DeneenTB

Helping you to do MORE for God through your Work

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Quiet Retreat- Reflect, Refocus, Reboot

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Quiet Retreat

But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.   Matthew 6:6 (NLT)

Your Day

The Quiet Retreat day will begin with a group discussion and instructions for your day in a common area. Each participant will have a room and restroom to themselves at the Retreat Center. There are various trails and places to go outdoors as well.

You may leave whenever you wish or need to do so. Before you go you will be asked to write a letter to yourself that will be given to the instructor to mail to you one month after. More detailed instructions will be given at the beginning of the day as to what to write about.

What to Bring

You will need to bring your own lunch and items for use of the beds ‘on top’ of the covers.  Recommended list of possible items: Bible, journal, writing instruments, devotional book, yoga mat, covers, pillow, etc. For outdoor activities: Tennis shoes, blanket, bubbles, etc. You may ‘do’ whatever you like in your room as long as it does not entail any noise. More detailed instructions will be given at the discussion group time if you are lacking ideas about your day.

Connect with God

The Quiet Retreat is a great way to connect your heart to God’s heart. He does speak when you take time to listen. AND, MARCH will be a Beautiful time to spend with Him. Do you need a Strategy Session with your CEO?

A Quiet Retreat is a very powerful way keep focused on where God wants you to go and how He wants you to continue this year. It will give you time to look over this last quarter and plan for the next.

This time is for YOU to connect to God in a way that is intimate and a true time of discovery. I look forward to guiding you through this important Spiritual Practice as you learn true intimacy with HIM.

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

The Calling Clarity Course

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I want to invite you to the Calling Clarity Course.

I believe you ARE exactly where you need to be to live out the Calling God has for your life. You need to know HOW He has uniquely equipped You.

You need the Calling Clarity Course to be bold, to be creative, to share your faith and do it by Connecting your Faith & Business.

God is so amazing in His timing and positioning of where He wants to take each of us. Are you ready to continue trusting God and taking the next step in His adventure for your life?

I want to invite you to the Calling Clarity Course.

So let me tell you all the things you get if you sign up for the Calling Clarity Course.

Let’s begin with the Tools you will receive:

 

Books- Strengths Finder 2.0, Marketplace Christian, Journal

 
Assessments- Myers-Briggs, DiSC, Multiple Intelligences, Spiritual Preferences, Personality

 
Activities- Values Finder, Personalized Faith Plan

 
Checklists- Experiences, Talents, Expertise

 

Next, the Outcomes you will receive:

  • Determine 3-6 Spiritual Gifts and how to apply them to business
  • Discover 5 Strengths to know how you operate as a leader
  • Connect to your Personality and the way you think
  • Create a decision filter based on your top 5 Values
  • Identify your Expertise in many areas
  • Remember the Talents you may be over-looking and how they work for you
  • Pinpoint Experiences that add value to your uniqueness
  • Personalized Faith Plan with 4 activities designed just for you

How it will Work:

  1. Three-hour Virtual Workshop (with some pre-work) where we will explore your business vision and the parts that make up you. You will be given tools to use as we advance together.
  2. Once a week, 90-minute virtual meetings for 8-weeks to check in with where you are with each assignment and have a mastermind session. You will get 8-minutes in the Hot Seat to have everyone pour into you. Assignments will be checklists, assessments, and journaling.
  3. One Day Retreat (with an overnight BONUS option). We will put together all your parts so you can see your Calling Clarity. You will know who you are and Whose you are. There will be a time for you to put all your beautiful pieces together and share what God has revealed to you.  You will walk away knowing how you show up in your business as whole, holy, and authentic.
  4. A 45-minute one-on-one Session four to six weeks after Course is completed.

Have I made this program irresistible for you?  Are you excited to know the details of when and how much? Remember this is only available for the first 8 Wise Women who contact me.

When: Workshop- Saturday, March 2nd from 9am-12pm EST on Zoom

Virtual Meetings- Wednesdays from 8pm-9:30pm EST 3/6; 3/13; 3/20; 3/27; 4/3; 4/10; 4/17; 4/24

Retreat Day- Saturday, April 27th from 9am-3pm EST with Friday night **BONUS Live Coaching Session (near Metro Detroit Airport, TBD).

