Soulful Revolutions for Seattle’s Resolution.

Something amazing happened to me today. I had an encounter with the creator of the universe. With the almighty God who crafted me in my mother’s womb. As of right now I am still enamoured by His presence and out of sheer reverence I am finding it tremendously difficult to find the right words to say.

How did I come to this point? What happened to the man I once was? Where are You taking me?

All of these questions have an answer that will be revealed in their season. I suppose I should clue you in on what happened to me. The past week or so I have really been pressing into God… being faithful in prayer and having an increasing desire to be used like I have never been used before for the kingdom of God.

I began the day reading a book called Intercession, Thrilling and Fulfilling by Joy Dawson and received a call from my dad. He wanted me to come to his house to get some mail I had at his house and I did so. My little brother asked me to watch the movie Norbit while I was over there as he claimed it was an awesome flick. About 1/4 through the movie my spirit was so discomforted due to the carnality of the movie that I had to leave and come home. Almost as if God was telling me… no son, come home, I have something better waiting for you.

As I layed down and began reading the book again it seemed as if everytime I turned a page, my desire to be used by God became increasingly greater. After finishing the chapter I turned on some worship music and began speaking in tongues. As the Holy Spirit began to enter my room I began asking God to place the desires and passions in my heart for this generation. Help me to love what you love and hate what you hate. And please Father… use me… no matter the cost. Suddenly a rush of His presence overwhelmed me to the point where I was overwhelmed and began interceding for other nations. In the midst of my awe of who God is I asked Him a simple question. Lord, if this is what you have for me please show me. Within a matter of seconds the scripture Romans 8:27 came to my mind and because I had never heard that verse before I opened my Bible and it read,

“Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God”

Revelation. Yes… this is the ministry my king has called me to. To be used as a conduit of the Holy Spirit to make intercession for the saints according to His will. I cried… because He never ceases to amaze me. Because He is just as much alive today as He was 2000 years ago. Because He doesn’t change. I am so honored to have been called to His throne of grace. To be used for eternal purposes. There’s not a feeling like this. Nothing else fulfills like You Lord. Nothing. Better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere. I mean that, from the depths of my heart.

God is rising up a generation in Seattle and reclaiming the Pacific Northwest by force. There will be an outpouring of His spirit so intense that the entire nation will hear about it. It will sweep like wildfire throughout the region and the ends of the earth and God’s glory will be revealed in its entirety. Hallelujah.

 

How I Became an Overnight SalesForce Genie.

I would say that SalesForce has always been good to me. As far as CRM tools I give the programmers their due. Why else would Google decide to create a strategic alliance with them? Anyhow I used to be a “lukewarm” SalesForce user. I knew how to do the typical functions such as import mass leads, breeze through AppExchange programs, and complete other mundane tasks but I was surprised when I was reading through some of the successforce.com tutorials and they said that senior level executives typically run the SalesForce program in its entirety.

The first question I asked myself is why? Why is this an executive level feat? Our VP of Marketing at my last company ran all of the functions of SalesForce to include compiling data, back end programming, and custom Dashboards. I suppose not all companies can afford to hire a SalesForce seasoned kid-whiz to administer this beastly piece of proprietary madness but come on now!

After my 2nd week at my new company I found out that I had the task of heading up the entire SalesForce and SharePoint programs for our office. Ackkk! As I began scrummaging through the disastrous SalesForce console (that the administrators in India wrecked) I realized that I was going to have to become a SalesForce Genie over night. It was almost like the feeling you had when you popped that Game Genie into your NES as you watched Mario fly for the first time and give a Goomba a wet willie simultaneously.

Anyway back to my story…

The administration side of SalesForce is an entirely different beast. Start off by determining where you want to go with the software. How will I get the best bang for my buck? I wrote out all of the metrics that were pertinent to our Marketing and Sales teams and began to build up the Leads, Contacts, Accounts, and Opportunities around this. Note: This is not a trivial task but after playing around with the Page Layout anybody with a 5/10 level of computer wizardry should be able to build up a somewhat decent console. The hardest part is over! After completion you will want to build some reports. Mess around with the reporting functions and if you have any trouble swallow your pride and navigate to the SalesForce Help link… it’s amazing what one paragraph of jibberish can teach you nowadays. After building reports navigate to successforce.com and read up on building your Dashboards from the reports you just created which will include all of your metrics. Wipe off your sweaty forehead, write your SalesForce password on a sticky note (or your trusty Moleskine notebook), and polish off your 3rd double caffeinated Starbucks latte as you make your way to your boss’s desk.

