Normalcy
Oh, my sweet entrepreneurial friends.
This is the fourth time in my entrepreneurial life to experience one of these economic landslides. They are just NO fun. It makes us all want to move to the country and live off the land, doesn’t it?
Chickens for eggs.
Garden for Veggies.
I get it. This is a very familiar feeling from the last three.
I want to tell you something though…….
Even though this is my fourth one, I still feel what you feel. I still have moments of anxiety. I still had a bit of a downward spirally meltdown on Monday. Partly due to the fact that I’ve lived through this and I somewhat know what to expect – economically speaking…..
But I pulled myself together by doing this:
- I acknowledged the anxiety I was feeling
- I counteracted it with scriptures and the truth that remains the truth regardless of what is going on.
- I listened to a lot of praise music.
- I got quiet and listened for that ‘still small voice’.
This worked for me.
Try it.
If it doesn’t work for you, reach out to me and we will pray together. We will join forces. We’ll send fear packing!
Today, my prayer for you is that you have the peace that passes all understanding. Philippians 4:6-7 gives us a clear and practical way to find that peace.
- “Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing.
- Be saturated in prayer
- throughout each day,
- offering your faith-filled requests before God
- with overflowing gratitude.
- Tell him every detail of your life,
- then God’s wonderful peace
- that transcends human understanding,
- will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ.”
Isn’t this an amazing scripture for us to follow in times such as these?
Let me just give you two more very practical things to do to get you and your business back on track……
- Do something normal. Find something to do that is part of your normal business process and do it. This normalcy action will jog your brain back into place and you will not only feel better but businessy stuff won’t get behind.
- Stop watching so much news. In 2008-2010 during the Great Recession (after the mortgage crisis), I had to stop watching the news because it was causing me to make bad business decisions. I haven’t watched it since. The media is NOT good for you right now. You need to make informed, knowledgeable, intelligent decisions. You won’t be able to do that if you’re consumed by what they’re saying in the media.
Friends, here’s what I can tell you.
This feels like it will be forever because that’s what the news makes you believe. This will NOT be forever. The stock market will return to normal. Restaurants will reopen. We will be able to go back to having fun together and/or meeting with clients and groups.
It will be tough at times and you need to be in the Word, having SERIOUS quiet time with God so you can get clear directions for your days. You need to be quiet enough that you can hear him whisper.
Re-read the scripture above. It tells you everything you need to know about finding the peace.
My prayer for you:
Father God, thank you for being right in the very middle of what is going on. Thank you that you know everything and can do anything. Thank you that you NEVER neglect your kids. Thank you for the directive to refuse to worry. Thank you that you not only give us directives like this, but also the ability and scripture to keep us on track. You knew about the COVID-19 before it happened. You promised in your word that you would turn everything to the good for those who love you and are called according to your purpose. I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that Christian entrepreneurs are called according to your purpose. So, I ask you to reach down from heaven and give them an extra measure of faith, peace, protection and love today. You know how difficult it is to be a business owner in a time like this. God, you created us to be the control freaks we are so that we have what it takes to stomach being an entrepreneur. God, you know that with that control freakishness that we would not handle these types of situations well. So today I pray for my entrepreneurial friends. I pray for them to feel you as if you are literally sitting next to them, where they are, at the moment they read this email. I pray you will show up and show off. I pray you will give them witty ideas and inventions that help themselves and other Christian entrepreneurs during this crazy time. Lord, I know that this is OUR time to be the light so people can see you before they see us. Thank you for sending Holy Spirit as our guide and councilor. Thank you for keeping my entrepreneurial friends (and their families) protected and free of this virus. Thank you for quickly healing any who may already be infected. And I will right this moment begin to thank you for the quick recovery of their businesses after this is over. We are thankful and grateful. In Jesus Name, Amen
Very Humbly Yours,
Jennifer Edwards
4 Timer