Investment: $1,048 payable in one installment or for two installments of $629 (due at time of sign-on and then 30 days later)

**Additional Fee for Hotel night stay on Friday night.

I believe you ARE exactly where you need to be to live out the Calling God has for your life. You need to know HOW He has uniquely equipped You. You need the Calling Clarity Course to be bold, to be creative, to share your faith and do it by Connecting your Faith & Business.

Here are some words from the last participants:

“Each piece of the puzzle confirmed the piece before. I am who I am and it is okay to be authentic.”   Deb

“I feel transformed, I came in feeling like a ‘hot mess’ and left feeling directed and on a mission.”   Lynnet

“It helped me gain an insight on my direction moving forward. . . it allowed me to look at all that God can use in me.”    Brenda

Join me NOW! Get your spot TODAY. Registration is open until Friday, February 15th (or has filled).

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

Knowing How to Follow-up After Networking

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The last time you went to a networking meeting, What did you have to show for it? A massive deck of business cards? Sure, it looks impressive but how can you turn those cards into something that will work for you?

You’ve gone through the first stage of the networking process, now it’s on to the second stage—reaping the rewards. All sales happen in the follow-up AND it takes more touches than you think.

Networking Stats

Did you know, 80% of sales happen after the 5th touch with the client and it can take up to 21 touches before someone decides to buy. And guess what? Most people stop after the third try.

Learning to connect at a networking event is great BUT it is equally important to learn follow-up skills that keep you growing your contact list.

After Networking

Here are four to get you started:

  1. Link up on LinkedIn

Send all your event contacts an invitation to connect on LinkedIn. Make sure to use the ‘send a note’ button from their personal profile. Make it all about them and learning more about their business with this first follow-up.

  1. Connect via email

Be sure to reference anything you talked about with your new connections to refresh their memory. You may not hear back right away but remember just because a contact doesn’t connect back immediately, it doesn’t mean they’re not interested. Everyone else, like you, are busy, so stay pleasantly persistent and you’ll be sure to stay top-of-mind.

  1. Check-in Regularly

Additionally, be sure to remind yourself to reconnect with your contact each month or every quarter (a tickler file works best for this). They might not be interested in your products or services right now, but things are constantly changing in the marketplace. Bonus: Make sure to say Happy Birthday and congratulate for work anniversaries on Social Media.

  1. Schedule a Call

Suggest a 20-minute phone/zoom call that will be of mutual benefit to both of you– although you’ll want to focus on how the call will help them. You can discuss products, services, trends, or anything else that might benefit your connection. Do your research for this chat so your contact knows you did your homework and are genuinely interested in seeing how you can help one another.

Networking Ninja

Choose from the suggestions above or combine some of them to develop your own follow-up strategies. It is important to tell them how you will be following up. When you tell them what to expect it makes it real for both of you. You will be more likely to follow up because you told them that you will, and they are going to be more receptive to the follow up because they know it’s coming.

Oh, and the best part, they will often share the best way for you to follow up with them so they will be even more receptive. Never let a networking event go to waste again.

Remember, the sale is in the follow-up.

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

P.S. Need help getting organized with your follow-up? a.k.a., Tickler File? Or with other strategies to stay ‘top of mind’ with your prospects? Click HERE to connect with me for a FREE 30-minute Clarity Session.

 

Practice Sabbath

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Sabbath is one of my favorite Spiritual Practices. It gives me 24-hours to relax, refresh, and remain connected to the Father. Do you trust God enough to take a Sabbath each week? That was the question I needed to ask myself AND I needed God to show me that I could.

Sabbath Begins

My Sabbath has evolved since I first started making this practice part of my week. At first, I wasn’t sure what to do except put away all my ‘work’. That could be hard because my mind does not stop thinking about my projects just because I don’t have it open on my computer.

So, I decided to save certain things for my Sabbath time. They are projects of a personal nature, things that truly relax me, or activities that I can indulge in without guilt. What I have found is that when I take this time apart, I come back to my work (my business) with new enthusiasm and ideas.

