Spark Influence

Welcome back to Spark Influence, the podcast that delves deep into living a life with intention in marriage, family, ministry, and as business leaders. Today we have an important topic to discuss - legacy. Together, we'll explore the concept of legacy and its significance in shaping our lives and influencing future generations. We'll touch on personal and professional legacies, discussing the importance of passing down stories, family history, and wisdom to our children. Plus, we'll explore how our values, integrity, and compassion can create a lasting impact in our professional lives. So, if you're ready to learn how to leave a meaningful legacy, stick around for this insightful episode of Spark Influence. Key takeaways from this episode: Personal Legacy: Our actions, decisions, and interactions shape our personal legacies. Passing down stories, family history, and imparting wisdom to the next generation are essential for creating a lasting impact. Professional Legacy: It's not just about your job title or financial success. Your professional legacy lies in the influence and inspiration you provide to others in your field. Live your faith in your business, treat others with kindness and bring them along on your journey. Legacy Beyond Ourselves: Legacy goes beyond what we leave behind—it's about the kind of faith and charitable works we instill in future generations. Wise men plant trees they'll never sit under. Are you setting up a fruitful and honorable legacy for your children and their children? In this episode Legacy is more than what we leave behind when we're gone; it's about how we live our lives to influence others, not just in the present, but for generations to come. Discussion on the importance of legacy and its different aspects. Focus on personal legacy and the impact of actions, decisions, and interactions on future generations. Emphasis on passing down stories, family history, and imparting wisdom to the next generation. Importance of instilling values like integrity, personal responsibility, and compassion. Introduction to professional legacy and its significance beyond job titles and financial success. Emphasis on influencing and inspiring others in the workplace and industry. Advice on living one's faith in business, treating others with kindness, and lifting others up. Highlighting the role and impact of our professional legacy. Tune in to the Spark Influence Podcast and start thinking about the legacy you want to leave. Let's inspire each other to make a lasting impact! We hope that this episode sparks a flame within you and encourages you to consider the legacy you are leaving for your loved ones and the world. Thank you for your continued support and for being a part of the Spark Influence community. Don't forget to visit sparkmedia.ventures for more inspiring podcasts within the Spark Media podcast network.

Welcome to another episode of Spark Influence, the podcast where we explore intentional living at the intersection of faith, family, business, and leadership. I'm your host, Misty Philip, and today, we have a thought-provoking topic to discuss. Joining me is my co-host and husband, Peter Philip, as we dive into the question, "How do we respond when Christians don't act like Christians in the business world?" As believers, we are called to walk in a manner worthy of our calling, as Paul teaches in Ephesians. However, we often encounter situations where fellow Christians, fall short of this expectation. We observe a lack of integrity, greed, and self-serving attitudes in the Christian community, which can be disheartening and puzzling. In this episode, we share our personal experiences and perspectives on this issue. We discuss how society has influenced the compartmentalization of faith in the business world, and the consequences of Christians not standing up for their beliefs. We also explore the blurred lines between Christian and secular business practices, and the importance of addressing these issues with wisdom and grace. If you've ever struggled with the behavior of Christians in the business world or have wondered how to navigate these challenging situations, this episode is for you. Topic: How to respond when Christians don't act like Christians in the business world. Reference to Ephesians 4:1 - walking in a manner worthy of the calling. Discussion on compartmentalizing Christianity and its impact on behavior. Influence of secularism on business practices and ethical standards. Challenges with confrontations and addressing inappropriate behavior. Importance of approaching disagreements with wisdom and grace. Examples of stealing in the workplace and its implications. Recognition of bad actors within the Christian community. Overall concern regarding integrity and self-serving behavior in business. Thank you for listening to the Spark Influence podcast with Spark Media Founders, Peter, and Misty Philip. Spark Influence is a podcast about living a life with intention in marriage, family, ministry, and as business leaders. This show is brought to you by the Spark Media podcast Network. Visit www.sparkmedia.ventures for more inspiring podcasts. Join us as we spark conversation and seek to inspire change in our community.

Welcome back to another inspiring episode of Spark Influence! In Episode 42, your hosts Peter Phillip and Misty Phillip dive deep into the power of collaboration and the intersection of business and ministry. They discuss how leveraging personal networks can amplify messages and support impactful causes. Drawing from their own experiences in reaching new markets and attracting enthusiastic responses, they explain why combining networks can lead to compound leverage and expand reach. Join us as we explore the ways in which businesses and ministries can join forces, use their unique talents and resources, and make a lasting impact on communities and lives. Get ready to be empowered and inspired to be intentional in marriage, family, business, and leadership. Let's spark some influence! 00:03:53 Ministry and business can collaborate for impact.00:08:47 Business collaboration to support ministries and charities.00:11:57 Consulting and alliances can benefit ministries and businesses.00:17:26 Leverage your network for maximum impact.00:20:27 Organizations provide infrastructure for other organizations. Supply chain management, HR, and payroll services offered. Enables efficient operations and cost savings.00:24:29 Share your resources to benefit ministries.00:27:51 Find ways to integrate business and ministry, collaborate, take action, share on social media. 1. How can businesses and ministries collaborate to have a greater impact in their communities?2. What are some practical ways that businesses can support ministries beyond simple monetary donations?3. In what ways can businesses use their resources and infrastructure to help ministries overcome bureaucratic challenges and licensing issues?4. How can businesses leverage their skills, talents, and networks to benefit ministries and expand their reach?5. Have you ever been part of a joint venture or alliance between a business and a ministry? Share your experience and the impact it had.6. What are some potential challenges or obstacles that arise when businesses and ministries collaborate? How can these be overcome?7. How can businesses contribute to not only financially supporting ministries but also providing essential resources, services, and expertise?8. Why do you think it's important for businesses and ministries to come together and support one another in their respective missions?9. Have you ever considered using your business or professional skills to support a ministry or do good works beyond simple donations? If so, how did you go about it?10. How can businesses and ministries benefit from networking and collaborating at events like networking luncheons? Share any experiences or ideas you have. ministry and business, collaboration, leveraging personal networks, compound leverage, reaching new markets, attracting enthusiastic responses, taking chances, exploring opportunities, utilizing available resources, network connections, management of funds and personnel, business infrastructure, access to large-scale vendors, legal support, fundraising capabilities, expanding reach and effectiveness, orphanages, rescuing Christians, combating sex trafficking, Russia, China, North Korea, contribution beyond donations, business talents, legal advice, logistics help, bureaucracy, impact of businesses, marriage, family, leadership, empowering listeners, intentional in marriage, business as a platform for ministry, sharing God's love, donating time and resources, Hebrews 10:23, inspiring and supporting one another, meeting with believers, leveraging business or ministry, needs of nonprofits, white labeling, joint ventures and alliances, consulting services for ministries, healthcare checkups for ministries, donating time to ministries, business to business joint ventures, creating a charitable fund.

Welcome back to "Spark Influence," the podcast that explores the power of connection and influence in relationships. In today's episode, we dive deep into the topic of intimacy and communication within a partnership. Our speaker sheds light on the misconception that full intimacy means sacrificing privacy, emphasizing the importance of intertwining while maintaining individuality. They share personal anecdotes and practical tips on how to create a dynamic connection in your relationship. Join us as we uncover the secrets to effective communication, the role of support in building a strong foundation, and the importance of keeping the spark alive. Get ready to ignite your influence with episode 41 of "Spark Influence"! Key Points - Introduction to the concept of full intimacy and privacy - Clarification that full intimacy does not mean lack of privacy - Examples of couples maintaining some level of separation in their relationship- The importance of a deep connection and intertwining in relationships - Emphasis that deep connection does not mean lack of privacy - Description of the speaker's own intimate and intertwined relationship - Example of the speaker's daily routine with their partner- The significance of quiet time together for effective communication - Importance of having a strong connection before the kids wake up- Communication as the key to a strong relationship - Actively listening to your partner and being present - Setting aside distractions like phones - Challenges in communication due to busy schedules and stress - Open lines of communication to express needs and find solutions- The development of deep intimacy over time in a relationship - Contrast between excitement and insecurity in the early stages - Comfort and security after being together for 31 years - Acceptance of flaws and quick reconciliation after arguments- Addressing issues and conflicts in a relationship - Importance of how something is said in a conversation - Need to immediately address issues and not let them build up - Impact of small issues becoming bigger problems- Supporting each other and creating a strong foundation - Championing each other's causes and providing support - Appreciation for emotional support and skills in business - Importance of deferring to and supporting each other's needs- The importance of forgiveness and letting go of mistakes - Confessing and forgiving wrongdoings to keep the relationship strong - Emphasis that love does not keep score- Learning how to fight effectively in a relationship - Understanding each other's needs and boundaries - Negative behaviors to avoid, such as bringing up past issues and being selfish - Giving space and not suffocating during arguments- Keeping love alive and maintaining the spark - Celebrating 31 years of marriage - Observations of successful and failed marriages among friends and family - Coping with stress and the pace of everyday life in relationships- The first step towards maintaining love in a relationship - Transformation of how disagreements are handled - Building each other up and being supportive - Support in different family circumstances (both parents working or one staying home)- Showing love through actions and gestures of appreciation - Gratitude, support, affection, and fun in the relationship - Teasing and playfulness to keep the relationship alive - Words of affirmation and regular check-ins- Nurturing the connection and remembering why they fell in love - Quality time together and staying connected - Avoiding becoming roommates in the relationship - Engaging in activities together to nurture the connection- Upcoming trip and anniversary celebration - Playing golf and enjoying each other's company on the trip Keywords full intimacy, lack of privacy, separate bank accounts, deep connection, intertwining, no air between them, quality time, quiet time, effective communication, actively listening, being present, setting aside distractions, busy schedules, stress, open lines of communication, expressing needs, finding solutions, deep intimacy, excitement, insecurity, comfort, security, accepting flaws, reconciling, addressing issues, support, understanding emotions, being connected, emotional support, putting needs on the backseat, forgiveness, confessing, letting go, love does not keep score, fighting effectively, understanding needs, boundaries, negative behaviors, giving space, keeping love alive, maintaining love, transformation, building each other up, supportive environment, sacrifices, love shown through actions, gratitude, showing affection, keeping fun alive, words of affirmation, quality time, nurturing connection, playing golf

Welcome back to another episode of Spark Influence! We're your hosts, Peter Phillip and Misty Phillip, founders of Spark Media. Today, we dive into the power of prayer and how it can spark influence in our lives. Prayer is often misunderstood, but we're here to explore its true meaning and importance. From individual prayer to praying as a couple, as a family, and even incorporating fasting, we'll uncover the secrets to deepening our connection with God. Join us as we navigate the ins and outs of prayer and learn how it can truly transform our lives. So grab your headphones and get ready for another enlightening episode of Spark Influence! Key Points - Prayer as a two-way conversation with the Lord - Importance of individual prayer, praying together, and prayer and fasting- The power of a praying couple - Taking action to help others in need - Faith and works going hand in hand- Teaching children how to pray - Prayer as a daily integrated practice - Specific instances of answered prayers- Struggles and obstacles in starting a bible study - Enemy's attempt to discourage and create division - Importance of praying for pastors and leaders- Communion and its significance - Frustrations with denominational differences - Personal experience of conducting communion at home - Treating communion with solemnity and gravity- Misunderstandings of the purpose of prayer - Aligning ourselves with God's will - Incorporating God in our daily lives- Praying without ceasing - Arrow prayers as quick expressions of need or frustration Timestamps 00:00:01 Spark influence podcast: intentional living, prayer.00:03:37 Prayer and fasting have powerful effects.00:07:53 Family altar, praying together, action, powerful combination.00:12:08 Communion: Importance, bread blessing, obstacles, representative.00:16:15 "The enemy tries to create division, but we can see it. Struggle is real, but so is God. Pray for leaders."00:19:27 Praying: misunderstood as finite, confusion on unceasing worship.00:23:08 Prayer and fasting are important for faith. Keywords prayer, dialogue, gratitude, individual prayer, family prayer, corporate prayer, fasting, seeking answers, reconnect with God, spiritual journey, praying before meals, scary prayers, praying with children, meaningful conversations, fasting power, Bible, understanding prayer, limited activity, confusion, pray without ceasing, unceasing adoration, worship, asking for help, forgiveness, insight, acknowledging God's presence, accepting God's dominion, resistance to God's authority, Spark Influence, living with intention, marriage, family, ministry, business leadership, taking action, helping others, faith and works, teaching children to pray, two-way conversation, prayer struggles, enemy interference, praying for pastors, insidious enemy, communion, denomination differences, solemnity, gravity, tradition, sense of gravity, taking communion at home, blessing bread, unresolved issues, seeking God in prayer, aligning with God's will, nurturing relationship with God, co-creating with God, incorporating God in daily lives, arrow prayers

