Truly Integrating Your Faith and Work

We all want to make a Kingdom impact; we all want to transform the world for Christ. And here’s the thing: God has placed you right where you are to do exactly that! iWork4Him: Change the Way You Think About Your Faith at Work is today’s guide for the everyday believer. Filled with real-life stories, practical tools and resources, and biblical encouragement designed to help you engage in your Kingdom calling NOW! 

In Chapter 20 of iWork4Him, Tracy Matthews, Executive Director of The Call to Work, discusses the gap that often forms between our Sunday morning services and our Monday morning alarms. She writes, 

For some, our jobs can be taxing, stressful, and/or unfulfilling. God has so much to offer us in our daily, hour-by-hour work situations—purpose, wisdom, peace, joy, and power—yet many of us don’t know how to integrate our faith into what we do every day. 

And Tracy points out, although the greatest share of our waking hours are typically spent at work, work is also one of the least talked about topics in the Church. This leaves an already unsure majority even MORE uncertain about how to bring Jesus out of the sanctuary, out of the home, and into their offices and work sites.  

iWork4Him was written with this very problem in mind! Jim and I set out to equip and encourage everyday believers to live integrated and authentic lives so that “whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31)! 

To gain practical tips and learn more on integrating your faith and work, I encourage you to download the first chapter of iWork4Him for FREE by simply clicking here.  Or, to pick up a full copy, go to iWork4him.com/bookstore.

- Martha

This blog was originally written for and posted on the Christian Leadership Alliance website. You can find the original over here!

About the Author, Martha Brangenberg

Born into an entrepreneurial family, Martha has been involved in small business her entire life. Gifted with an attention to detail and a sweet sensitive spirit, Martha is a servant leader with a deep faith in Jesus.

Here is the Bottom Line

We all want to make a Kingdom impact; we all want to transform the world for Christ. And here’s the thing: God has placed you right where you are to do exactly that! iWork4Him: Change the Way You Think About Your Faith at Work is today’s guide for the everyday believer. Filled with real-life stories, practical tools and resources, and biblical encouragement designed to help you engage in your Kingdom calling NOW! 

In Chapter 1 of iWork4Him, Ted Hains recounts visiting the Marine Reserves with his friend Doug during his senior year of high school. It was the height of the Korean War, patriotism was running high, and both boys were interested in joining up. However, while visiting the Rock Island Arsenal, Ted decided he wasn’t ready for the military and postponed signing up. A few months later, the local Marine Reserves were called up, and before Ted had graduated, Doug died in combat. Although he is now 87, Ted writes that he still thinks about Doug and wonders who he would have become and what would have happened if they’d talked about the gospel before he passed away. 

We placed Ted’s story at the beginning of iWork4Him because it embodies our bottom line:  none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Each conversation you have with someone could be the last one and the most important one. So, ask yourself - when you encounter coworkers, neighbors, and friends do they encounter you or Jesus? 

If you genuinely want to transform the world for Christ, remember that it happens one conversation at a time! Talk about the things of eternal value TODAY. As Ted wrote at the end of Chapter 1, “Let those you work with know that Jesus changed your life. Let them know God loves them, and then see what God does next.” 

To read Ted’s story for yourself, download the first chapter of iWork4Him for FREE - Just click here. Then, to hear more incredible stories like Ted’s and gain practical tips on sharing your faith at work, I encourage you to pick up a full copy of iWork4Him: Change the Way You Think About Your Faith at Work.

- Martha

This blog was originally written for and posted on the Christian Leadership Alliance website. You can find the original over here!

About the Author, Martha Brangenberg

Born into an entrepreneurial family, Martha has been involved in small business her entire life. Gifted with an attention to detail and a sweet sensitive spirit, Martha is a servant leader with a deep faith in Jesus.

Control Freak Much?

I don't know about you, but I am a control freak. It comes out when I drive, when I start a project, when I am in a meeting, when I am on a plane. Okay, it comes out everywhere. Oh Lord, help me!  Anyway, as a control freak, I have wrestled with God for control SOOO many times in my life. Stop laughing. You are probably a control freak too!

