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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

What to do when you've got a holy hangover...

Last night I got home from  the Fusion Christmas dinner, petted the dogs, got in my night clothes, made an iced tea and settled in to finish two teachings that I have to put the finishing touches on before Christmas break.  As I mentioned in my blog the other day, I've been working double on things to be able to take some time of at the holidays.  After I was done polishing off two messages and returning urgent mail messages, I found myself feeling down.  I mean really down.  Like crazy down.

I shouldn't be down.

What's wrong with me?

We just had a fantastic night at Fusion.
God is up to NEW things at Celebration.
Amazing opportunities have been coming my way in life and ministry!
God has blessed me in  having a part in being a significant influence in some people's spiritual journey.
I have been taking good care of myself health wise.  (Well, driving myself like crazy the past week with work, BUT -- eating right, exercising and taking vitamins.)

Yet there I was struggling with this dark feeling.

Then I remembered something a mentor told me once --  the holidays and the ministry time that surrounds it creates all kinds of strain on your adrenal system.  Even when AMAZING things are happening!  You can feel down for "no reason" but there really is a reason. My friend Cassandra Stafford sent me  this post which woke me up to the reality of this specifically in how it relates to pastors.  It's what Pastor Clayton King calls a "holy hangover."  This is why you feel like a truck has just run over you even though you just had a front row seat in some amazing spiritual breakthroughs in people's lives.

I say all that to speak a word of wisdom to those of you in ministry who might find yourselves a little down in the next few days or week and wonder why in the world you feel that way if God is doing so many great things in your midst.  You aren't crazy.  Adrenaline does funky things to your body and this follow up post gives some helps on what to do about that if you find yourself struggling with a holy hangover.

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