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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...
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Stuff That's Rocking My World

A bunch of women have blown me away with their feedback to my Fifty Shades of Grey message . I have a follow up today on my weekly ezine , featuring some of the response. Today's message is: "Should you listen to God...or your husband?" Go here to read it, and better yet you can subscribe here so you can get my ezine in your box weekly. (Just go to the little box in the bottom left hand corner and put in your e-mail address. Once you click the link, check the "cup of coffee" to receive it.) Also, my dear friend, Dr. Donna Sallee shared a post yesterday on Pastoring Partners Network, on the Leviathan spirit . I asked her to share this because it was such a help to me personally. Learning about this has rocked my world. Did you ever deal with something and have no idea what it was until someone educated you about it? This happened to me recently. I thought the Jezebel and Absalom spirits were pretty fierce until I came face to face with Leviathan.  Dr. Don...
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Do You REALLY Have What It Takes To Help People?

Last Friday I was sitting with my friend Sheri Hawley having a conversation at a leaders breakfast and we exchanged business cards even though we've been friends for years. She took a look at my new card and mentioned how great she thinks I look in the photo I chose for the card. I was really blessed by her comment. Then, to put the icing on the cake my friend Marsha Woolley (our district women's director) approached and joined our conversation and said, "Deanna, you just have 'the  look' of a helpful person. If I didn't even know you and I needed to have somebody help me, I'd walk up to you and ask." Hmmmm...that really flattered me. I want to be a magnet for people who need help. I've always had a desire to help people. I want them to be drawn to me, but more important, I want them to be drawn to God. What could be better than that? Sheri and Marsha's comments also got me thinking on a deeper level. I began having a conversation ...
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3 Ways to Change Your Kids' Lives Every Day

1) Believe in them.  Every kid wants more than anything for their parent to believe in them. Believe in them every single day.  Let them know you do, often. Over and over again. Until they are sick of hearing it! (They might act like they are tired of you telling them. Don't believe it. Keep telling them. If you're going to change their lives every day you  have to tell them good things every day.) 2) Be excited every time you see them.  Do your eyes light up when they walk in the room? These are your kids. Your amazing offspring. Let them see the excitement every time they show up. I realize some of you have little kids and they are running in the room a few hundred times a day. You might wish they would run out. I know you are frustrated, but please realize, your kids are the most amazing thing you will ever create. So get excited!!  Today as I was doing a hospital visit for one of our church members, my 22 year old son Dustin walked in the room. Immed...
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Weekend Wrap Up

It's bedtime. I'm wildly excited. I left for the church this morning at 7:30 AM and I just got home a short while ago. I've been there all day, working. Never went home til' after our leadership meeting tonight, pictured above. It was a great day at church. Fabulous worship service! Power packed! And, we had a surprise visit from the Grimm's, a family in our church in Maryland where we formerly pastored. Choir practice was all afternoon and I stayed in the office to work until leadership meeting this evening. This is all after being away all weekend, at the Pen-FL women's conference. I'm truly ready for sleep tonight. And really, really glad to be snuggling with my man. I love being home. That's all, my friends...that's it for my little weekend wrap up. :)  
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I love times like this!

  I was looking forward to bringing the teaching, "Fifty Shades of No Way," at the Pen-Florida Women's Breakaway, yesterday. (If you missed it, you can read the manuscript of my message here . ) But even more than that, I was excited to have the opportunity to spend the weekend with our Celebration Church women. I got to be with them for three whole days at this conference! Enjoying God's presence together! What tops that?  Anyone who has served as a pastor or pastor's wife can tell you, there are some challenging days. But then there are times like this that you really look forward to. You worship together, you invest, you impart, you spend extended time together in conversation, you make memories, and you laugh and laugh, and laugh some more. And most of all, God changes lives around the altar. What's not to like? As much as I've loved spending time with the women this weekend, I'm glad to be returning home today. I love home! I've miss...
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Fifty Shades of No Way!

The book, Fifty Shades of Grey has swept the nation, and the world, for that matter.  The series has sold 40 million copies worldwide, with 32 Million sold in the USA and the book rights having been sold in 37 countries, setting the record as the fastest-selling paperback of all time.   Readership is not limited to unchurched women.  Marsha Woolley, our women's director for Pen-Florida District of the Assemblies of God, asked me to address this subject at our state-wide conference today at the World Center Marriott in Orlando. I wanted the women in attendance to be able to focus on the message without having to keep up with taking notes. So I let them know that the manuscript of my message in it's entirety, would be made available here. Whether you were in attendance or not, you can read my entire message, at this link.    Many pastors, writers and speakers have addressed this message and brought excellent points forward. However, I h...
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Five Powerful Words to Say to Your Husband Today

Ask him this today. All five of these words together. It's so basic. But it's so needed. And you might not have done it in a long time. And he needs to hear it. Here goes:  "Want to make love tonight?" He wants to hear this question. And he wants you to follow through. Really follow through. And if he says yes...be just as excited as he is about it. He wants you to connect with him. And if you connect more than once, it's all the better. And if you look into his eyes and refuse to allow any other thought to distract you and stay focused on the two of you connecting, it'll be other-worldly. Try it. He'll love it. I promise.    *My husband will probably read this post and say, "Awesome of you to post this when you're away on a ministry trip, Deanna!" Don't worry babe, I'll ask you the question when I get home. :)
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