but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance". 2

with the biblical principle of growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Highly Effective People Introduction 1 - Your Character Defines Your Success in Business Introduction 2

Hiring new employees in 2016 was a big deal for me and my company. I honestly didn’t have faith in myself to lead a group of people in growing an agency. I had been burnt in the passed, mistakes I made as a young entrepreneur. But I felt God saying “now is the time”. The problem was this: there was no money. “How can you hire people when there is no money?”, my accountant would ask. Let me clarify: there was money, but it was in accounts receivable (in other words, we still had to do work to collect it). Since I had been reading my bible every morning and drawing closer to God, I just felt an overwhelming petition from God to round up new team members and take the step of faith, regardless of what my past fears were or what my bank account said. We entrepreneurs will always run into moments like this. Moments that we need to have tremendous faith. This is EXACTLY where God wants to meet us. He wants us, as leaders, to know Him so well that we would trust that He delights in our winning! And that’s where we find Joshua and the children of Israel right before crossing the river. In part 1 of my series Overcoming Anxiety in Business, we learned that we need to let God lead the way in our business lives. He goes before us to overcome big battles. But now it’s time for the rubber to meet the road. It’s time to pull the trigger. God lead the way, but now Israel must cross the river. In Joshua (14-15) we read about the faith of the priests and of Joshua. "So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan." Wow, how incredible of a feeling it must have been for the priests and for Joshua. How were they supposed to know that God was going to, once again, part the waters for their crossing?! First, God’s done it before in the past. See, faith is about remembering the past and trusting on God’s word. I bet Joshua had that faith because he kept remember what was done when Moses crossed that impossible body of water. Second, Joshua is remembering the promises of Joshua 1:8 where Joshua learns that he needs to stay in God’s word, and God will make his ways prosperous and he will have success. If you want to experience God’s blessings in overcoming obstacles, you have to have faith that God has already brought you through obstacles and he’ll do it again, and you have to be obedient to God when he instructs you to be in His word “day and night”. That doesn’t mean you need to literally read the bible all day. But as Godpreneurs, it means that we carry ourselves throughout the day in God’s presence. Imagine if all Godpreneurs had faith like Joshua in all of the decisions we made. Where would our businesses be? Would we have made some decisions differently? #GodpreneurAcademy #BusinessBibleStudy Overcoming Anxiety in Business A 3-Day Business Bible Study to Throw Off the Shackles of Anxiety and Live in Freedom Heard of the Godpreneur Academy? Grow Your Business, God’s Way! Bible-Based Video Courses for Entrepreneurs Putting God First In their Businesses Click here to create a Free Account

Step 2 – Admit Second, you must admit your weakness.   It’s in our weakness that He is strong within us (2 Corinthians 12:10).  

