In this podcast I introduce James Goll who gives us some great keys on what qualifies you to be a great leader and why Israel is such a big deal for followers of Jesus. James is giving away his120-page study guide that you can download Heaveninbusiness.com/JamesGoll  JAMES W. GOLL is the founder of God Encounters Ministries, formerly known as Encounters Network. He is an international bestselling author, a certified Life Language Coach, an adviser to leaders and ministries, and a recording artist. With great joy James has traveled around the world ministering in more than 50 nations sharing the love of Jesus, imparting the power of intercession, prophetic ministry, and life in the Spirit. His passion is to “win for the Lamb the rewards of His suffering.” In the spirit of revival and reformation, James desires to facilitate unity in body of Christ by relationally networking with leaders of various denominational streams. Praying for Israel is a burden of his heart, as Israel fulfills her role in the consummation of the ages. He has recorded numerous classes with corresponding curriculum kits and is the author of more than fifty books, including The Seer, The Prophet, The Discerner, The Lost Art of Intercession, Praying with God’s Heart, and Revival Breakthrough. James is also the founder of GOLL Ideation LLC, where creativity, consulting, and leadership training come together. James was married to Michal Ann for thirty-two years before her graduation to heaven in the fall of 2008. He has four adult married children and a growing number of grandchildren. James continues to make his home in Franklin, Tennessee.

Last week a friend text me "Andy, how do you personally know that God is real? Not theology, not philosophy, not trying to convince others. But how do you know for yourself?" My answer took all of one minute as I picked up the phone and recorded a short voice memo. The thoughts have been rattling around my head since then so I figured I'd let you in on some of them. This is my story. How do I know God is real? 1. I thought I did My parents became authentic followers of Jesus when I was a toddler. Their primary reason was to find some help parenting! (I'm sure that was for my older brother, not me...). Consequently I grew up in a family where scripture reading around the family table, and Sunday church and Friday night youth group, were part of the norm. Alcohol was very rare and although I remember being disciplined at home, I don't recall any harsh words between my parents growing up. When I was seven I invited my mother into my bedroom as I knelt at a low table and invited Jesus to be my personal Savior and Lord. During school holidays I attended Christian camps - CBMC in Raglan and Adventure Camps at Waikanae, New Zealand. I remember choosing to do optional bible studies by correspondence in between to win prizes for completion. When I was 13 I chose to get water baptized in my local church. By the time I was a junior in high school, I had a solid knowledge of scripture, surrounded by wonderful mentors and leaders who exemplified authentic Christian living. I had experienced a few cycling, road-related escapes from death and hearing the voice of God. Then I left home - the sheltered community of support and godly structure, and was accepted for a two-year cadetship on a 12,000 acre ranch (farm) to be trained as a shepherd (horse, dogs, sheep, cattle...). This was boarding with 19 other young men and the conversations were primarily around rugby, beer, boobs and butts... Alcohol consumption was a badge of achievement - how much you could drink before passing out. Sexual conquests were proudly broadcast, and fed by a constant stream of porn videos and magazines. And me having a devoted religious stance, being a virgin, and not gay was a shock. So they confronted, challenged, tested and pushed me to see if what I believed was real. 2. I asked for more I was challenged by some awkward and some genuine questions. Being outside my safe and protected zone, I had to find out for myself rather than relying on a childhood experience or that of my parents. So, along with my Michael W. Smith and Steve Grace casette tapes, my bible, the audio book of God's Generals by Roberts Liardon and my guitar I prayed "God if you are real, I want to know you more." That's when things got real. I would be riding my horse in the New Zealand hill country and 'get' songs that inspired and encouraged me. I would be sitting in my room playing guitar and feel an external warmth that washed over my neck and back. I would be reading scripture and certain verses would stand out and then happen before my eyes. One was "My enemies laid a trap for me... and have fallen into it themselves" (see Psalm 57:6).  3. I grew in favor with God and man   4. I have a heritage of fearing God - walking in His ways, learning His voice, seeing His power So what about you? What is the reason for the hope you have? And if you don't have hope, here's how to access it... It's really simple, as a mentor of mine said "God wants you so badly He made the conditions so simple... only believe." It goes something like this: Pray with me... "Father I come to you in Jesus Name. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross for all of my sin, shame and brokenness. I acknowledge I have sinned and fallen short of your best life for me. I ask you to be my Savior: to forgive me and cleanse me and make me new. I invite you to be my Lord: to live with me and lead me and show me Your way. I ask you to send your Holy Spirit to baptise me with your love and lead me in all truth. I commit to seeking your Kingdom first in all things. Thank you!" If you prayed this for the first time I encourage you to reach out to some authentic christian friends, find a local bible-believing church and start to grow in your journey of being a follower of Jesus. Don't hesitate to reach out to us with your questions or comments [email protected]. If you want to grow as a follower of Jesus in your work, join us online to grow in identity, assignment, culture and influence. See Heaveninbusiness.com/free-trial Until next time!  

Brandon M. Showalter is a journalist and podcaster with The Christian Post who has reported extensively on topics of theological interest in the Church; bioethics issues such as euthanasia, assisted suicide, artificial reproductive technology, and surrogacy; and the developments of the "gender identity" movement and transgender ideology. He was first inspired to pursue into a career in writing and journalism while mopping floors and scrubbing toilets as a church custodian in April 2015. He earned a bachelor's degree in international studies and Spanish from Bridgewater College of Virginia in 2007, a Master of Arts in human rights from The Catholic University of America in 2022, and is a fellow of the John Jay Institute for Faith, Society, & Law. He is also a graduate (class of 2015) of a three-year, non-degree program at Bethel School of Ministry in Redding, California. His favorite thing to do in life is to sing.

When was the last time you leaned in for some deep spiritual growth? Last month I asked a national faith and work leader I trust, what his suggestions were for me to grow. He told me a couple things then suggested I jump in on the momentum of more than one million Christians fasting and praying for 21 days May. What??!!! More than ONE MILLION PEOPLE already committed to fasting and prayer? I wanted to know more. Now, if you haven't been a praying person or you don't regularly pray for a country, don't stop here. Read on and it will all make sense. The key is, we want to grow in our intimacy and connection with God and we want to be part of what He is doing in the earth in our day. So I followed the link to Isaiah62fast.com and listened to Mike Bickle, the founder of International House of Prayer. He spoke about what the Lord said to him and the real, existential threats to the nation of Israel and how this had blown up to over a million intercessors committed to fast and pray one hour a day for 21 days in May. So, here's the story and an invitation for you to join us. 1. Join the weekly prayer (one hour, once a week) with Heaven in Business, OR 2. Find out more about the Isaiah62fast.com and go all-in for the daily prayer with one of the hubs, OR 3. Join us for a strategic retreat in Pennsylvania in May 17-19 Regardless of what you do, please engage in something extra with God this month and be found growing in faith, hope and love! Find out more HeaveninBusiness.com/global-prayer  

Do you want less stress, more flow and higher productivity that you can sustain? Then listen and watch! Dave Charlson has over 24 years business development experience. He was a mortgage banker for 16 years He has spent the past 10 years developing products for the pet industry and has created, branded and established sales for two products that have generated 16 million in revenue.( David's cat litter testimony is featured in Chapter 1 of "God With You at Work", by Andy Mason) He is currently CEO & President of North American Sales for Authentic Sales LLC, his pet product sales and marketing company. Dave is all about creating safe places for business people to be vulnerable and real about their struggles and brokering the truth of heaven in exchange for their limiting beliefs and fears.  He does this by attracting God's presence with his dedication to extreme joy filled vulnerability and boldly sharing radical testimonies. Dave also coaches a select group of executives across the United States. He has been heavily involved with Heaven with Business since January 2013 including speaking at conferences and executive retreats.  David is happily married to his wife Michele and has 4 adult children. David is one of the Heaven in Business advisory team and you can see more Heaveninbusiness.com/About.  

When it all boils down, why do you do what you do? Here's a story that highlights this and my personal story of sorting through why I REALLY do what I do and then how to break that down into something I can focus on - lead metrics compared to lag metrics.  "An American executive arrived on a beach on a beautiful island.  The executive strolled down the beach and noticed a fisherman rowing in to the shore. His boat was chock full of fish and the executive asked him what he was doing.  The fisherman replied, “I’ve been fishing because I love it. And now I’m going to have a BBQ on the beach with my friends. I’ll play guitar and sing and hang out on the beach and then in the evening I will dine with my wife under the stars.” “That’s crazy,” says the executive. “You’ve caught so many fish! I can invest in you and we’ll sell the fish and make a ton of money!” “Why would I want to do that?” Said the fisherman.  “Well, in a few months we could invest the profits and buy a bigger boat and make even more money,” said the executive.  “Why would I want to do that?” Said the fisherman.  “Well in a few years we could invest the profits and open a factory on the beach and process our own fish and make even more money,” said the executive.  “Why would I want to do that?” Said the fisherman.  “Well with all the profits from that you could eventually retire early. And then you could go fishing just because you love it. And then you could have a bbq on the beach with your friends. And you could play guitar and sing and hang out on the beach. And then in the evening dine with your wife under the stars...”   Why do you do what you do? How would you know? What would the people around you say about why you do what you do? Is that really worth it?   Listen to the podcast or watch on the Heaven in Business youtube channel, then join us at Heaveninbusiness.com/free-trial to grow in what is most important.

What is the fear of God and why is it so important? What happens to believers, or anyone for that matter, who don't have the fear of God? Listen in to this podcast as Andy interviews John Bevere on his new book, The Awe of God. You will hear some powerful stories behind the book and the greatest benefit to business people who embrace the spirit of the fear of the Lord. Listen through to the end to receive the prayer John Bevere will pray over you. Grab your copy of The Awe of God on John's website here - JohnBevere.com/AweofGod If you are wanting to further your walk with God at work, then check out the Heaven in Business resources, events and online learning community at Heaveninbusiness.com. You can watch this episode on youtube at the Heaven in Business channel here - https://youtu.be/h5plZmdJAOU

It all started on an early morning flight from Canada heading home to California. I had been a guest speaker at a conference alongside Steve and Wendy Backlund, who are people of great hope and faith. (IgnitingHope.com) Up early after long days and late nights of ministry, my plan was to try and catch up on some sleep while on the first of my flights. It wasn’t to be. I kept finding myself ‘interrupted’ by some of the most ridiculously faith-filled thoughts I’d ever had. Having never had such a stream of thoughts before I was determined to capture them and I kept opening my eyes to write another of the impossibility-defying ideas down. The phrase my thoughts all had in common was, ‘It’s entirely possible..’ As I somewhat reluctantly engaged with the flow of thoughts and ideas about how good God is and also how powerful, I realized that there is literally nothing that doesn’t go at the end of that phrase. He, as His word says, is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or even imagine. I can imagine pretty big so what He can do is always bigger than that. He is so loving toward me that it’s entirely possible that I will encounter that love today in a powerful, life-changing way. Why not? He is so full of power and authority that it’s entirely possible that my friend in the hospital gets healed and sent home today. Read this as a blog at - https://www.heaveninbusiness.com/blog/its-entirely-possible Watch as youtube post here - https://youtu.be/sjq5snl2eks In addition to being an outstanding mom of four powerful young adults, Janine Mason's super power is asking highly perceptive questions that quickly reveal the heart of the matter. For the last two decades Janine has been Andy's strategic business, personal and life advisor (and best friend)! Janine's background is in horticultural consulting and adult education. She is also an accomplished life coach working with individuals and small groups. Janine has authored multiple books including Dream Culture: Bringing Dreams to Life and Kingdom Tools for Teaching: Heavenly Strategies for Real Classrooms.  

