In EVERYthing Give THANKS

This is a week of BUSY!

Most traveled day of the Year – Thanksgiving Day

Black Friday shopping, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday

Throw in Friendsgiving and it’s crazy how 1 day, set aside to stop and give THANKS has turned into a WEEK of ___________. (what is it for you? You fill in the blank: blessing, milestones, obligations, headaches, chaos, food, spending, football, family and friends…)

What will you focus on this year?

A new recipe to serve

A Pinterest worthy tablescape

The best deal on a new TV

Supporting your local store

Finding online bargains

Counting your blessings

Or generosity?

God is reminding me of Romans 12:2 once again -

“Don’t copy the behaviors and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think”

We invite you 1st in this season to PAUSE and PRAY. Be thankful, rejoice, celebrate, confess, interceded for others, and listen to the still small voice of God. Pray for God to guide your thinking, and not the world.

Today is BLACK FRIDAY but TUESDAY’s coming!

If you feel led to join us on #givingTuesday – see our Facebook page or website for details. And remember, in everything give THANKS!

We are THANKful for YOU.

Love, Jim and Martha

Get Ready For The NEW

Martha and I recently read a devotion entitled: Get ready for the New

Isaiah 43:19 says

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

Are you ready for a new chapter in your life?

Sometimes, in order to move forward into the blessing God has for you, you have to be willing to let go of the old. The things that are behind you are not nearly as important as what is out in front of you. It’s time to get ready for the new!

This week, we are preparing for our youngest child to get married (Sarah, age 26). What a joy to see her meet and now marry the man we have been praying for the past 26 years! We look to the past, celebrate the memories, and now look to the new for our family – with joy and anticipation.

Welcome to the family Caleb!

iWork4Him is ready for the NEW! We don’t know all that God has planned but we hold loosely to all we’ve done and are ready for the NEW.

What new are you looking for? Is God showing you a change in your life? A new job, a new opportunity, new friends or location, new territory or dreams to conquer. Join us in this prayer…..

Father, thank You for your faithfulness in my life. Today I choose to trust You with my past, present, and future. I am making the decision to move forward from this moment on. Give me wisdom to discern the seasons of my life and teach me to embrace the new things You have in store for me. Dear Lord, enlarge my vision. In Jesus’ Name – AMEN!

To learn more about the NEW for iWork4Him please visit: https://www.iwork4him.com/5050challenge

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!

A Simple Phone Call Can Change Your Life

Do you ever have the name of an old friend come to your mind and then quickly dismiss it, only to find out a few days later that something has happened in their life? I believe that these promptings are from Holy Spirit.

Over the years, I’ve stopped ignoring these promptings, and started to act. When a name comes to mind I try to take a moment to text or call and just ask if there’s something they need prayer for. The reply often includes something like:

“how did you know”

“yeah I’m really having an issue”

- or they might just start sharing what’s going on in their life. I’ve never been disappointed that I reached out, but have been sorry when I missed an opportunity only to find out later that there had been a crisis.

Over the years, iWork4Him has given away hundreds of items to our listeners. Usually a guest or author has something wonderful to give away. Sometimes it’s books, gift items, t-shirts, or tickets to an event. Have you ever been brave enough to call in to our listener line to win something? It’s amazing what that simple phone call can do. I’d like you to watch a short video from a caller that resisted the prompting to call, but finally picked up the phone and dialed, and well…….you’ll have to watch the video to find out the rest:

https://youtu.be/2fflwGCVjBs

Is God prompting you to do something today?

Seek His guidance and then ACT!

1 Samuel 15:22b Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,

Jim Brangenberg

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!

Step Into The Water!

In Joshua 3 The Israelites are preparing to cross the Jordan. Let’s take a close look at verse 13 -

“The priests will carry the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.”

Think about what that looked like, they didn’t see the water stop and then they step into the place where the river was, FIRST they had to allow their feet to touch the water, THEN the flow of water was cut off and the river stood still for them to cross!

Has God ever asked you to touch your feet to the water? It takes a lot of faith doesn’t it?

We (iWork4Him) stepped into the water 6 ½ years ago when we first started broadcasting our show one night a week.

We stepped into the water when we became a non-profit.

And right now, iWork4Him is stepping into the water! The minute we started mailing out letters and emails to invite people like you to partner financially with iWork4Him, we stepped into the water.