On this episode of Spark Influence, Misty and Peter Philip dive into the evolving concept of parenting. They discuss how parenting has changed over the years, from more relaxed rules like coming home when the streetlights are on to the heightened awareness and situational security that parents must now have in multiple aspects of their child's life. The focus of this episode is on the importance of electronics and online safety, education, situational security in public, and vetting friendships. Misty and Peter explore various tools and platforms that parents can use to protect their children, such as tracking devices, while also acknowledging that there are many avenues of potential threat that parents may be unaware of. They emphasize that parenting is a full-time job that requires constant effort to keep children safe in today's digital age. In addition to discussing the challenges of modern parenting, Misty and Peter promote the importance of engaging children in positive activities and limiting their screen time. They provide insights on how to manage screen time effectively, including setting limits and using electronics as rewards. They caution against relying on electronics as babysitters and highlight the significance of providing children with constant access to books. Misty and Peter also share their own experiences as parents, including their involvement in their children's various activities and the importance of making time for children to go outside and play. Sound of Freedom Misty and Peter congratulate Angel Studios and their friends for the movie Sound of Freedom, which sheds light on the issue of child sex trafficking. They discuss the movie's success and emphasize the importance of protecting children against harm. Misty and Peter share their belief that God feels strongly about safeguarding children and punishing those who harm them. They discuss the need for parents to explain safety precautions to their children and teach them to be aware of their surroundings. Encouraging Alternative to Screen-based Activities Towards the end of the episode, Misty and Peter reflect on the role of music in their lives and their children's musical talents. They discuss the valuable lessons they learned about putting their children's interests first and the importance of engaging in conversations with them. They also touch on the addictive effects of technology and the need to use social media wisely and protect our children from its potential dangers. Misty and Peter encourage regular monitoring of content and interactions on devices to stay informed and ensure the safety of children. The Importance of the Dinner Table As the episode comes to a close, Misty and Peter highlight the value of teachable moments at the dinner table. They share personal experiences of bonding with their families over meals and emphasize the power of the dinner table as a tool for family connection. They reiterate the importance of discussing challenging topics like child trafficking, acknowledging that it may not be pleasant but is necessary to stay involved and informed. This episode of Spark Influence is an enlightening and thought-provoking exploration of modern parenting and the measures necessary to keep children safe in today's complex world. Thank you for listening to the Spark Influence podcast. We love to hear from you. Let us know what you would like to hear in future episodes. Leave a us a rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Freedom and Faith: Shaping Our Understanding and Taking Action for a Courageous Future On this episode of Spark Influence, the hosts, Peter and Misty Philip, delve into the importance of believers standing up for what is good, right, and true. They discuss the potential censorship of speech by social media and large corporations, emphasizing that believers have both the right and responsibility to be bold in their faith and counter cultural trends. Peter and Misty share how the Bible is linked to the founding principles of the United States. They highlight that the Constitution reflects principles from the Bible, such as equality and the right to freely pursue one's beliefs. They acknowledge that these principles have been barriers in other countries, but the US has successfully implemented them, thanks in part to the First Amendment. The hosts express gratitude for the freedoms they enjoy, such as being able to openly go to church without fear or persecution. They caution against complacency, pointing out that many people never had the opportunities and freedoms we have now. They reflect on the sacrifices made by individuals who fought for these freedoms and emphasize the importance of not taking them for granted. They suggest reflecting on the significance of freedom and how faith can shape our understanding of it. They encourage listeners to use their freedom to make a difference in the world through actions like advocating for truth. In addition to discussing freedom, Peter and Misty touch on other topics such as the impact of extreme liberalism, the normalizing of criminal behaviors, and the manipulation of the narrative by the enemy. They highlight the need to protect free speech and argue that countries that restrict it have never fully recovered without an armed citizenry. The hosts also encourage listeners to appreciate and celebrate the freedoms in the country by showing gratitude to veterans and police officers. They discuss the perception of a decrease in pride in the United States, but emphasize that there are still many individuals who are extremely proud of the nation and celebrate its unique freedoms. Throughout the episode, Peter and Misty share their personal opinions and experiences, weaving in stories of people like a woman who escaped North Korea and critiques of young people rioting over student debt not being forgiven. Overall, this special episode of Spark Influence explores the celebration of Independence Day in the United States and emphasizes the importance of freedom for believers. The hosts aim to connect the celebration with the ultimate freedom found in faith, reminding listeners of the sacrifices made and the need to protect and appreciate these freedoms. Summary The Spark Influence podcast discusses living intentionally in various aspects of life. On this special episode, they explore the connection between freedom as Americans and believers. Our country is linked to the Bible and its principles. The US constitution protects our right to freedom of religion. We should appreciate the sacrifices made for this freedom. The text emphasizes the importance of free speech and the Second Amendment in protecting a country from losing its values and freedoms. It also highlights the current situation in France where citizens are rioting and resorting to violence due to restrictions on gun ownership. The hosts also discuss various topics including student debt, responsibility, generations, wars, and a potential class-based system. Believers should stand up for truth, live counter culture, and stand for freedom. Scripture Reference "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." - Galatians 5:1 ESV Tune in to this thought-provoking episode of Spark Influence on the Spark Media Podcast Network.

Letting Go of What's Out of Our Control: Strategies for Stress-Management On this episode of Spark Influence, Peter Phillip and Misty Phillip talk about the importance of maintaining strong relationships even amidst busy schedules and unexpected crises. They discuss the importance of prioritizing self-care, the role of faith in coping with stress, and the value of taking small steps to tackle overwhelming issues. Overall, this episode emphasizes the need for couples to communicate and work together to overcome difficult periods in their lives while staying grounded in their values. Topics Topics covered in this audio session: Approaching overwhelming issues Importance of self-care in maintaining a healthy relationship Letting go of things outside of our control Practical ways of relieving stress Taking time for oneself Coping mechanisms to reduce stress The importance of tested faith in relationships and life Bullets for each topic: Approaching overwhelming issues Use analogy of reading an elephant "one bite at a time". Share example of being diagnosed with cancer and breaking it down into manageable steps. Encourage taking small steps and seeking support from family, friends, and professionals to work through difficult situations. Argue that having a strong foundation in a relationship can help couples overcome large issuesImportance of self-care in maintaining a healthy relationship. Use analogy of putting on an oxygen mask first on a plane. Acknowledge some women struggle with feeling selfish for prioritizing their self-care. Prioritize seeking God's kingdom first Letting go of things outside of our control. Highlight ability to compartmentalize our minds and focus on what we can do to affect change. Discuss personal struggle with letting go of things and how relationship helps to recognize when to move on. Differentiate when to focus on working the problem vs when to let go of things outside of our control. Practical ways of relieving stress Recommend exercise, rest, and breaking down large projects into smaller tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Mention the importance of casting our cares on the Lord and identifying small steps to work through problems. Taking time for oneself. Encourage simple things like taking a walk and having quiet time for prayer and reflection- Scripture Reference Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! - Psalm 4:1 ESV Coping mechanisms to reduce stress. Believe that prayer and meditation can help ease stress and provide clarity Discuss importance of analyzing how one copes with stress as a couple. Emphasize need to be conscious of these mechanisms in order to be prepared for times of stress. The importance of tested faith in relationships and life. Use analogy of Indiana Jones having faith to step into a chasm and finding a bridge there. Tested faith is reflected in relationships and life. Believe that having faith that God has good for us is key. Efforts to connect despite busy schedules Value FaceTime together and make concerted effort to connect every evening and morning. Note that unexpected work crises can occur, but making time for each other is still important. Quotes Life with Intention: "We explore spiritual growth, leadership development, and the art of influencing others positively at home and work." "Syncing Up in Stress: How do we maintain our stress levels when we're juggling all the things?" "Dealing with Stress: It's in these moments when it's crucial for us to check-in on ourselves and with one another." The Importance of Daily Quiet Time: "For me in particular, I know that that daily quiet time, prayer, all of that helps to keep the stress at bay." Stress Relief: "I like to feather my nest. Like, that is something that when I do that, it sort of helps me to let go of of whatever." "The Importance of Community Support: It helps me to process some of my problems with my friends as opposed to bombarding you with every little thought I have." "The Power of Women's Friendship: Sometimes we share our burdens with others or we seek advice or we just have a listening ear that can provide that perspective that we need because talking to one of my girlfriends is gonna give me a different perspective." Letting Go: "You can compartmentalize your mind in ways where it things don't bother you. You don't think about it." Self Care in Relationships: "I wanna just encourage you to stay synced up with yourself by by giving yourself self care coming into your relationship with your spouse or your family members or even your coworkers if you're not married." Thank you for listening to the Spark influence Podcast! Please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts. This really helps the show.

On this episode of Spark Influence, host Misty Phillip talks about cultivating a resilient mindset during challenging times. As she flies solo this episode, Misty shares strategies for accepting the unpredictability of life and focusing on what we can control. The episode also includes a review of the movie Sound of Freedom and strategies for achieving goals and aspirations during uncertain times. Listeners are encouraged to prioritize self-care, compassion, and family time while maintaining a positive outlook. Tune in to learn more about these motivational messages on Spark Influence, part of the Spark Media Podcast Network. In this episode, the following topics are covered: Importance of keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ and cultivating a resilient mindset - Embracing optimism and perseverance Seeing setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth How mindset can either limit or empower us to overcome obstacles The significance of perspective in overcoming trials and challenges Trusting in God's plan and having realistic expectations Prioritizing self-care and family time Viewing progress as progress, no matter how small Strategies for staying consistent when life takes unexpected turns Embracing flexibility and considering alternative paths The importance of accepting unpredictability and focusing on what we can control Prioritizing the care of loved ones. Shifting our mindset to embrace change. The podcast Spark Influence and its aim of exploring personal growth and positive impacts Encouragement to turn to scripture to find peace, joy, patience, and other fruits of the Spirit - Importance of humility and casting anxieties on God Advice to be sober-minded and support those who are hurting Emphasis on the power of prayer Importance of flexibility in pursuing goals during uncertain times Holding goals and plans loosely Having backup options available Embracing change and having a positive mindset Overall, the podcast provides strategies for maintaining resilience, consistency, and momentum during challenging times and emphasizes the importance of focusing on what we can control, caring for loved ones, and embracing change. It also highlights the power of prayer, supporting movies with strong messages, and being flexible in pursuing our goals. Sound of Freedom A film with a strong message about modern-day slavery and child trafficking. Release on July 4 and tickets available through Angel Studios.

