joy to the world, the budget’s done!
Yes, I know, some of us love numbers! Jill is a math teacher and works with numbers all of the time. We have a grandson, Brennan(7), who dreams of “Number Block” people, has his book bag full of some of these folks, and he can even define square root and prime numbers for you! For me, on the other hand, numbers are a chore! And the mere mention of “budgeting” makes my skin crawl. It has seemed like a necessary evil!
this amazing adventure
When we started this amazing adventure on April Fool’s Day, yes, literally, April 1,2022, we had no idea what lessons we would learn along the way. But wouldn’t you know, Father has taught us a thing or two. Of course, back in our early days in the 70s, headed for work in Flemish Belgium, we were very familiar with fund raising. So one might have thought, how hard can it be?! Come to find out, we needed to go back to school to find out how it should have been done in the first place. Going to work for The Conversation Group, we were introduced to SRS, Support Raising Solutions, a required boot-camp, and the reading of a book, “The God Ask” by Steve Shadrach. For anyone on-boarding at Pioneer Bible Translators , this was also a requirement. The book is basically a Bible study, an extensive, deep-dive into understanding God’s view of money and how we all partner with Him to do His work. As someone has said, this book “turns our focus away from our fears and toward faith in God’s abundance!” In the process we have been inspired to realize humbly joining this journey, we cannot do it alone. We have the “privelege” of asking others we know to come alongside and partner with us to make our work with both PBT and The Conversation Group possible. Both ministries require that we be “fully funded” before we are allowed to do work, so we wondered, how is this ever going to happen?
living on the road to zarephath
Yes, we are working part-time with two non-profit ministries. So our starting place was 40 days of reading and prayer to daily clue into how and where God was leading us. Using a prayer guide, “God’s Presence in Your Fundraising” by Scott Morton, we have been directed to learn to ask for help,… God’s way! Not an easy thing. This meant on the 4th day of the 40, we needed to get out of our comfort zone, living on the road to Zarephath. To refresh your memory concerning the story, in 1Kings 17:9 God told Elijah, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” Can you imagine what that would have been like for the prophet? When we have been willing and obedient to this call of God on our lives, even when uncomfortable, He has provided – maybe not with ravens by the river, but certainly the widow of Zarephath! Bottom line, the lessons along the way have been nothing short of astounding and yes, humbling. God has provided for our needs for both ministries!
the father has provided
Now, to circle back to the budget process: in reflecting on these past few months and the way the Father has provided, we are affirmed in this journey. We are so grateful for the partners He has brought alongside us both financially and in prayer. We already know we are going to need additional funds for 2023, but we rest in Him and His promises, having seen how He has been faithful to provide every step of the way.