This podcast is an interview with scientific researchers, Dr Joshua and Dr Candy Brown. Joshua was diagnosed with brain tumor and Candy had a dream in which God gave her the key to deliverance and healing of her husband. What happened over the next five months was a wild and crazy journey learning about healing and deliverance and then experiencing their own miracle.  This then led to the formation of Global Medical Research Institute which researches then publishes evidence of healing miracles, in scientific journals! Find out more at GlobalMRI.org. In this session, Dr Joshua and Dr Candy refer resources on healing and deliverance: - Book: Free in Christ by Pablo Battari  - Global Awakening Dr Randy Clark Healing - Christian Healing Ministries Judith MacNutt - Orbis Ministries Ken Fish Healing and Deliverance - Chavda Ministries - Bethel Church and Healing Rooms - HUB Ministries Chicago - Scientific Papers Documenting Healing Who are Dr's Joshua and Candy Brown? Joshua Brown (PhD, Boston University) is a Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Cognitive Science, and Neuroscience at Indiana University. He serves as director of the graduate Program in Neuroscience, director of the Cognitive Control lab at Indiana University, where he uses a combination of functional brain imaging and computational neuroscience methods to understand higher brain function in healthy individuals as well as clinical populations. His research has been featured on NPR, the Discovery channel, and numerous other media outlets. Dr. Brown has published over 80 peer-reviewed scientific publications and is an internationally recognized expert on the neural bases of higher cognitive function.  He also serves as director of the Global Medical Research Institute (GMRI, www.globalmri.org), a separate 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to medical and scientific investigations of claimed miraculous healings through prayer. Since his experience of a life threatening brain tumor in 2003 and subsequent healing, he has traveled the world with various healing ministries, and he works with GMRI to research and publish peer-reviewed reports of remarkable healing through prayer. Candy Gunther Brown (Ph.D. Harvard University) is Professor of Religious Studies at Indiana University. Dr. Brown writes, speaks, and teaches about Global Christianity, with a focus on prayer for healing and deliverance from evil spirits. She is currently writing a biography of the Catholic Charismatic Francis MacNutt (1925-2020) and a book on Demonology and Deliverance for which she is traveling to observe and compare practices in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, Ghana, and Brazil. Dr. Brown’s unique perspective is that of an academically trained researcher who also has personal experience with healing prayer. It all started in 2003 when her husband—a neuroscience professor—was diagnosed with a brain tumor, delivered from demons, and miraculously healed. Ever since then, the couple has been praying for others, observing dramatic recoveries, using scientific methods to document results, and publishing their findings. Candy Brown is author of The Word in the World: Evangelical Writing, Publishing, and Reading in America, 1789-1880 (University of North Carolina Press, 2004); Testing Prayer: Science and Healing (Harvard University Press, 2012); The Healing Gods: Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Christian America(Oxford University Press, 2013); and Debating Yoga and Mindfulness in Public Schools: Reforming Secular Education or Reestablishing Religion? (University of North Carolina Press, 2019). She is editor of Global Pentecostal and Charismatic Healing (Oxford University Press, 2011), and co-editor (with Mark Silk) of The Future of Evangelicalism in America (Columbia University Press, 2016). Media coverage includes The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Interfaith Voices, Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, National Catholic Register, Charisma, and Christianity Today.  

Have you ever been concerned you could miss out on revival or what God may be doing? Be encouraged as you listen or watch as Andy and Janine unpack what is happening, what you can do about it (wherever you are) and they are personally doing to lean into what God is doing around the world right now.   #asbury #revival #renewal #fomo #faithandwork #fearoffailure

This interview was recorded on the day Shae Bynes launched her updated and expanded edition of Grace Over Grind - how grace will take your business where grinding can't. In this conversation we go behind the story of the book, what Shae had to overcome in learning how to walk with God at work and the results. Shae Bynes is a passionate storyteller, teacher, and mentor whose life and business was completely transformed through the power of encountering the unrelenting love of God. Her heart is to see marketplace leaders and families that are courageous, connected, and aligned with Kingdom purpose.     Shae is the Founder and Chief Fire Igniter of Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur where she inspires, teaches, and mentors Christian entrepreneurs to be led by God in their businesses so they can experience His best and have a greater Kingdom impact in the marketplace.  Together with her husband and high school sweetheart Phil, Shae helps couples strengthen their marriages by cultivating true intimacy through the power and love of God. Shae is the proud mother of 3 beautiful daughters and lives in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area.

We don't live by best practice or a business plan alone, we live by the word of God that we are listening for day by day (see Matthew 4:4). Here's Andy AND Janine sharing HOW we hear, WHAT we are hearing and how we are applying that to all that we do. 1. How do we hear? We have a daily spiritual discipline of engaging with God in the Scriptures. This is one of the primary places and times God speaks (we are fully listening!). I then journal what I am hearing and often we discuss that as we walk the dogs around our neighborhood. This often results in more questions and interaction, such as Janine suggesting I was believing lies about "the crowd." That immediately resulted in a dialogue with the Holy Spirit, as we were walking, in which I repented of believing lies and got a new mandate which you can listen to on podcast episode #166.  We also regularly engage with our local church, listen to podcasts and intentionally go to conferences and events that expose us to what God may be speaking on a regional or national basis. Recently we got to experience our first conference at Life Center in Harrisburg and I was greatly impacted by the messages from Todd White and Bishop Joseph Garlington. This was a wonderful time of listening, receiving and connecting with like-minded believers that encourage and inspire us in faith, love and good deeds! In addition to the above, we are talking with business people around the world on a daily basis and each week have a live call with the Heaven in Business community where there are themes of what God is saying and doing, that become apparent. 2. What are we Hearing?  Get going! God is with us. It's time to move on from here and advance, grow, expand, influence, take risk BECAUSE God is with us. Exodus 33:1 and 14 - Get going and I will go with you It's no longer business as usual. Don't just continue with what you were doing before, even if that was working. Pause and listen to the Holy Spirit and ask for new insight or strategy or focus or favor! The time for favor is now. 2 Corinthians 6 and Ruth 2 - Ask for favor in the time of favor and the time of favor is now. You've got nothing to prove and nothing to lose. Stop comparing. YOU BE YOU and get going with what is inside YOU! 3. How are we Applying what we are Hearing? We are intentionally leaning in, learning, refining strategy and taking risk to expand. We started videoing our weekly podcast and you can subscribe to the youtube channel (See below). We were GIVEN brand new video camera and microphone and took this last weekend to paint the office, setting it up as a working studio. We are asking Holy Spirit regarding all our weekly activities (live Heaven in Business call for example) and our upcoming events to listen for specific strategies and insights. For the Birmingham workshop coming up, we leaned in for speicific strategy how to do our marketing - the result was a significant jump in registrations in one weekend.  We are testing our favor by reaching out to old and new contacts and exploring new possibilities. One of these is the Africa Adventure Missions trip in September. Another is a possible workshop in the UK and Germany in October. We are reviewing favor in connections we have had in the (recent) past and making sure those relationships are strong and valued.  We are catching ourselves where we are making excuses or fear-based statements and remembering 'we have nothing to prove and nothing to lose' and GOING FOR IT. So watch this space!  If you want to join us in the momentum, try out seven days for free on HeaveninBusiness.com/free-trial AND if you have any questions or comments, don't hesitate to email [email protected]      

How could a viking, addict and infidel be embraced as the friend of hostile Muslim leaders and eventually win the International Peace Award in 2022? Listen to the story as Andy interviews Leif Hetland. Make sure you watch to the end to receive a powerful spiritual blessing from Leif. Find out more about Leif at https://globalmissionawareness.com/ Find out more about the April event at https://www.heaveninbusiness.com/events You are invited to join us in-person at the 2023 Heaven in Business conference in Atlanta, GA, April 20-22nd. See link above to find out more.

A couple episodes back we talked about having and listening to wise counsel. This is the best strategy to keep you from doing or being stupid. If you keep wise counsel close you will make better decisions, stay focused, have more joy and finish strong. So... how do you FIND wise counsel? Story 1 - New to country finding wise counsel - good and bad experience Story 2 - New to location finding wise counsel - slow(?) experience When I refer to wise counsel I am looking for practical wisdom with eternity in mind. In other words, I'm not simply looking for the best principles of the world; I'm looking for godly wisdom. With this in mind I am looking for three things: 1. Excellent at what is good Do they have a reputation (which has nothing to do with platform or 'likes') for being really good at what they do? Have they invested in their own growth? Are they still growing? Would you buy goods or services from them? Are they good at their craft? 2. Innocent of evil Do they have godly character, proven over time? What is their relationship like with those closest to them (spouse, children, parents..). How do they treat the people around them and around you - the personal assistant, your spouse or children, the janitor, the server...? Do they leave you feeling more or less energized? Do they leave you feeling more or less built up? Do they make you feel stronger or weaker? 3. Evidence of a walk with God What is the current evidence of their authentic walk with God? What are they hearing Him say? Are they engaged with a community of believers?  4. Do they have wrinkles? Wrinkles are evidence of life experience: Don't ask an 18 year old for relationship advice. Generally speaking, the more mature people are, the more perspective they have on life because they have been around long enough to see fads and fashions come and go. They have observed life. As long as they are secure in themselves, and anchored in the fear of the Lord, they will have some great perspective for you. 5. Do they have body scars? Are the scars septic or clean? If they still ooze toxic offense and bitterness then stay far far away. And if they don't have any body scars, they are not a guide - they haven't overcome their own challenges and are not qualified to guide you in yours. Anyone that has built anything significant - a marriage, a family, a business... WILL have body scars. These are difficulties or challenges they have had to overcome in order to build. And in doing so they have gained wisdom and perseverance and patience and perspective. Listen to those people! So where can you find wise counsel? 1. Proven professionals - these are the ones you pay for. Their reputation and reviews, follow them. You find them by asking around your community... "Who do you know that is excellent at... can give me advice on...." And be prepared to pay for it.  2. Business network and development groups 3. City fathers and mothers (not the position or title... the function) 4. Seasoned AND joyful church members 5. Heaven in Business and other like-minded organizations Finally - ALWAYS Check - "You are going out as lambs amongst wolves. So be as innocent as a dove and innocent as a dove." DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. Don't assume. Check the references and reputation.  And if you would like to work with one of the Heaven in Business advisory team, contact them out by scrolling down on the https://www.heaveninbusiness.com/about page.

