DON'T QUIT IN THE DIP What do you do when you don’t know what to do? The place where people give up is what I call, “The Dip.” When you’re in the dip, you can see where you want to be, but no matter how hard you try, it seems you can’t get there. You begin to lose hope and doubt you’ll ever reach it. The dip is where your dream is just out of reach and you feel stuck. We all have a dream, but there is always a dip before you get there. Sadly, most people give up in the dip. But successful people don’t quit in the dip and they’re the ones who see their dream fulfilled. None of us have the perfectly filtered life we present on social media, right? Every person, even the ones who seem to have everything together, has at least one area in life that isn’t what they want it to be. It’s frustration. It’s hopelessness. It’s where anxiety and fear have crept in. It’s where giving up not only seems reasonable, it seems like your only option. The dip can be your health. Maybe it’s your career. You know there’s more in you to express, but there seems to be some invisible ceiling keeping you from reaching your potential or landing that dream job. So, you lower your expectations and trade in your hi-def dream for a low-res version of reality. What about your marriage? You’re giving your all, but things are not getting better and you’re even contemplating divorce. It could be that you’re single and looking for a spouse, but you just can’t find Mr. or Mrs. Right and you’re tempted to settle for Mr. or Mrs. Right Now instead. The dip is also where you might stand, wondering, If God has a wonderful plan for my life, why is He so slow to reveal it? Does He even see me here in this place? It feels like you have one piece of a ten-thousand-piece puzzle and don’t know where to begin. But let me encourage you. When we are ready to quit in the dip, we have a God who is just getting started! God doesn’t see as we see! We see impossible, but He sees possibility. We see financial ruin, but He sees a path to blessing. We see the diagnosis, but He sees the way to healing. God sees the end from the beginning, when all we see is our past and our present. We see a dip, but He sees another opportunity to show up and work through us and show us just how amazing He really is! I’m praying we all begin to see from God’s perspective and use God’s strength to reawaken motivation when we’re tempted to throw in the towel. Where have you given up? Where are you considering giving up?

There Is A Race Marked Out For You Don’t quit. Whatever it is for you today, you have the power and the strength to carry on, even if it doesn’t look like dance parties and celebrations. It might look like you showing up in your pajama pants or with tears in your eyes, but you can do it. You can keep going. You can keep showing up – to the blank page, to the piano, to your prayer closet, to your marriage, for your kids, at your job, you fill in the blank. It’s easy to think that the things we do don’t matter all that much, that our consistency doesn't make a difference, or that it’s okay to give up and sit down. The truth is that you’re here on purpose. You are not just one of many doing whatever feels right, you are the one that a specific race has been marked out for. Psalm 139 paints a beautiful picture of how God created you so specifically, so particularly, and had all your days marked down before even one of them came to be. You’re not just someone, you’re you – on purpose and for purpose! What you’re doing matters. We don’t often get to see how or what will come of it while we’re still in the middle, but Galatians 6:9 tells us that we will reap a harvest if we don’t give up. It doesn’t say maybe or that there is a good chance it’ll work out. It’s confirmed: it will come to pass. But take heart, friend. You’re not alone. Philippians 1:6 says that He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion. This not only confirms, again, what’s to come but clarifies that He will carry it on. The power and the strength you have to endure comes from Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:2–3 instructs us to look to Jesus, fix our eyes on Him, and consider Him as we run this race. That is how we don’t grow weary. That is how we don’t give up. We turn, again, to the source of our faith. Consider the area where you feel weary or where you feel like giving up. What if you are uniquely designed and equipped to do exactly that thing, and you are able to do it in a way that no one else can? How might that change the way you approach it each day?

The Power of Perseverance The journey of Kingdom driven entrepreneurship is filled with hills and valleys; deep challenges and fulfilling triumphs. There are times you will experience a true test of your faith. In my own journey, I’ve faced significant financial loss in business, not once but twice. I’ve experienced the unexpected loss of a business partner along with the feelings of confusion and depression that came with it. I know what it’s like to be diligent and faithful in my work, yet have $10 in my bank account that needs to cover both groceries for the family and gas for the car. On the other hand, I’ve experienced having more than enough to give generously and I’ve seen God move in miraculous ways both big and small in a variety of areas of my business life. The beauty of the trials and challenges you experience is the fruit it produces within you as you place your trust in the Ultimate CEO of your business and the best business partner you can possibly have -- God Himself. Enduring through trials matures you (spiritually and naturally), reveals more of the nature of God, and increases your faith. Are you experiencing challenges in your business? Don’t walk away; stay in it to win it by leaning into God through the trial. Be consistent in prayer, focus, and faith-filled action. Persevere because someone needs you and what you uniquely bring through your work in the marketplace. There’s a sphere of influence you are designed to impact, and as you continue to mature and become more like Christ, the greater and deeper that impact will be. Your entrepreneurial journey may not be sweatless, but when it’s surrendered to God, you’ll experience peace and encounter the infinite power of His grace.