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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 inve

Bustin' through a pile of work


Today I got Savanna off to school and started working like there was no tomorrow, busting through my work while drinking a steady amount of hot tea.

Tuesday is my day to work at home on church work. I always hate it when people say, "oh, Tuesday's your day to have off at home?" No, I'm not off. On the contrary, it's my hardest working day usually. I take it at home because if I am at church everyday I am too distracted by everything around me and it is difficult especially to "create". I get the bulk of my work done this day because I have no walk ins, phone calls, interruptions, or sounds around me. I work in the quiet at home and it is my main day to get anything that involves writing done. As I have to speak at the Inspire Conference this weekend, I really need to get everything done by tomorrow that can possibly be done before I leave. Today was crucial. I've gotten almost everything wrapped up by working at a steady clip.

Tonight there is a tornado warning and I wasn't able to go outside to walk. We've had a quiet night at home. We ate a chicken dinner and Bobby joined us and now the kids are watching TV and I'm wrapping up my last work things before spending some time with the Teeb and the fam. I think we'll have some cookies and watch American Idol before I hit the sack.

I did take a lunch break to meet today with Sue Flint, our Aprile's Hope ministry director. (This is our ministry/support group at Northside for victims of domestic violence and also those experiencing significant loss.) What a great job she does. This is a post in itself. The Lord brought us together in a powerful partnership. She ministers in a wonderfully effective way to the ladies and is someone I can entrust them with fully. The ministry is growing and we have great plans for the future! We had lunch together at Weck's, which is one of my favorite places to have lunch. If you are ever in Land O' Lakes, FL be sure to stop by Weck's Deli and tell them Pastor Deanna sent you. :-) Have a chicken salad sandwich and some pesto pasta pea salad! One of my other favorites is their cream of mushroom soup but they only have it on certain days.

Today I stopped and talked with John, the owner. He used to be the receptionist at a hair salon I went to before I met Ada and she started being my hairdresser. Evidently after I left the hair salon he worked at, he left as well and started Wecks. I have eaten in there quite a few times but he has never recognized me in the restaurant before -- he's also always been busy working very hard behind the counter and at the same time I've just been busy talking since I'm always with friends there, and so I never went up to him behind the counter and said anything. But today I took the time and went over to talk to him. He said, "oh my, I do recognize you!! But I have to admit I did not before because you look so different...have you lost a great deal of weight?" I said, "yes, I did..." and he said, "you look fantastic!" I said, "thanks! I do need to get my roots done tomorrow (LOL) with my current hairdresser but I appreciate your compliment!!!" I always liked John - he was always so pleasant and accomodating.

Leaving my former hairdresser, who I'll call "Linda" and going to Ada is a "divine appointment" story in itself as well as a testimony. It's a story I believe will speak to some of you and maybe even set you free. And it's a story I'm going to tell you...tomorrow. So stay tuned.

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