Boundaries and Margins
September 29, 2023 | 5 Min. Read
Boundaries and Margins for Kingdompreneurs
In the hustle culture of entrepreneurship, Christian entrepreneurs might find themselves at a crossroads where faith, ambition, and the desire to make a meaningful impact seem to collide.
Join me on this journey of starting and growing a kingdom business, where it's crucial to understand the difference between creating personal boundaries and building margins. These concepts seem similar, yet they serve distinct purposes in helping us navigate the entrepreneurial path with grace and purpose.
Creating Personal Boundaries
Imagine personal boundaries are lines I draw within myself. They are invisible guardrails that keep me on track and ensure I stay accountable to my values, beliefs, and commitments. In the context of faith, this means aligning my business decisions with my Christian principles.
For instance, I have created a personal boundary that involves committing to never compromise my integrity or moral values, even when faced with tough choices in my business. It means staying accountable to my faith-based ethics, even when that seems challenging or unpopular.
(And at times, it has been So. Unpopular.)
Building Margins
Let's delve into the concept of building margins. Margins are like the spacious borders around a beautiful quilt. They provide extra room for flexibility, breathing space for creativity, and a buffer against overwhelm. In the context of entrepreneurship, margins take various forms, like time, money, and physical space.
For Christian entrepreneurs like me, creating margins equals time-freedom.
Time to soak in God’s presence, to be consistent with self-care, and to joyfully nurture my family.
Having wider margins means prioritizing resources – for business growth and for giving and serving in the areas God calls me.
Here are three practical ideas that got me started in the process:
Power Hour
I feel like we all know the importance of time management to some degree, so I put a faith-filled spin on it. I set aside my own sacred "Power Hour" nearly every day where I focus on nurturing my spiritual well-being. I mostly disconnect from the digital world so I can melt into prayer, meditation, or scripture reading. I find that having a dedicated time creates a margin for my faith and also infuses my creative work with renewed energy and purpose.
I also make physical spaces that promote rest, meditation, and spiritual connectedness, for me. These spaces serve me, not the other way around. They give me what I need to be able to serve God more effectively, to take care of myself, and to have something to give others.
Tithing My Time
Personally, I give to my church because I’m already persuaded that it’s beneficial. Similarly, I made tithing my time to be a great way of prioritizing God and increasing the margins of my faith. I allocate a specific percentage of my workweek to give back to my community or mentorship efforts that resonate with my Christian values. By dedicating this time to serve others, I am building margins for making kingdom impact and satisfying my sense of purpose within my entrepreneurial journey. My professional growth has also benefited from having an intentional investment in this spiritual dimension of my life.
There’s fun to be had here. One of my activities is teaching fiber arts in my local community center. It’s a great place to connect with people around a shared interest and give back through providing the supplies and learning that God has blessed me with.
Mindful Networking
I believe that networking is vital for business growth, and I've learned that taking a more mindful approach makes a difference. Instead of trying to be everywhere and meet everyone, I focus on creating meaningful connections. I seek out fellow Christian entrepreneurs who share my values. These relationships are mutually enriching, both professionally and spiritually. I like that a smaller circle of intentional connections often has more kingdom impact than a vast, scattered network.
We are making a small network for Christian coaches to build these kinds of kingdom connections and really support each other! Be part of our community and let’s get connected!
The Intersection of Boundaries and Margins
There’s a beautiful convergence of these concepts for Christian entrepreneurs. Our personal boundaries should safeguard our margins. In other words, our faith-based principles act as the compass guiding our decisions about how we allocate time, money, and resources.
Think of it this way: By adhering to my boundaries, I ensure that my margins are used purposefully. My business decisions align with my core beliefs, and the extra dimensions I create are sanctified by my faith.
Jesus stands at the center of my spiritual journey, so I let Him also be the focal point of my business efforts. In the big circle of my life, my business is a part of the whole, and my faith is the guiding light that illuminates my path.
Psalm 119:105
Creating personal boundaries and building margins are two essential tools in the toolkit of every Christian entrepreneur. They are not in conflict, they are complementary.
They work together to help us achieve business goals as we remain steadfast in our faith.
If you are seeking kingdom connection with other creative Christian entrepreneurs, check out our community and let’s get connected.
In the hustle culture of entrepreneurship, Christian entrepreneurs might find themselves at a crossroads where faith, ambition, and the desire to make a meaningful impact seem to collide.
Join me on this journey of starting and growing a kingdom business, where it's crucial to understand the difference between creating personal boundaries and building margins. These concepts seem similar, yet they serve distinct purposes in helping us navigate the entrepreneurial path with grace and purpose.
Creating Personal Boundaries
Imagine personal boundaries are lines I draw within myself. They are invisible guardrails that keep me on track and ensure I stay accountable to my values, beliefs, and commitments. In the context of faith, this means aligning my business decisions with my Christian principles.
For instance, I have created a personal boundary that involves committing to never compromise my integrity or moral values, even when faced with tough choices in my business. It means staying accountable to my faith-based ethics, even when that seems challenging or unpopular.
