Follower of One : Missions For The Rest Of Us

This is an encore presentation as we take a summer break from recording. We hope you are well and rested!

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In this week's episode of the Follower of One Podcast. Mike talks with Anne Small. Anne is President and Founder of Blessed by Networking where they help professionals build a successful network of strategic partners, referrals, and increased revenue through faith-based Support for Business Professionals, Non-Profit Organizations, and Ministry all while building strong leaders. Please welcome her to the community! 

Episode Breakdown

1:05 - Meet Anne Small

3:05 - Anne's Story to Christ

5:10 - Why Blessed by Networking?

9:10 - Blessed by Networking is Different

18:25 - Anne's Thoughts on the Marketplace Mission Trip and Ministry Mindset Challenge 

20:55 - Anne's Tips on Moving Forward with your Faith

24:00 - Connect with Blessed by Networking

Be Different Yet The Same

One of the main themes in this episode is how to be different with your faith. Anne talks to Mike about Blessed by Networking and how through the network itself, it has inspired change in the way these Christians live their faith beyond Sunday. Yet the question remains - How are we different? How can we build an aura around us that makes people want to know more about us? To stand out, you have to bring something to the table that helps others around you recognize that this conversation, this interaction, this project, this weekend, and this story is different when you are around. We want to be the same too. So, what does that mean? It means that while we want to be different, we also want to lead by example and have others in their walk with Christ act differently as well. Through a group effort, we all are unique but have the same goal. In conclusion, be different but the same! 

Stay Connected to Learn and Know

Networking is what Anne Small does extremely well. In her discussion with Mike, Anne talks about how you have to be purposeful when networking yourself and your business with others. Ask yourself, why do I want to connect with this person/team? What are my goals by connecting and building this relationship? We learn that networking can become a connection that enables you to learn new things every day. If you want to be better in your job, you speak to like-minded people who are building something better than what you have, right? That is the goal but it doesn't stop with learning new information. You also want to be in the know! Know what your relationships are doing on a daily, weekly, or even monthly business so you can reflect that energy to your microclimate which is your daily life. Don't forget, we are not perfect so there will be mistakes. How are you handling your obstacles that come your way? This is more important than anything and shows your character as both a Christian and a business professional. Get after it!

Interview Quote:

"The Church is the People, it is not a building. We are finding that out right now, more than ever... We need to be supporting each other as a whole." 

Connect with Anne Small

Anne’s Linkedin

Blessed by Networking

Blessed by Networking Facebook Group

Connect With Follower Of One

Join us over in our Online Community, get social with us; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn and subscribe to our YouTube channel. Listen to our podcast on your way to work and subscribe using your favorite podcast app. Be a part of our next Marketplace Mission Trip 

This is an encore presentation as we take a summer break from recording. We hope you are well and rested!

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Do you know what you believe about God? Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego did. 

The king lost his cool. He decided he would give these 3 one last chance to bow down and worship him before he killed them. But it didn't matter. I wonder if my faith in God and my belief about God would come out of me so casually or matter-of-fact. They stated exactly what they believed and trusted and it mattered. 

Can you state what you believe about God so clearly? One or two sentences? With confidence? Nothing works like practice. On Day 3, we encourage you to know what you believe about Jesus. In our world today, we won't get thrown into a furnace, but we will be asked why we're different. When we appreciate those who are difficult to appreciate or when we serve others beyond what might be expected, others will question. 

We need to prepare today to answer the question, "Why are you doing this?" In one or two sentences, can you state how your faith in Jesus prompted you to go beyond your daily duties? Whatever you say, practice it until it is delivered the way it sounds like this statement was delivered. God will use you in the lives of others, but we need to be able to explain our faith in small, non-preachy or non-judgmental thoughts and statements. 

Try to write out your explanation in advance. Write it in a way that doesn't sound like you were lost or blind. We don't want our friends to get the idea that we think they're lost or blind, either. Often, I say something like, "Well, I follow Jesus and I've found I get a special kind of joy when I do a little extra or give a little more, just because I follow him."