But how does being a control freak impact your work? How does it impact your faith?

Sue Wilson wrote a chapter in our recently released book entitled sheWorks4Him: Embrace your calling as a Christian Woman at Work. Her chapter was titled "Who's in control here?". In it, Sue talks about her struggle with God over control, trust, and submission in her personal life and her professional one. She describes the impact of fighting God for control of her life and her work and subsequently the process of Him bringing her back to himself. You'll have to read the chapter to get the whole picture, but I promise, it's worth it.

Do you have control issues? Where do they show their ugly faces in your life? Does it come out in your relationships or your attitude towards others? Or maybe it comes out in your work?

Wherever it shows itself, being a control freak is NOT a fruit of the Spirit. In fact, it's precisely the opposite! To truly live in the Spirit, we have to give up control. So, what does that look like as a follower of Jesus? Well, it can look like going places you don't want to go because God directed you there, doing things you don't want to do because God asked you to do them, hanging out with people you don't want to hang out with because God put them in your life for you to learn to love those that aren't easy to love and aren't like you.

I don't know exactly what giving up control looks like for you, but I do know that when we insist on being in control, God will not force himself on us. Instead, he wants us to step aside so that The Way, Truth, and Life can step in and lead the way. Examine your own life today. Are you holding onto your plans for the future, or are you living into God's calling, God's purpose, and God's will for your life? Let go of your control freak today and watch Him work in your life as He worked in Sue's life! To read the rest of Sue's story and other inspirational stories of faith, pick up a copy of sheWorks4Him. Oh, and guess what? The first chapter is FREE! CLICK HERE to download it today! 

Jim 

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

Godcidences and Walking by Faith in Your Business Life

Normal and routine. Two words we are so comfortable with, we cuddle up with them every day. As long as things are regular and predictable and our routine isn't disrupted, we are GOOD TO GO! But what happens when God interrupts our normal routine and sends us off in a direction we weren't expecting? Do we embrace it, or do we give in to stress, anxiety, fear, and worry?

In our new book, sheWorks4Him: Embrace your calling as a Christian Woman at Work, Shae Bynes wrote a chapter titled "Walking by Faith in my Business." In it, Shae recounts a time when God intercepted her daily routine with a Godcidence – a coincidence orchestrated by His mighty hand - in the form of another woman of faith. These two women ended up walking together on a journey neither had expected, a journey that flipped Shae's life right-side-up and led to her Biznistry, Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur.

If Shae had resisted God's move to disrupt her normal routine, thousands of Christian Business people wouldn't be Kingdom Driven Entrepreneurs today. So, what about you? Is your normal routine so comfortable that you don't have room in there for God to interrupt and send you in a new direction? Are you so set in your ways that you are resistant to any change? 

Following Jesus is about anything BUT normal and anything BUT routine. Being led by the Spirit of God in your life is an adventure - one that will take all kinds of unexpected twists and turns. Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." Note that the psalm doesn't say, "your word is a floodlight onto my future." God's will is going to take you in directions you never anticipated, so don't get too caught up in your 100-yard plans; pay attention to what God is illuminating in the one yard in front of you!

If you find yourself prioritizing a normal routine or if you are unsure how to know God's calling and will for you TODAY, ask the Holy Spirit for a fresh wind in your life. Ask Him for an adventure that requires walking by faith, not by sight, in your business, work, or family life. And remember, even when the future seems obscured or unsure, the promises of God never fail, and his word will show you where to step next. 

To hear the rest of Shae's story and other stories of women who walked by faith in their personal and professional lives, pick up a copy of sheWorks4Him. Oh, and did I mention the first chapter is available for FREE? Simply click here to download it!  

