Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
God understands our desire to create.
In one of my most recent reads, Called to Create, Raynor discusses how God is the ultimate entrepreneur, the ultimate creator.
One line actually brought me to cathartic, feel-good tears of joy.
She was unknowingly reflecting a small part of my character and personality for the first time. The joy I felt in that moment must be just a fraction of the joy God experiences when He sees His character reflected in His children. – Jordan Raynor, Called to Create
As an artist, the drive to create something out of nothing (or, out of other pre-created material) is inherent within me. It bubbles up all day long. Thoughts of things not yet here, but that could be if only I had the time and resource. If I do have the time? The resource? I can hardly contain the drive to plop down and make.
That’s not a drive every person can or will understand and that’s totally okay.
You always have God’s infinite understanding at your fingertips.
He gets it.
However, it’s not good for man to be alone and the concept of helpmeet is one God engineered long, long ago.
Have you ever thought about how the Body of Christ, the church, is there for more than just hard times and Sundays? I hope you have! We should bury every aspect of our lives in Jesus, not just bits and pieces that feel Christian. Which means your church family has something to offer those aspects of your life you might still find secular.
If you think you have a ‘secular’ job because it doesn’t inherently have a ‘churchy’ feel, you’re mistaken. Everywhere you go, Jesus goes. Every job you’re in can deliver glory to God, light to the darkness, truth to the lost.
Even if you’re not an ‘artsy’ type of creator, if you have goals and dreams, you’ll benefit from a #dreamsquad. P.s. I think all creators are artsy. Moving on.
There’s nothing like a friend who gets it AND prays for you.
And encourages you to improve.
To succeed.
Remain consistent.
Keep going.
Stay motivated.
Elevate your faith.
Remind you that God’s in control.
Reinforce the good.
Rebuke the bad.
Listen with willing ears.
Advise when needed.
Comfort you when times are hard.
Pray for you all the time.
There’s also nothing like BEING that friend for someone else.
Being your own boss is a special kind of challenge. Especially if you want to go out on your own, have a super-creative mindset, but struggle with the administrative side of things.
That administrative side and the constant temptation to compare yourself to the entrepreneurs you see online are enough to overwhelm anyone.
How often is your work the source of your anxiety?
For me, it’s probably the #1 place I find anxiety manifesting in my life. I have to keep vigilant watch and eradicate infestations of stressful thoughts and feelings or I can have a minor implosion. Now that I’ve added my dream job on top of my day job, you can bet it’s not any easier.
On top of the day-to-day stresses found in the 9-5 grind, now I fret over and fight guilt for not doing enough fast enough with Thirtyone25. Of course, I prefer worrying about an actualized dream over my day job, despite both being amazing gifts from God. Still, there’s added pressure when your dream goals are hard to explain and don’t offer those initial dollar signs that bring most friends and family comfort.
This is where a #dreamsquad comes in.
Yes. #DreamSquad friend on right is totally wearing a Not Today Satan tee on Easter, like an utter boss.
These two are friends who can remind you that stress and fear can take a hike because God’s got us wrapped up in His perfect plan.
These two are answers to prayers I prayed for years.
I have amazing friends from all throughout my life, but unless a friend understands (and believes in) the power of prayer and God’s role in your life, there is an inevitable limitation within advice and aid they can offer. Any good friend should build you up and offer support—that is a beautiful, meaningful, precious gift. However, God wants us to pray and incorporate His word into our lives and decisions. Having friends who can reinforce this is invaluable, especially when pursuing any goals laid out in front of you.
Intentionally form your #DreamSquad.
Don’t just chat “whenever” – there is a beauty to this, but you will thrive with consistency.
The three of us decided we would meet at the end of each month to go over our victories and struggles, the past month’s goals, and goals we want to set for the upcoming month. We brainstorm, encourage, and analyze one another’s goals and pursuits, offering blatantly Biblical and trade-based insight.
Knowing that we’ve committed to a few goals each month that we’ll be reporting on is added incentive to get it done. Talking through our ideas with others who are boldly walking a trail of risk helps refine our next steps. Having others to cheer for, others who understand the unique struggles entrepreneurs face, makes for an even richer ride.
We don’t all have the same end goal or the same market. What we have in common? We want our businesses to serve others with love and bring God glory. We’re not looking for fame or fortune, but we sure would love to make a living doing what we love using the gifts God gave us.
Need an editor or writer? Hit up my girl Amy.
Want to upgrade your life with encouraging words and chemical-free living? Hit up my girl Rebekah.
Both will treat you right.
Accountability is vital to your business’ success.
You are looking to form a #DreamSquad with Christ followers you can trust to put God first when giving you advice.
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. – Proverbs 18:24
It just so happens my closest friends at church are also my #DreamSquad, but it might not start out that way for you. Your best friends at church (or elsewhere) might not be entrepreneurs and might not have a passion for business. They might have a crazy hectic schedule that makes meeting hard.
It’s ok to have a #DreamSquad made up of friends and not best friends.
I’ve brought up the Clifton Strengths Assessment before because I love how teams can map out their strengths to appreciate one another even more. Find a team that brings more to the table strengths-wise, rather than your doppelgangers. Are you a clutter bug who struggles with deadlines? Do you have a Christian friend who never misses a due date and can put Pinterest organizing to shame? See if they’re up to meet once a month. Are you great at following through, and a friend struggles to maintain momentum? You have something to offer!
Pray that God reveals the right people.
Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm. – Proverbs 13:20
I’m not sitting here calling your friends fools. I’m saying that God will provide the wise. I’m saying there is obvious God-given benefit to surrounding yourself with other seekers of the truth that are all about praying for your growth and pursuing God’s will. That reaps some good fruit.
Your #DreamSquad won’t look like ours. You’re you, not us. God is already working on bringing you a support group to help you navigate this road. Maybe you already have a #DreamSquad, without the millennial-friendly hashtag. I’d love to hear how you’re using your group to build on what God’s given you.
Books mentioned in this post:
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