Write it and practice it. Ask a friend or your Mission Trip Mentor to give you feedback as you practice. And if you're not on the mission trip, check it out. You can learn more and sign up at MarketplaceMissionTrip.com.

This is an encore presentation as we take a summer break from recording. We hope you are well and rested!

--

Do you know what you believe about God? Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego did. 

The king lost his cool. He decided he would give these 3 one last chance to bow down and worship him before he killed them. But it didn't matter. I wonder if my faith in God and my belief about God would come out of me so casually or matter-of-fact. They stated exactly what they believed and trusted and it mattered. 

Can you state what you believe about God so clearly? One or two sentences? With confidence? Nothing works like practice. On Day 3, we encourage you to know what you believe about Jesus. In our world today, we won't get thrown into a furnace, but we will be asked why we're different. When we appreciate those who are difficult to appreciate or when we serve others beyond what might be expected, others will question. 

We need to prepare today to answer the question, "Why are you doing this?" In one or two sentences, can you state how your faith in Jesus prompted you to go beyond your daily duties? Whatever you say, practice it until it is delivered the way it sounds like this statement was delivered. God will use you in the lives of others, but we need to be able to explain our faith in small, non-preachy or non-judgmental thoughts and statements. 

Try to write out your explanation in advance. Write it in a way that doesn't sound like you were lost or blind. We don't want our friends to get the idea that we think they're lost or blind, either. Often, I say something like, "Well, I follow Jesus and I've found I get a special kind of joy when I do a little extra or give a little more, just because I follow him."

Write it and practice it. Ask a friend or your Mission Trip Mentor to give you feedback as you practice. And if you're not on the mission trip, check it out. You can learn more and sign up at MarketplaceMissionTrip.com.

This is an encore presentation as we take a summer break from recording. We hope you are well and rested!

--

Mission Trip 2-2 - Make time - When we die to ourselves, we live. Many of us understand this concept. We acknowledge it in our brains. We know it to be true, like we know about the inside of the space station or an expensive sports car. We've seen it. We read about it. But we only truly know something to the extent we actually did that thing.

But until we actually get inside, until we put ourselves in that spot, we don't know. When we talk about making time for others on a mission trip, we want to challenge you to give your time beyond what you have. Get in deeper than you have ever gone. Give away a little more and watch Jesus work. He will give you life to the degree you can die to yourself. 

This principle applies in scripture. We read it in this passage too. When we die to ourselves, we receive the life and the promises of Jesus. We get the freedom from sin, to the degree we can be alive to Jesus. When we die to ourselves, we become alive to Jesus and we begin to live his life right where we are. 

Give some extra time today. Listen for Jesus. He often shows up in strange ideas, maybe an email to a friend or a thank you note. Sometimes these ideas appear while we're praying. So ask while you pray today, but listen for his voice all day today. He will ask you to give up something you "can't afford" to give up. He may show up and challenge you to stop your current project to help a coworker. Protect others, make your service to them optional and give them choices, but be available to help others and watch Jesus work. We free ourselves from selfishness and sin when we're in the mode of serving others. 

Would you contribute so someone else can take this mission trip in the future? Your willingness to pay it forward will enable us to equip others. Our world won't improve until we learn to minister to others the way Jesus did. Consider making a donation to Follower of One to help mobilize Jesus' followers. Go to https://followerofone.org and click Donate today!

This is an encore presentation as we take a summer break from recording. We hope you are well and rested!

--

Mission Trip 2-2 - Make time - When we die to ourselves, we live. Many of us understand this concept. We acknowledge it in our brains. We know it to be true, like we know about the inside of the space station or an expensive sports car. We've seen it. We read about it. But we only truly know something to the extent we actually did that thing.

But until we actually get inside, until we put ourselves in that spot, we don't know. When we talk about making time for others on a mission trip, we want to challenge you to give your time beyond what you have. Get in deeper than you have ever gone. Give away a little more and watch Jesus work. He will give you life to the degree you can die to yourself. 