Jim 

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

Find Purpose in Retirement

Martha's dad, Ted Hains, was a professional photographer for 40+ years. Early in his career, he was discipled by someone from Christian Business Men's Connection to understand that his work mattered to God. And Ted took it to heart. As a result, his career was filled with incredible stories of God's faithful provision and work amid Ted's own work (if you'd like to hear some of them, pick up a copy of our book iWork4Him: Change the way you think about your faith at work.)  But when Martha and I started the iWork4Him radio show over 8 ½ years ago, Ted had a dilemma. He came up to us and said, "I get the whole iWork4Him thing; I did that. But now I don't iWork4Him, iRetire4Him." 

And with that, a brand, a book, and a podcast were born! 

Inside iRetire4Him: Unlocking God's purpose for your retirement, Ted tells ten stories of learning to not only have a good retirement but the best retirement. In these stories, he discusses the challenging reality of trying to understand God's will in this next season of life and how to apply his calling to this new paradigm of retirement. What did Ted learn?  You will have to read all the stories to get the complete picture, but THIS ONE THING is revealed:

God was not done with Ted when he retired. Ted's calling didn't retire when he did.

For all 23 years of his retirement, Ted has continued to serve God actively. Even as his health and energy changed, he didn't quit; he just modified the execution of his calling. Because the truth is that God's purpose for you doesn't come to an end when you retire.

Retirement is just a phase change in your life. It's not that you are done working; it's just that you are done getting paid for your work, and now you're a potentially fully funded ministry person! Retirement grants you the capability to minister flexibly and in places and times that you could never have while working a 9-5. Whether it's learning to love your neighbor or share the gospel on the golf course, you have the opportunity to make a difference for the Kingdom because God has a calling on your life, and it doesn't retire. In fact, I would bet that when you walk through those pearly gates, your earthly calling will be related to your work in Heaven.

If you want to learn more about activating your ministry in retirement, read the first chapter of iRetire4Him for FREE by CLICKING HERE. 

Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

Living a Fully Integrated Life

Kathy Book was a high-level manager in a nationwide grocery chain. Outside of work, she was a Christian, but while she was at work, she didn't act so "Christian." But everything changed one day when her boss pulled her aside to have a hard conversation.

In Chapter 21 of our new book, iWork4Him: Change the way you think about Faith and Work, Kathy writes, "my manager pulled me into her office and said 'I know you go to church, serve at youth group, and feed the homeless but why are you a different person when you are here at work?'"

Talk about a wake-up call! At the time, Kathy didn't know how to respond. But eventually, she quit her job to figure it out. During this transition period, Kathy really discovered what it means to be a Christ following woman in the Marketplace. A revelation that ended with her starting a ministry aptly called Women in the Marketplace.

Kathy's experience isn't an anomaly; my own story mirrors it in many ways (minus the "woman" portion, of course). What about you? Do the people you work with on Monday see the same person that your pastor sees on Sunday?

Kathy Book's contributor chapter in iWork4Him is all about living an integrated life. A life where faith impacts and influences everything. And, interestingly enough, Kathy not only started the ministry of Women in the Marketplace but also recently turned the ministry over to a new leader so that she could back into the Marketplace and put all she'd learned about living an integrated life into action back in the grocery chain world. Talk about a major turnaround!

So, do you need to quit your job to figure out how to live an integrated life? Lucky for you, the answer is NOPE. iWork4Him and thousands of other ministries and podcasts have dedicated themselves to equipping you to live out your faith vibrantly in the workplace! To find a voice that will inspire you all week long, check out the Awaken Podcast Network – the home of over 130 faith and work podcasts, or pick up a copy of the iWork4Him book (bonus, CLICK HERE to get the first chapter for FREE.)

Learn from Kathy and others like me because Jesus saved all of you, especially your workplace you. Why? Because God is love, and God's will is for everyone you encounter on a daily basis to meet Him through you.

 Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

Is Your Faith for Everyday or Just Special Occasions?

Remember hat racks? Those racks that allowed us to collect various types and styles of hats, hang them up, and then pull from our collection depending on our mood and outfits? Although hat racks may be a little less common in today's world, I think the metaphorical "hat rack of life" is still very much in use.

Why? Because life demands that we wear many different "hats,"… sometimes even more than one hat at a time! For me, it's the Director Hat, the Husband Hat, the Dad Hat, the Grandpa Hat, the Speaker Hat, and so many other hats. So, which one do I wear every day? Which one should I be wearing every day? Now that is a good question.

