We Godpreneurs may want to earn a lot of money in our businesses, but not letting it slip through our fingers and making it grow is a different subject. I used to have a hard time - saving money. My business lived paycheck-to-paycheck, so whatever little was leftover was definitely NOT going to a savings account. That didn’t make sense to me. But after reading Secrets of the Millionaire Mind and another book called Profits First, my perspective on saving a change. Both books challenged me to save 10% of my money in a separate account that is in a different bank, making it difficult for me to access, even in the case of an emergency. I started doing this, and months later, looked at the account and was astonished to find I had accumulated the right amount of money. I didn’t even notice it because it was 10% at a time. We Godpreneurs may want to earn a lot of money in our businesses, but not let it slip through our fingers and make it grow. The bible says in Proverbs 21:20 ESV, “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.” When dealing with money, the author of “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” (and all Christian-based financial programs) stress that dealing/managing money is a discipline we must exercise. Not letting it control us is very important if we want to get out of debt and achieve wealth and prosperity. We can’t just think that making more sales in our business will make us productive. Remember Proverbs 13:11 ESV says “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” How we handle that sudden burst of money is what determines if we’re rich. Will we spend it; save it; invest it; squander it; lend it; or give it? Being rich isn’t as important as being wealthy, and wealth is determined by our net worth. This is all of our assets minus all of our debts. Wealthy people have more savings and investment gains than they do debt (liabilities). Because they have more money than what they owe, they can now make investments, and give more to charities (storing treasures in heaven) with an eye on their financial and spiritual future. The bible says in Matthew 6:19-21 ESV Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your wealth is, there your heart will also be. We can store up treasures in heaven in two ways We can build wealth here for our family’s future generations to come in the form of savings, investments, stocks, or even trust accounts. We can use our wealth to help the church and the poor. To do this, we must be able to be trusted with more by God. Rich people can be trusted with more because they keep an overview of long-term financial plans, and are able to bring in money, make sober-minded purchasing decisions, and save money. STRATEGIES FOR HANDLING & MAKING MONEY FOR CHRISTIAN ENTREPRENEURS Get an Advisor If you need a financial advisor or planner, there are many Primerica representatives in the Christian community that will help you in the process. Just Google “Primerica” in your area. Get Passive Income You need a way in which money is coming in without working. For example, investing in the stock market or in mutual funds returns the money without you working. You just leave it there, and every year it yields a dividend. You can also write a book and sell it on Amazon.com through www.createspace.com, and it’s totally free! Don’t hide your money where moths can get to it (Matthew 6:19-21). You need to put that money to work for you. It can be real estate, a promising business idea, or other ways. There’s a lot of ways to make money grow. Spit Your Income in to Accounts I learned this tactic from the book “Profits First,” and also from “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind.” You do the following: Split up your income into different bank accounts! Set aside 50 percent for overhead costs Put 10 percent of every dollar you earn into an account strictly reserved for capital investments or other investments with passive income flows. Put 10 percent into a pleasure account so you can do something nice for yourself and feel like a millionaire – – like going to an exclusive restaurant and ordering the most expensive thing on the menu. Save 10 percent of your money Give 10 percent of your money (tithe) Put 10 percent into an education account (to pay for things like www.godpreneuracademy.com – shameless plug!) Keep Costs of Living Down The bible says in 1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.” As Godpreneurs, it’s essential that we be more excited about saving money than spending money. We can’t splurge on expensive dinners and cars; we’ll never be rich that way. A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls (Proverbs 25:28 ESV). Godpreneur Rule: Think long-term are willing to forgo immediate gratification to become millionaires. #BusinessBibleStudy #MakeMoreMoney

I was once served with a lawsuit through a client of mine. This huge envelope was delivered to my office by a police officer that made me sign and acknowledge that I had received it. When I opened the report, I come to find out that a graphic design we had produced for a client contained an image that wasn’t used with permission by the owner of the photo. Although I wasn’t being sued directly, my client pointed the finger at me and claimed that, since we were the graphics company, we’re at fault. I nearly fell off my chair. I was so nervous about that. This was a federal lawsuit. This wasn’t a small claims court deal; this was FEDERAL. I thought my business was ruined. I had no idea how I was going to pay lawyers and fight this. I felt that my business was over and that I needed to shut down. All of this was happening while my marriage was approaching the 5-year mark. And according to research, and confirmed by my own experience, the first big problems in my marriage started in the 5th year. We had our first kid, and my wife stopped working to be a stay-at-home mom. This combo of more workload on me, more housekeeping and everyday problems had us thinking about divorce. This was a terrible time for my company to be going through this problem. But after talking with a few lawyer friends, and bringing my marriage issues to some Christian friends of mine, I decided to do something I had never done before: Trust that the Lord will see me through this. All of us entrepreneurs experience