Deneen Troupe-Buitrago

Grow from your overflow

Spiritual Walk

A Prudent Step is a Trusting Step

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In the dream I stood on the edge of a great cliff. The tightness in my chest told me I was in a scary place (because I am afraid of heights). But I also felt very excited. An almost palpable anticipation ran through me and I tingled from head to toe.

Have you ever had a dream or vision of something God wanted you to do? These dream images followed me into the waking world and I felt the excitement of being involved in something new, something BIG. God was asking me to trust Him and take the next step He was showing me.

That was over eight years ago. The vision was too BIG then, I didn’t understand it all. It was like a huge gaping ravine out in front of me that at any minute I might fall into or be asked to throw myself into. I knew I was going to be involved in God’s plan if I trusted Him and took the steps He was asking me to take.

Is God giving you a vision? Is there a tug at your heart to do something more for God? Something BIG?

I remember that feeling, it was exhilarating and terrifying. There were times I doubted it would happen. I allowed the enemy to rob me of my progress because he always had me looking at how far I had to go. I sometimes forgot to stop and celebrate victories along the way.

But God. . . He always comes through. He always makes a way for us to see the path ahead, even if it is only a little piece. Now when I look over the precipice, I see foot stones going out across the opening. God is creating the path for me and I don’t have to be afraid (even though it is a long way down and I am still afraid of heights). Each time I obey and do something He is asking of me; another flat stepping stone appears.

That first step was hard. It took quite a long time to get moving, I can admit. But now it is fluid and I can almost glide onto the next stone before I know for sure it is really there. I trust God that much.

For me this adventure has been full of twists and turns and I have learned new lessons along the way. Some of the most important lessons have been about getting to know myself better, how I operate, how God has designed me. Now that I know ME, I see how God is carefully transforming me into His image. Christlikeness.

So, what IS God asking you to do? Create a business? Lead a team? Go into a new field or job? Write a book? Create a course? What small vision of yours is God turning into a BIG vision for Him?

What would be your first step? Take it. Say YES to God and throw yourself full force into it. It will be amazing.

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

P.S. I would LOVE to help you explore this next step at the Clarity Leadership Conference. We are ALL called to Lead. Get to know your leadership style at the Conference & Retreat.

 

 

 

 

Your PERSPECTIVE is everything

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Let’s begin with this PERSPECTIVE.

God has got your back and He is leading you into your next grand adventure. Where you are now in your business may not be where you are forever. God has given you a vision and you may just be starting to understand how far He wants to take you.

The things you are doing right now are building blocks for you to do something bigger in the future. He says that if you are faithful with a small amount He will give you MORE and MORE. God keeps it real for us so we grow at the pace He sets for us.

Learn MORE about how He created and equipped YOU to lead in your business. God’s timing for your vision to come into right PERSPECTIVE will be amazing. Think about it this way. . . How far will you go in your business and who will it impact for eternity?

 

Is this your PERSPECTIVE?

God calls us to not be ‘worldly’ in our ambitions but this does not mean we cannot have ambitions. He has put in your heart what success means for you. Your ambitions are exactly right for you. It is not up to you or me to judge or criticize others’ accomplishments. If anything, we should be celebrating one another.

God designed you so uniquely so you could bring into the world your part in His Story. You have been given your skills, experiences, talents, gifts and more so your business can stand out in the marketplace and attract the clients you were meant to serve.

And, in His perfect wisdom He also brings resources into your life so you can grow and develop into the Leader He knows you can be. When you use these resources to complement your natural abilities you take your business to the next level. It is about following God’s lead to discern what is right for you and not be distracted by how others are doing it.

 

God’s PERSPECTIVE

Believe what God says about you. In His Word He calls you Royalty & a Living Stone (1 Peter 2:5) that He will use to show His goodness in the marketplace as He builds your business. You were created the exact way He desired and He will help you create the business that is your gift to the world through Him.

Don’t allow the lies of the enemy to tell you that you cannot do it because . . .  You have something powerful to share with the world. God has allowed all those experiences, both amazing & difficult, to be the foundation for those you will serve. He makes you trustworthy to your clients by having empathy.

God wants you to believe in yourself, in your abilities, in your message, because He created you for this. He wants you to align with Him for your success and become the Leader He knows is inside of you. The leader that will tell others about Him through your business.