Martha wrote a chapter in our book entitled sheWorks4Him: Embrace your calling as a Christian Woman at Work. Her chapter was titled "What hat do I wear today?" She wrote about her literal hat collection as a teen (which I got to see when we started dating) and how the hat she wore depended on the day's activity. But no matter what hat she wore, people told her she looked good in a hat. I agree. But in the chapter, Martha also talks about one specific metaphorical hat: her Faith Hat. She dives into the question of when the right time to wear this particular hat is; is it a hat for Sundays? Or for every day? Does it get changed out or taken off for work, or socializing, or other activities? Can it be worn with other hats? You'll have to get the book to read the whole story and see where Martha lands with this. Oh, and bonus - there are 18 other Christian Working Women stories in there too!

But for now, let's get back to that Faith Hat. When you left for work today, did you put on your Faith Hat, or did you leave it home? Is your Faith Hat in a hatbox where it is neat and can't be crushed or wrinkled? Do you only bring it out on Sunday, or is your faith hat on all the time, wrinkled and worn but shaped by being used in all kinds of circumstances, especially work time?

For decades I went to work with my Faith Hat neatly tucked away on a shelf. Please don't make that mistake! Your Faith Hat should be the hat that is a part of every moment of life. Your friends/coworkers/bosses/clients/vendors desperately need to see you wearing your faith at work so that they can encounter Jesus through you. In addition, when you actively put on your faith each day, you are covering yourself in the truth of God's promises.

The Apostle Paul states it this way in Ephesians 6:13,17

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

So, put on that Faith Hat – aka the helmet of salvation - and wear it proudly! Oh, and be sure to download the first chapter of sheWorks4Him for FREE by clicking here.

• Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

The American Dream of Retirement is a Nightmare

I've written about this in the past, but it bears repeating: for followers of Jesus, our future, after we are done with a full-time paying job, isn't destined for 30 years of vacation. And frankly, 30 years of vacation isn't a dream. It's a nightmare. 

Martha and I live in Ft. Myers, Florida. We have lived in Florida – the bastion of retirement in the United States - for almost 20 years now. So many people dream of retiring in Florida, where the weather is always lovely (and it is compared to so many other places) and where the beaches are clean and the grass is always green. Where golf courses are plenteous, and the taxes are lower. Florida is undoubtedly one of the best places to retire… however, 30 years of vacation is not that amazing, no matter how pleasant the weather is.

We have lived in neighborhoods filled with predominantly retirees for almost two decades, and I'm here to report that the American Dream of Retirement is an illusion. Living a life with no purpose other than to play golf or tennis every day and eat out every night gets old fast. I can't tell you the number of times that a neighbor has told me how bored they are with retirement. It's why Martha and I wrote the book iRetire4Him. Because here's the thing, God's purpose for you doesn't end when your employment does. The work of Jesus isn't confined to 9-5, and your calling doesn't retire.

The book iWork4Him was written to address the question, "why do we work, and how do we bring our faith into our work?" So, a natural follow-up was the book iRetire4Him: Unlocking God's Purpose for Your Retirement, which was written to address the question, "what is God's will for me after I'm done working?"

iRetire4Him is for anyone who has faith in God and is retired or contemplating retirement in the future. Inside, we deal with the lies that the world sells us around retirement and present tons of suggestions on how to make your retirement a time of great purpose and impact… not just a long stretch on the sidelines.

So, I want to end this blog with a question: Why do you want to retire?

Is it because you hate your job or because your life lacks purpose, or because you are plain and simple, just tired? If so, find a way to get refreshed that doesn't require you to sit out of the most important things in life. God has a plan for you, and it lasts until the very last day you breathe. And I seriously doubt that plan involves you checking out for 30 years until He takes you home. It's time to seek His plan so that you can have the best retirement possible… not a 30-year nightmare!