Last week I visited Asbury University in Kentucky where a student chapel service that started on Wednesday has continued, non-stop. I’m going to tell you my experience there, plus what else is happening and how you can engage. In addition to Asbury KY, Janine and I did a Heaven in business workshop in Washington, DC and joined our first Bethel Leaders Network regional call, hearing testimonies from the upper north east of America. On top of all that I was in Indianapolis participating in a healing and deliverance conference with Ken Fish. Here’s what is happening, what I am hearing and what you need to do as a result. You are invited to be part of this awakening and there are no exceptions. All you need do is say “YES” and put on the daily life that Jesus gave you access to (read Galatians 5). No excuses. See full show notes what to stop doing, start doing and keep doing at Heaveninbusiness.com/blog/no-more-excuses Access these resources to help: There are many resources to help you grow in your walk with God. Here’s two sources that I know and trust personally because I have personally used them. Orbis Ministries (Ken Fish) Weekly podcast (free) where Ken interviews people all around the world who are walking in the power of God. God is Not a Theory Online resources to identify and grow in spiritual gifts: hearing God, healing the sick, prophecy and deliverance Mike Connell Ministries (New Zealand) Even after being at Bethel Church in Redding, CA for over a decade and experiencing countless world-renowned ministers I still come back to Mike Connell as an outstandingly gifted teacher to ground you in scripture and impartation to operate in the Kingdom of God. Not only that but all Mike’s resources are FREE. Here’s a few that you can download, read and listen to… The Kingdom of God Healing the sick Deliverance Heaven in Business - practical tools to partner with God at work and engage in the wellbeing of your city And if you are in a profession or business and want to grow all of this in the context of your assignment in the workplace, join Heaven in business online (check it out for free) or in-person. We also work with a small number of highly committed people as part of a mastermind group or individual advisory. EMAIL ME if you want to know more. [email protected] No more excuses.

Last episode I made a confession to live up to who God says I am rather than making excuses or hiding or deferring to others. That's all false humility and is not helping anyone. On the other side, how do you keep yourself from getting too full of yourself and ending up in failure? I believe we are on the cusp of another great awakening that is happening all over the world, right now! So as we step and into more of what God does on and through us, beyond our own ability, how do we stay humble and finish strong? Step one - if you are in business or lead any organization, read this: I highly recommend you read the Jim Collins book, How The Mighty Fall, to see the evidential pathway to failure (THAT WE CAN AVOID!) At least read the summary HERE:  Hubris born of success - "We are awesome. Look at me." Overinflated view of self. Undisciplined pursuit of more - "We can succeed at anything, so we will..." Take on multiple tasks, objectives outside core strength and vision (or lack thereof). Denial of Risk and Peril - "We don't have a problem." Blaming others or ignoring the feedback. External momentum has pushed company to great height(s). Grasping for salvation - "This new product/leader/market/culture... will turn this around." Refusing to own the problem and return to core competency(ies). Capitulation to irrelevance or death - The end So what's the solution?  Some of my Christian friends would say "stay connected to Christ" or "stay in the Presence." Only problem is, I have read about Judas who couldn't have been more connected Christ, yet failed monumentally.  Then there's Lucifer who was the arch-angel of worship; literally surrounding the throne and directing praise and worship in Heaven. I cannot see how anyone could be closer to the Presence of God - the wonder and awe and amazement as angels and heavenly beings cry holy, holy, holy... Yet he still succumbed to the hubris born of success and failed eternally. Another solution is to pursue wisdom and understanding. The only problem there is that the wisest person in the world - Solomon, failed to heed his own instruction and failed miserably. Hmmmm.... So I need to have someone who will adjust me? Great idea! Yet Judas was an example of having the best discipleship on the planet, yet still chose to profit himself first, and ended terminally... Solomon looked so successful on the outside and was the wisest person in the world, and the entire nation was prospering ridiculously under his leadership.... He would have been very difficult to confront/adjust in the momentum of his success. And confronting Lucifer... or the most seemingly successful worship leader in history, would have been interesting. How many gifted or anointed leaders (in ministry or in business or in government...) have been easy to confront in the midst of their success? So should I stay small and avoid success?  NO!!!! Unacceptable. That is partnering with fear and robbing the world and your friends of who you are. Go back and listen to last episode to deal with that thought. So what is the solution? How do I ensure I step up fully in who I am called to be and knock it out of the park (ie. do awesome) and not allow awesome to sabotage my finish? The story of David is a great lesson to help us. He was incredibly anointed and gifted. He had epic success after years of wilderness discipleship. Then, at the heights of his success, when nothing he did looked like it could fail, David failed more than most people in a lifetime. He lusted after the wife of one of his most loyal and skilled mighty men. While his mighty man was fighting the King's battle, David took his wife, got her pregnant and then tried to manipulate the circumstances to cover it up. When the fiercely loyal soldier refused to be manipulated, David had him murdered. If that's not all, he failed to confront the poor character of his sons and his military leaders, resulting in murder, rape, treason and a divided kingdom. Ouch. Yet history records David as a friend of God and that Jesus is the son of David? Acts reports that he fulfilled the purpose of God in his generation. Hmmm.... I'd give him a 'B' at best. So what can we learn from David? David didn't just have people around him to speak up. He listened. He was confront-able.  He adjusted. Not at first. Sometimes he needed a metaphoric story to get the message, or a lot of pain before he could understand his error. But he responded. And God credited that to him. And he finished... mostly strong. HIs story is right there in all its unedited mess to teach us something. WILL. YOU. LISTEN? David had Samuel and Nathan. They were prophets and Nathan was considered to have studied under Samuel and become King David's court appointed prophet - advisor to the King on personal and national issues. But I think the best kept secret is will you listen to your spouse? At the end of David's life, he is about to choose stupid again by avoiding to confront one of his son's who is usurping the Kings succession plan. Then Nathan AND BATHSHEBA confront David.... and David listened.  So do we have a solution to stay strong and avoid failure?  Yes we do. Is it foolproof? No, regardless of how many powerful voices you are listening to and how close you are to the Presence of God you still have within you the power to choose stupid. The only guaranteed pathway is to stay tenderhearted in the process. How do you do that? Ask me in ten years time. Here's what I know: 1. Stay close to God... and constantly growing. When was the last time you were convicted of living less than what He has called you to? How are you responding? When was the last time you were humbled by HIs greatness, goodness or power? Stay in awe of Him. Daily word and prayer (no excuses) Fasting...???! Worship, and especially engaging in corporate worship experiences Journal what you are hearing Him say  Reflect on what you have heard and what you are doing differently 2. Choose to have wise counselor(s) in your 'court' Give them power to speak, anytime... and to your stakeholders Be intentionally vulnerable and consistently regular in connecting with them Listen in next week as we talk about how to find and walk with wise counselors and/or a band of brothers (or sisters)  3. Listen to your spouse (or your closest leader/parent-figure) Ask for feedback, listen and ponder it before responding Beware your expertise or success doesn't make you deaf and render them dumb... or you will suffer the consequences Ask yourself: Who can give me feedback? Who can disagree with me and change the way I see things? How easy is it for those around me to speak up? When was the last time someone confronted me? Would they do it again? AM.I.LISTENING? Congratulations on reading to the end of this blog! Please add your comments and share this with others who would find it valuable. And, as always, don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments to [email protected]        

What happens when God tells a 16 year old to give away his favorite clothes... or his car when he is 18... or his house deposit????!!!! Listen in as Aaron Christopherson of Pinnacle Wealth shares his story and unpacks radical generosity.

Over the last few weeks I've been praying and planning and now I can say I'm super excited about what is unfolding this year. Actually it's a little overwhelming and has been challenging making decisions what to say yes to and what to say no to! So here's HOW I'm using a credo or decision-making tree to help me make decisions in alignment with my values and assignment. It's easy making decisions when it's been good and not good. It's hard making decisions when it's between two (or three or four... ) GOOD things. The process I'm working through will help you also. If you want the notes and free worksheet on this, go to Heaveninbusiness.com/decision-guide 

