busguide

GUIDELINES IN HOME BUSINESS FOR THE COMMITTED CHRISTIAN HOMEMAKER
By Sandra M Krakowski

First starting out

Many homemakers get so excited about the prospect of a home business that they forget that while this can be fun , it is also work. Everything that runs well usually takes a lot of hard work when we first start out. As we seek God in establishing a home business, we need to have godly principles when things are easy, so that we can remain blameless when prosperity or even trials enter our situation.

While I could easily just write a booklet about what "we" did, it is not my intention that anyone would ever emulate their lives after mine. That would violate the teaching of:

[1 Th 5:21] Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

This verse is so applicable when it comes to starting anything new in a home. We need to prove what is best and most suitable for our own families and our own situations and hold fast to what God has taught us.

When establishing a home business, we need to know the rules of our city, our state and our country, so that in integrity we can walk before not only our brothers and sisters but also before an unsaved world. It is usually a good idea to get a general understanding of accounting and taxes. While I have personally found that I was overkilling this concept in doing more than what would ever be required, I think it is good to overdo it initially and then weed out all that is not necessary.

TIP:

KEEP A MANUAL SYSTEM RUNNING ALONG WITH YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM. COMPUTER CRASHES DO HAPPEN, POWER SUPPLY FAILURES DO OCCUR. BE PREPARED SO THAT THESE TRIALS DO NOT CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS THAN YOU ARE READY TO HANDLE.

Oftentimes, the way we conduct business might lead someone to Christ. Remember that we do not live for ourselves or unto ourselves, so establish all things according to God's design and the laws of the land. Such things would include being sure you register for a business license at your local county office, keeping good records of the money that comes in, what you put out as far as expenses and time, etc. While it is possible to venture out in a 'trying it out' situation, where you may not desire to get very official first off, it is important to keep good records in the event that you do end up establishing yourself officially later on.

In regards to being a godly homemaker, it is important that you ask yourself a few questions.

1. How much time as a homemaker, a homeschooler, a christian helpmeet , a mother,

etc., can I legitimately give to this business?

2. If the need arises, and you need to hire some help, is this the sort of business that your children can help with? Will you need help from your husband? Can he help? Will you be willing or able to hire someone outside of your home? Is your home zoned for such help?

3. How many hours a week will it take to fulfill this new position and do you have that time to give?

4. How does your husband feel about being involved in the home business and can he perform the duty of moderating your activities should the need arise? Can he lead you in decision making or is he willing to help when decisions need to be made, etc?

While I am not writing a booklet so that every woman will emulate my lifestyle and therefore succeed (because she would not!!), I know from experience that if a husband and wife are divided in their marriage, if the children are not in order, the house is not in the habit of being kept up, the homeschooling is already falling behind, etc., it probably is not in your best interest, nor your families best interest, to start a home business. While we certainly do not need a perfectly running home, much like the qualifications given to one in the church, we should have a pretty good handle on order in our own home before we add anything else to it.

Another thing to consider before you begin go along the lines of marketing, is whether or not your product/service is marketable. There are many good books out there that address this issue. As far as this booklet goes, I desire to encourage you to manage and order your business upholding your FIRST priority, as the helpmeet to your husband, the mother of your children and the HOME maker in your house. May God richly bless your endeavors.

All things done unto Him is the best business plan there is!

Who is the Head?

When a Christian woman, professing godliness, begins on the journey of a home business, she needs to remember once again that she has responsibilities to her husband, to her Lord and to her family first off. She must not bring shame to her home in having a poor testimony while doing business.

[1 Tim 2:9] In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; [1 Tim 2:10] But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

When we profess that Christ is in us and in control of our lives, our business practices should reflect that as well. We might have to take some losses because of this. But we must remember that any loss for Christ is truly a gain in our relationship with God and our testimony of His renewing power in our lives.

I find it so sad that many so-called Christians, have very wordly ways of doing business. When we begin our business plan, our goals, whatever you want to call them- we must consider where we will be in 6 months, 1 year, 3 years and decide in the 'calm' what we will do in the storm. Consider certain scenarios that your home business may go through, such as financial loss, backorders on products, poor vendors, etc and decide ahead of time how you will handle such situations and what you will and will not do in the face of such trials.

[Prov 4:7] Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

It really should be common knowledge that the wisdom of God is different from the wisdom of man. While in my flesh I can be quite creative and ambitious, it is God that gives wisdom and we need to work hard, asking Him to instruct us in His ways and to help us that His plans will be revealed every step of the way.

Wisdom is the principal thing and in scripture, Wisdom is Christ- and His way of doing things. Doing things the way Christ would have us to do them is the principal thing that should govern our business practices. You will have situations that will necessitate that you choose between what is best and what is good. You must have guidelines that govern you before you are in the situation- and you need wisdom to know when it is ok to change things a bit and when it is not.

