NEXT LEVEL with Gutsy Barrameda

NEXT LEVEL with Gutsy Barrameda Welcome to my page! Here, I share my personal journey and experiences—not a guidebook, just my perspective. Come join me as we reach the next level together!

Dive into my world as I navigate life's ups and downs, sharing insights that are uniquely mine.

Build the House“The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.”— Proverbs 14:1This ve...
09/07/2026

Build the House

“The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.”
— Proverbs 14:1

This verse talks about a wise woman, but the principle makes me examine my own responsibility as a husband and father:

Am I building my house or slowly tearing it down?

Building a family isn’t only providing a nice home, paying tuition, taking vacations, or giving our kids opportunities.

It’s time.
It’s listening.
It’s being present.

It’s creating an environment where they can talk without immediately being judged.

It’s apologizing when I’m wrong.

It’s showing them what following God looks like in everyday life.

One principle from Pastor Peter and Deonna Tan-Chi that I really like is that influence grows through relationship. Their family teaching emphasizes both time and open communication: the more we genuinely listen and spend time with our children, the greater the opportunity to influence them.

That’s something I’m still working on.

It’s easy to spend your life building a career and then realize you weren’t paying enough attention to what you were building at home.

Success outside the house should never come at the expense of what God entrusted to me inside it.

Build the career. Build the business. Build the future.

But first, build the house.

What Are My Kids Catching From Me?“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm...
09/07/2026

What Are My Kids Catching From Me?

“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
— Proverbs 13:20

I’ve always been intentional about who my kids surround themselves with.

But this verse made me think of something closer to home:

I’m also part of their circle.

My kids spend years watching how I treat their mom, how I handle money, how I respond when I’m angry, how I work, how I treat people, and whether the faith I talk about on Sunday is the same faith they see at home.

Pastor Peter and Deonna Tan-Chi emphasize this strongly in M.O.T.I.V.A.T.E.: values are often more caught than taught, and parents need consistency between who they are publicly and privately.

That’s challenging for me.

I can give my kids great advice, but my example will probably speak louder.

So when I pray that my children will walk with wise people, I also have to pray:

“Lord, make me one of them.”

Because before I worry about who is influencing my children outside our home, I should examine the influence they’re receiving inside it.

Do You Want to Get Better, or Just Feel Good?“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stup...
09/07/2026

Do You Want to Get Better, or Just Feel Good?

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.”
— Proverbs 12:1

This verse doesn’t sugarcoat it. 😂

One thing I’ve learned in leadership, parenting, and life is that you cannot genuinely want growth while constantly rejecting correction.

I don’t enjoy being told I’m wrong. I don’t think anybody does. But I’ve learned to separate how feedback makes me feel from whether the feedback is true.

Sometimes the person correcting me doesn’t deliver it perfectly. Sometimes I may even disagree. But before dismissing it, I try to ask: Is there something here I need to learn?

This reminds me of a principle Pastor Peter Tan-Chi teaches: transformation requires intentional training, and discipline should ultimately help values become internalized.

That’s true for our kids, our people—and ourselves.

If I only listen to people who agree with me, eventually I’ll create a very comfortable environment where I stop growing.

Correction may hurt my ego today, but refusing correction can hurt my future much more.

Integrity When Nobody Is Watching“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destr...
09/04/2026

Integrity When Nobody Is Watching

“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.”
— Proverbs 11:3

The older I get, the more I appreciate the simplicity of integrity.

Tell the truth. Keep your word. Do the right thing. Treat people properly. And try to be the same person whether people are watching or not.

It doesn’t mean I’ve always gotten it right. But I’ve learned that every time we compromise our values for convenience, we make the next compromise a little easier.

Integrity simplifies life.

You don’t have to remember which version of the story you told. You don’t have to manage perceptions. You don’t have to constantly worry about what might eventually come out.

And Proverbs says something even deeper: integrity guides us.

When I’m faced with a difficult decision, sometimes I don’t need a complicated strategy. I just need to ask:

What is the right thing to do before God?

It may cost me something today. It may even look like I’m losing.

But I’d rather lose something while keeping my integrity than gain something that requires me to lose myself.

Do the right thing. Trust God with the outcome.