How do you partner with God for strategy concerning the coming year? How do you know what to start doing, stop doing and keep doing? Is God even concerned about the little things like your budget and your marketing plan and your target customer? Here's a behind-the-scenes look into what I do, why I do it and how I am partnering with Heaven in my business. 1. Set aside time I prioritized a day. In truth this is not enough. But it was a good start and has given me the foundations and ingredients to refine over the break (allow it to 'percolate' internally) before taking another take early in the new year to consolidate then execute. There are no major changes - simply confirming and refining focus. 2. Find a place that helps you be still, reflect, remember and refocus A prayer house is excellent for this. Perhaps your local church or a church in your city where you could go and sit before the Lord. Perhaps it's a place out in nature that works for you to be still and quiet any distractions. I went to the prayer house at Life Center Harrisburg.  It's a two hour drive from home and I intentionally left my laptop at home. Getting away was totally worth the effort!  3. Remember the Lord This not a transactional meeting but a relationship you are continuing to build. So take time to be together. Worship. Express gratitude.  I took a couple hours in the morning to do this first. I've felt more recently with so many opportunities and things opening up I really need to focus on connection and keep myself from running (back) into solely accomplishment/transaction mode. 4. Remember the results Reflect back over the last year and write down your metrics and results (key performance indicators - KPI's). Record the highlights - the testimonies that happened through the year that you want to see repeated. Consider personal and spiritual growth, financial growth, customer base, product or service development, systems and procedures, relational and emotional growth, marriage and family... How much did you give this year? What were the surprising areas of growth? What did you learn?  I wrote down our growth and demographics with social media and email correspondence. I listed the places we did workshops and conference and retreats. I listed all the mastermind groups and advisory relationships that I am working with. I then sat back and remembered and wrote down the testimonies from across those places plus what has happened in my life and family and our move. In doing this it is impossible not to overflow with gratitude and awe! 5. What do you see and hear for the coming year? Where is there favor or opportunities? What does looking back over the last year tell you about what could be coming next? We have significant favor with retreat and workshop opportunities and how the conference is literally falling into place for Atlanta in April. There are a couple of locations that also have unusual amounts of connections/favor that I have identified and will lean into making a priority. One is NYC with Markus and Claudia Kirwald, and another is Lancaster and/or Harrisburg, PA with some other key connections. We will be spending a day a month in NYC and looking to do a workshop or retreat in PA in May.  As I pondered this before the Lord I have three key scriptures that are guiding us for the foreseeable future, which give clear objectives: A) Isaiah 55:5 - Summon / call the crowd through a nurture sequence that invites them into a growth opportunity where they can access tools and resources to grow in identity and partnership with God at work. This encompasses our social strategy through to annual conference and membership community. The community piece is something we continue to lean into to find ways to make this more effective in facilitating purposeful connection. We have a promise that the Lord will give us the strategy to do this so waiting on more clarity before we implement. Of note, the website host we use has purchased a leading community platform and this will become available internally in January... timing is perfect! B) Titus 1:5 - Give clarity and confidence and connection to those we are working more closely with. Turn friends into partners through advising, mentoring, training, confronting, modeling and encouraging.  This encompasses our workshops, retreats, mastermind groups and individual advisory. C) 2 Timothy 2:22 - Identify those who have evidence of (Romans 16:19) excellence in their business, proven character, vibrant connection to Christ and ability to train others also. This is our strategy to multiply at the pace of relationship where we promote others as advisors, group facilitators and city-community leaders. I also asked Michelle, who works with Heaven in Business, what testimonies were highlights from this year and her perspective of growth. I also asked what she was seeing open up (where is our favor) and what she is hearing the Lord say. Next... run this all past Janine and more specifically map out the dates and locations we will be doing workshops and retreats and other activities for the year. FINALLY, one area we have been secretly experimenting with is intentionally and strategically giving to leaders and organizations to ignite and accelerate hope and fruitful growth of Kingdom initiatives, otherwise limited due to resources. This has included Exodus Cry - Benji Nolot, Redding City Mission, iReachAfrica - Tracy Evans, Alliance Defending Freedom, a Ukraine kingdom business group and more. We have also sponsored key individuals to attend events where they would have otherwise been excluded due to finance. OPPORTUNITY - if you want to join with us in multiplying impact by resourcing individuals and organizations limited by economics contact me or give to our registered charitable organization called The Hope Directive. You can give via paypal on Paypal.me/HopeDirective If you have questions or comments, don't hesitate to contact me [email protected]  

Last week Janine and I were in New Zealand. Our primary purpose was to revisit family for the first time in six years! We also got to do an executive retreat that was outstanding. One of the sessions, Janine and I unpacked the messy journey of together hearing God about moving to the east coast and how we navigated what God said compared to the delays and challenges we experienced along the way. Here's some of the questions we unpack: 1. How did you hear God? 2. How did you translate what God said into practical decisions and timeframe? 3. How and who did you interact with in the process? Who are the stakeholders? 4. What if/when leaders and mentors disagree? 5. What do you do when what you expect doesn't happen in your timeframe? 6. What about when what you 'heard' doesn't work at all? If you have any questions or comments don't hesitate to contact us [email protected]. If you would like to grow with God in your work then join us weekly online - Heaveninbusiness.com/free-trial

Kia Kaha, Kia Ngakaunui! That's the motto for the high school I used to attend. It's Maori for "Be Brave, Have Courage!" In other words, "Be strong and courageous!" Only be strong and courageous! Be careful to follow all My commands - do not turn to the right or to the left. Meditate on My Words night and day and in so doing you will make your way prosperous and will have great success. Only be strong and very courageous! Joshua 1 (*** Read on to access a 90% off coupon to help train you in the one skillset that made the greatest difference to me ***) This week I am in New Zealand visiting family and doing a two day executive retreat. I have gotten to spend time reconnecting with family and also drive past places we used to live and work. I got to drive from Taupo to Hawkes Bay, passing farms that I used to visit as a business consultant. I got to drive past the sports grounds where I played rugby. I got to walk the streets where I used to live. I got to see the trails I used to run and the office I used to operate from as a relationship manager with an agricultural bank. I got to remember what my life was like and the challenges that I faced and the thinking that I operated in. This morning I am in Havelock North staying with my wife's parents. I am now sitting on the couch and reading my bible and journaling what I am grateful for and marveling at how the Lord has led us and guided us and provided and challenged us to grow at every step.  I read in Psalm 61 I read in Joshua 1:2-9 paraphrased "...the time has come for you to lead... ...wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you... ...I will be with you as I was with Moses, I will not fail you or abandon you. ...Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this book of instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. The price for you to be all God has made you to be has already been paid. There are no exceptions or excuses. And it takes courage to believe that, step into it, keep walking and refuse to be defined by your situation, circumstances, genealogy, job (or lack thereof) and especially what people may have said about you. 1. Listen  2. Follow 3. Repeat So here's the greatest key for me in making 'my' way prosperous. It is listening to the voice of God. Follow the voice of God. Don't turn to the left or the right. Stay on course. And as I have done that I now look back amazed at what we have gotten to do, where we have been able to serve and the legacy that is now all over the world.  So I want you to do the same! We turned our journey into a mini course that will equip you to hear the voice of God for decisions you need to make daily. Use code: THANKFUL1 on HeyGodWhatNow.com to get $90 off until the end of December, 20222. You pay less that 10% normal price. Just $7 USD. Why? The greatest secret of my success is listening and following the voice of God. This is a very practical course on how to hear God on a daily basis, how to know it is His voice and how to apply what you are hearing to daily situations. We also cover what to do when what you hear doesn't happen like you think and how to do this with others. It's not easy. It takes courage. So  Kia Kaha! Kia Ngakaunui! Be brave and have courage! Only, be strong and very courageous!!!

How do you recognize and avoid burnout? How do you manage stressful workload? How do you recognize the signs in those around you and do something about it? This episode is brought to you by Nicola Murphy of Gnowbe.com.

This unusual encounter in my hotel room in Hawaii was the real defining moment of Heaven in Business. It is now burned into who I am and what we live for. It has also made it really obvious what we are NOT. When you know that it is God With You that defines you, you are no longer defined by anything else: Not your accomplishments or lack thereof, Not what people say or don't say, Not your history or trauma or sickness, Not your vision or purpose, Not your miracles or giving or net worth, Not your family or legacy or where you came from, And DEFINITELY NOT your church or political affiliation, or club membership! The Presence of God WITH US is what defines us. So what defines you as a follower of Jesus in the workplace? How would you know? If you’ve never been certain that God wants to break into your world and rock your business…if you’ve built your business with one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake because you didn’t possess total conviction that business success is a holy pursuit… you need this book (Perry Marshall, writing about the book God With You at Work). If this leaves you wanting more, check out HeaveninBusiness.com and join us in person or online to grow in your partnership with God at work.

This is an update of episodes 166 and 167. I had been happily growing Heaven in Business as a viable business model and seeing some really great fruit - people accelerating in their partnership with God at work. This was evidenced by increased measure of peace regardless of circumstance, increased awareness of the wisdom of God directing different strategies and resulting miracles in dead businesses coming back to life, cashflow turnaround and divine favor for expansion. Then God spoke - "Call the crowd" I immediately jumped into action, ran ahead, got overwhelmed... then was lovingly realigned by God. Next I learned I didn't have to go looking for the 'crowd' but the crowd was already at my front door! Our website analytics showed over 10,000 visitors to the home page in the last 30 days.  So here's what Ive been doing since, how I am hearing God through His Word and through a dream and how it is unfolding. The rest you can assess for yourself! Just know this... our version of 'success' and timing are not always the same as His. I am learning!!! May this encourage you. And if you want to understand more of what is a Kingdom Business and how do you know if you are succeeding with that frame of reference, check out a free assessment and one page summary HERE - HeaveninBusiness.com/KingdomBusiness What am I Learning? 1. Patience leads to beautiful things... learn to wait! 2. Obedience IS success 3. Excellence is worth the time 4. God is still speaking and I am still learning to hear Resources Mentioned Superfans: The Easy Way to Stand Out, Grow Your Tribe, and Build a Successful Business by Pat Flynn plus the associated online course Irresistible Offer Plan Course and Free Pipeline Plan from Rebecca Austin

This episode is the founders story of Heaven in Business. Andy Mason is interviewed by Ken Fish and Grant Pemberton of God is Not a Theory. They ask insightful questions to unpack the raw and real journey of partnering with God and launching a business that is now serving businesses and leaders all over the world. Here's some of the questions: How & why did you go from New Zealand to USA? What is Heaven in Business How did Heaven in Business launch?  What were the barriers and challenges you needed to overcome? What was it like working with senior leaders at Bethel Church, Redding? How did you need up in New Hope, Pennsylvania? What is happening next? Make sure you check out Ken Fish on OrbisMinistries.org and their podcast God Is Not a Theory

Here's what happened when I became aware of some self-limiting or self-sabotaging beliefs about my business. Not only did the lies get flipped on their head; but I now have a very clear strategy going forward. For you.... what are the lies that you have believed about you and business that have limited your growth? What is the truth? Now what will you do about it? For me? I am doing a course with Rebecca Austin of Strive4Savvy.com that is refocusing me on who is my customer and what their pain is and the solution that we deliver. I am also working with a facebook Meta consultant (that happened to reach out at the perfect time... ) and listening to podcasts from Think Media on how to best grow our YouTube Channel. If you have any specific questions about what we are doing and why we are doing that and even HOW we are doing it, please don't hesitate to send them to [email protected].