[Psa 25:12] What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.

If we reverence God and His ways; if we seek to know His statutes and obey them, He will lead and guide us. But we must always be careful not to doubt God's way, see James 1. Double-mindedness will destroy a business and worse yet, your testimony and relationship with Jesus Christ!

Remember that a house built with the Lord will not fall, and the same principle, I believe, applies to home businesses.

PRIORITIES

Our priorities need to be aligned and in order before we establish a home business. Let's look at God's list of priorities for women:

[Titus 2:4] That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

[Titus 2:5] To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

It would do us good to see what can happen if we do not live as God designed before we examine what God requires of us. We can literally blaspheme, misalign, make crooked, hinder, the Word of God if we are professing we are Christian women and our lives deny the priorities that God has designed for us. We see in Titus 2 that we are to love our husbands, they are to be our #1 priority. Before we were called to motherhood, before we were called to anything, we, women, were created to be a help-meet for our man. Our main priority should be to helping our husband. Not someone else's husband, but our own husbands. One must be very careful helping out in someone else's home. While I realize that someone else's home business might benefit from your help; someone else's home ministry might be blessed with your help, be sure that your husband is in full-agreement with this situation and it is not something he is opposed to. I know some very godly women helping out in ministries with some other families, but their own husband's help out as well. They have guidelines for working with another woman's husband such as never being left alone with the man, never stepping into the jobs that the wife is usually doing. A little bit of common-sense, along with some GOD-fearing sense will really help.

We must also be careful that we are not fulfilling something in someone else's home that is merely being neglected because of sin. Many women find ministries, home businesses, and the such very fulfilling. They begin to find that their heart is more thrilled with the labor and renumeration that a business or ministry brings and they lose their first love. They lose sight of God's design for them and His calling. They are so busy doing this and doing that, that they can easily become deceived. Be sure that as you set up your home business, or any working situation, that no matter how busy you get, you do not ever neglect your position as helpmeet to your own husband. Also be mindful if someone else needs help and the real reason they need help is that the home is not in order.

You can be sure that folks will come into your life that will work to dismiss the standards that govern your business. Some will wonder why they and their situation cannot be number one in your life. Some people thrive on making others do what they want done and immediately! But if we stay committed to our husbands, our homes and Christ- we will always triumph! We do not have to be a victim - we are more than conquerors!!

These situations are an excellent time when the real head of the business, your husband, can step in, protect you and lead. If your husband is not willing to do this, as I said earlier, possibly a reconsideration needs to be made in regards to the home business all together.

[2 Cor 2:14] Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

[Gen 2:18] And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

[1 Pet 3:7] Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

What Did the Women in the Bible Do That We Can Learn From Today?

One of my favorite books on Jewish Family Life is by Edersheim. He beautifully describes the differences in the life of a homemaker in the city and in the country. Much like we have it today, the ones who were in the country had to carefully plan their trips to town. Town life and the exchanges with merchants were much like our modern day farmer's markets. Everything was accessable in one place. Unlike today, when the woman spoken of in Prov. 31 is havng the merchants sell her things, she did not have to leave home very often. It is plain to see that she could have a merchant doing work for her, selling her products. We see this principle of delegation in Proverbs 31 as well. When the woman spoken of rises early to give a portion to her maidens, we see that she delegates things properly. We, too, can learn to benefit our home by delegation. I personally have a business that my husband and I run on the internet. I have set up our internet store so that computers do most of the work for us Most of the work that I do is merely a followup of the work the computer has done. I think the Proverbs 31 woman as well, had others doing work for her and her job consisted of faithful followup. Women today, in home businesses can learn from these examples to be sure that they are not doing needless work that a computer or someone else could easily perform. You will soon find that your time is valuable. If you are a homeschooling parent as I am, you will realize even more so that you time is limited. Learning to delegate and wisely order your day will greatly influence your business and family life. While I may not be perfect at this all of the time, it has always been one of my main goals, to have the business running so smoothly that it does not need me on a daily basis.

The Secrets of the Godly Homemaker and a Home Business- be Careful to Watch Over Your Time and Your Heart

[Prov 4:23] Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
[Prov 4:24] Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
[Prov 4:25] Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
[Prov 4:26] Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

A successful home business is not what a godly homemaker should chase after. Oh! The temptations can certainly be there- the exhileration soars when sales come in and profits go up and renumerations flow in from satisfied customers and a good feeling of accomplishment is yours! But one must be on guard- that is what we are called to be in our homes, as spoken of in I Timothy. We are to guard our homes and a very important aspect of this is guarding our own hearts and our own lives.

