Heather Cofer

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Jesus, Eternity, and My Small Business

8 Aug
I’m so excited to share with you the first ever guest post on my blog! This was written by a dear friend of mine, Naomi Vacaro, the founder of Wholehearted Quiet Time. I know her perspective will be a challenge and encouragement (especially to those of you who are entrepreneurs), just as it is to me!

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We were driving back from a trip to Tampa. My husband and I enjoy listening to podcasts and a long car ride was the perfect excuse to catch up on our regular shows. This time we found ourselves listening to a peppy, Christian business coach try to convince us that the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 was talking about our responsibility to generate wealth. As we sped down the highway towards home, I found myself frowning. No one could question that this entrepreneur claimed to be a Christian, and her enormous amount of monetary success suggested that she had done very well in the business world. But now she was trying to persuade us that Jesus, the man who never had a place of his own to lay his head, was teaching us the importance of making money. I could have chuckled if I wasn’t so grieved by the misinterpretation. I glanced at my husband. It was clear we were thinking the same thing.

Several years before this unfortunate tune-in, I had started my first business as a wedding photographer. I learned almost immediately, that being an entrepreneur was incredibly trendy. It seemed as if everyone was starting their own business, and there was a definite awe and reverence given to those who had “made it”. The ones who had achieved peak success, like our peppy podcast host, then became educators for those of us just starting out. Their messages differed but their underlying values remained the same: Make money, increase your following, and “change the world for the better” (with no precise definition of what that would look like). The current of ideas was strong when I jumped into the river of small business, and as someone who placed my Christian identity before my business ventures, I found myself swimming upstream.

After four years of photography, I started a new business that fell into the category of Christian ministry. Someone once mentioned what a big switch it must have been for me to jump from one type of business to another. I smiled inwardly at the time, knowing that nothing had fundamentally changed. My goals remained the same. Not because I believed in making money, achieving fame, or even temporarily improving the lives of others, but because I was, and am, a Christian.

To be a Christian Entrepreneur is to be a Christian 

Some people don’t see much of a difference between being an entrepreneur who is a Christian and being one who isn’t. In fact, many entrepreneurs in western culture will be guided by similar Judeo-Christian ethics, making it difficult to tell religious persuasions apart from each other. Perseverance, generosity, community over competition, each of these cultural values easily find their ground in the teachings of Jesus. As a result, an individual, a business, or even a country as a whole can be considered “Christian” simply by adhering to these ideals. But are these standards enough to sufficiently make something or someone a Christian?

Jesus made it perfectly clear that following Him should surpass every other priority in our life, so much so that all other allegiances would look like hatred in comparison to our love for Him. (Luke 14:26) To be a follower of Christ means submitting every ambition to God’s priorities. We know this because of how Jesus both taught and lived. Jesus worked, ministered, healed, suffered, and died out of obedience to His Father and commitment to His heavenly priorities. To be a Christian is to follow Jesus. His pursuits become ours, his desires infuse into our hearts, and the reality of His Kingdom becomes our ultimate foundation for family, friends, work, play, and business. With this truth in mind, it becomes clear that a simple set of ethics is not enough to define your business as “Christian”.

In our time and culture its very easy to compartmentalize. Boundaries between work and home life are encouraged, and to allow your religious beliefs to mix with politics, social life, or a career pursuit is generally frowned upon. With this being the case, it’s easy to assume that going to church and reading the Bible belong in a different category all together than owning a business. However, those of us who have truly submitted to Jesus and have studied Scripture know that this can never be so.

Jesus is not simply a missing ingredient to our recipe of values, in fact, the very nature of the cross directly contradicts such a notion! There is no way to compartmentalize this God, and there is no limit to what He wants to claim as His own in our lives. He doesn’t ask for our mornings and leave us our afternoons. He doesn’t require our Church attendance and then forget about our Instagram accounts. He demands our every decision, every purchase, every relationship, and every business venture, not out of tyranny, but out of LOVE, because only He can take each of those things and redeem them into eternal fruit.

Simply adopting a smattering of Christian values is not enough to make your business genuinely Christian. To be a Christian entrepreneur is to fully submit your business to the priorities of Jesus, no matter what the result might be. In short, to be a Christian entrepreneur is to be a Christian.

Business on the Threshold of Eternity

The truth is that businesses will burn just like houses. None of us will stand before God with our small business in tact. The only thing that matters in that moment will be whether or not we chose to believe in and follow Jesus, and what kind of fruit grew as a result of that decision. With this in mind, my primary objective as a Christian entrepreneur is not that my business will succeed, but that God’s Kingdom will advance and that eternal fruit will result. If your goal is anything less than this, then you will be forever disappointed by whatever temporary pickings your business yields.

