As a high school quarterback, I led the whole city of Dallas in two impressive stats: number of interceptions and number of times sacked! I was mainly to blame for our bust of a season because I would get so nervous, and my hands would shake so badly, that I developed a ritual of fumbling the first snap of every game! So terrified of messing up, I would literally sweat through my bed sheets the night before each game! The strange thing was after I got pummeled on that opening play, the game day jitters were behind me—and I was totally into it. With my adrenaline pumping wildly, there was no other place on the planet I would rather be…than on that field. All of that self-inflicted torture I brought on myself leading up to kickoff instantly switched to absolute joy at the completion of the first pass or touchdown.

This same unusual mix of fear and pleasure occurs in support raising too. Prior to an initial call or appointment with a potential donor, I can worry myself sick conjuring up all kinds of obstacles, issues, and paranoia. But, once I’m finally sitting across from him or her (eyeball to eyeball!) sharing my ministry vision and passion, there’s no other place on earth I would rather be. So, can a person actually experience joy in raising support? As one former vice-presidential candidate says, “You betcha!” In fact, here are five ways:

1. Supernatural courage from God
If you love to apply for telemarketing jobs or selling cutlery door to door, this one may not apply to you. But if you inwardly groan when you think about making 25+ calls a day to (seemingly!) uninterested people for appointments, then you qualify. You have nowhere to go for courage to overcome your fears but to God alone. And when you see Him help you take those huge steps of faith, there is secret joy that wells up within you.

2. Reuniting with old friends
It’s easy to meet with all of your “current” friends for support, but what about the ones you haven’t seen in 5-10-20+ years? Praise God for support raising—if you weren’t required to do it, you would probably never in a thousand years take the time (and risk!) to go back and reach out to these “goldie oldies” and re-ignite those friendships.

3. Extending unconditional love
When someone (you thought!) was a friend won’t take your call, doesn’t keep an appointment, refuses to join your support team, chides you for being a “beggar,” or (the list goes on)…what do you do? You keep loving in the face of pain and rejection. It’s what Jesus did for a world that ignored or disdained Him (“who for the joy set before Him endured the cross…”). In so doing, we get to experience the “fellowship of His sufferings.”

4. Surprise gifts
What delight fills your soul when an unexpected gift arrives in the mail, an envelope of cash appears in your mailbox, or someone you prayed for years would join your team…all of a sudden does? You stop, turn your eyes (and heart) toward heaven, and sing praises to our God.

5. Getting to 100%
Finishing something you started always brings deep satisfaction. Looking back and reflecting on the price you paid in time, energy, and resources to begin the support raising journey—and to get to full support—provides a sense of destiny, spiritual authority, personal convictions, and of course, long-lasting joy.