A Journal Experiencing God's Word: A Catering Start Up
I always believed that getting to know God's will is not a one day journey of opening up your Bible and finding a "yes" for an answer or affirming words such as "He will be with you" or "He will lead you" for an assurance of a yes from God. Rather for me it is a day to day seeking and being molded and guided and most especially being corrected including as well some lessons of the cross.
The Setback
I resigned from a 6 month corporate chef job that didn't turn out so smooth. I previously worked for a group of restaurants handling cafes, steakhouse, chinese food and cafeteria. I value the work and experience I had there but I'd rather not share the details as to why it didn't end so smooth. lets just say - Its a great spiritual lesson for me.
It was a cold November when I went back to manila trying to figure out what to do in life after this setback. I previously owned an online business selling homemade sausages and other deli products. I was a bit fed up with the industry and all that it has to offer. But anyway I continued doing the sausage making business again just to keep my finances going until I figure out what I am supposed to do next.
A Random VIP Catering Warm Up
I was riding a bus heading toward a cafe for a partnership. I was planning to offer them regular supply of meats when suddenly i got a message from one of my previous chefs.
My previous chef works in Australia during that time. A catering company called him asking for his help. However, since he cannot do the job he recommended me instead. Next week I found myself handling a VIP Catering Event in Hillsborough Alabang.
I decided to do the next paragraphs in a different format so as to give you concise details without having to read too long ;)
1. The day I got called i felt that I cannot handle a 150 pax VIP all by myself. But my Morning Devotion that day is Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ. So I confirmed with a yes.
2. Things were hard during the event. I barely had sleep and my body is giving away. my morning devotion says as follows:
Day 1: (prep day) Col 2:8 "See to it"
Day 2: (event day)
1. Col 3:17 Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus
2. Col 4:17 See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.
The event was a success and was handled very well. Finally I was able to gain a favorable set of experience that I didn't know would be very useful for what the next step the Lord had planned in mind.
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A New Year's Promise
I was invited by our Seniour Church Pastor in our year end church gathering to meet the caterer he always calls in to supply. He says its a very good chance for me if i can have a talk with her.
The night went out smoothly. I'm happy to get some insights from her. (my girlfriend also shared me an inspiring video of 700 club asia fig tree cafe and event catering) so the catering thing wouldn't get off my head until the clock ticked 12am (Jan. 1, 2018) maybe this is God's way of preparing my mind for what we will be talking abount in a few hours.
I usually spend time yearly in the presence of God to ask for a promise or simply just to rest myself in His presence as to what He wants to tell me.
Here are the gleanings I had that night..
John 6
First thing that I read is the Paragraph Title: Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand.
Upon reading this and the verses that follow.. I had a conversation with God. God revealed to me that He is the "Best Caterer" who actually ever lived.
1. He led these five thousand men into a banquet with only 5 loaves and 2 fishes. As a chef, against all odds. we daily prepare our meals in the restaurant. Its nearly far from reality to let five thousand men eat. Any random restaurant along the street would not have enough food to feed these five thousand men. (maybe that is why He asked Philip to test His faith. "where shall we buy bread for all these people to eat?")
for our flesh this is a problem but that he already knew. He already knew in mind what to do. and He knew He could be enough to provide.
2. I also remembered an instance in the Bible when the Israelites grumbled to Moses and Aaron and told them that they were going to die of hunger. The Lord sent I believe thousands of quail that were lost in the desert to the feeding of almost 2 million Israelites starving from the escape they had in Egypt.
How great God is!
3. Just recently I saw from Chef Rej Cassanova's facebook post (Exec Sous Chef of Marriott Hotel-- I came to know him because we competed in several categories before in Philippine Culinary Cup) that they were having a 2200 pax plated function in the Hotel. I believe in order to pull this off the hotel had to man up their forces. Dividing the kitchens, setting up the prep lists, entasking kitchen preps to every single chef in the hotel and syncronizing movements to quicken service -- all of these is but hard work!
what miracle it is to feed 5 thousand men without doing preparations the day before. And what miracle it is to provide enough quantity of quail from who knows where in the desert enough to supply 2 million starving men. Where can we find a supplier here in the country that can provide for 2 million people and is up for a single delivery?
How did Jesus handle it when he fed the 5000 men and the 2 million hungry Israelites? Nothing is too hard for Him.
My Other Gleanings Are As Follows:
5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”
(impression inside: where shall i get enough to supply me for my life?)
9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
(impression inside: how far can i go among so many needs to supply financially?)
God gave them loaves to those who are hungry.. v11 as much as they wanted (in abundance. God is an abundant God)
v20 Is it I, do not be afraid
(impression: It is I who arranged what happend in your previous job, it is I, I saw, Do not be afraid)
v43 stop grumbling among yourselves
(impression: stop complaining, stop regretting what happened)
Jesus as the bread of Life: v37 all who come to me I will never drive away
(I will not be driven out as I seek Him, my needs He will supply)
In silence and in the coldness of the new year eve, while everybody else is celebrating, I took God's words for me and slept.
