Category Archives: Leadership

Equipping others to rise to their full potential.

Leadership, Retreats

Put Fun in Your Fundraising

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When you realize fundraising has been a lifetime endeavor, it takes on a new perspective. We have all been influencing others to support our causes in countless ways from the earliest days.

From giving toothless grins as babies, we learned cuteness counts. When we reached for the candy dish as toddlers, we learned to showboat the event for extra rewards. Over a lifetime of peddling products from a magazine to pizzas for school fund drives and bake sales for youth group trips, I’ve learned a few tricks for tapping other resources.

Here’s the thing. It’s not about getting money from people but about enlisting them to join you in the adventure like the church did in Acts 2:42-47.

  • Are the youth going to camp? Talk about the theme, topics, and growth anticipated.
  • Are the women planning a retreat? Mention their need for a getaway from life’s routines in order to foster community.
  • Does your church desire to build a gymnasium? Let people construct camaraderie while dreaming of lives touched through the art of play.

When you cast the vision for your project, you provide the narrative for the storyline. Write others into your story arc by telling them why you’re invested in it. Use the 5 Ws & an H to fill out the information.

Here are the answers to those questions from our Uganda Team:

Where: Eye Clinics to Uganda, East Africa

Who: Names of team members and Why they want to go

What: To provide eyeglasses, readers & sunglasses to about 1,000 people

When: January 2025

How: Donations of new clothing, used glasses, school supplies, sample size shampoos, and health aids to hand out.

Your passion fuels the story. Let others see your excitement and catch your enthusiasm. Put the fun into fundraising through your advertising by poking fun at your event.

  • When we host Spaghetti Dinners, we use memes of meatballs rolling away to the whimsical tune of “On Top of Spaghetti.”
  • Promos for our garage sale joke about overloaded trucks and bulging carts.
  • Our Chocolate Fest boasted of the Golden Ticket from Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

Let your contagious joy infect others as you spread the word of your event and purpose. Infuse people with infectious laughter as you bring the fun.

Speaking of fun, why not have a contest while you’re at it?

  • The winner of our Popcorn Sales gets bragging rights.
  • The winners at our sale’s Dump Your Junk Party compete for The Most Bizarre Item and The Best in Shape for Its Age Item. They win two scoop cones at our local shoppe.
  • The winner of our Calendar Sales Campaign for a candidate for MS Stem Cell Transplant won the calendar of their choice.

One year the pastor had to kiss a pig at VBS if the kids met their challenge. You can bet I didn’t want a kiss from my hubby after that celebration!

Think outside the box to make your contest appealing – a homemade pie, car detailing, or dinner with your family can entice more participation.

What types of fundraisers work? Try things that resonate with your team so all work together to get it off the ground.

Rock-a-Thon (sponsors donate per hours you stay in a rocking chair. Breaks permitted!), Spaghetti Dinner for the community, Carnival, Bottle & Can Drive, Quarter Drive (hand out plastic M&Ms tubes and ask people to turn them in filled with quarters), Bake Sale outside of a local store (some stores will donate to the cause), Craft Show (charge per table for vendors to sell their items. Sell concessions.), Chicken & Biscuit Dinner, sell Church Cookbooks, Worship Team Concert & Offering, Baked Goods for Thanksgiving Dinner (pies & breads), Basket Raffle with donations from businesses, Calendar Sales (https://www.promocalendarsdirect.com/)

More ideas for brainstorming: https://www.classy.org/blog/fundraising-event-ideas-raise-money-cause/

It may take a while to gain momentum, so be prepared to advertise months in advance. Most of all, keep it relational. When you include others in your story, they will take ownership and partner with you in your venture.

One more story. Our church issued a Backpack Challenge for members to fill backpacks with school supplies. One little girl turned in hers with a request. She had added clothes her size for another girl to have for the first days of school. Our youth pastor agreed to pray for that specific recipient. Later that week, she received a call from a local agency. Guess what they asked for? Yep, that specific size was needed for a little girl! Two gals learned about the power of prayer and that God cares about the details, when one responded to a fundraiser.

The next time you’re worried about being too salesy, remember who you’re serving and bring along the shenanigans!

How will you add fun to your fundraising?

Sally

Leadership, Reviews

Book Review & a Giveaway: The Unbeatable Recipe for Networking Events

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The Unbeatable Recipe for Networking Events

Do you attend networking events for work? Should you? Robby Slaughter says, “Yes!” and provides the formula in his treatise, The Unbeatable Recipe for Networking Events. Whether you are self-employed or work for a big corporation, a people person or an introvert, you will find takeaways in his book to help you grow in connecting with other people.

“Robby Slaughter is a workflow and productivity expert, and a nationally known speaker on topics related to personal productivity, corporate efficiency and employee engagement.” He is the founder of AccelaWork and the author of The Efficient Professional Series.

The premise of The Unbeatable Recipe for Networking Events is to provide fail-proof methods of connecting with others in your business, in order to gain rapport. Robby says the principal challenges for professionals are not technological, but psychological. He then proceeds to break down those challenges into doable action steps.

The interesting part of Robby’s formula stems from his thesis statement. He says, “Networking events are the most effective way to populate my personal database with the people I am about to serve.”

It is refreshing to see a purpose statement not self-serving, but to begin with service. And he continues on that thread throughout the book, providing tips for things to do at networking events, talking about the power of your own story, and the emotional response of a business card.

