How to Make a Difficult Decision

Reen and I faced a difficult decision last week and as a result we grew. As many of you know, we began a communications business from the ground up when we moved to Chattanooga in the Spiring of last year. It’s been a wonderfully fulfilling experience to take everything we’ve known, experienced, and learned for a lifetime, and meld these together into a business. The satisfaction of offering our expertise to see others thrive is exhilarating!

The variety of services we offer makes every day filled with exciting challenges with rewarding results. We collaborate with individuals to tell their inspiring stories, co-author their books, find representation with our agent, and contract with publishers. We assist small businesses and organizations in marketing and advertising to move from survival to success. And we conduct workshops on business professionalism to help a young workforce learn the skills they need to flourish.

So, what was our difficult decision? Evaluating our calendar and realizing we would need to start telling some people “No.” Finding the proverbial “work/life balance” is a new challenge. We had one client in particular who really wanted us to collaborate with them. We knew it would be time intensive and felt uneasy about saying “Yes.” In the past we often made decisions without consulting anyone else…and sometimes we realize now as we mature in life, they may have been wrong decisions.

So, this time first we did and will continue doing as we always do. We prayed, read the Bible searching to hear God’s voice, journaled, and remained aware of the circumstances around us to assist in shaping our decisions. God spoke to our hearts as promised. We felt the Lord guiding us to say “No” to this client though it would be a significant loss financially, but we rested in His Word, “I will bless the Lord who counseled me; Indeed, my heart (mind) instructs me in the night,” (Psalm 16:7). And His comforting promise, “You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to honor and glory” Psalm 73:24).

At the same time, to confirm what we heard, we did something different. This time we consulted trusted friends. We spoke with our literary agent, we listened to the advice of a dear friend whose career was business coaching, and we listened to my son, John, who having owned a business possessed great insight and experience with similar clients.

We listened and followed the advice in God’s Word, “Without consultation and wise advice, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they are established and succeed.” Proverbs 15:22).

We said, “No” for now, leaving the possibility for a future collaboration, and felt great relief that we made the right decision. At the same time, God is providing financially through an already existent client, monies we had not anticipated. God is so faithful. When we wait on Him and seek His direction, He faithfully answers. He can be trusted!

Feel free to leave a comment below – please share your story of a time when you sought the counsel of others and it made all the difference!