Prepping for work each day, chug your coffee and take a short swig of workplace inspiration with the iWork4Him PowerThoughts. Hosts Jim & Martha Brangenberg give you a 1-minute daily challenge to live out your faith at work. Each episode is designed to kick off your day with an idea you can put into practice as soon as you get to work. The iWork4Him PowerThoughts are focused on helping you to recognize that your workplace IS your mission field. Catch new episodes every Weekday.
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IWork4Him Ministries Inc Podcasts
The sheWorks4Him Podcast celebrates and validates the diverse experiences of today’s Christian working women by providing a digital gathering space that connects them to God, resources, and one another. Each week join hosts Catherine Gates, Nadya Dickson, and Martha Brangenberg as they interview women of faith that embrace their workplace mission field. Full of incredible stories, biblical encouragement, and real-life tips and tricks, sheWorks4Him will empower you to live out your calling at ...
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You might say, All I ever do is clean up after people. As a janitor, I'm sweeping floors day in and day out. I clean them, and other people get them dirty. I clean the bathrooms, and they get dirty again. I just want a job that matters. I'm gonna quit my job and go into full-time ministry. STOP. You are not just a janitor. You have a unique set of …
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I had a conversation the other day with a friend of mine. She said to me “ I'm a really good accountant but I'm thinking about quitting my job and going to work in a church. I just want my work to make a difference. I want my work to matter to God.” So I said, “ You are not just an accountant. You are someone uniquely gifted by God to work with num…
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If I hear one more person say that their job doesn't make a difference so they’re going to quit their job and go work in full time ministry - I'm gonna explode. You're not just a plumber. You're a plumber who loves Jesus and who's really good at keeping people's water flowing, their toilets flushing, their drains draining and their hot water hot. Y…
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Our country needs healing, and it starts with bringing healing to your workplace. Frederick Buechner once said, "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." I believe the greatest need is the healing of the lost and broken. Likely you have noticed brokenness in your workplace that needs to be …
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Our country needs healing, and it starts with bringing healing to your workplace. Frederick Buechner said, "Pay attention to the things that bring a tear to your eye or a lump in your throat because they are signs that the Holy is drawing near." What injustice in your community brings you to tears? Homelessness, poverty, joblessness, sexual exploit…
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Our country needs healing, and it starts with bringing healing to your workplace. There is brokenness in us, in our world, work, and community. There is healing in Jesus. Today as you have zoom calls, meetings, sales calls, service calls, or power lunches, look for the broken around you through God's eyes. See people the way He sees them… as Image …
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How about praying for that bad boss or coworker who you struggle with? Most of the reason you likely struggle with them, is that they are not living or leading with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, but how could we ever expect them to, if they don’t know God? Now if you’re like me, it’s still tough to get yourself to pray for bad superiors. But again, l…
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Unforgiveness can destroy us. God knows our heart of flesh can become hardened and lifeless if the wounds we have received are not allowed to heal. Jesus told all his disciples that we are to forgive others as we would like God to forgive us. In the workplace, there are people who look out for only themselves. Many times, their actions and attitude…
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Martha: Welcome to the iWork4Him Power thought for the day, we are Jim and Martha Brangenberg with iWork4Him Jim: During your commute today, whether its walking down the hallway or driving down the highway, what will you think about? Martha: Will you be caught up in the stress of the day or will you be preparing your heart for what God is going to …
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God taught me how to shift the paradigm of work into a place of work interlaced with ministry, a workplace mission field. I prayed for those I worked with, I served them over and above, I befriended them, and I prayed with them. But I realized, none of these actions mattered if my work wasn’t excellent. If I wasn’t a great employee, with great work…
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During my morning commute to my new job, I began praying for the people I worked with and then serving them above what I was required to do but I knew that more was needed to shift my faith paradigm at work. I needed to really know these people I worked with. My wife and I started creating ways to get to know people outside of work to develop real …
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Our God is a God of order. Look at His creation. In our bodies, every heartbeat and breath works with a thousand other systems to maintain life in every fiber of our being. The chemical balance within the kidney is precisely controlled, the fluid pressure in every cell is maintained, and our sleep tonight will initiate a series of brainwaves that d…
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We live in the midst of a non-stop world. Our responsibilities at home and work fill our thoughts the instant we wake up, then run with us throughout the day. Our jobs, meetings, phones, TV, personal trials and temptations are relentless, noisy invaders that drive us all our waking hours. The result – we can’t hear God in our life, not enough anywa…
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Do you act differently around your pastor than you do around your family or friends? Most people do – even those who don't go to church. We feel like we have to be on our best behavior. We can't be our authentic selves. On the other hand, how do coworkers act around each other? It's usually easier to speak freely with the people we work with, espec…
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You are a missionary. Mission work takes time. For many of you, you have trained for this mission, Sunday after Sunday for decades. You have studied daily for thousands of combined hours. You have worn your carpet thin with hours of interactive training with our Father. You have a calling and a gifting, and they have been combined to provide a care…
