We have many members in one body, but not all the members have the same function. (Romans 12:4)

When we read this scripture in Romans chapter 12 we see that we are created unique. God has given each of a set of skills along with talents; and with those upon the acceptance of Christ, the Holy Spirit endows us with the spiritual gifts we are to use to God’s glory. Many of us have some of the same skills, talents, and have even been blessed with some of the same gifts. Some of us even have the same function in the body.

For some it may be to teach the youth because your personality attracts kids to your message.

For some it may be to administrate because your passion is to see things done orderly and in fashion.

For some it may be to be intercessors because a part of your purpose is to stand in the gap for those who do not know the power of prayer.

Did you catch something in those last three statements? Read them again and pay close attention to the words in bold font.

Yes, there are many in working for God who will be teachers, others intercessors, and yet others administrators. And yes, many of them will share the same talents and skills. However, they will each work a little differently because of their…

Personality, passion and purpose!

God did not create the human race as robotic beings and we should never act like that. Yet, in business many do!

It is often seen in the business owner trying to be the same exact type of business person their mentor is. It is seen in the women trying to compete with each other for the same clients instead of working together as a team to provide quality service. It is seen in the person who jumps from vocation to vocation because so-and-so seems to be successful in that field.

The bottom line is that God blessed you with your own personality, your own passions, and your own purpose. While we each have the same unified purpose of glorifying God with our life, we each have a different plan that He has in mind for getting the job done right.

Take some time to assess your life. Really what does God want you to do with your life? Who does He want YOU to be (not who does He does want you to just like)? How does He desire for you to operate in your business?

Remove all the outside junk, get real with life and become all that God is calling you to be in life for a better business.

It is important as we move into a wholeness perspective of life that we consider how we approach our business. Too many times we take the approach of a depraved society when it comes to running business. Sorry I had to put it so bluntly but a lot of the stuff out there is just not rooted in the Word of God.

Even Christ himself said that we are in the world but not of the world. So why do we approach our business like those that are in the world.

As children of God we have a responsibility to represent Christ in every area of life.

Your approach to your business should also be representative of Christ. In the post I wrote about investing in success, I gave some example of ways that Christ was successful. The same ways that he used to be successful, we need to use in our approach to business.

First, you have to invest our time and energy into doing the will of God for your business.

^“For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will and purpose but to do the will and purpose of Him Who sent Me”  (John 6:38)

Like Jesus we have the responsibility to follow God’s will for our business.

The true approach to business should be Christ centered and God designed. Don’t follow the patterns of others without first seeking God’s will. How many times have you tried to do it someone else’s way and God said “that’s not it”. That is not to say that you shouldn’t use the examples of those in business that you admire; however you want to be very careful and consider who it is and how they conduct business. Ask yourself what is it about the person that appeals to you. Be prayerful because you just might find that there is something lurking deeper that you refused to see about yourself, in that very person you are trying to be like.

The bottom line is that when it comes to business, God’s design is seldom like man’s designs. He does place people in your path who will give you resources and tools you need to get the job done but ultimately, it is with His will that you must approach your business.

Everything you do in life must be as if unto the Lord. Why? Well, in essence, you are doing it for God because we really only play to an audience of one.

Second, you have to approach your business with prayer and study of the Word.

“Now in those days it occurred that He went up into a mountain to pray, and spent the whole night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12)

^“After three days they found Him [came upon Him] in the [court of the] temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.  And all who heard Him were astonished and overwhelmed with bewildered wonder at His intelligence and understanding and His replies. “ (Luke 2: 46-47)

Jesus spent Him time as a child studying and probing God’s Word. As young as He was, He still knew He had to be about His Father’s business. Being very man of very man, He had to learn of God’s word just like we all do. He took every opportunity to do so. As a result of His productive habit of study the mission, the vision, and the Plan were made clearer to Him as He was prepared for the work at hand.

Prayer is how we talk with God. It is the time we spend not just speaking but listening as well. I am sure that when Jesus spent His time in communion with His Father, that He did not just spit out a bunch of words, or gripe about how His ministry sucked, or how the disciples were hard head (especially that Peter). NO! He took time to listen. He had to. Look at what the word says again in Luke 6. It said He spent the whole night.

How often to you spend an entire day in communion with your Father? How often do you take the time to make your business a main priority when it comes to prayer?

You must approach your business with pray and study.