On this episode of Spark Influence, we explore the power of partnerships in mission-driven organizations. Our hosts discuss how partnerships can amplify impact and the importance of finding partners who align with your values and beliefs. Peter and Misty Phillip draw analogies from marriage, highlighting the need for clear communication, appreciation, and scheduling time for each other. They also provide insights on working with clients and third-party vendors. Listen in to hear real-life success stories of Christian partnerships and how they can help achieve more results faster and with more efficiency. Episode Summary: The importance of clear communication and over-communication in relationships is discussed in this episode. The speakers believe in nurturing relationships by scheduling time, expressing appreciation, and showing the importance of one another. They emphasizes that partnerships are essential for mission-driven organizations to achieve greater results and efficiency, especially those with shared values and beliefs. The importance of marriages as equal partnerships where both partners prioritize each other's perspectives and desires is discussed. The discussion also touches on the challenges of finding Christian partners in the business world, as some may not prioritize faith in their businesses. Finally, the podcast's sponsored event, the 2023 Spark Media Ignite Conference and Award Ceremony, is promoted, which will cover the power of partnerships and collaborations for mission-driven organizations. Topics Covered in the Episode: The importance of clear communication in relationships Prioritizing communication in marriage Nurturing relationships by scheduling time, expressing appreciation, and showing importance View of marriage as an equal partnership Changing the partnership over time and considering the partner's perspective Importance of partnerships and collaborations in mission-driven organizations Finding complementary partners with shared values and beliefs Avoiding CINO partnerships Sharing duties and supporting each other in marriage Importance of celebrating each other's successes Partnerships in business with clients and third-party vendors Differences between men and women in partnerships Reasons to prioritize family over societal expectations Challenge of finding partners who align with faith and vision in Christianity-focused businesses Time Stamps [00:02:55] Marriage is complex and God sanctifies it for years. Society imposes unrealistic roles and expectations on couples, but in reality, their hearts are merged. The partnership in marriage is important and provides a foundation for anything else in life. [00:07:41] Person praised for their efficiency in ordering DoorDash and meal planning, while their partner is seen as impulsive during shopping trips together. [00:10:56] Over communicate with your spouse like you do with your clients and business partners. Make time for them, express appreciation and importance. [00:12:06] Partnerships are crucial in business and can exist in various forms like client relationships, third-party providers, and collaborations. Aligning with partners who share your vision is important for success. [00:13:54] Being a Christian business owner comes with challenges when seeking partnerships due to differing beliefs. Christianity should not be left at the door when entering the workplace. [00:16:32] Partnerships with Christian businesses can significantly enhance and amplify your own business by tapping into a network of shared values and beliefs, leading to deeper connections and greater support. Partnering with Christian businesses that align with your values can create a powerful alliance that resembles the concept of a barn raising in Amish or Jewish communities. [00:19:15] Partnerships can lighten the load and help business grow. [00:20:09] Partnerships should be complementary and driven by a shared mission, not personal gain, to truly be effective and valuable. The partnership option should not just exist because of purchasing requirements. A genuine partnership is inspired by a clear and valid mission that people want to help further. [00:22:51] Be open to unexpected help and seek partnerships to further your mission. [00:23:31] Continual learning is essential, and humility is necessary to recognize that there is always more to know. Keywords clear communication, relationships, over-communication, marriage, scheduling time, appreciation, partnership, equality, opinion, trust, belief system, mission-driven, efficiency, Christian companies, technology, CNO businesses, shared values, amplify, shared belief system, keto, support, celebration, consulting firm, give-and-take relationship, third-party vendors, sanctification, societal expectations, career, income, Christian business owner, workplace, vision, Spark Media Ignite Conference, collaborations, examples, analogy, equal contributors.

On this episode of By His Grace, we explore the idea that work is a good thing, contrary to the negative view that society has about it. We delve into the fallen world's impact on this perception and discuss how Christians can model the idea of doing everything to glorify God, including their work. We also examine how some entrepreneurs are prioritizing their faith and mission over profits and the advantages that come with this model. Finally, we examine how companies' commitment to service and mission above profit makes a significant difference in branding and business success. Tune in to learn more about finding purpose, mission, and faith in entrepreneurship. Podcast Timestamps [00:02:05] Making profits is important for business, but having a higher mission is crucial to maintain a moral background and avoid unethical actions for the sake of money. Striving for a greater purpose, such as helping others, can lead to success and financial gain.[00:04:57] Focus on mission over profit, reinvest money back into business, avoid financial stress, be confident in God's provision.[00:07:38] Businesses are increasingly dedicating part of their profits to charity, with some even starting with a charity arm from the beginning, akin to tithing. The trend reflects a heart issue.[00:08:48] Service and servant mentality are important for business success, but they have diminished in the current world. Christian businesses are incorporating tithe mentality into their businesses.[00:10:55] The hospitality in restaurants is declining as they rush customers to pay and leave. One individual had a long business dinner with no interruptions until they realized they were the last ones there, yet the waiter didn't urge them to leave. This kind of service used to be commonplace, but now waitstaff seem more concerned with closing out than providing good customer service.[00:13:34] Millennials and Gen Z prioritize pursuing their interests over work, which is seen as a necessary evil. However, it's important to find work that one enjoys and puts effort into doing well, whether it's physical or mental labor. The pandemic has exacerbated this issue.[00:16:51] Work is rewarding, idleness causes misery, being helpful to others is joyful, servant-hood is a lost art, respect should match experience.[00:18:01] People kept asking for more, including more money and special concessions, such as pet insurance.[00:19:28] "My pleasure" customer service is like the hotel industry and changes how customers feel about the business.[00:20:16] Chickfila prioritizes mission over profit, offering exceptional service while requiring strict qualifications for franchise ownership. Other businesses that prioritize profit over mission ultimately suffer from lackluster service and lose customer loyalty. Apple's clear mission is reflected in their successful products. Key Topics and Bullets - Introduction to the Bible's view of work as part of God's plan for humanity- The negative view of work in society and its origin in the fallen world- Importance of modeling the attitude of doing everything for the glory of God- The difference in business operations between those funded by investors and those that bootstrap or receive support from others- The concept of profit as a reward for providing valuable goods and services- The growing trend of kingdom-minded entrepreneurs who prioritize their mission over profits- The Spark Influence podcast and its theme of mission over profits- The promotion of the Spark Media Ignite Conference and Awards Gala as a premier Christian podcast conference- The younger generation's view towards work and the importance of pursuing what you love- The pandemic's impact on the decline in work ethic- Examples of businesses that prioritize mission over profits, such as Chickfila and Apple- The negative impact of prioritizing profits over mission and good service- The importance of welcoming customers, even if it's close to closing time- The significance of seeking first the kingdom of God and its mission- The speaker's unique business model of prioritizing mission over profitability- The impact of focusing on profitability on a business's ability to fully achieve its mission- The importance of reinvesting earnings back into mission events and growth- The notion of "active, lazy" and the lacking work ethic in society- Commendation of a person's model of being mission-focused while also thinking about the bottom line. Keywords Bible, work, Adam and Eve, God's plan, tending, caring, fallen world, negative view, glory of God, contagious attitude, funding, investors, bootstrap, financial support, profit, valuable goods, services, faith, mission, kingdom-minded, Spark Influence podcast, purpose, mission over profits, financial goals, Ignite Conference, Millennials, Gen Z, work ethic, Chickfila, service, tithing, pastor, Apple, moral compromises, shady practices, restaurants, closing time, kingdom of God, unique business model, revenue, profitability, reinvestment, loan, decision-making, freedom, tech companies, active, lazy, work ethic, lacking, owner, clients. Transcript Misty Phillip [00:00:00]: Hey there. Welcome back to the Spark Influence Podcast, where we ignite conversations on living life on purpose and on mission. In today's episode, we are going to be diving into the world of mission over profits. We'll explore how businesses can prioritize their purpose and create lasting impact while still being financially sustainable. But before we get into this episode, I want to remind you that today's episode is brought to you by the 2023 Spark Media Ignite Conference and Awards Gala, the premier Christian podcast conference. Join us in Houston, Texas on September 28 to the 30th, 2023. Grab your early bird tickets. Nominate your podcast by going to SparkMedia.Ventures. Mission over profits Well, on today's show, our topic is mission over profits. Mission over profits is the idea that businesses should prioritize their core purpose or mission above maximizing profits. And I wanted to talk about this because in the way that I conduct business in Spark Media, people ask me all the time, what's your goal in that? What's your purpose in that? One person asked me, do you have a high price ticket item on the back end of your conference? Or what is your goal? I've had an MBA. Ask me that or a business coach. What is being successful by the end of this year look like to you? And I have purpose and I have goals, and we accomplish a lot in Spark Media, but my goals are not necessarily financial goals. And you are the one who coined the term, it's really purpose over profits. Peter Phillip [00:02:05]: Yeah, I mean, probably explaining it. There's nothing wrong with making money and there's nothing wrong with making a profit, right? That's usually the goal of any business that's not a not for profit or a nonprofit. Simon Senate kind of touched on this a little bit. If you talk about if you've read start with why any of the books in that series where even he hits on if your stated goal is, I want to make a bunch of money, then you've already started it wrong. Right? Because chasing money and chasing profits and the Bible tells you this extensively, but if you're just there to chase that money and chase profits, then you're not going to be rightly aligned and there's not going to be no moral background. All those things are going to fall by the wayside because you're subservient to trying to just make money so things can get shady really quickly. You might do things that you would normally never do if you have a mission that is not my mission is to make all the money. No, your mission should be something else. It should be a more lofty achievement, even if it's just helping others in a simple thing. Whatever your business is and however you're doing it, it could be really simple. But if you really strive for that, then the money will come because people will see that you're about doing that, you're about helping, you're about providing a service, you're about giving good advice or helping people out, things will happen for you. Misty Phillip [00:03:33]: Absolutely. In biblical terms, I think of it this way. In Matthew 633 in the ESV, it says, but seek first the kingdom of God in his righteousness and all of these things will be added unto you. And I think that when we seek first the kingdom of God and the mission that he's laid on our hearts, then everything else falls into place. Now I'm in a little bit of a unique position because we're not reliant on my income and me generating revenue. So I may have a different business model, but because you provide for our family, I really get to do more ministry related, even though we have it set up not as a nonprofit or a ministry, but as a business. Because we can also have when we do make profits with it, we can have more kingdom impact by taking that money that we make. And right now, since it's a startup that we're investing it back into the company it provides for the conference and all the extra things that we do. But long term, if we were to make profit, my goal would be to find other ways to pour that back into other people. Peter Phillip [00:04:57]: The good way to describe it is you're not encumbered by having to pursue constantly profitability. Right. You're 100% on mission and if you make money then great, that's awesome. But the moment you make money, all you want to do is pour it right back. You don't even touch it. You pretend like it's not even there and you just want to put it right back into doing some other emission event, right. Some of the things you do as a business all sprung from, hey, I've got a little extra money, let's start a magazine. Hey, I did this, it was fun, let's start this. And you just keep pouring on and growing and that's a really neat place to be to be afforded that, right? Not everybody can be there, but it does let you focus because your mind is not 40% occupied with, hey, my monthly expenses are this for the business, I've got to cover them, I've got to have enough clients to make this work or I'm going to go in debt for the next six months. That's the plan. And we're going to try to get out of it. Or I already took a loan out and I start upside down already from the get go. Those are scary places to be. And profit making money or even making any amount of money really becomes paramount in the thoughts of business owners when you're doing that. If you start off from go with $150,000 in a business loan, you're like, I got to start making money. And that colors your decisions and it can make you overly brash and you're like, I'm just going to whatever and try to make money. Right? Or it can make you very hesitant and very nervous. And those are not places, neither one of those places are good spots to be. Right. So focusing on the mission, knowing that God will bring what he brings and it will work, I think is a glorious place to be if you can be there. Misty Phillip [00:06:36]: Yeah, I think so too. I've seen people who have gotten funding but are beholden to very investors that have invested millions of dollars into their startup and the way that they operate their business is very different from the way that I've Bootstrapped Spark and the way that you financially supported me so that I could focus on the mission. It's been such an amazing thing. Profit isn't a dirty word. It is the reward of providing valuable goods and services to people. And I think that there's a new breed of companies that I have seen emerging where people are putting their faith and their mission above profits. They're kingdom minded entrepreneurs and they're incorporating their faith and work. There's a whole faith in work movement and I think that I love seeing that growing trend where people aren't just focused on the bottom line. Peter Phillip [00:07:38]: Yeah. And a lot now are saying, hey, there's a trend, I think at least that I've seen recently where a lot of businesses are a lot more readily to say I'm giving some first fruits to a charity or I'm putting them aside. Even the for profit businesses often have some type of charity arm that exists with the company that that they use that for giving or for the betterment of those who have less. There's a company I deal with quite a bit and they're starting charter said 10% will always go to this charity arm so that they can provide for others. Right? And they started the business that way. And I think if a lot more businesses said, hey, you know what, it's like tithing right? If it's a business tithe right, then God doesn't cover entities in that respect. Right. From it. They're just saying you but there's a heart issue. Misty Phillip [00:08:30]: That's what that is. It's the heart of the company. Right. When you're saying we're going to put first, we're always going to put others first in our business, in our company, we're going to even act on that with our we're going to act on that with our finances. Peter Phillip [00:08:48]: Ian, erase this for 1 second. I got to call her. Con hour. Yeah. Setting that up and acting on that as a business, right, I see it growing. Especially Christian businesses, they're transposing that sort of tithe mentality onto their business and saying we're going to give and we're going to set aside always for that. As you said, service. Right? That whole mentality of service is a huge part of success in business just in general like that being a servant and having that servant mentality to others that gets blessed constantly and people recognize it. And it sadly has diminished tremendously in the current world that we live in where I see service and servitude being a far less viable, not viable, but available within business world like it's just diminished. People don't know. Misty Phillip [00:09:54]: Even in the service industry, I was. Peter Phillip [00:09:56]: Having it's the worst part of it. Yeah. Misty Phillip [00:09:58]: A conversation about this yesterday about people in the service industry when they first a friend of mine was talking about how she's noticed this trend of going into a restaurant, and it may be an hour before they close, which I know you hate. You never do that. You will never do that. But sometimes you find yourself in that situation where you need to do that. And instead of being greeted first like, hey, how are you all doing? The first words out of their mouth was, we close in an hour. And that is so terrible for your brand. There's a different way that you can handle things. Yeah, you might have been there all day. Yeah, you might have been tired. Maybe you're ready to go home. You've got your own things that are happening, but instead you can say, hey, welcome. We're glad you're here. Our kitchen is going to be closing in an hour, so let's get you in here and get you seated so that we can get you served or. Peter Phillip [00:10:55]: Whatever, like, get your order turned in and get the kitchen going. Yeah, the hospitality is gone out of the hospitality. There's still places that I went to a business dinner, and we sat around, like, eight people, and we sat around and talked, and there was desserts and there was coffee and after dinner stuff. And we were there talking for a long time, and I started to notice. And when I looked around, I was like, there's nobody else here. And the waiter came over and I said, what time do you close? And he said nine. And it was like, 1030. And no one had come up and said a word to us. No one said, you need to rush. We were there. It was going to be a really big bill. It was a couple of $1,000 dinner for sure, but that's kind of how it used to be. Now they come up and say, here's a check. I'm leaving. I need you to close out. Misty Phillip [00:11:48]: Or we were at a restaurant recently when they're pulling all the chairs back and it's not even close to closing, and they're starting to sweep and do all this stuff, and we're in a. Peter Phillip [00:11:58]: Steakhouse an hour before closing, and they put chairs up. Misty Phillip [00:12:01]: Yeah, it was not good. And I've seen this too, in watching you own your own company. You're a tech professional, and you work with some smaller companies, and you work with some very large scale companies, and there's a couple of phrases that I've heard you say which is active, lazy. So you've got these people who are always doing something, but they're not ever really doing anything. So you take them to task and you keep them on track. But I don't feel like the work ethic in general is there. And because of that, if you own your own company, nobody's going to work as hard at your company than you do. Right. But I've seen you over and over and over throughout your career, go the extra mile for your customer, for your client, for the business. It doesn't matter if it's nights, if it's weekends, if the job needs to be done, you get it done. And I've loved that's. Been just a good model that I've seen you model for other people. And so that is really about being mission focused, too. Even though you are making a profit, you are taking care of your clients, you are thinking about the bottom line. And I've seen you do that over and over. Peter Phillip [00:13:34]: Yeah. Thank you. I'll attribute that to my dad. For sure. It's interesting. I just read an article about Millennials and Gen Z's and why they have so much trouble and work. The workforce is having so much trouble with them. And they interviewed a couple of them and they said, we don't care about work like you care about work. So Gen X and back, we don't care anymore. We want to do other things. Work is like some evil that they have to do so they can have money in their pocket because they want to pursue what they want to do. And I think that's a misguided response or what it should be, is if you're not doing what you love and enjoy, and you can't figure that out. Now, let me preface this with if what you want to do and love and enjoy is just sit around and hang out with your friends and do paper machete, good luck trying to find a profit. You need to do things. There are jobs that really need to be fulfilled and work that can be done. And God rewards the labor of your hands, right? Or your mind. Take your pick. My dad had a saying. He goes two ways you can make a living, right? You can use your back or you can use your brain. Pick which one you want and just do the best you can do either one, right? Because that's what it comes down to, having that mentality of, I'm going to work hard no matter what I'm doing. That seems to have slid quite far from where we are in the world. Right? Even when I had to do really menial work, that was not fun at all. We still did it right. Like, you still had to do it right. And I don't know that a lot of people have that anymore because they don't want to do it right. And the pandemic didn't help at all. Misty Phillip [00:15:26]: No, it didn't. But God created us to do work. He did. And this comes from Genesis in the Bible, we're given the example of work, when God places Adam and Eve in the garden and he gave them the task of tending and caring for the garden. And this suggests that work in the form of taking care of the world and its resources was part of God's plan for humanity from the beginning. And I think part of that is in the Bible, it also talks about in the end times, men will be lovers of themselves, it will have increased lawlessness, all of the different things that we're seeing. And I think part of what we're seeing, yes, COVID did have an impact, but I think it's just the fallen world that we live in, the idea of work being a good thing. People don't go around talking about God created work and it's good and we should enjoy it. I mean, that's not what rolls off of the tongue normally, right. But I think it's something that we need to model as much as. So whatever we do, do it all unto the glory of God. And when we do that, I think other people see that and then that's contagious. Peter Phillip [00:16:51]: Yeah, I agree. Work can be extremely rewarding. Right. Just doing activities, the idleness is what's really causing misery. Right. There's a lot of joy that can be derived out of being helpful to others, being a servant to others, like really trying to be a servant. That word has become so dirty down right. Where it's like everyone expects executive level respect at whatever role they're in, like, all the time. Right. And it's like, you haven't done this before, you're new at this. Misty Phillip [00:17:29]: I remember a job that you had before, and all of the young workers, they all wanted vice president titles and you were like, this is a disaster. You haven't had a job long enough. Peter Phillip [00:17:45]: To be four years old, your first programming job. Misty Phillip [00:17:48]: But what happened there? But what happened? Peter Phillip [00:17:50]: Yeah, it went sideways. Misty Phillip [00:17:51]: It did, because the person who was in charge of that company, who owned that company, they acquiesced and gave into it and it didn't go well, did it? Peter Phillip [00:18:01]: No. Then they kept asking for more, then they wanted more money because they weren't paid enough. And then they all wanted special concessions besides pet insurance for their health care, pet healthcare insurance, which was another one that set me off. But that's a different topic. Misty Phillip [00:18:17]: That is a different topic. So let's go back to mission over profits. It can look different in different companies with different people. For me, I'm very mission focused because I don't have to focus on the profits. You are still very mission focused, even though you do focus on the profits. So I think the overarching theme here is that no matter what kind of job you have, you can do it all to the glory of God. You can be focused on the core mission and values of the company. And then I think profits fall in line if we seek first the core values and things of the company, then I think everything else falls in line. I think about Chickfila. Chickfila has got such a great service model. They make a ton of money making chicken, right. But that's not really what they're selling. They're selling friendly service. Peter Phillip [00:19:15]: Yeah, they are. Misty Phillip [00:19:16]: And good food quality stuff and quality. And people know it's consistent that they can show up to a Chickfila and they can get that same quality. Peter Phillip [00:19:28]: It's like the hotel industry, right? They picked up the my pleasure from the hotel business. That was a standard term in the hotel business, if you didn't notice it. Like if you stayed at hotels and anything you asked them to do is my pleasure, that spoke differently. Don't underestimate how that is pervasive. And when you encounter that, it changes the impact from the business to you, how you feel about them. It is a feeling like you come away feeling different. Yes, I'm just getting a chicken sandwich or maybe some amazing waffle fries and a really good strong iced tea. But they're super accommodating and it's my pleasure. Or the line is long. Misty Phillip [00:20:15]: It's a great day. Peter Phillip [00:20:16]: It's a great day and the line is long. And they come out and give you tea because it's hot, and they just give you free tea in the line. That's real service. Right. But they demand inversely. They demand service from the people who are going to own it. Right. Like you have to prove ten years of tithing. You have to have a letter from your pastor before you can even apply to own a Chickfila franchise. Right. So they are mission over profit because they pour it in, they reinvent. That's a big deal for them. Whereas other businesses, bad service drives customers away. You get one shot, and if it's bad, then I can name a lot of places I'll never go back again. Because the service was terrible. Right. And that just shows they don't care. They're not about mission, they're about profit. Because you're just another dollar to them. You're not something unique to be treated properly or to be cared for. It's a service. If it's a good, it's different, but the good is the same. Apple is the example of that. Right. Apple has a really strong base because their mission is clear to them. Right. And they make ungodly amounts of profit. But they're about their mission, and their mission is what is reflected in their products. And that's why they're number one in the world for that. Misty Phillip [00:21:37]: Yeah, that's good. So I think that we can conclude there to stay on mission no matter what you're called to do, where you work, whether you own your own company, whether it is in your family, at your church, in your neighborhood, be faithful to the mission and let's be mission driven people. Amen. Thanks for listening to the Spark Influence Podcast!

