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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...

I don't ask why anymore, I just ask what

So many times we get caught up in the question, "why."  A majority of my life I was consumed with this question of why this or that happened or didn't happen.  I found it was prohibitive to my moving on in life which is why I've finally ditched the question, for myself and for others too. When I have gone through hard times or circumstances particularly when I didn't ask for it and felt I was undeserving  I often asked why.  Now I've come to think, "why not"?   It's much more comfortable for us to go through life in denial that we'll be in the group of people that certain things happen to, until they happen.  The truth is that the bible say s the rain falls on the just and the unjust.  Sometimes horrible things happen to people who don't deserve it.  What makes any of us think we will be exempt from hardship?   All of the greats of the bible went through difficulties. I now ask WHAT.  What do you want me to learn from this,...

Details, details, I love details!

Before Larry and I became lead pastors there were a few things I told him were important details to me.    Some weren't terribly spiritual, in fact they have nothing to do with the primary purposes of a church.  After the really important stuff is taken care of, like people coming to Jesus, there are a few other details here and there that are important to me. I have been exposed to things at some church socials over the years that were worse than things I've experienced in a third world country.  You think  I'm kidding?  Take punch for instance.  At some of the churches we were a part of, they served red or orange punch at church socials or dinners that literally burned your throat when it went down.  It wasn't spiked, it was just nasty.    Not only does it not quench your thirst, it's downright painful every time you swallow.  When gently inquiring about this with the powers that be I was told things like, "We only drink this pu...

I've had this on my mind for a few weeks now...

I feel the touch of hands so kind and gentle, They're leading me in paths that I must trod; I have no fear when Jesus walks beside me, for I'm sheltered in the arms of God. So let the storms rage high, the dark clouds rise, They won't worry me for I'm sheltered safe within the arms of God; He walks with me and naught of earth can harm me, for I'm sheltered in the arms of God. Soon I shall hear the call from Heaven's portals, Come home my child, it's the last mile you must trod; I'll fall asleep and wake in God's new Heaven, forever sheltered in the arms of God. So let the storms rage high, the dark clouds rise, They won't worry me, for I'm sheltered safe within the arms of God; He walks with me and naught of earth can harm me, for I'm sheltered in the arms of God.

It's still so unfair, and maddening, but we choose to live and learn from one of the best...

It's hard to believe that yesterday was the one year anniversary of my friend's death.  She was a friend to many of my friends in the ministry who read this blog.  They all join me in grieving this tragic loss.  Deborah was a pastor's wife - and a minister in her own right, a powerful woman of God, and she was tragically murdered.  If you are a new reader to my blog you can go back and read about it here and here. I still open my phone and see her texts and private tweets and can't bear to delete them.  One morning I was getting ready for church and picked up my phone to check a text that had just come in.  My finger slipped on my phone and went back to some old ones by accident and up came her name and text.  For a brief second my heart skipped a beat.  I thought, "What?! Could it be?  Someone made a mistake..they were wrong, she's not gone !"  My mind raced wondering how in the world she was texting then I realized it was an old me...

My husband is going to be married to
four or five women before it's all over...

The other day Larry and I were talking to some friends who are going through some "growing pains" in their ministry and we told them about how much we've grown and changed over the 24 years we've been married. You don't know something until you know it. You never know what life holds 'til you live it. Some things never change for us - like core theological beliefs and values, but other things have definitely changed - some slightly,  others completely. How I feel about many things in my 40's is radically different from when I met my husband as a teenager in bible college.  I told him things back then that I'd never do, things I'd always do, things I'd always believe, things I'd never believe.  Guess what -- a lot of that has changed on both our parts.  For a while we held each other to those things but no longer do.  This has usually resulted in an adjustment period for the person who is adapting to the other person's change. As ...

Seriously?!

This morning is the baby's 8th grade graduation. I can't believe it. Somebody, stop the clock!!!

Potpourri of thoughts after the weekend

Our back yard ~ sunset Just wanted to start today by posting one of my greatest blessings ~ a photo of what I experience most nights when I walk in my neighborhood at sunset.  My husband took this picture in our back yard the other night.  I thought it was a good one.  I'm a little late posting my blog today...have been enjoying face to face relationships and there's nothing better.  We have been hosting some guests at our home since Sunday night, some very dear friends of ours ~ Pastors Russ and Betty Jones, lead pastors at Faith Family Worship Center in Palm, City, FL.  We just love them to pieces and it was good to have them here for the Memorial Day holiday and spend time together just relaxing and enjoying fellowship.  They stayed over 'til this morning and we had breakfast together before they had to leave and get back to their sweet daughter Anneka and the church.  We love Anneka dearly and wish she could have come with them but due to he...