Builder of All Things

"153 Season"| Episode #82 | Builder of All Things | Author’s Cut: Chapter Five | Full Episode w/ Richie Breaux

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Welcome to the Builder of All Things Podcast—where we go beyond the pages of the book and explore into the Author’s Cut! 🔥 Join Richie Breaux and Ray Bisnar as they break down each chapter in micro-episodes, giving you the behind-the-scenes insights, deeper wisdom, and real-life applications—just like a Director’s Cut for a book. 

In this episode, we dive into Chapter 5 of the book, a powerful reflection on preparation, faith, and God's timely provision. Though the shortest chapter in the book, it's one of the most impactful—highlighting the heart behind celebrating your wins with humility and learning to prepare with excellence while leaving the outcome to God.

We break down the "153 Season"—a symbolic reference to the miraculous catch of fish in John 21. It's more than a number—it's a reminder that God blesses us with exactly what we can handle, no more, no less. Richie shares a transparent journey through seasons of scarcity and seasons of abundance, explaining how God uses both to mold us.

From construction metaphors and Proverbs 21:31 ("The horse is made ready for battle, but victory belongs to the Lord") to COVID-era pivoting and navigating business with faith, this conversation is filled with leadership gold.

We also explore:
* What it means to prepare like a warrior but trust like a child
* How to celebrate wins without losing sight of the One who gave them
* The story of diligence + obedience = divine alignment
* What Peter’s jump off the boat teaches us about prioritizing the blesser over the blessing

If you've ever wondered how to balance hustle with humility or how to lead a team through the unknown, this one's for you.

🙏 Don't just work for the blessing—learn how to sit down and have breakfast with Jesus.

📖 Grab the book. Reflect on your 153 season. And remember: Faith without action is dead, but action without faith misses the whole point.
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👍 Like, 💬 comment your thoughts, and 🔔 subscribe for more heart-filled leadership content.

#FaithAndBusiness #Leadership #ChristianEntrepreneur #153Season #Preparation #Obedience #VictoryBelongsToTheLord

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Follow "Builder of All Things" on YOUTUBE@richiebreaux

Speaker 1:

we're in chapter five of the book, which talks about um, the swim, and primarily the concept of the 153 season, um, but to start off, talk to me about preparation, preparation um, yeah, this chapter, I think, was very important to um inject something that was a sense of all the hard work you're putting in and where God rewards those those things.

Speaker 2:

So we wanted to have a. I think it's the shortest chapter in the book. Oh, is it? Yeah. It's the shortest chapter in the book, but it's the one that kind of shares all the accolades of our company.

Speaker 2:

And not, I don't know if we made the shortest intentionally it might just be me just trying to get over it real quick. But not to, to. But see, that's the thing is. We need to celebrate our wins, you know, and uh, and, and this book intentionally shares a heart position. Uh educates us on, like, you know, release, shares my journey on when god, you know I don't know what's the right word, but like, and I have a hard time with uh when you, well, you know, like, in sharing that, because I never want to take glory for ourselves. So the book was like, intentional on structuring how to position our hearts when God does show up and bless you. There you go.

Speaker 2:

You know, it's like it's like I don't know, just my whole life man, Like I've been in some amazing opportunities, right, no-transcript. Like John the Baptist says, you know he must increase while I decrease, and I've always had that heart of just. You know, it's always been a hard for me to like share when something goes well, and so this book, in this chapter, really helped me like understand those moments when the blessings are there and how to, how to celebrate your wins. So that's really what this chapter is is um sets the tone of, uh, that heart position. But what you asked was preparation, I think is the key to any kind of blessing with God. There's a scripture in the book Proverbs 21, 31,. The horse is ready for battle and victory is of the Lord. That says a lot to me about, like when I'm in a construction business, right? So we have to do a lot of preparation and pre-construction and most people think like, oh, here's the design, here's a here's, here's the drawings, let's, let's go yeah.

Speaker 2:

Can you guys start next week? And I always got to pause people. I mean even in like a three million dollar project. We get things signed. We go through all the negotiations and the contract contract. We get that thing signed. They're ready to start in two weeks.

Speaker 2:

And I'm like whoa, there's a lot of preparation. Um, I mean, going from just contractual, we sign with a client, we got to start signing with all the subcontractors. There's trade agreements they got to go out and final negotiations get them locked in figuring out their timings, and then you do that like 20 times and then you take all those schedules, pump them into your schedule and figure out how the best alignment is with milestones that you can't miss, to make sure those get in place. You got to look in permitting, make sure that stuff's aligned and getting all those things in place. You got to check with vendors and lead times.

Speaker 2:

When you purchase something you're on an Island and it's some stuff takes eight to 12 weeks. You got to take those lines if you pay for that at this certain time and when that aligns. So it's just like all this preparation man. You got to go to the lot and do preparation. You got to mobilize, you got to do all this stuff, and so for you to even start, man, it's like it's the saying of an airplane takes 80 fuel. I don't know this is correct. I just don't know if this is correct.