revealed to me: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us…” (2

Many times, in hindsight, you see more of the why behind the wait. I’m going to talk to somebody that's been waiting for a big contract to come through because right now you don’t see it, but years from now, you may look back and say, "oh wow, well, I'm glad I didn't get into that relationship." In the same way, God could be delaying the contract because the contract is about to get even more significant because of some unforeseen event. So I repeat - many times, in hindsight, you can see the why behind the wait. When we look back, we can see exactly why God waited for the perfect time. I've always rested in the thought that God's ways are still good for my business. Just because God felt silent at a time when I needed Him didn't mean He was absent. I've learned to recognize when I'm in a waiting season, and I remember that my God is working! Waiting with the Right Attitude I don’t know how long you've been waiting. I don't know how challenging your situation might be. And I don't know how much longer you'll have to endure your waiting season, but I do know that God will come through. I do know that you can enjoy your wait if you will just improve your attitude. The key is to do your part and wait with the right attitude. You can't stay upset and complain, “when is it ever going to happen?” No! Flip the script and say, “Father, thank you, that what you started in my business, you will finish. Thank you because the vision you gave me is on the way." If you wait with the right attitude, after patience has done its work in you, you’re going to see entrepreneurial promises come to pass. However, our go-getter nature sees waiting as unfavorable we don’t like it because nothing is happening. We’re interested in the destination, but God is interested in the journey. He’s working on us along the way. Us Bible-trained entrepreneurs already know that waiting doesn’t mean nothing is happening in our business. We've read the stories where waiting didn’t mean God had forgotten about his people. We see time and time again themes in the Bible where waiting is part of the process. God's Word shows us that we can stay in faith, knowing that at the right time, God will get us to where we’re supposed to be. David waited 13 years to take the throne after the prophet Samuel anointed him to be the next king. God could have taken him straight to the throne, but David wasn't ready. He had to go through a time of testing. During those 13 years, David faithfully took care of his father’s sheep. It seemed like a menial position for a guy that already knew he had bigger things in him - he heard the prophet say that he was a king. However, had David not passed the waiting time, he would have never made it to the throne. He had to show God he would take care of his earthly father’s sheep before God would trust him to take care of his heavenly father's sheep - the people of Israel. While you wait, doing the best you can where your business is right now, that's a time God is using to see if you’re ready. Something important to keep in mind is that if what you're praying about isn’t changing, then God is still using that situation to change you. Listen closely, you business leaders, you marketplace ministers: If a situation is not working out, then it’s working out something in you. All things in your business are working for your good. God is working in your life as a Godpreneur. I´m telling you, if you have prayed a prayer in faith for your company that is according to the will of God, then God is working. #WaitingOnGod

When I first started my entrepreneurial career, I didn’t get rich quickly. In fact, I suffered for over a decade (yes, 10 years). I struggled to pay bills, keep up with school loans, and hire and keep good talent. I changed business models almost every year trying to get out of debt, enjoying life and feeling like I’ve succeeded. Maybe I could finally pay for my parent’s dinner instead of them paying for mine. Although I struggled, I refused to accept that a 9-5 job was what I needed to do. I refused to give into the comfort of a steady paycheck. As a maturing entrepreneur and growing born-again Christian, I learned to trust God, and his promises, one of which says, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). And there are more promises where that came from. I meditate frequently on God’s promises. Why? Because nothing is for certain, and nothing in business lasts forever. What has been and always will be is God’s promises. During my entire entrepreneurial life, I spent much time looking for certainty and fulfillment in and through my business when in reality God is asking me to find that certainty and fulfillment in Him. He’s given me promises that say so! Praise the Lord, He brought me (and continues to bring me) through times of uncertainty and feeling purposeless. The Bible says "But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world." 1 John 4:4 NLT There are times when God gets you out of debt and flourishes your business and times when He allows suffering for His glory. But no matter what, you need to trust in His promises for rest, peace, and victory in Jesus’ name. Because it’s in His promises that you can find hope no matter what you go through. Our minds need to be set on God’s promises for our lives and business, in order for us to continue living in purpose and passion, even through the storm. I pray the Lord to give entrepreneurs full hope in His promises for rest, peace, and ultimate victory through Jesus Christ today. #EnhanceFocus #FindingMyPurpose VIDEO COURSE AVAILABLE! Instead of reading the blog posts, take the video course!  I personally teach you the method.  You get: Workbook 5-Video Teachings Access to dozens of courses in the Godpreneur Academy! TAKE COURSE TODAY

suffering has actually produced a deep passion and desire to help other entrepreneurs around me in 2 The Bible says in 2 Corinthians: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort." (2

decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2

As Christian entrepreneurs, our hearts are shaped from before we were born to hurt for a particular wrong in this world. We don't know it from birth, we uncover it along the way. Entrepreneurship (God's way) is taking a risk to launch a venture that will solve that specific problem you were created to pain over. But with so many avenues to take and so many people we can help, how do we know the exact pain we were born to pour into? I've always been in the business of launching businesses, either for myself or for my clients. Before knowing anything about Christ, I've had a marketing and branding agency. But something weird happened when I started my relationship with God 5 years after launching my company. I began to "feel bad" for entrepreneurs that were coming to launch their business that I knew deep down the venture wasn't going to work out for them. Before knowing God, if you had an idea for a business, I would take your deposit and start working on whatever you had come to me asking to be done. But after knowing God, I began to question the client, "Are you sure this is the business you were born to do?" My relationship with God revealed to me a pain that I couldn't shake off: there are people launching businesses that they have no business launching. Furthermore, if this isn't the right business, then what exactly is the business he or she is supposed to be in. When we start our relationship with Christ and couple that with our vocation of entrepreneurship, God begins to shape our hearts to pain for the same things He pains for. God gives us a NEW heart-shaped like His. The Bible says "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." (EZEKIEL 36:26 NIV) The first clue to deciding on a niche is carefully analyzing how when certain problems come up; your heart is moved. The movement of your new heart is one way God teaches you what is your "thing" in the marketplace. Business books call it your unique selling proposition (USP): what you and your company uniquely solve, different from every other company on the planet. Your heart is made to notice, to care, to move more for certain people (target market) and particular needs (niche problem to solve): when their needs meet, your heart is satisfied; when they aren’t, your heart hurts with their heart. For me, it would pain me to see an entrepreneur try to be everything for everyone. It wouldn't sit right if the person launching the business were doing it off of a whim, or because there's "money" to be made. When I got my new heart, I grew a passion for helping people discover what they were born to do BEFORE launching their business. We can all become conscientious of the feelings our God-first heart gives off, and begin to meet the true needs or the people we're called to help so that we can not only find their joy but ours too. Also, take note that you're not moved by the same thing I'm moved for. It means you and I were uniquely created, and not all of us are shaped to solve the same thing. A second clue to deciding on a niche is understanding that although all of us Christian entrepreneurs are created for good works, as individuals, we're not created for EVERY work. We're all called to help those in need in our marketplaces, but as individual companies, we're not called to meet EVERY need. It is especially difficult for realtors to grasp their heads around. They think because they have a license to service the entire state of Florida, that everyone is their target market. But that's impossible. I have to help them see that they were created to solve a particular niche need, and the process of deciding on a niche makes the difference between top earners and those that struggle. I have discovered my thing to do here in this world, and my prayer is that CHRIST teaches you what is yours! Don't look for your niche at a seminar or a YouTube video or because you saw someone else succeeding. Your niche will come from a heart after God's heart. Imagine if we all detached ourselves from our selfish desires and considered only our hearts. What specific group of people can we help with a particular need that uniquely moves us? That's our niche. #NewEntrepreneurs #FindMyCalling Deciding On A Niche In 4 Steps to Deciding on a Niche for your Business, join Alex Miranda as he guides you to launch a brand with intention and purpose and decide on a niche already. Heard of the Godpreneur Academy? Grow Your Business, God’s Way! Bible-Based Video Courses for Entrepreneurs Putting God First In their Businesses Click here to create a Free Account

The old has gone and the new is here. (2 Cor 5:17) It doesn’t matter what’s been written in the past,

