When child-like faith and planning collide!

As a fundraiser, this time of year always brings a feeling of great relief.

It’s like taking one big exhale.

I know that I have done my best to reach my goals, the donors I communicate with have all been properly thanked and loved on, the year-end push is over and the finish line has been crossed.

All praise to Jesus who is the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17).

 I hope you are taking a moment to rest and renew. Because…guess what?!

We get to do it all over again this year! 

The new year brings us ministry leaders programs that need cash to survive and staff that need paychecks to make a living. As I type this, I am absolutely certain some of you are feeling anxious over this.

For a decade, I served as founder and director of an anti-trafficking ministry. I had 14 staff who relied on paychecks. I had a house full of teenage girls that had been victimized who counted on us to give them holistic care (at the cost of approximately $40,000 per year, per resident). I am no stranger to the heaviness of ministry fundraising. I have had many sleepless nights feeling like an elephant was sitting on my chest as I worried about finances.

 For the past four years I have been coaching, consulting and fundraising for faith-based organizations across the country. Those sleepless nights were not in vain because they gave me perspective, compassion and understanding for the ministry leaders I now serve. However, I can say with certainty that none of my fears from those sleepless nights were realized and God came through each and every time! Not always in the way I had hoped for or imagined, but in His perfect way.

 My prayer for you is that you are walking into 2020 with confidence in Him, the one who called you into this work. He is faithful to provide for you. He is faithful to give you wisdom to develop a sustainable plan.

I believe God calls us to have both child-like faith and a plan!

It's the collision of these two that propel our ministries forward. 

 Together, they acknowledge both the Sovereignty of God and the Responsibility of Man.

The Sovereignty of God: God is in ultimate control and all our planning is nothing without His Spirit.

 The Responsibility of Man: God has entrusted and empowered us to do the things necessary to make his Kingdom a reality.

Scripture references...

•  Luke records Jesus teaching, "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it" (Luke 14:28).
•  In Proverbs 15:22, Solomon says, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."
•  Proverbs 20:18 says "Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance."

 Jesus taught the disciples to think and act according to the principles of the kingdom, so we too, can develop our understanding of the principles of the kingdom and their application to the mission and vision of our organizations.  

 If you need guidance developing and implementing your plan in 2020, we’d love to walk alongside you here at Flagship Equip.

We provide coaching through our Fundraising Academy (starting January 17th) and full service fundraising solutions through our Fair Winds Program.

We also offer additional services through our partnerships with EPIC Mission and Reliant Creative.

 Schedule a call anytime to discuss your current challenges, opportunities and ways we can partner together this year! 

Praying for your collision in 2020!