Paul and Denise Bentley of Atlantes Landscapes, recently shared their Christian business testimony at our breakfast meeting. This was the first time we have welcomed a husband-and-wife team to talk as joint speakers and the format worked well. The people in the room were inspired by the couple’s journey of faith and entrepreneurship and we trust it will encourage you too!
As founders of the Devon-based landscaping company, Paul and Denise shared how God has been pivotal in their personal lives and business. Through challenges and growth, they decided to make God the ‘CEO’ of their company, transforming both their outlook and success. Below is an edited transcript of their talk, capturing the heart of their story and the powerful impact of faith on their business journey.
Jesus opened the doors – Denise
Hi, everyone, I’m Denise and I’m an architect. I was born in Brazil and I’d like to tell you a little of my life story and how I came to be here. Since I was a child, I had a passion for English culture and dreamed about living in England. During my first English lesson, the teacher showed a picture of a boy and girl with a dog and taught us the words: boy, menino; girl, menina; and dog, cachorro. From then on I would always look for pictures of places in England in magazines to cover my school notebooks.
I’ve had private English lessons since my childhood and my dream continued throughout my schooling. My father was an engineer so he could provide private schooling for my siblings and I. Eventually, I graduated in English and earned a certificate because my goal was to live in London one day. While finishing my university degree in architecture, my dad showed me a newspaper article about an international student exchange programme. It was very competitive, with 300 students applying from across Brazil, and only one placement available in London.
One of my classmates was also applying and suggested we fake certificates to increase our chances. But I’d recently accepted Jesus in my life and felt that lying wasn’t the right way to achieve my goals. I told her, “If God wants me to go to England, He’ll make it happen, but I’m going to do it honestly.” Two months later, I got the placement, while my friend, didn’t. She called me, amazed and said, “I don’t know how you got it; I had more points than you!” I knew in my heart that God had moved things in my favour because I had chosen the honest path.
So, I came to London, worked in an architecture office, and from there, my life and career took off. I later returned to Brazil, opened a practice with 12 employees, and always had God by my side. In 2016, after moving back to England, God began prompting me to find a church. It was challenging because I couldn’t find a similar one to what I was used to in Brazil.
Then in 2017, while living in London, I met Paul. We both realised that we wanted a different way of life, away from the commute to London. One day, Paul said he always dreamed of living in Devon because he spent childhood holidays there, and so we prayed about it, trusting that God would open the right door if it was meant to be. I found two job opportunities in Exeter, applied, and within 10 minutes received a call for an interview.
Within three weeks, I was working in Exeter, and soon after, Paul joined me. It was all in God’s timing. Since I accepted Jesus in my life, He has opened doors and proven His presence time and time again. I may have forgotten Him at times, but He never forgot me. Meeting Paul was part of that journey, and I am truly grateful.
By handing our business to God, we found peace and purpose – Paul
I’m Paul, Managing Director of Atlantes Landscapes with my wife Denise as co-director. We design, build and maintain outdoor spaces for our customers with an emphasis on biodiversity. So, green walls and things like that.
Denise’s story is amazing, and it has been life-changing for me, too. Before I met Denise, I didn’t believe in God and had no interest in religion. But Denise brought a new dimension to my life. Through her, I encountered God in a way that changed everything.
My first experience with God was actually in 2001, long beforewe met. I was working as a tree surgeon and had a severe accident while using a chainsaw. I severed an artery and thought, “This is it; I’m going to die.” But in that moment, everything around me went silent, and I saw a blinding white light. I heard a voice telling me, “It’s not your time. Remember your training.” I was also a firefighter at the time, so I controlled my breathing and managed to survive. Still, even after that experience, I didn’t believe in God.
After meeting Denise, I slowly began to understand that God had been guiding me all along. She took me to Brazil to meet her family, and we faced a misunderstanding that nearly ended our relationship. I remember walking around a lake in Brazil, feeling completely lost and praying for the first time, asking God to show me the way. Denise forgave me and I started to see that God was real.
When we started attending Rediscover Church something clicked for me. I began to pray and found peace in a way I’d never known before. Since then, God has been with me, guiding my steps, both in life and in business. Our business was struggling, and we only had a couple of weeks of work left. One Sunday, the pastor invited anyone who needed help with their finances or business to come forward for prayer.
Denise and I decided to go up and pray, asking God to be the CEO of our business. Within days, work started to come in, and within a few weeks, we had six months of work lined up. Now, every morning, I pray and thank God for being our CEO, asking for His guidance. It has made a world of difference, lifting a huge burden off our shoulders. We also pray before sending important emails or attending meetings, asking for wisdom and guidance. By handing our business to God, we have found peace and purpose.
In the video below Paul shares how God has transformed his life, speaking to Pastor Mark Pugh of Rediscover Church, Exeter.
Denise and Paul – Q&A
What advice would you give to business owners struggling today?
Paul: Have faith and make God your CEO. Hand your business over to Him, and don’t just do it once – pray every day. Ask for guidance, wisdom and strength. Trusting God with our business allowed us to see things more clearly, and He has provided for us time and time again.
Denise: I agree. We’ve found that praying before meetings and big decisions has made a real difference. God has helped us create a business environment where we can talk openly about our faith and share it with others. We now see our business as an instrument for showing God’s love and guidance to those around us.
Is there a particular scripture that means something special to both of you?
Denise: One verse that really resonates with me is, ‘This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.’ It reminds me that each day is a gift from God, no matter what challenges we might face. Just being able to wake up each morning is a blessing.
Paul: One of my favourite scriptures now is from Psalm 23, ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.’ I know now that God is with me, and even if I slip, I know I’m forgiven. I also know that He has the power to help me.”
Denise, could you share some of the changes you’ve seen in Paul?
Denise: I’ve seen so many. First, he started praying, something he’d never done before. Another big change is that he stopped swearing, which is common in the construction industry and fire service. Since giving his life to Christ, he’s very conscious of his words and I’m thankful for that.
Paul: Yes, that was definitely something I needed to work on. Actually, I’ve been doing a ‘First Steps’ course and we discussed sins and swearing came up. I thought, “Right, that’s it. I need to sort this out.” So, I prayed to God, asking Him to cleanse my mouth.
Since then, I’ve been much more aware and try to stop myself. And if I do slip up, I instantly recognise it, apologise to God and try to do better. However, I think the biggest change has been my awareness of the spiritual side of life, including recognising when the devil is trying to influence me. God is with me and the enemy will never have control over my life again.
Thank you, Paul and Denise, for sharing your journey of faith and transformation. It’s truly inspiring to see how God can work in our lives and businesses when we trust Him. At CTN, our goal is to encourage transformation in the marketplace through faith, and your story is a wonderful example of that.
Also read: Find your purpose in life: be inspired by Frank Bennett’s interview on Cross Rhythms Radio
Do you have a Christian business testimony? Please share it to encourage others. Email us at info@CTNSouthwest.network.
