The Spirituality of (year-end) Fundraising

By on September 1, 2022   /   Communication and Relationships, Special Asks   /   Leave a comment

My favorite book related to support raising is Henri Nouwen’s The Spirituality of Fundraising. I read it at least once a year to be refreshed in a biblical perspective of giving, receiving and asking. I admit, where that perspective is most tested is my year-end appeal to ministry partners. It is no secret in the nonprofit world that year-end giving makes a significant impact on annual budgets, sometimes up to 50%. It is also no secret to the Gospel worker. With such a great opportunity, and for some, such ‘high stakes’, it is easy for the year-end appeal to become […]

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How to Be Spiritually Healthy, Vision-Driven and Fully Funded

By on August 2, 2022   /   Biblical Encouragement, Communication and Relationships, Fear and Perspective, Helpful Tips, Thriving for a Lifetime   /   Leave a comment

“Spiritually Healthy, Vision-Driven, and Fully funded” – You have heard these words numerous times, but what do they mean?  What do they look like as qualities of a God-Asker? My husband and I moved from Monterrey, Mexico, to our Jos, Nigeria site. By the time we arrived in Nigeria, we had depleted our staff account to move our family, establish housing, etc.  We had two very different perspectives: mine believed God could supply our needs, and in faith, we trust Him to that end as I know He called us to serve there.  My husband was full of doubt as […]

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From American Idol to Support Raising: Scott MacIntyre’s Story

By on June 29, 2022   /   Basics, Communication and Relationships   /   Leave a comment

As my brother guided me through the dark scaffolding behind the American Idol stage for the last time and my white cane tapped against a metal fixture, I heard Kara DioGuardi’s voice say, “All of this – it doesn’t matter, because you inspire people.”  Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell had all spoken words of encouragement to me that I would never forget, but it was Kara who understood the calling on my life, better than I understood it myself. Over the years that followed, I had the opportunity to share large stages with musicians I grew up listening […]

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Passionate Persistence

By on April 19, 2022   /   Biblical Encouragement, Communication and Relationships, Fear and Perspective   /   Leave a comment

The relational world we live in is governed by social norms and etiquette that shape our decisions more than I think we care to admit. Is it too late to call? Did I just cut them off? Were they waiting for that parking spot? Will they be mad if I take the last tortilla chip? We care about, for good reason, what other people think and we want to carry ourselves in a manner that reflects well on us, our family and even our Heavenly Father. (Philippians 1:27) Every once in a while, our lives include circumstances, crises, or problems […]

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Transformational Heart Change Through MPD

By on April 5, 2022   /   Communication and Relationships, Fear and Perspective   /   Leave a comment

Raising up a team of partners is a journey and process, not just a process of connecting with people and sharing about your ministry, but a process of personal growth. MPD (ministry partner development) has a transformational effect on those in ministry. You are put in this place of depending on God for provision and then seeing him provide in ways you weren’t expected and weren’t looking for. Again and again God reshapes what you think should or will happen to what His plan is. In the end, we aren’t raising up a team of people that we like, we […]

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Help! How to Renew Stale Vision

By on March 14, 2022   /   Communication and Relationships, Leaders   /   Leave a comment

Paper, glue, and markers lay scattered around the table as we crafted cards for the Church’s partner ministries. Laughing chatter filled the air as the two girls at my table filled me in on all the latest of the college experience (boy had a lot changed!). Eventually came the question, “So, what do you do?”.  I have the answer down pat. I’ve shared it so many times.  But they were so eager, so interested, so easily excited—I couldn’t stop. I had to tell them why it WAS so exciting and important. I couldn’t help but pull out the pivotal stories […]

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Embrace Your Humanity: What to Write When It’s Not Butterflies and Rainbows

By on March 1, 2022   /   Communication and Relationships, Thriving for a Lifetime   /   Leave a comment

2020 was a hard year for us all. It was an especially hard year for writing newsletters and knowing what to say when we got texts from our partners asking, “Hey, how are you guys holding up?” Our family of 4 (kids at 4 and 2) had just moved to Orlando as part of our organizations relocation, COVID hit a month later, my job as a recruitment coordinator was super stressful as about 30% of our staff had left due to the relocation, I was dealing with diagnosed anxiety and depression for the first time, and my wife and I […]

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Spiritual Health Exam for the New Year: Look Up, Look In, Look Out

By on December 7, 2021   /   Biblical Encouragement, Communication and Relationships, Thriving for a Lifetime   /   Leave a comment

Wouldn’t it be nice if while getting our annual physical exam we could also get a spiritual exam? We could go to a clinic, step on a scale, get spiritual blood work, and feel the squeeze of the spiritual pressure cup. Then afterwards, we would receive a list of supplements to take and exercises to do to become more spiritually healthy. When it comes to spiritual health, sometimes I just want to say, “Tell me how I am doing and give me a list of what to do to improve. I will do it!” If only it were that easy. […]

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5 Ways To Deal With Dysfunctional Team Members When You’re Working From Home

By on November 15, 2021   /   Communication and Relationships, Leaders   /   Leave a comment

Dysfunctional team members are hard to deal with at the best of times. They can frustrate you, perplex you and leave you wondering how to deal with them. But, when you add remote work to the equation, it gets even more challenging. How do you deal with dysfunctional people in the workplace when you’re working from home and can’t talk to them in person? As you know, your company culture can take a deep hit if dysfunctional behaviors are allowed to fester. Here are five strategies that can help you keep a healthy culture and deal with dysfunction when you’re […]

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7 Simple, Yet Powerful, Principles to Empower Your Ministry

By on November 1, 2021   /   Communication and Relationships, Helpful Tips   /   Leave a comment

I’ll be honest. Raising financial support for my ministry is not one of my favorite things to do. I’ve discovered that it is much easier to keep the partners I have than to continually find new ones.  Henri Nouwen in A Spirituality of Fundraising said, we are offering “people the chance to invest what they have in the work of God. Whether they have much or little is not as important as the possibility of making their money available to God.” Nouwen’s words changed my perspective on partnership development. Up to that point, it had seemed like work and drudgery. […]

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