Speaker 2:

I just don't know, but an airplane takes about 80% of its fuel to get in the air and then the rest of it is just glide mode. You know what I'm saying. So that's the same thing with construction, but that's the same thing in leadership and life and with business is like you know, preparation is key. There's things there's sayings of, you know, preparation meets opportunity and I believe that God has opportunities out there. Without us preparing and putting in the work you know it's, those opportunities can be missed and because there's, you know there's a certain ladder or stair or pathway. You got to get to the certain door and if you don't do what you need to do, you may never land at that door. There is this movie in the book that I referenced, facing the giants, and this pastor was talking with the football coach. He was just like going through a meltdown. Like you know, I guess his wife can't have kids anymore, bills are at their final. Like he's about to lose his house. His car broke down, the the football team's losing. He happened to hear that.

Speaker 2:

You know they're gonna fire him he's getting everything, man he's like dude, he's just like he's a mess and he's just sitting there and, uh, this, uh like school pastor came like coming through and he was praying on all the lockers and he just comes into his office and he kind of gave him a story. Man, he was just like there's two farmers, you know, and both of them prayed for rain, but only one of them actually prepared the field and when the rain came, who you think got the crop? And so I think that moment shifted and spoke to him like, oh man, I need, I need to go to war, I need to prepare, I need. Like, in his head was like I haven't been seeking God, I haven't been like going at this a different way. I just kind of used my way and came to an end, but I just kind of stuck there.

Speaker 2:

And so, preparation, when you hear that scripture again, you know, proverbs 21, 31 is, uh, horses prepared for battle, but victories of the lords man, I think about, like, I really think about that time, you know, like, if you're watching the movie vikings or some of those old, old movies, they get on horses and go to war, braveheart with mel gibson, whatever you know um, like just watching those movies and just just thinking about them getting ready to go to war, right, and so on the horse. That means they got to travel to where they're going to get ready for the battle, or whatever the case is. And so you can imagine they're thinking all right, if this scenario happens, like you know, if I got to fight a samurai guy and he's coming with a sword, how am I going to block that? So I'm going to need this shield, you know Right right, I'm not going to block that.

Speaker 2:

So I'm going to need this shield. You know like they're thinking like, OK, if I'm in this, I'm in a position where the guys are pulling out. You know, this kind of weapon, this is how I need defense, this is how I'm going to fight if I fall on the ground yeah, so they got. Oh, but if I'm on the ground, if it's muddy is it raining today? So yeah, I probably should wear these, kind Cause I know over there they got the high weeds and I'm trying to trip when I'm trying to fight, you know. So what's happening is they're preparing themselves for every scenario before they get on that horse and make sure the horse can carry all these different you know, tools and just different things that could happen.

Speaker 2:

And so I imagine, like when they get on the horse, at that point it's, it's heavy. There's some things that they they're like okay, I got to prioritize now, you know okay. Okay, I can't carry all this, I'm not even gonna make it, so let's take these little things off, I'm gonna keep these. And so, anyway, long story short, they're getting headed out to war, but the scripture is saying get your horse ready for battle. So that's what I just shared, but victories of the lord, and so, um, it's a heart, posture and a perspective to do all you know to do and let God do the rest. And that's really like the heart of my work ethic, the heart of this chapter.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, Would you say that? Would you call preparation a responsibility at this?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, that's a good way to uh ask. It's uh, it's stewardship of what god's given you. So, going back on like as an owner versus steward, stewardship is taking responsibility with all the resources parenting god's taking you to life and utilizing those to the best of your ability. So, yeah, I do think it's a responsibility to do everything you know to do before. Because you know, there's that other like story of the guy who prayed to God every day Like he wanted to win the lottery. Yeah, like man, I need the money. Man, look at my situation. I need, I need the lottery's exact amount. I need. Lord, please, let me win the lottery. Pray every day, every day. Pray, lord, let me win the lottery, let me win the lottery, let me win the lottery.

Speaker 2:

And then finally he started getting upset, man, because the lottery came here and went. So he was just like. So his next prayer was like God, he started pulling out scripture. Like man, yours says ask and it will be given. Like I asked man, like you know, and all this stuff. And then God spoke and he was like oh, you the lottery? Like I was about to give it to you, but guess what, man, you never went and bought a ticket. So you know, I say that to say like it is our responsibility to do all we need to do, because that's what unlocks the door for God's opportunities, you know. And so a lot of times we don't know what those are, but we just need to do everything we need we know to do, and that's the key to God's doorways that he has for us.