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Your PERSPECTIVE is everything. Make it one that that begins with God, has God working in it, and ends with God. Connect your Faith & Business and become the leader of your tribe, team, community, and industry. Make an impact for His Kingdom here on earth.

Are you all in? Do you believe you can be all God wants you to be? Join me at the Clarity Leadership Conference and connect to God, communicate as a Leader, clarify your abilities, and commit to God’s calling for you. Will you be there to learn how God wants you to show up as the Leader He sees in you?

 

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

 

The Great Commission & YOU

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Take the Great Commission Personally

If you have spent any time around me you know that I talk about how to live out the Great Commission. So, let’s review. ?

The Great Commission

In Matthew 28:18-19 Jesus says to, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The way I see it is that you need to ask God who are the five people in your life that need Jesus and just start praying for them. Then begin to have a deeper relationship with one or two of these people. When they know you care about them, you will have the opportunity to tell your story about being in relationship with Jesus.

I have said all this before and I wanted to make sure you remembered. ?

Before the Great Commission

BUT, I want you to look back at the command from Jesus. . . it begins with THEREFORE. That means there is something He said that was important before He got to this part.

There was a reason He gave them this command. AND, He gave the command to everyone present. He gives the same command to us today. We are not excluded from living out the Great Commission. In fact, we are part of the Church, the Church is the bride of Christ and as His bride our role is to be an EZER, a helper, to Jesus.

How is this possible? How can we HELP Jesus? That’s where the THEREFORE comes into play. As we say in my Bible Study, “What is it THERE FOR?”

So, let’s back up to verse eighteen. It says, Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.” Woah! All authority? What does that mean?

Since Jesus died for us and took His place next to God in heaven He can do and send whomever He pleases. AND it pleases Him to send you and me into the world to be part of HIStory. You live in this time, in this culture, to live out the Great Commission personally.

Your Great Commission

God has made you a steward of your sphere of influence. He is expecting you to live up to your Calling. And don’t forget, at the end of the Great Commission, He states that He is with you (and me) always until the end.

Do you get how much power has been given to you by God? Do you know He wants you to live out your Calling in the marketplace by being exactly who He created you to be? He wants you to figure out your BEST way to Serve Him through your work. To live out the Great Commission through your business.

I offer tools to help you do just that! The Calling Clarity Course is opening again. Get info by clicking here. We will go through exactly HOW God has made YOU: your personality, values, strengths, spiritual gifts, experiences, expertise, and talents. Through the Course you will pull all your pieces together to show up Whole, Holy and Authentic in your work.

Hurry to get your spot. ONLY five places are in this 8-week Course. Make 2018 the year you start living your Calling and living out your Great Commission.

 

Be filled to overflowing,

 

Deneen

 

 

Re-frame your Thinking and See God Opportunities Everywhere

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Lean In

One of my favorite ‘secular’ books is Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg. In it she says, “We hold ourselves back in ways both big and small, by lacking self-confidence, by not raising our hands, and by pulling back when we should be leaning in.”

Are you leaning in to what God has for you?

I am intrigued with the idea of Leaning In . . .  to God.  Throughout her book one message rings clear, if you want something or want to do something then you have to stand up for it and sometimes fight for it.

Are you, as a Woman of Faith, ‘fighting’ for the ONE relationship that matters most?

Lean In to God

Connecting Faith & Business starts with your Faith. Let’s look at the concept, LEAN IN. Since I love acronyms, I have devised this one to help you visualize the actions behind it.

L- listen to God

E- evaluate and reframe your viewpoint

A- access His power

N- note or place your attention

I- imitate the Father and Christ

N- His name, your reputation, and whose you are

Lean In through God

Start with the vertical relationship to fill up on God. This is a daily habit that needs to be nurtured so it grows. Sitting with God each day gives you His perspective and aligns you with His plans for your day and your life. It allows you to LISTEN to what He wants to say to your heart.

Next, think about how you view your service to God. Do you think it is only when you are involved in a ‘church sponsored’ activity? When do you really think about asking God for opportunities to share Him? EVALUATE your pre-conceived ideas and ask Him to change your thinking so you see it more in your day-to-day activities.

Then ACCESS God’s power that lives in you. Because you are a believer in Jesus you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you. You have God’s power to do what He wants you to do. God only asks that you trust Him and take the next step. Is that next step giving someone a smile? Is it asking someone to do something social outside of work? Is it doing something that is important to someone else? Get over any fear and know that God’s power will give you exactly what you need when you need it.