Welcome to the Spark Influence Podcast, where we explore the power of positive influence in our daily lives. I'm Misty Phillip and today, I want to encourage my fellow moms. Today I'm flying solo because I want to be discuss the importance of biblical motherhood and the impact it can have on our families and communities. Motherhood is an incredible journey, full of joys and challenges. It's a journey that requires patience, love, and sacrifice. As we navigate this path, it can be easy to get caught up in the daily grind and lose sight of the bigger picture. But when we look to the Bible for guidance, we can find wisdom and encouragement to help us on this journey. Proverbs 31:10-31 The Woman Who Fears the Lord 10 [d] An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.14 She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.15 She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.16 She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.17 She dresses herself[e] with strength and makes her arms strong.18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.20 She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.[f]22 She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.23 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.24 She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.27 She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:29 “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates. Proverbs 31 is a beautiful passage that describes the qualities of a virtuous woman. This woman is a wife and a mother, and she is praised for her hard work, her wisdom, and her kindness. She is a woman who fears the Lord, and her children rise up and call her blessed. As mothers, we can learn a lot from this passage. We can strive to be women of integrity, who work hard to provide for our families and create a loving home environment. We can seek wisdom from the Lord and ask Him to guide us as we raise our children. Biblical Examples of Strong Moms As we study the Bible we find countless examples of strong and faithful mothers who raised children who went on to do great things. One such example is Jochebed, the mother of Moses. She was a Hebrew woman living in Egypt during a time when Pharaoh had ordered all Hebrew baby boys to be killed. But Jochebed refused to give up on her son and placed him in a basket in the Nile River, trusting that God would protect him. Jochebed Through God's grace, Moses was rescued by Pharaoh's daughter and grew up to become a great leader of the Israelites, leading them out of slavery in Egypt. Jochebed's faith and determination remind us that even in the face of difficult circumstances, God can work miracles through the love and dedication of a mother. Hannah Another example is Hannah, the mother of Samuel. Hannah was unable to have children, and she prayed fervently to God for a son. When God blessed her with Samuel, she dedicated him to God's service and raised him to be a faithful prophet. Hannah's story shows us that even when we face disappointment or hardship, we can turn to God in prayer and trust that He has a plan for our lives and our children's lives. As mothers, we can learn so much from these biblical examples. We can be encouraged that our efforts in raising our children in the ways of the Lord can have a lasting impact. We can trust that God is with us every step of the way and that He will equip us with everything we need to be the best mothers we can be. Modeling the Christian Life One of the most important things we can do as mothers is to model a life of faith for our children. We can teach them about God's love and grace, and show them what it means to live a life that honors Him. We can pray for our children and ask God to protect them and guide them on their own faith journeys. We can read, study, and memorize scripture together. Motherhood both challenging and rewarding! Motherhood can be challenging, but it's also one of the most rewarding roles we can have in life. When we embrace biblical motherhood, we can experience the joy of seeing our children grow and thrive, and we can make a positive impact on our families and communities. Mom your work is valuable, your love is powerful, and your influence is eternal. Keep pressing on, and trust in God's grace to guide you through every moment of motherhood. Verses that have encouraged me in my motherhood journey I want to share a few scriptures that have encouraged me in my motherhood journey. Proverbs 22:6 ESV "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." 3 John 4 ESV says, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." Hebrews 12:1 ESV "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" Galatians 6:9 ESV -"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." So, to all the mothers out there listening today, I want to encourage you to keep pressing on. Remember that you are loved and valued by God, and that He has entrusted you with the incredible responsibility of raising your children. Seek His guidance and wisdom, and trust Him to help you on this journey. Thank you for tuning in to the Spark Influence Podcast. Join us next time as we continue to explore the power of positive influence in our lives.

