When you spend time running your own business and you make the decision to push through all barriers and never look back you come across a few helpful tools along the way.
Write It Down
Hab. 2:2
And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make [it] plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
Looking back I realize that when I was growing up my wants were not lining up with what I was attracting into my life. It seemed like every choice I made produced a negative outcome and I could not help but wonder what I was doing wrong.
One example of this is set in a time before I contemplated a life of ministry. It was a time before my husband Charles and I were dating but were good friends. He was the only male at the time in my life that had a hold of God's Word and the promises it contained so I often found myself going to him for advice. He would share God's Word with me on a daily basis with a hope that I would see the light.
As the story goes, the day that my husband, Charles first laid eyes on me, he was at my place of work waiting for an interview. As he was in the lobby, anxiously waiting to be interviewed, he saw me standing in front of 2 glass doors. The moment he saw me he heard the voice of the Lord state that I was his wife. He held onto that Word from God for 6-8 long months but he could not keep what he knew to be true a secret. He pursued me for months and the more he pursued me the more I hurt his feelings. There came a point that Charles made the statement that he would rather have me as a friend then nothing at all. At the time I thought that a strong man of God that treated me nice was not my type. For many years, all of my friends thought that "my type" was in need of being re-evaluated.
During this time I was living out my daily life walking out secular beliefs and wondering why I felt so alone, broke, angry and confused. I was dating all of the wrong men that treated me less than I was worth. My weekends were filled with anything that resulted in numbness of my self actualization. Many people wander the streets their entire life and do not recognize their true self. You walk around feeling like something is missing in your life. The knowing and feeling that something is missing makes you see yourself as singled out, different and alone.
One day, Charles asked me to take an hour or so and write down what I wanted in a husband and to call him back when it was complete. He had high hopes that I would be shocked at the results. After much deliberation, I started to contemplate on what I thought I wanted. What was surprising is that I did not have a clue what that was. No one ever asked me! The only way I was able to write a list was to think about all of the past relationships that irritated or upset me in the past. So, I proceeded to write down the opposite of everything I despised in a relationship. Once my list was complete I was shaking my head back and forth saying no, no, no, no...this is not right. The list was the one man that I resisted being with for so many months. The one man that I told all of my friends and co-workers was not my type for so long. What would this mean for me? I couldn't get past the pride I would have to eat once everyone knew my change of heart.
When I spoke to Charles again he asked me to read the list to him. Oh noooooo, I thought. I remember reading him the list deliberately leaving out certain characteristics because they seemed to specificly identify him. Too fearful and full of pride at the time to give into the list I did not let on that I knew that he was the one for me.
The point of this story is that 22 years of my life was spent desiring relationships that I did not want. I was pressing for a goal that was an incorrect desire and I was achieving all of my goals wondering why all of those bad things were happening to me. I started to wonder if the same was true about my situations and circumstances.
It still took me a few weeks and an audible voice telling me that Charles was the guy that God chose me to marry but once I heard God's voice I knew what to do. I made a decision to start sitting down and writing out my thoughts and dreams on a regular basis. It is important to do it every 30 days or so because your dreams and desires will change as you start reaching your goals more often.
I was watching a movie over the weekend titled "The Peaceful Warrior" and in this film Socrates stated that "Everyone wants to tell you what to do and what's good for you. They don't want you to find your own answers, they want you to believe theirs."
This was exactly the trap that I had fell into. Growing up I was so concerned about fitting in, being important that I formed a subconscious opinion about the type of person, situation or circumstance that is considered acceptable to the world. Everything I thought I knew was a preconceived idea that I had to unlearn in order to save myself more years of tears and heartache.
Proverbs 13:12
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but [when] the desire cometh, [it is] a tree of life.
My hope was not on anything of value. Deep down I did not know my dreams, desires or much less what I wanted in life. Not knowing made me fearful and I hid my fear with snootiness and intimidation. Don't make your heart sick like I did. Sit down and write out what you really want in life. What you want in a husband, wife, friend, job, etc.
When you decide to make a change make sure that you stick to your true self, wants and desires. Take notice that once you make this decision that you will need to forget the past and only focus on today as today molds your future and plan to keep moving forward.
In Phil 3:14 it states that "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
All of those years I spent pressing toward the wrong mark making things harder on myself. Lesson #1 is WRITE IT DOWN.
Watch Your Mouth
2 Cor. 10:5 states that "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ"
There are days when it is easy to forget that mounds of debt or relationship problems are piled high on your shoulders and there are days when you feel as if you have waited around long enough and there are no options left that will lead you into success. How do you feel today? Do you feel exhausted from all of your worrying and hard work? Have you exhausted all options trying to get out from under all of that personal and business hardship?
The Free Online Dictionary.com defines exhaust and/or exhausted as:
1. To wear out completely.
2. To drain of resources or properties; deplete
3. To use up completely
When running your own business you have to be with the times. The market, economy and trends run rampid with change and if not handled properly your business finances will suffer. When we first started our businesses we had a huge amount of success in a very little amount of time. Every day was lived with adding bigger dreams to our already overzealous business thinking "the money only gets better from here".
The Free Online Dictionary.com defines inspiration as:
1. a. Stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity.
b. The condition of being so stimulated.
2. An agency, such as a person or work of art, that moves the intellect or emotions or prompts action or invention
The word inspiration was referenced twice in the Bible
Job 32:8 But [there is] a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
Inspiration: Hebrew translation: nĕshamah (Strong's H5397) is defined as breath, spirit
2Ti 3:16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Jam 1:26 If If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion [is] vain.
Jam 3:3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
Jam 3:4 Behold also the ships, which though [they be] so great, and [are] driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
Jam 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Mark 9:23
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things [are] possible to him that believeth.With God all things are possible
Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world
I'm created in the image and likeness of God and I shall have whatsoever I say.
The blood of royalty flows within my veins and I decree the favor of God on my life and I, will rein as a king in life.
Jesus said that these works that I do and greater works will you do because He will take them to His Father.
God gave me power to get wealth and I have devine guidance and wisdom on obtaining and using that power in Jesus name. So magnify the Lord! For He has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant and Abraham's blessings are mine!
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