You Don’t Have to Say Everything You Think“When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his ...
09/03/2026

You Don’t Have to Say Everything You Think

“When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.”
— Proverbs 10:19

This one speaks directly to me because I’ve always had a lot to say. 😂

But the older I get, the more I realize that wisdom isn’t only knowing what to say.

It’s knowing when to stop talking.

Not every opinion needs to be shared.
Not every criticism needs a response.
Not every argument needs to be won.
Not everything you know needs to be repeated.

I’ve made mistakes because I spoke too quickly, said too much, or responded while emotions were high.

Sometimes the wisest thing I can do is listen, process, pray—and say nothing.

Restraint isn’t weakness.

Having something to say and choosing not to say it can be a sign of wisdom.

That’s something I’m still practicing.

Protect Your Name by Protecting Your Character“The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked wil...
09/03/2026

Protect Your Name by Protecting Your Character

“The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.”
— Proverbs 10:7

I’ve read somewhere that your name is one of the few things you receive at birth and carry throughout your life.

Naturally, we want to protect it.

But I’ve learned that the best way to protect my reputation isn’t through perception management.

It’s character.

Do what you said you would do.
Tell the truth.
Treat people properly when nobody important is watching.
Own your mistakes.
Do the right thing even when doing otherwise would be easier.

You can manage people’s perception for a season, but eventually patterns reveal character.

And someday, titles, positions, possessions and achievements will belong to someone else.

Our name will remain in the memories of the people whose lives we touched.

So instead of asking, “What will people think about me?”

I try to ask:

“Am I becoming someone whose life will be remembered as a blessing?”

Your Work Will Eventually Speak“A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.”— Proverbs 10:4I t...
09/03/2026

Your Work Will Eventually Speak

“A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.”
— Proverbs 10:4

I talk to my kids a lot about this.

You don’t have to keep telling people how hard you’re working. Eventually, the results will speak.

The same is true when we’re not doing the work.

I’ve learned that motivation comes and goes. There are days I feel like working hard and days I don’t. Diligence is continuing anyway.

And this isn’t only about money.

Your health will show your habits.
Your skills will show your practice.
Your career will show your preparation.
Your relationships will show your investment.

Of course, hard work doesn’t guarantee that everything will go our way. But Scripture consistently teaches us to be diligent with whatever God has placed in our hands.

Don’t spend too much time announcing what you’re going to do. Put your hands to work and let the results speak.

Give Wisdom to Someone Wise and It Multiplies“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righte...
09/02/2026

Give Wisdom to Someone Wise and It Multiplies

“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.” — Proverbs 9:9

Something I’ve noticed in leadership and life: often the people who already know a lot are the ones still asking questions.

They’re reading.

Listening.

Finding mentors.

Taking notes.

Meanwhile, sometimes the person struggling the most is also the hardest person to teach.

Solomon understood this thousands of years ago.

Wisdom isn’t reaching a point where you no longer need instruction.

One of the clearest signs that you’re becoming wise may be realizing how much you still don’t know.

That’s why I want to remain a student for the rest of my life.

Wisdom and Folly Can Sound Surprisingly SimilarThis is one of the most interesting parts of Proverbs 9.Wisdom says:“Whoe...
09/02/2026

Wisdom and Folly Can Sound Surprisingly Similar

This is one of the most interesting parts of Proverbs 9.

Wisdom says:

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” — Proverbs 9:4

Then Folly says:

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” — Proverbs 9:16

Exactly the same invitation.

Bad decisions don’t always look obviously bad.

Both opportunities may look attractive. Both people may sound convincing. Both roads may promise something you want.

That’s why discernment matters.

Don’t just judge something only by how it starts.

Ask where it ends.

Wisdom Has Already Prepared the Table“Wisdom has built her house… she has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her w**e...
09/02/2026

Wisdom Has Already Prepared the Table

“Wisdom has built her house… she has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her w**e; she has also set her table.” — Proverbs 9:1–2

Something interesting happens before Wisdom invites anyone:

She prepares.

The house is built.
The food is ready.
The table is set.

Then she calls.

There’s a lesson here about opportunity.

Sometimes we’re praying for God to open a door while doing very little to prepare ourselves to walk through it.

Want the promotion? Prepare.

Want financial freedom? Learn stewardship.

Want a strong marriage? Become a better spouse.

Want God to entrust you with more? Become faithful with what’s already there.

Prepare the vessel before asking God to increase what He pours into it.

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