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
Selecting a personal word of the year has been my custom for many years. The word is my theme of the year and something for me to focus on,
to build my faith and to grow. Each year I look for ways to remind myself of
the theme…everything from a decorative sign with the word, to a piece of
jewelry.
This year my word is resilient.
All my life I have had to be resilient, and some years more
than others. I know it is this way with
everyone to a degree. No one is immune to pain or problems. But frankly, some
people are more resilient than others. I
have been studying those who are most resilient and trying to learn from them.
With 2017 coming to a close,I have things to bounce back from. There
are parts of my life I’m absolutely slaying and other parts that are out of my
control. If I could control
it, I would have already given everything I have to slaying it. The challenges remaining are out of the realm
of me being able to change them aside from prayer. Thankfully, prayer is our
most powerful recourse. Prayer changes things. In the meantime though, (it’s called the
MEAN-time for a reason!) I have to find a way to flourish
through things I never dreamed I would be facing.
I am thankful for a heavenly father who knows what we need
when we need it. In the course of my master’s work, I was assigned two books
this semester that prepared me for my current season. They are Rising Strong by Brene Brown, and Leadership Pain by Sam Chand. I would recommend these two
books to everyone, particularly leaders.
At some point you are going to face
some things you never asked for, never expected, can’t control, and cry a river
of tears over. My advice as a fellow traveler is to surround yourself with the
right people. Find those who have walked through whatever it is that you’re
going through successfully, and get their wisdom. Read wisdom from those you
more than likely won’t have opportunity to meet. Pray your guts out, and ask other people who
know how to pray and fast to join you. While prayer is a hand grenade, fasting is a bomb.
Prior to reading the book Leadership Pain, I saw almost
nothing good about pain. I’ve changed my mind. Dr. Sam Chand says, “You’ll only grow
to the threshold of your pain.” The greatest leaders are the best pain
processors. The leaders who are entrusted with the most pain produce the
greatest work. So, if these things are an indication, and I believe they are
-- get ready. The biggest and best things are yet to come!
What is your word of the year?
Comments
I also have asked the Lord for a word for the year for a few years now. Last year was "training." At first I wasn't excited about that! LOL! But the Lord showed me multiple ways that I gave and received training through the year and am stronger for it! This year He dropped a word with a kiss on my forehead... "blossom." I'm excited for what is to come!