DeneenTB

Helping you to do MORE for God through your Work

Spiritual Walk

4 Ways to Share Your Faith at Work

By Leave a Comment

The Great Commission says, “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.” (Matt 28:19-20a)

BUT, 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.

It hints at the reason He gave the command to everyone present and for us today. As part of the Church, the bride of Christ, 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?”

Back up to verse eighteen. Jesus says to 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 personally live out the Great Commission.

He wants you to figure out your BEST way to Serve Him through your work. To live out the Great Commission through your business.

Four ways to get started

  1. Do your work with excellence

Show up with a good attitude and being helpful to others. Work with integrity and do what you say you are going to do. Build a reputation as a person who works with purpose, creativity, kindness, and encouragement. Remember, people are always watching.

“. . . shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. . .” Philippians 2:15-16 

  1. Give God space in your workday

Let people know in natural, easygoing, confident ways that you’re a Christian. Express yourself in ways that identify you with Jesus and what He is doing in your life. Don’t mentally censor your Christianity out of your interactions and conversations. You’ll be amazed at how people are often more interested in spiritual things than you think.

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Colossians 3:23

  1. Build relationships that matter

Ask God to show you one or two people He wants you to be intentional with and begin to develop a deeper relationship. Start by praying for them. Then, begin to have more interaction by inviting them to coffee or lunch. Continue the friendship by seeing them socially outside of the workday. Share yourself with them, show them your care about them, and you will get the opportunity to share your faith.

“We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.” Romans 15:2

  1. Change your mindset

You are in your job or have your business for a reason. You may be the only person that your coworkers, boss, clients, and team ever meet who is a believer in Jesus. See your daily work as your place to serve God. Take away the guilt about not being at the last church sponsored activity and see your workweek activity as the way you are serving God.

“For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. . .” 2 Timothy 1:9

You can do this! Why? Because Jesus gave you a promise. . . “I am with you always.” Matthew 28:20.

 

Want to learn more about how you can show up in your daily work doing what God is asking you to do? Connect with me for a 30-minute Clarity Session. It is FREE and there is no obligation.

Be filled to overflowing,

 

Deneen

Four Acts of ‘Hospitality’

By Leave a Comment

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?

By Leave a Comment

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.

 

A Prudent Step is a Trusting Step

By Leave a Comment

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

By 1 Comment

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.

___________________________________________________________________

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

By Leave a Comment

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

By Leave a Comment

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

By 7 Comments

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.