Welcome to the Spark Influence podcast. Last week, Misty discussed stewarding influence. Today Peter and Misty dive a little deeper to discuss being generationally and kingdom minded. Misty just returned home from the life surge event. One of the main themes of the event was building Kingdom resources to create kingdom impact to provide for our families and future generations and to be used for good. How do we live intentionally as believers in business? Scripture Reference "The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it." - Proverbs 27:12 ESV Intentionality in Business Intentionality in business means making conscious, deliberate choices that align with our core values, especially as Christians. It's about being mindful of our actions and decisions and ensuring that our faith and purpose guide them. Peter shares an example of refusing a client who wanted to do a questionable business deal. They discuss standing up for Christian values in your business, the importance of having a multi-generational mindset, and being in community with other believers. Thank you for listening to the Spark Influence podcast.

Hey friends! Welcome to another episode of the Spark Influence podcast. I'm Misty Phillip and I am so glad you're here with us today. Peter wasn't able to join us today so I'm flying solo. I decided to dive into a topic that I think is so important, especially for us as Christians: stewarding influence. Stewarding Influence And we're not just talking about the kind of influence that comes with having a platform, but also the everyday influence we have in our circles, our families, and our communities. But before we get started, I want to remind you that today's episode is brought to you by the Spark Media Ignite conference. Join us on September 28-30, 2023 in Houston, TX for the podcast and media event of the year. Visit SparkMedia.Ventures/spark-ignite Influence is a Gift So let's jump into today's conversation. Stewarding influence. If you're anything like me, the idea of influence can feel like a heavy responsibility. But it's also a gift from God, and it's our job to use it well. Now, as always, I want to remind you that our faith should be at the center of everything we do, and that includes using our influence. So today, we'll talk about what it means to be a good steward of our influence and how we can use it to point people toward Jesus. Matthew 25:14-30 ESV You know, when I think about stewarding influence, one of the first things that comes to my mind is the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. You know, the story where the master goes on a journey and entrusts his servants with different amounts of money, or talents. And the thing I love about this story is that it doesn't matter how much each servant was given; what matters is what they did with it. So whether you have one talent, or five, or a million Instagram followers, what's important is how you use that influence to bring glory to God. Embrace Your Calling We should embrace our unique callings. You know, God has created each of us with a specific purpose in mind. And friends, let me tell you, the world needs YOU, just as you are, with the gifts and passions He's placed within you. So whether you're a teacher, an entrepreneur, a parent, or anything else, your influence matters. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” - Ephesians 2:10 ESV. It is impossible for us to miss our calling. No one else can do the work God has prepared for us to do. He is always raising up people who are surrendered to Him, and His purposes. God has uniquely gifted you for the specific works He is calling you to do. Calling is also about understanding the call, and we what we are called to do - how we can use our gifts to make a difference in the world around us? By exploring these two concepts, we can clarify our true purpose and discover how best to live out that purpose each day. By understanding how we are wired, our unique gifts and callings, we can discover our true purpose in life. Calling We are all called to do all to the glory of God. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” - 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV. Calling is about understanding what we are called to do - how we can use our gifts to make a difference in the world around us. We are all born with a unique purpose and destiny, given to us by our Creator. We are all called to something, whether it is to serve others or use our gifts and talents for the greater good. Regardless of what we do, we have a responsibility to answer that call and fulfill the purpose that has been given to us. Co-Laborers Our Creator has given us the opportunity to co-labor with HIM and make an impact in this world, and it is up to us whether or not we accept it. God doesn't have to use us. He chooses us to fulfill His will for Kingdom purposes. Understanding our calling and season of life involves recognizing and embracing our purpose, talents, and passions and how they align with the challenges and opportunities we face at a given point in our life. It involves being aware of and accepting the limitations and changes that come with different life stages and using them as opportunities to grow and fulfill our purpose. It requires introspection, self-reflection, prayer, and seeking guidance from others to help us make informed decisions about our direction in life. God Has a Good Plan God has a plan for each and every one of us. He has given us the opportunity to work together as believers to build up the body of Christ and meet the needs of those in need. We all have our own place on God's team, with unique gifts and talents that can be used to serve others. We should use these gifts to serve one another, and ultimately glorify God through our actions. By working together with other believers, we can make a difference in this world and bring glory to God's name. Practical Ways to Steward our Influence And with that in mind, let's talk about some practical ways to be a good steward of our influence. First, I think it's important to recognize that our influence comes from God. It's not something we've earned or create on our own. It's a gift, and like all gifts, we should use it to honor the Giver. So ask yourself: am I using my influence to serve others and point them towards Jesus? Or am I using it to serve myself and build my own kingdom? Remember that Jesus came not to be served, but to serve, and as his followers, we're called to do the same. Intentional with Our Words Secondly, friends, let's be intentional about the way we communicate. You know, words are powerful, and as Christians, we want to make sure that our words are filled with grace and truth. Our words and actions have the power to build others up or tear them down. As we steward our influence, let's be mindful of how we're using our words and actions to point others to Jesus, to love and serve those around us, and to create a positive impact in our communities. So before you post something online or say something in a conversation, take a moment to ask yourself: is this true? Is it kind? Does it build others up? Or does it tear them down? Let's be people who use our words to heal and not to harm, to bring light and not darkness. Circle of Accountability The next thing I want to touch on is accountability. As much as we might like to think otherwise, none of us is perfect. And when we're in positions of influence, it can be easy to start believing our own hype and lose sight of what's really important. That's why it's so crucial to have people in your life who will keep you grounded, who will challenge you when you need it, and who will remind you of what really matters. Don't be afraid to invite those people in and give them permission to speak into your life. I've got a circle of accountability. Not a circle of people who agree with me, People who have permission to speak truth into my life. Christian Community Being in a community with other Christians helps us be accountable, encourage each other, and learn from one another. We build one another when we are in community together. We also have a warning from Hebrews to continue meeting especially as the day of Christ is drawing near. “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” - Hebrews 10:25 ESV Cultivating our faith life in community with others can make a significant in both their lives and in our lives. I've personally grown by being in community with other believers in deep and meaningful ways. If we want to steward our influence well we also need to walk in humility. This is a big one, friends. As we grow in influence, it's important to remember that it's not about us. It's about reflecting God's love and grace to others. We must be willing to learn, listen, and be open to correction. Let's lean on God and trust in His wisdom as we navigate these waters. Cultivating Humility Cultivating a teachable spirit is essential in walking in humility. This means acknowledging that we don't have all the answers and that we can always learn and grow. Be open to learning from others, whether they are leaders in your field, peers, or even those with less experience. Embrace new ideas and perspectives, and continually seek to expand your knowledge and understanding. A humble and teachable spirit will not only help you become a better steward of your influence, but it will also endear you to others and create opportunities for meaningful connections. Finally, friends, remember that stewarding influence is a lifelong journey. It's not something we can master in a day or even a year. It's something we'll be learning and growing in for the rest of our lives. So give yourself grace, and when you make mistakes, use them as an opportunity to learn and grow. Remember, God doesn't call us to be perfect; he calls us to be faithful. And with His help, we can become better and better stewards of the influence he's given us. It's not always easy to navigate this journey of stewarding influence. But thankfully, we don't have to do it alone. God is with us every step of the way, guiding us, providing wisdom, and giving us the strength to persevere. He has given us His word to guide us, and when we daily deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him, He is our shepherd and guide leading us in the way we should go. Scripture Reference The Parable of the Talents 14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[c] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents,[d] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.' 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.[e] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.' 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.' 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' - Matthew 25:14-30 ESV That's it for today's episode. Remember, you are loved, you are seen, and you have a purpose. Now go out and Spark Influence because the world needs you.

Welcome to the Spark Influence Podcast with Peter and Misty Phillip, where we ignite conversations about intentional living in our faith, marriage, and with our family. Today we discuss the importance of Christian education and how it relates to the book of Deuteronomy. Scripture Reference "Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules[a]—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." - Deuteronomy 7:1-9 ESV. Episode Summary In Deuteronomy 7, God commands his people to teach their children his commandments and statutes so they may know and follow them. This passage emphasizes the importance of passing on the faith and knowledge of God to the next generation. As Christian parents, we are responsible for equipping our children with a strong biblical foundation that will guide them throughout their lives. We believe that Christian education should be centered on the Word of God, and we should prioritize teaching the Bible to help our kids understand its relevance in their daily lives. We encourage parents to actively participate in their child's spiritual education by providing resources and opportunities for them to engage in family devotions and discussions. Help your children develop a biblical worldview that enables them to engage with culture and think critically about the issues they face. Teach your kids to read, and to think critically. By teaching them to apply biblical principles to their decision-making, we can equip them to navigate the complexities of the world with confidence and discernment. Books Mentioned Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 1984 by George Orwell Follow Spark Influence If you enjoyed this episode, follow the Spark Influence Podcast and leave a review. And remember, as Christian parents, we have the privilege and responsibility to shape the hearts and minds of the next generation.

On this episode of the Spark Influence podcast, Peter and Misty Phillip invite their friends Shea and Michelle Watson of the Pantry Podcast on the show to discuss Biblical marriage.This is a special double feature episode on both the By His Grace podcast and Spark Influence podcasts. This is a two-part episode so be sure to listen to part 1 and 2. In this podcast episode, they discuss Biblical marriage and family and standing against culture. We will explore the importance of marriage in the Bible, God's design for marriage, and how to navigate modern culture norms while still holding true to Biblical principles. They also discuss how to be a strong advocate for traditional values in the face of a growing woke culture. Including ways in which families can work together to ensure that their values are passed on from generation to generation. Through this podcast episode, we hope to equip listeners with the tools they need to stand firm in their faith and protect their families from being influenced by an increasingly woke culture. To connect with Shea and Michelle Watson check out The Pantry Podcast. Thanks for listening to the Spark Influence podcast. We'd love to your your feedback on this episode. Leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

On this episode of the Spark Influence podcast, Peter and Misty Phillip invite their friends Shea and Michelle Watson of the Pantry Podcast on the show to discuss Biblical marriage.This is a special double feature episode on both the By His Grace podcast and Spark Influence podcasts. This is a two-part episode so be sure to listen to part 1 and 2. In this podcast episode, they discuss Biblical marriage and family and standing against culture. We will explore the importance of marriage in the Bible, God's design for marriage, and how to navigate modern culture norms while still holding true to Biblical principles. They also discuss how to be a strong advocate for traditional values in the face of a growing woke culture. Including ways in which families can work together to ensure that their values are passed on from generation to generation. Through this podcast episode, we hope to equip listeners with the tools they need to stand firm in their faith and protect their families from being influenced by an increasingly woke culture. To connect with Shea and Michelle Watson check out The Pantry Podcast Thanks for listening to the Spark Influence podcast. We'd love to your your feedback on this episode. Leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

On this episode, Peter and Misty dedicate this show to a answer a listeners question about helping your child chose a career path. They discuss the different paths their boys have taken. Summary Every parent wants their child to have a successful career, but the path to success can be difficult to navigate. In this episode of the podcast, we'll discuss how parents can help their children make informed decisions about their future career paths. We cover topics such as understanding your child's interests and abilities, researching different careers and industries, exploring potential options for education and training, and developing a plan for achieving success. Join us as we explore these important topics and provide tips for helping your child choose the right career path. Kids need purpose. Give them opportunities to learn and try new things. Give them time to figure things out. Kids learn when we let them fail. Scripture Resource "have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." - 3 John 1:4 ESV Thanks for listening to the Spark Influence podcast. We love hearing from our listeners. Be sure to leave us a rating and review.

