Let's put the 'fun' in fundraising

A co teacher of mine once had a poster that said, "Let's put the fun in dysfunctional."  I laugh every time I think of that poster.  It's applicable to just about every group of people, isn't it?  Doesn't matter if it's a family unit, a classroom or a workplace, there's bound to be some dysfunction going on at some level.  So you might as well put the fun in it.

My beautiful wife, baby boy and I are in a season of fundraising right now.  We've been reconnecting with old supporters as well as connecting with potential new supporters.  Many missionaries dread this and see it as a necessary evil.  I don't look at it like that.  I understand where the sentiment comes from of course.  However, the people who invest in your ministry whether through prayer or finances or both can become some of your closest friends if you invest your time into the relationship as well.

I've always tried to send a few emails to our supporters through the year in addition to regular updates through Mailchimp or Facebook.  I try and send ones for their or their kids' birthdays, anniversaries, as well as asking for prayer requests at different points.  It's a good way to stay connected and actually treat people as partners rather than simply someone who sends you a check each month.  I'm not perfect on that front but I'm more consistent than I have been in the past.  The prayer emails have been fewer since having a baby though so hopefully I can get back on track with that this year again.

Perspective matters in regards to fundraising, or partnership development, or support raising, or whatever else the current lingo is.  Some people view it as simply asking for handouts but I see it as so much more than that.  If you believe in what you are doing than why would you not want to invite others to be a part of that?  Furthermore, you get to reconnect with people you might otherwise not which makes partnership development a great way to reach out to people you've lost contact with.

I see this time as a great way to reconnect with old friends as most of our friends are also our partners in ministry.  We'll get to catch up over the last couple years in a way that isn't doable over the interwebs.  It will be difficult, basically everything in life is more difficult with a baby.  But I can't wait to introduce our partners and friends to my beautiful baby boy, who is currently screaming in the background.  He's a great baby and I know a lot of our friends are looking forward to seeing the baby of someone who used to swear up and down he would never be married much less have a baby.  I'm sure I'll hear more than a few 'I told you so's' and am looking forward to it actually.

Raising support is a roller coaster ride as sometimes you're greatly surprised at someone's gift and other times you're hurt by someone else's ignorant words.  So, it's important to try and enjoy it as much as possible.  Over this next month as we travel to Florida and then Illinois, I hope to be able to put the fun back in fundraising  :)  

"Someday I'll miss this..."

Someday I'll miss the middle of the night cries that require cuddles.  I'll miss when he snuggles his head on my chest and sucks his fingers to soothe himself.  I'll miss all the cuddles and helping him soothe himself to sleep something fierce in the future.

That's one of my favorite parts of being a dad, simply putting my boy down for sleep be it a nap or for the night.  It's always such an intimate moment where I take great joy in him, I delight in him.  And then I contemplate in wonder at the thought that our Father God looks at me the same way.  He's crazy about me just like I am about my son, only infinitely more so.

I've never viewed God like that.  I've always known intellectually that He loves me.  I've read the Bible a few times and get that on my own as well as from other people preaching or encouraging me.  It's different after I became a dad myself though.  Now I understand it on a much deeper level.  Please don't misunderstand me here.  I'm not saying at all that single men can't understand what it's like until they become a father.  That's patronizing nonsense and I used to hate that garbage.  What I am saying is simply that's it's changed my personal perspective on God as Father and how He views me as His adopted son.  

He chose me.  I've always struggled with feelings of self-worth but then I'm reminded that the Creator of the universe chose me as His own child.  Do you know what that means?  It means I'm worthy simply because He calls me worthy and has chosen me to be worthy.  Jesus died for my sins and to reconcile me to the Father God.  I am hidden in Christ.  Many sermons I've heard seem to bypass this fact and just focus on how unworthy we are to receive the gift of salvation, which is also true.  However we should never forget that He makes us worthy, that's part of salvation.  So while we don't deserve anything from Him He makes us worthy.

This leaves no room for feeling unworthy or bad about ourselves.  We've screwed up before and surely will in the future as well as the present but that doesn't take away from our self-worth.  Maybe self-worth isn't the right description.  Our worth that is bound up in our identity in Him.  I've reminded people a lot through the years that our only true identity can be found in Christ.  I remind people of this often partly because I need to remind myself of it almost on a continual basis.

He has called us to Himself and made us His own.  How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God?  That's in the book of 1st John I believe, perhaps chapter 3.  Let's revel in that fact.  Let's lay our heads on our Father's chest as He listens to our worries and problems and rocks us to sleep and rest in His great love.  Who's with me?