You may say that Jesus was in ministry and this is true. However, ministry is business. Doesn’t it make sense that God would show us a great example of how to run our business through His Son?

Your business is how your pay the bills. Why wouldn’t God want you to approach it, seeking Him first and foremost so that all that you need and more would be added unto you.

In part 2 of the article will talk about approaching your business with preparation and training. We will also cover approaching your business with a servant’s heart.

I decided to make this a part of a series called True Success. In this series we will comes from a total Biblical perspective on success.

You can read the first part of the series here.

Don’t hesitate to let me know what you think. Please share your thoughts.

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If you have not figured it out by now I am an avid Mary J. Blige fan. For many reason I admire Mary’s transparent transformation. I admire her unashamedly admittance to the fact that she lived a life that did not reflect the real Mary. Most of all, I love that she give God the glory for her transformation!

Mary’s song, “Just Fine”, deals with the reality of being ok with where you are in life. I want to share line from the song and talk a little about living your dreams!

“Feels so good, when you’re doing all the things that you want to do Get the best out of life, treat yourself to something new”

In case you don’t get it, what Mary is saying in this line is that it brings joy to your heart when live out your dreams, desires, and passions. Now let me pause here because I don’t want anyone to think that I am speaking of the Law of Attraction. That is a concept that I just cannot ascribe to because I believe that living in God’s will is the best way to live. What I am saying, and I think is Mary too, is that God gives you the dreams, the desires, and the passion. He does this because He loves you and he knows that you can achieve the best in life.

I was once asked what motivates me to dream and be where I am today. My response was that my faith in Jesus and my salvation help me to see that my dreams, desires, and passions are God’s because I delight myself in him. Are you hearing this?

When you delight yourself in the Lord not only do you get the desires of you heart, but you desire to live out God’s desire, passion and dreams for your life; which in essence become on in the same as you learn to walk in obedient love.

When we walk in His will, we desire to do those things He has set out for us. This involves a level of obedience and responsibility so that we are aware of what He has for us to do.

WOW!

So guess what? It’s ok to dream, desire, and have a passion for more. God intended it that way.

I lived 15 or so years of my life in a state of denial. I denied that God wanted me to live my dreams. I quenched my passion in so many ways. I put my desires under wraps so that I could be a good momma, a good wife, a good daughter, a good sister, aunt, and friend. I was not living the complete life  that I was meant to live. This past year I journeyed back through my life and realized that God gave me those dreams, desires, and passions for a reason. They were in line with my gifts, talents, and skills. He planted them inside of me to bloom. I can’t be a good anything if I am not living out the dreams, desires, and passions God has for me.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that is goes against God’s Word for you to dream and live out your passion. It is not a new age belief. It is a God given inspiration. He even says in Jeremiah 29:11 that he knows the plans he has for you and they are plans that will prosper you and give you a future and a hope. These plans all lead right back to him so that he is glorified.

You may find that your business is lacking because you are not happy where you are. That is ok! I tried several roads in business before I found my focus and mission of being an agent of transformation in life and business.

If you are stuck, take a step back. Sit in God’s lap for a while and listen to Him. He wants you to succeed. Know that whatever He gives you will be for your best. He is the CEO of your life and what you do in business does matter to Him. So hear what He has to say and don’t be afraid to adjust or even change your course.

Remember that your business should always be a reflection of who you are. Your life determines your business; not the other way around.

You can dream big when it comes to business. God is ok with you reaching for the stars!

Be just fine and live your dreams!

I am a Mary J Blige fan and I love to take her songs and tie them into my speeches, posts, and articles. Her music speaks to the person right where they are and help them see a way out when there appears to be no way. Her lyrics speak of love, belief in self, belief in self, stay true to self, and even being more proactive in life.

In her song “Just Fine” Mary provides great insight into authentic living:
“Having a really good time, I’m not complaining And I’m a still wear a smile if it raining I got to enjoy myself regardless I appreciate life, I’m so glad I got mine”

This is very important to pay close attention to because it speaks about the fight in your life between reactive and proactive living and being.

For the entrepreneur it is important to pay attention to how you are reacting to your daily living because it had a direct reflection on your business dealings.

The success of your business literally depends on the state of your life.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• How many times a day do you complain?
• How many times a day do you say something negative?
• How many times a day do you react to a situation as opposed to learning how to be proactive?