Are you ready to hold on tight? We are stepping into the water and watching God prepare the way for us to cross. What’s on the other side? More stations, more podcast platforms, more cities, more listeners……all ready to hear the message that their workplace is their mission field, and in that mission field – they may be the ONLY Jesus their co-workers and employees ever meet. Much like the water being collected up stream, it’s time for God to collect the resources necessary to propel the reach in 2020.

There are 50 million Christians are in the workforce in 50 States, and desperately need to know that their work is their calling. Are you ready to step into the water and partner with iWork4Him?

Click here to learn more!

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.

Memory Stones

In a recent sermon at our church titled : “What do you do when God feels far away?”, Our pastor said that sometimes God feels far away because we don’t remember what He has done in the past.

Joshua 4:1 - 7 tells us of the memory stones...God told the Israelites to build a memorial so future generations will see and be reminded of what God did for them.

We can practice this type of remembering in many ways: scroll through your memories on Facebook, read old journals, or sit around the table and reminisce. We also do things like purchase souvenirs from a trip, buy a t-shirt at a concert, or eat a corndog – because we remember a time as a kid when we had one.

What have you seen God do in your family, work, or neighborhood that you need to remember? Do you have a bulletin board of photos? Do you have a trophy case or scrapbook from high school? What about the trinkets that sit on your desk to remind you of your kids?

At iWork4Him we want to recall a few MEMORY STONES and celebrate what God has done!

Impactful Guests on 1450+ shows that demonstrate connecting their faith + work

Testimony after testimony of listeners that are learning to carry their faith into their work each day

Six and a half years of radio and podcast production

Show sponsors that faithfully support the broadcast

Open doors to travel and attend dozens of faith and work events

Hundreds of listeners join the iWork4Him Nation

Changed lives and workplace cultures

For more memory stones, scroll through our Facebook page and podcasts

Let’s not forget what God has done for us in the past, and then look forward to what’s ahead.

https://www.iwork4him.com/5050challenge

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.

Being Called For The Impossible

Let me get straight to the point.

I am not a visionary. I am a worker bee. I love lists and tasks and I love to complete a job. I don’t usually have innovative ideas or creative ones either. I am not mad about this, it is just who God created me to be. I am comfortable being a Number 2 in a company, being a Number 1 requires skills that I do not naturally have. How about you?

Do you find yourself in a position that you are not qualified to be in?

Six and a half years ago, the Lord led Martha and I into what we thought was a Radio Ministry called iWork4Him. God was really clear to me when this started. I was given two commands.

1. Think Big, Really Big. This is bigger than you can imagine.

2. Don’t reproduce the wheel. You are not to create something that someone else has already created.

So out of these two commands, we have walked with the Lord these last 6 ½ years. My BIG thinking went from thinking of iWork4Him being on 500 to 1000 stations to realizing that God wants us to be obedient in creating a 24/7/365 (366 next year) media network that will collate and collaborate within the Faith and Work movement. The Lord’s big thinking that He has laid on my Heart is an organization that brings all the voices of the faith and work movement into one place so that any Christ Follower in their work, can know EXACTLY where to go to be trained on how to live out their faith in their work. I tell you honestly that THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE. But…IT IS GOD POSSIBLE.

God created the heavens and the Earth from nothing – Impossible. Noah built an Ark – Impossible. Abraham fathered a nation – Impossible. Joshua conquered the territory for Israel – Impossible. Daniel hung out with hungry lions – Impossible. Jesus – God in the flesh – came to Earth to live and die and rise from the dead - Impossible. We serve a God of the Impossible.

Will iWork4Him become a Nationwide 24/7/365 network feeding the 50+ Million Christians in the workplace with the encouragement they need to live out their faith in their work in front of a lost and hopeless world? It’s impossible. But in God and with God all things are possible - Matt 19:26 -

if He is in the center of it. So, we walk faithfully one step at a time. Want to join us in the impossible?

https://www.iwork4him.com/5050challenge

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!

Let's Talk About Lunch

What does your lunch hour look like?

Do you brown bag it, eat at your desk, go out to eat, eat alone, eat in the lunchroom with other co-workers?

