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

What do do when you have a terrible, horrible,
no good, very bad day

Have you heard of the book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day?  It's a popular children's book, but I recommend it whether you have kids or not.  It may be in the fiction section of the library but I am firmly convinced it should be in non-fiction.  :)


Maybe today you are having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.  Fortunately when this happens we are not hopeless or helpless.
Isaiah 61: 3 says, "Provide for those who grieve…a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor." 

God provides for those who are having terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days.  We do have to put ourselves in position to receive what He has provided.  It doesn't just fall on us.  For me that means immersing myself in praise, worship and prayer.  Completely immersing.  Getting off by myself, and getting under the tap of God's presence and not moving until the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad time is past.

Did you ever burn yourself?  Recently I did.  I'm still healing from second degree burns on my foot and thigh.  I learned one of the first things you do for a burn is immerse it in cool water.  I noticed my thigh and foot felt relief when I sat in the cool tub but when I would lift up out of there they starting hurting again, throbbing terribly. So I sat there, for a long time.  I didn't remove myself from the tub until I could handle the pain level without being immersed.  

Some days you need a soaking in God's presence for an extended time, otherwise the heaviness is too great to move on with the rest of your day.     The problem in many people's case is that they try to limp along without the presence of God.  There's no victory in that, just perpetual heaviness.  Soaking brings a lifting that doesn't come any other way.

Comments

Rhonda said…
what an awesome analogy. I love the way God shows you Truth in everyday occurrences!

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

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

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.