I did it, so can you! Yes you too can become a SalesForce Genie over night. Schmooze your boss. Pretend like you majored in Computer Science, and eat Samoas Girl Scout Cookies to top it all off.

 

Lessons Learned

Being in the time-shift continuum and all, the journey of looking for a new job gives me shutters. Alas, this is where I ended up. After leaving my lucrative internship at Centeris Corporation I tried a couple positions that didn’t match what I was looking for. Either I didn’t like them, or they didn’t like me. As I really thought about this concept God started speaking into my life showing me pertinent things that I had never realized before.

My thought always was that the employer was there to benefit you. My entire work life I had this thought pattern: What can this company do for me? What am I getting out of it? How can this company advance me? The entire time I was so concerned about myself it was stunting my personal development.

While working I came to the realization that it wasn’t even about me. It was about what I can do for the company. Forget about the advancement. You are serving them. You’re getting paid for it so you better step up to the plate. This was initally a challenge because I had trained myself for so long that the “norm” was to act as if your employer owes you something. I used to read this scripture in Colossians 3 that states:

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”

When I finally received the revelations that It’s not about me getting “this or that” out of my job but rather being a servant to the Lord rather than to men, my entire perspective shifted. God then quickly gave me this scripture in Proverbs 12 that says:

“The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.”

Could it be that God is giving us a glimpse into eternity? This verse obviously parallels our life on Earth but isn’t there a possibility that it could go deeper than that? I wonder if God is trying to tell us something… maybe that if we are diligent in all that we do being a servant to the Lord rather than to men, we will rule in heaven with Him? Just a thought. Regardless, I’m not taking the chances… I don’t want to be put to forced labor.

 

Who Will Build My House?

The last couple weeks God has put it in my heart to see that He is indeed the God of breakthrough. There’s times when we feel like all of our efforts and ambitions are in vain. The truth is… they are. When we get into this pattern of doing things ourselves we end up like water in a stagnant pond. We don’t go anywhere… we don’t gain any traction… we just sit there and are eventually taken over by our atmosphere. This isn’t how God intended it to be. Psalm 127:1 says,

“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.”

God is telling us, “How far did you get on your own? I told you that I would build your house. You’re building on the sand. When the storms come all the work that you thought you had accomplished will be washed away.” We look at Isaiah 66:1-2 and God says,

“Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,” Says the LORD. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.”

God has already built His house! He made the universe down to every intricate detail of your life. He’s saying… what can you build that I haven’t already built? I will look upon those who are humbled. Those who are poor and of a contrite spirit. Those who tremble at My holy word.

When you realize that you are not the builder, rather a co-laborer, you become like a stream flowing into a raging river where there is so much life so much growth so much more than what you could ever imagine. You’re no longer a cesspool of your own muck stagnant in all your ways. You’re tapped into something living, something so far beyond you. Who will build God’s house? He will. Thank God He counted me faithful enough to join the ride.

 

Networking 101

I had lunch today with an old friend of mine in regards to the implications of “who you know” in business and church. With that said I pose the question, where is the line between networking in business, church, and friendships?

There is a definite gray area in this answer. At work and in the business realms I go out of my way to establish relationships with individuals that I can see myself working with in the future. It is definitely a mutual process where you give when you have the chance and when the opportunity arises, take advantage of the benefits of the relationships. Being a member of a larger church has so many benefits that if I were to start naming them all off it would take forever. The people you meet through this organization will probably be the most important people in your network that you will ever meet. You will also run into acquaintances and friends that meet the social needs in your life. Each of them have their own perks:

Business Network
Meets Your Monetary Needs (Work Related)

Friendships/Acquaintances
Meets Your Social Needs

Church Community
Highest Importance – Meets Your Spiritual Needs

I have found that the Church Community is so important that it typically bleeds into friendships, relationships, and business as well. If I could choose one set of people to network with it would be individuals at my church sheerly because they have the same vision & the same passion as I do. I read a book Never Eat Alone, learned about the importance of networking, and almost immediately applied the concepts into meeting people at church. It’s not all book knowledge though… I prayed that God would intertwine me with men and women that can act as my spiritual leaders and mentors in life. I have come to the conclusion that God is at the top of my LinkedIn, Facebook, and WordPress Blog. He has brought me to meet the people I needed to meet and I can list 101 reasons why you should do everything you can to implement God into your network – but I’ll save that for another day.

