Exchanging Grind For Grace as a Kingdom-Driven Entrepreneur

February 10, 2023

Gray background with image of dark-haired woman sitting at table with laptop and title The #1 Way to avoid burnout as a Christian business owner. stefaniegass.com/blog

The world loves to tell us to hustle harder if we want to be successful, and we can often feel guilty for trying to rest or find balance in our lives. But I’m here to tell you that building a business God’s way doesn’t involve grinding and burning out.

In today’s blog, I have the amazing Shae Bynes to tell you how to exchange grind for grace as a kingdom driven entrepreneur. This conversation is seriously going to bless you!

Learn How to Ditch the Hustle as a Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur and Exchange Grace for Grind

Shae is a wife and mom of 3 girls who loves God and loves people. She is wildly passionate about seeing others experience God’s best in their lives by walking in their Kingdom identity and authority. She has been blessed to reach over 1 million aspiring and current entrepreneurs and has devotionals, books, courses, and a podcast all at ShaeBynes.com.

Shae has been someone I have admired for some time now for her openness and authenticity around partnering entrepreneurship and the Kingdom of God. She truly has a gift for helping people learn how to walk by faith in their business instead of hustling, and she’s sharing how to lean into a God-led business even if you feel completely un-equipped and unqualified.

Grace over Grind – Shae’s Journey

Shae: After college, I began a corporate career. Even in corporate, I had a side business. In whatever business it was, the message was it was about the grind. I was achievement-driven then. The concept of grinding and making things happen fits well with my personality. I did business this way for a decent number of years.

After I ended up leaving my corporate job at the Lord’s leading, I then did my real estate business full time. Still grinding. I left in obedience to God but then I took the reins to make this business happen and didn’t even ask the Lord ‘why did you have me leave?’ or ‘what do you have for me?’

I spent all the hours working on my business believing it would grow because I knew what I was doing. By the grace of God, it didn’t grow that much. About 6 months later I heard from God ‘Are you done yet?’ I call that a Holy Ghost mic drop moment.

The lightbulb switched on for me. This started me on my journey to orienting myself to what is on the Lord’s heart and mind for me and my work life. I was committed to the Lord as a wife and a mom, but work was my territory.

God was in my side business, but I assumed that when He asked me to leave my corporate career, He wanted me to move into my side business full-time. I didn’t know what He said because I didn’t ask. So I wasn’t in the grace yet, but God had my attention.

Gold splatter and gray background and quote Don't assume you are walking in what God has, you need to pause long enough to ask Him and then let him lead you. -Stefanie Gass

The creation of the Kingdom Driven entrepreneur movement

I was achievement orientated, I had a good Christian girl-type mentality, but I didn’t have a rooted relationship with Him. So for the next 2 years, I continued in that business. In 2012, through a friend, I was introduced to a businesswoman from South Carolina. We had an instantaneous God connection.

8 weeks later, we felt we had been connecting for a reason. We prayed about it and she gave me the words ‘Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur’. When she said that, it was the Holy Spirit as the words flew out of my mouth that this was a community, a movement and it starts with a book.

From that, we spent the next several months seeking the Lord asking Him

what is a Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur?
How we should start a community/movement?
How should we write a book?

I had my plans and strategy and was flowing in things I was not familiar with. Words came out of my mouth that I didn’t understand.
So, we prayed and wrote through things. We exchanged chapters and it sounded like it was coming from one voice. We started Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur and released the book for free on Kindle. At this time, I wasn’t grinding, but I still had remnants of a grinding mentality in me. I was in my season of doing business for God. Not with Him. So for the first 6 months of Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur, I was in this teeter-tottering of not being fully in and knowing there was more that I wasn’t experiencing.

The Shift from Grind to Grace

Shae: 6 months into Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur, I was at church and our pastor preached about Matthew 11:28 – 30. You know – come to me all who are weary and they will find rest for their souls. That His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

I had heard this many times throughout life, but this day my pastor shared it from the Message Translation. It said: Are you tired? Worn out? Burnt out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and I will recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me. Work with me. Watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you will learn to live freely and lightly.

This washed over me and I thought whatever that is, I want. Look at how many times the word with was mentioned. That’s the ticket. That was the beginning where I said, “Lord, show me that.”

Gold splatter background and quote With Him, there is always more. -Stefanie Gass

What does Grace over Grind mean?

Shae: Take it right back to the basics, and that is daily business meetings with God. If you are going to accept the invitation from God to do business with Him, then you actually need to speak with Him concerning business.

This went from my time with Him going from being worship, getting into scripture, etc to also surrendering my ‘to-do’ list to Him. And seeking Him, journaling with Him, and asking Him questions like “Lord, what is your heart concerning this business?” or “What is your heart for the people that I am serving?” Here’s what I’m thinking, what are your thoughts? It was a conversation.

In the beginning, I had to discipline myself to have daily business meetings with God. If I am serious about doing business with God, then I have to grow in my relationship with God in the context of my work. And I can’t come with my prescribed agenda of all the things. I have to be willing to sit before Him and offer what I had and say talk to me about whatever. Here are my questions and thoughts, but I’m here for whatever you’re here for Lord.

This was a beautiful way to cultivate intimacy with God in the context of the fullness of my life. This is where you start.

If you’re like me and don’t have confidence that you are hearing from God, in the beginning, stage of just being willing to show up and try to have a conversation, it will open the doors to hearing from God more throughout the day.

Quote Something really amazing happens when you are willing to sit with Him and sacrifice your time. -Stefanie Gass

Be willing to make the sacrifice of your time. The breakthrough was in the sacrifice of getting intentional with hearing from God. The goal is the ongoing flow of wisdom, of walking with the Lord, and the rhythm of being able to seek Him in all. It is all available to us and we should all walk in it.

Advice for the Woman who Feels Called by God to Do Something

Shae: God cares about you! And He speaks to you. You are believing a lie if you think you can’t hear from God.

If you are in the phase where you aren’t quite sure you are hearing from God – operate as if. If it is against scripture, don’t do it. But if it is not counter to scripture, in the beginning, you are going to have to step out.

So instead of leaning on the side of this probably isn’t God and I need to wait for confirmation, re-orient yourself to say I will take a small step forward and as you move, ask God to confirm and show you. Just take a step based on what you believe He said. Go forward in freedom and watch how you grow and learn how He course corrects you and confirms as you move.

If you’re not moving, trusting enough to take a step forward, then you won’t go anywhere. Feel free even in the uncertainty. 12 years into this and I am still not 100% certain. Let that free you to move!

If you want to see if you are in alignment with God, go to Alignedwithkingdom.com to take a simple quiz to walk through it to help you see where you are now and how you can grow in doing business in partnership with God.

And check out my podcast Kingdom Driven Entrepreneurs for more.

Shae was the best to interview. I was blessed abundantly through this interview and I pray that what Shae shared speaks to you too. Be encouraged to operate as if and take steps.

I pray this blesses you!

Xo,

Stef

P.S. Also, listen to podcast episode 570 for the full training on Exchange Grind For Grace as a Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur with Shae Bynes.

APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY | GOOGLE PODCAST

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