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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...

Yesterday's announcement at CC

Loyalty between a lead pastor and associate can serve as a relationship super glue.  It's why my husband and I are not only FRIENDS with our former pastors, Randy and Dawn Visconti, that we worked under for years, but we are FAMILY.   Our kids call them "Uncle Randy and Aunt Dawn" and they remain a very real part of our lives although we are separated by a few thousand miles we call often, e-mail and even visit in person.  There's nothing I wouldn't do for them, and I think the feeling is pretty much mutual. Over the years my husband and I have served with many people on staff.  Two couples that stand out who have been stellar in this arena of  loyalty and service would be Pastor Trinity and Misty Mackley ( who I've written about here on the blog many times) and Pastor Sam and Tamara Diaz.   These two couples did nothing but loyally serve the Lord, my husband and I, and the church over the years.  They remained true to us not just while they w...

I don't have a perfect life -- all the more
reason I trust Him everyday for MIRACLES.

"Casting the whole of your care [all  your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully."  I Peter 5:7 (AMP) Reading my comments on social media of all kinds including this blog, some might think it's easy for me to have the faith filled outlook I have.  I can hear what might be in some of your minds right now... "It must be easy for her to take that attitude, with her life..." Please realize, for all the victories I'm experiencing, I still have some huge obstacles in my life.  I don't advertise them all here.  At times I've talked about them publicly, other times not.  My very close friends who know  all the details could tell you I have some challenges worse than some of you have who are reading this.  Others of you know certain kinds of  pain that I haven't experienced to this point in my life.   So what's my point? Simply t...

God Math

"Walking in God's divine purpose for your life will mean following His direction for ADDITION of some things, SUBTRACTION of others with DIVISION sometimes resulting from necessary adjustments.  Take joy that in time, obedience to His directives will bring a MULTIPLICATION of blessings!"  ~ Deanna Shrodes The longer I live and more importantly the longer I live FOR JESUS, the more I realize the importance of doing what I need to do to obey Him, without apology or explanation. Going to a deeper level in God means adjustments.   Sometimes it means doing something , other times not doing something. In certain circumstances it means course corrections in relationships.  Sometimes it means a downright painful subtraction. At times it calls for removing ourselves from situations or conversations to protect the anointing upon our life. It means listening to Him vigilantly when it comes to guarding our hearts,  our minds, our eyes, our ears, and ...

I don't wanna be part of this group...

Yesterday I was reading Matthew 13 and verse 58 just stuck out like a sore thumb to me: "And He did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith." I wouldn't wanna be there. Wouldn't wanna be part of that group. I've noticed this verse many times before and preached sermons on it, but yesterday as I was in prayer I was just hit with the thought again that I would never want to be stuck in a life where God's miracles were limited. I am so excited about what I see happening personally on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. This week's miracles include one for Bonnie Stewart, a dear friend and member of Celebration Church .  She's one of our frontline singers and never misses church. She's such a faithful servant.  Well, a few months ago she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.  We've been going after this in prayer like a pack of bulldogs.  Did you know that the nose of the bulldog is slanted backwards so it can hol...

The other side

Yesterday I went to get my  hair done like I do every month.  My hairdresser, Ada Alfonso is more than a hair stylist.  I've written about her a lot on this blog, with some tributes in the past here and here and here .    She holds a lot of my secrets.  She's not just a hairdresser...she's really a marketplace minister.  To get an idea of what I mean by that you'd just have to go back and read the links. When I went in yesterday she said to me, "Girl, you've got a lot to update me on!  By the look I can already see on your face, it's all good!"   "Yep.  I'm  on the other side," I said. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face if I tried.  I didn't try...I'm too happy.  And it feels good.  In my book too much of a good thing is... wonderful. She wanted all the juicy details.  All of them.  I happily obliged while she did my color.  She is absolutely extraordinary with color -- that is her expe...

"I'll take potato chips for 200, Alex..." NOT!!!!!

Yesterday I had meetings most of the day and my husband went to the airport to get his parents late in the afternoon  as they were coming in from Maryland for the week.  My workday ended at 5:45 PM and then we all headed out Kobe for dinner, which is our family's favorite place to eat together for special occasions. Right before we left for dinner I called my husband in the room to tell him of a difficult decision I was faced with  right at the tail end of the day.  I didn't ask him to solve it -- it's something that is mine to deal with -- I just wanted a hug, and he obliged.   I don't enjoy the pressure that often accompanies leadership.  First, there is the kind of pressure that spurs you on to be a better leader.  A person who served as my life/church coach told me that we all tend to lead better in a crisis.  This is true for me at times.  I see amazing things come of the critical times when I need to rise to the occasion and s...

Supernaturally Prego

"Then Joshua told the people, 'Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.'"  Joshua 3:5 What does it mean to "consecrate"?  To set apart.  Are you set apart for the amazing thing that God wants to do in your life?  Setting yourself apart doesn't mean hiding out.  It doesn’t mean quarantining yourself from the world, but it does mean being set apart for the purpose God has on your life. Consecration is about holiness…preparing yourself for the special work, the ultimate destiny that God has for you.  He wants to do something really awesome in our lives, but it's hard for him to negotiate through our clogged lives sometimes.  We are often stopped up with things that are hindrances to our destiny.  These can include big things, small things, actually anything we allow to get in between us and God. The "things" are different for each of us.  Is there something -- anything, that God has prompted you to lay...