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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
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Jesus doesn't want to be a part of your life!

My husband often says, "Jesus doesn't want to be a part of your life!  He wants to BE your life!!!"

How often do we see people who try to fit Jesus around everything else they are doing, or around everything else they believe?  That just won't work for a true believer for Jesus cannot be compartmentalized.  He either is your life or He isn't.

It's not about rules, regulations or religion but RELATIONSHIP.  And if He's not  number one in your life, tue truth is, He's nothing at all.

This week a friend of mine gave me this quote by the actor Jim Carrey:  "I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer."  The only answer is Jesus.  It's not money, fame, our job, talents, friends, family, hobbies, charitable causes or giving, or anything else in this life.   Counting on anything else for our security or self worth will always come up short because in the end nothing will satisfy or fulfill completely except knowing Him.  Even the "good things" we try to fill our lives up with will cease to satisfy us completely at some point.

Work used to be my addiction and what gave me self worth.  The first time I was in counseling (yes, I said the first time, sorry if you're shocked) the counselor said to  me, "Girl, what are you running from?  Nobody works this many  hours without a reason to run."  The truth was, I didn't want to deal with the issues (pain, rejection) that caused  my low self worth.  In an endeavor to try to run away from them as much as I could, I just worked longer and harder to try and "prove myself".  Some weeks I would work 90 hours a week because it's the only thing that would give me fulfillment but I had to keep doing it at a ridiculous pace in order to keep feeling good because I was only as happy as the last hour I worked!   And when that hour was over so was my joy.  The worst time was when I went to sleep at night because I'd have to stop working and lay there til' I went to sleep.  In the morning I wasn't happy til' I started working!  So I basically had to work non-stop to stay on a perpetual high.  There came a time, however, through losing everything including my job, my house, my money -- really everything but my salvation and my family that I realized that work was not the answer.  Working had become my God, my idol.  I had to lose it completely to gain it back and get it in proper order in my life. 

Make no mistake, I still love to work.  (I'm one of those insane people who also loved school.)  But I have working in proper perspective now.  It's not God to me and I don't look to it for my fulfillment.  I also LOVE time off, and guess what, one of my favorite times is when it's time to go to sleep!  I don't fear being still or silent.

Today I'm somewhere I love to be -- in church.  I love to be there -- not because I'm the pastor or pastor's wife, or because I "have" to be there, or because it's my "job" or even because it's my "ministry".  I'm there because I'm a believer and Jesus is everything to me...period.  I don't work Him around anything...everything else works around HIM and if it can't work around Him I don't do it.   I don't "have" to do this, I "get" to do this.  Being in the house of God isn't a chore to me, nor is it a ritual, it's a celebration with other believers.  This is the day to rally the troops...the family of God...and celebrate Him and celebrate each other and what He is doing in our lives. 

When you first come to Jesus and you start going to church some people think you're crazy for the way you spend your time, especially if you go to church more than once a week.  I've had people say, "what do you do there two times a week that you couldn't just accomplish by going one time?  Is that really necessary?  Isn't that kind of weird that you go to your church two or three times a week?  What are you part of, some kind of cult?"  No, we're not a cult.  If we were, EVERYONE would be there on Wednesday nights and prayer meetings, and the offering plates would break from being so full.  :::laughs:::

    Why do strong believers gather more than once a week?  Because they can't wait to get there and spend time with their church family that they love so much and celebrate Jesus together!!!  You do it every chance you get.  When you really love someone you show it.  Why am I at church more than once a week?  Well...

Why do I hug my kids more than once a week?

Why do I eat more than once a week?

Why do I drink tea more than once a week?

Why do I text a friend more than once a week?

Why do I have sex with my husband more than once a week?  Yep, I just said that.  Sorry you fell off your chair.  Get up and keep reading now, please.

Why do I listen to music more than once a week?

Why do I take a bath more than once a week?

Why do I cuddle with my dogs more than once a week?

BECAUSE I LOVE TO! 

And that's why I gather with my friends at church.

It's also why I worship, read my Bible, talk to Jesus, and center my life around Him...because He is not a part of my life -- He IS my life.  Without Him I would be lost despite all the other really good stuff in my life -- nothing could ever bring fulfillment and peace like Jesus. 

Jesus is not another weekly activity or pursuit you "fit into your life" when you meet Him,  like taking a Zumba class or selling Amway.  He IS life, He is not merely a appointment on your schedule.  He becomes all the world to you.

If you have not trusted Jesus with your life, why not make that decision today?   Make Him your life so for the first time  you can truly have LIFE, and life to the full!  (John 10:10)
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