Speaker 1:

That's cool because I think of it in. I've heard relationship advice before where it's like, okay, you want this particular partner in your life, you want this girl right, and you have all these things that you prefer in this person, but then you don't like, you just look for it and you ask, but you don't even prepare yourself to be the right person for them. It's funny because it's like, yeah, you got to, you know, get a good job or work on your health or whatever. It is like you know and when the opportunity comes aka the girl you try to, you know, talk to her or whatever, and like she doesn't to her, you're not prepared. In a sense You're not the right guy for her because you're not at the place where you know you should be at or you know. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2:

Does that make sense? Oh no, you're nailing it, man, because we're. I'm talking about war, but I think it also relates to business, it relates to your marriage, it relates to being a parent, like we need to do all we know to do for your child, right? Yes, you know in every case, and I you know it's. It's a bummer when I see sometimes and I mean I'm, I fell in it too, but it's like you know, the safety of the child's, everything. It's our responsibility to not think about we're overdoing, but but to set them up for success. So, yeah, and not to burn anybody out on that thought, but God has equipped us with exactly what we need in knowledge resources for every single day.

Speaker 1:

What I want to pause you there, but what you said was actually big Cause. I feel like parents will especially new, new parents will tend to worry about a situation versus being prepared for it. I think that's huge man.

Speaker 2:

Well, that's the key of that. Scripture is like we can't let worry and burnout weigh us down, and there's a scripture about God taking that. And this is how it's that scripture it's do everything you know to do, but victories are the Lord. Yeah, that's the key. That's the key. The key is I'm doing everything I can to do to protect my child. But now that I've done everything with the resources that I've stewarded with my mind and everything that God has given me and parents me to be able to be that parent, now I need to know and trust victories of the Lord and that kid's safe. I don't need to worry now because I did everything I need to do. Now, if you don't do everything that you know to do, trust me that the world is set up to hurt your child. Yes, you know, and so God can protect and God will. But it is our responsibility and duty to do everything that we know to do. That's good, yeah.

Speaker 1:

That's cool because it does relate to everything.

Speaker 2:

It does, man it does. And so to carry it back to business, I think when the greatest storms come or certain things happen in business, or whatever the case is like when you're preparing for war, you want to be able to do everything you know to do in business. You have 20 tasks. You have eight hours. You got to prioritize those tasks. You got to put them up on a board, put them in your, your notepad, whatever it is, and if, if the top five get done, you did all you know you can do for that day. You can't conquer everything in eight hours. You got to honor your eight hours, but do everything you know to do. Now. Don't go on youtube and watch, watch podcasts for an hour when you could be doing your tasks.

Speaker 1:

You know what I'm saying you ain't talking to me, dog.

Speaker 2:

But see, that's, I think, to carry that home to one single word, that's diligence. Diligence is doing everything you know to do, and so it's our responsibility to honor our times and the times that we have, for, whatever that case is, and do what we know to do, and God will win the war, for you Will win. Whatever that case is, and do, do what we know to do, and God will win the war for you. We'll win. Whatever the battle is, or the victory is going to be there. Well said, bro.

Speaker 1:

Moving on. There's a next chapter. A portion of the chapter is called the right side of the boat and it's a. It's a story of Jesus telling the. I was going to say the homies the disciples, hey, try this side. Homies the disciples, hey, try this side, as small as it is.

Speaker 2:

The change is right. Yeah, it's huge, but can you talk to me about that? Well, just for the listeners to kind of break down the story a bit, but this is time frame and context. This is after jesus died already. So jesus had died.

Speaker 2:

The disciples, peter, and the crew, the fishermen crew, where they haven't seen Jesus since his death. So in their understanding he's still dead. Yes, right, so that's like the context of the situation. And so they have been fishermen. They're professional fishermen. They know the waters, they know their boat, they know the equipment. They're like you put me on a construction site, man, that's my world, that's my tribe, that's my arena. I'm a professional, I am literally a professional when it comes to building homes. That's what they are.

Speaker 2:

They're professional in their field and they're going out fishing and guess what? They're not catching fish, which is kind of it happens, but odd for somebody who's professional in that trade and does it for a living to just not catch any fish. So that can already put a weight. But the fact that who? The moment that they're going out, I don't think they've been fishing like that for a long, for probably three years, because they've been walking with Jesus, but now that Jesus died there.

Speaker 2:

Guess what? Guess what they're doing? They're going back to their old ways because they don't know what else to do right now. So they're going back out to do what they got to do with this get some fish and just going back into survival mode. You know what I mean. But guess what? There's no fish. And they're getting ready to wrap up for the day. And this is a similar story when Peter first met Jesus. So when Peter first met Jesus, it was almost a similar story. So here they are same story getting ready to wash their nets, you know. And then Jesus kind of yells out close enough, he's on shore. And from their perspective this is like some strange random guy.