(And at times, it has been So. Unpopular.)
Building Margins
Let's delve into the concept of building margins. Margins are like the spacious borders around a beautiful quilt. They provide extra room for flexibility, breathing space for creativity, and a buffer against overwhelm. In the context of entrepreneurship, margins take various forms, like time, money, and physical space.
For Christian entrepreneurs like me, creating margins equals time-freedom.
Time to soak in God’s presence, to be consistent with self-care, and to joyfully nurture my family.
Having wider margins means prioritizing resources – for business growth and for giving and serving in the areas God calls me.
Here are three practical ideas that got me started in the process:
Power Hour
I feel like we all know the importance of time management to some degree, so I put a faith-filled spin on it. I set aside my own sacred "Power Hour" nearly every day where I focus on nurturing my spiritual well-being. I mostly disconnect from the digital world so I can melt into prayer, meditation, or scripture reading. I find that having a dedicated time creates a margin for my faith and also infuses my creative work with renewed energy and purpose.
I also make physical spaces that promote rest, meditation, and spiritual connectedness, for me. These spaces serve me, not the other way around. They give me what I need to be able to serve God more effectively, to take care of myself, and to have something to give others.
Tithing My Time
Personally, I give to my church because I’m already persuaded that it’s beneficial. Similarly, I made tithing my time to be a great way of prioritizing God and increasing the margins of my faith. I allocate a specific percentage of my workweek to give back to my community or mentorship efforts that resonate with my Christian values. By dedicating this time to serve others, I am building margins for making kingdom impact and satisfying my sense of purpose within my entrepreneurial journey. My professional growth has also benefited from having an intentional investment in this spiritual dimension of my life.
There’s fun to be had here. One of my activities is teaching fiber arts in my local community center. It’s a great place to connect with people around a shared interest and give back through providing the supplies and learning that God has blessed me with.
Mindful Networking
I believe that networking is vital for business growth, and I've learned that taking a more mindful approach makes a difference. Instead of trying to be everywhere and meet everyone, I focus on creating meaningful connections. I seek out fellow Christian entrepreneurs who share my values. These relationships are mutually enriching, both professionally and spiritually. I like that a smaller circle of intentional connections often has more kingdom impact than a vast, scattered network.
We are making a small network for Christian coaches to build these kinds of kingdom connections and really support each other! Be part of our community and let’s get connected!
The Intersection of Boundaries and Margins
There’s a beautiful convergence of these concepts for Christian entrepreneurs. Our personal boundaries should safeguard our margins. In other words, our faith-based principles act as the compass guiding our decisions about how we allocate time, money, and resources.
Think of it this way: By adhering to my boundaries, I ensure that my margins are used purposefully. My business decisions align with my core beliefs, and the extra dimensions I create are sanctified by my faith.
Jesus stands at the center of my spiritual journey, so I let Him also be the focal point of my business efforts. In the big circle of my life, my business is a part of the whole, and my faith is the guiding light that illuminates my path.
Psalm 119:105
Creating personal boundaries and building margins are two essential tools in the toolkit of every Christian entrepreneur. They are not in conflict, they are complementary.
They work together to help us achieve business goals as we remain steadfast in our faith.
If you are seeking kingdom connection with other creative Christian entrepreneurs, check out our community and let’s get connected.
About the Author
Kristi Rae Millsap MBA is a writer, veteran, and certified, professional Christian coach.
She started consulting in 2012 after earning her MBA in Healthcare Management and getting laid off from her corporate job as a frontend developer and internet marketing analyst. Consulting led to serving in ministry, coaching, and writing.
Kristi enjoys bringing new ideas to life and sharing creative insights to help Christian entrepreneurs learn how to gain more time-freedom to love God with all their heart, mind, and strength.
Kristi is married to Reverend Paul Millsap, and together they shepherd their family of 9 children. Together, they minister in the areas of marriage, re-marriage, divorce, parenting and grandparenting, especially focusing on forgiveness, grace, mercy, and living at peace.
With support from Paul, Kristi also homeschools the family's last child at home in Minnesota. They both love spending time on the road, exploring old towns, connecting with new churches, and visiting their kids' families and 10 grandchildren.
Kristi Rae Millsap MBA is a writer, veteran, and certified, professional Christian coach.
She started consulting in 2012 after earning her MBA in Healthcare Management and getting laid off from her corporate job as a frontend developer and internet marketing analyst. Consulting led to serving in ministry, coaching, and writing.
Kristi enjoys bringing new ideas to life and sharing creative insights to help Christian entrepreneurs learn how to gain more time-freedom to love God with all their heart, mind, and strength.
Kristi is married to Reverend Paul Millsap, and together they shepherd their family of 9 children. Together, they minister in the areas of marriage, re-marriage, divorce, parenting and grandparenting, especially focusing on forgiveness, grace, mercy, and living at peace.
With support from Paul, Kristi also homeschools the family's last child at home in Minnesota. They both love spending time on the road, exploring old towns, connecting with new churches, and visiting their kids' families and 10 grandchildren.
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