The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director. Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year. God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started i...
First let me start by saying, it has been such a warm weekend. I was actually wishing I had worn lighter clothing today. Today it truly felt like a tropical Christmas, at least IMHO. I'm thinking about wearing a tank dress to the office tomorrow if the weather's the same!
Well things were pretty crazy today from start to finish. I was prepared. Despite a busy week going 90 to nothing, I would say that I was totally prepared for this day, but many things out of my control happened. In looking back I said to myself and to Larry, "How could I have changed this or that?" (I can control myself so that's always the first thing I look at changing the next go round.)
Well, I can honestly say, there's not much I could have done to prevent the things that went wrong today. I could change myself all I want and the things that happened would have still happened. I even gave myself lots of extra time before church to get things squared away and I was at the church before 7:30. Still, it was a manic day. It seemed nothing went right for me.
On the way to lunch the Lord had prepared a DJ with exactly what I needed to hear...one of those moments I was certain was "just for me." A Yolanda Adams song was playing that literally reached down into my heart and spoke to the core of me. I know it's just a recording but I could feel the anointing of God just descend upon my car. That was it. It got me through.
There will just be days like this occasionally where it seems like everything goes wrong, but there are times like the previous two Sundays that make up for all that. And let's hope next Sunday, Christmas Eve, is one of those type days! (Especially with all the visitors we anticipate. Larry is taking every single sanctuary type chair that we have on the property and fitting it into the sanctuary somehow.)
Took the staff women ("leading ladies" as I call them) to lunch today to Miracles Tea Room. We had lunch and I shared some things on my heart with them for the coming year. Wanted to do this before 2007 even started and get us on course for the coming year. It was a good time together and I think they also really liked Miracles. It's one of my favorite places to go to just let down and relax. I am so blessed to have the women we now have. (Thank you, Jesus!)
Speaking of relaxing, never have I been so glad to come home and sleep tonight. I am anticipating climbing into my bed which just has to be THE most comfortable in Tampa, possibly in the world. As tired as I am I still can't wait to spend some time with Larry tonight. Excepting my relationship with the Lord, nothing makes me happier than that.
It has just been an exhausting day all things considered. Tonight was the kids Christmas concert. The children did very well. Savanna sang in a trio - I was very proud of all of them but of course there's nothing that makes you feel the way you do when your own child does something. She loves to sing. I actually hear how good her voice is when she has headphones on and sings out strong and doesn't worry about who may be listening. Tonight she was in the car and had Kelly Clarkson on in her headphones and was belting out, "Since you've been gone! I can breathe for the first time!" Always funny to hear a kid singing something like that because of course they had no idea why someone would even sing a lyric like that. It means as much to them as April 15. (ha ha! NOTHING til' you're an adult!) But she sounded really awesome. Now if I could just get her to do that in church on a solo. But I don't push her. She'll come around in her own time.
Anyhoo, they had a reception afterwards with cookies and punch and the children's ministry raised $1,000 and Pastor T ended up having to get a Mohawk. You know, it actually looks AWESOME on him, at least I think so. I think it looks fantastic on him and I heard several people say the same. After coming home from there we headed over to Bernie and Lisa's for some fellowship. Good times. Sat out on their lanai together and enjoyed the time catching up.
You know I said many things went wrong for me today and quite truthfully that's the case. However ~ despite all that, God really spoke through His Spirit this morning in our service and said some things some desperately needed to hear and the Lord ministered in a deep way to those individuals. And for that, I would just say - no matter what else went wrong, the Spirit of God was present - hope was brought where people felt hopeless. And that, after all - is why we're here.
Well things were pretty crazy today from start to finish. I was prepared. Despite a busy week going 90 to nothing, I would say that I was totally prepared for this day, but many things out of my control happened. In looking back I said to myself and to Larry, "How could I have changed this or that?" (I can control myself so that's always the first thing I look at changing the next go round.)
Well, I can honestly say, there's not much I could have done to prevent the things that went wrong today. I could change myself all I want and the things that happened would have still happened. I even gave myself lots of extra time before church to get things squared away and I was at the church before 7:30. Still, it was a manic day. It seemed nothing went right for me.
On the way to lunch the Lord had prepared a DJ with exactly what I needed to hear...one of those moments I was certain was "just for me." A Yolanda Adams song was playing that literally reached down into my heart and spoke to the core of me. I know it's just a recording but I could feel the anointing of God just descend upon my car. That was it. It got me through.
There will just be days like this occasionally where it seems like everything goes wrong, but there are times like the previous two Sundays that make up for all that. And let's hope next Sunday, Christmas Eve, is one of those type days! (Especially with all the visitors we anticipate. Larry is taking every single sanctuary type chair that we have on the property and fitting it into the sanctuary somehow.)
Took the staff women ("leading ladies" as I call them) to lunch today to Miracles Tea Room. We had lunch and I shared some things on my heart with them for the coming year. Wanted to do this before 2007 even started and get us on course for the coming year. It was a good time together and I think they also really liked Miracles. It's one of my favorite places to go to just let down and relax. I am so blessed to have the women we now have. (Thank you, Jesus!)
Speaking of relaxing, never have I been so glad to come home and sleep tonight. I am anticipating climbing into my bed which just has to be THE most comfortable in Tampa, possibly in the world. As tired as I am I still can't wait to spend some time with Larry tonight. Excepting my relationship with the Lord, nothing makes me happier than that.
It has just been an exhausting day all things considered. Tonight was the kids Christmas concert. The children did very well. Savanna sang in a trio - I was very proud of all of them but of course there's nothing that makes you feel the way you do when your own child does something. She loves to sing. I actually hear how good her voice is when she has headphones on and sings out strong and doesn't worry about who may be listening. Tonight she was in the car and had Kelly Clarkson on in her headphones and was belting out, "Since you've been gone! I can breathe for the first time!" Always funny to hear a kid singing something like that because of course they had no idea why someone would even sing a lyric like that. It means as much to them as April 15. (ha ha! NOTHING til' you're an adult!) But she sounded really awesome. Now if I could just get her to do that in church on a solo. But I don't push her. She'll come around in her own time.
Anyhoo, they had a reception afterwards with cookies and punch and the children's ministry raised $1,000 and Pastor T ended up having to get a Mohawk. You know, it actually looks AWESOME on him, at least I think so. I think it looks fantastic on him and I heard several people say the same. After coming home from there we headed over to Bernie and Lisa's for some fellowship. Good times. Sat out on their lanai together and enjoyed the time catching up.
You know I said many things went wrong for me today and quite truthfully that's the case. However ~ despite all that, God really spoke through His Spirit this morning in our service and said some things some desperately needed to hear and the Lord ministered in a deep way to those individuals. And for that, I would just say - no matter what else went wrong, the Spirit of God was present - hope was brought where people felt hopeless. And that, after all - is why we're here.
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