Every decision must be informed by the Cross because only the Cross makes any kind of eternal difference. This mindset transports us to a completely different dimension in business compared to a mere set of vague, religious values! The Cross leads us to be the kind of entrepreneurs who give freely, pray for our competition, speak boldly of our faith, and place the Kingdom of God above our own profit. We live, work, and start businesses as though we stand on the threshold of eternity. In a million years, when we are experiencing paradise with our Lord and one another, our small business ventures will seem very small indeed.

When I first became an entrepreneur, I was afraid of making my love for Jesus an obvious part of my business. In fact, I had spoken with other Christian business owners who were also afraid that admitting their allegiance to Christ could drive people away! They didn’t want it to be a “turn-off” (also a mindset that can sadly affect Church ministries). Although I can never know my friends’ motives for their decisions, I can honestly say that mine was fear of man. I wanted desperately for my business to succeed, so why would I do or say anything that could drive paying customers away? These fears revealed personal ambitions that were out of alignment with God’s priorities. Thankfully, as I pursued Jesus with my whole heart, He quickly shifted my perspective back into place.

Now I see every business venture as a tool in the Lord’s hands for the advancement of His Kingdom. This means giving generously, not for the benefit of my business but for the spread of the Gospel. Speaking boldly, knowing that my business will fade but the Word of God never will. Acting with integrity, not out of a vague sense of duty, but because I am ultimately accountable to God, and simply a steward of the time, money, and business that He has given me. If you are a Christian business owner like me, then you and I are representatives of Jesus here on earth and our businesses must follow suit.

Before we decided to follow Jesus, perhaps money, fame, security, and other measures of worldly success could have passed as our primary goals in business. But now that the name of Jesus has been stamped on our eternal identity, everything has changed and our small businesses must also bend their knee. 

———–

Naomi is first and foremost a wholehearted follower of Jesus Christ! She grew up as a missionary kid in Outer Mongolia until moving to Florida at the age of 18. A few years later, she graduated with a degree in graphic design and launched her own wedding photography business. She met Matthew Vacaro in 2015, got married in 2017, and currently lives in a one room, studio apartment with their dog and cat. In early 2018 she felt led to create a Bible study tool called the Quiet Time Companion, along with an online community of women who would be dedicated to encouraging each other in their daily walk with Jesus. Naomi now fills her days with developing and supporting this Wholehearted community.

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Comments

  1. Linette says

    August 8, 2019 at 10:41 am

    This is a very refreshing and true prospect of business being a Christian out reach. You are God’s servant in all you do. Thus you show forth Christ to all; give out His gospel and He will bless you when you are wholly His.
    I appreciate this blog. Thank you for sharing. I’m thankful to see that there are still those that align with God’s priorities and not their personal ambitions.

    Reply
    • Heather says

      August 8, 2019 at 3:27 pm

      Amen! I’m so glad it encouraged you!

      Reply

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I’m going to take a wild guess that I’m not th I’m going to take a wild guess that I’m not the only one who fights perfectionism in wifehood. The desire to be the best wife for our husbands is a good one—it certainly should be championed, not diminished (which, sadly, happens all-too-often in our western culture). If we’re not watchful, however, that good desire to love and serve our husbands with excellence can turn into striving to find our identity in being the “perfect” wife. We can recognize this shift has happened when rather than joyfully giving of our time and energy to serve our husbands (regardless of whether he notices) we find ourselves instead working for his approval. This leaves us discouraged and disgruntled when we don’t receive the reaction we were hoping for.

When we are secure in our identity as a redeemed child of God, then—and only then—will we rightfully think about and live out our role as wife to our husband.

This week #ontheblog I’m sharing 3 ways we can fight perfectionism in wifehood. Read the full post at the link in my bio!
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#blogpost #wifehood #marriage #Christcenteredmarriage #Christianmarriage #husbandandwife #Christcenteredwomanhood #perfectionism #lookingtoJesus #family #Christcenteredwomanhood
Not much to add to that other than: I agree.👌🏻
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#quotes #faith #truth #reason
It seemed somehow fitting that the spot I often us It seemed somehow fitting that the spot I often use for pictures like this was scattered with blocks being used by a little toddler.

It can be tempting to wait to buy the flowers—to add “unnecessary” touches of beauty—until the house is spotless; until the kiddos are old enough to keep from regular milk spills, and mama has enough stamina and discipline to stay on top of her daily tasks. It feels like these touches should be a reward for empty laundry baskets and crumb-less tables.

