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

She literally had to put ice packs on her cheeks...

Wednesday nights after church at Celebration we go with a big group of people to Perkins which is right around the corner from the church.  The waiter, Michael, knows us extremely well.  In fact, he's usually got my unsweetened iced tea with lemon and bowl of soup waiting for me!  He doesn't come to CC (yet)  but he calls us his pastors.  He also knows our crowd is going to be laughing ourselves silly.  We get deafeningly loud sometimes with the laughter that comes from our group.  It usually doesn't turn people off, in fact they laugh with us, Michael included.  He tells us often, we're his favorite customers.  We really believe that soon, Michael will be joining us at Celebration Church, in fact he has told us he's coming soon for a service.  (Can't wait!)

Wednesday night we laughed so hard and so long, my abs were sore.  Thursday morning three of the ladies who were at Perkins the night before were also at prayer meeting.  Bonnie mentioned that her stomach was sore from all the laughter and Rachael who was also at prayer said, "You can ask Doug [her husband]...my cheeks hurt so much from laughing last night, I had to literally go home and put ice packs on them!!!"

When was the last time  you laughed so hard it hurt?
Or had tears roll down your face?
Or had to put flippin ice packs on your cheeks?  Oh. My. Word.  Seriously, that's a bit over the top, but it's true.  If you know Rachael you do not have to doubt the validity of this.

You know, it doesn't always hurt your tummy or cause you to cry but even when it does, the bible says it's ultimately a medicine.  Proverbs 17:22 says, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine."  Laughter is healing to our bodies, releasing endorphins, strengthens your immune system, even protects your heart.  I'm working on my health like never before and one thing I'd always had going for me is a life of laughter but never so much as right now in this season at CC.    Yesterday Rachael said, "I have never experienced such joy!  What an amazing atmosphere of joy there is all around us at CC!"

Indeed.  It's glorious.  I have never loved so deeply or laughed so hard as I do with this church family.  Every day I count my blessings for where the Lord has placed me and this season that we find ourselves in.  Shouldn't the body of Christ be like that everywhere, all the time? 

By the way, I was looking up some health benefits of laughter and came across this.  If THAT'S not a reason to laugh, I don't know what is!  Amazing!!!

Comments

Rhonda said…
You are so right and this has happened to me many times! I can't open your link so send it to me. I'm dying to know what it is!
Sorry about that Rhonda, I didn't know the link was broken but I think I fixed it now and you can go there.

Love you

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

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

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