Speaker 2:

Hey, just throw it on the other side, no offended. I would have been like, ok, not like, go to, you know these waters at this beach, you know, hey, actually there's some fish over on the other side of the mountain, right over there, you know. It's more like like yo, right, where, where your boat is, where you've been stressing all day checking for fish. You, you guys, are tired, you're, you're dead, you're already washing your nets, you're putting things away. But just right there. But on the other side of the boat, I'd have been like fool, get out of here. Yeah, get out of here, man. But um, the voice they recognized. Wait a minute, minute, what voice is that? I've been around that voice for three years. I recognize that accent, I recognize that voice. And that's when diligence meets obedience. So you can be diligent, diligent, diligent, but not be obedient. So obedience is when God speaks and gives you what you need to do.

Speaker 2:

I could have all the greatest tools, ray. I could have your best. To me, my favorite, like site job site, uh, table saw is a dewalt. Like. I love the dewalt. Table saw, the chop saw, you can have all the best. Yeah, I'm a milwaukee guy, though, when it comes to the battery tools. So. So I got all my tools and all these things Festool, vacuum, festool chop saw on site. I can look like the man. But guess what, man? I've had guys bring all this stuff, set everything up and we ain't got no power. Battery's dead. Whatever reason, the power goes out, you're done, man, doesn't matter how decorated your tools are right. So I think diligence meets.

Speaker 2:

Obedience is when you take one of your construction tools and plug it into the power, man, and then that's when it's game on. So that's what happened, man. They heard the voice of the Lord, they recognized the voice from having a relationship with them and they were obedient. They did all they knew they can do. But what? I'm? Why? I'm? Why this is very important because you're out there and you're like man.

Speaker 2:

Richie said just do all I need to do and victory's mine. True, do all you need to do, but guess what? There are times you'll be on the boat, just like peter and those fishermen. You did everything you know to do, you, you followed your old list and guess what? You? You sitting there with nothing. So yeah, richie's wrong. Do all you need to do, but victories of the Lord when you plug into the power. So when diligence meets, meets obedience. That's the key. That actually, that's when your key, the key right Is is is is your diligence, grabbing the tools and resources you know, and obedience is where to put and what door to put it in. It unlocks and opens the door.

Speaker 2:

So with that story, man, uh, yeah, they put it on the other side and they said it says the fish. There were so many, the abundance was so high they couldn't even handle the amount of fish, but the net never broke. So whatever they could fit in the net, fully maxed out of abundance and blessings, man, uh, they couldn't, it couldn't even. It couldn't, it didn't even break the net. So it was like it was such a significant, like blessing, like it was. It's like I knew how much blessing you can handle before your net burst.

Speaker 2:

So I I think there's like two, two sides of the the, the fence.

Speaker 2:

There's one where there's so much stress, weight, life bills, not pay, you know business, shutting down, so much like on the negative side, weight, that God will say I won't give you more than you can handle, to give you faith and assurance that I'm going to put you through the fire, I'm going to apply pressure in your life to strengthen you and to bring you back up, but I'm not more than you can handle.

Speaker 2:

But then the other side of the fence I think it's the same thing with abundance he's going to give you, bless you, but not to detour you into like material world or to you know, you just start going into addiction or lust or different things because there's just too much abundance, you know. And so I think there's both sides that God can allow storms to strengthen you and also abundance to strengthen you but not give you more than you can handle. And that's what that scripture and that story specifically speaks to me is like there was so much fish, but just enough for the net that they can bring back to shore what you said about, um, enough to enough to you know, not derail you or or get you too high.

Speaker 1:

You know, know, big-headed or whatnot, but I feel like on another section I guess of that. I guess what I'm asking is how do you protect yourself from knowing if it's an abundance or not, or it's a test? You know what I mean. Does that make sense?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I think for me, going into Peter's reaction when that happened, I think his posture and his heart he didn't even like when they caught the fish he didn't even like, I don't think he realized what was happening, he just responded to hearing the voice and so he jumped off the boat and swam to Jesus and, just kind of like, left his team to to grab the fish, and so I think his posture in his heart was number one is when I was, me and Tiffany were in a season where things felt like that season where the abundance was happening, we're winning awards, we were, you know, being recognized nationally, we were getting any job we wanted. I mean it was just like the net just was like we're grabbing everything, I mean everything you could think of was happening that you would want in a successful, you know, residential construction business. But for me, man, I think me and Tiffany know that I don't know if I have the key to recognizing when it's abundance test or blessing, to recognizing when it's abundance test or blessing, but I believe our heart position can help give us the lens and filter to see that, because I believe God gives to a cheerful giver. So what that means to me is if you have a cup and he's going to pour blessings into it has to be able to overflow into somebody else. Pour blessings into it has to be able to overflow into somebody else. And so if you're trying to just contain it, I I believe that it for me is like the.

Speaker 2:

It's a heart check, like, okay, what am I doing with this? Like, am I worshiping it? Number one am I chasing it? Number two am I hoarding it? So I think those three would be like a personal good, uh, yeah, like a gauge for me to see. Okay, or am I grateful, am I giving and I don't have another g? Um, am I grateful, am I giving and? Um, yeah, I don't have another g but that's good.