Here's a behind-the-scenes look into how I am learning - feeding myself - at the moment. What books am I reading? What podcast do I listen to? Also HOW do I do this when I am busy with family and business and other demands of life? How do you make time to learn? Why I Prioritize Learning Firstly I believe that if I want to continue to grow in excellent business and leadership, I must continually feed and challenge myself. It's no longer "I don't have time for this..." it is "I can't afford NOT to do this!" It has become a priority. But there are some life hacks to do this without stopping other things in my life. I call it double-time and here's some of the ways I do it: How I Create (or steal) Time to Learn It's amazing how taking a few minutes here and there through your day (and night) adds up over time to be SIGNIFICANT. Listen while at the gym or doing exercise (30-45min most days) Listen while driving to do chores or pickup kids (15min to supermarket, 60min school pickup) Listen If I wake up in the night (set the timer to 30mins and 'stop playing' afterward so you can fall back to sleep and the book doesn't continue playing) Listen as I go to sleep or if I wake up early and my wife is still asleep (I have airpods and my phone beside the bed so I can quietly reach over and grab it without waking her up) Read a few minutes before going to sleep (actually proven to help you sleep better!) Programs I Use to Learn on the go Audible membership (One book per month = $14.95 per month) - they have a promo right now where you can get four months for $4.95 per month. YouVersion - bible app, multiple translations, audio in some translations. I now donate to them on a monthly basis like I would a business. Apple Podcasts YouTube for worship and 'how to' videos Physical books to read before bed and for reference if an audiobook has greatly impacted me What I am Listening to Right Now Audiobooks: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom Hero on a Mission by Donald Miller Shifting Atmospheres by Dawna de Silva Wild at Heart by John Eldredge The Passion Translation bible Podcasts:  Think Media God is Not a Theory with Ken Fish Ford Taylor Talks  Books The book of Ephesians in the Bible (Physical or YouVersion on my phone) Atmospheres 101 workbook by Dawna de Silva The 3D Gospel: Ministry in Guilt, Shame & Fear Culture YouTube Bethel Worship Elevation Worship Upper Room Worship Revere Worship Think Media Videos So, what are you listening to right now and what are you learning?

This episode is an interview that I did with Ellis Hammond of Kingdom Real Estate Investors Group (Check out their podcast here). Some of the questions we covered included - Why is dreaming with God so important and how do you do that with your work? - How do you build a connection with the Holy Spirit to get wisdom in your daily work? - How do you lead a local group of business people to grow community and their engagement with God at work? - How do you know the Holy Spirit is speaking and not just your own thoughts? (See Hey God What Now? for more) - What resources do you suggest for business people wanting to grow their partnership with God at work? If you valued this episode and want to find out more about Heaven in Business, go to HeaveninBusiness.com where you can join us weekly online or in-person at an upcoming event.

Ever wondered how an ancient text (the book of Genesis was first written around 3400 years ago) can give you wisdom and keys to the way of life on a daily basis? Better yet, the words are living and active and as you read them, they are READING YOU! So how do you engage with the scriptures on a daily basis to grow in wisdom and the best way to live life?  Here's some practical tips that I am doing right now. 1. My baseline, go-to reading, is the book of Proverbs This is the book of wisdom so reading a chapter each day keeps you from sabotaging your life success... IF you do what it says. To ignore the counsel of wisdom is to invite trouble into your life (Prov 9:12 TPT). The simple way is to read the chapter that coincides with the day of the month. Today is August 9 so I'm reading Proverbs chapter 9. As I read I am asking Holy Spirit, what wisdom He has for me today. Verse 6 pops out: "Lay aside your simple thoughts and leave your paths behind. Agree with my ways, live in my truth, and you will find righteousness." I then highlight it and re-read it across different versions. I love the YouVersion bible app for this as it is so quick and easy. Actually, I've just started giving to them on a monthly basis because it's such a great resource and I use it virtually every day. Reading across different versions helps with context - so that you don't read into the scripture something it was never intended to say. Different versions also help broaden your understanding of the passage as they use different words that can trigger slightly different perspective and understanding. I find that when I pause from my activity and lean into 'hearing' more that God speaks more. That's a principle - Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him (Luke 8:18). So what am I hearing Wisdom speak to me today from Proverbs 8:6 I mentioned above? The simple framework S.O.A.P helps me (developed by Pastor Wayne Cordeiro) What Scripture is highlighted? What is your Observation about what it says? What is the Application to you, today? Now take a moment and Pray about it. My observation is that this is invitation to let go thinking and the patterns of behavior that lead to undermining confidence, sowing doubt and sabotaging or delaying success in the Way of life (righteousness).  My application for today is a re-emphasis and re-engagement in what I talking to you about! I MUST come daily and prioritize time to read and listen to the ways of Wisdom. I need to refix my thinking and behaviour on what Wisdom says about me and not what circumstance or opposition says. SO I AM EXTENDING MY TIME DAILY to do just this. It is how I start my day. This is significant because the last two months have been all over the map with transition and changing environments. Now that we are in our own home I need to re-establish daily patters, disciplines and rituals that set me up for success. This is the first one! Now I pray: Lord, I let go the distractions and mess all around me and recenter my life and focus on You and Your ways of Wisdom. Let Your Word read and align me. Search me and know me. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. Test me and see if there is any offensive way in me. And lead me in the way everlasting. Thank you for speaking to me this morning! 2. My current (re)focus is the scripture that define my life purpose  As we get setup again in a new home, in a new location, with a new schedule (and timezone) I felt prompted to go back to the scripture mandate that defines my purpose and calling. Titus 1:5 is a life verse that first opened up to me around 2005 after a 21 day fast. It is the Apostle Paul speaking to his disciple, Titus, saying "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should SET IN ORDER THE THINGS THAT ARE LACKING, AND APPOINT ELDERS IN EVERY CITY..." This is what eventually became the tagline of my coaching/consulting business as I was running one day pondering how to say what I do: "I give individuals and organizations clarity for what's next and the courage to do it." So how am I uniquely reading the bible right now? A) I am going back over key scriptures that define who I am and what the Lord has commanded me to do Note, this is what THE LORD says about me; not a missionary, not a pastor, not a leader. According to the command of the Lord (see Titus 1:3 TPT) What are they key passage(s) of scripture that define you? If you don't have one, ask the Lord to reveal to you a scripture or passage. Don't wait, do it right now. B) I am going deeper and broader in the scripture I jumped into the passion translation and copied the entire book of Titus, then pasted it into a word document. I then deleted all the titles and verse numbers so that it reads like it would have originally... as a letter... to me! I then saved it as a pdf file and uploaded this into a document reader (I use ReMarkable) that I can then write over, highlight and add notes. You could simply do this by printing out a hard copy and writing over it. I have uploaded a copy of my document HERE (click to open/download). If this doesn't work, email me and I will send you a copy. C) I am highlighting actions, commands and behaviors to implement As I repeatedly read through this letter (to me!) I look for phrases or words that are repeated. I also read the entire passage in other translations for the same reasons I mentioned earlier in this post. I then underline, highlight or annotate things that stand out. For me that is the purpose for which the letter was written and the mandate given to Titus - what he was being commanded to do. I then look for HOW he is to do that.  All of this I note and then summarize in my journal/notebook. I am committed to reading this daily over at least a week, pondering it through and allowing it to percolate in my spirit (called meditation).  After a week or so, I will take time to summarize and then use that to refine and refresh the vision, purpose, mission, objectives, strategies and actions for my business... Heaven in Business!  PS. If you read through Titus you will find the very purpose for which I wrote this today for you! So, what will you be reading today and tomorrow? Send your questions and comments to [email protected] and join us in-person or online HeaveninBusiness.com        

We have a house! That's the great news. The journey has been... a challenging journey!!! I'm six weeks behind my schedule and what I thought was a simple loan application got intricately complicated. It was delayed by the underwriters continued questions to such an extent that we weren't sure we would close on time. In fact, the final approval happened at 6:30pm the night before closing! Then we discovered the moving company was.... (hmmmm, how do I say this nicely?)... uncommunicative. In spite of giving almost a months notice of the date we move in, they wouldn't answer my call, didn't follow through on what they said and blanketed it by saying "the contract gives us 30 days after the first available move in date." So what does faith look like in this situation? Do I bang down doors or pray and wait for God to move and my phone to ring? Do I call a lawyer regarding the moving company to add some heat?  Here's what I did and what I'm learning. First, the perplexing lesson is that God is delighted in the process. When I pause and ponder Him or simply ask, "Are we doing ok?", all I see/hear is Him smiling at me and my family. That either means He is sadistically loving watching us walk through emotional, physical and financial challenge... OR He knows this is working for good and loves how we are responding to Him and one another in the process. I am convinced of the latter. He is only good, His face and favor are toward me, not against me. He is with me. He is working, and has worked, this all for my good because I am walking in His ways, leaning in for His voice and adjusting along the way to represent Him the best I know how. So if He is with me, leading and guiding, why is this so challenging? Why am I having to seemingly fight for every step when He already paid the price? Here's a couple scriptures that give light 1. God is not afraid of your humanity. He joined you IN it Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”  Exodus 3:6 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. Hebrews 11:21 ACTION - celebrate, be grateful, be thankful, worship in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES and IMPERFECTIONS (yes, yours!) 2. EVERY word from God will face challenge to PROVE it true and genuine Every word of God is tried and purified; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him. Proverbs 30:5 (AMPC) ...that the genuineness of your faith, [being] much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love.  1 Peter 1:7 ACTION - Be encouraged in midst of challenge, persevere, you will get through this and come out the other end stronger, more confident and more pleasing to God 3. Learn when to wait and when to act Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about a half mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don’t come any closer. Joshua 3:4 (NLT) 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. Joshua 3:13 (NLT) and 4:18  Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. Isaiah 26:8 (NIV) ACTION - keep your heart tender toward the Lord, trust His guidance, keep walking and let your action be done from and in a way that would still represent Him. eg. Polite persistence If this is helpful for you, please post your comments or email [email protected] If you would like to join a community growing together through the messy intersection of in faith, family and business, meet us at Heaveninbusiness.com/free-trial  

Welcome to the boat as I head out fishing from Seward Alaska and interview Philip Licht of Set Free Alaska. We talk about Luke 1:37 and how to walk BOTH stewarding excellence AND believing God for the miraculous. 