I picked up an amazing tool from a Tony Robbins course that I use weekly. It’s called an “emotional flood.” Essentially, I close my eyes and imagine all the amazing things that have happened to me. It lasts for 5 minutes. Through an audio recording, Tony helps me jog my memory for all the awesome things. Essentially, you shut out the negative and ‘flood’ your mind with awesome thoughts. When our waiting feels like a ton of uncertainty in our business, without answers – much like Noah’s waiting, there is a danger of losing faith that God is listening. If we have these long spans of time in our businesses, it tempts us to question the faithfulness and character of God. We look around our business and there’s no sign that He is answering our prayer. We wonder will he ever come through for us. In these critical moments in our entrepreneurial career, we need a strategy to win while waiting through the seeming absence of God. The Bible says in Roman 5:3 "Paul clings to the only One who can help him. He resolves to believe He will bring to fruition that which he awaits. Then he does something most of us don’t. In the middle of his waiting, Paul chooses to rejoice. Before it is his turn, prior to seeing any evidence that God will answer his petitions, Paul chooses to praise God…anyway". Paul clings to the only One who can help him. He resolves to believe He will bring to fruition that which he awaits. Then he does something most of us don’t. In the middle of his waiting, Paul chooses to rejoice. Before it is his turn, prior to seeing any evidence that God will answer his petitions, Paul chooses to praise God…anyway. Are you suffering waiting in your business? This is the time for an EMOTIONAL FLOOD. Turn on some worship music, flood your heart with praise. Look back at everything He’s done for you as an Entrepreneur, and rejoice and be glad…even while you wait. Maybe your circumstances in business appear to be upside down, but God is always right-side up! Worship and praise Him in the waiting. Wonder in Him while you’re wondering and wandering. Today, don’t ask for much, just praise Him. Get your heart and mind back into the place of faith and expectancy. Let God calm your business anxieties. The flood of emotions will drown out the negative feelings. Your praises will lift you out and up to the throne. Before it is your turn to succeed in business – before anything you have asked comes to fruition, praise and rejoice Him! That’s how you re-center and refocus your mind on the challenges of TODAY. When we can’t see through the waiting; when the big break doesn’t come in; and our competition pummels us with hate until we find ourselves in a desperate place—praise and rejoice anyway! No one or nothing compares to God. He is the last one standing with us in our businesses. He’s always there. So as we wait, we praise Him for that. If He makes our business wait, there is a divine purpose in it. I pray Godpreneurs don’t miss the opportunity to wait with purpose, to wait well! #GainConfidence #BusinessBibleStudy

I feel like I’m being set up. Not in a bad way, but in a great way! I’ve come to understand setbacks and waiting seasons as “training” that God will eventually have a plan for. I don’t know it yet, but the reason will be clear later. How do I know this? God’s done it before. I was a nightclub promoter for 10 years. In that role, my job was to convince people that I had the hottest ticket in town to the night of your life. Year-after-year I grew my reputation as the guy you called when you wanted to celebrate on South Beach in style. My branding and marketing agency was also nightlife focused. Hot clubs from around the world used us for logos, websites and graphic designs. Professionally, I learned a lot about hospitality, customer service, providing a wow experience, promotions, entertainment, and salesmanship. Then God called me out of that life in 2014, and I took my talents and left South Beach and the nightlife altogether. Where did God take me? To help churches, non-profits, small business owners and entrepreneurs with their branding and marketing. I feel like I was being set up the entire time. Although the nightlife was fun, it was also a deep, dark, lonely place. But now I know why I was there: because one day I would be a light to those in the dark, and my story would be one seen by others of redemption and restoration. I would also take all of the professional skills learned and apply them to my new life. God has a plan, purpose and will for our business lives. Before we were born, we were appointed to do something amazing in the marketplace. How awesome is our God that He had a plan from the start!. But it’s hard for us to see that when we’re in the thick of our circumstances. The setbacks, sad times, challenges and disappointment, along with all the fun times, blessings, growth and momentary successes are all part of a training God has uniquely designed for a great thing only He can do. Everything that’s happened and is happening in our businesses are working together for our good for the plans, purposes, and will of God through our businesses. As we journey on the entrepreneur rollercoaster in the dark with no lights warning of the oncoming drop and inevitable jarring turn, trusting God is absolutely paramount in our business lives, although we might not understand how all of the pieces of the puzzle will come together. The Bible says: "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." Hebrews 10:36 NIV When you trust God with your business, knowing that He loves you and will never leave nor forsake your business, you are empowered to faithfully believe that God’s training is for where He is taking you in the marketplace. The training God has us Godpreneurs going through is market-timed and on purpose! Like an Olympic athlete training for his day on the podium, your training through business is strengthening you for where God has ordained your ventures to go. No matter what, remember faith and obedience is God’s way to the top of your industry. When God let that other business fail, it was to show you the new product or service you had to release. When God denied you that big client you really wanted, it was to save room for the even bigger client he had lined up for you already. When God didn’t allow for your course to be released yet, it was because you still needed to be consecrated to some past limiting beliefs and mindsets. When God didn’t allow that past relationship to succeed, it was to bring you the spouse that would partner with you on your business to take it to the heights he had planned. Allow these real-life personal examples of timely training of my own to encourage you today. God is training you as an amazing Godpreneur to fulfill his plan, purpose, and will. God will be right on time, you just watch! #BecomeDisciplined #ShareYourTestimony #DifferentiatingMyself

