Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label Goals

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

Going to the Next Level With New Year's Resolutions

Have you given up on making new year's resolutions because you never follow through on them? Recently I blogged abou t how I accomplished all but one of my new year's resolutions for 2013.  And they weren't all easy peasy ones. I promise. If you missed the post and want to learn about how I did it and how you can do it too, go here.  I made a decision to do something else this year that I've never done before. I'm not striving to come up with totally new goals this year. For some reason I've always felt pressed to do that. I always felt like a new year called for brand new goals. No one else made me feel pressure to do that -- it was simply my own internal squeeze that I felt to go that direction. This year, my goal is to go to the next level with my resolutions from  last year.  I met my goals. But meeting them, and exceeding them are two different things. Does this mean I'm going soft on goals, and taking it easy this year? No. I'm r...
Post a Comment
Read more

I Accomplished My New Year's Resolutions! (You Can Too!)

For the first time, ever -- I accomplished all of my new year's resolutions this year except for two, and one doesn't even count! **Happy dance** Here's the deal: one is still in progress. It's well on it's way, but not done all the way.  I'm a poet or a prophet depending on the day! So...in all fairness, I'm not calling it accomplished just yet.  The second unaccomplished resolution didn't happen because early in the year, God told me it wasn't something I was supposed to do anymore -- to take it off my list. So I did. What was different about 2013? In previous years, I made a dream list that pretty much included everything but the kitchen sink. Ironically I got a new kitchen sink this year. And at the end of each year in the past, usually only a few items on my long dream list was accomplished. A few is better than nothing but still, it felt defeating. I was feeling an urge to do things differently for this year. I began praying...
Post a Comment
Read more

Okay is Bleeechhh.

I hate okay. Okay reeks of mediocrity. "Did you like that restaurant?" "It was okay." "How was the concert?" "It was okay." Yeah....not appealing. Who wants their husband to say, “My wife is.....okay?” I want Larry to say, “My wife is amazing. She is all that. She’s the best thing ever.” Not, “She’s okay.”  He may as well say, “My wife is hell." Over the years I've asked Larry what I could do to better meet his needs. Sometimes I've failed but I hope I've succeeded more. I don’t want my kids to say, “My mom’s okay.” I want them to say, “She’s the best mom ever. “ My amazzzzzinggggggg kids, Christmas Day 2012 About ten years ago, I asked all my kids  to give me a grade on being a mom. I believe evaluation is very important to improvement in every area of our life, including marriage and family. Two of my kids gave me an A. One kid gave me an F.  Yes, an "F". I fail...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why Less is More When It Comes to New Year's Resolutions

New Year's resolutions have always been something I've done each year.  I journal, make lists and arrive at my goals for the coming year with a lot of introspection and forethought. This year, I've really streamlined things in an effort to simplify. By simplify I don't infer slacking or scaling back on my dreams.  Photo Credit: qisur, Creative Commons I learned some huge lessons in 2012, one of which is this: "You can make many plans, but the LORD's purpose will prevail." Proverbs 19:21 Last year I set mammoth goals . Some of them, I reached. Victory was sweet. I love success. With other goals, I fell flat on my face.    I learned a lot, though. And, I've tried to remember, I never have to "fail" again as long as I learn. When we take situations and learn from them, there's no failure, only learning. And, learning is good! With less goals, I hope to reach more as well as have plenty of available margin for God to s...
Post a Comment
Read more

Two Reasons Why People Grow (Or They Don't!)

I was recently in a regional leaders meeting where we discussed the fact that today's people want events, seminars, workshops, mentorship and coaching. More than anything they seem to crave a leader's personal investment of time and interest. However, it was also noted that when any of that hits home and puts the finger of truth on areas of their life that need change, they back off.  Scores of leaders affirm that people want them to pour into their lives but only to the degree that it doesn't mess with their desires, habits, goals and plans.   I've noticed two things about people who grow.   1) They recognize/honor the gift of God. " So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…" Ephesians 4:11,12 Christ Himself gave these people to us to speak into our lives. Christ is not confused about what He sent. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Just Because You CAN Do Something Doesn't Mean You SHOULD

Someone can crochet. That doesn't necessarily mean they should.  Before you do something, make sure it's more than just do-able .    Years ago my husband and I were pastoring a church where a few people were obsessed about starting a building project for a Christian school. These few folks with a personal agenda  would stop at nothing to make this happen. Not gonna lie, it got UGLY. My husband often said to those involved, "I never said we can't build a school. The question is, should we?" More important, what does God want?
Post a Comment
Read more

Afraid Your Dreams Won't Come True?

Have you ever been afraid that you wouldn't accomplish your life's dream by the time  you die?  I read 1,000 Places to See Before You Die and all I could think of while reading it was, "If I race around to see all these places I won't have time to achieve my dream."   A few weeks ago I told Larry, "If I pass away before achieving my dream, please don't have a funeral." You think I'm kidding?  I was dead serious, pardon the pun. I said it would be an embarrassment for him to have a celebration of my life and have to admit to everyone that I never reached what I set out to do. At least two or three of my friends would probably show up and share a nice memory or two. Hopefully my kids would share more than the story about me substituting vanilla coffee creamer for milk in the recipe for homemade creamed corn two Thanksgivings ago. It was disgusting but I did it out of desperation since the stores were closed. I thought it would work since th...
Post a Comment
Read more