seemingly tragic things in our businesses and marriages. Our business partners turn out to be terrible, we catch an employee stealing, or our clients take their business elsewhere. On top of that, our spouses compete for our attention, complain, and can’t understand what we’re going through. Owning a business and being married seems like constant trials after trials. But God wants us to know that He’s right there waiting for us to hand the problem over to Him. If we want to experience breakthroughs in our marriage and business, it won’t be by our own doing. God is the orchestrator of the miracle; we are to obey and trust simply. The bible says So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6 NIV) This scripture is extremely powerful for the married entrepreneur that can fully believe it. No matter what client, competitor, or contractor has plotted against you, and no matter what your spouse has formed against you, God promises to help you through it all! I gave the lawsuit over to God. I sent a letter to the law firm that was representing my client. I explained in detail how we shouldn’t be named in this lawsuit. I sealed the letter and prayed over it as I dropped it in the mailbox. I gave my marriage to God. I sought counseling from my pastors. I lowered my pride to admit I needed help in this area and good Christian friends came by my side. To this day, I haven’t heard another word about this lawsuit. And at the time of writing this, I’m happily married, and we’re growing closer to each other. All I know is that my God took care of it for me in my business and marriage. He wants to do the same for you… IF you can be obedient to the same faith and confidence in Hebrews 13:6. We Godpreneurs don’t have to be fearful around the twists and turns or marriage and entrepreneurship because God has already promised victory! Amen! We can all remember a time where God came through for us and won a battle we were struggling with. He’s the same God today, yesterday, and always. He’ll do it again! #BusinessBibleStudy #MarriedEntrepreneurs #GodpreneurAcademy 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

My morning routine looks like this Wake up Make coffee while worship music plays softly Sit in my comfy chair facing the lake behind my house Read the Bible Write a blog post for Godpreneurs based on what I just studied (like this one you’re reading) Tweet something inspirational Instagram an awesome quote Pray over my day and for God to guide me Spend time with my son while letting my wife sleep in a little longer I’ll do the above routine 4-5 times per week. Want to know something funny? My team knows the days I don’t blog. There’s something “off” about me. I’m a little more worried, I get a little more irritated than usual, and I tend to be more controlling. I can also tell that if I don’t get my God time in the morning, I’m a little more snappy with my wife and definitely not as graceful and patient. I 100% believe from the core of my spirit that spending time with God in the morning, praying for my wife, and asking God to lead me in my and business day has reduced my stress, I’m less anxious about outcomes, and I’m more focused on where God wants to take the business, not my own ambition and desires. We Godpreneurs NEED this direction and authority. Of all the global workforce, entrepreneurs are the most susceptible to marriage problems and doing things on our own because we’re the boss. Therefore, we’re the ones the enemy will target the most to distract, divide, and take on worries and wars we weren’t meant to fight. Many of the battles we entrepreneurs fight in our business and marriage weren’t meant to be things for us to worry about. We have to develop the habit and mindset of making our first meeting of the day a prayer and meditation meeting with God. We need to cast our worries and fears onto him (1 Peter 5:7) so we can think positively and clearly…for the sake of our spouse, business partners, clients, employees, contractors, vendors, and the marketplace as a whole! In Chronicles, we read, Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. (1 Chronicles 4:10 NIV) Jabez was a man struggling to find meaning and purpose in his life. He was desperate to be accepted by his fellow man, but most of all, he was a man that craved for a relationship with God. Does this sound like you, too? Sounds like me…I must confess! But we see that he prayed and let God lead…and God granted his request! You want to enlarge your territory, right? You want more children, clients, more influence, more of your light to shine in your marketplace? Do you want to be a “Power Couple” where the force of the two of you is greater than each of you individually? Then you have to ask God each morning, “Is this God approved?” James 1:12, says when a man has been approved; he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to anyone who loves Him. Before we Godpreneurs begin our day, before checking Instagram, before reading emails, before jumping into your first meeting, and before asking for sexy time… have a conference call with God. Ask Him to guide your day. Ask Him what your spouse needs. Ask Him what project to work on. Ask Him who to network with. Ask Him who you need to forgive Ask Him to remove strongholds in your marriage Ask Him who needs an apology Ask Him what opportunities do you need to pursue Ask Him what door to knock on Ask Him what words to say in that seemingly difficult conversation you need to have today with that employee… Or your spouse Make a list like the one above and review it with God in the morning. Then at night, write down how God answered each one. You’ll begin to notice that PRAYER WORKS when you measure its success! Operate business life the way God has purposed for you! Once we develop this habit, the trials and tribulations we go through in business and marriage will not have the sting of death or the heavyweight it had before. We’ll experience peace and clarity – what most of our businesses and personal lives are lacking! If we want to be blessed day in and day out, and running a purpose-focused business and marriage, make your first meeting of the day with God. Godpreneur Rule – Godpreneurs have fulfilled business and married lives because we pray each morning and each move we make gets pre-approved by God! #BusinessBibleStudy #MarriedEntrepreneurs #GodpreneurAcademy 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

