What's Your Business in Faith?

Running a business for the past couple of years has given me new respect for entrepreneurs.  It takes a lot of time and persistence to develop a business idea into a viable product.  Once the product is ready to formally present, it's not a guarantee the world will embrace it.  Rejection bites.  I feel vulnerable.

It's been two years since I released my first Christian Yoga DVD "Perfect Peace".  It seems like a lifetime ago.  I am still selling DVDs one at a time out of my trunk and gym bag, at craft shows and through the internet.  Knowing many successful startups started peddling their products out of their trunk as well, I sell whenever, wherever and however. Quite frankly I don't have a lot of time to invest in my business as I stay busy with my four young children whose ages range from 4-10.  Nevertheless, God provides opportunities and my network of Yogacaans (Christian Yoga Instructors).  This helps me rememberI have been called to this work.

"Faith" is often thrown around as some feel-good virtue, or at least I threw it around as one.  Faith is also misconceived as sticking it out through misery.  I've learned during my short-time in business that faith is truly believing.  Yes, I know the Bible says this in Hebrews 11, though it certainly hits home when your family assets and career are on the line.  Faith takes risks that look ridiculous from the outside, nevertheless, the call is strong so you joyfully continue in the work knowing it will flourish in it's own time.  My business in faith is to joyfully continue with the work and blessings I have been given.  So what's your business in faith?

Faith 2014 is Going To Be AWESOME!!!

You can only achieve what the mind believes you can do with God:  aka faith.   Emphasis added on the "do" and "with God" parts here.  God counts us righteous, heals, blesses, and even saves us according to faith.  Jesus got frustrated with lack of faith.  Now let's get something straight here, faith is different than hope.  Hope is sentiment, faith is doing.  I believe the faithful person is too busy creating life to whine about circumstances.  Take for example the person who IS committed to one's workouts and diet to lose 40 pounds versus the person who  hopes to lose 40 pounds.  Faith is a daily thing and God isn't going to do all the work here...remember "do with God"?

 

 Faith can't be objectively measured though it can be seen through its results:

And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.”  Luke 18:42

When the apostles realized they needed more faith, they were resourceful and asked Jesus:

 The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.”  Luke 17:5

Jesus answers:

The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you!  

Luke 17:6

I've never uprooted a mulberry tree.  There's always more to the story...

  

The request for instruction on how to increase faith came after a lesson on forgiveness:

 Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”  Luke 17:4

Jesus seals the discussion with teaching them how to simply do their duty and obey.  That mulberry tree is suppose to obey us too.  Wouldn't life be easier if people just did what they are suppose to?  Let's not talk about kids now...  My synopsis of this is that faith involves forgiving and moving on.

This year God has called me into my business full time.  Getting to this point has taken an incredible amount of faith, working and preparing  products and services that people may or may not buy.  Doesn't matter, I'm obeying the calling and am too busy "doing" to worry about it.   On the journey, I've had the blessing of letting go of my past to make room to create my future.  I'm learning how to live in the now, besides, now is the only time I can have faith or do anything about anything.   I have faith 2014 is going to be AWESOME and I can't wait to share the results with you!

Happy New Year!