Another reason I decided on really showing up in an intentional way for my Sabbath is that I am not always able to go to church services. With my MS, it is not ‘restful’ for me to get up on a Sunday morning, get ready, and go to church. Since I am an entrepreneur, I need downtime for my body to recuperate after a week of working my business.

My Sabbath

What does my Sabbath look like? It starts on Saturday evening between 4-6pm and goes until that time on Sunday. I am trying a new thing by going to the Saturday service at my church as much as I am able. I like that it kicks off Sabbath for me. Each week I plan something that I am going to do. It can be something as simple as a bath to having brunch with a group of girlfriends. I love saving books to read and watching movies with my daughters.

One thing that is super important for me is an extended prayer-time with God. I do meet with God each day for Bible study and prayer, BUT this is time set apart to focus on people, projects, and relationships. It is time for me to listen to what God is impressing on me. Of course, I use my journal and colored pens to give me focus.

Begin Sabbath

What are some activities that recharge you? Think about things you really enjoy and allow yourself to do them during your Sabbath. What 24-hour period works best for you? There is no ‘set’ way to do this. God gave us the example of Sabbath way back in Genesis, not because He needed it but because He knew we would.

I would LOVE to give you a list of Sabbath Ideas to get you started. You can download them by clicking HERE.

Start this week with just one thing you really enjoy. Create the Sabbath that works for you and gives you the rest you need. Trust God that your business will be there (and flourish) when you obey His Command to Sabbath.

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

 

How to Create a Word for Your Year

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“With a clear vision you will live on purpose and in your purpose.” -DeneenTB

I have chosen a word for the year for the last several AND it has made a huge difference in how I show up in my business and my life. Having a word gives me focus in a way that is real and allows me to have a quick filter to evaluate the opportunities that come in front of me.

Past WORDS

My first word was intentional. During that year I was creating my online presence for the first time. I needed to learn about social media, sales funnels, and leadership. Every course, workshop, class, and coaching investment went through the filter of being Intentional.

The next word was daring. During that year I was writing a book. I used my word to reach out to Podcasts, Magazines, and Influencers in order to get my name and message out. It was definitely something that was out of my comfort zone and took Daring.

Last year my word was meraki. It is a Greek word that means doing something with all your creativity, heart & soul. I looked at opportunities to advance my message and worked on projects where I could truly leave a piece of myself and feel good about it. It gave me a great focus on what I really wanted to do and what I knew God wanted me to do. If I couldn’t Meraki the opportunity, I left it alone.

Your WORD

So, how can you begin to determine your word for this year? I have three questions you can ask yourself.

  1. What is your power? Things you are good at doing, skills, talents.
  2. What is your passion? That idea/thing, that motivates, inspires, and energizes you.
  3. What is your purpose? The pull of your heart, your mission.

If I ask myself these questions (and journal the answers) I get concrete responses about goal setting, action steps, and habits. I am good at being organized and focused. I get out of bed each morning excited to work on the projects I know will help women grow in God and grow in business. I believe I was put on this earth to take away the guilt from Christian Business Women and show them how to serve God through their work.

My WORD

What is my word for this year? IMPACT

I am looking at how to have more impact on Christian Women. I am engaging in activities that will expand my tribe. I am opening up to where God wants to take me and bring more women together in a way that is new, relevant, and honoring. I will use the word to determine if an opportunity will have an impact (or not) on what God is calling me to do.

My word started brewing a few months back and has been growing. Is there a word that has been stirring in you? Use the three questions to bring it to the forefront. Oh yeah, write it down. Put it somewhere you will see it every day. It will make all the difference when you have a choice to make. It will also help you determine the next steps to take.

I would LOVE to hear what your word is going to be for 2019. Write it in the comments below and if you are still struggling. . . let’s chat. I have a FREE (no obligation) Clarity Call that will help. Click HERE to schedule your chat.

It is going to be a more focused year with your word leading the way. Ask God to bring it to your mind through the three questions. Ask Him for His guidance as you move forward in your business and life.