Contrary to the title of this post, I don’t love waiting. I have a brand called Launch in 2 Days where we launch companies brands…yes…in 2 days. It’s actually 24 hours! Ask me if I like waiting if my entire business is all about getting your business up and running over the weekend?! Although this service is amazing, I also tend to go fast in areas of my business and marriage that I probably shouldn’t be trying to rush through. For example, I want my wife to grow spiritually as fast as I do. Similarly, I want my employees to grow professionally as quickly as I do. Why do I want them to go as fast as me? Probably because I get sick and tired of waiting because there’s so much more work to do… But I know I’m wrong in this area. We married entrepreneurs have all been in a place where we’re fed up with the waiting game. A lot of times, the battles we face in business and marriage is because we move at our own speed, often on our own (see my previous post). Our “to-do” lists keep on growing because we’re not giving time for our team to catch up to learn it so we can delegate it. This then causes us to begin to miss church, spending morning time in prayer, and going to breakfast with our spouses or spending weekends with our family because we’ve overloaded ourselves. Instead of charging us up, the nights and weekends are draining us. Instead of encouraging us forward, we perceive our spouse and employees to be holding us back. But the bible says we need to commit to waiting on God. I’ve written extensively on the need for Godpreneurs to learn the art of waiting on God in our businesses. My favorite scripture to remind me to wait on God is Psalms 27:14. Wait for the Lord ; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord .(Psalms 27:14 NIV) This scripture is a great reminder that if you wait on God in your business and marriage, you will have a sense of peace and renewed strength both personally and professionally. God is good to those who wait on Him! What do you do during the waiting seasons in business and marriage? Simple – take more time drawing closer to God. Reading this blog post is a perfect example of “doing something while you’re doing nothing.” The bible says The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord .(Lamentations 3:25‭-‬26 NIV) Marriage is the toughest relationship to be in. Owning a business is the toughest job on the planet. Combine them both, and we have a potential atomic bomb waiting to explode…or it already has! This is why scripture insists that the Lord is good to those who wait on Him and to the soul that continues to seek Him. It advises us to continue to quietly wait, grow closer to and hope in the Lord. As we wait in business and marriage, God will direct our paths. The exercise of waiting is for God to show up, for us to do what He says and experience success, and for us to realize that the road of marriage and entrepreneurship didn’t have to be this hard after all. With God in control, our marriages and businesses will grow so much that we won’t be able to contain it all and the overflow will pour into others. If we wait on God, He will not only be good for us, but we will prosper for others! Imagine the day that it becomes your turn to be giving marriage and business counseling to others?! Sounds laughable right now, trust me, I was there too. Look at me now 😂 You need to change your strategy. The same old person that got married and started a business can’t keep trying the same old things. You’ve been on the hamster wheel long enough and it ain’t goin’ anywhere. Get off, take a break, and wait on God to move in your business and marriage. We Godpreneurs need to declare that we’re going to stop and let the God of everlasting time declare victory for us. Godpreneur Rule: Godpreneurs wait on God to carry us through our business and marriage. Are you battling the same issues for some time? What can you do differently today? Just wait and see what God’s going to do! #BusinessBibleStudy #MarriedEntrepreneurs #GodpreneurAcademy 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

I used to wear my business and marriage problems on my sleeves. If there was an issue going on, my partners and employees knew. Heck, I would even tell my friends, clients, and anyone who asked me “how’s the business? And how’s your wife?” I guess I felt that being transparent and open made me seem more real – like false humility. What I didn’t realize at the time is that sharing my problems openly just made those around me more nervous and wary of my leadership and abilities. Also, people would chime in to give advice, and since I would tell multiple people, I was hearing multiple ways of handling the issues. I’ve changed my ways over the years. I still share a lot of my behind the scenes business problems, and this blog is proof that I’m pretty transparent. But now I share it as a testimony of the victories I experience so that my readers can learn and grow from my challenges. I never open up to my readers as the problems are happening. I have a very close group of brothers in Christ that I bring my current business issues. Even they don’t know some of the deeper issues happening in my business today. Instead, I share my deeper issues with God every morning. I lay down the laundry list of stuff, both in my business and my marriage. It’s during this quiet time that I let it go, or God moves me to share the issue with someone else. It’s after I bring things up to God that I seek others out in prayer. We all go through trials in our businesses and marriages. And many of us wear those problems around for all to see. We walk around sad and depressed, fearful and anxious, visibly stressed and overwhelmed, sometimes to the point where we haven’t shaved for days and are looking you kept. Some even have the terrible habit of taking their current problems to social media (VERY BAD IDEA!). Other people are not public about their problems; but they still pick up the phone to call friends, family, trusted employees, or business associates to share the issues. Before we know it, everyone knows what we’re going through! We don’t walk around with our heads high anymore, and instead, we’ve got a backpack full of problems that