THE DECISION FILTER KIT
Say YES to the right things.
And NO without guilt.
A practical tool for Christian couples who want to make wise decisions together.
Ever suffer from Shiny Object Syndrome? If you're an entrepreneur, you probably know exactly what we're talking about.
You already have a full schedule, plenty of responsibilities, and more ideas than time to pursue. Then another opportunity comes along. Maybe it's a new business idea, a ministry opportunity, or something that sounds too good to pass up.
And just like that, you're ready to add one more thing to your calendar.
Your spouse, however, may not share your enthusiasm. Especially if this is the third brilliant idea you've had this week.
We understand. We've been there, and sometimes we still are!
Sometimes we have to wonder how we ended up saying yes to so many things. Are we really building what God called us to build, or are we just staying busy?
The challenge isn't always that we have too many bad ideas. It's that we have too many GOOD ideas, and not every good idea is the RIGHT idea for our family.
That's why we created the Decision Filter Kit.
It's a simple, practical system that helps you and your spouse identify what matters most and use those priorities to evaluate opportunities as they come along. Instead of making every decision based on excitement, urgency, or how difficult it might be to say no, you'll have a framework for thinking things through together.
About an hour to get started. Just 5–10 minutes to evaluate future decisions
We learned this the hard way.
About 25 years ago, we wrote our first family mission statement. We followed the instructions, answered the questions, and came up with something that reflected our values and priorities.
Then we printed it and put it on a shelf.
And there it sat.
We had accomplished the assignment, but we hadn't really changed anything about how we made decisions. We found plenty of resources teaching us how to WRITE a mission statement, but very little about how to actually USE one.
Over time, we began developing our own system. Instead of treating our family mission statement as something to frame and hang on the wall, we started using it as a filter for the opportunities and decisions that came our way.
It helped us recognize which opportunities aligned with our purpose, which ones weren't right for our current season, and which ones we needed to decline, even when they were genuinely good opportunities.
We still get distracted by shiny objects now and then. The difference is that we have a tool that helps us recognize them before we've committed the next six months of our lives to another brilliant idea.
The Decision Filter Kit is that system, organized so you can put it to work in your own marriage and family.
Three questions that can bring clarity to your decisions
At the heart of the Decision Filter are three questions that help you evaluate opportunities against your family's purpose and priorities.
1. Does it fit our purpose?
Just because something is a good opportunity doesn't necessarily mean it's something God has called your family to pursue. Does it align with your values, your mission, and the things you've agreed matter most?
2. Does it fit this season?
An opportunity might be right for your family someday, but not right now. Your available time, finances, energy, responsibilities, and stage of life all matter. Sometimes the wisest answer isn't no. It's not yet.
3. Does it strengthen our marriage and family?
Every commitment requires something from us. Will this opportunity strengthen your marriage and family, or will it pull time and attention away from more important priorities?
And there's one additional question that we've found particularly helpful: If we say yes to this, what are we going to say no to?
That question can be a little uncomfortable. We know from experience.
One time, Larry ran a new opportunity through our Decision Filter. It aligned with our mission and passed all three questions. Things were looking pretty good until the AI pointed out that the opportunity would add about five hours to his week and asked what he planned to give up to make room for it.
Well, that was annoying.
Not because it was a bad question, but because it was exactly the question he didn't want to answer. He wanted to say yes and figure out the details later, which is a pretty reliable way to end up overwhelmed.
Sometimes the most helpful part of making a decision isn't getting an answer. It's being asked a question you hadn't considered.
We've also walked couples through this same process in our coaching. Here's what Kyle and Angela shared about their experience:
"It really helped us get on the same page in our marriage, to set family goals and a family mission statement to help us filter through choices we were making as a family."
~ Kyle and Angela
When you come to a crossroads
One of our favorite passages about making decisions is Jeremiah 6:16:
This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jeremiah 6:16, NIV)
In its original context, God was calling the people of Judah to turn away from their sin and return to His ways. Sadly, they refused. It's a sobering reminder that knowing the right path and actually walking in it are two different things.
A while back, Larry preached a sermon on this passage and broke it down into five simple instructions:
Stand. Look. Ask. Ask Again. Walk.
Stand. When you come to a crossroads, stop for a moment. Sometimes the best advice is to reverse that old saying, "Don't just stand there, do something!" Instead, don't just do something, stand there!
Look. Take time to examine your options. Consider where each path might lead and what the consequences could be. Just because a path looks promising doesn't mean it's the right one.
Ask. Seek wisdom. Jeremiah tells the people to ask for the ancient paths, the good and trustworthy ways established by God. For us, that means beginning with Scripture and seeking wise counsel rather than simply trusting our own instincts.
Ask Again. Don't stop with the first answer that sounds good. Ask more questions, consider the tradeoffs, and seek to understand what the best path really is. Sometimes the questions we don't want to answer are the ones we need most.
Walk. Once you've sought biblical wisdom, carefully considered your options, and made your decision, it's time to move forward. You don't need to sprint a marathon. Just walk confidently down the right path.
