We are all here today for a purpose – it’s for you to find your purpose in life. It is not a coincidence. When your business is successful or failing – all is not a coincidence. Some might call it luck (or bad luck, if you will) but I call it blessing – even for bad things happening on my business.
I am a perfect example of a business owner who has a chance to see his businesses went down to the gutter. Yes, I was near bankrupt as my 2 franchise units were dying. One of them is not that bad after all, but it was only breaking even for 2 years before it’s going down hill. The other one is a failure from the start – poor market research, wrong business location, and such.
I’m not blaming recession for the slumps, but poor customer buying power due to the economic downturn impacted my businesses in one way or another. The rest is my bad.
To cut long story short, my dying businesses were eating up all the profits, and they started to eat up my personal savings. I couldn’t deny the fact that I was going to be in a bad situation, sooner or later: Personal bankruptcy. By that time, I already have a family to support – a wife and a baby boy; a tough situation, really.
As a Christian who accept Jesus Christ as my personal saviour, I was in dismay. I didn’t blame God, but I did complain – a lot. My faith was shaken.
But God has taken a great care of my family and me. I always know He will never forget me; I may fall but He will keep me from harm.
Then, I was “exposed” to the Internet. I do work with Internet for years, but I never try to make any money online. I found out that God somehow bring me into this green pasture. But I need to do my part as He is doing his part.
My background is Information System, but I never get a hold of that as a career path. I then take a Masters Degree in Business Administration so I can go to different path. To think of it, it was really heart warming – for some reason, God guides me to take computer-related education to prepare my life AFTER I failed in my previous business.
However, Internet business is a different ball game. I do understand programming languages, but making money online? It never crossed my mind before. But I need to do this – for the sake of my family.
God has opened ways for me – I learned a lot (and still learning.) I failed a lot (and I still fail many times today.) But each time I fail, God helps me to understand that I need to fail to be successful – and learn from my failure. That’s how He taught (and is teaching) me to make money online – via numerous failures.
God’s timing is perfect. As I was approaching bankruptcy, I have had my online businesses running. Not big, but enough to supplement the losses made by my failing businesses. In fact, the online income I have generated can support the two businesses before they were finally sold and went out of business (I sold one and closed down the other.)
I’m not considering myself a success, but I am getting there – thanks to Jesus. Now I can support my family 100% from my online income, and I am now working at home – it’s a personal choice, so I can be near my family. I can watch my children (now I have 2 kids) grow older, build a good relationship with my wife and have the quality time with my family.
You see, trusting God is powerful; trusting God allows you to keep yourself grounded, as you are fully aware that each success and failure you have is God’s willing; trusting God allows you to learn to do what’s right, as we all know that not all business opportunities are good opportunities; trusting God allows you be ethical in your business activities.
Again, God will take care of you. Whether your business is booming or failing, everything is under control, and He has great plans for you; just follow through and trust in Him – you will be blessed.
God bless you!
Ivan Widjaya
Thank God – I am well taken care of!
Image credit: Clare Bloomfield / FreeDigitalPhotos.net