{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Setting the Table","description":"Episode 12:  In this podcast episode, Greg Blakemore, CEO and President of The Nehemiah Group, discusses the pivot his episodes will take in Season 2.  Greg poses two important questions he grappled with and that other business leaders face.  The theme for this episode is Setting the Table.  Episode co-host Jim Ray comments that Greg has an interesting way of approaching each new year of his business.  They shared an office condo for several years.  During this time, Jim observed Greg\u2019s process for assessing the passing year and planning for the upcoming year.  Greg expresses his wish that Season 2 doesn\u2019t become some typical religious story.  It\u2019s not.  He\u2019s confident in his Christian faith and is willing to share some insights into what God has done in his own life.  The Two Important Questions Early on, Greg began asking the first important question, \u201cCan I trust God with my business?\u201d  Several years later, Greg realized God had a question for him, \u201cCan God trust me with His business?\u201d  Those questions can be difficult for many of us to answer, from time to time.  Yet, they persist.  Greg explains that he\u2019s been in construction development for 43 years.  He\u2019s been the leader of the Nehemiah Group for the past 23 years, during which he\u2019s also been a man of faith.  In this season, you\u2019ll come to see that if you trust God with your business, and you\u2019re willing to do His, there exciting things waiting to happen. Greg Explains His Process for Assessing and Planning At the end of the year, things slow down between Christmas and New Year\u2019s \u2013 especially in the construction industry.  This is when Greg has his board meeting with God.  Getting into the process can be a little difficult.  Greg sequesters himself in the conference room for the week.  There are always so many distractions.  It can take an entire day for him to get finished \u201cchasing squirrels,\u201d so he can earnestly begin the process.  Greg begins by asking God if he did what he was supposed to with his time, talent and treasure.  How did he do this past year.  Greg analyses his financial statements and spends time thanking God for the revenue and the opportunities provided.  He looks back at his previous journals and looks to see what actually worked out in his business and life.  This is the review part of the process. As Greg begins looking toward the upcoming year, he prays for guidance and provision.  While Greg admits, he doesn\u2019t hear an audible voice, very often he often feels God\u2019s prompting.  Setting the Table Not everything Greg journals about comes to fruition in the following year.  It may be two, three or four years down the road, but he can definitely see how God is at work \u201csetting the table\u201d for those things He wants to happen.  This does, however, require effort on Greg\u2019s part. As the week progresses, Greg focuses on pray and calming things down, so he can enjoy this time with God.  He mentions the statue on his desk that has the scripture text, \u201cBe still and know that I am God.\u201d  At times, it can be more difficult to remember that text.                   The journal Greg keeps is his map.  It provides an understanding of the mission for the upcoming year.  The things that will happen are going to happen with God\u2019s timing.  Things are progressing according to His schedule, not ours.  This is why we refer to this episode\u2019s them as, Setting the Table.  Regardless of our calendars and deadlines, things are being moved into place in preparation of His banquet.  The table has to be set, beforehand.  We all have a role to play in ensuring the table is ready.  Greg explains how this role in the process can sometimes become frustrating for us.  There are simply things happening for which God wants to trust us with His business. Igor\u2019s Journey (a Joseph Moment) In scripture, there\u2019s a story of when Joseph, Mary and Jesus were in Bethlehem.  During the night, Joseph was warned by an angel that he needed to take the family and flee to Egypt, immediately.  Joseph awoke and guided his family to safety.  It was time for Joseph to take action. Greg has a good friend whom he\u2019s known since the kid was 14 years old.  Igor is Ukrainian, but was living in Bosnia when he and Greg first met, roughly 20 years ago.  Igor is now grown, married and has children.  Jim and Greg stayed in his home during a trip to Bosnia in 2017.  Igor was living back in Ukraine, when the Russian invasion occurred.  Greg saw a news story about the invasion and immediately thought of Igor and his family.  He felt a prompting to call Igor and urge him to leave, immediately.  The next morning, Igor, his wife and their 5 kids got into a car and headed for the Hungarian border.  They arrived safely and the Hungarian border closed the very next day.  Greg and Igor had a Joseph moment. What Greg realized, is that he was simply a messenger.  God needed something to happen because He was setting the table; more about this in a few minutes. A mutual friend happened to be living in the area.  This friend met Igor at the border.  introduced Igor to his brother-in-law, who noted Igor spoke Bosnian, Russian, English, Ukrainian and Croatian.   The brother-in-law was able to introduce Igor to another man who immediately hired him to assist with refugees.  This happened in a period of 2 days.  Shortly thereafter, 4,000 Ukrainian refugees showed up at the border as they tried to escape the Russian military.  Igor was there to help them.  Again, God had just set the table. This story had nothing to do with Greg\u2019s business.  It was God using both Greg and Igor for His business.  The obedience to God\u2019s will is what Greg recognized as the challenge, or actually, the opportunity. God Works in the Quiet As we layout our business plans and strategies, we apply our time tables.  That\u2019s how most of us were taught to run our businesses.  When we encounter challenges and problems, many of us turn to prayer.  It\u2019s when those prayers seemingly go unanswered that we are tempted to question faith.  Why isn\u2019t this happening?  I need this now! But there\u2019s a bigger plan unfolding.  God works in the quiet.  Maintaining our focus on the fact that He\u2019s at work, even when we don\u2019t see it; even when our deadlines aren\u2019t met; even when all seems lost.  God is still at work. Greg mentions that he\u2019ll introduce us to Walter, another friend, who really is doing God\u2019s work.  This entire season is focused on stories and examples of how we, as business owners and business leaders can achieve business success, if we are also willing to be entrusted with God\u2019s work.  In doing so, we will come to understand that we really can trust God with our business. Being Willing to Walk There are times during which God wants to trust us with the small things, so that later, he can gift us with the larger ones.  Neither Greg or Jim believe in coincidence.  Things often happen for a specific reason.  It may be the fact that God wants to see your obedience. When we ask God for help, we need to be patient when it comes to His timing.  During those times, while the table is being set, God will often ask us to start walking.  You may recall the bible story about Jesus\u2019 encounter with the crippled man at the pool of Bethesda.  Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed?  The man replied, \u201cYes.\u201d  Jesus responded by saying, \u201cthen pick up your mat and walk.\u201d  God is waiting to be invited into your situation.  If we have faith, and we\u2019re willing to hand our dreams and problems over to God, then we need to be prepared to do the work.  We have to be willing to walk, when we are called to do so.  He\u2019s trusting you with His business. Thanks for Your Time If you\u2019ve enjoyed today\u2019s episode, follow the Achieve Business Success Podcast on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others.  Connect with The Nehemiah Group on LinkedIn and Facebook.   We\u2019ll be back with another episode, in two weeks.  Thanks for listening.   ","author_name":"Achieve Business Success Podcast","author_url":"http:\/\/achievebusinesssuccess.libsyn.com\/website","html":"