Blaine Walker’s life was going nowhere fast. It’s not that he was miserable and lacking fun. He was getting by with an apartment in Texas, a waiter’s job, and spending time with friends. At 35, however, his entrepreneurial spirit and drive for success were not reflected in his career choice. In addition, the fun he was having was not exactly in line with the faith in which he had been raised. Something would have to change—and it did. With a funeral, a job offer, and a customer, Blane’s life was about to change forever.

One day Blane went to the funeral of a close family friend. At the end of the service the minister walked over to him and said, “In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths.” That small gesture from the minister turned into life-changing words of wisdom for Blane. After looking up the Scripture at home and curiously finding it underlined in black ink, he decided to take action. He was “wowed” by the Scripture and thought, “Maybe success is in there.”

Around that same time he was offered a job and gave his two-week notice. While Blane was still working at the restaurant, a customer caught his eye and he asked her out. On their third date, Blane told her he wanted his future wife to be someone who would seek the Lord with him. His future wife smiled, because she also had been searching for the Lord.

Blane and Virginia married and he took a job offer in the food industry. While he still wanted to be an entrepreneur, he was afraid to take the risks. His wife was working at a local Christian radio station and picked up a flyer for Witness Wear. Blane decided to sell Christian shirts at a kiosk in the mall and develop his own line of Christian clothing. He finally decided on the name: Be One Sportswear with a three-fold message. Be one in Christ. Be one church. Be one race. Motivated by the message, Blane began to seek out investors and partners to get his business going.

Even when his investors did not respond as he had hoped, Blane remained undaunted. Instead of focusing on just his own clothing line he began to do screen print, embroidery, and promotional materials for companies, organizations, and non-profit groups. Blane currently runs Be One Sportswear and services both Christian and non-Christian companies and groups. His wife accepted a job with KLVE radio and they relocated to California. Blane will soon be celebrating his nine-year anniversary with Be One Sportswear. God has truly blessed his steps, just like it said in the Scripture he read many years ago.

Blane finds many opportunities to share his faith through his business. Once, after advertising in the newspaper, Blane received a call from a local plumber. The plumber wanted his logo put on some items and he “wanted it done right.” As Blane spoke with him, every other word that came out of the plumber’s mouth was a swear word. Blane did not say anything and went to work getting his customer’s job done.

When the plumber received his order, he was very pleased with the work and received the invoice with Blane’s logo and the verse John 17:21 on it. In response, the plumber told Blane, “I know you are a religious guy. I don’t want you to think you can change me.” Blane responded by letting him know they were friends and he did not have a problem with him. That response helped them develop a friendship that continues to this day. Blane is committed to praying for him. Recently this plumber was involved in a serious car accident. The plumber called Blane because he had no one else to call. Since that time, the plumber has quit drinking and is thinking seriously about spiritual things.

Opportunities abound as Blane encounters people from all backgrounds and religions. With his logo at the forefront, his goal is to make a statement about Christ and his faith. Unfortunately, one struggle Blane has had to deal with is the reputation of other Christians. There are some who have told him that his logo turned them off because their personal experience with Christians in business has not been good. When people find out he is a Christian, they base their opinion of him and his business on the experience they have had with others. He has to prove his character with each individual customer and works hard to do so. After all, Blane has learned that the Lord is the final determiner of real success. |L

OTHER COLUMNS:
June 15, 2008 - A time saver who knows the soul saver
May 18, 2008 - Working by faith 24/7
April 20, 2008 - Motown, music, and ministry
February 24, 2008 - Fighting for the faith
January 27, 2008 - Healing for the Healer
December 30, 2007 - Parenting faithfully
December 2, 2007 - Building physical and spiritual strength
November 4, 2007 - Taking Christ into the classroom
October 7, 2007 - Changing lives through music
August 12, 2007 - Strategies for business and life
June 17, 2007 - Finding fulfilling work
May 20, 2007 - Faithful to his calling
April 22, 2007 - An unstoppable witness
March 25, 2007 - The perfect plan
February 25, 2007 - Teaching with faith
January 28, 2007 - Changing a community—one event at a time
December 24, 2006 - Business by the book
November 26, 2006 - Growing through life’s storms
October 29, 2006 - Giving God his best