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

How do you even begin when it hurts so much?

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power
may rest on me."  I Corinthians 12:9

Do you know how many people have asked me advice lately on how to forgive?  A LOT!!  Many people in my life both in person and through social media have talked to me about it, not really so much using me as an example, but just reaching out to a fellow struggler.  If anyone has listened to me preach lately or read my blogs or ezines or just had a cup of coffee with me they've heard that this is what's on my mind lately.  Knowing that I'm going through a particular journey has prompted others who are hurting to reach out, even if  just to have a hand to hold.  I don't mind -- it's just been one more thing to add to my list of things that make the emotional trek worth it.

When people ask me, "how are you doing it?" my first response is grace.  I haven't had the self discipline or the natural aptitude to move forward on this myself.  It has taken a power much greater than myself giving me what I need to press forward.  That's really what grace is all about, you know.  God doesn't give us grace to live however we want.  The purpose of grace isn't so we can be spiritually sloppy.  Grace also isn't a cover all for whatever we decide to do or not do.  GRACE IS EMPOWERMENT TO DO WHAT WE ARE UNABLE TO DO WITHOUT IT.  

I can't really list here what I wanted to do to the person who hurt me.  It would be a very bad thing for me to verbalize it.  God knows but honestly most humans probably couldn't handle it especially from a pastor.  Suffice it to say I started this journey not wanting anything good for my offender.  The only thing that has made possible the turning of my bitter wishes toward them into prayers of blessing is the grace of God.

Throughout this journey there have been days where I have literally felt as if I am being carried on wings of grace.  The interesting thing is, when I was not working on forgiveness at all -- when I was stuck in my grief and anger, bitterness and all that it entailed, I was paralyzed and it appeared the situation was stuck as well.  Now that I have been making major strides through God's empowering grace and I have let go and continued to release and surrender, it's amazing how the situation has moved forward.  I am not reconciled to that person nor do I expect it with some extenuating circumstances however the consequences did not really start improving in the major strides I prayed for so long until I surrendered.  Not until I died to my flesh and my desire to avenge the consequences did a break in them come.  

I'm just a fellow struggler and by no means a forgiveness guru but one thing I would advise anybody to do is start working on things sooner rather than later.  I know some of you can't imagine it because the pain is so great right now but through being in the grip of His grace the start of your journey will be possible.  Take a step.  I know it's scary because your anger has become so comfortable and letting go of it will take you out of your comfort zone but His hand is there to steady you and His grace will keep you.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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

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

Stuff I Adore That Costs Little to Nothing...

Okay...taking a break today from writing about heavy things...like grief, loss, and bawling. Time to write about random stuff today that nobody may be interested in reading. Nevertheless here it is... Stuff I adore that costs little to nothing... Listening to playlists I make on (free) Spotify Drinking out of canning jars Reading books again that I already have on my shelf. Walking and riding my bike. Admiring crepe myrtle trees. Taking a bath in the daytime with the lights off in the room. (Natural light.) Naps. Snuggling with my husband or one of the kids and watching a movie at home. Having all noise turned off when no one is home. (No TV, no music, just silence.) Prayer.
Post a Comment
Read more