of things. Dear Christian entrepreneur, listen to me carefully here, this is a game-changer. It’s not what the profits of your business can buy you, but HOW you use your wealth that brings happiness. Getting out of debt and paying all your bills is NOT a form of happiness. Are you happy when you step outside of the prison gates after being locked up for 20 years? No. Life is about to be a tough journey for that person. His happiness can’t come from getting out of jail, it has to come from all of the experiences he’s accomplishing, even while in prison! You might think that “experiences” are only temporary things and that buying a Rolex is a more permanent form of happiness, but this is the wrong way of thinking. But the enemy wants us to think we are happier spending our money on material goods because he doesn’t want you thinking about what God would want you to experience with that money. What if instead of the Rolex, God wants you to go on a vacation with your wife because it’s on that trip that the both of you will restore your relationship and take it to a new level you never thought. A Rolex won’t do the kind of magic Disney can. We Christian entrepreneurs all started our businesses to make money, right? And now we all have a choice of thinking about WHY we want that money. Some of us want the money so we can “stop struggling,” thinking that we’ll be happier if we’re not struggling. But the Bible clearly teaches that we’re going to struggle in this world regardless, so why would we make it our goal to stop struggling? Instead, we Godpreneurs have the choice of thinking about what God would want us to experience with that money, a point of view that brings in His higher standards. See, in a God-first business, we don’t just consider our products and services to be things God created us to do, but we must also consider how God wants us to experience Him more with that money. Yes, the Bible has been a fantastic tool to help us guide our businesses ethically and morally. However, what it says about money, even though written thousands of years ago, is practical truth for now and forever for entrepreneurs. Jesus talked about money and its futility in a famous parable: “The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”‘ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21 NAS) How we handle our profits (the Bible calls it stewardship) will determine whether or not we’ll experience true happiness or a fake temporary pleasure. The mindset we take will determine how we run our businesses and how we treat everyone we do business with. When I made a decision to think of my business not as something to get out of debt and buy things, but instead as a way to create new experiences in my life and the lives of those God has called me to impact, it changed my entire motivation for business. I don’t think of Disney as a place to lavish myself, I think of it as a retreat God sends my wife and me on to bring us closer together. Why? Because that’s what God would want. Not me. God. And the more we can see our business profits from God’s perspective, the more we will see a wealth transfer in this world from those that don’t think God’s way, to those that do think God’s way. The Bible says, and research proves it. It’s what we do with our business profits that counts more than what we buy through it. God’s going to hold us accountable for how we spend our money, and for those of us that can steward it correctly, God will give more. Therefore the most important thought we need to have in our business is, “God, how do you want me to use these profits for your glory?”. The Bible says in Proverbs 29:18, “Without vision, the people cast off restraint.” Without God’s point of view on what you’re going to use your profits for, waste, and dissatisfaction result. Imagine if we all traded our material desires for things God wants us to experience? Without God, there’s no real purpose for money. But with God, we get meaning and purpose and thus a more “whole” view of money and its use and therefore producing true happiness. It’s true – Disney is the happiest place on earth, and for me personally, it helps me and my marriage….but only if I can afford to get there. Therefore, my goal is for my business to pay for my Disney habit. What are your money goals now? #StrenghTheIntegrity #RaisingCapital #MakemoreMoney #GainConfidence #DebtFreedom

My marketing agency used to do work for nightclubs and strip clubs across the world. I had the best graphic designers in the world working on the top hot spots from Vegas to Miami. Then from one day to the next, I quit it all. I didn’t want to be in that world anymore. I didn’t want to be helping the dark in my business and seeking the light in my personal life. But do you think the leads just stopped coming in for more work? Nope, we had developed a reputation over the years. People would still reach out to me about doing work, and I had two choices. I could take the work and continue to show our amazing ability to produce a quality product in a timely manner, or I had the choice to respectfully decline. J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, said “It is our choices…that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” I have the choice of what type of work I do and what clients I let into my company. My choices affect my relationship with God and the outcome of everything I do in my business. The Bible says: “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion.  To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.  Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power.  By me kings reign and rulers issue decrees that are just;  by me princes govern, and nobles—all who rule on earth". Proverbs 8:12‭-‬16 NIV I respectfully decline all nightclub work that comes my way. We still have the ability to do amazing designs, but I’m choosing to flex my character, the new person God’s wisdom is shaping. Choices—we all make them every day in our businesses. But in the end, they make us. Godpreneur Rule: Choose to cultivate your inner Godpreneur, and don’t sacrifice your character on the road to success. #StrengthenIntegrity #WorkLifeBalance #SharpenLeadership

