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...
Really great day in the house yesterday - just all around positive...
Does this picture show you how much fun the message was yesterday? I can't believe while I was in the middle of this crazy illustration, someone snapped this photo.
It was a day where a million things could have gone wrong, but didn't. HALLELUIAH! First, it was our first day back with the stage re-set after Kidzturn. Normally after the stage has been cleared, it's a really rough morning. The sound is just not right and it needs to be tweaked an incredible amount, to say the least. Due to the help of our staff...it was not rough at all, in fact it was perfect. The morning was smooth sailing. We all had a lot to accomplish and it all got done...and more.
After the morning service our women's team set up for the superbowl party. The women gave this as a gift to the men this year - we did the entire thing as a thanks to them for all they do for our ministry throughout the year. I believe it was very successful - our team of ladies is just right on the ball with things, and it went right according to plan. The guys seemed to enjoy just attending, which was the plan.
I had to leap a few tall buildings in a single bound, going back and forth between church and personal things today. I'm used to it. It's just par for the course with anyone who has to take their kids to work with them. I have long said, people who are not pastors just don't understand that. They never quite think of it that way. Other people are just "going to church." We are going to work - and handling our personal life at the same time.
I remember years ago at our previous church I mentioned to one of the women that one major challenge for us pastors (and when you get right down to it, also for pastor's children) is that we are the only professionals who take our family to work with us. Of course Sunday/Wednesday are far from our only two days of work! HOWEVER...they are some of our main times when we've got to have our game on. When I told that woman about it, and explained it, she stopped and said, "OH MY WORD...I CAN'T IMAGINE..." She envisioned herself at her desk at work with her two kids there at the office with her all day, she envisioned them sitting in every meeting with her, being beside her while she talked to clients, interrupting her while she was "clinching a deal" (she was in sales) and it was like a light went on in her mind. She was like, 'oh my! I wouldn't ever be able to get anything done! I would fail horribly at my job." Exactly. It takes miracles many days to have your family at work with you - and be successful, but thankfully GOD SPECIALIZES IN MIRACLES.
This is the dilemma we have sometimes, even with older kids. Two of mine are teens, but many times when I'm doing something as simple as greeting visitors or ministering to someone at the altar, my kids need me for something (usually lunch money!) or there is some kind of tiff and it get frustrating and I have to apologize to people for the interruption. There are those who get miffed sometimes and don't seem to understand it. They want the pastor/pastor's wife's undivided attention. And to some extent they deserve it. But on the other hand your kids deserve it too. Such is life...of the pastor's wife! :-)
But I wouldn't trade it. It's so worth the juggling act to serve. I'm a partner - this is WHO I AM, and it's WHAT I DO.
Side note: A few months ago Dustin and Jordan came running down as I was taking care of something after service with some people and they said, "Mom!! We need money for lunch. (They were going with friends.) I said, "I don't have any cash. Go in the sanctuary and ask your Daddy." They frustratedly said, "WE CAN'T! He's in the sanctuary casting out a demon." It was true. Again, SUCH IS THE LIFE OF A PASTOR'S WIFE. (At least a pentecostal one.)
Does this picture show you how much fun the message was yesterday? I can't believe while I was in the middle of this crazy illustration, someone snapped this photo.
It was a day where a million things could have gone wrong, but didn't. HALLELUIAH! First, it was our first day back with the stage re-set after Kidzturn. Normally after the stage has been cleared, it's a really rough morning. The sound is just not right and it needs to be tweaked an incredible amount, to say the least. Due to the help of our staff...it was not rough at all, in fact it was perfect. The morning was smooth sailing. We all had a lot to accomplish and it all got done...and more.
After the morning service our women's team set up for the superbowl party. The women gave this as a gift to the men this year - we did the entire thing as a thanks to them for all they do for our ministry throughout the year. I believe it was very successful - our team of ladies is just right on the ball with things, and it went right according to plan. The guys seemed to enjoy just attending, which was the plan.
I had to leap a few tall buildings in a single bound, going back and forth between church and personal things today. I'm used to it. It's just par for the course with anyone who has to take their kids to work with them. I have long said, people who are not pastors just don't understand that. They never quite think of it that way. Other people are just "going to church." We are going to work - and handling our personal life at the same time.
I remember years ago at our previous church I mentioned to one of the women that one major challenge for us pastors (and when you get right down to it, also for pastor's children) is that we are the only professionals who take our family to work with us. Of course Sunday/Wednesday are far from our only two days of work! HOWEVER...they are some of our main times when we've got to have our game on. When I told that woman about it, and explained it, she stopped and said, "OH MY WORD...I CAN'T IMAGINE..." She envisioned herself at her desk at work with her two kids there at the office with her all day, she envisioned them sitting in every meeting with her, being beside her while she talked to clients, interrupting her while she was "clinching a deal" (she was in sales) and it was like a light went on in her mind. She was like, 'oh my! I wouldn't ever be able to get anything done! I would fail horribly at my job." Exactly. It takes miracles many days to have your family at work with you - and be successful, but thankfully GOD SPECIALIZES IN MIRACLES.
This is the dilemma we have sometimes, even with older kids. Two of mine are teens, but many times when I'm doing something as simple as greeting visitors or ministering to someone at the altar, my kids need me for something (usually lunch money!) or there is some kind of tiff and it get frustrating and I have to apologize to people for the interruption. There are those who get miffed sometimes and don't seem to understand it. They want the pastor/pastor's wife's undivided attention. And to some extent they deserve it. But on the other hand your kids deserve it too. Such is life...of the pastor's wife! :-)
But I wouldn't trade it. It's so worth the juggling act to serve. I'm a partner - this is WHO I AM, and it's WHAT I DO.
Side note: A few months ago Dustin and Jordan came running down as I was taking care of something after service with some people and they said, "Mom!! We need money for lunch. (They were going with friends.) I said, "I don't have any cash. Go in the sanctuary and ask your Daddy." They frustratedly said, "WE CAN'T! He's in the sanctuary casting out a demon." It was true. Again, SUCH IS THE LIFE OF A PASTOR'S WIFE. (At least a pentecostal one.)
Comments
I might make it look doable, but don't let that fool you, some days I feel like an utter failure. I think all of us women in ministry who live this life often go through that, and unfortunately there are few people we can talk to so it's important that we stick together and help one another... Love you!