everyone sees. So what do we do when issues in our business and marriage come up? Should we bottle problems up and bury them deep inside? No. Instead, God wants us to bring Him our concerns first, and remain entirely during the storms of business and marriage. Seek God first before seeking the help of others. The bible says: He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalms 46:10 NIV) God is asking you to BE STILL. When your bank account is low, and you’re using credit cards to stay afloat, BE STILL. When your spouse is yelling at you because you come home late from work because you were putting in extra hours during these challenging times, BE STILL. It’s essential to develop the habit to not immediately consult with others about your issues without consulting with God first. He’s going to reveal who to call, what to do or to chill while He works on your behalf. He promises to work for you. In return, remain quiet and BE STILL. I’ve learned that it’s a lot more powerful to share my victories in business and marriage with those around me than to share my problems. That’s going to help me and those around me more than having others feel bad alongside me. The biggest thing you can learn from this blog is to realize there’s an art behind facing trials in business and marriage without your friends, family and business associates not even knowing. God will select a small group of people for you to open up to. To everyone else, be quiet, BE STILL, and walk victoriously. Once the problem has passed, and you’ve truly experienced the victory, shout to the world of how amazing Your God is that brought you through the valley to experience the breakthrough in your business and marriage. We need to develop the habit of bringing our business and marriage issues to God each morning. Psalms 50:15 says God’s going to deliver us if we call on Him in with problems. Some personal development folks teach us to do affirmations in the morning to set our minds in a positive state. This is precisely what calling on God is – it’s rejoicing because God is taking care of it. We Godpreneurs don’t need to worry. He’s taking care of our spouse. He’s handling the issues with the clients not paying. He’s the judge in our cases. We need to BE STILL. Godpreneur Rule – Godpreneurs keep our business and marriage problems to ourselves. We pray over it, meditate on scripture, and share only the testimony of victory with others. #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

My friends all know that I love launching businesses. There’s a lot of preparation that goes into starting a business. I write a plan, register the company, get a bank account, set up a merchant processor, build a system for operating, create the branding materials, and hire the right people. When I set out to launch a business, I EXPECT it to be a success, so I put all the preparation together in anticipation of the clients coming in. Preparing reduces my worry and also increases my excitement for the success of the venture. But I’ve consulted many entrepreneurs who WANT to start a business, but because they don’t put in the preparation necessary for launching, they never launch. Their brains are in launch-mode, but the lack of confidence due to low expectations prevent them from going “all in” on the idea. Many times when we entrepreneurs set out to launch new ventures with dreams, aspirations and hopes we may all start at the same place called “Idea Land,” but only a selected few launches because of quietly preparing in advance. In the same way, if we want a breakthrough in our business and marriage, we have to EXPECT that it’s going to happen. But we can’t just expect without doing the prep work. Whatever we are hoping or expecting must come with physical and mental preparation. In Matthew 25:6-10, Jesus tells a story of 10 women who were expecting to be part of a night-time ceremonial wedding procession, but only a few of them had enough oil in their lamps to participate. When the groom finally arrived (without notice), just a few enjoyed the night while the others missed out. The bible says: “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. (Matthew 25:6‭-‬10 NIV) The point Jesus was making is that if you are hoping and expecting something, it is essential to be prepared for it. You can’t say “I will have a breakthrough in my business and marriage,” but neglect to make yourself to be in a position to receive that breakthrough. God promises that the very thing you are hoping shall come to pass, but you must not only expect but also prepare yourself. Ideas for Preparing Yourself for Breakthrough So if you’re expecting a breakthrough in your business and marriage, here are some ideas for not only believing, but also start preparing yourself today. You’re doing one right now, which is surrounding yourself with books, lessons, and courses on business and marriage Pray over the situation every morning (read my previous post) Go to marriage retreats, and do the homework they assign before arriving (that’s the prep work I’m talking about) Seek out 1-2 brothers or sisters in Christ and ask them to pray and fast for you Remove things in your business and marriage that you know don’t belong anymore We all can create a short, but powerful list of ideas on how to prepare ourselves physically and mentally for the breakthroughs coming our way. And imagine if we stuck to the list and created the daily habits. Wouldn’t God now see our true hearts desire for change? Wouldn’t our spouses and business associates begin to see the expectancy radiate from us in the form of hope and faith? When they see us passionately expecting success, they too become inspired and fired up to step in and help in any way! Godpreneur Rule: Godpreneurs know that preparation leads to a breakthrough. #BusinessBibleStudy #MarriedEntrepreneurs #GodpreneurAcademy 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

