Poetic Inspirations and Practical Applications for Blissful Living

Guidance from God

Guidance from God

 

Guidance from God - Christian Business Coaching

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Purposeful Pathway is a haven for faith-based entrepreneurs. Part of my mission is equipping faith-based businesses with information that is practical, actionable and Scriptural. The theme of this post is seeking God’s guidance.

 

Seeking guidance from God: this is something we must do at all times and in all things. Yet it is natural for our rational minds to take over in business, particularly in “small” decisions. God gave us the wonderful gifts of reason and rational thinking, and we should embrace and apply gratefully these gifts. Yet we must never do so at the expense of tuning out God’s voice. The gifts should never supersede the Giver.

 

I am sure, as a faith-based entrepreneur, you know this deep in your heart. But what does this look like in action – and, specifically, in business? As an example: you receive an invitation to participate in a business opportunity. On the surface it seems like a great fit for your business vision; it is aligned with your goals and your schedule. Perfect, right? But perhaps you have a slight “off-feeling” about it; you cannot determine why you have this feeling. You simply know you feel a little “off” about it. When we are extremely busy, it is easy to dismiss this off-feeling…particularly if it is very subtle. When we are moving quickly, we want to check the item off the to-do list by answering “yes” or “no” to the invitation. Yet, as tempting as it may be to plow through another to-do, this is the time to slow down. The “off” feeling – soft and subtle as it may be – is there for a reason. Our God is gracious to give us our feelings. Yes, even bad feelings are a tremendous gift. They warn us. They give us clues. They direct us. If we allow them to.

 

It may be rather easy to heed an “off feeling” when it is overwhelming or at least pronounced. Our off-feelings, however, are often very subtle. Quieter than a soft whisper. For this reason, it requires a conscious and concerted effort to quiet everything else in order to hear this signal.

 

So, as busy as we may be, this is the time to pause. To breathe. To pray. As practical and as rational as the opportunity may seem, we must remember that God sees everything. Even if the opportunity is good in and of itself (oftentimes this is the case), God may have other plans for you. There are only twenty-four hours in a day, and He may deem that your time would be more effectively spent elsewhere. He knows what is best. He sees the big picture. He is weaving the eternal tapestry.

 

Here are some actionable steps for seeking guidance from God:

 

    1. Be very conscious of your feelings, subtle as they may be, when making decisions. Journal about your feelings. Where are you feeling the discomfort? In your stomach? In your shoulders? In your neck? Take note of the discomfort and its location in your body. If you are attuned to your body signals, take note of what discomfort in that certain area generally signals (such as anxiety, uncertainty, sadness, overwhelm).
    2. Pause to pray. Ask God what these feelings mean. Request His perfect and precious guidance and wisdom.
    3. Wait for His answer. If you do not hear His voice, read His Word. Write about the situation. Look for signs throughout your day. Perhaps God will whisper to you through a friend, an email or a devotional.
    4. If you require time to make your decision and others are impacted, inform the involved parties of this. Do not allow the feeling of being “rushed” to push you into a hasty decision. Inform all involved parties that you need time to think and to pray.
    5. Once you hear or read God’s answer, embrace it completely. As irrational as it may be, move forward. For example, decline the invitation or stop the creation of the product. Do not procrastinate sharing your decision with others due to being afraid of their negative reactions; furthermore, do not overanalyze the reactions of others. Be firm but graceful. Simply do what God wants. Stay clear in your mind that your decision is for the highest good of all and for the highest glory of God.
    6. Rejoice in the rewards. You may not see the rewards immediately, but oftentimes you will see them soon thereafter. You may hear yourself saying, “Oh, that’s why God didn’t want me involved; He wanted me to do this instead.” Even if you never comprehend why God led you to make a certain decision, you can rejoice in knowing that you heeded His voice. Doing so strengthens your ability to hear Him and to heed Him in the future.
    7. Give glory to God! It is amazing how God, the Creator of heaven and earth, will guide us step by tiny step if we allow Him. How blessed we are that our Father is so intimately involved in our lives! Give glory to God for guiding you ever so tenderly and lovingly.

 

When we step back from our businesses and do the irrational (if God so leads us), we give space for God to work miracles. We allow His strength to shine. When we step back from opportunities, as irrational or as unpleasant as it may be to do, we give God the opportunity to work powerfully in our situation for our favor – and for His glory.

 

We remember that our businesses are most blessed when we work in His strength rather than our own.

 

So let us be intentional in stilling our hearts and hearing our Father’s voice.

Let us embrace guidance from God.

 

Let’s pray. Heavenly Father, thank You tremendously for the love you lavish upon us. How blessed we are by the whispers You share. May we still our hearts to heed them and may we embrace Your guidance with a joyful heart. We love You so very much, and we desire to glorify You in all we think, say and do. Bless our businesses and our lives; allow them to be vessels for Your divine will. It is in Jesus’ Name we pray…Amen.

 

~*~

Want to pave your own purposeful pathway? Contact Caroline via caroline@purposefulpathway.com to schedule a free “Boost My Business” Consultation. Walk away with heightened clarity, renewed enthusiasm and a customized written action-step plan for your business.

 
 

 

 

 

Feel As Though You’ve Had Enough?

