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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 i...
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Sole Massages and Soul Massages Have Something in Common

This morning I relaxed for a while as Mai worked her magic on my feet.  I go to my "happy place" for a few moments while my feet are soaked and massaged and feel some more strength coming into me for the journey ahead. I don't get pedicures as often as I used to but when I can...oh.............my...............is all I can say.  Or should I say, "Oh Mai"??? lol 

So this is how I began my day today on this "Fun Friday"...our day off. I also had a lot of work to do today to get ready for a very special thing that is coming on Monday.  But I got to begin my day with this special way of being good to myself.

The other day I began working with a job seeker (through my job at NextJob) who was assigned to me as a very special case.  I was told this would be a challenge.  This isn't the first time I've been given such assignments.  It actually happens quite regularly that management entrusts me with these "extra special people."  Each time I welcome them with joy because I realize there is some reason we are being joined together.  I don't believe there is anything random or coincidence about it.  When I was done my first meeting with this particular job seeker this past Tuesday, I just wept.  Rarely have I been so affected by someone's situation although I do feel for most it not all of them.  After weeping I asked my husband for a hug.  You see, my job seeker had poured out to me all the emotion they were feeling over many serious situations and just cried.  It was hard for me to maintain my composure because I felt the weight of their situation and their pain so intensely, yet  I stayed steady during our entire call and just tried to be a calming presence for them.  As they were talking I was also praying, "Lord, make me like a blanket of peace being wrapped around this person right now and please, although I am not able to mention You (unless they do) let them somehow feel  Your love through me."  It worked!   At the end of the call they said, "I can't even express how much better I feel after talking to you.  Just pouring all of this out to you has been so good."  There are some days we work on resumes, and some days, we weep.  And then we feel better.

We all need blankets of peace in our lives.  Soul massages as one friend, Gayle, calls them.  On occasional "Fun Fridays" there are moments that Mai massaging my feet while I think about absolutely nothing is just what I need to re-focus and energize.  There have been days I've shown up and sat in her chair so worn and weary.  When my job seekers get on the phone with me, or I am with a person at the altar, or someone says, "Hey PD can I talk to you for a minute?" I hope to be that "soul massage" for them...

There's a song I've always loved that says:

"Touch through me Holy Spirit,
Love through me, Holy Spirit...
Flow through me, Holy Spirit..."

and that is my prayer.

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What To Do First to Make a Profit

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