The faith and business connection begins with understanding who God has made you to be. This is a lesson that has been evolving for me since I was in college (a long time, I know). I remember the day a very thoughtful girl told me I was a pretender. She went on to say that I seemed like I had everything together and was sure of myself but that it was a lie. She called me a fake and said I could not possibly be what I portrayed.

Wow, looking back I know these words were spoken from her insecurity. At the time though it hit me hard that I was thought of as a pretender. I prided myself as always being up front with people and not afraid to say what I thought. I also had that voice in my head saying, “Maybe you are a phony”.

The next few years were a battle to be authentic and really figure out who I was and how I wanted to show up in the world. I was in the teaching program and it was there I got my first glimpse into the tools that helped me understand myself. The unfolding of these various tools has been a discovery of self, a deeper connection to God, and a course in living out my Calling.

Personality Profiles

The first time I heard about the Myers-Briggs assessment was my last year of college. I remember the book title, People Types and Tiger Stripes. Remember, this was before the days of the internet and everything was at your fingertips. I devoured this book and created an entire unit of study for a classroom based on the 16 learning styles outlined in the book.

I LOVED taking the assessment myself to see how I operated AND loved applying it to more than the classroom. I was able to start to see others as separate from me in a new way. I could analyze why their thinking was different, understand their point of view better, and be able to speak their language so they felt heard. Amazing.

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I worked in this model for a long time throughout my career as an educator. I got married, became a mom and started to do more and more volunteering. I realized I needed to deepen my commitment to my faith and expand what I was doing to serve in my church.

Spiritual Gifts

My experience with this assessment tool did not happen until I had been serving as a children’s teacher for many years at my church. I began to feel restless, that I could do more than what I was doing. But this was all I knew and I did it well.

We joined a new church after a move. I was determined not to go back to teaching kids. That was the first time I took a Spiritual Gifts assessment. Some things were to be expected, teaching, but other things surprised me. Figuring out how to use these ‘other’ gifts was key. I can tell you, serving in these other areas brought a new happiness and energy to my faith-life.

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As my children got older, and I did too, I started to need even more clarity around what was important to me. I felt I was going through the motions at times. I needed to know what was next and why I thought it was the right next step. I needed a way to make decisions based on the opportunities that were being presented to me.

Values

This tool has been a filter for me for whatever activity, event, or opportunity arises. I remember a time when I was super busy and super stretched. I was always saying ‘YES’ to things because they were always things that came easy to me. Just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you SHOULD do it.

The Values’ assessment is a stack of words. Sorting through these words really gives you a sense of what is important to you. I realized for the first time why I got bored with projects and needed certain environments to thrive. It gave me a way of filtering out the good so I could do the better. I was able to say, ‘NO’ and feel I had valid reasons.

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Three little assessments to help me understand ME. God is so good that He puts things in our lives at just the time we need them. I have my Calling Clarity. It has taken longer than I want it to take for you. God had me doing other things in my life to get me to this point. Maybe He has you at a point where you need these three assessments and MORE.

I am taking a group of women through the process right now. They are moving through their Values and Personality as well as their Spiritual Gifts, Talents, Experiences, Strengths, and Expertise. My prayer is that God will reveal to them in eight short weeks what it has taken me a long-time to put together.

It is for your GOOD that God does everything. He is calling me to help you go from choosing good things in your life to choosing God’s BETTER for your life. No matter if you are in the college stage through the young mom stage to the empty-nester stage, you have a Calling on your life. Discover it now and live FULLY in it.

Connect with me and tell me to put you on the LIST for the next opening in the Calling Clarity Course. Start your adventure to connect your faith and business and live out God’s BEST for you.

 

Be filled to overflowing,

 

Deneen