Guest

Claudine McDaniel - Founder of Beyond Conquerors, Inc., author of More Than Conquerors, and immigrant from Togo who came to the United States with only $13. She empowers women through education, training, and employment opportunities while serving her community through faith-based nonprofit work.

Episode Summary

In this episode, Simon welcomes Claudine McDaniel to discuss trusting God through the darkest seasons of business. Claudine shares her powerful journey from immigrating with $13 to founding a nonprofit that has fed 9,000 meals to families in need. The conversation covers surrendering control to God, recognizing spiritual attacks during breakthrough moments, discerning true opportunities from distractions, and the critical importance of prayer as a business strategy.

Key Topics Discussed Surrendering Control to the Holy Spirit

1. The challenge of letting go when you want to control your business
2. Discerning between your own voice and God's leading
3. God's plans are often different than what we envision
4. The importance of spending time in prayer before each week begins
5. Putting your business plans into God's hands daily

Navigating Dark Seasons in Business

1. The Peter Principle: Keeping your eyes on Jesus, not the storm
2. When Peter looked at Jesus, he walked on water
3. When he focused on the storm, he began to sink
4. Dark places are often preparation for God's breakthrough
5. The enemy attacks hardest when you're closest to your destiny
6. God does His best work in the darkness
7. Stay in prayer until you hear from Him—even when it's difficult

Personal Journey: From $13 to Beyond Conquerors

1. Receiving Christ at age 13 as a sick child in Togo
2. Trusting God completely when immigrating with only $13
3. Spending 7 years earning a bachelor's degree in accounting
4. God's call to start a nonprofit instead of a lucrative accounting business
5. Operating from personal savings for 4 years without pay
6. Receiving prophetic word: "You are pregnant" → giving birth to the education program

The Enemy's Strategy Against Business Owners

1. Satan wants to make God's people liabilities, not blessings
2. He attacks to prevent you from being respected and effective
3. He wants to delay your breakthrough and make you give up
4. Your business is designed to bless others—that's why it's under attack
5. Never give up, even when things seem impossible

Discerning Opportunities vs. Distractions

1. Not all opportunities are from God—even attractive ones
2. Shiny opportunities can be compromises disguised as success
3. The Convention Story: Computer broke down to keep Claudine in God's presence
4. Take every opportunity to God in prayer before accepting
5. Some opportunities demand time away from prayer—red flag
6. Ask God HOW to move with an opportunity, not just whether to take it

Prayer as Your Primary Business Strategy

1. Multiply prayer time during difficult seasons, don't get busier
2. Stay in God's presence until you hear from Him
3. What He tells you will be different than what you think or see
4. Spend time in prayer before making any business decision
5. Get down on your knees and dig deep into prayer

Faith Over Finances

1. God said "nonprofit" when Claudine wanted to make money
2. Trusting God's direction even when it doesn't make financial sense
3. The divinity plus the humanity work together
4. God needs our collaboration to do His work on earth
5. He gives us talents, but we must develop them through education

Beyond Conquerors Impact

1. 9,000 meals provided to the community since inception
2. 50 families fed every Friday for 3+ years
3. Comprehensive education program:
4. Emotional healing courses for those who've lost time to hardship
5. Strength Finder course to discover God-given talents
6. 3,000+ career courses (cybersecurity, nursing, business analysis, accounting, etc.)
7. Resume writing and job placement assistance
8. Designed to help people catch up on lost time and chase their dreams

Key Scripture References

1. Genesis 1-2
2. God spoke creation into existence, but formed humans with His hands in His image
3. Matthew 14:22-33
4. Peter walking on water (keeping eyes on Jesus)
5. Luke 15:11-32
6. The Prodigal Son
7. Exodus 34
8. God writing the Ten Commandments (collaboration with Moses)

Practical Takeaways

1. Start each week in prayer
2. Put the coming week in God's hands before it begins
3. Hold loosely to your plans
4. God's way is often different than yours
5. Recognize dark seasons as preparation
6. Breakthrough is coming
7. Don't mistake attacks for failure
8. Vicious attacks mean you're close to destiny
9. Test every opportunity in prayer
10. Even good opportunities need God's approval
11. Multiply prayer during crisis
12. Don't get busier, get closer to God
13. Combine faith with education
14. God speaks in secret, but you need knowledge to execute
15. Never give up
16. The enemy wants you to quit; that's why he's attacking
17. Keep learning in dark seasons
18. What you learn now, God will use when He launches you
19. Trust God completely
20. Like coming to America with $13, put everything in His hands

Powerful Quotes

"When you find yourself in a dark place in your business, you think that things should go this way and they are not going that way—hold on to the Lord." - Claudine

"The enemy knows that your business that you are in is to bless other people. So he is gonna come after that business, but never give up." - Claudine

"God does his best work in the darkness." - Simon

"The divinity plus the humanity get together and work things to happen." - Claudine

"Even if opportunities come your way, take that opportunity to the presence of the Lord." - Claudine

"When you trust Him and Him alone, He comes through for us." - Claudine

"The supernatural power, the powerful God, He has His own way." - Claudine

Words of Encouragement

1. Never give up on your dreams
2. Keep moving forward one step at a time
3. The Lord is with you
4. Even when you can't see the way forward
5. Keep growing and learning
6. Get education to match what God speaks in secret
7. You are created in God's image
8. You have access to His attributes and talents
9. Dark places are temporary
10. God is working on you for something greater
11. Stay with the Lord
12. Even if He doesn't answer immediately, stay anyway
13. You are not a liability
14. God designed you to be a blessing and contributor

Closing Prayer

Claudine closes with a heartfelt prayer asking God to empower business owners, ministry leaders, and nonprofit workers. She prays for God's presence and power to go with them, for help to accomplish what He's placed in their hearts, for angels to assist with difficult tasks, and for strength to reach their destinies despite the heavy work.

Resources & Support

1. Book: More Than Conquerors: From Struggles to Forgiveness, From Forgiveness to Blessings by Claudine McDaniel
2. Website: www.beyondconquerors.org
3. Support the Ministry: Beyond Conquerors operates on donations. The organization has been funded by Claudine's personal savings for 4 years. Your support helps feed families and provide life-changing education opportunities.

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Next Episode: Stay tuned for more conversations with Christian business leaders!

"If God was able to do amazing things in my life and has changed my life in the past, I'm still waiting on Him to do it now. And even if He doesn't do it, I'm gonna stay with Him anyway because He's a God who never lies." - Claudine McDaniel