Speaker 1:

Uh, you answered the question on the dot Richie, which is, you know, being grateful, like what Peter said, I think. Coming back to just any blessing, and I think you talk about it here briefly, it's, like you know, always being grateful for the abundance or whatever blessing that comes in, abundance or whatever blessing that comes in. You mentioned that Peter was more focused on the blesser and not the gift or the giver, and not the gift, and there's a portion here as well where it's taking a step back.

Speaker 1:

You know, when Jesus called out to Peter and them not knowing, you know, as when someone you don't know or but guess to him it was he recognized the voice. But for someone to take advice, um, from some random person, and for your pride not to get hurt or whatnot, that must be tough for you know. How do you even? Do you trust that voice or do you just be like, hey, let's just change it up and listen to this random guy?

Speaker 2:

Well, yeah, I mean it could. And I think I put in the book in that kind of picture where it was like, hey, there's this random guy telling you to just throw it on the other side. But I believe also that when you carry a relationship with the builder of all things, that when he does speak, you recognize who it's coming from, you know what I mean. You'll have that filter of understanding, that tone, that that authority, that you know all the things that you've. They've walked with him for three years.

Speaker 2:

So they had this relationship to know, like, oh wait, I know that voice, yeah, like this is familiar grounds, like, and so I think their faith played. But also I think their relationship played a role too of being able to, you know, discern that you know it could have been some random guy like setting them up to do something that they, hey, you need to go on this side and over there. Actually, you know they could have died, you know, but, um, I think there are just things in relationship that they had that just kind of helped them understand, like where that, where that call was coming from and where that message was coming from towards the ending of the chapter, richie, there's a concept that you introduce, which is the amount of fish that they caught and how specific it was, and it's called one3 season.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, can you walk me through that?

Speaker 2:

going through our business journey. You know, I, in my relationship with god, I, you know, in different seasons, I'm constantly studying the word and when I was reading this story story, it really felt like God was like I had this question man like why 153? I don't, you know, like odd numbers. When you do that, especially in you know, it's kind of like in business, right In contracting, I can say, hey, the houses, uh, to build your house is going to be one, 1.2 million. Oh, okay, cool, it's like round up, it's good to go. But if I'm like, yeah, to build your house is 1.237, you know, or you know 762.21 cents, they're going to be like, oh man, that's specific, specific.

Speaker 2:

So we actually used that strategy when me and my wife bought a home. When, uh, we're in negotiations trying to buy a house and you know they they wouldn't go below a certain number, yeah, and so you know, when you make an offer, you make a number and then so we actually like, threw in a very specific number in there and it actually aligned with, uh, romans 828. So we threw 828 in there, kind of like the number than 828, yeah, and it, and we sent it off, we prayed and just trust God that all things work together for good, if this is what you want. And then he came back and offered it and it was well below the number he would say he wouldn't go below. But I think what happened is it felt like we took all the money out of our pocket, put it all on a pile, everything was on our dresser, and we just added it up and that was the number. Because even our realtor was like hey, that's such a specific number, like why not just round it up?

Speaker 2:

He said in the realtor world we usually round this up just to make the math easier for everybody. Can we just round this up? And we're like no, we're like, we prayed about this, this is the number and this prayed about this, this is the number and this is what we're gonna send off. So we sent it off and and he accepted. And you know the position behind that was like oh, number one, just trusting god put all those things, but why? I shared that it was just such a specific number. I think it spoke to him saying like we believe that he was like man, this I don't think they're gonna come back with another offer. I think this was like all money on the table. And so he was like this we probably put him in a position where he felt like I gotta take this or not take it, and so he ended up taking it. So when I look at the fish, I feel the same way. It's like 153 fish, like that's such a specific number.

Speaker 2:

that's not like a roundup number, because we do that right, we round up things to make easier math, and I'm pretty sure they did that back then, but it was 153 and I could just like I always like put myself in those positions where I was on the boat with peter and all these guys and then they pull the net up, you know, and he jumps out, he changed jesus, like all this, and then the guys, they, they come out, they round up all the fish and they're like pulling it back and then here jesus is, he's on shore and then they're pulling and they count all the fish and it was like 153 recorded, boom. So that 153 is what I want to. You know I wanted to. It spoke to me saying that do all you know you can do, god will do the rest. God will also open doors for opportunity when you follow, you know your diligence, and and when you're obedient, he'll open the doors that he wants you to step through, but also close the ones that he doesn't want you in. So it's like, imagine if you have four streams, four roads, you're like which one should I go down? He's going to make a tree fall on two of them and then the other one, a truck's going to come, turn, park and there's going to be some blockings. Only be one open. That's the one.