In my business it’s very easy to get into the rhythm of doing project after project. People always need logos and websites.  The projects take anywhere between 2-4 days, and if you are busy like me, you could be doing work for weeks before getting a break. I also have other endeavors that are more in the space of speaking, coaching and consulting.  This side of my business also brings me tons of joy.  It’s a huge field with so much reward because I get to help many people at once, as opposed to one-on-one branding work. There’s a huge difference between doing a project for a client and creating an online course that will help hundreds and thousands. I’ve struggled for years in this constant tug of war between client work vs. the personal development space.  It’s not a matter of either or, I like doing both.  The problem is that I’m so busy with the client work that I can’t get to developing the other work that will bless so many others. Where do you think God would want us Godpreneurs? If we could admit to ourselves, some of us are stuck playing in the little league of trading time for money, and meanwhile there’s a major league of opportunity waiting for our true gifts and talents to be stirred. I have other dreams and goals that I want to accomplish.  I want to create more online courses, host more live events, speak at more conferences and write more books and blog posts. But I also get stuck in the project work. What do we do when we feel like we’re stuck in the rat race of doing work, yet there’s this other burning desire to do so much more and serve so many other people? Maybe you’re not at my point, where you’re eager to get out and teach and show others what you’ve learned. Maybe you’re still in the ‘project based’ mindset, but you too feel trapped because there’s so much more to do. Listen, God didn’t sow gifts inside of us so we could use it for a few people, he sowed seeds of greatness in us so that through us, God could do more for others. I know many people (like me) who are playing the small business client game yet they feel discontent where they are at.  They know there’s a bigger play to make, a pivot to a bigger growth opportunity, but they’re afraid: Afraid they wouldn’t have great content to contribute Afraid they’d bring on too much work, so it would all come crumbling down Afraid of failure Afraid of rejection or being made fun of by industry colleagues But what if God’s been waiting on us to trust him and take that leap of faith into this new dimension of business? Reminds me of the closing statements Paul wrote to The Ephesians, this great pep talk exit: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us," Ephesians 3:20 NIV In today’s bible reading, Paul was reminding them in the end that they had a great power now, and to use that to their advantage and growth. God wants to turn you and I lose to use us for much greater things.  If you haven’t gotten this bug yet, then you will.  God’s still tweaking a few things in you, then he’ll reveal. But for those of us that have been called to this, it’s time to stand up and answer the calling of taking our gifts and talents to all new levels. Are you trading time for money when you know you have a calling to go BIG LEAGUES with something? What keeps you from using those gifts? #BusinessBibleStudy

It seems like the closer I get to the Vision that God has for my entrepreneurial career, the fight to stay on track gets tougher. Something out there doesn’t want you to succeed. It could be our own minds and self-limiting beliefs.  It could be our lack of faith.  It could be that we know the easy route, and it’s more comfortable to continue with the status quo. Here is what I know:  the longer you prolong God’s vision for your entreprenurial life, the more frustrated you will be over time. Fight to not feel frustrated. #EnhanceFocus #IncreaseEnergy

I had a goal of having my first million dollar year by the age of 30. Then I changed it to 35. Then I changed it again. We entrepreneurs have goals in our businesses. Some of us it’s monetary. Others it’s launching a new product or service. Every year we don’t accomplish a goal, we suffer. The suffering eats at us. We see other people succeeding and it makes us jealous, almost paralyzing us from moving forward. But what if the suffering was part of the entrepreneurial process? I’ve suffered a lot in my business. It comes with being an Entrepreneur.  Why? Because Entrepreneurs have a tremendous responsibility and calling for God and He wants to make us the best possible steward of the money and blessings that come with success. In the bible, we read that Joseph was either a slave or in prison for the 20 years after his captivity. Imagine suffering for 20 years!!! Makes your problems seems smaller, right?. God could have released him at any point, but God’s plans for your business are much bigger than our perceived suffering. You won’t know God’s full reasoning immediately, and you may never know it until you’re face to face with Him.  Until then, we are called to know and understand that suffering is a path we must walk in the marketplace to get to the place God needs us for His will. My suffering has given me endurance. I can run further and faster! My faith is growing, I don’t despair as much anymore in my business. What’s your attitude during times of suffering? Are you angry that God hasn’t let you reach your goals and visions yet? #FindMyCalling #FindingMyPurpose #ShareYourTestimony

I recently read the book Living Forward by Michael Hyatt, and a certain part stuck out at me. An exercise in the book had me write down all the groups of people coming to my funeral. Then, I had to write down what each of those groups would say in my eulogy. Some of the groups I wrote down were family, friends, church, employees, contractors, clients, and partners. The common thread I wanted them all to say was that I cared deeply about everyone’s purpose in life and that I loved God and made him the center of it all, and Jesus was someone I strived to be like. As entrepreneurs, we all want people to say great things about us. Not just when we pass away, but also today. You might be someone people like. Awesome! I bet what I’m about to write; you will totally resonate with. You might be struggling because people don’t like you, you’ve made enemies along the way, clients think you’re a jerk, you’ve burned some bridges…you’re a mess. Will you believe me if I tell you that you need to make ONE adjustment, and everything will turn around? So how do we become the kind of entrepreneurs where people say amazing things at our eulogy? There’s an awesome verse in the Bible that speaks about the end of David’s life. “Now when David had served Godʼs purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep;" Acts 13:36 NIV King David did some messy things in his life, but no one could argue two things: God had a unique purpose for David. David chose to follow that purpose. King David changed the world. We still talk about him today, even with the ugly past he had. I don’t know about you, but I have made some past mistakes I sure wish I could undo. But instead of focusing on that, I focus instead on knowing that God has a big purpose, and I must choose to use my energy towards accomplishing it. Whether you have realized it or not, God has already created the plan for your life. You’re either living in your zone of genius or inauthentically creating your own plans. You’re either excited to be a washer machine, or you’re a washer machine trying to be a refrigerator. For those of you entrepreneurs that struggle to find your niche, could it be that you haven’t fully done what we saw exemplified in David – surrender to God’s will for your business life? When I totally have the CEO position to God, and I took on a managerial role in my company, I began to frame my mind to this notion that God has an amazing purpose for me and my business. I had to go to him daily for those instructions. The great news is that your eulogy still hasn’t been said yet! The same choice that David had, you and I have today: choosing to be under God’s will. Michael Hyatt’s exercise of writing my eulogy confirmed my desire to go after God’s heart and serve my purpose here. I am calling you Godpreneurs to the same. If we as a generation full of business leaders serve the purposes of God in our marketplaces, we could see our un-wasted lives move together and change eternity with our services and products. I wish I could say that everything will be easy going from the moment you make this decision…but it won’t. The business world is one disappointing lesson after the other, but it’s our pursuit of purpose that helps us pile through the necessary heartaches to get to the place where others can say he/she ran a business of purpose. Imagine if we all knew and understood God’s vision and purpose for our lives. It wouldn’t be a dream anymore; it would be a reality that we live day in and day out in our businesses. As we set out to rewrite our eulogies, I want to invite you on a journey of discovering what you were born to do and bringing that vision to life. But first, tell me: what’s holding you back from living out the business dreams God put on your heart? How would your business be different if you surrendered the CEO position to God? Godpreneur Rules Godpreneurs seek after God’s own heart in their businesses. Godpreneurs know they were born to do something and choose to do that. Godpreneurs resist anything that’s holding us back from living God’s dream for our businesses. When we die, Godpreneurs want people to say that we served God’s purpose in our business. #EnhanceFocus #BusinessBibleStudy

I had this contractor that frustrated the heck out of me, but she was so darn good at what she did! When I had her full attention, it was like magic.  But then she would disappear, not hearing from her for days or weeks, only to reappear ready to work harder than ever. Some of us entrepreneurs don’t have the patience for this.  We feel wronged when the very people we look to serve, turn around, and hurt us. This happens with clients, vendors, contractors…You name it.  It’s happening all around us in business. What do we do when we’re stabbed in the back, spit on, stepped over, or downright shamed by others in our business? What I’ve learned in this area of business has helped me propel forward in ways you wouldn’t imagine. When people wrong me, I love them more.  When people let me down, I raise them up and show grace. But how?  I’ll admit that it’s tough. The deal is this: business is not meant to be done alone and you’re dealing with imperfect people along the way.  You can have a rule that you don’t deal with people like this, but you’ll end up jaded and alone in your office, subject to only being able to do what’s within your capacity to do. Or….You can learn what I’ve learned from the bible about how to deal with imperfect people and situations. In the book of Genesis, we have the story of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his own brothers and served under the rule of Pharaoh in Egypt.  But 20 years later, Joseph negotiates with his captors the safe passage of his brothers back to their land. So let me get this straight.  He buddies up with his “slave master” and then helps us so-called traitorous “brothers”.  Am I missing something here?  The two very people he should hate…He’s negotiating with. If we’d admit, whenever we’re in a situation like this in business, most of us won’t really do anything.  Instead, we hope the problem or the person goes away.  We won’t put in the work that it takes to internally forgive and forget and move on. The bible says “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors." (Genesis 45:4‭-‬7 NLT) Joseph couldn’t control people or his environment.  He could only control the way in which he showed patience, forgiveness, and grace. The alternative was to live with anger, resentment, bitterness, and revenge. Loving people takes making risks. It takes faith. It takes a commitment to fight through challenges when we really just want to flee the situation. Maybe you feel that way about certain employees or clients that have done something wrong in your book.  Despite the circumstances, you must choose to keep trusting and loving the people around you because you never know when and where you will meet and need each other. We should never waste an opportunity to serve – even those who have wronged us. These are the very people that God is using to propel your born to do identity.  It’s these very people that will reveal to us the reason we’ve suffered in business. Clients, prospects, mentors, and vendors – they all serve a purpose beyond what we can see right now. #HiringtheRightPeople