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The Days That Followed Are Not Easy
The days that followed are not easy but is Christ filled. I still continued doing my homemade deli product online selling while I slowly plan up for my catering work in partnership with the Lord.
In the month of February, I prayed to God one Thursday evening telling Him these words: "Lord I cannot launch a catering business without logistics. I cannot tell clients I cater without any means of delivery. I need a car. That sunday my dad gave me the key to his old car. (If you knew my dad, you would know its 99/100 chance of that happening. Still God worked in that 1 % chance)
In the succeeding months business slowly gaining stability. I realized that about 3/4 of my income came from catering work.
There was a time I was planning to buy chafing dishes from a certain supplier in Quiapo because of its cheap price. many popular restaurants also go there to get supply because of their competitive price. But i cannot go visit the shop yet because i am yet still a one man catering team. very busy cooking up and delivering it to clients.
The Lord in turn led me to see a quite big department store surplus nearby our place. Quiapo sells the chafing dishes at 1800++ while the surplus nearby our place sells it at 1650++. I got a 10% discount card so way cheaper.
God's word is present. Circumstancial arrangement is also present and even its financial stability. Opinion of the church (from our senior pastor) is also okay. I also had the peace. So I guess this is it. I knew that this is God's will.
The Jumpstart
After months of doing the business model, to be exact 6 months after the new years word I got from the Lord. I planned to launch the business June 12, 2018 (6/12/18).
The Lord however had a different way of launching my business. But anyhow I felt inside that the Lord agreed to my set launching date and His doing proved to be of more help to my business than what I am planning.
I planned a simple promotion post in social media stating that the business is now fully on launch. however a week before I got a call from a client which asked for my catering service for 35pax. This is an upscale menu; onsite cooking catering to rich chinese clients.
The documentations I gathered led way for me to promote my business more effectively than what I have planned. Photos of gourmet upscale food were posted instead of the on hand photos I have. More importantly-- what I thanked God most here in this picture is that my team pulled of the work to high standards and because of this our social media followers knew we already had our jumpstart.
I was tired the following day because of the event but I was so happy and thanking God inside. But what I am even more happy about is that the Lord continued to speak to me.
June 12 Morning Devotion: Actual Day
1 Chronicles 27
army divisions are in charge of.. ( The Lord instructing me in the delegation of tasks)
June 13 Morning Devotion: Event Aftermath
1 Chronicles 28 Title: David’s Plans for the Temple
10 Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.”
20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished. 21 The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work on the temple of God, and every willing person skilled in any craft will help you in all the work. The officials and all the people will obey your every command.”
What a word from Him who saw through my little start up.
Who am I, Lord?
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The Lost Client
Of course any businesses have setbacks. I actually made effort onto this blog for one reason. I want to have something to look back to at how God spoke to me and managed to promise me so many wonderful things. I don't want unbelief to ruin my life of faith with Him. so there -- I deeply want to remind myself of His promises and all these that happened. Business is gaining its peak by the month of July. Somehow the Lord allowed 2 months for me to earn salaries that are higher than my previous salary as a corporate chef. However something shaking happened to break that streak.
I have a regular client that I cater twice or thrice a month depending on the dates they require. This client called me one Sunday afternoon and told me that I am on hold because of a certain mistake we were not able to handle. I am sure this would result in a great drop in sales.
Days after for me was a tap on the back from God. I realized many things..
1. My faith is already based on my fixed monthly earnings from regular clients. This is versus my heart when the business started that I look to God to supply for my needs. perhaps God intended us the daily looking up to Him for our life. And any unneeded means of getting us out of that life of faith He will remove for our good.
2. I might be proud of what the business had achieved. I didn't have any losses since January. I was able (through God's grace) to buy equipments and still earn a fixed amount. Maybe if this lingered without a tap on the back I would have been proud (or maybe I am already). He rebukes the proud and His eyes are on the lowly.
After I realized these things and is in the process of humbling myself before God. God spoke to me again in one of my quiet time with Him.
Eph 3:13 I ask you therefore not to be discouraged
v16 I pray that out of His glorious riches He strengthen you in your inner being
v17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith
v20 now to him who is able to do immeasureably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.
I didn't even know that "discouraged" is the right term for what I am feeling that time until the Bible revealed it to me. When I questioned myself whether or not pursuing this business is the right path. He replied to me do not be discouraged. That He will strengthen my inner being and he is able to do more than what we can ever ask or imagine.
Ending this post in a statement rather! >'_'< I have no mentor since I got off working from an earthly boss. But the lesson is still there. I have a heavenly boss and He is my mentor. He knows his game. He knows how to give good quality wines to guests. He surely know how to speak to me. He is constant through the seasons and is real. He can feed five thousand and a two million men. He indeed is the right and best mentor for me.
Sharing this personal experience in this business website for 2 reasons:
1. I wanted to give young christian entrepreneurs a path they can look on as to how the Lord does things in businesses.
2. I want to put the Lord as the 1st in this blog section. As He should be in every area of our lives. And to remind myself of His great and mighty personal works