Speaker 2:

So I believe 153 season is basically our prayer, is our prayer to god open the doors you want to open and close the ones you want closed and same as those fish. We want 153 fish that you want us to bring to shore and the ones that don't make it. Praise god. So it was a heart of gratitude and thankfulness. For when we lose jobs too, you, you know saying okay, we, we, we know that fish didn't make it to shore, only 153 did. An abundance of 153 is also part of that. One, five, three season is when you're following, you know God, and being diligent and trying to be obedient as much as possible, and he blesses you with abundance. He's blessing with you what you can handle and then getting rid of the fish that you can't handle. And that's to me is one, five, three man. It's like he's gonna get you your maximum capacity to shore, but the ones you couldn't handle, he just let them keep swimming and that's good.

Speaker 1:

That comes in a form of uh, in the previous years with, with atn um, right before the big change in the world which was COVID time Right, and I know you have a story that I don't know if you want to get into it, but it seems like that was the lane that God opened up and it was like there were multiple lanes and, like you were mentioning, just things shut down and then this was specifically, everything just worked out, and I don't know if you want to dive into that.

Speaker 2:

I mean, yeah, just real quick, quick, just tangibleness in reality of our business. And where this really came to play, I mean covid, I mean we're, we're growing. You know, 2017, 18, 19 we were on like this little growth spurt nothing crazy, but you know, uh, we we had, you know, we won our first luxury job. I think it was close to two million, which I think the projects before that were significantly lower. Yeah, so I mean, that was huge for us. So we were prepping and getting that one to get started. I think it just started. And then, all of a sudden, man, you know, I think we had maybe 30, 40 projects going on.

Speaker 2:

You know, a good amount of teams working with us and just things flowing the COVID app but everything shut down. Yeah, now you know me and Tiffany both, you know, coming from two house fires and I want to say poverty setting, but poverty setting, man growing up, and, yeah, and the sense of not third world country but America poverty setting, and and Tiffany living on the beach also coming up with us. We just had no resources, nothing when we started our company no money, no people to ask for money. We didn't have any of that, you know, we had nobody to reach out to for any kind of resource really. So everything was just from god or from us, just, you know, trying to make it through.

Speaker 2:

And so when everything shut down, man, we're, we're almost like everything we did was almost a gamble, because the funds were always like right there and trying to grow, and so we, basically, we were just paying ourselves just enough to get by, and everything that was even close to profitable would go back into the business to grow it to a point to where we wanted to get it and be able to survive this luxury. So it was just tight as it was. It was just tight, but we were being extra diligent, you know, and in that season, I think we were way ahead of the game using technology. We were using platforms that were CRMs, you know, project management, customer related, you know, management platforms. The architects we work with were digital blueprints, and this is 2019 now. So, you know, we were already doing video calls. Yeah, and nobody was really doing video calls. We had to, like, you know, kind of teach them how to use it, and so we're using virtual reality for our design. So we're just one of those companies trying to be a little tech heavy in the front, knowing that this is where the future is going. We didn't, we just didn't know like it was coming so soon.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so when covid happened, the whole world shut down. We all know this. But but for me it was like, oh my gosh, like every client of our thing, we had 30 something projects say, we're, we're not working, we can't do anything now, but I just I got, I got my office to pay, I got my manager. You know, I'm just like I can't, I can't afford this even a couple weeks, like this is crazy, like, yeah, we're about to shut down, like you know, and so we're just burning the fuel, trying to think. And then I felt like those fishermen, like on the boat man just not catching the thing, man, I was just like we're about to hang the nets, you know.

Speaker 2:

And so in that moment, man, you know, we felt a leading from God and a voice from God to say throw your net on the other side, you know, on the right side. And so so we did, and tangibly, that meant like coming up with a battle plan how we can execute, survive COVID. This is in literally February, right Of 2020. Like, this wasn't like six months later, this was the month everyone shut down. We wrote a whole battle plan on how we would execute in the field with COVID, with separation, with all our workers, with masks, with shields. We had to give people breathing room, to go out for like 10 minutes, come back in and work. We just came up with a whole game plan and put it all out on paper.

Speaker 2:

We didn't have chat, gpt back then. We just put all this stuff out. Our managers we had actually created this like seating zone in our office where we could have meetings and there was like six feet separate. It was all this stuff before even the six feet separation. What thing was even out? We were just kind of like how can we operate in this matter? And so, um, we were doing research and learning like, oh wait, a minute, we're construction. Guys actually can work. They're considered, you know well, I forget the term was back then, but essential.

Speaker 1:

I think it was.