I’ve been launching people’s businesses since I started my branding agency in 2005. The one thing I can guarantee you is that 100% of the entrepreneurs that didn’t launch their idea, didn’t start making money. The same is true for my own ideas and ambitions. I’ve dreamed up thousands of marketing plans and niche brands, but if I didn’t go out and plant some seeds by taking action, no fruit was going to come from the idea. Are you stuck in the idea phase? Are you paralyzed by indecision? Are you tired of your financial situation not changing? So many of us entrepreneurs get stuck. We let the enemy think we’re not worthy, we don’t have the funds, we’re too busy, we’ll fail…and the list of tactics goes on and on. But know that the enemy is simply trying to keep us from what God is calling us to do – go plant seeds. When a farmer needs to make money, he doesn’t look out at his empty field and think about planting seeds. He doesn’t sit there and pray about it, calls 10 friends to talk about it, or sits around and waits for a miracle crop to grow. No. He goes out and plants the seeds. He takes ACTION. Jesus says this: "Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds". (John 12:24 NIV) Some of you entrepreneurs are in the financial situation you’re in because you’re waiting for a miracle, a big easy break, or a sign from God. But God isn’t the creator of the “get rich quick” mindset. God has taught us all about planting seeds, doing the small things, showing our commitment in the little things. If you want more money to manage, you must get out there and take action, no matter how small it is. Be in action. You’re waiting on God… but God is actually waiting for you. For some of us Godpreneurs, we need to plant financial seeds so we can receive more. We need to begin tithing and honoring God with our first fruits. Some of us need to start helping others understand how to manage their money better so we can begin to see more wisdom in our own financial management skills. See, the way it works is that whatever we are wanting in our lives, we must first go out and plant a seed in that area. That’s how God designed it. Why? Because this is an act of faith, and God blesses the faithfully obedient. God says to the farmer “Plant that seed, and I’ll make it grow.” This brings glory to God! Imagine if this made sense to all Godpreneurs. Imagine a world of faithful seed planters. How much more would our finances be blessed if we took action in our businesses for God to produce more fruit! Godpreneur Money Rule #9 – When Godpreneurs have a need, we don’t worry about it, and we don’t wait for a miracle — we take action by plant seeds. #BusinessBibleStudy #MakeMoreMoney #EnhanceFocus The 19 Rules of Money Management for Christian Entrepreneurs This course will help you develop a better sense of money management God’s way. 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 been gifted with many talents, and basketball is NOT one of them. I’ve got tons of skills, but dribbling, passing, jumping, and scoring are not at the top of the list. I consider myself an athlete, and I know which sports I’ve been gifted in playing and skilled at winning. As an entrepreneur, I’m always considering my skills and gifts when accomplishing the vision of my business. In partnerships, I know my ‘zone of genius' and I’m upfront with everyone at the table where my gifts and skills lay. With my clients, I know the exact area of branding I’m a master at and I do what I can to stay in my lane. One of my strongest tools in branding is asking the skills and gifts question to my clients. Why? Because it’s a strong indication of the need they are supposed to meet in the world. A strong brand is where the needs of the world and your gifts and talents meet. The Bible says that God gives people gifts for accomplishing the work he wants them to do, and it names some of the gifts and skills that God imparts. These include farming, craftsmanship, teaching, leadership, giving, wisdom, miracles, etc. "We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully." Romans 12:6‭-‬8 NIV When Paul discusses the gifts, he is usually referring to their use in the church. But if all work done by Christians is done for the Lord, then we can infer that the Spirit’s gifts are also given for use as entrepreneurs in our businesses. Gifts and skills, therefore, provide an element of guidance for discerning God’s guidance. A number of tools have been developed to help us entrepreneurs discern their gifts and make use of them in workplace settings. I’ve developed one here: www.godpreneurtest.com However, it is easy for me to pay too much attention to my skills and gifts. My constant analysis can lead to self-absorption, crowding out attention to the needs of those around me that God wants me to help. God gives gifts for the common good, not personal satisfaction. In addition, God sometimes gives gifts only after you start that business in