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

 

Quiet Retreat Day

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Quiet Retreat

But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.   Matthew 6:6 (NLT)

Your Day

The Quiet Retreat day will begin with a group discussion and instructions for your day in a common area. Each participant will have a room and restroom to themselves at the Retreat Center. There are various trails and places to go outdoors as well.

You may leave whenever you wish or need to do so. Before you go you will be asked to write a letter to yourself that will be given to the instructor to mail to you one month after. More detailed instructions will be given at the beginning of the day as to what to write about.

What to Bring

You will need to bring your own lunch and items for use of the beds ‘on top’ of the covers.  Recommended list of possible items: Bible, journal, writing instruments, devotional book, yoga mat, covers, pillow, etc. For outdoor activities: Tennis shoes, blanket, bubbles, etc. You may ‘do’ whatever you like in your room as long as it does not entail any noise. More detailed instructions will be given at the discussion group time if you are lacking ideas about your day.

Connect with God

The Quiet Retreat is a great way to connect your heart to God’s heart. He does speak when you take time to listen. AND, OCTOBER will be a Beautiful time to spend with Him. Do you need a Strategy Session with your CEO?

A Quiet Retreat is a very powerful way keep focused on where God wants you to go and how He wants you to continue this year.

This time is for YOU to connect to God in a way that is intimate and a true time of discovery. I look forward to guiding you through this important Spiritual Practice as you learn true intimacy with HIM.

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

Four Acts of ‘Hospitality’

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When you think of hospitality, what comes to mind?

Entertaining family and friends?

Martha Stewart?

A laborious chore?

Something done by only a few who have the ‘gift’?

Hospitality for me means: welcome, warmth, kindness, generosity, reception, friendliness, taking care of, anticipating needs. It is an action. Something you do for someone you know, or for a stranger.

Martha Stewart didn’t invent hospitality. More radical still, she hasn’t perfected it either.  Hospitality, as presented to us in the Bible, is not a practice for a few but is a way of life for us all.

It is a Kingdom function that offers us an opportunity to show God’s goodness.

Hospitality Actions

1. Get to know someone better.

Food is always a good place to start, right? Remember, food shows love. BUT, it doesn’t have to be at your home, with three other couples, at an appointed time.

It can be with one person on the spur of the moment, it can be a gift, it can be your time & attention, it can be anything that makes the person feel valued by you.

If we all stopped for a moment and thought about who we could encourage today through hospitality it would make a super difference in their life, in your own life, and I would dare to say, in society.

2. Make it a heart connection.

Today’s world is full of people who have lost their sense of real connection. We are wired into the world but separated from one other more than ever. So, the challenge to hospitality is our perception of how we fit into the world with others when we are face-to-face.

We all want to matter to someone else. We want to know that someone cares.

How can you show that care? First, choose to develop a friendship with a co-worker, a business partner, a person in your sphere of influence. It is amazing how far a smile will go to ease tension. An invitation for coffee or lunch is a natural step. Find a way to invest in the friendship through mutual interests and then do it.

3. Learn to use active listening

This type of listening is called ‘listening INTO’ another person. Imagine putting down your phone, turning off the television, not thinking about what you are going to say, and just listening.

The INTO also means using not only your ears and eyes to listen but using your heart and body. Physically positioning yourself for a ‘good listen’. This is when the person feels heard and you can discover what’s going on inside them. It is listening from their there instead of your here.

It also requires you to pause often from your own thoughts and reactions, eliminate distractions, and be mindful. Stay present in the moment. When you are with another person this can mean asking probing questions about how they feel or think about the situation or, ask for clarification on what it means to them.

You will forge the stronger connections you crave. AND, in the process, you will become the best listener your family, friends, clients and colleagues have ever known.

4. Let others know you are thinking about them

We are all busy, yet we all crave attention. God came to us to give us His love and now we are to share that love. How can we do that? What are some practical ways we can use hospitality as a tool to serve and love others?

  • Talking over the fence to the neighbor; asking how they are
  • Shooting off a text, email, fb message to say you are thinking about them
  • Meeting someone after work for an hour for a drink
  • Hosting a game night at home or somewhere else
  • Organizing a get-together at the park
  • Meeting at a restaurant with someone

We don’t know how much people think about us because we are too busy to tell them.