I would love to stand on the top of a mountain and shout to all the world that I am not running a huge multi-million dollar business!! The reasons behind that are not because I could not- I am very confident that I could have a business that was very successful- my husband and I have had such success in our little business, than we came to a crossroad a few months ago; we were either going to have to hire some folks to work for us, or else we would have to slim down. We would have to take out a business loan to keep up with the inventory demands, or else we would have to slim down. We chose to slim down! It was obviously not a popular decision- we have suffered some persecution.

An older man told me that many women within a home business will face the same trial at one point or another. She will have chose whether to succeed or to serve. She will have to chose whether to chase the applause or the eternal reward. Oftentimes, this is one of the first little 'secrets' that women don't talk too much about. All one usually here's is that success is great, the business is booming and Mom is a do-it-aller!

One of the biggest lies from the pit of hell is that any woman can do it all. If a home business succeeds, either mother will have to have others doing her job in the home, or others will have to take over mother's place in some capacity in the business. One cannot have it both ways for very long. While pretty pictures, dresses for success and cars to boot may declare quite another story, I think that the trial I just spoke of is a real one and every woman involved in woman's ministries and home businesses will face it.

I chose to serve; I chose to go for eternal rewards. You could not pay me any amount of money to forsake my home. I cannot sleep at night when I know I have neglected my family. When the needs of my littles ones become an irritation- because of our business- something has gone amiss. The BUSINESS is what should irritate me, not the little ones.

This older man I mentioned shared with me that many women will deny their failure in pursuing it all. They would rather take the loss of the family, and their place at home than the loss of a position.

Another very important secret a godly homemaker will possess is the truth of how much it takes to make her home run smoothly. I faced a horrible trial last year and my family had to deal with me on bedrest for several months. Things got a bit behind. While we all pitched in together, I did fall into despair and began to mumble. You know those mumbles, "You have no idea what I do on a daily basis to make your existance as it is. You have no clue how little time I have given to myself to make your life as it is......and so on." Someone heard me, they spoke to me. He said, "Yes, I do, my daughter." I was humbled. I cried. I realized that God wanted this to be our little secret. Let my familiy enjoy the cozy life I have provided- don't seek a medal, when you are on bedrest, be content with less. Keep all those little services and outpouring and sacrafices as a secret....that is what He told me. He reminded me that He would reward me openly.

No one but God knows the potential our little business had. No one but God might know all that you are sacraficing and denying to stay faithful. But be faithful, won't you? Don't have a home business that starts out glorifying the Lord but ends up shaming Him as so many others today have. Have a home business that is a CLEAR REFLECTION of your walk with Jesus.

UPDATED 4/11/00

It's time to finish this little booklet off- hopefully you can see and feel my heart on this issue. I am all for HOME BUSINESSES for the committed homemaker- but there are challenges, tests, trials that you will encounter. When we started our business, one of the greatest problems I had was paperwork and organization! A wise person once told me to get things in order in the beginning and when the heat comes, it won't be as overwhelming. I have learned in the past few years of doing this business with my hubby and having our business triple ( thank you LORD!) that papework, accounting, systematic order is imperative for one to keep above water! So my advise to you is to read up on that subject and be a blessing to your husband as you work with him or in your own cottage industry as unto the LORD under him. You cannot afford to constantly put it off till later or it will come back to haunt you. Make sure the things you are doing are 'above water'....legally, integrity wise, and so on. Pay to the tax authorities what is theirs- work to get the best deals you can on overhead costs- creatively manage your business capital- and trust God. I have seen the LORD over and over and over again bring us incredible amounts of business when we took a loss for the sake of integrity- when we kept track of every penny even though our government has corrupt principles- God is able to honor you if you will honor Him and your husband first.

Time management as I mentioned before is imperative- living on the fly will not do it! A schedule, be it tight or lose, will make your business......work with hubbie to make a schedule and keep to it. Watch out for time stealers......too much email, email about 'issues' when you should be keeping your home; too much time on the phone, in the stores, etc. I have been so blessed with shopping only once per month and then making small purchases during the week- this alone helps me to manage our business effectively.

INVOLVE the children as much as possible and work to uphold Godly standards as you run your business- put the customer on hold when the children need 'instruction in righteousness.' If you have to- DON'T answer the phone, be IN control of your business, rather than letting it control you.

I pray these suggestions and helps - help you! Above all things- I pray you

".....prosper and be in good health, even as your soul doth prosper." 3 John 1:2.

It has always been my prayer- let us go bankrupt if our souls grow lean, if we fall away from you in the pursuit of success! I want to grow and mature in grace before we prosper in the business- I want others to know HIM because of our business. Pray for Him to control your business and "KEEP" you right in the process.

(c) This booklet is copyrighted to the fullest degree, by HEALTH FOR YOU and APPLES OF GOLD PUBLISHING- however, we would be honored and blessed to allow you to reprint this and use it publically. Please write for written permission to do so. Copies may be made freely for personal usage.