Speaker 2:

And so we had put together memos for all our subcontractors who are just fear crazy of going out because you know everything we're seeing on YouTube in China, like man, those guys are dropping like flies I ain't trying to catch no COVID, you know. So we're all at this fear factor going and all the clients responded like no, I'm like dang. So we did all that diligence, you know, and set our, got the horse ready for battle and sent it out, man and uh. And we got one client that called us and said green light, go, man, yeah, go out of the 30, out of the 30. And it was our luxury project because they were still in the mainland, they weren't here, you know. And so they were like man, go, you have the house, it's yours, man, get it done. So I called all, I sent out the memos to the subs and told them the game plan. I let all the employees know and everyone was like, yeah, we need work, man. So like, if you guys are green light, all their projects were shut down. So all of a sudden we were like we were the 153 fish. And so what I mean by that is like I had all the resources to my like, my availability. Now I had all the subs, all the workers. We had, no, all the jobs. So it was just like all of us on one job. And I was like, oh man, this is. We ended up like having a record breaking efficiency of finishing a project. I think we finished this two million dollar project in like six months.

Speaker 2:

And and so what happened after? That man was, it was award-winning. It went nationally, you know, locally, nationally, everyone. It just hit, hit the market. It was on the front of two magazine covers. It was just like. It was just like boom, like oh man, this was the one, five, three season and this is what God had prepared. And this is where diligence met obedience. And just seeing God, you know, just hey, just go for it, throw it to the other side and do something different. Shift, make a pivot in your business right now, and that's what most businesses had to do went through, you know, covid, and your business didn't survive. Just trust there's a new season, you know, for you, and I'm pretty sure you're there now.

Speaker 1:

You know after all the seasons, so not to say that, you know every storm everyone's different, but for us that's how it went down man, that's a crazy story because, um, that's just a a perfect example of diligence and obedience, uh, paired together, because now I'm looking at it's like because those awards and all of those you know accolades wouldn't have come unless you guys were prepared to take the role and to assume that role in that position that could tackle that job and even the job in itself, that one out of 30, you know clients that you guys had, and the one being the biggest amount.

Speaker 2:

The one out of all of them that we needed to say yes was the one that said yes.

Speaker 1:

And then for everything to line up, with the homeowners not being there, which allowed you guys to go in the house and just you know what do you call it? Or just being available, like not being distracted by anything, or you know, um, that's such a a crazy blessing if you think about it yeah, it really was, because what a you know, it's just so many things on that project alone.

Speaker 2:

I mean, the location of it was on primetime highway where we had our sign out, you know, permit was approved. We ordered everything right before COVID, so we had all the materials there. People saw it getting built as COVID was happening, so it was probably like watching a live construction movie, you know, like nothing else is happening. But look man, they're building this sick home right here while I'm going to get coffee, you know, and so it just like opened up so many doors for new clients, bigger projects. It just it just shotgun dust, like to another level.

Speaker 1:

Leadership is a big thing for you, right, because you want to be able to to lead your crew with integrity and you know efficiency. But can you talk to me about leadership? And there's a portion here which is jumping into the water, right, and it talks about leadership, but can you talk about that?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it's a personal author note. I just directly. I think I say that this is like from the heart to CEOs and business owners or leaders out there. Basically, I think our and I just shared this a little bit briefly but I believe our heart position is key in leadership. This a little bit briefly, but I believe our, our heart position is key in leadership.

Speaker 2:

Like you know, when jesus did throw out the um, his voice to say hey, throw it to the other side, the uh, peter, who was leading the crew, jumped. He tied, you know, I guess he had taken off his stuff, whatever shirt and garment to to fish and do his thing right. So, out of whatever I don't know what the reason is he tied it back on just to get back ready and jumped in the water and swam 100 yards, which is about a football field, I believe, length, from the shore to be at the feet of jesus man. And so to me that was like a reminder that our heart position as owners is always, to you know, run to our leader, right, our CEO, our business partner and builder of all things, and knowing where the source of all our resources are coming from and knowing that that connection, that relationship is even the reason why they even got the fish, because if he didn't even speak, they would have just came back empty. So I think Peter recognized two things. Number one is where the fish came from and why they were able to even have an opportunity to catch them. But number two is it's Jesus man, like it's the builder of all things, it's my Lord and Savior. This is. He had a relationship and so he just jumped off the boat and just swam straight to him. It wasn't even about the fish and so to me that's like that's our heart position.

Speaker 2:

I think all the time when God speaks to me, in the hardest seasons or in the greatest seasons, I get it. I just I have a gratefulness of him even speaking to me. Considering all the stars in the sky, the galaxies, the spinning of the earth and the sun and everything that's happening on our earth and people struggling out there with cancers and poverties and wars, I just feel like this little grain in an endless sand beach. You know, and he still considers and knows my name and still speaks to me. Throw him to the right side of the boat, like why, you know, sometimes it's like not to belittle me or bring me down to say why would you consider me? But that's really like my position of the other side, really like my position of the other side.

Speaker 1:

I'm so grateful he considers me to even be to call me by name and to to consider my little issue of not catching fish today.

Speaker 2:

You know it's like, but in Jesus has these moments. God has these moments where he will, you know, show us miracles or be there for us so we can. That's what he wants, man. He wants a relationship. He wants our heart to be in that position. So that was my note to the CEOs. Or if you're like a leader in any kind of company or a church, or you're just a leader of your family, like when God speaks, just have a heart position to be grateful and to always be in alignment, of going towards him, drawing towards him. And the scripture says when you draw near to me, he will draw near to you. That's good.