• Jim

CLICK HERE TO GET THE 1st CHAPTER OF IRETIRE4HIM FOR FREE

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

Summer Vacation Atheist

SUMMER IS HERE! THREE CHEERS FOR SUMMER! 

Why is it that we love summer so much? Well, we get to go outside all the time. We get to see neighbors that we don't get to see very often. We get to go places and do things and take our kids with us - like summer vacation trips to Disney World and trips to the beach. Summer just seems like a time where everybody lets loose and enjoys life. It's those three months of freedom that we long for all year long. Time to shut off real life and go into vacation mode!

But let me ask you a question: When you go into vacation mode, is your spiritual life still switched on?

If I'm honest, in many of my past summers, I went on vacation and switched off my faith life. All I wanted to do was get out, enjoy, and forget about work and all the stressors of the day. I didn't think about going to church on vacation. I didn't think about sharing my faith on vacation. I certainly didn't think about the gospel on vacation. I was basically a summer vacation Atheist.

But here's the deal, just because it's summertime doesn't mean that God's inspired incidents don't still happen. Just because its summertime doesn't mean that intentional moments of living out our faith shouldn't still be happening. When we bring our kids along with us, it doesn't mean that there aren't still teaching moments. In fact, I'd argue that summer, with our relaxed psychological state, is the PERFECT time to teach our kids that God is still present in times of rest. That is super important!

When God created Adam, what was the next full day for him? Was it a day of work in the garden? No! Adam's first full day on earth was a day of rest. Rest is important, but rest was designed for us to reconnect with God.

So, this summer, as you head out on vacation, or out for a barbecue, or a picnic, keep your life of intentionality on. Watch and see who God places in your path. Look for times that God brings people in front of you who are hurting and hopeless and lost. Let your faith shine even in those vacation moments! And when you are relaxing at home or on a trip, ask God to come and saturate your heart and mind with His peace. If you struggle to balance your work and rest or if you want to make this summer one of unprecedented connection with Christ – I encourage you to pick up a copy of our new book iWork4Him and bring it with you on vacation or share it with a friend. Inside, I wrote about the vital subject of faith and rest – one that is arguably as important as the subject of faith and work.

Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

What Do You Have That God Can Use?

There isn't a single person in the United States of America who doesn't have a possession that goes unused for a year. Every one of us has extra STUFF. Martha and I made a rule when we got married 35 years ago that if anything went unused in our home over the period of a year, we would give it away. And guess what, there's only been a few times I've given away something I wish I hadn't. The reality is that we all have things that go unused, whether they are possessions, talents, giftings, or resources.

We interviewed a Californian the other day who had a similar idea. Her name is Tammy Vallejo and you can listen to the whole interview HERE. In her community, there was a homeless problem, but there was also a solution.

Tammy gathered together a group of church and community leaders to discuss how they could help solve the homelessness crisis in their area. What they discovered was that there was an awful lot of church-owned land in the community that was going unused. So, they determined to put it to use by creating this thing called Compassion Village. This group created tiny home villages with a central community square by using fallow land the churches already owned. The village is a place for those struggling with homelessness to get off the street, gain job skills, and learn how to live in community again. All this was done on land that was just sitting there vacant, doing nothing.

Now, most of you reading this probably don't have any vacant land that you could put to use for a tiny home village, but what do you have? Do you have an extra car that goes unused, or a spare bike, or some nice clothes, or an extra TV or computer, or even an old cell phone? So many of us have things that clutter our homes, apartments, condos, or townhouses. Instead of letting them collect dust, let's put them to use and bless our neighbors!

Or maybe for you, it's not stuff, but it's a talent. Maybe you have house repair skills, or cleaning skills, or singing skills – and they all go unused! How can you engage your talents for the benefit of those around you? If you can't think of anything, ask the Lord to tell you what you have that you can give away or put into action for the Kingdom. You might be surprised at what you find.

God loves it when we use our possessions and gifts for the Kingdom - it's called being a good steward! 1 Peter 4:10 says,

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."

God wants to use you, your stuff, your finances, and the unique giftings of His Holy Spirit to bless those around you. So, what are you waiting for?

Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!