After a six-month process and some last minute twists and turns, we just found a new home in Pennsylvania. We had to navigate our expectation of timing, property size and property location. We also had to navigate all that we heard from God translated into what that looks like in a transaction. What is faith in this situation? When do we just wait? How long do you wait? Here's the ups and downs of the story and what we learned in the process. Firstly - here's what happened this week... We pulled out of a deal at the last second After months of looking and resetting the family (see episode 148 You Reek of Stress and 149 The Insiders Perspective) we were left with one property that met the needs of the family and fit our budget. The alternatives - air bnb or renting for 9-12 months, were either too expensive or non existent (or a flat out 'no way' from the family). The property fit the expectations of rural location and peaceful setting and perfect for our older daughter's desire for independent living. We could make the bedrooms work for us with a minor renovation. But my wife hated it. When nothing else was available (rental property was U G L Y or unavailable), we prayed about it, and all agreed to move forward with it adjusting our expectation. As an alternative to renting it was a good deal. So we put in an offer and prayed that the Lord would lead us in the process or rescue us if needed!  The sellers came back with a very minor counter offer. But overnight, Janine hadn't been able to sleep. She got up, praying saying "Seriously Lord, is this the best you have for us?" The response that immediately came to her was "If that's what you have faith for." So, based on her conviction and after humbling ourselves with the agent and our family, we withdrew our offer. As we said to the kids, it's better to walk away at the altar than realize two weeks later that you made a mistake (ie. too late). We re-examined our expectations We then reset with the family of what was non negotiable and what it was we love. This looked like writing up a large sheet of card, taped to the wall, a list of the things in a property that were a priority. The second sheet had what we would love but were not critical for the season. We cast our cares on the Lord and recruited His Agency We then prayed and cast our cares on the Lord and asked for his care in the way of Jesus being our Real Estate Agent and finding us the house. We had done this all through the process but this was another level casting on Him our frustration, anger, irrigation, impatience, fear, dreams and desires, hopes and needs... We relooked at the market We then had a quick look with the new parameters online and found three houses, NONE of which we had looked at before. Actually two of these were brand new to the market - 2 days and a few hours, respectively. We then jumped in the van and drove the hour and half to inspect the property's. The first one was ok. We could live there. The second one looked really good but we couldn't line up the agent to look through and there was a degree of road noise. The third one was in a beautiful neighborhood (note: we had not been looking in neighborhoods - we had been looking for houses with more than an acre of land). When we walked inside, INSTANTLY the kids lit up and took off around the house to look around. (As an aside, our own agent was away on vacation so a random agent from the listing company was letting us in for no personal gain. She just wanted to help after I called their office. She then put in a positive word for our family when we subsequently put an offer in.) The feeling that we all had was the same as when we purchased our previous homes in Redding, CA. Unanimous "Yes!" We put in an offer Actually we put in two offers. First offer was slightly above asking price, following professional advice given that it was only 2 days on the market.  Then we heard there was another offer going in so we needed to put our BEST offer forward and they would be presented side by side. No pressure! Is this our house or not?  I had to trust God again that He truly does lead. We talked as a family what would be a price we would be happy to pay and at what point would we resent paying too much. We then took 30 seconds to be still and ask the Lord for His insight on price. Without hesitation EVERY ONE of my family had the same price and it was $2,500 LESS than what we had talked about moments before.  So we put in the offer, agreeing to the desired short settlement that suited us. And our offer was accepted We are now in process of finding furniture, doing inspections, getting the loan and moving to another (TWO) air bnb until move-in date (July 28/29). So what did we learn? Following the process, walking WITH God = continuing to listen and take action and trust the outcome. The Good Shepherd kept us from messing up. The process of delay was painful but was necessary to adjust our expectations to see differently. If we hadn't gone through the process we would never have reset what was non negotiable. AND the house wasn't yet on the market. The importance of listening to your spouse! What would have happened if I didn't listen to Janine's hesitation? Or, if I hadn't been gracious in the process? The Good Shepherd has indeed led us to good pasture and the house we have found is above and beyond what we could ask or imagine. Not only does it meet all the non negotiable needs for us to thrive, it also ticked off 90% of the list of what we also love. The Good Shepherd's timing is perfect. Don't try to understand, that MAY come later. TRUST His nature and character and leadership and keep walking with a listening ear and a ready step. Oh... and the address of our new house? NEW Hope, Pennsylvania.    

This week we are down to 7 days left in an air bnb and still "on vacation" and still looking for a house to call home. We also have a good friend, Graham Coyle, join us as he is visiting from England. What's interesting is that Graham was ALSO with us when we had to evacuate our home in Redding CA as the Carr fire erupted (it burned 200,000+ acres and 1,000 homes in 2018). He was with us as we initially went to my office to work out what to do and then still with us as we found a short term rental property in a safe(r) part of the city. In this episode I have a conversation with Graham about what he observed and learned and the perspective he has for us in our current situation. I also give you the practical process we did as a family yesterday in order to get everyone on the same page with the decisions we need to make over the next week (when the current accommodation runs out). The intended outcome is to encourage you where you are at in uncertainty and transition, to give you a practical process to help make decisions and also to inspire you to find a "Graham" that could give you perspective and, of course, ice cream, on the journey. "The lovers of God who chase after righteousness will find all their dreams come true; an abundant life drenched with favor and a fountain that overflows with satisfaction." Proverbs 21:21 TPT

My 19 year old just walked into where I was looking at my phone (again) for houses for sale. She sat down and said "Dad, you reek of stress." Wow. Solid feedback that was not fun. I thought I was hiding it better than that. If she can 'smell' the stress then obviously it's more than I think. Reek - "to smell strongly and unpleasantly; stink." I guess I need some more stress-work. So what will I do? Here's the context: We are now in the Pocono mountains in an Air BnB that is confirmed until June 30... that's two weeks from today. It's supposed to be relaxing. BUT we haven't found a home yet and when we asked the family last week to ask Jesus if we are to find another short term place the unanimous answer was 'No.' We have three dogs, a truck-load of household items still in transit that is supposed to land somewhere, and a word from God. We also have one daughter working remotely, one supposed to start work in-person 1 July and two kids needing all their details sorted for new college and high school. Overlay that with my business commitments and planning for the next six months... I already spent at least 30 minutes going over (again) what God had said and that was encouraging... sort of. It feels more like God says "Jump and I will catch you," except you are now free falling and it doesn't look like He has even moved into position. I have two major temptations: 1. Make it happen - find a house that 'will do' or secure a 3-6 mth rental. Problem is that is going against what we all heard God say. That's called disobedience and I have five other people in this household that won't go with that option. 2. Make it go away - live in denial and avoidance and hide from the pain of the in-between. That's just not going to work when we have a calendar deadline. AND I have five other people in the household that won't go with that option either. So what do I do? A) Learn about trust. Let go my understanding (control). Trust means to cast my cares onto someone or something AND it is not foolish, reckless confidence (Proverbs 14:16 NLT). So it is a partnership, a relationship, an interaction and involves doing my part in the process. What's my part? Ask Holy Spirit and follow your conviction, not your fear. B) Cry... out for help Pray Psalm 20 (and the rest of the Psalms!). Listen for your voice in the voice of the Psalms. When it aligns, camp there and listen for what the Lord is saying to you. Write it down. Do it. C) Worship What else can we do? 2 Chronicles 20:12 "we don't know what to do but our eyes are on you." This is probably number one in priority. 

Next week a moving truck is arriving to pack up our 'stuff' and then we begin the drive from California to Pennsylvania. There are a lot of goodbyes and see-you-later's happening (and a few leaky eyes). In the midst of this time I have taken some moments to reflect on what I have learned from my time here. I was privileged to work directly with Danny Silk, then Kris Vallotton and through both of them connect and receive personal feedback from Bill Johnson. So what did I learn that you will never read in a book? Here's some inside stories... Danny silk - Trust people more than they trust themselves - Relationship is more important than being right - The level of trust is the level of connection and means EVERYTHING when you are trying to lead people they don't want to go: tissue paper vs. leather 'connection' - Two new words for my vocabulary: "What do you need to feel from me in order to thrive?" - Keep walking and stay close: when you have someone in disagreement or conflict - Why do you trust me? Because you recognized the culture and protected it... Best book : Culture of Honor - How to sustain a supernatural environment   Kris Vallotton - Confrontation and courage to go after what God has spoken. - Humility and confrontation: "You are a father in the house, you carry the culture better than anyone I know, including me and I'm sorry for any pain I caused you." - Then WE made a mistake story - The value of disagreement pushing back on ideas, challenging to get a bigger perspective  - Texting every few weeks when our daughter was going through crazy physical asking how she was doing and praying for us Best book: Supernatural Ways of Royalty - Discovering your rights and privileges of being a son or daughter of God Bill Johnson - Unwavering resolve to pursue Jesus and His kingdom on earth above all else. That friendship with God is entirely possible and accessible for all and is simple - surrender and trust and keeping your eyes on the Father - Family above everything : Earl Johnson leaving his own annual conference to go watch Bob play basketball...  - Courage under fire: Enduring Faith -  the message week recorded the before and the week after Bill's father died of cancer. Also, watching Bill now navigate his own wife battling cancer and yet Bill is on fire for the Kingdom of God and miracles.  - Love for word of God and voice of God above all else - honors people who disagree including writing them a check... Early on at Bethel turning to Beni saying 'this is it...'  - Passion for the Kingdom - I've had this as a philosophy for years but haven't known how to do it - you are doing it. Best book: Strengthen Yourself in the Lord - How to release the hidden power of God in your life We came here with a career and left with a story We came here with cracks in our foundation and left knowing if God is for me then no other opinion matters We came here with 12 suitcases and leave with a moving truck We came here with four children under the age of 8 and leave with four young adults who are more confident and secure in themselves and God than I was We came here out of obedience, we leave here out of vision and love We came here as a fat caterpillar and leave as a butterfly, having broken out of the cocoon I'm sad. I'm excited. I'm grateful. Thank you Danny and Sheri, Kris and Kathy, Bill and Beni: my life in Christ and His Kingdom is stronger and more secure AND more fruitful because of you. The things that I heard from you among many witnesses, I have committed these to faithful men and women who are now teaching others also!

Here's an update to our journey expanding from California to Pennsylvania. Here's what we are learning in how to walk the in-between - when you can't stay where you are but there is no clear path forward and all you can see is the step in front of you.  We are now three weeks away from when we have to be out of our house that has sold. We don't have a house to move to... yet. Every time we look to 'just find something,' we hear God say "don't settle" and "time is on your side." So we are stuck in the middle. Or are we? What if there is something for us in the middle? What if we have to let go before God can put in place what's next?  So what are the practical things we are doing and learning for the in-between 1. Anchor in what God said and did => Remember the testimony  => Fight with the words spoken to you: Did God really say? YES HE DID! => Re-write what He said daily if necessary => Ask for confirmation and clarity 2. Take a step => ACT on what He has said: ADVANCE into the 'middle', let go CONTROL, TRUST His Timing and that He makes your way perfect => Little step is OK.... actually it is wise => Keep big picture reference points: wise counsel, long term view 3. Manage the 'shakes' => Do something physical, daily => Keep your focus on others - who could you encourage? => Stay present, protect the priorities => Listen daily - live by the WORD => Stay connected, prioritize and protect the relationships => LISTEN TO SONG HERE - https://youtu.be/QXTvm72lSvo If you haven't done so already, stay connected with Heaven in Business by following the testimonies we post on Facebook.com/Heaveninbusiness, meeting in person at an upcoming event (HeaveninBusiness.com), or joining the community and weekly live call.  