What does truth in love look like in business? What does truth in love in mentoring? What does truth in love in friendship or fellowship? What does truth in love look like in your family? Peter and Misty Phillip talk about having both truth and love. Love is Gods winning formula. If we love it works. For others and for us. Peter talks about what love and good works look like with clients, and in business situations, and how it can be tricky. His advice is to keep your integrity in your business dealings. He shares about loving prodigals, and family memebers. Scripture Resource "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[b] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 ESV

Welcome to the Spark Influence podcast; This month we are focusing on love. In this episode, we are talking about finding our passion and loving what we do. We discuss why it is essential, how it can impact your life, and some tips on finding your passion. When you love what you do, it's no longer just a job, a calling and a passion, and it brings much more joy and fulfillment to your life. Scripture Reference Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 ESV says, "I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man." People that love what they do are more productive! Studies have shown that people who love their work are more productive, motivated, and have a greater sense of purpose. And it's not just about feeling good. Loving what you do also helps you work smarter, not harder. It keeps you inspired and allows you to maintain a positive outlook even in the face of challenges. Finding your passion Finding your passion doesn't have to be a daunting task. There are many simple steps you can take to identify what it is that you genuinely love to do. One approach is to think about your hobbies and interests. What do you enjoy doing in your free time? This often gives clues about what your passions are. Misty encourages people to pray and ask God where their gifting and calling line up in this season because God has gifted us to do the things he has prepared us to do from before the foundation of the universe. Try new things Another approach is to try new things. You only know what you might enjoy once you try it. And by experimenting with new experiences, you can broaden your horizons and discover new passions. And don't be afraid to take risks. If you're unhappy in your current job, it may be time to try something new. Whether starting your own business or changing careers, taking risks can lead to great rewards. (Talk about leaping to do your own thing) It's also important to remember that finding your passion is a journey, not a destination. It's okay if you don't have everything figured out right away. The most important thing is to keep moving forward and exploring new possibilities. So, whether you're just starting or looking to make a change, know that loving what you do is possible. And with the right attitude and approach, you can find your passion and create a life you love. Resources The Infinite Game Thank you for joining us, and we'll see you next time. Make sure to leave us a review on the Apple podcast app.

On this week's episode of Spark Influence, Peter and Misty Phillip talk about the great commandment to all believers to make disciples of all believers. As the world becomes darker, we may have the inclination to recoil back from the world and circle our wagons in a safe Christian bubble. But Jesus calls us to go to go into the world and make disciples. We are co-labors in the gospel living on mission for God. Your home, office, community, and work place is where we make disciples. Scripture References 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them inb the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20 ESV “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” - Proverbs 27:17 ESV Our pastor just asked our congregation these questions, and we'd like to pose these questions to you. Who is becoming more like Jesus because you are investing in them? When I stand before, the Lord will I be happy with what I have to present to him? He defined discipleship a developmental process whereby believers intentionally pass on to others what they know, have experienced and are learning so that others become more like Jesus. Who are you discipling today my friends? There are many ways to nurture and grow our faith, including: Reading and studying the Bible: This is the foundation of our faith and the primary way we learn about God's character and will for our lives. Praying: Talking to God and listening for His guidance is an essential part of nurturing our faith. Worshiping: Joining with other believers in worship helps us to focus on God and to remember that we are not alone in our faith journey. Serving others: Putting our faith into action through acts of service is a powerful way to grow in our faith and to make a difference in the world around us. Surrounding ourselves with other believers: Being in community with other Christians helps us to be accountable, to encourage each other, and to learn from one another. Practicing spiritual disciplines such as fasting, meditation, and journaling: These practices can help us to deepen our relationship with God and to focus on spiritual growth. Being consistent and persistent: Growing in faith is not an overnight process it takes time and effort, but consistency and persistence in our faith practices will help us to see progress in our faith journey. It's important to remember that nurturing our faith is an ongoing process and that it will look different for each person. The most important thing is to be intentional about seeking God and growing in our relationship with Him. Resources The Pilgrim's Progress is a 1678 Christian allegory written by John Bunyan. The work is a symbolic vision of the good man's pilgrimage through life. At one time second only to the Bib le in popularity, The Pilgrim's Progress is the most famous allegory on the Christian life.

Welcome to the Spark Influence podcast with Tech executive Peter Phillip and his wife, Misty Phillip, Founder of Spark Media, who inspires Christian podcasters through various ventures, including the Spark Media Christian podcast, Spark Media Network, Magazine, and Spar5k Collective Membership community. On this week's episode of the Spark Influence podcast, we discuss the importance of tracking and accessing progress to identify growth and development areas. Tracking & Reflecting Regularly taking time to reflect on your progress and assess what is and is not working can help us identify growth and development areas. Peter recommends quarterly meetings for your business and your family to see what is working and what needs to be adjusted. By supporting each other's growth and personal development, you can work together to create a successful and fulfilling business while growing as individuals and a couple. Begin with End in Mind Peter asked Misty to share her secret sauce about getting things done and how she plans for success. Misty recommends starting with the end in mind and working backward. She shares how she did this while home-educating her boys—looking at college requirements while the boys were in elementary and middle school to prepare her kids for college—coupled with the interests and proclivity to devise a well-rounded curriculum. Time Block & Batch Work Peter and Misty share how time blocking my calendar and batching work is an effective strategy to accomplish goals. Misty also shares her strategy for long-range planning, including leaving borders and margins in our schedule and learning from our mistakes. She shares the importance of meal prep and planning for the week ahead. Seek Ye First Starting their day with scripture, prayer, and quiet is foundational. Misty tends to begin her day super early to read, study, and prayer. In comparison, Peter's mantra is Bible before the news. They share productivity hacks, like writing everything down, using Do Not Disturb and the notes app to organize tasks and to-dos. Scripture Reference "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." - Matthew 6:33 ESV. Resources Managers of Their Homes: A Practical Guide to Daily Scheduling for Christian Homeschool Families Trello - Trello brings all your tasks, teammates, and tools together.

This month on the Spark Influence podcast, Peter Phillip and Misty Phillip focus on ways we can grow as leaders in our marriage, families, and business. In today's episode, we talk about unlocking the potential of collaboration by sharing resources and knowledge. Unique Skills and Perspective Most couples like us likely have different and unique areas of expertise and resources at our disposal. Sharing these resources and knowledge with each other helps us both to grow and learn. Key Scripture We see this principle in scripture portrayed beautifully in Colossians 3:16, which says, "16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Support and Encourage Your Partner We, believers, should always teach and encourage one another in our faith. When your spouse is your business partner, you have the unique opportunity to help one another grow spiritually, mentally, and physically. iA key to success is to recognize the importance of providing support and encouragement to one another, as well as having a teachable spirit. Having a supportive network of people around us can help us grow both professionally and personally. A teachable spirit allows us to learn from our mistakes and take constructive criticism in order to become better versions of ourselves. Marriage is a Partnership Life is full of unexpected twists and turns. Marriage is a partnership that can be strained by financial responsibilities and obligations with our family, health challenges, and raising kids. Starting and running a business together can add stress and strain, so having a supportive partner is essential. Encourage each other, offer words of encouragement, and be there to provide support when things get tough. Build one another up with encouraging words and acts of kindness. Mentors and Trusted Advisors Seek out mentors and surround yourself with trusted advisors. Wise friends, mentors, or advisors can offer valuable guidance and support as you navigate the challenges of marriage and entrepreneurship. Seek mentors and advisors to help you grow and learn as a couple to support your shared goals. Resources Coffee and convos with CEOs at the Kurio collective Faith-driven entrepreneurs and investors, foundation groups, and events.

Welcome to the Spark Influence podcast, a podcast with Peter Phillip, and Misty Phillip for people who want to honor God and live with intention in their marriage, with their family, as entrepreneurs and business leaders so that you can lead and influence others. New Year Happy New Year! It is good to be back in the studio. We are excited about this episode because we love a new year, a time for new beginnings, and fresh starts. It is a time for us to evaluate what has worked for us this last year and what adjustments we need to make going forward into the new year. It is a time of gratitude as we remember God's faithful in our lives. To time to seek God and ask Him what He has for us this year, and what our assignment is in this new year. The past couple of years have been pretty crazy in our world, but God has been so faithful to us in the midst of the chaos. Growth We plan to have a theme for the month to focus our conversation. Since we are in a new year, and everyone is making goals, and plans for the year. I thought a great theme to kick off the new year is GROWTH. It is important for us to constantly be learning and growing. This helps us become better people. Scripture Reference We love these words in Isaiah 43:16-21 ESV, they are a reminder to let go the past and see that God is doing a new thing! “Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches,
for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise”. - Faithful Provider God not only makes a way for us, and provides for us in unexpected ways, he wants to do a new thing in our lives. Peter talks about God's provision and how it is a storehouse year, by gathering provisions and shoring up weaknesses, and creating multiple streams of income. Personal Growth and Development As a couple, we can support each other's personal, professional, and spiritual development in a number of ways: First, we can encourage each other to set goals and pursue growth opportunities. Whether it's practicing spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, and Bible study or personal and professional development like exercise and eating healthy or taking a course, attending a conference, or networking with other professionals, encourage each other to set goals and take steps to grow and learn. Share some examples in the way we we've encouraged one another, and some ideas about encouraging and supporting one another. Grow Together Seek out opportunities to learn and grow together. Find areas of passion to learn, and grow together helps to tie heart string with one another, and builds one another up. Purse shills, interest, and hobbies together. Provide and Receive Constructive Criticism Another way we can encourage one another is by providing feedback and constructive criticism: Offering honest and respectful feedback on each other's work and ideas. Seeking to understand each other's perspective and be open to constructive criticism.

Welcome to this special year end combination episode of the Spark Influence and By His Grace. Every year we close out the the by his grace podcast with a year in review and my husband Peter Phillip is my guest. Since we now do the Spark Influence podcast together I thought it would be fun to do a combo episode. Gratitude We are overwhelmed by God's grace and provision in our lives in 2022. Misty Phillip shares highlights from this year including taking the the Spark Media Conference on the road to Nashville, traveling, speaking, and the Spark Radio Initiative that resulted in the Spark Media Hour on Upliftd KHCB radio. Peter and Misty discuss God's goodness and faithfulness. Goals Peter and Misty both share the importance of goal setting. How they each set goals are exceeded their expectations. Misty shares the importance of balancing work and rest, and to plan rest time. Spend time in prayer with the Lord, and in His word seeking what He has for you in the new year. they encourage you to seek the Lord's will for your lives to create goals His way, asking God, "what do you want for me in 2023?" Goal Setting One of the best ways to do this is by setting SMART goals. S-specific: Set specific goals that are relevant to your life and career. M-measurable: Make sure that you can measure your progress towards the goal. A-achievable: The goal should be challenging but not impossible to reach. R-relevant: The goal should align with your values, beliefs, and interests. T-timely: Set a deadline for when you want to achieve the goal by. A Look Ahead to 2023 Peter discusses how preparation, diversification, automation will be important in 2023. Misty shares the urgency of sharing the gospel as we await the return of the Lord. Scripture References "16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances;for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV "For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory." - 2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV " And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:19 ESV