Purpose is one of those words that people have tossed around so much, especially in the business world.  It’s hard to know exactly what it means. Is it this one foundational meaning of existence for the business that will drive sales and profit through the stratosphere? Is it what my company is passionate about or what we’re really good at?  Is it doing work that makes me happy as an entrepreneur?  Does it mean I have to help others? Let’s peel back the onion of purpose. The purpose of a hammer is to stick this nail into that piece of wood.  But this means nothing to the poor, beaten hammer unless he knows that he’s part of a bigger architectural plans to create this amazing home that a family will live in and create great memories. If I focus on my business purpose (the service I offer), I miss my business identity (the reason my idea was born). My business identity is what is given to me by my creator.  I don’t come up with my identity.  When I went to the DMV to pick up my identification card to give me permission to drive, this was issued to me by the state agency and the right was bestowed upon me to drive. In the same way, identity is handed to me by authority.  The best part is that there are no exams to find out if I can perform a 3-point turn (precisely why I failed my first driver’s test).  My identity is free and God wants nothing more than for me to uncover, discover and recover it to be used in my business. I am bigger than my business purpose.  Therefore I must focus on my identity in Christ, and living in that space of rest knowing that as I align to the workmanship that God created me for, He will magnetically attract the exact clients that I’m destined to serve. The bible says “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5) Identity is about me doing not just meaningless or average things in my business, but good works, wonderful things that make a difference in the marketplace. This means that my business is important and significant. I matter.  What more could I dream of? When my business life gets tough, when deals fall apart, when employees upset me, when I can’t beat the work addiction, when my competitors talk behind my back, when I feel stuck in a boring routine, its important for me to come back to God’s love for me and the amazing purpose I have through my identity in Him. I know what my purpose is: I help people find and bring to life their identity. I know what my identity is: I’m grounded in God and I trust him to reveal to me the bigger picture and guide me to living out the wonderful masterpiece I was born to do. What’s your born to do identity? #FindingMyBrand #BuildMyPersonalBrand

As I reflect on terrible times in my business and marriage, I smile. I smile because I’ve been through business debt, near marital divorce, terrible clients, and losing all hope in my business and marriage…yet I’m standing here today having overcome all of this because of God’s grace and never giving up. Here’s the deal: I saw God rescue me from being a nightclub promoter into a church promoter. I saw God take me out of the muck of strip club marketing, to building church websites. I’ve seen God turn things around in my life, so that pushes me never to give up. If God did it once, He would do it again! I’ve seen it in my own life! But we entrepreneurs forget. We get so down on the terrible situations that we can’t remember who we were and who we’ve grown to become. We forget that the reason we’re entrepreneurs is that we left the corporate world to take on the risk and that giving up isn’t an option. We forget that we got married because we left our sexual sin behind and discovered that two is better than one, and that it sucks to be alone, and that we have a family, and giving up isn’t an option. We need to understand that our current situation is temporary and that it’s not always going to be this way. The bible says: And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9 ESV) Your business and marriage will not always be in the state; it’s in right now. As terrible as they may seem, if you only believe, I’m proof that it will not always be this way. The more you believe this, the less “sting” you feel when the punches come your way. The more faith you have in God, the faster you get up from the fall. And do you want even better news? It’s not that you need to attend five marriage seminars… It’s not that you need to keep releasing new products and services… It’s not more “work” that you have to put into your marriage and business… All you need is more of Jesus in your life. All you need is more faith and trust in God. That’s it! You focus on God, and He’ll do the work. How? Because it’s by His grace, not our works, that we will receive the promise. Haven’t you wondered why terrible people could have thriving businesses and seemingly successful marriages? There are people so far from God succeeding in their personal and work life! How? Because God’s grace is for every human on the planet. This means that “WORK” isn’t the solution because if that’s the case, then I’d be a Billionaire and my wife and I would be power couple of the century! I work my butt off!! The difference between a Godpreneur and a non-Christian entrepreneur is that when the going gets tough, we have a God we can turn our problems over to. A regular entrepreneur needs to keep the hustle and grind going because he/she is on their own. It’s why drug dealers don’t last forever…they are alone in their problems, and the weight and pressure eventually come down on them. We need never to give up. We need to keep hoping, keep staying positive, keep speaking life into our dead marriage and near bankrupt businesses. We need not worry and keep declaring victory! Could you imagine if we all had this kind of hope and faith? What would that do for the marketplace and our society? Imagine more families staying together and better products and services being released? Today, we all need to declare OUT LOUD what we are expecting God to do! Someone who never gives up is always putting positive words into the atmosphere. Stop telling friends that marriage sucks and start declaring that you have the best spouse ever! Godpreneur Rule – Godpreneurs meditate on how God has rescued us from hard times, and we know that He’ll do it again! #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