Take NOTE of what God is doing. We have heard slogans like ‘pay it forward’ and ‘acts of kindness’ BUT do you think to do those things? It is an opportunity to show God’s goodness. When you ask someone how their weekend was and their eyes don’t match their ‘fine’, take a minute to ask what is going on. Find ways to invest in the people around you.

As a believer in Jesus we are called to IMITATE the Father. What does that look like when we are reframing our opportunities to show God? Kindness, caring, attention and time. How did Jesus let others know He cared? He spent time with them, asked them questions about themselves, and listened to what they had to say. Start with a cup of coffee in the break room. Take someone to lunch who is having a hard time. Talk on the phone or skype and just be present with the person.

The people in your world are looking for hope and guess what, you have it. You can make God’s NAME known by being the woman He is calling you to be at work and in your business. Your reputation grows and in turn gives God glory. Don’t hide from Whose you are. Stand up and fight for your position at the table. Fight to show God to others as you LEAN IN to Him.

 

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

You Are Made To Lead

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Leading Daily

Each day there are many decisions you must make that create success for your business and family. No matter if you are leading one or 100 you display confidence, you inspire, and you focus on the task at hand. God will give you what you need to succeed just as He did for Deborah.

Deborah is a wife and she may have been a mother too. Her job is that of a political leader as well as a spiritual leader. Her office is under a date palm tree that sits in the hill country of Ephraim. The entire Nation comes to her for counsel (Judges 4:5).

Leading like Deborah

She must have had enough prestige and money to have others running her household. Do you think her husband, Lappidoth, was the first stay-at-home Dad? Since she was well respected and had a lot of responsibility outside the home we can assume someone else oversaw her household.

Taking your business to the professional level requires that you give up other ‘jobs’ you think belong to you: cleaning, grocery shopping, creating meals, laundry, social media marketing, accounting, etc. Unless one of these activities IS your business I think it is safe to say you can delegate them to someone else. Deborah knows what she is good at and that is what she does.

Deborah is a leader. God has called her to this position and she takes it seriously. Imagine sitting in the shade of the palm tree giving advice and dispensing justice to the Nation and then receiving a message from God.
Deborah’s message from God is about Israel’s victory over their 20-year oppressors. She tells Barak, the commander, ‘Get ready! This is the day the LORD will give you victory over Sisera, for the LORD is marching ahead of you.’ (Judg 4:14) She always puts herself behind God. She is willing to allow God to take the first place.

Leading with God

She knew she needed God in order to do the job He had given her because Barak refused to go into battle without her! She doesn’t back down from the new role as military leader, she embraces what God says she is to do and moves ahead bravely.

Many times we may feel we are not qualified to do the task in front of us. God is always stretching us to make us more like Him. It can be scary; I am sure Deborah was scared. Adrenaline coursed through her body that day as she led the fight. We also can use that adrenaline to move through the scary times. It can give you courage to take that step, right now.

Barak goes into battle that day under the specific instructions of Deborah. He does ‘win’ the battle; exactly as the Lord promised Deborah. However, because of his refusal to fight without her, she told him the specific victory over Sisera, the leader, would be at the hands of a woman.

Deborah was not that woman. . . though she might have expected it. A Bedouin woman named Jael had the honor. However, Jael stands in contrast to Deborah. Jael used what she knew best to complete the task, a tent peg. Deborah needed to depend on God for her leadership position that day because it was not in her experience.

Leading with Heart

Leadership takes risk, leadership takes courage, both women showed that. True leadership also takes trust. Only Deborah trusted that what God had said would come to pass. Trust God to give you the strength and courage to take risks in your business. Let go of things that are holding you back and lead by trusting Him.

You also must look beyond what you are capable of doing and see what God is calling you to do. Leading others takes dependence on God. Use leadership to set your business apart from others in your industry. Be the leader others want to aspire to be.

What qualities come to mind when you think about Leadership? Character, courage, focus, passion, generosity, responsibility, vision? In the comments tell me one way you show Leadership every day.

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

P.S. The Clarity Retreat sign up is happening NOW. Get motivated to LEAD 2018 with way God wants you to and live in your Calling.

Building YOUR Reputation

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Building Takes Time

Statistics say it takes ten years of focused study to become an expert in any field and building a reputation can take just as long. That is not meant to discourage you, it is meant to encourage you to keep going. God only requires that we take the next step, trust Him, and do what is in front of us.