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You are a missionary. You are ready for this assignment. You are equipped with the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit inside of you, giving you access to all the power of God. You have been dispatched to your workplace on purpose because lost and hopeless people there need to meet Jesus. Because you work there, you understand the culture and the…
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You are a missionary. You know how I know? You are on a mission field in your workplace with lost and hopeless people who speak a different language than most people around you. Most of those around you speak in terms of hurt and disappointment. You speak a message fueled by love, forgiveness, and hope. Every day you talk with people, work with peo…
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You are a missionary. You are on a mission. Your Workplace is your mission field. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19 & 20 - Now wherever you go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every …
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Jim: Welcome to the iWork4Him Power thought for the day, we are Jim and Martha Brangenberg with iWork4Him Martha: When Jim & I were 13 we committed our lives to full-time Christian Ministry. So naturally I thought I would be a pastor’s wife or a missionary. Jim: I thought I was going to be a youth pastor. Martha: When we got married, I naturally th…
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This week we paid special attention to you, the everyday workplace believer, and your role in bringing God's Kingdom here to earth. Just because you're not a pulpit pastor or a foreign missionary doesn't mean that you're not in full-time ministry. Your workplace is your mission field! You might be the only representative of Jesus that your coworker…
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At some point in our lives, most of us have had at least one job that made us pretty miserable. And even if you haven't, we all have days when we don't feel like clocking in. When we don't want to be at our job, it shows. Our coworkers notice. Our vendors notice. Our customers usually notice. What kind of testimony are we displaying at work? I'll r…
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Modern church culture emphasizes the importance and prestige of working in full-time ministry as a pastor, foreign missionary, or the like. But here at iWork4Him, we want to help resurrect the original idea behind the idea of ministry. There's a theological misunderstanding that the top jobs in the Kingdom are missionary and pastor, but that's simp…
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Perhaps the single most devastating sentence I ever hear is this “I have decided to quit my job and go into full-time Ministry.” Ugh…This one sentence describes the condition of the hearts and minds of millions of Christians. It is a misunderstanding that STOPS TODAY. You don’t need to quit your job to go into full-time ministry. You are already a …
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In praying for those I worked with, serving them above what my job required me to do and in developing real relationships with them outside of “Work”, I began to notice when their demeanor changed and they were having a bad day. I learned to ask, “How are you doing today?” I really wanted to know the answer. They would respond with “I’m Fine”, then…
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When Jim came home one day and said, I think we should hire a prayer intercessor for iWork4Him, I didn’t know what to think. We had heard from and interviewed business leaders and organization leaders from around the country with prayer intercessors on their staff. I thought it was powerful, but I had never considered that someone should be paid to…
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I grew up in a household where faith and work were lived out daily. My mom and my dad prayed over their business all the time. So it wasn’t new for me to see a connection between faith and work and prayer when Jim and I got married. However, we had never been discipled to understand the relationship between faith and work. I saw it lived out in my …
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We haven’t been taught to take advantage of the power of praying while working. I’m here to tell you today that it makes a difference. That it changes things. That it will revolutionize decision-making in your work. Whether you’re the organization’s overall leader or anywhere on the organizational chart, prayer can impact everything you do. Praying…
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I have to be honest with you. I never thought prayer and work had anything to do with each other. I’m guessing I’m not alone. Prayer seemed like the kind of thing you did at church and around a meal at home, but in a business meeting or around the conference table? Not a chance. I never thought prayer would become an active part of my work life. Bu…
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What do you do when you’re faced with a problem at work? If you’re like me, you probably go about trying to find a solution, usually starting with Google! We met and interviewed a remarkable woman named Susan. She went to God first, not google. She asked HIM for the answer to the problem. And kept praying in earnest expectation until He answered. S…
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Do you need to be removed? Sometimes, we start something and think we are supposed to stay in it, lead it, and serve it. And, we stay IN IT…sometimes too long. We no longer seek the Lord’s counsel about IF we should still BE where He placed us. Sometimes He just wants us to START something, sometimes He wants us to “help get it off the ground”, NOT…
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Life-work balance. How many of us have fallen for that myth and tried to make it happen? Only to fail over and over…a business coach we interviewed has a better concept. How about living an INTEGRATED LIFE? One that brings Christ into each aspect of our life and work, so that we are putting The Lord, not our futile “balance” efforts, first. So how …
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Culture. Webster’s defines it in the corporate realm as: the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization. How aware are YOU of YOUR COMPANY’S culture? When’s the last time you really stopped and took a look at it? How does it align with your OWN personal values as a Christ follower? And if…
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When’s the last time you were UNCOMFORTABLE, OR PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITION TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE in your work? Discomfort = growth, and comfort = stagnation. The people doing the most growing are the ones that submit to spiritual and personal growth, like having a group of fellow Christ followers, who challenge them and hold them accountable, in thei…