I’ve had areas of my business and marriage that didn’t line up with “God’s ways.” For example, my wife and I never kept a budget. We had been to all the Financial Peace University classes, we knew God wants us to be diligent in our finances, but we didn’t care to be “obedient” with that part of God’s word. Same thing in my business. I wasn’t keeping tight controls on my profits, not looking at my sales weekly, not keeping good financial records, and just being flat-out irresponsible with my spending. And both my business and marriage suffered for that. My wife and I were great Christians, love God, but not honoring God in all areas of our life. My Business was God-first all the way, but not in THIS area. We Godpreneurs all want to live right, run a business by the book, and love our wives the way the Bible directs us to, but we all have certain areas that don’t align with God’s Word. We have to ask God to show us both are known and unknown sins so that the visions we have for our marriage and business aren’t hindered in any way. Although we may lead a God-centered business and marriage, if we choose to obey God in some areas of our life without obeying Him in other areas, our company and relationship will flourish only partially. We all want the breakthrough in our business and marriage, but how do we clean up our known and unknown sins? How do we make sure we’re not missing out on God’s best for our business and marriage? The bible says: Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” (Haggai 1:5‭-‬6 NIV) There’s your way, and there are God’s ways. Consider that you might be putting too much emphasis on your ways and not God’s best for you. Your thoughts become more like God’s when you continue to draw closer to Him. Reading the Bible daily and surrounding yourself with like-minded people (like in the Godpreneur Academy) will help line your thoughts with God’s. His will and purpose for your business and marriage far supersede your own. His thoughts are higher. Once you get in alignment with your calling, you will have a strong desire to accomplish that purpose, which pleases God. Keep it simple with these three steps Seek God daily Keep His commandments Get to know his Word This is a major reason I created the Godpreneur Academy. I didn’t find anyone I could relate to and connect with until I found out other Christian entrepreneurs were going through the same personal and professional struggles I was dealing with. I wanted to be a positive place of God-Centered business development. You need this if you’re going to breakthrough! If not my academy, then you need something similar! Could it be that your lack of communication with and about God that’s causing you do not know where He wants you to be and what you should be doing in your business and marriage? Commit today to take the time to listen to what He wants you to do. Also, pray about a group to belong to where you can share your passions and desires. It’s never too late to start or re-start your relationship with God. Do we want to hit the wall at the end of the road, or do we want to acknowledge our sins NOW and begin driving our marriages and businesses in the right direction? Listen, God will do whatever it takes to get our attention, even if it means hiding Himself from us. The bible says: “Then I will return to my lair until they have borne their guilt and seek my face— in their misery they will earnestly seek me.” (Hosea 5:15 NIV) We sometimes are going through the biggest battles in our business and marriage, crying out to God for a breakthrough, and God’s simply waiting for us to confess, turn away from that sin (repent), and begin leading the life He designed us to live. If all of us Godpreneurs did this, God would hear our prayers, and we’d all experience the breakthrough! Godpreneur Rule: Godpreneurs are obedient in all areas so our business and personal life can flourish. #BusinessBibleStudy #MarriedEntrepreneurs #GodpreneurAcademy 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

I’m a glass-half-full kind of guy. I see the positive in everything. Why? I believe it’s partly a defense mechanism. I don’t like conflict, so I avoid it by seeing the good in people and situations. I also think it’s because I’ve developed a level of HOPE that allows me to keep on moving forward regardless of the situation. We have two choices when it comes to our challenges in business and marriage. We can see them as hopeless, over, finished, cursed, and unredeemable. Or, we can look into the same situation from God’s point of view and trust that He’s doing great work, He loves us, He won’t forsake us, and everything happening is there to make me STRONGER! But the challenge is waiting. It’s easy to hope in God, but hoping day in and day out is where the rubber meets the road. We can all wake up one morning and decide to run 1-mile to lose weight. But most of us won’t be able to get up and do it daily because we lose hope. How do we develop this positive mindset WHILE our bank accounts are empty and credit card debt is piling up? How can we put on this hope in God even in the face of divorce? The bible says: Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV) Keep your hope in the Lord So often, we want to move at our own pace but fail to move at God’s. God makes it clear that whatever you desire of Him if you keep your hope in Him, He will renew your strength. Sometimes waiting on God can be challenging. We are saying, “God when? God, why? God, what are you doing with me? God, I don’t quite understand it.” No good thing will be withheld from you It is not for us to know when, why or even to understand His plans for our lives. It is more relevant to understand He loves us so much He will not leave or forsake us, read Hebrews 13:5. He even loves us so much that He will not hurt us and He only desires the best for us. He will not withhold anything good from us, read Psalm 84:11. Isn’t that great to know? God is like a virus protector. He will make certain it does not come your way! There is hope If you find yourself waiting on God today, stand on His Word. He says there is hope in your future, read Jeremiah 31:17. Just hold on, knowing you will live a full life here on earth. Wait for Him and quietly place all your hope in the Lord, see Lamentations 3:26. In doing so, He will provide you with the strength to keep going and give you victory. Reflection: If there is something you have been waiting for from the Lord, begin to declare right now God is working it out for you, and it will come in God’s time! #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