Feel as Though You’ve Had Enough?

Guest Post by Mike Fenton

When the trials of life push us to the limit and our hearts are the heaviest it may seem as though we are hitting dead-end after dead-end or road block after road block, it is then it may become easier for us to feel as though we should just throw in the towel and give up. Instead of dwelling on how stressed, how tired, and or how overwhelmed we are, we should learn and take heed from what is written in Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV) which reads(10) Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength”.

     We must focus on our Lord’s inexhaustible strength, our Lord’s unlimited power, and know it is through our faith we can take comfort in knowing even though things are not going as we would like here in this physical world through the work we do here (and what Christ Jesus did for us on the cross) we will find our reward in heaven. Hebrews 10:35 (NIV) says (35) “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded”.

     Satan wants us to tire; he wants us to throw in the towel because he knows when we have given up hope he can move in. We must look to God for our direction because by doing so we will avoid many of life’s dead-ends and road blocks which can tire and rob us of our strength.        June Reflection –  Lamentations 3:24-26 (NIV)  (24) “I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him. (25) The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; (26) it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”

Forever in Your Heart

~ Forever In Your Heart ~

 

Guest post by Lisa Buffaloe

  

Forever in Your Heart - Christian Business Coaching

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You are the light.

You are truth.

You walk me through the past and wipe my tears.

You are healing and restoration.

 

Oh God, You are my everything.

Hold me close.

Never let me stray.

 

And forever wrap my soul tenderly in Your heart.

You hold my hand and walk me to tomorrow.

Protect me, guide me, show me Your way.

You are hope for every step.

 

Oh God, You are my everything.

Hold me close.

Never let me stray.

Forever wrap my soul tenderly in Your tender heart.

 

I am Yours.

Forever in Your heart.

   

Lisa Buffaloe is a joyfully in love with God, avid blogger, writer, speaker, happily-married wife, mom, founder and radio host for Living Joyfully Free Radio.

Lisa is the author of Living Joyfully Free, Nadia’s Hope, Prodigal Nights, Grace for the Char-Baked and a contributing author of The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter: 365 Inspirational Meditations to Brighten Your Day,  Pearls of Promise Devotional, and Purim Celebration. Her articles have appeared in Guideposts Online magazine, Angels on Earth magazine, (in)courage.me, The MOM Initiative, So You Want To Write, National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs, Rest Ministries, Writer Interrupted, Christian Fiction Online magazine and various other e-zines and sites. For a full list please link to Lisa Buffaloe’s articles.

Heart in Heaven

 

Heart in Heaven

 

Heart in Heaven Poem - Christian Poem and eCard - Christian Business Coaching

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“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Luke 12:34

 

My heart is in heaven,

In treasures I have yet to see,

Yes, my heart is in heaven,

My eyes fixed on eternity.

 

My feet are ever moving

In the direction of Jesus’ way,

My ears are ever listening

To the words He does say.

 

My lips are ever sharing

The Good News of salvation,

My voice is ever singing

In joyful adoration.

 

My arms are ever open

To all things embrace,

For I know all happens

By God’s sweet grace.

 

My thoughts are ever full

Of Jesus and His will,

Praying my heart

His Spirit does fill.

 

So will you join me

On travels Heaven-bound?

Will you taste what I know

Since God’s love I found?

 

Will you allow Jesus

To fill your heart and mind?

Will you release vanities

That true treasure you find?

 

Come now with me, friend,

Let us travel together,

Traversing this pathway

No matter the weather.

 

Whether the sun shines

Or the days are gray,

Let us walk faithfully upon

This sacred way.

 

With open hearts and arms

All things let us embrace,

Marveling in every moment

God’s amazing grace.

 

Yes, our hearts are in heaven,

In treasures we have yet to see,

Our hearts are in heaven,

Our eyes fixed on eternity.

 

© 2013 Caroline Gavin

How do you keep your heart in Heaven?

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God is Love

 

God is Love

 

God is Love Poem - Christian Poem and eCard - Christian Business Coaching

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“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13

 

Smiling in the flowers,

Singing in birds on high,

Shining in the run rays,

Stretching in the sky,

 

Splashing in the waters,

Shimmering in the sea,

Standing in the mountains,

Spanning the valley,

 

Is love, sweet love,

Love rich, love divine,

Love transforming your life,

So too also mine.

 

Love that touches

All we see, all we know,

Love that paves

The pathways we go;

 

Love that gives life,

Love that endures,

Love traversing the heights,

The vast ocean shores;

 

Love from our Savior,

Love from our God and King,

Love that is all in all,

Love that is everything;

 

It is of this love

That I sing in celebration;

I sing of my Jesus

With exultant adoration.

 

For His love, sweet love,

Brings joy to all I do;

His love, divine love,

Is life for me and for you.

 

So join me, dear friend,

Let us sing of this love,

Lavished so freely on us

From Heaven above.

 

Yes, splashing in waters,

Shimmering in the sea,

Standing in the mountains,

Spanning the valley,

 

Shining in the run rays,

Stretching in the sky,

Let us sing of divine love,

Love of God Most High.

 

© 2013 Caroline Gavin

God is Love! What are some ways He Who Is Love has transformed your life?

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