Huldah has spent her entire life in the pursuit of knowledge.  She loves learning and God has rewarded her by giving her the gift of discernment.  Huldah is not famous but she is known.  During her time in Jewish history (2 Kings 22:8-20) the temple is destroyed and the Jews are worshipping other gods.  Her sphere of influence is very limited because of this disarray. Life is full of turmoil for the Jewish nation and there is no stability.

Building Takes Behavior

Our own world today is the same.  Everyone is doing their own thing and there is no moral authority.  We can feel like it doesn’t matter what we do or how we act; that no one is paying attention.  But someone is always watching our behavior, our reactions to situations, and how we respond to others.  Huldah was being watched and so are you.

Huldah’s husband has the position in the royal court as the keeper of the royal wardrobe.  This gives him and Huldah daily access to the King and Queen. They are known instructors and confidants to the royal family. I imagine Huldah helping the Queen with her outfits each day; using her time wisely, as an insider, to give counsel while she is assisting.

Jewish literature says that Queen Jedidah was a godly woman because when King Josiah takes the throne at the age of eight he has been influenced greatly by his mother.  As the Queen’s ‘dresser’ Huldah also has opportunities to share knowledge and teach not only the Queen but the young prince.

Building Takes Opportunity

Huldah’s day comes eighteen years after Josiah has become king.  He is still under 30 and Huldah is much older and wiser.  Since he was sixteen, Josiah has implemented many spiritual practices that had been lost to the nation of Israel.  This has given Huldah many opportunities to teach and guide eager students in this new-found enthusiasm for God. Her reputation has grown as more and more Jews are returning to follow the Law.

When a lost scroll (a piece of original manuscript) is discovered during the restoration project of the temple in Jerusalem, it is delivered to the king. It is not good news; in fact, it speaks of destruction because God is angry with his people. The priests go to Huldah for counsel.

Huldah first authenticates the scroll.  Her years of study and experience have taught her to recognize God’s Word. She is clear in the work she is being called to do. She does not try to make herself look more important but works at the job she is asked to do.

Building Takes Commitment

Too often we choose to do the work we want to do instead of the work that is in front of us. We must earn respect, and a good reputation, by doing the job given to us; only then, can we move up.

There is no fast lane in building a good reputation. It is in the choices you make every day, the things you do that go beyond the expectations of your customers, clients, colleagues and co-workers that builds the reputation you want and the one God wants for you.

What are three attributes you can incorporate into your daily routine that will grow your reputation as an expert? Integrity? Loyalty? Intelligence? Stability? Honesty? Reliability? Sincerity? I would LOVE to know your words. 🙂

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen

P.S. Your next step is to join us at the GFYO Christian Women’s Network Group Christmas Celebration. If you are in Metro Detroit we would LOVE to spoil you at our Party. Tickets available through THIS Friday, December 1st, 2017. Start building your reputation with like-minded women who want to assist you in connecting Faith & Business so you can SERVE God more.

Trust God for the Results

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God gave you the vision for your business. . . trust Him. Only you can accomplish the purpose of your life. God gives supernatural gifts so you can live out His calling on your life. Are you confident in His plan and His provision for every decision you make?

The Spiritual gift of Faith is the ability to believe God will do things that are impossible for us apart from His involvement. Do you have Faith?

Rahab’s Trust

Rahab did. Her trust in God was real. She believed in a power more than herself and put her faith in that power.  She knew she could not control the situation she was in or rely on her own strength for survival.  She saw a BIG God and was overwhelmed with fear by what He had done.

The rumors and reports were true. The Israelites had wandered in the desert east of the Jordan for 40-years and had defeated all the powerful kings of the land. Now, they were poised to come into Jericho. Everyone was terrified.

This is where we meet Rahab.  Described in many commentaries as a hardworking business woman, labeled a prostitute, but also the owner of an inn. Her residence is in a strategic location on the city wall and she has the attention of the king. This suggests she has a somewhat respected reputation. Even with connections in the community she probably feels on the fringe of society, not really accepted.

We all feel like this at times. Her situation is like yours if you work in an environment where you can’t say no to others and are stuck in a place where you are devalued.  Plus, we have all played the recording in our heads that if someone finds out that ‘one thing about me’ they won’t accept me, they won’t like me.  I imagine she feels stuck with no way out.  And now, with the Jewish nation on the doorstep, she has nowhere to turn.