which you’ll need them. Paying too much attention to the gifts you already have can keep you from receiving the gifts God wants to give you. This is one reason why people get stuck and don’t launch their business: feeling unfit to be an entrepreneur. Nonetheless, the gifts you already have may give you some indication about how to best meet needs in the marketplace. Great businesses meet needs in the marketplace. Questions I Ask All My New Clients What are the tasks and activities that energize you? What gifts have you or others recognized in you? Have others mentioned benefiting from your gifts? What are gifts or skills you’d like to grow in? Spend time in thought, and consider how you might use your gifts to serve others with a business idea. Jesus, thank you for the gifts and skills you have given me as an entrepreneur. I pray for opportunities to develop and grow in these gifts, as well as use them for your glory. Amen. #FindMyCalling

I had a business friend call me once to tell me he was on the brink of divorce. He and his wife had been having problems for years, and he felt this was the end. As the situation couldn’t be worse, his business wasn’t doing so great. I could hear the defeat in his voice, and he let his guard down to open up to me about his problems in business and marriage. He loved his wife and didn’t know why this was all happening to him. That’s when I unleashed my testimony on him. I began to open up about my struggles and how I was able to overcome them. I wasn’t polite or ashamed. I was completely transparent and direct. I let him know that this was the time he needed to pick up his pants and FIGHT. There are certain times in our business and marriages where we ask God “why am I going through this?” We wish the problems would go away and that things could return to when they were great. We desire to be in a loving marriage and profitable business, but it doesn’t seem to be working out in our favor. But what if our challenges in business and marriage are meant to help someone else in their troubled times. What if our bad breaks became someone else’s breakthrough? What if humanity is where it’s at today because someone else had a struggle, overcame it, and lived to tell the story to inspire someone else? The Bible says: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3‭-‬4 NIV) Here’s a guy who has come to understand that his trials and tribulations can be used as a testimony to help others going through similar situations in their lives. And Paul’s frankness and openness have helped so many of us for nearly two thousand years to whether the storms of life and come out victorious. Paul’s example can be your story too! God could be using the challenges you’re facing in marriage and business to help another entrepreneur going through the same thing. And you know what happens when you help someone else through their trials? You strengthen your resolve! It becomes even more difficult for the enemy to attack your business and marriage in the same way now that you’re testifying about the victory to others. See, that’s the exact thing I did to my friend. I started to share all of my marriage and business problems, and how with the help of God, I was able to overcome them. Now, my own business and marriage will benefit from sharing my testimony with him. Your disappointments can be a blessing to yourself and others. Your marriage can help other entrepreneurs keep their families together. Your experiences set you up to help others on victories of their own. So no matter what you are going through today, God wants to bring you through it gracefully so you can share the victory with others! This means that your problems in business and marriage are only temporary. You can rejoice TODAY knowing that these issues are just for a moment and joy is around the corner. No matter the size of the issues in the boardroom or the bedroom, you have to fight through it, trusting and believing that God will not leave you or forsake you. You have a testimony, and God wants to use it. We Godpreneurs need to trust God’s plans and not our own. As business owners, we know where we want our businesses to be this time next year. As spouses, we know where we want our marriages to elevate to next year. We hope our plans are aligned with God’s and we’re ready to change course if they’re not. He will lead our marriages and businesses in a better way if it’s His will. We won’t know why, but we don’t need to know. All we know is that He’s got the bigger picture laid out and we only need to see the road ahead of us. This means that we don’t have to wait until some crazy big breakthrough to start sharing the victory with others. Victories happen every morning we wake up still married and still pursuing our Godprenurial dreams. We don’t have to understand the big picture, only what we’re being brought through already. Isn’t it awesome to know God takes care of seeing down our road so we can take a moment to look back and help another entrepreneur in need? Imagine if all of us took our unexpected turns in business and marriage that didn’t quite work out the way we envisioned and used those experiences for the benefit of those around us. I’m certainly grateful that God is using me to help my friends in need. I pray He’ll use your experiences to see you through to more breakthroughs in your business and marriage. Godpreneur Rule – Godpreneurs praise God in our storms because they will serve as someone else’s victory. #MarriedEntrepreneurs #BusinessBibleStudy 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