Skip to main content

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
Post a Comment

True Church Stories - #28

I said I'd be back after the holidays with more of these true church stories!   I always deliver what I promise, so here we are.

My hometown is Baltimore, Maryland -- home of the best seafood ever, topped with plenty of Old Bay.  I grew up literally right on the Chesapeake Bay and enjoyed Maryland steamed crabs all my life growing up.    I'm a seafood lover to the max and thankfully I married one so it's something we enjoy together.  Back when Larry and I were pastoring in Maryland we would often treat our guests to some seafood, particularly traveling evangelists who were with us for a time of ministry.  If they were with us any length of time we'd set aside a special day/evening to enjoy steamed crabs, corn on the cob, fresh sliced tomatoes...especially  in the summertime...oh my!  This is a little bit of heaven on earth.  Well...

One time we were having a week of revival services with an evangelist and his wife from South Africa.  They were not familiar with Maryland seafood or any of our customs and terms and I really should have thought twice about how I approached this conversation, but I just didn't.

On the first day this couple was with us we took them out to a nice Italian restaurant after service Sunday morning and we were planning on having steamed crabs the next day.  As we were sitting in the Italian restaurant getting to know each other a bit, and commenting on the good taste of the Italian food before us, I turned to the evangelist's wife and with a totally serious look on my face said, "So...have you ever had crabs?"

She looked ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIED.

I had no idea why.  I was just sitting there taking another bite of garlic bread waiting for her answer.

Her eyes got as big as saucers and she turned to me completely appalled and angrily snapped, "No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I couldn't figure out what I said to upset her so but suddenly it dawned on me she thought I just asked her if she had a venereal disease.

I'm serious!  Yeah, that's what I usually do the first day when I meet someone...ask them if they have an STD, followed by asking them if they've ever smoked pot, are totally sure about the paternity of their kids, as well as disclosing their current debt to income ratio.  Sheesh. 

I quickly tried to recover from this.  I resisted the urge to laugh..I could tell she was totally flipped out about this.  Oh my stars.  I mean the color literally drained from her face and she couldn't even look at me after she answered. I said..."Perhaps you don't know what I'm referring to.  Let me explain.  Here in Maryland we eat steamed blue crabs with Old Bay Seasoning.."

With that she relaxed and her demeanor softened again and said, "oh...really?"  and I said, "Yeah, for real -- we'd love to share some with you guys tomorrow...you'll love it."

From that point on whenever I talked to any new friends about crabs I would ask them if they would like to share some steamed blue crabs with us.
Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
ROTFL!! Great way to begin the week!
6:58 AM
Rhonda said…
Only you, Deanna!!!
8:41 AM
Anonymous said…
Oh. My. Goodness. That really ministered to my soul this morning ;o).
9:28 AM
Dr. Deanna DossShrodes said…
Thanks ladies! Glad I brightened your day and gave you a chuckle. :)
6:55 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Relevant Church doing something...

incredibly RELEVANT!

I just heard some news today that really inspired me. A church here in Tampa, Relevant Church is doing a new thing this month called the "30 Days Sex Challenge." (I've never visited the church but Pastor Trinity - our children's pastor - has visited or has met some people from this church and he was very impressed.) Realizing that this is a major element missing from some marriages (the frequency factor) their lead pastor, Paul Wirth, has issued a challenge for all the married couples to have sex for 30 days in a row. At the same time he has issued a challenge for all unmarrieds to completely abstain from sex. Of course we know the Bible says that those who are unmarried should not have sex in the first place but the point is, a lot of unmarried's aren't obeying the Lord's command to abstain and this is just one pastor's way of trying to get them to see that indeed, there is a better way! (God's way!) At the same time, many married couples are not
29 comments
Read more

What Verbal Abuse is Really Like, and Why We Must Care
Guest Post: Terri von Wood

In my speaking travels, I meet the most amazing people. Some are connections that go beyond just a night or a weekend of preac hing. One day on my journey, I met Terri von Wood, and we immediately clicked and have been friends ever since.  Just a reminder that all of our guest bloggers this week are available to chat with you in the comment section here on the blog or on my facebook page where the blog is also published.   *** People who have never suffered through or witnessed abuse (including pastors) often don't know how to help women in abusive situations. Knowledge is power and it is my belief that if the church understood the prevalence of abuse, help would be made available.  First, we must acknowledge that the divorce rate is the same  in the church as in the world.  Second, we must understand that the 50% divorce rate does not include all the women who are abused but stay because they do not know what else to do or do not have anyone to turn to.  If those women we
12 comments
Read more

Excellent teaching on Criticism

My friend Pastor Leanne posted this today on her Myspace blog and I thought it was excellent and so timely. It's a blog post from Pastor Perry Noble , about criticism. I think it's perfect for the pastors at Relevant Church right now, as well as any other person going through this. I would like to note that when he says, "when God begins to move" it wouldn't necessarily just pertain to your church but to your life, your family, your marriage, anything that concerns you. I have found that the greater God does things in my life and the more He blessed me the more I should expect it. This teaching is good, so good I was almost wavin' a hanky in my office. Okay, here we go... You Will Be Criticized When God Begins To Move–Expect It And Get Over It. (Pastor Perry Noble at http://www.perrynoble.com/ ) I've never met a devil worshiper–to my knowledge that is. When I first became a Christian I was convinced that I needed to do all that I could to be ready to comba
3 comments
Read more