This principle applies in scripture. We read it in this passage too. When we die to ourselves, we receive the life and the promises of Jesus. We get the freedom from sin, to the degree we can be alive to Jesus. When we die to ourselves, we become alive to Jesus and we begin to live his life right where we are. 

Give some extra time today. Listen for Jesus. He often shows up in strange ideas, maybe an email to a friend or a thank you note. Sometimes these ideas appear while we're praying. So ask while you pray today, but listen for his voice all day today. He will ask you to give up something you "can't afford" to give up. He may show up and challenge you to stop your current project to help a coworker. Protect others, make your service to them optional and give them choices, but be available to help others and watch Jesus work. We free ourselves from selfishness and sin when we're in the mode of serving others. 

Would you contribute so someone else can take this mission trip in the future? Your willingness to pay it forward will enable us to equip others. Our world won't improve until we learn to minister to others the way Jesus did. Consider making a donation to Follower of One to help mobilize Jesus' followers. Go to https://followerofone.org and click Donate today!

This is an encore presentation as we take a summer break from recording. We hope you are well and rested!

--

Serving our Bosses - Do you check your attitude toward your boss? Or if you're a business owner or a sales person, how about your attitude toward your customers? It can be tempting to develop a negative attitude toward those in authority over us. In one way it's easy to be negative toward others, especially those who force us to conform to something like work goals or objectives. And our negativity becomes a problem. It affects our witness. When we can honor and respect those in authority over us, we glorify Jesus. Whenever our behavior is outside what others might normally do, simply because we believe in Jesus, we make Jesus visible.

In verse 2, he goes on to talk about those who have Christians for bosses. We don't need to take them for granted, either. We still need to show them respect and honor, too. It matters how we act. We're reminded that giving respect is a choice. As Jesus followers, when we give respect, to believers or non-believers in authority over us, our actions become a tool Jesus can use in the lives of others.

Is your life filled with joy? Jesus promises joy to us. We simply need to follow and trust him. How are you doing in that regard? If you'd like to join a community of believers who follow Jesus and help one another, check out the online community for Follower of One. Go to community.followerofone.org to find out more and join up. You will get the opportunity to meet with other marketplace Christ-followers and we're all working to experience the joy of being a full-time minister in our current line of work. 

This is an encore presentation as we take a summer break from recording. We hope you are well and rested!

--

Serving our Bosses - Do you check your attitude toward your boss? Or if you're a business owner or a sales person, how about your attitude toward your customers? It can be tempting to develop a negative attitude toward those in authority over us. In one way it's easy to be negative toward others, especially those who force us to conform to something like work goals or objectives. And our negativity becomes a problem. It affects our witness. When we can honor and respect those in authority over us, we glorify Jesus. Whenever our behavior is outside what others might normally do, simply because we believe in Jesus, we make Jesus visible.

In verse 2, he goes on to talk about those who have Christians for bosses. We don't need to take them for granted, either. We still need to show them respect and honor, too. It matters how we act. We're reminded that giving respect is a choice. As Jesus followers, when we give respect, to believers or non-believers in authority over us, our actions become a tool Jesus can use in the lives of others.

Is your life filled with joy? Jesus promises joy to us. We simply need to follow and trust him. How are you doing in that regard? If you'd like to join a community of believers who follow Jesus and help one another, check out the online community for Follower of One. Go to community.followerofone.org to find out more and join up. You will get the opportunity to meet with other marketplace Christ-followers and we're all working to experience the joy of being a full-time minister in our current line of work. 

This is an encore presentation as we take a summer break from recording. We hope you are well and rested!

--

Back in episode 230 Only One Category of People, I talked about how there is only one group of us, fallen humans. Today, let's talk about the 2 choices we can make. We can aim our life in 2 directions. We can aim wherever our flesh directs, or we can live according to the Spirit. 