Hey this is Misty Phillip. You are listening to the Spark Influence podcast. We are winding down 2022, and I'm flying solo today. Typically this podcast is a conversation between my husband Peter and I about cultivating what matters in life when we follow the Lord, and live our life with intention in our marriage, with our family and in business and leadership. It is our heart that through these podcast messages we record for you that you will find a glimmer of hope in our stories, find a unique perspective. We want you to know there is freedom in living a counter cultural lifestyle that honors Christ permeates everything you do. We are not experts or gurus, although my husband is quite brilliant. We are just like you we are flawed, and in need of grace and mercy we fail and mess up, and need to seek repentance and forgiveness. We are fellow sojourners doing our best each day to shine the light of Christ in a broken world. We've been busy the past few weeks, preparing our home for the coming Christmas season as I'm sure many of you have been doing the same. Peter has been really busy with work so I've tried to pull back from some of my duties and responsibilities so that I can be more present as a wife and mom. I also wanted to take time to slow down, quiet myself, and focus on the true meaning of the season of Christmas and to prepare my heart for the return of Jesus Christ, my king. He is coming soon, and we need to be ready. Isaiah 53 Our Pastor recently taught from Isaiah 53 in this old, testament chapter, we clearly see the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I want to read Isaiah 53:1-3 ESV to you. Then we'll look at what the Matthew Henry commentary says in response to these verses, and then I'll share some thoughts with you. "Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not." - Isaiah 53:1-3 ESV Matthew Henry Commentary In response to these verses, Matthew Henry shares this. “No where in all the Old Testament is it so plainly and fully prophesied, that Christ ought to suffer, and then to enter into his glory, as in this chapter. But to this day few discern, or will acknowledge, that Divine power which goes with the word. The authentic and most important report of salvation for sinners, through the Son of God, is disregarded. The low condition he submitted to, and his appearance in the world, were not agreeable to the ideas the Jews had formed of the Messiah. It was expected that he should come in pomp; instead of that, he grew up as a plant, silently, and insensibly. He had nothing of the glory which one might have thought to meet with him. His whole life was not only humble as to outward condition, but also sorrowful. Being made sin for us, he underwent the sentence sin had exposed us to. Carnal hearts see nothing in the Lord Jesus to desire an interest in him. Alas! by how many is he still despised in his people, and rejected as to his doctrine and authority!” Divine Power in the Word There is divine power in the word of God and through the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but so many people are missing it. My Response As I read through Isaiah 53 my first response was one of sadness and bewilderment that the Jewish Pharisees that would no doubt have this chapter memorized yet they completely missed the Messiah. But more than that this description struck a cord within me that I've had a hard time shaking. Verse 2, days “there is no beauty that we should desire him.” Verse 3, “He is despised and rejected, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” As I read this passage, a question welled up in my spirit in regards to the American church. I quietly prayed. Lord, how do I reconcile the depiction of you in Isaiah 53, and the celebrity culture in our world and in our church? You were crushed for us, so why would we be lifted up for your name's sake? Celebrity Church Culture- What would Jesus think? In our celebrity-obsessed, American idol culture, worship and adoration is often directed toward influential or popular people. As leaders, and as people of influence we must guard ourselves against celebrity culture. We can't put any pastor, teacher, singer or celebrity on a pedestal. We need to guard our own hearts against pride and from becoming puffed up. We are all human beings living in a fallen world and we all face similar temptations. This is why scripture tells us to guard our hearts. Proverbs 4:23 ESV states, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Pedestals and Platforms Putting people on pedestals is a problem of misplaced worship and one of posture and position. Who and what are we truly worshipping? Jesus is the only one who deserves our praise and adoration. He alone is worthy of worship. Nothing and no one can take his place. As I pondered all of this, I had another prayer in the form of a question. Lord, what do you think of the American church? We gather and we sing with the lights dimmed low, with smoke machines, and laser lighting and all the production of our worship. Does it please you, Lord? I wonder if we are missing the mark? Lord teach us your ways. In Psalms 19:14 ESV it says, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Lord, this is our prayer. That the things we say and do in our homes, at work and in our churches would be pleasing to you. Convict us of our sins, guide us and leads us so that our thoughts, words, and actions would honor you. As we decorate and celebrate this Christmas season, we are humbled by your love for us. That you would take on our sin and shame that we could be redeemed and restored. We humble ourselves before you Lord, because you alone are worthy to be praised. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear. Help us to share the gospel message with unbelievers, and to fill our hearts with peace, love, joy, kindness, and all the other fruits of the spirit. Revelation 5:9-14 ESV “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals,for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” 11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,to receive power and wealth and wisdom and mightand honor and glory and blessing!” 13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lambbe blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. Jesus is coming soon. Are you ready?

Strategic Planning and Waiting on God Strategic planning is a process leaders use to define their vision for the future and identify their organization's goals and objectives. As a Kingdom minded entrepreneur, there are times for us to run full speed ahead executing the vision God's given us, and there are other times when we need to patiently wait on the Lord for instruction. "but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." - Isaiah 40:31 ESV
 How do we do strategic planning in uncertain times? Balancing the process of goal setting and the strategic planning process with prayerful discernment is no small task. The fact that a door is open and we can do something does not mean it is His will for us. We need clarity about the season we are in as individuals and in our organizations. Daily committing to studying God's word and spending time in prayer is the key to unlocking God's will for us. There are many verses in the Bible about waiting on the Lord. Waiting on the Lord is a patient, confident trust in the Lord. Psalm 27 is a prayer to God for help. It beautifully illustrates the meaning of waiting on the Lord. Throughout the psalm' David expresses authentic faith and courageous trust in God with a confident expectation that the Lord will rescue and save him in his time of trouble. David asked God for wisdom, and direction (verse 11), and protection (verse 12), wholly believing he would “see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” Waiting on the Lord involves the confident expectation of a positive result in which we place a great hope. Jesus had to submit His will to the Father. How much more do we? In Matthew 26:39 we see Jesus prostrate before the Lord. “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Jesus struggled with the will of the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane, but submitted His will to His Father.

On this episode of the Spark Influence podcast, Peter and Misty Phillip discuss the importance of taking a break, having time off, how slack time and sabbath can actually make you more productive. Taking frequent breaks through out the day while working can even be a benefit. Misty shares how it is difficult for her to take a break from work. Peter shares serial vacationing after the death of his Father. They touch on trends in the workforce, quiet quitting, and balancing work home life, and the negative effects of the pandemic on Millennial and Gen Z's. Scripture Resources Genesis 2:2-3 ESV 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. Exodus 20:8-11 ESV 8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Colossians 3:23-24 ESV 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Connect with us We would love to hear from you and connect with you. Peter Phillip - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-phillip Misty Phillip - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mistyphillip Thanks for listening to the Spark Influence podcast. Go Spark Your Influence!

In this episode of Spark Influence, Peter and Misty Phillip discuss Biblical Inheritance, and leaving a legacy. In the old testament, inheritance was the gift of honor and support given by a patriarch to his sons (and sometimes daughters). The inheritance was meant for the provision and status of the family. Most of the occurrences of inheritance in the Old Testament refer to God bestowing the Promised Land on the Israelites, and the provision of the Heavenly Father. The New Testament does not speak of a physical inheritance, but rather a spiritual inheritance. We are taught it is far better to store up treasures in heaven, then on earth. In regards to inheritance, parents ensure their family is cared for after their death. This doesn't necessarily mean land, or even material possessions. It could meaning a legacy include imparting a good character, and passing down oral traditions, and leaving a legacy. What is a legacy? We're all familiar with the concept of a legacy—something of value passed down or received from someone who came before us. Legacies are created through many purposeful actions over a long period—often years or even decades! Loving the people around you with your time, talents, and resources and living with integrity, so you're a trustworthy person to follow, stewarding and growing what you've been given, so you have something to pass on—these are all parts of leaving a legacy. We encourage listeners to think about leaving a legacy, and discussing ways to leave a legacy. We discuss why we should leave a legacy. Leaving a legacy means you will continue contributing in future years, helping generations implement the beautiful life lessons you gained, and wisdom and knowledge you've gained. How do you create a legacy? A legacy may be what's left after you're gone, but the work of making a legacy happens while you're still here.

On this episode of the Spark Influence podcast Peter and Misty talk about how to properly steward the resources God has given us. Generosity is a core tenant found throughout the Bible. Like the good Samaritan we should go out of our way to help those in need, whether it is with our time, resources, or expertise, we must answer the call of giving. Connect with us We would love to hear from you and connect with you. Peter Phillip - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-phillip Misty Phillip - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mistyphillip Thanks for listening to the Spark Influence podcast. Go Spark Your Influence!

On this episode of the Spark Influence podcast Peter and Misty talk about stewarding our time, talents, and resources and doing ministry as a family. Disasters are a great time for families to rally together to serve others.When determining how you might serve others assess your family's giftings, and what you are passionate about are keys to discovering ministry opportunities. Living on Life on Mission Living life on mission is more than a summer mission trip to a foreign land. Living on mission is a lifestyle of loving and serving others. The Phillip family has served together in many ways over the years. From helping start a special needs preschool ministry to using their children's musical gifts to bless the special needs ministries, and at nursing homes. Or more recently, baking for their neighbors or serving their local community hundreds of meals and mucking out houses after Harvey, and opening their home on Thanksgiving to those who would otherwise be alone. Ministering together as a family is a great way to teach your kids to love and serve others. Training them to look beyond themselves and preparing them to meet the needs of others. Scripture 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” - Matthew 22:36-40 E Connect with us We would love to hear from you and connect with you. Peter Phillip - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-phillip Misty Phillip - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mistyphillip Thanks for listening to the Spark Influence podcast. Go Spark Your Influence!

The "S" Word - Wives Submit to Your Husbands "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands." - Ephesians 5:22-24 (ESV) Biblical Submission In last week's episode, Peter and Misty addressed the command for husbands to love their wives. This week they discuss the wife's duty to submit to her husband. They discuss what submission is and what it is not. These verses on submission can be controversial. Misty recalls when they got married. They had the words honor and obey in their vows. One of Misty's friends freaked out, saying, "you said you would obey." It was unthinkable for her at the time to consider obeying a man. Submission in Context of Ephesians 5 We need to understand the context of Chapter 5 in Ephesians. The Apostle Paul addresses general instructions on holy living in these passages. He focuses on the purity of life by avoiding evil deeds and associations and adopting sacred practices. When Paul writes about submission "to one another," it is s explained through the examples of family relations. Submission to others according to the authority and order established by God in the relationship of husband and wives, parents and children, and slaves and masters. Rules for Christian Households "Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Colossians 3:18-19 (ESV) Both genders are equally created in God's image (Gen. 1:26–28) and heirs together of eternal life (Gal. 3:28–29). This submission defends the husband's ultimate leadership for the health and harmonious working of the marriage relationship. Paul does not command the husband to submit to his wife; instead, he tells the husband to lay down his life sacrificially to love his wife, as is Christ's position as head of the church and its Savior. Paul explains the duty of husbands. He does not command the husband to submit to his wife but instead tells the husband that he must give himself up for her. Husbands are to love their wives in a self-sacrificial manner, following the example of Christ, who "gave himself up for" the church in loving self-sacrifice. Submitting to our husbands in everything is not always easy, but this is how God ordered our relationship, and we can find freedom and comfort in this structure. This does not mean submitting to any kind of male tyranny or oppression. The husband loving leads his wife and has her best interest in mind.

Husbands, Love Your Wives In this episode of Spark Influence, Peter and Misty discuss the duty that husbands have to love and build up their wives. They share personal experiences and trials that helped them grow in their love and have greater care for each other. Peter shares the importance of making sacrifices for your wife, whether that is not always being 'right' in an argument or always making sure to build them up and never tearing them down. Make sure to tune in next week where Peter and Misty will discuss a wife's duty to love and obey her husband.

Home Your Most Important Mission In this episode of Spark Influence, Peter and Misty discuss home as our most important mission field. They explain this begins with our personal relationship with Jesus. To disciple our families well, we must study God's word, pray and praise the Lord individually and together as a family. Scripture Says "You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." - Deuteronomy 11:19 ESV. If you have a family, your family is your first ministry. Your influence begins in the home. Love God, your spouse, and your children, and lead by example. We discuss challenges we face at home, such as: Finding a better work/life balance. Growing spiritually to lead your family and those within your sphere of influence. Struggling relationally at home. We would love to hear from you and connect with you. Peter Phillip - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-phillip Misty Phillip - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mistyphillip Thanks for listening to the Spark Influence podcast. Go Spark Your Influence!

What does it mean to have "Well Managed Conflict In Business?" In this week's episode of the Spark Influence podcast, Peter and Misty discuss the importance of well-managed conflict in business. How it happens, why it is crucial to managing it, and how it can help your business relationships. Proverbs 15:1 - A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. When we interact with others, in our personal life, with friends, and especially in business, we invariably have conflict. The reasons are many and varied but often focus on communication or miscommunication. How we can manage, this "well" comes in many shapes and sizes, from having empathy for the other person, responding in love, and being willing to listen and help. Stand on your beliefs. Peter and Misty cover several ways to manage conflict and many different types of conflict, from business relationships to employees, customers, and more. Through all this, they stress that however and whoever the conflict is with, your response must always be in support of your beliefs. Your faith should color all that you do. Thanks for listening to the Spark Influence podcast. Go Spark Your Influence!

How do you combat loneliness in leadership? In this episode of Spark Influence, Peter and Misty discuss the difficulty, hardship, loneliness, joy and fulfillment that can come from being a leader. Leadership in business, in your family, at your church all come with different complexities and issues, how do you overcome these to thrive and grow as a leader? How seeing leadership as a awesome responsibility that can bring amazing blessings and gifts to you and many others others can help crush the loneliness of leadership. We will talk about our experience in leadership and how God has guided us in our various leadership roles in life. Scripture Says And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. -Ecclesiastes 4:12 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. -Isaiah 44:10 We would love to hear from you and connect with you. Peter Phillip - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-phillip Misty Phillip - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mistyphillip Thanks for listening to the Spark Influence podcast. Go Spark Your Influence!

