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What To Do First to Make a Profit

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...

For discerning readers only

There are many blogs I read daily, all of which I don't completely agree with, but much of which I do! Sometimes I am hesitant to share books or blogs or such with "church people" as we pastors refer to them as (well, actually I'm a "church person" too, but you know what I mean...) because when we refer to a book or other piece of writing that might have something in it that we who would classify ourselves as conservative Christians definitely do not agree with, everyone is not mature enough to know how to take what is there of worth and put the rest aside. I realize many of the readers of my blog are ministers and I don't even have to explain to you how you can face criticism from those in the church about what you recommend, unless it's just cake batter ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery that you're recommending. (And even then some of the health nuts in your church might try to verbally take you to task for it.)


Sometimes in the past when I'd make sweeping disclaimers, "I don't agree with everything this author says, but this one thing was a great point..." or... "now my views are not in keeping with everything in this movie, but this one scene was poignant..." there would still be somebody upset who would say, "WOULD YOU BELIEVE PASTOR DEANNA RECOMMENDED THIS BOOK/MOVIE?! EGADS!!! I THINK IT MIGHT BE TIME TO CALL SPRINGFIELD ON HER, OR AT LEAST LAKELAND!!!" Okay, get a grip folks, put your phones down. Holiness in my life has not gone to hell in a handbasket. Please rest assurred, I do realize the importance of being holy. And, I also realize that we are in the world but not of it. So before some of you get your panties in a bunch over this, just relax and hear me out.


It's important to realize that we can learn from people we don't completely agree with. Come to think of it, there's really no one I agree with 100% on everything, except maybe Joyce Meyer. :-) Seriously I do think she's the bomb, but I'm sure if I had the privilege of spending every day with her or such there would be something I'd find that we don't share the same exact views about.


Reality is, some people are not mature enough to disseminate information properly and quite honestly they are what I call "dangerous readers." Actually, anyone who completely lacks discernment is dangerous. However, I've come to the place of realizing that shouldn't stop us from recommending worthy things to people who DO know how to digest info properly. But there I go, making sweeping disclaimers again. Let me just get to the point, finally.


There are two bloggers I really enjoy that I read most every day that some of you might find interesting. The first is Linda Sharp, and her blog "Don't Get Me Started." As she describes it, this blog is satire, humor, politics, social commentary and flat out ranting on the world around us. You have to watch the flying curse word or two that comes with her posts, however minus the occasional ^@#& I agree with the majority of what she says. I love her style of writing. She's no nonsense, such a practical "common sense" wife, mother,and writer. I find myself laughing at most of her posts. She can talk about the most serious of issues and put a fun spin on them. I think you'll enjoy Linda Sharp. Read her blog, but don't send me any hate mail saying, "Pastor Deanna, did you know she said the word ^@#& four times in that post? Now, was that really necessary and should you, a pastor, really be reading let alone recommending that blog?" Spare yourself the energy and just go back to your vanilla reading.

The second blog I recommend is Jeannie Babb Taylor's blog, On the Other Hand. Jeannie is self described as a wife, a mother, an entrepreneur, a writer, a Christian and a feminist. Jeannie is a local business leader, teaches Sunday school, educates her children at home, and engages in Georgia politics. The first blog that I read by her was called Are We There Yet? and is about the journey for equal rights for women in America, and in the church too. It blessed me so much. Jeannie is the type of person many Christians find to be an oxymoron. Many think, "how can you be a conservative Christian let alone a wife and mother and be so pro equality for women? (Easy - Jesus was and is. We're in good company.)

Jeannie has run for Georgia state office and she is a democrat but I don't hold that against her. :-) Most people who have spent any amount of time with me know I'm very politically conservative, the kind of person who listens to Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity among others. But I also believe it's not about party - it's about values. I would never vote republican simply for the sake of loyalty to a party. It's about values, plain and simple. With the way things are shaping up for '08, I just may be voting on the other side of the aisle. Things this time, in my opinion, are slim pickin's. Anyway, I love Jeannie's writings - don't agree with her about our president, but about her views on women - I'm eating out of the same box of Cheerios with her. But there I go on disclaimers again. Ugh!

You can tell I'm a pastor who's been beat up over giving recommendations a lot, right?

I'll just shut up and say - these are two blogs that you - especially any of you ladies who actually think - will really enjoy.

Comments

Tara Sloan said…
Deanna,
As usual I 'ditto" what you have said! You are right on. I beleive as Christians we have the OBLIGATION to "rightly divide" the things we come into contact with- basically, eat the meat, spit out the bones philosophy (I know- how deep!).
That is why I CAN listen to music by secular artists, read books, blogs, etc by secular authors, see movies (within reason of course)- because I have learned to "rightly divide."

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