Our flesh can get us in a lot of trouble. Our flesh is anything and everything hostile to God (See Romans 8:7). The flesh means I make myself out to be God. I think I'm following my own desires and I make my own choices. But our selfishness isolates us. Our greed, or our envy make us miserable. Have you noticed how if you watch a lot of secular TV, for entertainment or for "news" that you come away unsatisfied and unhappy? Look at how you spend your time and where your mind is pointed and then critique your experience. Do your actions prove your life is according to the flesh or according to the Holy Spirit.

When we trust Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit. He lives in us to guide us and to keep us until the day we see Jesus face to face. Our life ends up being according to the Spirit. He points us to God and he empowers us to live according to God.

Do you want Christ's joy? Do you want to experience more of the life of Jesus in your own life? We need to set our minds on the Holy Spirit. When we point our minds to the things of God and his plans, wishes and direction for us, we get on his program and experience his joy.

Don't forget to check out the next Marketplace Mission Trip. This is a 2-week exercise to practice intentionally walking with Jesus at work. You won't become the workplace religious fanatic. But you will experience new meaning and purpose in your daily life, at no cost. Learn more and sign up at MarketplaceMissionTrip.com.

This is an encore presentation as we take a summer break from recording. We hope you are well and rested!

--

Back in episode 230 Only One Category of People, I talked about how there is only one group of us, fallen humans. Today, let's talk about the 2 choices we can make. We can aim our life in 2 directions. We can aim wherever our flesh directs, or we can live according to the Spirit. 

Our flesh can get us in a lot of trouble. Our flesh is anything and everything hostile to God (See Romans 8:7). The flesh means I make myself out to be God. I think I'm following my own desires and I make my own choices. But our selfishness isolates us. Our greed, or our envy make us miserable. Have you noticed how if you watch a lot of secular TV, for entertainment or for "news" that you come away unsatisfied and unhappy? Look at how you spend your time and where your mind is pointed and then critique your experience. Do your actions prove your life is according to the flesh or according to the Holy Spirit.

When we trust Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit. He lives in us to guide us and to keep us until the day we see Jesus face to face. Our life ends up being according to the Spirit. He points us to God and he empowers us to live according to God.

Do you want Christ's joy? Do you want to experience more of the life of Jesus in your own life? We need to set our minds on the Holy Spirit. When we point our minds to the things of God and his plans, wishes and direction for us, we get on his program and experience his joy.

Don't forget to check out the next Marketplace Mission Trip. This is a 2-week exercise to practice intentionally walking with Jesus at work. You won't become the workplace religious fanatic. But you will experience new meaning and purpose in your daily life, at no cost. Learn more and sign up at MarketplaceMissionTrip.com.

This is an encore presentation as we take a summer break from recording. We hope you are well and rested!

--

There have been times in my life when I got absorbed in a sport or a hobby. I spent a lot of energy stamp collecting when I was younger, and even more for a while golfing. I dreamed for a while of learning how to fly, but in the end that never panned out either. What consumes you? Is it TV, or social media? Maybe it's your side gig? What gets your spare time and your best moments?

The author of Hebrews tells us that God is a consuming fire. God's kingdom is coming. It is here. If we will let him, God will consume more and more of our lives and our time right here on earth. For our years on earth, our life is ours to give. If we follow God and obey him, we experience more and more of him. Eventually he consumes us. One day, every knee will bow. One day everyone will acknowledge Jesus as Lord. But until then, we can choose.

Hebrews Chapter 12 begins by challenging us to lay aside the sin that entangles us. And it ends by saying that God is a consuming fire. If we will let go of our sin and seek God's will for us, he will engage us and consume us. We can fully integrate our life with his and enjoy his joy and peace no matter what our circumstances.

We begin another Mission Trip this Sunday. For the next 2 weeks, we practice following Jesus more in the moment-by-moment of our daily life. Go to  MarketplaceMissionTrip.com to learn more and sign up for the next mission trip. No matter when you hear this, you can always go there and sign up for the next mission trip. Cooperate with God. Trust him and watch him consume more of your energy for his purpose. You'll experience more meaning, purpose and joy in your work than ever before.