Like I said, this is not about a dinner party. It is not about impressing someone with your clean house, expensive dishes, or terrific recipes.

It IS about letting people know you care about them and in return they will show you that they care about you.

Jesus is our biggest example of displaying hospitality. Not all the people he welcomed were welcoming to him. Yet, he still extended hospitality to each as if the outcome didn’t matter. AND, since we don’t know the outcome, we need to extend hospitality to those in our lives.

Hospitality Challenge

Write down one goal for yourself about deepening relationships through hospitality. This could be a person at work, a person you see often, an acquaintance, even a family member. Write down the steps you will take to reach your goal. Make the steps small and attainable.

Keep this information where you will see it and remember to continue to work on it. When you have reached your goal, thank God for His provision and then set another goal for yourself.

Creating goals and actionable steps allows you to see progress. Need help in this area? Connect with me for a FREE (no obligation) Clarity Session. Together we can get you on the path God designed for you.

 

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

What do I have to sacrifice?

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Paul says in Romans 12:1-2, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Let’s tear these verses apart today, OKAY?

  • Give your bodies to God- a living and holy sacrifice

Sacrifice is a word we don’t really like or want to use. But, sacrifice can look like giving up your ambition while you raise your children, it can be moving your family for your spouse’s position, it can be forgiving a debt of one of your clients.

Sacrifice can also mean serving others through your business by leading them well and helping them.

Are you committed to doing everything God is asking you to do even if it means sacrifice on your part?

 

  • This is the way to worship Him

By our willingness to give over everything we are to God and to the Call He has put on our lives, we are worshiping Him through our work. Each time we serve other’s needs over our own we are practicing that Living Sacrifice. It can only be accomplished if we have God helping us.

On our own we are selfish and want our own way. We truly worship God when we put others first. In your business, God is calling you to serve your clients to show His glory.

Are you willing to really serve the needs of your clients so it reflects your heart to the Father?

 

  • Don’t copy behavior and customs of world

There are many ways to do business. We look for methods, processes, and means all the time to do better. God asks us to do things His way. Sometimes that means He brings a resource to us that we can use to improve our businesses.

Sometimes though, we strive to learn all we can about how others have been successful and try to replicate it. God is Calling you to do it His way and that may look very different from how others are being successful.

Are you willing to go counter-cultural to have the success God wants for you?

 

  • Let God transform and change the way you think

This is the most difficult challenge for many of us. We simply are not taught a Christian or Biblical Worldview. We must run our thoughts through the filter of God’s Word. This means we must also know God’s Word.

Only when we sit and allow God to saturate our minds can we truly do business His way. Take time each day to allow God to teach you His promises, His ways, His character. When you are as madly in love with Him as He is with you, then you will be transformed.

Are you spending quality time with God each day?

 

  • You will know God’s will for you

God speaks to our hearts when we take the time to listen. Again, this is counter-cultural, instead of being busy with all the things we think we must do, what we really need is to slow down and sit with God.

Journaling is a great way to allow your brain to calm. By writing, drawing, doodling and coloring― your mind becomes focused and you can hear the stirring God is placing in your heart. By cooperating with Him you automatically align with what He wants you to do.

Are you willing to be quiet before God each day so you can know for sure you are in His will?

 

  • It will be good, pleasing, and perfect

God promises to give us the desires of our hearts. In fact, my experience is that He gives us desires we didn’t even know we had. It is so much MORE than we can imagine. When we are totally satisfied in where God has us, only then He will move us forward.

God wants you to be satisfied in Him, then He will make sure you are satisfied with your work. He will give you the stamina, the passion, the will to go after exactly what He has called you to do. AND, He will make sure you are equipped to live it out brilliantly.

Are you believing that God will work it all out perfectly for you?

 

So, for today I just wanted to share these verses. It has hit me so profoundly this week as I seek to do Business God’s way. I want my perspective to always be God’s perspective. I pray for you today as you work, play, love and grow in God. He is ALL, right?

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

P.S. Are you still thinking, “I want to go to the Clarity Leadership Conference & Retreat”? Now is the time to sign up, don’t delay! Click HERE for details.