I started a Marketing agency with my 2 friends in 2005. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying." 2 Corinthians

I’ve always told my clients that you don’t need marketing. As the owner of a branding and marketing agency, let me explain myself. When I tell my clients that they don’t NEED marketing, it’s because I’m trying to drive home the point that if you figure out what you were born to do, what your calling as an Entrepreneur is, what your purpose is in business, then God will magnetically attract business to you. You’ll be so “in the zone” that marketing or advertising wouldn’t even be necessary because people would talk about you so much that referrals and word of mouth would take over. But…you have to be willing to trust in your calling and drop everything else to focus on that ONE THING you were called to do. This is really a lesson on trust, and how much are we willing to trust in God and not our marketing or advertising campaigns. See, we entrepreneurs can start to rely to much on the things of this world as the provider of our happiness, success, or identity. We put so much trust in our employees, vendors and contractors as the thing that will make our business succeed. And when we start succeeding, guess what, we give credit to those things for our success. And if we fail, we ask God “why did you let me fail?” As entrepreneurs, we have trust issues. Our entrepreneurial self wants to take things in our own hands and control everything around us. But what happens when we’re in a waiting period and there’s nothing there except for God? Or what happens when we’re putting all of our eggs into this one Facebook advertising campaign as “the thing” that will really bring the business in. Or what if someone comes alongside and tells you that your business stinks and you should do something else, but you know you’ve been called to be where you are at. The good news is that God already saw this coming and made a way for us to fully trust in Him. We can’t afford to rely on the things of this world in our business. The Bible says: "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God". Psalms 20:7 NIV Here is the commander of the army telling us that he doesn’t rely on chariots and horses. Back then, the strength of your army was determined by the number of chariots and horses you have. Put it to you this way. It’s like the general of the army saying we don’t rely on tanks and airplanes, we rely on God. It’s not that we need to get rid of the chariots and horses, it’s that our mind needs to understand that those are vehicles God can use, but our entire existence is not dependent on those (very important) things. It’s not only important for you to understand why trust is important in your business, but why specifically is trust important to God. Trusting God in our business is an indicator of our heart’s condition, showing where our commitment and loyalty lies. Trusting God during a waiting period, during a major setback, or during a storm of bad public relations shows Him that we count on Him, not the world. It’s trusting that when you have a choice to make things work in your business by the world’s standards or by God’s, you choose God 10 out of 10 times. We Godpreneurs sometimes to struggle so much bm for this very reason: so that we learn to trust God more. When I faced my own struggles in business, upon reflection, I can’t help but think if it was all a lesson for me to trust God more in leading my business. Was the waiting period a time for me to remove me from me, so I could be filled with God and trust Him more? Thankfully you’re reading this and getting godly counsel to encourage you to trust in God and move forward with your calling! We must hold firm to what He has called us to in our businesses. Otherwise, we would be bending to the world instead of remaining steady to the course He has marked out before us in the marketplace. Our hearts need to reflect a commitment to God. That’s our testimony to employees, vendors and contractors. Lets all choose today to be Godpreneurs committed to the calling, purpose, and God-ordained direction on our business. Like my clients who hear my explanation of why they don’t need marketing if they trust in their calling, few will choose this path. But to those that do, God will pour down blessings on your business for those Godpreneurs who are faithful, loyal, and fully committed to Him. Godpreneur Rule: A Godpreneur’s heart reflects His commitment to God. Questions Are you facing a business battle that calls out your trust? Are you in a waiting period that has you holding on to God more now than ever? Perhaps a competitor or employee is coming against you as well? Is there is a situation at the office that confronts you to operate out of trust or fear? #BusinessBibleStudy #FindMyCalling #StrengthenIntegrity