Welcome to Texas!!! This session you will hear some practical keys and inspiring stories of how to partner with God at work. Brandon Haire is 100% Texan (listen and you will understand) and the Operating Partner for Princeton Equity Group. Prior to this role he was VP of Franchise Development for Neighborly.  This episode is from the recent Heaven in Business conference and is part of the ongoing content library of Heaven in Business membership. Join to get connected, trained and activated to partner with God at work and engage in the wellbeing of the city you serve. To access your free 7 day trial click HERE or go to HeaveninBusiness.com/free-trial

What do you do when you have a plan that isn't going according to plan??!! Right now we are in Pennsylvania for the second time this month looking for a home for when we move in June. The deadline is fast approaching. We have yet to sell our California home. We have yet to find a suitable home here. We hear God say 'don't settle' (don't lower our expectations) and 'trust me.' So how do you practically trust God in the midst of shortening timeframes? How do you navigate expectations? How do you avoid getting irritable, anxious, uptight and discouraged? Here's my routine that is (mostly) working!  First I like to anchor myself in the DAILY word of God. If I'm not sure where to start, I always defer to the Proverb that matches the date. I read until I find myself in the words. Or something I read resonates within me, even if my head doesn't understand. Here's the process for now: Today I read in Proverbs 18:10 (TPT) "The character of God is a tower of strength (homonym – bed of flowers), for the lovers of God delight to run into His heart and be exalted on high." This combines with what I read the day before in Psalm 17:4-6 (TPT): "Following your word has kept me from wrong. Your ways have molded my footsteps, keeping me from going down the paths of the violent. MY STEPS FOLLOW IN THE TRACKS OF YOUR CHARIOT WHEELS, ALWAYS STAYING IN THEIR PATH, NEVER STRAYING FROM YOUR WAY. You will answer me God; I know you always will. Hear my words like you always do as you listen to my every prayer." I write down the scripture in my journal then reflect on my situation and what the scripture means: We are fighting for peace and direction in transition and uncertainty. God’s word and ways are my anchor, strength, hiding place, protection and safety – unmoving, impenetrable, bulletproof, fixed and firm… a shield of defense… resolute – tense and high adrenalin but strong and stable. AND at the same time (or other side of the coin), I can step back from the front line decision making and rest in His character and nature and ways that are a bed of flowers. Like grandmothers garden… beautiful, comfort, rest, breath-in refreshing oasis of peace… where the only decision I have to make is whether Grandma buys me one or two pieces of battered fish for lunch 😊 So what will I do = Action. Today I do BOTH. Meditating on his character and ways that are the tracks that I walk in – protection and comfort; following His way to His victory. AS I WALK I anchor my heart in His character and He will keep me from wrong decisions or wrong timing. I trust He will answer me. So we go to look at houses… not knowing any of these are the right one or whether our offer would be accepted or whether our house would sell in time. Nevertheless I keep following in the tracks of His chariot wheels. I follow the Good Shepherd. Stay tuned! If this is an encouragement to you please post a review on Apple Podcasts and share the feedback.

What does the Kingdom of God, California High School wrestling championships, and your business have in common? Listen and learn... This is an edited version of the foundational session at the recent Heaven in Business conference. If you want more of this and practically unpack how to activate this in your own place of work, join us for a free course. Find out more KingdominBusiness.org. Other resources I refer to in this session are the following books: The Cosmic Initiative by Jack Taylor The Unshakeable Kingdom and the Unchanging Person by E. Stanley Jones Rediscovering the Kingdom by Myles Munroe

This conversation between Patrice Tsague and Andy Mason was recorded leading up to the Kingdom Business conference in Redding, CA Feb 23-25, 2022. There is still room for you to join us and we will be recording the sessions that will be released into the Heaven in Business online community over the next few months. What is Kingdom business? Can you operate kingdom principles without connection to the king? What is the Great Awakening Project? Listen to find out.. Join us in Redding to experience it. Heaveninbusiness.com/kingdom-business  

After more than ten years being based in Redding, CA, Heaven in Business is expanding to the East Coast of USA. This will involve my family moving to Pennsylvania in June, 2022, adding proximity to New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC.... and direct flights to most of the United States! In this podcast I unpack this (surprise) direction for us, how we heard from God, how we translated this to practical action and are navigating the stakeholders in the process.  This is a strategic move in line with much prayer and prophetic input that has become clear over the last 12 months. Heaven in Business remains in strong relationship with Bethel Church leadership as we continue to advance the vision that Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotton have stewarded for over three decades. Part of the Heaven in Business team (Michelle Raftery) will remain in Redding and we have ongoing events planned in Redding, both in 2022 and beyond.  Overall, Heaven in Business will continue to connect, train and activate people to partner with God at work and engage in the wellbeing of cities. The existing conferences, retreats and membership community will continue while we also seek to further refine how to disciple people who are discipling cities. We are also enjoying a growing collaboration between multiple faith and work movements including Business Empowered, At Work on Purpose, Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur, Nehemiah Project, Transformational Leadership, Marketplace Chaplains and more.... preparing for the great awakening that we see ALREADY happening in the marketplace. We will share more over the coming months. The key thing for you to know is that in the near future there will be a Heaven in Business event or partner closer to YOU! If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact us. We have highlighted some expected questions below. Peace to your house, Andy Mason, Michelle Raftery and the Heaven in Business team  FAQ: What events are already planned for 2022 and where will these be located? - See Heaveninbusiness.com/open-events - There are also events yet to be posted for Birmingham (Mar 18th), Colorado (Apr 8-9), Pennsylvania (Sep 15-17) and more... Who will be leading the Redding Heaven in Business community and city initiatives? - There have been a number of initiatives led by different people and we will be highlighting those over the coming months, starting with a local gathering Thursday January 20th 7-8:30pm at The Salthouse, 1823 Pine St, Redding How can we participate in this transition as Andy & Janine move east? - We will share more in the coming months. Our prayer is to be able to take a month following the move, to rest and to hear God more specifically about His strategy going forward. If you want to financially support this process you can donate to Heaven in business or simply let us know and we can direct you accordingly. Can we invite the team to do an event in our city? - Absolutely. 2022 is already mostly full and we will be looking into strategic locations for 2023.  Will the Heaven in Business membership be changing? - We plan on adding more guided courses and partnership resources eg. Andy's Hey God What Now course and Ford Taylor's Transformational Leadership.  What does a city partnership look like and how can I start one? - Great question! We will address this separately.  

Here's what I'm hearing God say for 2022, how I hear Him say it, and what that practically means for my year. I was actually sick between Christmas and New Years which was certainly not fun. Some serious man-flu that we thought was COVID until the test came back negative. My biggest problem was just when I was 'almost' back to health I jumped into a big day doing some outside-the-house jobs that wiped me out and sent me back to bed for a further 24-48hrs. Listen to your wife, Andy!!! So what did I hear God say for 2022? 1. Forget about what was and focus on what is about to be  Forget what happened last year, and the year before, and the year before that. Don’t go over and over it in your head to understand or play through different scenario's of 'What if..." or "I should have..." Instead, focus on what’s ahead, because it is going to require all your attention. You have grace for today, mercy for yesterday and hope for tomorrow.  So let it go.  Think Frozen, and Lion King. It's in the past... you can run from it or you can learn from it. 2. 

Last week we heard a series of independent testimonies that were ALL about how God delivered people from messes, mistakes, errors and even outright crazy actions! The theme was so obvious we leaned into it and summarized them here for you and what God is saying as a result: HE HAS YOU COVERED! GOD HAS YOUR BACK. Where did we hear these testimonies? Every week with Heaven in Business we have a strategic and tactical prayer call. That looks like about 30minutes of good news from all over the world, followed by focussed prayer around a particular passage of scripture that anchors our week. We have people from USA, Australia, New Zealand, India, UK, Canada, Norway, Netherlands, Germany, Ireland and more. And the stories of God at work are outstanding! We then take the next 30mins to pray through a key scripture passage that we sense is for 'now'. Last week was Isaiah 55. Check it out! And if you want to join us on the prayer call and access the benefits find out more on Heaveninbusiness.com/free-trial

Processing learning from last weeks executive retreat and from having a building that was seemingly bigger than we need… until God said “It’s not empty.” I’m learning about creating space or room for God. In this podcast I tell the story of what happened last week. I also unpack how I so often fill my ‘spaces’ with more activity and God is inviting me to create and protect space… even where/when it feels awkward. So where do you need to create space in your life? Tired? Worn out? Restless? Anxious? Perhaps it's time to take the reins back and rewrite your schedule and priorities.  What about intentionally creating space in your day, in your home, in your business... to see what God will fill it with?

You were never supposed to go it alone. Better yet, I am WITNESSING a measure of results in businesses that I am working with that I can ONLY attribute to "this must be God." Actually, it's legit because I read about it in Psalm 133 and Matthew 18. Check this out... Behold, how GOOD and how PLEASANT [it is] For brethren to dwell together in unity! ... For there the LORD COMMANDED THE BLESSING - Life forevermore. Psalm 133:1, 3   I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. Matthew 18:19 A force multiplier is a military term that refers to a factor or combination of factors that, when used together gives a significant increase in combat potential. Think army vs. army plus navy vs. army plus navy plus airforce. It's not 1 + 1; it literally multiplies that power and impact... 1 + 1 = 1,000! You can access this yourself and this episode unpacks how as I interview a panel of four businessmen in one group and what they are experiencing. 1. What is it that I'm seeing in authentic community ? - Check out the testimonies... wisdom, power, connections, perspective, encouragement, comfort - Growth in business profitability, growth as a husband and father, as a person... 2. What are the barriers to building authentic community?  – Commitment - performance-based-identity - willingness to be vulnerable - Fear – Pride – Lies – Ignorance 3. What baseline criteria do you look for in WHO to build community with? – Authenticity, love me enough to tell truth, wisdom (body scars and wrinkles), excellent at what is good, innocent of evil, evidence of God-walk, commitment to DO THIS. If you would love to be a part of a community like this email us - [email protected]

Last episode (#114) you heard an introduction to dreaming with God. This episode I share the journey and outcome of a dream to go deep sea fishing combined with a spiritual retreat. If you enjoy this podcast please help spread the word by posting a review and hitting subscribe. You can also send any questions or comments to [email protected]

It costs nothing to dream; it costs everything not to. God had a dream and wrapped your body around it. Lou Engle When you discover and live out the dreams and desires of your heart you release hope, Life and purpose all around you. The world needs you to dream! So how do you dream and turn that into practical action steps? Join us for a 5-week online course starting October 21. Find out details by emailing [email protected] or [email protected].

This is the foundation to what is central in all my life and what we are building with Heaven in Business.