Maybe to further understand where I am going with this, you need an understanding of reactive and proactive. To be reactive is to oppose action or to have opposition to progress. On-the-other-hand, to be proactive means “Acting in advance to deal with an expected difficulty; anticipatory”.

Now when we look at these definitions and listen to the insightful words of Mary J, we see that she has chosen a more proactive road. Instead of reacting to a situation and taking chance on causing conflict hurt or pain, she is choosing to take the steps necessary to avoid such issues before they occur.

Being proactive helps you in so many ways. It keeps you level headed, it helps you to keep your emotions in check, it helps you to hold steady to God’s hand because you know you will need Him to make it through. Being more proactive helps you to think before you speak and it may even help you to just shut your mouth.

When you choose to live proactively you also choose it for your business. You will bring your same actions to the table and succeed.

When you are proactive you know that God will never leave you nor forsake you. He will do as He promises. He will help you carry out the call he has put on your life. You know that your part is to step through the doors He opens and do the work necessary for completion of the task at hand. When you are proactive you know that you have to have a complete spiritual paradigm shift – mind, body, and spirit to effectively carry out the will of God in your life at any given moment.

This same paradigm shift will help you to make the right decisions in business. You will see goals achieved and dreams reach.

It has nothing to do with the Secret or the Law of Attraction. These are new concepts founded on shaky ground using parts of the Word to satisfy the masses. The proof of attraction is in the word.

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7a)

“Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].” (Romans 12:2)

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. (Psalms 37:4-5)

That’s proactive power! If you think wrong you will get wrong. You will draw attention to whatever you are thinking. It is nothing new. It has been that way from the beginning of time. Satan was once the most beautiful angel in command of all Angels and yet the reacted to the fact that he was not God. As a result of the rebellion her caused, he was thrown out of heaven and sent into his sure destiny because of his reaction.

Imagine what his world would have been like had he thought more proactively.

I could go on and on with examples from the Bible of reactive versus proactive actions: Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, Samson, Saul, Absalom, Solomon, and Judas. Even Jesus was faced with the options of reacting when he was in the Garden of Gethsemane. His human side did not want to die and yet the God in Him helped him to make a proactive choice. WOW and because of that we can be redeemed back to God.

Are you in proactive or reactive mode? How is it affecting your business?

Talk to me!

Integrity is how we behave when no one is looking. It is this type of attitude that we must carry with us in all that we do. It is not a sign of integrity when we  lose sense of our values. We have to ask ourselves if we are willing to cut corners or continue to live by our values. There are definitely consequences to our self image when we compromise on our beliefs.

They say that it can take as little as two weeks to make or break a habit. It takes less time than that to destroy a lifetime of integrity. When you live by a belief system, your actions are guided by it on a daily basis. You won’t just go out and hit someone with your car if you value human life. Along the same line, you wouldn’t wake up and quit your job because you didn’t feel like going to work.

These examples might seem far fetched, but you’d be surprised by the number of people who would do these types of things. When our integrity and standards are under fire, we won’t just get up one morning and decide to chuck it all in. There are a series of steps that lead us to leaving our principles behind. It’s necessary to keep ourselves in check to keep that from happening.

Manning our principles is a twenty-four hour job. While our principles are not always coming under fire, when we least expect it, something will happen and it could be a pivotal point on our lives. It’s like seeing the man in front of you drop his wallet as he attempts to put it in his pocket. Do you pick it up and give it back or keep it, thinking he should have been more careful?

The defining moments are the little ones. Each little decision we make can change us in some way or another. A client may ask us to let something slide for the “greater good.” We may wrestle with the decision but decide that we’ll go along to keep the client and our income.

With each compromising decision, a little more of our integrity is chipped away. It becomes easier to give in each time. What we don’t realize is that we no longer look at ourselves in the mirror the same way. We seldom go against the status quo for fear we’ll be labeled as a hypocrite. Our principles are less concrete now and almost completely fluid.

It is easy to lose integrity in our business. There are so many avenues that lead to a business that is guided by selfish ambition and gain. It is our responsibility to keep our guard up and watch for the warning signs that warn us that danger is soon to come.

If you’ve lost your way and no longer feel that your integrity guides your business, then it is time for a clean up. The value of your character and the life of your business depends on it. Regaining your integrity won’t be easy especially around those for whom you compromised. But, with the help of understanding and trustworthy people, your self-image can be restored and you can begin to rebuild the integrity of your business.