Of course, Jeremiah wasn't teaching a five-step business planning process. He was calling God's people to repentance and obedience. But the picture of a traveler standing at a crossroads is a helpful reminder of how important it is to seek God's wisdom rather than rushing down whatever path looks most appealing.
And that's the thinking behind the Decision Filter Kit. It's a practical tool to help you and your spouse consider your decisions in light of biblical principles, your family's purpose, and your current priorities.
How the Decision Filter Kit works
We've made the process straightforward, even if you've never used AI before. You can complete the initial setup together in about an hour, and then return to your filter whenever a new decision comes along.
Step 1: Set up your filter (about 10 minutes). We'll walk you through creating a workspace in ChatGPT or Claude and give you the exact instructions to copy and paste. You don't need a paid AI subscription or any technical expertise.
Step 2: Write your Family Filter Statement (about 40 minutes). You'll each answer eight questions about your faith, values, family, and priorities. Your AI assistant will help identify the common themes and turn them into a short statement that reflects what matters most to both of you. You'll also answer a few questions about your current goals and season of life.
Step 3: Save your filter (about 5 minutes). We'll show you how to save your statement and priorities so you can use them again without starting from scratch.
Step 4: Put it to work (5–10 minutes per decision). Whenever an opportunity comes along, describe it to your Decision Filter. It will help you evaluate the opportunity, consider the tradeoffs, and identify questions worth discussing together.
Your filter will offer one of four recommendations:
YES: This fits our purpose, priorities, and current season.
NOT YET: It's a good opportunity, but the timing isn't right.
YES, WITH LIMITS: This could work if we establish clear boundaries.
NO: This isn't the right opportunity for our family.
Of course, the final decision always belongs to you and your spouse. AI is a tool, not a pastor, counselor, or substitute for biblical wisdom. Its job is to help you think clearly, not to make your decisions for you.
And because your family's priorities and circumstances will change over time, we'll also show you how to update your filter so it continues to be useful in the years ahead.
Everything you need to get started for just $10
The Decision Filter Kit includes the complete step-by-step guide, ready-to-use AI instructions and prompts, the Family Filter Statement exercise, and a repeatable process for evaluating future decisions.
We've also included a pencil-and-paper version for couples who prefer to work through the process without AI. The principles are the same either way.
You don't need to spend weeks developing a complicated planning system. Just set aside about an hour together, find a quiet place, and work through the questions.
We recommend coffee and dessert. Especially dessert. After all, this is supposed to be something you enjoy doing together.
One-time purchase. No paid AI subscription required.
About Larry and Sue
We're Larry and Sue Pruett, founders of SideBySide Business. We've been married since 1989, raised and homeschooled five children, and have been entrepreneurs since 2004, including thirteen years running our e-commerce business full-time together.
We've also coached hundreds of online sellers and now help Christian married couples build strong marriages and profitable businesses together.
We've learned a lot about the joys and challenges of working with your spouse. One of those challenges is that it's not always easy to separate business decisions from family decisions. When your business partner is also your spouse, the two are pretty closely connected!
And we've learned that we bring different strengths to the table. Larry is usually the one coming up with another new idea, while Sue is the one asking when we're going to find time for it. Once we do get started, though, she's all in and is great at getting things off the ground. Larry handles the details from there.
That's one reason we're so passionate about helping couples establish a shared purpose and learn to make decisions together.
We believe that business begins at home and that a strong marriage is a competitive advantage.
The Decision Filter Kit is one of the tools we've developed and used in our own lives, and we're excited to share it with you.
A few common questions
Do we need a paid ChatGPT or Claude account?
No. The kit is designed to work with free AI accounts. The available features and usage limits can change, but you don't need a paid subscription to get started.
What if we're not comfortable with AI?
We've included step-by-step instructions and all the prompts you'll need. If you'd rather skip AI altogether, there's also a pencil-and-paper version.
Can we use this for business decisions?
Absolutely. That's one of the main reasons we developed it. But the same principles can help with ministry opportunities, family commitments, job changes, and other decisions.
What if we already have a family mission statement?
Even better! You can use your existing statement as the foundation for your filter and begin putting it to work.
What if it isn't a good fit for us?
Just email us at larryandsue@sidebysidebusiness.com, and we'll process your refund right away. No hard feelings, and no awkward questions.
The next time you come to a crossroads...
Another opportunity, another commitment, and probably another shiny object will always compete for your attention. But you don't have to pursue every good thing that comes along.
When you face your next important decision, remember the picture from Jeremiah: Stand. Look. Ask. Ask Again. Walk.
Take time to consider your options, seek wisdom from Scripture and trusted people, and evaluate the opportunity against what matters most to your family. Then, once you've made a thoughtful decision, move forward rather than continually second-guessing yourself.
We hope the Decision Filter Kit helps you and your spouse spend less time feeling overwhelmed by your options and more time pursuing what really matters.
Say YES to the right things. And NO without guilt.
Building with you,
Larry and Sue Pruett
SideBySide Business