Fires, floods, pandemics, politics...people - with all the craziness it sure doesn't feel like Heaven in Business to me! There is pressure coming on all sides and everywhere we turn we are faced with questions that seem to have difficult if not impossible answers. What do we do in moments of history like we are in now? Although we may feel pressure I'm reminded of Hebrews 10:38: "But we aren’t the sort of people who timidly draw back and end up being destroyed. We’re the sort of people who have faith so that our whole beings are preserved." We may not know each other personally but one thing I do know - the marketplace does not attract the timid or the weak. Just by choosing to engage in business I know that God has placed a strength and determination inside of you that, when you choose to operate in His strength, reminds you that you are the "sort of person" who relentlessly perseveres laying hold of all that God has in store for you! This week we want to offer you practical and encouraging tools to equip you to face any challenge you may face. We are offering Andy's latest book FREE to you (you only pay for shipping). Throughout the book you will find practical tools to keep you engaged, thriving, and moving forward. To access this offer please click here! (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/findinghopebook) Download the notes for this session by clicking here. Fires, floods, pandemics, politics...sounds like the PERFECT opportunity for Heaven to invade earth and for you to experience Heaven in your Business!! Your were born for this! Andy & Janine Mason, Michelle Raftery and your Heaven in Business Team For more see Heaveninbusiness.com/free-trial

*** THIS IS A TIMELY MESSAGE *** There are a few challenges around all of us right now. Individually. Corporately. Nationally. Globally. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and wonder how on earth we can get through it... OR we can get God's perspective and realize that we were born for this. This episode (used with personal permission from Bill Johnson), you will be equipped how to see from God's perspective, regardless of what you are facing, and turn your problems into the very nutrients that will sustain you. Problem? NO PROBLEM! For more on Bill Johnson - see BJM.org.  Bill and his wife Beni are the senior leaders of Bethel Church in Redding, California. Together, they serve a growing number of churches worldwide that are passionate for revival and seeing God’s kingdom established on earth. Bill travels extensively around the world teaching and equipping people to live a supernatural lifestyle. This message was originally recorded by Bethel Media - you can watch or listen anytime here.  

Last week I got to run along the border between USA and Mexico. As I was running I had an epiphany about all the times I have prayed for God to give me favor and increase. This was the FIRST time I explored the physical borders, or limitations, of the country I live in. What about the things I prayed increase for? Have I tested or explored my 'borders' in business, in community, in connections? What about you? Have you ever prayed "God increase my territory" (1 Chronicles 4:9-10) or "Enlarge the place of my dwelling" (Isaiah 54:2)? How would you know that God has answered your This episode I outline what stops us from increasing and what we can do about it to partner with God and grow in faith, grow in family and grow in business! NOTE: this was recorded for our Heaven in Business membership community as part of our weekly focused content. We send this out with a Monday motivational minute and access to a live online strategic and tactical prayer meeting every Wednesday that includes business people from around the world. And then there's the library of over 100 video's to help you grow in identity, grow in business and grow in influence. Access all this for $30/mth or $300 for the entire year. Sign up at HeaveninBusiness.com/free-trial to feed yourself for INCREASE!

Life seems to be awfully messy at the moment. Uncertainty was always around us but right now it's up front and personal. Everywhere I turn friends, clients and acquaintances are surrounded by upheaval. Yet, every time I have a conversation beyond the surface, it quickly becomes apparent that MOST of the 'upheaval' is a DISTRACTION. It may be an emotionally charged distraction, but it's still a distraction. It may be very real and very painful, but it's still a distraction. What about you? Are you spending your time on what is most important or are you endlessly feeding on things you have no control over? Are you making intentional steps towards what you were born for, or are you quickly turned aside by every else's hot-topic? Are you dreaming with God and taking action, or are you distracted? Good news is, regardless of where you find yourself, today is a great day to choose to dream again and choose to take intentional action towards those dreams. I highly recommend Dream Big or Love Does by Bob Goff. Grab a copy of Dream Culture: Bringing Dreams to Life - your guide to discover and take action. Download a dream list and get started! Download the Personal Discovery Chart here. And don't hesitate to send me questions, comments or suggestions on [email protected]  

This week we took the family to San Diego for vacation. We had been saving up over 12 months and so grateful to be together before some of them head off for college. What about you? What does family vacation look like? What tips and tricks have you leaned to make the most of your time together? Let me know any questions you may have [email protected]. I promise to respond… when I get back from vacation!

How do you grow in power? I asked this question of my friend, Tracy Evans. She is a Stanford University Medical School trained Physician Assistant. Her answer adjusted my perspective completely. I trust it will do the same for you. Before entering the mission field, Tracy served in the U.S. Army and overseas as a Medical Officer for embassies and the Peace Corps. Through these credentials, Tracy has secured long-term resident visas in Muslim and Communist countries typically closed to missionaries. In country, she builds medical clinics and schools which in turn facilitate evangelism, discipleship and church planting. Tracy is now ministering in Mozambique, Africa. During the last 17 years in Africa, her team has planted 22 churches and provided daily nutrition and life-saving medical care for more than 7,000 at-risk orphaned babies, many with AIDS. iReachAfrica has also hosted leadership seminars for government officials and pastoral training, while building and operating schools for children, a vocational training center for adults, literacy programs and a prison ministry. The goal is bring all of Mozambique to Jesus Christ by pioneering and developing communities of Christian disciples. Find out more about Tracy at iReachAfrica.org. My family has personally supported her work for years and I encourage you to do the same if you want your donation dollars to be FRUITFUL! If you listen to this and sense a stirring to GO, then reach out to her via the website or email [email protected]. The story of Tracy's life (so far!) is published as Outrageous Courage. Grab a copy for yourself and another to give away. Available on Bethel Store or Amazon  

The last 12months have been like a global leadership school. So how did you score? What did you learn? Even better, did you actually learn what you had the opportunity to learn (or do you need a do-over)? Here's three of the most significant lessons that I learned, am applying, and feel super grateful to have learned! (Download the notes here) This session was recorded at the most recent Heaven in Business conference. You can see upcoming events on HeaveninBusiness.com/events or join us online at Heaveninbusiness.com/free-trial 1. The Voice of God is what leads, sustains, guides... more than the business plan, best practice or profitability analysis. 2. Vision HE is leading contrasted with my version of vision that confuses activity for productivity, people pleasing for purpose and doing good for being fruitful. 3. The volume of wise counsel What about you?  Are you making room to hear the voice of God? Where have you gotten 1% off and need to realign? What will you align to?  Whose volume do you need to turn down? Whose volume do you need to turn up? Whose volume do you need to turn off? Send me your questions or comments [email protected]

We just completed our first in-person conference in over 12 months. The theme was how to lead like Christ in the midst of uncertainty. Our keynote speakers were Kris Vallotton, Shae Bynes, Ford Taylor and Andy Mason. Here's a summary of learning... Day 1 - POSITIONED - testimony of the African Violet following the sun Voice | Vision | Volume You were born for this! Electricians don't complain about broken wires. Plumbers don't complain about broken pipes. Doctors don't complain about sick people. YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD... don't complain if it's dark... S H I N E ! Framework vs. Blueprint. The framework is the generic system or structure. The blueprint is specific to you. Don't copy other people's blueprint - you have to find that for yourself.  Grace vs. Grind - See Shae Byne's book Grace Over Grind: How Grace will take your business where grinding can't.  VPMOSA  - Vision | Purpose | Mission | Objectives | Strategy | Action. Find out more in Ford Taylors book Relactional Leadership or checkout his on-demand training   Day 2 - Hope that results in Action You’re dead – Christ lives in you - It is written. No more excuses. You can heal. You can heal. You can do miracles. These sign's follow them that believe... Host | Hear | Heal 6-Step apology from Ford Taylors book or training. This is what I did... I was wrong. I am sorry/apologize. Will you, or when you can, will you forgive me? I give you permission to hold me accountable to not do this again. Is there anything else I need to apologize for? Wisdom: Source vs. Resource. If I treat the resource as the source I may lose both. God is the Source. He chooses to give us what we need through people (or books or...). As you are listening or reading, ask Holy Spirit what He is saying specifically to you through this resource. Love looks like… Aware & Engaged. Who can you reach out to hear their story to grow in awareness of people different to you?   Day 3: It's You - Own it! Host | Hear | Heal - businesses came in to the confernece and the attendees were activated to pray for them. The testimonies were life-changing! Love looks like… communication Marriage wisdom Culture: Head to Paper to People Follow the Voice If you want more, check out Authentic-Solutions.com or join us weekly via HeaveninBusiness.com/free-trial  

I LOVED this interview unpacking how to identify, qualify, invite and challenge people into powerful relationships that are guaranteed to be fruitful. You can apply this to people you want to work with or employ, or people you want to invite into a discipleship group. Here's a quick summary: 1. Identify who you will work/walk with - in whose ears is your voice loud? Who do you have favor with? Who REALLY listens as evidenced by their follow-through? 2. Qualify - F.A.S.T acronym Are they faithful or flaky? Are they authentic or fake? Will they share this or are they selfish? Are they teachable or stubborn? 3. Invite them into a meeting where you share vision/purpose or plan. Outline what you are committing to do with/for them 4. Challenge them by looking them in the eye and asking "Are you ready to match my commitment?" Grab a copy of Dave Buehring's book The Great Opportunity: Making Disciples of Jesus in Every Vocation For more content like this that equips you to partner with God at work by helping you grow in identity, grow in business and grow in influence see Heaveninbusiness.com  

You were born for significance. No child dreams of being average or insignificant. The problem is many of us reduce our life to survival or a paycheck. So how do you discover what you were born for and makes you come alive? Here's some tools to help... 1. Dream list - free download here... or grab a copy of Dream Culture: Bringing Dreams to Life 2. Personal discovery tool - free download here... or see more by PaulManwaring.com 3. Master plan - big rocks - free example download here... 4. Who | Why | Where | How 5. VPMOSA - Ford Taylor. Grab a copy of the book Relactional Leadership Pg 159-162 6. Not to do list - Kris Vallotton If this is all overwhelming and you would like to do a course with a group or as an individual coach, contact us at HeaveninBusiness.com

Listen as I interview our two Heaven in Business third students graduating from Bethel's School of Supernatural Ministry THIS WEEK. Congratulations Fina Oei from Indonesia and Gerna Scholte from Netherlands! I asked them... Why did you come to BSSM in the first place? (...and then to choose three years!) How did you decide to do the third year program with Heaven in Business in spite of uncertain levels of interaction (due to COVID)? What have you loved the most about this unusual year? If you could change anything about the year what would that be? What did you experience that you would you never want to change? What leadership lesson did you learn from Heaven in Business?  What did you learn about yourself that you will do differently? If you want to find out more about Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry click HERE (BSSM.net). If you want to join us in-person at the Heaven in Business upcoming conference click HERE (HeaveninBusiness.com).