Speaker 2:

So there is a quote in the book faith without action is dead. But action without faith misses the whole point. So faith without action is dead. So basically what that says is many people say you have to do in order to have faith work. Right, faith without works is dead. That's basically what people say.

Speaker 2:

But if you have works without faith, you missed the whole point. So like if somebody were to do all the work and to arrive with these accolades without plugging into God or whatever the case is, and you're not having that relationship, you're missing the whole point. That's the whole. That's it. That's what Peter recognizes Like you can have. You know, like what? If they did catch the fish that day and they were to bring it in and they were diligent, they did everything, they could look at that as God's blessing.

Speaker 2:

But then I have the opportunity to sit with Jesus. Yeah, so you know, like, if you do diligent, if you work in diligence, and you're getting blessed. But if you're not jumping off the boat towards Jesus, man, you're missing the whole point of all this. Like, earth is temporary. Everything's so temporary that if, if we gain everything on this earth and you lose your soul, what's the whole point? Man Like, so I think the relationship part with Jesus is the most critical piece in all of this man, it's like who cares if it's abundance and who cares if it's nothing? Man, I want that relationship because that's the whole point, you know, and I want him to use me and that's why I'm diligent, and so my cup can be emptied and ready to be filled, to overflow into others. But faith without action is dead, true, but also, if you just do the works and you don't have the faith, then what's the whole point?

Speaker 1:

You want to close this up, Richie?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so when the miracle happened and they gained the fish, and then Peter swam to shore to find Jesus and there's more to the story which is out of context of what I'm um, I don't say out of context, but you know what? Peter uh, got reinstated for some things that happened with him and Jesus. But, um, before all that, when Peter and the disciples came to shore, uh, jesus already had a fire going came to shore, jesus already had a fire going, so he was already knowing that they were going to catch fish, they were going to bring it to shore, it was going to be 153 and they were going to sit and have breakfast. And he says that have breakfast with me, you know, and that was huge for me because, like I was sharing earlier, man, I have a hard time with, like, celebrating those wins, because I don't want to step out of the pocket of gratitude, as you were sharing, and I don't want to get in this place like I earned it or I deserved it or you know, and we can easily fall into that because we're putting in the work, you know. And so when I say we're putting in the work, physically and emotionally, we are attached to the work we're doing, so we feel everything we're going through and the energy we're putting in so there can be that.

Speaker 2:

It can be very easy to attach ourselves that we earn that, you know. And so when jesus has the fire running and the miracles there and grateful, yeah, we're out working all day. When I say we, you know, just relating with the fishermen, we're out there working all day. We're putting in the sweat and tears, we're using all our resources, we're doing the diligence thing. We even obeyed, out of obedience to the voice we heard to put on the other side. We get all this fish. We bring it back in. Now. This is a point where you know it's okay to celebrate your win, have breakfast with Jesus, man, you know like that's now is it?

Speaker 2:

He said have breakfast with me. So what that means is taking the gain. You know that you just gained, whatever it was uh, projects, profits, products sold and saying sit, have breakfast with me. You know, have breakfast with me. Let's cut that fish up, let's put it on the grill, let's put some seasoning on it, let's have some conversation, let's smile, let let's laugh, let's let the breeze hit us while we're on the on the shore, let's just have this opportunity just to hang and celebrate the fish we just brought in. You know, I mean, it's like, like, have breakfast with me.

Speaker 2:

That's what, like I'm I'm learning is when there is a win and there are gonna be haters out there that's another thing too is, like you know, people, people are going to curse and hate when you're winning and they're not, but when you attach Jesus to it and the testimony to it, I believe it will speak wonders. And so I think it's OK to celebrate, and that's what this book was. It was just a or not this book, but that chapter in the book was just a short celebration and having breakfast with Jesus and just sharing like you know what God did. And having breakfast with Jesus and just sharing like you know what God did. I'm grateful for it. And I'm sitting and I'm enjoying some fish with him, some eggs, some bacon, you know, and like just whatever you know breakfast you like.

Speaker 1:

Fellowshiping with the Lord, man Just fellowshiping with the.

Speaker 2:

Lord man, can you imagine just sitting there with Jesus having breakfast, man, after not seeing him and thinking he's dead, and now he's alive and he's revealing that to you and just the miracle you just witnessed. And so, yeah, just carrying that, you know, with that heart position when you know things go south in the valley and you don't like it, or if they go north in a place where you feel like you know it was a success or whatever it is, you don't like it if they go north in a place where you feel like you know it was a success or whatever it is. The true success is whatever you do bring to the shore. Make sure you're sitting down and enjoying that breakfast with Jesus. You.

People on this episode

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Richie Breaux

Host
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Ray Bisnar

Co-host

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