Courtney Speaks

Is this the year you want to follow God’s plan for your business, instead of what everyone else thinks you should do? Here are five things I do when I’m seeking God’s plan for my business.

1. Stop listening to the goals others are setting. For me, this might mean a few days away from my online groups where goal-setting is discussed. Ignoring all the blog posts about planning now for a prosperous new year. Ditching the tools that everyone else has created to help me plan my year, and picking up the tool created by the One who has already planned my steps for me – the Bible.

2. Reconnect with God and His idea of success. When I need to stop hearing the voices of the world, and listen to God’s voice instead, spending time alone with Him, and reading His Word, helps me refocus on Him and listen better.

3. Plan to spend time with God each day. When you let God plan your year, you don’t need to know right now what your plans for the year are. Pray for continued guidance, and that He will reveal His plans for your business in His time. Then set aside time each day to hear what He has to say. One way you can track the plans God reveals to you is by keeping a prayer journal of your thoughts and reflections while you spend time with Him, then reviewing it regularly.

4. Listen to what God tells you. How does God speak to you? For me, sometimes it’s a verse that just leaps out at me while I’m reading the Bible. Sometimes it’s something someone else says. Sometimes it’s just a still small voice.

However God speaks to you, you will probably hear Him more clearly when you start obeying His leading. Not sure if something on your mind comes from God, or if it’s your own idea? Test it by taking the next logical step (as long as it’s not something condemned by God and His Word). If doors continue to open for you, it could be God’s leading.

5. Seek wise and godly counsel. When you’re discovering God’s plan for your business, it might be helpful for you to work with a life or business coach. I like to make sure that anyone who speaks into my own life has a relationship with God, and is sensitive to His leading as well.

When you let God make your business plans for you, you’ll need to keep your eyes and ears open for God’s leading. He could reveal His perfect plan for you when you least expect it. You might be surprised to discover the exciting plans He has for your business this year!

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Denise Willms is a professional web writer who writes articles and press releases for online business owners. A work-at-home-mom of two teenagers, Denise’s homeschool Science experiments almost never work out like they’re supposed to, and she still can’t fit into her favorite pair of jeans. She does, though, wholeheartedly believe that God has a perfect plan for her life and her business. You can learn more about Denise and starting a home business of your own at her reprint article directory for work-at-home-moms, www.WAHM-Articles.com

So many times, especially during the holiday seasons, we can get so busy with our lives, online business, and blogs that God stops coming in first place in our life.  We put  shopping for gifts, making some extra money for the Holidays, getting ready for company, etc., all before worshiping and glorifying God.  I am guilty of this all too often.

When I feel like the outside world is starting to take over God’s place in my life I refer to Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.”

It is amazing how this one verse can put my life back in order.

What do you do when glorifying God stops being your number one priority?

photo credit: REL WaldmanAs I have mentioned before it is important to stay in the Word of God if we are going to be blogging the Bible. If we want to be able to teach others about God’s love and what the Bible teaches, then we need to study God’s Word.

I know there are a lot of Bible study resources online but I find doing my Bible study online to be distracting.  I was always want to check my email or tweeter account instead of actually studying the Word of God.  However I don’t like having to pull out different books (the Bible, dictionary, commentaries) out to study.  So I like the idea of doing my Bible study online because I have access to the different versions of the Bible, dictionaries, and commentaries all online.

I just recently discovered Bible Explorer, which is a free software program, that you can download and use for Bible studies.  You can also download many different free commentaries and such to use with it as well.  I think this may be a good alternative to doing my studies online.  I would have everything I need in one place without the distractions of the Internet.

I have just downloaded it today, so I will let you know how it goes.  Have you ever used Bible Explorer?  If so, what did you think.  I would love to hear your opinions on it.

Today my friend LaTara had her first show on Blog Talk Radio. She did a great job and hit on some great points about following God’s will for your life in regards to your online business.

LaTara’s show is called Let’s Talk Integration and will be aired lived every Monday at 12:00pm CST.  You can also listen to a replay of today’s  show over at Blog Talk Radio as well.  I highly recommend listening to the relay.  LaTara gives out some great information and a listener who called in, JoJo, chimes in with great food for thought.

Today I am continuing on the series, Incorporating Christian Virtues Into Your Blog.  This series of posts is based on Colossians 3:12, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;“  which is a list of virtues that Christians are suppose to have.  The virtue being examined today is meekness and I will be discussing how we, as bloggers, can incorporate meekness in our daily blogging lives.

According to Random House Dictionary meekness can mean three different things:

humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others.

overly submissive or compliant; spiritless; tame.

Obsolete. gentle; kind.

The biblical definition is a little different than the one from Random House.  Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words explains that the Greek word used for meekness in the Bible verse Colossians 3:12 is prautes, which is similar in meaning to gentleness. While the word meekness can at times refer to a person’s outward appearance, such as patience, gentle, kind, it can also refer to Christians who accept the Lord’s dealings with us as good and does not dispute or resist them.  We are in a way, submissive to the Lord’s will.

The common definition of meekness is easy to incorporate in our blogs.  By being patient and kind, by not writing a post that is complaining, by not leaving a comment that could create conflict, we are showing the outward appearance of meekness.  But what about the inward, spiritual, side of meekness?  How can we incorporate that in our blogs?

1. Stay true to your faith – In the blogging world it is easy to get sidetracked and involved in less than Christian-like activities, such as blog jealously, envy, or gossip.  We need to remember way we started blogging and ask ourselves how our blog is giving glory to God.
2. Pray for your blog – How are we suppose to know God’s will for our blog if we do not pray about for our blog? Prayer is our way of communicating with God and allows us to have closer relationship with Him.  If we are praying for our blog and doing God’s will in regards to our blog then our blogs will be successful.

There is one virtue left that is listed in Colossians 3:12 and that virtue is longsuffering.