Each night when I went to bed, it felt like a weight was on my shoulder and it wouldn’t go away. Our support was in a tailspin, and I knew we would crash. In June 2007, our support hit the wall. Our daughter’s death in 1994 took an emotional toll on me. For 13 years, my support raising efforts were paralyzed. I sent out fund appeal letters, but I could not talk with people one on one. Then in June 2007, it was as if the Lord gently said to me, “I’ve given you 13 years where you haven’t had to do much work on your support. It is now time.”
Here I was the National Director for Ministry Partner Development and I had to ask our executive leadership (who were also good friends) to pray for me as I began to repair my own support team. How embarrassing. Harder yet was telling Colleen, my wife, about our four short paychecks. She wasn’t upset. She knew I would raise the support. I promised her never again would we have a short paycheck. I set a goal of raising enough support to fully fund the next 20 years of ministry. During the six months it took to accomplish, I focused on the support raising principle: “Get on the phone; stay on the phone; and never get off of the phone.” God graciously provided.
Husbands, I want to ask you to make an irrevocable commitment to your wife. Promise her, “On our wedding day I vowed to take care of you and provide for you. God has called us to serve Him and to raise our support. I renew my resolve to trust the Lord as I lead our family in building a healthy, lifelong support team. I will work morning, noon and night so our family can serve Him and have all the funds necessary to do so. I will not allow anything to interfere with that. I will not make excuses. I will give it my all.” Perhaps, you have already made this promise to your wife. If you haven’t…do it. God and your wife will be honored.