But I want my children to know that these little years are worth being adorned with “extra” beauty. I choose not to wait until they are grown and the house is no longer filled with kiddo bits and bobs. Because the beauty of flowers and the young kiddo years are not at odds with each other. These years are precious, and when possible should be adorned with special touches like vases of fresh flowers. My children need to know that a home filled with little people is not a home devoid of beauty. Why? Because God places value on these years, on these children. And in small ways like this, I can show them that I value these years, too, and am not postponing beauty until they are grown.

Does it often need to be simple? Yes. But even simple additions like a vase of flowers can make the statement to our children and those who enter that these little years are worth being filled with “extra” loveliness.
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#motherhood #childrenareagift #family #thelittleyears #toddlers #mamahood #Christcenteredmotherhood
Melody and harmony. I was listening to a one of m Melody and harmony.

I was listening to a one of my favorite artists recently, delighting in their musical beauty. At one point the voice that usually sings harmony sang part of the melody instead, strongly and skillfully; and in that moment it dawned on me:

You have to first know a melody to sing it’s harmony.

Melody and harmony have differences in their notes, but a true harmony will enhance the melody, not fight with it. And they must work perfectly with one another—otherwise it goes from stunning to cringe-worthy in moments.

In the world today there are lots of movements and worldviews and organizations that are being proclaimed as harmonious with the melody of the Gospel (according to the Bible). In reality, though, they aren’t. Maybe if someone doesn’t truly know gospel these could pass as harmonious. Or, if someone tweaks the melody or chooses to ignore the sharp or flat notes, you could say they sound good together. Sometimes, yes, they sound like they fit for a few notes before going wonky. But those who are intent on being faithful to knowing and enhancing the melody—the *true* melody—will not be fooled. The dissonance will be apparent, even if subtle, and won’t be claimed as harmonious for long.

But those ministries and movements who *are* truly harmonious with the melody of the gospel are beautifully obvious. They are working to advance the Kingdom on earth in a way that enhances the tried and true refrain of God’s story. They do not need to tweak what the Bible says; they join with countless voices that have been singing for ages and generations past to harmonize with what always has been and always will be the most beautiful anthem of truth.

May our lives alway be in genuine harmony with the melody of the gospel.
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#pondering #truth #harmony #melody #lookingtoJesus #thegospel #Christcenteredliving #Christcenteredwomanhood #music
It’s been almost one year since the launch of th It’s been almost one year since the launch of this book—how is that possible?! It’s been a joy-filled process, and one full of learning curves. The Lord has displayed His faithfulness and kindness many times over as I’ve received encouragement and messages from those of you who have read it and been blessed by it. Praise Him!
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One of my hopes and prayers has been that there would be 1000 copies out in the world by its first birthday. It would be quite a stretch at this point, but if you’ve been considering buying this for yourself or someone else, now would be the perfect time to do so (the link is in my bio). 
Or, if you have read the book and were blessed by it, would you consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads? This goes a long way in helping it become more visible to expectant mamas who would be encouraged by the message in its pages (marketing is *not* my thing, guys, but my husband tells me it’s still important 😉).
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Thank you, thank you to each one of you who have bought the book, shared it with others, and left reviews. I know the Lord can be trusted to get this book into the hands of every person who need a fresh reminder to look to Him in the season of pregnancy.
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Also: stay tuned for a fun giveaway coming up to celebrate the one year mark! 🥳
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#expectant #pregnancy #Christcenteredpregnancy #expectantbook #pregnancyresource #oneyear
Purity in every sphere of life is an outflow of a Purity in every sphere of life is an outflow of a heart that has been transformed by our Savior. No rules, no self-effort can make us pure, only Jesus can. And, praise Him: He can!
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(Newest blog post ‘Love and Legalism: Reflections on “Purity Culture”’ at the link in my bio)
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#lookingtoJesus #purity #thegospelchangeseverything #purityculture #biblicalwomanhood #Christcenteredwomanhood #family #Christianfamily #love #biblicallove #sanctification #graceupongrace #Jesusplusnothing
True purity can only be an outflow of a heart that True purity can only be an outflow of a heart that has been purified by the shed blood of Christ. When kids grow up hearing only about outward rules rather than inward transformation, they will certainly grow disillusioned. They will quickly realize as they face the reality of their sexual brokenness that the only way to maintain this outward facade is to be hypocritical, because their hearts have not been changed. And eventually they may throw it all out, because they have been relying on their own effort rather than the hope of the gospel. But when kids are taught to love God first and foremost—when He becomes their passion and pursuit—this is where they will gain a solid foundation and framework on which their theology of purity will stand fast.

New post on the blog! Love and Legalism: Reflections on “Purity Culture”

Link to full post in bio. 💕
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#ontheblog #purity #purityculture #biblicalwomanhood #sexualpurity #Christcenteredwomanhood #Christcenteredliving #bloggersofinstagram #Christianblog #womanhoodblog #love #legalism
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