 

Desert Oasis

I read an interesting blog entry spouting off various reasons on why you shouldn’t create a start-up. Many of the points make 100% sense. What do you do when you suddenly switch into Mr. Hyde and start your business anyway? After laying the groundwork, building up an idea, wrangling a team together, and gaining traction you are eventually left with a beast that is bigger than you as an individual.

We look at the analogy of a start-up being a roller coaster ride of emotions where nothing seems to make sense and you’re left wondering if you’ll meet your milestones & goals. Sometimes we have that same feeling in our personal lives too don’t we? Nothing seems to come together and it is as if a chain reaction has set itself against us. It’s like we’re walking in a desert dehydrated, thirsty, & exhausted. Searching for a breakthrough of sorts. Deals you thought would close turn out to be mere mirages.

I believe that there is a place of rejuvenation that isn’t dependent upon your industry’s economy, the state of your marriage, or the insane circumstances in your life. We’re all thirsty and we draw our energy, our livelihood from somewhere. In the Bible Jesus encountered somebody who was at a similar crossroad in their life… they were desperate & tired of living in the desert. Jesus went on to say,

“Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

I’ve been there. Walking through the desert in my vocation. Crawling through the desert with my family. In a moment of desperation Jesus offers you an oasis and in that very moment, you are given an offer that you can’t refuse. It’s not just a temporary fix. The answers received from this world will leave you in the desert again, I repeat, you will thirst again. There is another option afforded to you… Jesus said that if you drink the water that He gives then you will never thirst again. The void, the emptiness, and the despair will cease and you know what? I believe that if He could meet me in my desert that He can meet you in yours.

 

Career Path: Microsoft, Google, or Apple?

In my journey toward technological stardom I have narrowed my search down to the top 3 mammoth corporations that most closely align with my career goals:

Microsoft, Google, and undoubtedly Apple.

All 3 companies have great training opportunities and pro’s and con’s to each. In my quest to determine where I want to be I did some solid footwork and here are some of the results that I came up with.

Microsoft. Archenemy of all that is open source with the exception of Novell. Microsoft would be my most logical selection. My heart is in the Pacific Northwest already so the transition to Redmond, WA (the primary Microsoft campus) would be painless. Not to mention the regional power that the company possesses. I’m not completely sold on making this transition though? Microsoft is so big that you can get lost at their world-class cafeteria. They have so many resources that I question whether or not their innovative processes are really scalable anymore? I suppose only time will tell.

Google. Archenemy of all that is Microsoft. From a marketing perspective I think that Google is my number one pick. They actually pay attention to what their consumers want and need and create products around this. They embrace the world of open source and make billions upon billions in the process. If I could use one word to describe their company it would definitely be “innovation.” The only con is that their headquarters is in Mountain View, CA. They have a Kirkland, WA campus but marketing functions are currently limited to Program Managers to the best of my knowledge. Start a Product Marketing position in the Emerald City and I’m sold.

Apple. The archenemy of ehh… nobody? Everyone loves Apple. I almost want to get a job as a Mac Genius in their retail stores just for the rights to token the phrase, “Yeah I was just over at the Apple headquarters eating an organic Egg McMuffin with Steve Jobs.” As far as the marketing function of the company, they are centralized in California as well. Not a great place to raise my kids in comparison to Washington.

My primary objective is to build relationships, network with industry leaders, and learn how to be the best Technology Marketing Professional that I can be (I was in the Air Force, not the Army). Afterwards unleashing a start-up on the world would be the next logical step. I suppose there’s not a definite answer to the question posed. All 3 behemoths are special in their own way and you’re left to question which company offers the best opportunity for personal growth?

 

Nab Your Own Niche

I was born and raised in Seattle, WA and have traveled the country during my short lived military stint. I wish I could taken a photo of the expressions on individual’s faces when they hear where I’m from. Here’s an idea of the typical conversation that I would probably have with somebody from another state who has never actually experienced the beauty of the Pacific Northwest:

Skeptic: Oh… so like, Seattle. Rain and stuff.
Me: Yeah but I enjoy the rain. New York actually has more annual rainfall than Seattle. On a typical day you might see an overcast and some light rainfall.
Skeptic: Ahhhh (followed by a mysteriously awkward smirk).