Have you ever considered intentionally using your lunch hour as a door to gospel conversations? Twenty-five years ago, a co-worker invited our friend Skip to lunch. Their conversation resulted in an introduction to Jesus. That same day when Skip got home from work, he told his young wife about the conversation – they both became dedicated followers of Jesus. Today, Skip has 130 employees in the company he owns and manages. Those employees, and the customers they serve feel the love of Jesus through Skip every day. He has dedicated his business to the Lord, and together the whole company is impacting their community for Christ. (listen to his whole story)

One simple meal and open conversation can change a life. So, who will you invite to lunch tomorrow?

1 Corinthians 10:31 English Standard Version (ESV)

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Our desire is for more Christians to understand that their workplace is their mission field. Will you join us in that mission? Become a monthly partner to spread the news in cities across the Nation and remember your co-workers are watching.

Martha Brangenberg

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.

Living With Integrity

Do you ever push back against rules?

Jim and I live in a Homeowners Association, and sometimes it’s tempting to just ignore a rule or bend it ever so slightly! But people are watching – right? It’s not so much about getting what you want, as it is about setting the example that could make all the difference. Living with integrity makes a BIG statement and causes curiosity.

We recently interviewed Steve, he works for a large company managing over 5,000 people. While traveling for work he noticed a co-worker that was very careful with his expense report and didn’t bend any rules. Steve asked him why he was so careful, and the answer led Steve to become a Jesus follower. Steve met Jesus at work because a co-worker refused to compromise, and now Steve lives out his faith every day at work, impacting thousands.

Our desire is for more Christians to understand that their workplace is their mission field. Will you join us in that mission? Become a monthly partner to spread the news in cities across the Nation and remember your co-workers are watching.

By Martha Brangenberg

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.

Road Trippin'

Jim and I take a LOT of road trips for iWork4Him. You can follow us on Facebook and watch for #iWork4Himroadtrip. Our very highly cultivated palates and need for well timed pit stops lead us to have a few “regular” destinations as we head out of Florida on I75.

One such stop is McDonalds at Exit 301 in Brooksville, FL. If you ever have the pleasure of stopping there, I can assure you it will become a destination for you as well. The timing of this stop is perfect from Ft Myers, through Tampa traffic, and then stop for breakfast. But the manager Patty is the real reason to make it a destination.

When you enter this establishment, expect to be welcomed! Instantly you can feel the happy atmosphere. Last week on our trip, the first thing I heard as we came in the door was, “Great job ladies!” That was Patty, praising her staff for whatever situation they had just overcome. A sweet young employee helped me with ordering breakfast on the “big touchpad thing”, and told me how Patty has helped her through some tough life stuff. She told me she was so grateful for Patty and she was more than a boss to her. Jim and I chatted with Patty for a few minutes, she updated us on her life and the ministry she does in her work, we prayed with her, and then hit the road!

Patty understands wholeheartedly that her workplace is her mission field and her staff are her ministry. What a great encouragement her life is to me and I hope to you, too.

It starts with love.

Patty knows Gods love and shares it with her staff (1 Cor. 13:4). They get to know her heart and she can show them where the love comes from. Now, that’s a management model worth mimicking.

Our desire is for more Christians to understand that their workplace is their mission field. Will you join us in that mission? Become a monthly partner to spread the news in cities across the Nation and start managing more like Patty.

By Martha Brangenberg

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.

Seek To Keep The Peace, Or BE Peace

“When we seek peace with people who don’t know peace……there is no fruit.”

For decades, people have been challenging the Biblical basis of America. If we just try to keep “peace” with them, the truth will not be known.

Did Elijah seek peace with the prophets of Baal? The status quo in Israel was going to lead to destruction, yet he challenged the false priests and put their “gods’ to the test, and Truth prevailed.

I recently read “Transforming Culture with Truth” by Len Munsil, and was reminded of Proverbs 29:2

When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.

If Jesus Followers rise to authority in such places as government, classrooms, media, sports, and every work place – the people will rejoice!

If we just keep the peace, the status quo, the days of our great nation are numbered. NUMBERED. Like Babylon the Great in Revelation chapter 18, we are likely to fall in one day because of our evil influence in the world. However, just like in Nineveh, if the people of this country hear the TRUTH, the real Jesus, they may repent, too.

YOUR workplace is a mission field of epic proportions. Be Peace and share the TRUTH that heals all. Let Him work through you today and let the people REJOICE.

Finding peace in your home can start by investing in your marriage. Join us Oct. 5th for our S’more than a feeling marriage retreat!!

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!