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...
Here's an important truth. God never asked you to do what you can't do. He asks you to do what you CAN do. His power is there to handle everything you can't do, and it will kick in at just the right time...trust me. Better yet, trust Him!
I can't help everyone. But I can help someone. So I reach out to help that someone. And you know what? God enables me to do more than I thought I could do. And before I know it I've usually helped a few people, not just that one.
When I started out I may have thought I couldn't really do anything at all of significance. Looking back I see God helped me do exponentially more than I ever thought possible.
We are unlimited, really because God is unlimited.
God never asks you to do what you can't do. One quick story...
About 15 years ago I went to a women's retreat that I had paid about $100 bucks to register for. Once I got there they took a bunch of offerings. In some services they took multiple offerings. The need was great, but I have to tell you, I wasn't too happy. We had paid to be there and in every single service we were pressed to keep giving and giving more. On top of that before I left for retreat, my husband said, "don't write any checks or shop or do anything while you're gone -- we're tight." I was going to have to figure out how to buy groceries and fix school lunches for the kids and everything else when I got home, things were so tight. All I had with me was money I was going to use to eat.
So I'm at this retreat and they keep pummeling us with offerings. I was kind of angry because I had already paid to be there and I had so little in my purse with me, even to eat while I was there. (Meals were "on your own" - not included.) As I was in the service, God spoke to me during an offering and said, "give all you have in your purse." Now I was fit to be tied. I said, "God, what I have in my purse is all I have." He said, "I know, that's why I only asked you for that. Because it's all you have."
Ugh.
I have to confess I wasn't exactly a cheerful giver. I had two more days on this retreat to figure out how I was going to eat. I'm also not a person who asks people for money - ever. And I don't let people know I'm in need even in "subtle" ways. So I was thinking, "how in the world am I going to eat for two days if I do this? I guess I'm fasting."
The offering came around and I took every single cent I had out of my purse and put it in. Then I resigned myself to be by myself most of the retreat. I had brought a large group of ladies. They would all be going out to eat three times a day for the next two days. I'd have to make an excuse because I wasn't going to sit there at a restaurant with a glass of water or share someone's food or have anyone feel sorry for me. That is soooo not my style.
That night after the service I went to bed while the ladies went out to eat. It was an easy thing to do, as the service was really long and the altar service intense. I told them I was drained, and needed rest. I went to the room and went to sleep. Later on after midnight there was a knock at my door. It was a lady from the church. She said some of our ladies were down the hall in one of the rooms, needing my help if I could come. I got my robe on and came down and there were most of the church women sitting in this room.They had a lot of questions about the service and some things that had taken place that didn't make sense to them. I opened the Bible and spent about an hour helping them with their questions, then prayed with them and went back to my room.
I woke up the next morning and as I went to go into the bathroom, I noticed an envelope had been shoved underneath the hotel room door. At first I thought it was a copy of the bill but when I picked it up it was a big fat envelope. I don't know how they ever got it under there. It had my name on it and I opened it and there was money.............a LOT of money. We are talking WEEKS worth of grocery money. More money than I had seen in a long time. There was a note accompanying it that said something like this:
"Pastor Deanna, you're always willing to help us. We know you were really tired last night but still you came down to help us. We so appreciate your faithfulness and your care for us. Last night once you left the room we were sitting among ourselves talking and the Holy Spirit spoke to one of the ladies and said, 'It's been a long time since you've done something for her to show her how much you appreciate her. Collect a generous offering and give it to her.' We received this offering last night to show you our love. Please receive it and know how much your ladies love you."
Wow. I was amazed. I not only had the money to continue to go to meals with my ladies on that retreat but it paid for groceries for the next few weeks AND some school supplies!
God never asks you for what you DON'T have -- He only asks you for what you DO have.
Whether it be your time, your talent, your treasure -- step out and do what you CAN and He will make up for the rest, beyond your wildest dreams!
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