The thing is, I’m comfortable with Seattle’s rain and I’ve become so accustomed to it that every time it rains I feel warm and tingly inside. Last week there was an anomaly with the Earth’s atmosphere and our weather ranged from 80-90 degrees throughout the week. Needless to say misery engulfed my very being.

And you know what? I say go with it even though others may not agree or understand where you’re coming from at first. Sun junkies from Arizona acclimated to 110 degree weather with globs of SPF-50 permeating their bodies have their niche too.

I think that in business we tend to want to see what the next great thought leader is doing even though it might not align with what we were meant to do. My assignment is technology marketing and I feel comfortable with it… I excel at it (no pun intended for all of you Microsoft enthusiasts). I’m also comfortable with Seattle’s rain… smirk all you want. I say nab your niche and stick to it unless you completely suck at it… then odds are you’re not where you need to be.

Everybody was designed to take their own path. Nobody else can walk the road that was strategically crafted for you to travel. Remember that! May you find your own destiny rather than look for someone else’s in Wall Street Journal or Fortune Magazine. You’ll go a lot farther and actually find fulfillment in what you do.

 

God & Mathematics

I was reading a blog called The Simple Dollar and figured I’d check up on their Bad Spending Habits section. Maybe I’d be able to trim down my worthless expenses. In the process of looking at some key points I read this:

Reduce (temporarily) your giving at church/synagogue/etc. If your budget is bursting at the seams, consider cutting back on your giving at your religious service. If this spiritually troubles you, talk to the leader of your religious group about the issue – they’ll usually be very supportive of this if you need some time to get your own house in order.

It is obvious that this blogger isn’t a man of faith. I’m all for saving a few dollars but at what expense? They’ll usually be very supportive of you cutting back your giving? What Church do you go to? Malachi 3:10 in the Bible clearly states:

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.”

God is telling His people… try me. Do you lack any good thing? Bring all the tithes into my storehouses that there may be food in My house and I will pour out a blessing so large that it will surpass the limits of your bank account, stock portfolio, or certified deposits. Do you realize that God is asking us to test Him? Even if it means making sacrifices you step out on a limb. God will always, and I repeat, always meet you at your faith.

King David once wrote in Psalm 37 that he was once young and is now old and in all his life he has never seen the righteous forsaken. One of God’s names in the Hebrew language is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord my provider. It’s all God and mathematics, because sometimes things don’t add up and you feel like you’re in the negative until God introduces you to the wonderful world of multiplication.

 

Raising the Bar (Without Cingular)

Note: Let’s just get this out of the way, I really hate it when companies use cliche mantras. In reality this isn’t an entry about competitive cell phone tactics at all. You have been warned, the disclaimer has been invoked!

I’ve always thought that there was an edge to self-fulfilling prophecies. After all, my hypochondriac Uncle has told himself that he’s been injured for so many years that he genuinely believes that 2 tons of lumber fell on his back in the 80’s when it was a single piece of plywood for heaven’s sake. He swears to this day that he is crippled for life… to me, my family, and the government.

I’d like to believe that all of us have an intrinsic optimism that can overcome any dilemma but this isn’t the case. I’ve seen the “I can’t get out of this… you just don’t understand” attitude far too many times. It ruins marriages, destroys businesses, severs relationships, and the list goes on.

Why can’t we all have the Derek Zoolander mentality? “I guess the first time I knew I would be successful is when I went through the second grade. I caught my reflection in a spoon while I was eating my cereal and I remember thinking, you could do this as a career.”

There will always be naysayers trying to push their negative mentality onto you and many times they are successful in doing so. Misery loves company rings true in all facets of life.

Will there never be hard times? I never said that.
You just don’t understand the situation. I don’t have to.
I could never overcome this problem. Nothing is impossible.

It is difficult and unorthodox to have this optimism throughout trials but hey, we all go through them, and they build character. Being a single full-time father who juggled a 40 hour work week along with college was a hurtle I never thought I’d have to jump, but I did it, and yes I am stronger. It reminds me of the scripture in James 1:2-4 of the Bible that says,

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”

In Paul’s letter to the Romans he even goes on to say that endurance develops maturity of character and that character produces joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.

I want to have joy during the hard times in my life knowing that my character is being developed. Afterall, God is more concerned with you personally than your businesses, goals, ambitions, and desires. He wants to make you into somebody. He wants to raise the bar.