How do we express gratitude in all things? In this episode of Spark Influence, Peter and Misty discuss gratitude and several New Testament verses about gratitude, perseverance, and endurance. Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” Ralph Waldo Emerson The apostle Paul is well known for writing Scriptures about being thankful. Some of his most well-known passages are focused on gratitude, including giving thanks for all things and in all circumstances. Ephesians 5:20 ESV giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Being thankful even in suffering. Romans 5:3-5 ESV "And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." James 1:2-4 ESV "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." Do everything in the name of Jesus out of a spirit of gratefulness! Colossians 3:17 ESV "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Misty recommends one of the best books she ever read on cultivating joy to have a heart of gratitude that came to me during one of the most challenging seasons in my life. One thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

In this episode This week on the Spark Influence Podcast with Spark Media founders Peter and Misty Phillip, we begin this episode by sharing their crazy week and how God provided and protected them through a gas leak and lightning striking their home. This show can now be heard on the Upliftd LIVE STREAM on KHCB radio. KHCB radio just celebrated its 60th Anniversary with the launch of a new website and uplifting content to encourage people in their faith. Spark Influence is part of the Spark Media hour. The Spark Media hour contains various Christian podcast content from the Spark Media Community. You can listen to Spark Media at https://KHCB.org. Key Takeaways We share God's goodness and protection in the middle of the storm. Stop listening to Gurus. Follow your instincts and (listen to the Holy Spirit. "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." - John 14:26 The world is full of you-centered gurus putting the focus on you. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit helps us navigate life and make sound decisions. The Holy Spirit informs our choices. The world is loud, and social media is noisy, but we need to get quiet to hear from the Holy Spirit. "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!" - Psalm 46:10 ESV. Be still. Stop collecting gurus. There is only one book you need, The Bible. Give yourself quiet, gestalt, and meditate on the word. Focus, pray, listen, get quiet, and get in the word. Peter discusses the gifting of discernment that he has honed over the years. The Holy Spirit guides and directs us. Misty shares leaving Enron to come home and homeschool their boys. Peter talks about Misty's child-like faith. God has blessed Misty's business efforts because of faithful obedience and listening to the Holy Spirit. Your faith and work life need to be congruent. Stop looking for external validation. God will equip you; He equips the called. You have got to move, launch, and go. Then the Holy Spirit will lead you. Fear Some people are always learning but never doing. Fear holds a lot of people back from pursuing their dreams. Step out when we are afraid. We are still seeing the struggles of mental health. Resilience Hard men make good times, good times make soft men, and soft men make bad times. We can tap into the Holy Spirit and the resurrection power. The Holy Spirit will guide you when you move. Small moves incrementally lead to victory. "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire." - 2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV Failure is an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Thanks for listening to the Spark Influence podcast. Go Spark Your Influence!

This week on the Spark Influence Podcast with Spark Media founders Peter and Misty Phillip, begin this episode talking about the launch of the Spark Collective YouTube channel, which shares short inspirational videos from various podcasters in the Spark Media Network. They also thank their listeners for the text messages and reviews, sharing their appreciation for the Spark Influence podcast being ranked in the top 5% of all podcasts globally. In this episode, they discuss how faith plays out at your work and the different personas we have at home, work, and in our social lives. Coupled with the complexities society has caused us to put up barriers at work or in public. Framing the conversation around the verse from 1 Corinthians 10:30, "so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God." The question they explore is, why can't we always have the same face and be the same person all the time? We have a business face, a family face, or another with their church, friends, and another in our social life. Key Takeaways "Yeah, that's it's a pretty multifaceted question. Part of it is, so let's segment it for business." "Since the dawn of HR departments, things have gotten a lot more complicated in offices, and there are lots of rules, bylaws, and regulations that they put out that say you can behave this way." "There are things you can't say, you know, because it can cause discomfort to other people." "If I take my home persona of me, the face I put at home, that's very different. There are no barriers. There are no guards, I am who I am at home, and I may use language and words that I would never use in the workplace, right? " "I call you butterfly or mom, but I'm not going to go to work and have that kind of same familiarity or a laxness with individuals at work." "Publicly, you're a different person. Just because you're out and you need to. There has to be some Shields and protection that you put up, right? "And it doesn't mean you're dishonest. It doesn't mean you're being deceptive. It just means it's a different facet of who you are in that space in the business." "It's even more constrained 'cause you must be careful about what you say and how you say it? " " There are different nationalities and people from all over the world. So there's this really complex sort of dance you have. To where you walk a tight line." "The goal and aspiration are for someone to know you're a Christian without asking you if you are a Christian. It's kind of like those jokes like how to tell me you are Christian without telling me. You are Christian, right? " "Show love and respect for others all the time. Regardless of the face you're wearing, that should always be how you are and without dropping Christian code words." "We are to be the light of the world, and we are to be salt. So what does it mean to be salt and light? We don't want to be so salty that we turn people away from Jesus, or we don't want to misrepresent the Lord in any way so that people are like if that's what a Christian is. Right? " Join Peter and Misty Phillip weekly for conversations about intentional living in marriage, family, business, and leadership. Peter Phillip is a technology executive and strategic advisor, and thought leader. Misty Phillip is a sought-after speaker, best-selling award-winning author, and top-ranked podcast host. Together they empower faith-based podcasters through live and virtual events, a thriving membership community, a podcast network, a radio initiative, and a magazine. For more information go to SparkMedia.Ventures

In this episode of Spark Influence, Peter and Misty Phillip talk about balancing work and home life demands while making time for meaningful conversations and imparting wisdom and values to your children through the various stages of development. Learning to find balance with young children to the middle years, college, and beyond. Topics covered in this episode include: Family is the beginning of selflessness. Having the support of extended family. The family structure that God intends. The importance of table-time discussions, passing down family stories and traditions, making memories, and tying heart strings. Don't underestimate the power of the dinner table and breaking bread. There is power in building a routine to incorporate family discipleship and pass down knowledge and Biblical wisdom to our children in the daily. Being available for your kids. As your children grow, you have the opportunity to discuss current events and help them formulate a worldview. Bring your kids into the kitchen to learn food preparation, heritage, and teaching lessons. We need to fight for face time with our kids to tie hearts strings with your kids. Create memories in the mundane routine family activities. Everything flows from our faith. When you prioritize God first, family next, work, and other activities, everything works best.

This week on the Spark Influence Podcast Peter and Misty Philip dive into their first topic on marriage to discuss what it means when two become one. We first see this principal in scripture in Genesis 2:15-25 ESV. “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 1”but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” The Bible says that marriage is a mystery in Ephesians 5:32 ESV. We could not describe it any better. Marriage involves two different people coming together – two become one – forming one union. No one marriage is the same, because no two people are the same. Creating a marriage built on trust and communication is key. In this episode, we talk about having no air between us and how loving and serving one one another in the mundane makes a difference. Togetherness has practical benefits over being alone, and this is true in many situations as illustrated in this scripture from Ecclesiastes 4 ESV. “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” Listen to this episode to find out all the ways we have embraced the concept of when to become one in our marriage and how it has impacted our business and life.

You are listening to the Spark influence podcast with Spark Media Founders Peter and Misty Phillip. Spark Influence is a podcast about living a life with intention in marriage, family, ministry, and as business leaders. The show is brought to you by the Spark Media Podcast network. Visit Spark Media.Ventures for more inspiring Christian podcasts. "Leadership is not a rank or a position; it is a choice – a choice to look after the person to the left of us & the person to the right of us." — Simon Sinek Peter and Misty Phillip discuss the idea of Servant Leadership in family, business, and spiritual life. They discuss how servant leadership has been modeled for them by family and church leaders and how they've implemented this practice in their life and leadership. What is servant leadership? Jesus modeled servant leadership for us admirably in how we lead others. Put the last first and the first last. You put others before you. You become the example. Lifting everyone else up and looking after growing, mentoring, and leading others. James and John wanted a position in Heaven, but Jesus chastised them. Saying, "But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Jesus was the suffering servant who lived on a mission to do the Father's will to lay down his life as a ransom, a sacrifice, and a propitiation. True leaders put others first. People think servant leadership is just about the workplace. Peter says, "There are a lot of bosses, not a lot of leaders." Military leaders and moms alike eat last. "A mom is a good example of servant leadership where your concern and your goal is to raise up and empower, and help, and grow and shepherd and mentor." Peter learned servant leadership from his Father, who was honorable, moral, and upright. Peter says, "If you apply that across-the-board if you have that same level across your personal life, your business life, your friend life, right that's servant leadership is reflecting and all the things that you do." Misty brings up the Golden Rule: treat others as we want to be. They discuss leadership skills and an example of servant leadership. Being a hard worker is not the same as being a good leader. When leaders trust their employees, they empower them with the tools they need to do their job. Larry Hack surrounded himself with intelligent people and empowered them to do a great job. He was a great leader and a champion of his team. Larry is a man of faith and brings that faith element into the workplace. Misty says, "It is a principle that we live out where ever we are home or in the office." A problem they've seen with leaders is the sin of pride. People care about themselves and what can help them, not building others up. Pride is treacherous—a prideful leader who wants to take all the credit for others' work to build themselves up. In a relationship, one of the spouses is selfish. It becomes a tango between pride and narcissism. The goal should be supporting others. In his consulting, Peter often says he is in the hero business, which means he wants his client to be the hero. He is there to raise them, grow them, and help them. Misty talks about winning your husband over without saying a word, even when he is not a good leader, and applying Biblical principles to your relationship. Peter shares the story of his brain cancer and how his boss Larry handled the situation. Misty recalls the eulogy given by Jeffrey Hildebrandt of Hilcorp for Peter's dad, and it was all about servant leadership. Peter and Misty close the show with the idea that people just want to be seen and heard. Connecting with people, creating empathy, being present with them, acknowledging and treating others the way you want to be treated. Ideas Behind Servant Leadership "Good leaders must first become good servants." The ideas behind servant leadership are ancient, but Robert K. Greenleaf is the person who first articulated them for our time. Many entrepreneurs aim for what Robert Greenleaf first described in his essay The Servant as a Leader. As he put it, "servant leadership "begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions." - Robert Greenleaf Resources Mark 10: 35-45 ESV 35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." 36 And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" 37 And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." 38 Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" 39 And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,[d] 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave[e] of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Books LEADERS EAT LAST | BY SIMON SINEK https://simonsinek.com/books/leaders-eat-last/ SERVANT LEADERSHIP | BY ROBERT K. GREENLEAF https://www.greenleaf.org/products-page/servant-leadership-a-journey-into-the-nature-of-legitimate-power-and-greatness/ LEAD LIKE JESUS | BY KEN BLANCHARD AND PHIL HODGES https://www.kenblanchardbooks.com/book/lead-like-jesus/

In this first episode of the newly launched “Spark Influence” Podcast with hosts Peter and Misty Phillip, the hosts dive straight in with brief introductions. Peter is a technology expert, strategic adviser, and thought leadership. Misty is the author of the Award-Winning #1 Amazon Best-Selling Bible Study The Struggle is Real, But So is God, and also hosts the By His Grace podcast, ranked in the top 1.5 percent of podcasts globally. They discuss their past and present business experiences and how they collectively collaborate daily as Co-Founders of Spark Media. They share how the Lord utilized everything and redeemed everything they did wrong for good in their lives. Misty and Peter strive to share authenticity and vulnerability with their listeners and are dedicated to sharing their unique insight and understanding of marriage, family, business, and faith. Here's what you need to know about the hosts. Peter and Misty are a husband and wife duo who have successfully raised three adult children, run a faith-based business, and seek to inspire and equip individuals to share the gospel via technological communication. Peter and Misty's heart for people and their reliance upon God to provide a firm foundation for their lives are central to their core message. Both Peter and Misty bring unique experiences to the table that shape their stories and give God glory. In this powerful conversation, listeners know the hosts, their hearts, and their views on family, work, leadership, and faith. Thank you to Spark Influence partners Spark Media Network . This podcast is available on Apple, Google, Spotify, the Spark Media Network, and the KHCB Upliftd Radio Stream. Thank you for listening to the Spark Influence podcast. If you like what you heard on this episode, please rate, review, and share the episode.

The Spark Influence Podcast Trailer Intentional Living in Marriage, Family, Business, & Leadership. Spark Influence is a weekly show with Spark Media Founders and hosts Peter and Misty Phillip, who share wisdom and insight for intentional living in Marriage, Family, Business, & Leadership. How do we live intentionally so we can Spark Influence? Join Peter and Misty Philip as they reveal the lessons and knowledge they accumulated in thirty years of marriage, family, business, and leadership.