Many times over the years I’ve been asked “Did you ever imagine Hearts at Home would be the International ministry to moms that it is?”
The answer is no. Not at all. That was God’s vision, not mine. Usually I respond with a little laugh…because honestly I’m amazed.
Sometimes I’m asked, “Did you always want to speak and write?”
The answer is no. Not at all. God’s vision there, too. Not mine at all. I was supposed to be teaching music, not leading a ministry.
Honestly, leading Hearts at Home has been an overwhelming responsibility at times. I knew how to teach someone to sing, but I didn’t know how to lead hundreds of volunteers. I knew how to teach chord progressions and scale fingerings on the piano, but I didn’t know how to create well functioning teams. The learning curve has been huge for me and the many moms and dads who help make Hearts at Home all that it is.
You wouldn’t believe how many times someone has said, “What do we do about this?” I’ve had to answer it with, “I have no idea. But I know the One Who Has The Answer.” And we hit our knees once again.
The blog posts, the conferences, the books, the websites, the conference-to-go, the radio program…those resources that encourage you take time, people, and finances to make them all happen. Every year somewhere around October and November is when we do our annual budget for the following year. That’s usually when I’ve been known to whine, “But I just want to encourage moms! I don’t want to deal with Board meetings, budgets, and bottom lines.”
I bet you’ve felt that way with parenting. You dreamed about rocking your newborn to sleep, not being up at 3am with a crying baby who can’t seem to be comforted. You imagined your family playing board games and laughing over meals, not arguing about who empties the dishwasher or who takes out the trash.
In this life, we all have to do things we don’t want to do. Honestly that’s how God stretches us. Dealing with a colicky baby at 3am teaches us patience. Dealing with argumentative kids teaches us leadership. If I can stop seeing those things as a negative and instead see them as a positive–an opportunity for growth, it changes the way I approach them.
It’s been the same way in ministry for me. I’ve always dreaded raising money as a ministry leader. However God’s been stretching me and I’m coming to understand that it grows me in sharing the mission and vision of Hearts at Home. Board meetings, budgets, and bottom lines are necessary to accomplish our mission of encouraging, educating, and equipping moms.
I know God has used Hearts at Home to change lives because you’ve told me it has. Your emails, Facebook messages, your stories of ah-ha moments reading books, your comments on blog posts, and your stories of conference takeaways. We want to continue that investment in moms which transforms families!
We can’t do what we do without you, our friends who pray and provide financial support. All donations are tax deductible and go directly into the operations and expansion of our ministry to moms. Last year Hearts at Home became ECFA Accredited which requires us to pursue the highest levels of financial accountability.
Today is the last day of our Hope Multiplied Campaign. Thanks to a generous donor, every gift given will be matched dollar for dollar. They will double up to $100,000 of donations. As of 5:00 tonight we have had $67,089 given. I am beyond thrilled at that number, but I’d love to see us hit the full amount they will match! To maximize this match, we need to see $32,911 come in by midnight tonight (Wednesday, 12/17/14, CST).
Hope Multiplied will provide the resources for:
1) conference registration scholarships for moms who want to come but can’t afford the registration fee,
2) seed money for a new conference location in 2016, and
3) expanded online resources that will truly make Hearts at Home a mom’s best place for answers.
This is too big for me. It’s too big for you. But it’s not too big for God.
If every person who reads this would give an average of $20, we’d be done. Some would obviously need to give less (even $5 makes a difference!) and some could give more. But if each person gave something, we’d meet our goal of $100,000 which would then be doubled!
That’s Hope Multiplied: More Hope, More Moms, More Kids, More Families, in More Places!
If you’ve already given hope, I want to thank you. Your partnership means the world to us!
If you haven’t partnered in giving hope, would you prayerfully consider doing so today?
I’m sitting on the edge of my chair just waiting to see what God will do! I hope you are too!