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Have you ever thought about what you want to be known for? Stephen, an executive we interviewed, says it starts with your personal brand. And your personal brand starts with asking yourself “What do I want to be known for?” So how about you? If your co-workers were asked about you, and who you are, what would they say? We challenge you today, to ta…
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What do you think would happen to our economy, our country, if all the working Christians decided to “go into ministry”? There would be no “marketplace”, our economy would collapse and we would be thrown into chaos. Could it be that is NOT God’s plan or design for us? What if each of us were CALLED TO MINISTRY IN OUR WORK, right where we’re planted…
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In the past couple of months, I’ve heard one word repeatedly out of the mouths of followers of Christ who bring their faith into the workplace. INTENTIONALITY. Intentionality is a concept defined as "the power of a mind to stand for things, properties and states of affairs". WAS and IS Jesus intentional? You bet. Should WE be intentional? You bet. …
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What’s the difference between a career and a vocation? Career is defined as an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person's life with opportunities for progress. A VOCATION, on the other hand, is defined as a person's main occupation, especially regarded as particularly worthy and requiring great dedication. WOW. That’s a big differ…
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We spend more than one-third of our life at work. Yet sadly, Barna research shows nearly two-thirds of churched adults say it has been at least three years or more since they heard church teachings on work and career, and yet, the workplace is where most Americans spend the biggest share of their waking hours. What can YOU do, to introduce your chu…
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Generosity. Is it an action, a state of the heart, or a mind-set? I heard recently that generosity is BEST when it includes all three and we compare it with IMPACT. Have you ever thought about your giving in this way? That your giving could possibly be leveraged for the highest impact for eternity? What if we all stopped and looked and prayed over …
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Ecclesiastes 4:12 says A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Are you a Christian standing alone in your work or professional life? Are YOU standing alone in OTHER areas of your life? What if you prayed and asked for a g…
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Have you ever met someone that lives one integrated life? They seem to flow seamlessly between their work and personal life without pause or care. What is this? It’s authenticity. And its attraction is unparalleled. How is it possible? It’s living a life based on Godly values. I’d hazard a guess a person like this lives their values in this order: …
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72% of people who get up and go to work every day think “nobody cares about me”. That’s a WHOLE LOT of hurting people that will never experience God’s love. So, what if we just took God’s love to them? What if there was a chaplain in the workplace that looks just like them, that meets them where they are; to just listen, pray and love them? Workpla…
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Changing the world. We all have that secret desire, don’t we? Changing the world in Kingdom terms is not measured in the BIG, the BIGGER and the BIGGEST actions in our life and work. It’s the opposite. Changing the world happens, one person, one word and one action at a time. It can be as small as a smile, a kind word, or a self-less act of service…
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Do you want to see your workplace as a place to live out your faith? Your work is a place where you finally get that chance to be involved in fulltime ministry. Then do these things. 1st Start praying for those you work around, by name every day. 2nd look for ways to serve those same people over and above what your job requires you to do. 3rd look …
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Jim: Welcome to the iWork4Him Power thought for the day, we are Jim and Martha Brangenberg with iWork4Him Martha: Do you ever feel like quitting your job? Even though it’s a good job and it pays well. Jim: We mean quit your perfectly good job so you can go into full time ministry. Have you ever had that thought? Martha: If you are like us, you feel…
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With the new reality that my work was in fact my place of ministry, my workplace mission field, I modified my workplace commute prayer time. I still prayed for my family, but I added my bosses, my coworkers, and eventually my employees. I noticed a funny thing happening. I started to see these people differently - the way God saw them. I grew in em…
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It all started with my new job. Commuting 90 miles to work. I made a commitment to not turn on the radio for the morning commute. I wanted to learn how to pray. My new job had so much adventure built in, but I wanted this job to be different. I prayed for my family on the way to work and others who had specific prayer requests but then God rocked m…
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Martha: Welcome to the iWork4Him Power thought for the day, we are Jim and Martha Brangenberg with iWork4Him Jim: When you woke up today did you find yourself celebrating the first day of the work week or did you find yourself dreading it? Martha: It seems that most of us suffer from TGIF syndrome instead of adopting the TGIM revolution. We need to…
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Have you ever considered that God wants to use YOUR business influence, the position He’s put you in, as a “platform” for Him? A stage on which to do your work while others watch and see HOW you work? If you lead just ONE person or have interact with groups of people inside OR outside your business, like vendors or, contractors, then you have a pla…
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What’s the fastest way to get what you DON’T want? Tell the Lord “I will NEVER _________________” Yep, just ask any other Christ follower who’s made the mistake of saying something like that. You WILL end up being exactly where YOU said you would NEVER be or DOING something you said you would never do. Our thoughts are not God’s thoughts and His wa…
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