BE A SOLUTION THE AMOS SHIFT

George Amos, Jr.

Inthe early nineties, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life. I took a leap of faith, left everyone and everything I knew behind, and moved from the Midwest to the Southeast on nothing short of a whim and a prayer. I had to let go and let God. I believed God had His hands on me, and all would fall into place. Once I began to put my faith into action, that is when God was able to bend and stretch me to His will. I can now be a witness and testify how far you must go with God so that there is nothing you can do but give Him all the glory, honor, and praise. As I took a chance on God, He revealed the opportunities He had curated for me. A quote by James Allen has developed and shaped my life’s values to this very day. Allen stated, “You are where you are based upon the choices you make, not the choices anyone else makes for you.” Therefore, I had to decide who and what would influence my life.

Upon moving from Illinois to Georgia with hardly a dollar to my name, the clothes on my back, and a resume. God had made a way. A communication supply company hired me as a sales representative, and with a bit of training, I immediately skyrocketed up as a top earner in my department. From there, God put me in the right relationship with a character I would never in a million years thought would become my business partner. I had gotten comfortable and complacent in this new state and position. Though it was not until I met Bernard that I knew God was nowhere near finished with the testimony of my life. Throughout my time with the communication supply company, Bernard would persistently approach me with the idea of going into business together. Of course, like any person in my position, I waved him off and continued to savor my menial accomplishments.

It was not until I factored in God’s will and His purpose in my life that I took heed to the messenger and, more importantly, the message. However, doubt tried to creep in to deter me from this opportunity. I had polled a long-time friend of mine, Bobby, to see what he thought I should do. It was not until then that I realized how different our feathers were and that it was not meant for us to flock together.

A couple of years into the company’s startup, things took a turn for the worst, or so I thought. Manufacturers began to pull out, the demand had gotten out of hand, and choices were slim to none. Let me tell you, being a business owner is not for the weak. You tend to view your options differently as the owner versus an employee. Your responsibility as an owner limits the choices that you can make, whereas an employee has a plethora of options. The company was sinking, and we had our backs against the wall. This situation birthed my first opportunity for ownership, a 51/49 percent split. I was now an official business owner of a seemingly failing startup company. the company owner without a college degree, any previous business experience, and not a single loan to help financially gird me. I began to speak life and not death into the business while focusing less on the money and more on the bigger picture.

“A person who sees a problem is a human being; a person who finds a solution is a visionary; and the person who goes out and does something about it is an entrepreneur,” said Naveen Jain.

Less than a year later, the company went from making $150,000 to three million dollars yearly. With all odds stacked against me, the Lord, My God, would not allow me to be denied. Once I understood this, I understood my Why, which was to be a testament and resource for others. Giving in to my How, which is God, was much easier. I paid off all the business debts, completely bought out Bernard’s share of the company, and remained in business for over 25 years.

I knew that God had prepared me for such a time as this. Through prayer and supplication, I was ready to brawl for it all. The business did not get better, and Bernard had done all he knew to do. While preparing for his flight, he presented to me the idea of jumping off a cliff with no parachute or safety net to catch me. He did not know that I had God and that being on the edge of a cliff was nothing new to me. I wholeheartedly put my trust in God and took that leap. I took the offer to take over the business 100 percent. God had equipped me with everything I needed to overcome the adversities and obstacles pre-destined in my life. I went from employee to owner, completely taking Bernard’s debts and essentially setting him free.

Even in this place of desolation, God continued to Bless me. His unwavering love was always present through those He sent to me for encouragement and support. Operating within His will showed me how steadfast He is in His promises to Us. I was now

Take the leap, believe in God with all your heart, and do not become entangled in the wiles of complacency and unknowing. Be a solution and level up your life with mind shifts.

“I decree that I am a problem solver with a heart to please God by helping humanity. I choose to do what is right and honor my word. I believe God will help me flourish, prosper, and be an asset to my family and community.”

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.