God Loves Entrepreneurs: Faith, Forged Jiu Jitsu, and Trusting the Slow Build
God Loves Entrepreneurs
Lately, I’ve felt a quiet unease about the success of Forged Jiu Jitsu.
From the outside, things look good. We set up shop serving Nixa, Ozark, and Springfield, MO—an area full of opportunity. The academy is close to breaking even each month, something many people told me wouldn’t happen for at least a year. We’re attracting the right kind of people. The community is forming exactly the way my wife and I prayed it would.
And yet, I’ve struggled to relax.
The Restlessness of Building Something
If I’m sitting still, I feel like I’m missing an opportunity. If I’m not building, posting, optimizing, improving, or planning, I feel behind. That’s the burden of entrepreneurship. I know how this goes. Once the gym reaches one milestone, I’ll create another. Then another. Meet the goal. Raise the standard. Worry again. It’s a cycle.
My wife and I have spent a lot of time praying and journaling about this season of building a jiu jitsu gym and leading a growing community. The answer we both keep receiving is simple: “It’s going to be alright.”
Not “work harder.”
Not “push more.”
Not “strive endlessly.”
Just—trust.
The Gym Was Never Mine to Carry Alone
I have to remind myself that Forged was given to me - the opportunity, the building, even the people walking through the doors looking for discipline, community, and strength through Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. God has been clear: the gym will grow, but —but at His pace.
That means this slower season isn’t punishment. It’s preparation. It’s an invitation to deepen my relationship with Him instead of sprinting ahead alone. Because if the gym grows enough to feed my family, I’ll want the next thing. And then the next. The striving doesn’t stop unless I choose to let it.
Maybe It Doesn’t Have to Be Hard
Something else has been stirring in me. Somewhere along the way, my wife and I picked up the belief that if something is good, it must be hard. That success must be grueling. That anything worth doing requires constant effort.
We’ve said it ourselves: “If it’s not hard, it’s not worth it.”
But what if that’s not true? What if we’re making it harder than it needs to be simply by speaking that way? I’ve noticed how often I say, “It’s hard.” Maybe the first shift isn’t in strategy—but in language. Maybe I need to realign my words, my thought patterns, and my spirit.
Maybe peace doesn’t come from pushing harder, but from being playful again. From coming to God with the heart of a child, because Scripture tells us to approach Him that way—not rigid, not uptight, not carrying the entire business on our shoulders.
God and the Entrepreneur
Sometimes I think God loves entrepreneurs in a unique way. Not because we’re special—but because we are forced to rely on Him daily. Entrepreneurship is a faith walk. You overcome concerns and doubts by asking for provision, guidance, direction, and peace.
Building a business strips away the illusion of control. Leading a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy in Springfield, serving families from Nixa and Ozark, has shown me that this isn’t just about teaching self-defense or discipline. It’s about learning trust.
Learning to Enjoy the Now
My wife and I have realized that this season is meant to be enjoyed, not endured. God has been nudging us toward playfulness again—toward laughter, wonder, and even silliness. We’re both naturally intense people. Structured. Disciplined. Sometimes a little rigid.
But maybe this season isn’t about grinding harder. Maybe it’s about growing deeper. Enjoying the quieter days, training hard on the mats, and leading the Forged community well, by trusting that provision is already in motion. The Lord gave me this opportunity. He will see it through.
Final Thought
If you’re building something—whether it’s a business, a jiu jitsu gym, a family, or a new version of yourself—don’t miss what God might be doing in the slower moments. Entrepreneurship can build more than income. It can build faith. We are lucky to have each day we’re given.
