It’s an exciting week here at iWork4Him! On April 15th of 2021, iWork4Him celebrates 8 years as a media ministry focused on the intersection of faith and work. We have interviewed over 3000 people on over 1800 shows resulting in thousands of hours of video/audio available to a nation of workplace believers hungry for encouragement and resources to help them live out their faith at work. But it might not have happened if Martha and I weren’t obedient to the call of God on our lives…Read on.

Growing up, I always wanted to be a businesswoman. I loved numbers and would daydream about walking into an accounting office in a tailored blue suit. But I was never sure if my passion for business was actually something God wanted me to do. Sure, I was gifted in it, but no one in the Church ever talked about business being a God-given calling; it was never endorsed from the pulpit as such. Then, when I was 13-years-old, I felt strongly like God’s purpose for me was to go into full-time Christian ministry. It’s not that my passion for business ever left, just that I couldn’t figure out how to connect those two callings on my life into one. I wanted to serve the Lord, and I wanted to be in business, but NO ONE could connect those dots for me.

So, what about you? Have you heard God’s voice calling you to full-time Christian ministry? Have you also felt a call towards the marketplace, government or education, health care or the arts?

Heads up: the subject of this blog might make you uncomfortable, BUT it will be worth it, I promise! In fact, I believe that the future of the Church depends on what we are talking about today: the fact that you have a God-given calling and that calling doesn’t retire.

Have you ever wondered if the “American Dream” version of Retirement (retirement = pleasure) is healthy? Is it what is best for the Body of Christ? I can’t help but think that if God intended us to work for 40 years and then rest and relax for 30 or 40 years, He would have said so in Scripture. Instead, what He said is that we need to learn to be content. He said that we need to weekly find peace, relax, and get refreshed in preparation for what is next… and there is a next if you are still alive. Heck, Moses didn’t start fulfilling his calling until he was 80 years old!

What this country needs, and what the Body of Christ needs, is a generation of Christ-following retirees who are itching to use the gifts God has given them to fulfill God’s purpose for them. Retirees are in the perfect position to shape and influence the lives of those coming up in the ranks of the next generations.

About six months ago, I noticed one of my pavers popping up higher than those around it. I thought it might be an anomaly, but it kept getting worse and eventually became a tripping hazard. I didn’t know exactly what was under the paver causing it to pop up, but I suspected it was an evil root plotting to destroy my cool sidewalk. Yesterday, I decided to find out.

This operation required the right tools to remove the pavers and cut out the evil root. Then I had to bring in fresh soil to replenish what the root had displaced and carefully put the paver back in place. After I did all of that, I again have a beautiful sidewalk.

This is so much like life as a Christian!

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit moves into our hearts.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:19, “do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you…?”

And as the new resident, the Holy Spirit has the ultimate goal of perfecting us – of getting rid of the tripping hazards in our hearts. However, to do so, he has to cut out all the evil that has rooted itself inside and which plots to destroy our lives.

If you are a listener to the iWork4Him Podcast, then you will understand when I say, “You are a workplace missionary.” Your ministry exists within your workplace – whatever that workplace looks like. As a workplace missionary, you represent the Creator God, Almighty King of the Universe, The Savior of the World, and the very Counselor of God. You are perfectly equipped to represent God in your workplace through fantastic work effort, a great work attitude, and a prayerful heart to bring Jesus with you to work every day.

There are a few things that I consistently do in life. I organize, share what other people are doing, enjoy a good deal, and pay attention to what God is up to in others' lives.

God has been churning these together recently, and like a good recipe, when you add the right ingredients together, you get tasty results. Read to the end to see the recipe that God's been creating.

God made each of us unique.

• Each has a unique set of gifts, talents, and abilities.

• Each has a unique relationship with God – experiencing Him differently than I do.

• Each has a unique passion in their heart.

• Each is brought to their knees by a different pain in the world.

These unique qualities drive us to solve different problems in our work, homes, and communities. What is it for you?

Who do you have in your life that walked alongside you on the Narrow Path? Have you thanked them? Have you gone back and reminded them of the significance they have in your life? It honors them and honors God for putting them in your life. Take time this week to thank those who have been used by God to shape you into who you are today. They have been used by God to get you to where you are today.

Ours beliefs about another generation were challenged recently after interviewing a hip millennial couple whose God-given work is to enable generational reconciliation in the workplace. But. What on earth is “generational reconciliation”?

What sorts of wisdom can be culled from the Junkyard? If you’re Roy Goble, it’s definitely more treasure than trash. We learned a special lesson when chatting with him the other day, and he helped shift our business mindset for the better.