Rahab’s Plan

But, Rahab is a woman with a plan. This industrious, hard-working, multi-hat wearing woman has a plan. Maybe motivated by fear of what was going to happen, but I think she was motivated by what she heard God could do.  I imagine her sitting on her roof, scutching the flax she had laid out to dry and formulating what she would do if she had the chance, how she could save herself and her family.  As she scraped the wooden knife along the long strands of flax a plan formed.

How do I know? By her quick and decisive actions when she hides the spies and then lies to the king’s men.  She had made the decision to trust God before she even knew who He was. She was watching and expecting God to move and had already decided to follow Him. If God acted swiftly and powerfully in your life right now, would you be ready?

Her actions are courageous and she is given supernatural faith to stand up on the side of God’s people. Using faith in your business means you are looking to God to do big things.  Trust God to give you exactly what you need, when you need it, to do exactly what He wants you to do to move forward and work in your business.

Your Plan

Rahab’s plan formed as she worked on her roof, sitting alone, in the quiet of her day. This place of silence and solitude gave her heart time to listen and allowed God to fill her with the supernatural gift of Faith. Where do you go to take time to listen to God so He can fill you with a supernatural Spiritual Gift?

Find YOUR space to connect with God to ask Him the important questions at the CLARITY RETREAT. Start 2018 Listening to what God wants to tell your Heart as you connect your Faith & Business. Sign up today.

Practice Making the RIGHT Choice

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Have you ever been in a situation that began great but then something happened to change the atmosphere? It may have been something subtle that grew over time or an event where you just knew it would be different from then on. That’s where Puah and Shiphrah find themselves, in a situation they did not plan for or expect.

The Choice

Even though the Israelites had been living in bitter conditions in Egypt, they had continued to thrive and grow in numbers. Puah and Shiphrah were the lead midwives for the Hebrew women as well as for the Egyptians’. Their skills were sought after by both nations because they were the best in their field. They also trained others to help them with all the work. They were not only the bosses but the icons in midwifery.

Wouldn’t that be a great place to be in your industry? At the top of your game and being recognized for it? That was exactly where Puah and Shiphrah hung out. But, for them life was not perfect. Neither had children of their own. In fact, that was common for this profession and the reason many women entered this type of work, so they could be redeemed through helping others.

These women knew what it was to sacrifice comfort, time, and resources to get the job done. They were strong in their skills and strong in their faith (Exodus 1:17). Hardship was part of the way of life for the Israelites and they matched every opportunity to do well in what God had called them to do.

Then Pharaoh calls Puah and Shiphrah before him. He had devised a disturbing plan to rid himself of the threat of ‘these Hebrews’ (Exodus 1:10). He orders them to kill the male children as they were being born.

Imagine, the most powerful man in the most powerful country giving you a direct order and you ignore it. Their decision was easy. They feared God more than Pharaoh so they did not do what they had been instructed to do (Exodus 1:17).

Their Choice

But what of the consequences for not obeying Pharaoh? Has there been a time in your life when you knew the right thing to do but there were circumstances that gave you pause or caused concern? These thoughts may have crossed their minds; they may have left and discussed in private what they should do.  We are not told exactly how they planned to get away with not killing the babies.

But we can speculate. . .

As leaders, they needed to have a plan that included orders for every midwife in their organization. Imagine that business strategy meeting. Whiteboards loaded with brainstorm ideas (well, written on papyrus), an email campaign to explain the situation (word of mouth over tea), and creating a fan base that would do what they instructed (mothers with new born boys).

Their sphere of influence suddenly encompassed the nation of Israel. Wow! Talk about a business explosion. Everyone was listening to what they were saying and following their direction and leadership. There would be no killing of the baby boys; and, they would no longer celebrate births or draw attention to circumcision ceremonies.  Everything would be covert from pregnancy through delivery and more. This is the first-time civil disobedience was recorded, they created the resistance.

Your Choice

Your sphere of influence may grow too as you stand up for what is right no matter the consequences. God is looking for you to stand up. As you trust Him with each step, each little task He asks you to do, then your influence grows too. What started out as something small grows into connections that propel your business forward in miraculous ways.

Question: Would it be easy for you to decide between doing what the government, your boss, or a superior wanted if it went against what God told you to do? Would it be easier for you to quit or to fight?

Be filled to overflowing,

Deneen