Whether you are an author attending a writer’s conference, an enthusiast attending a garden show, or in sales at a trade show, this book will give you confidence to put your best handshake forward and glean from the people you meet. It is “a key part of your strategy to help others.”

I am giving away my signed copy of The Unbeatable Recipe for Networking Events to one reader in the continental United States. Leave a comment on my blog (at the top of this post, under the title) about your favorite networking tip, and you will be entered into the drawing, to be held in three days, May 30.

Sally

Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Leadership, Reviews

Book Review: Free to Focus

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Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt

In Free to Focus, Michael Hyatt tackles the reason why past productivity models don’t work today. We’re living in information overload and have to find a new way to handle life in the fast lane. Hyatt says our Distraction Economy promotes low-value activity instead of helping us tap into unrealized potential.

Formerly the chairman and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, Michael Hyatt is a bestselling author and successful entrepreneur. His work and leadership models help “leaders trade burnout for balance.”

Free to Focus is part of that model. I grew up with a generation of multitaskers, but felt like I could never get everything done. Hyatt says focusing on everything means focusing on nothing. He says we live in a time of outrageous abundance that demands we learn to say no to good things.

The book offers:

  • Liberating Truths to stop limiting beliefs sabotaging productivity.
  •  5 delegation levels that transform leadership.
  • The Daily Big 3 Focus.
  • Handling interruptions.
  • Replenishable Practices, and more.

The book is important for corporations and managing multiple levels within a business, but it also has great insights for individuals seeking to become fully present in the work before us.

Know your “why?”

Hyatt asks, “If productivity simply comes down to doing more things in your Desire Zone and less of everything else, why aren’t most of us doing that already?”

Get a copy of Free to Focus, access to the tools and resources, and develop your goal to getting the right things done! Get $498 of exclusive bonuses when you order by April 13.

Sally

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Leave a comment. What is the hardest part of choosing to say no to good things, in order to focus on the best thing?

In the News, Leadership

Are you being nudged to lead a Bible study?

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The Bible is packed with life-giving nuggets of wisdom and encouragement from the Lord. When a group gathers around its pages, wonderful things emerge, like camaraderie, insight, peace and determination.
It is enormously gratifying to be part of others’ growth in their faith, as you watch the light come into their eyes over Scripture. Take the step to say yes to that nudge! Bring together some friends and watch in anticipation at what will happen with your offering to the Lord. Maybe it only feels like a sack lunch with 5 loaves & 2 fishes, but that’s exactly what God can use to bless others.

Don’t feel qualified to lead a Bible Study? Ps 119:144 says the Lord gives understanding.

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In more than 30 years of leading Bible study groups, I have grown to appreciate authors who add insight into God’s Word with illustrations, stories, and examples from their own lives, in order to get the point across. When our group is halfway through a series, I am already thinking about what the next one will entail.
Do you want help finding a study that is right for you? Check out the Bible Study Expo Thursday, March 15, to see the nine authors who will be participating. It’s a great way to get the cliff notes on a variety of studies. You might even win a prize when you participate!
“Bible Study Expo this year is partners with Harvest House Publishers, Abingdon Press, Lighthouse Bible Studies, Concordia Publishing House, Touchtone, Zondervan, Fruitbearer Publishing LLC and Shiloh Run Press to host nine Bible Study book authors and 18 book giveaways for the upcoming online Expo.
The event is an online webinar and will take place at www.BibleStudyExpo.com on the afternoon of Thursday, March 15, beginning at 2 PM Eastern Standard Time.
Each hour will be divided into three, 20-minute author interviews, and include two Bible Study book giveaways. The Expo features Pam Farrel with her book, Discovering Hope in the Psalms; Hayley Dimarco with A Woman Overwhelmed; Katy Kaufman with Breaking the Chains; Rhonda Stoppe with Real Life Romance; Sharla Fritz with Waiting; Dr. Saundra Dalton Smith with Sacred Rest; Michele Cushatt with I Am; Jessica Seneca with Raising Girls; and Carey Scott with Uncommon.”
Even if you can’t attend during the event, you can come back later for the full interview. What are you waiting for? Sign up now!
Sally

About Bible Study Expo:
Bible Study Expo is the only expo of its kind, enjoying its 9th anniversary of collaborating with Bible Study coordinators, leaders, publishers and authors, to create a fun, interactive, online experience for Bible Study enthusiasts worldwide. Every year, thousands of women enjoy the live event and the archived interviews to meet the authors and select their next Bible Study books. Bible Study Expo was founded by Gifts of Encouragement, Inc., in 2009, by Marnie Swedberg.

Leadership, Retreats

Retreat Debrief

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The letdown took longer this time. You know that feeling of “I wish it wasn’t over yet, but I’m relieved.”? Usually that emotional plunge happens right after the retreat, when I’m so tired I could drop. But this particular year, it waited for a full week to hit.

What do you do to ease back into your daily routine after a big event?

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What do you do, to ease back into your daily routine after an emotionally-charged, high-energy event? Anticlimax is really not so unusual. Elijah had a big showdown with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, but when confronted by one woman, he ran. (See 1 Kings 18:16-19:4) What happened to that powerful man of God? Didn’t he just beat out 850 false prophets? Didn’t he pray until God ended a drought?

Take a look at how Elijah made it back to the land of the living.

5 Steps for Self-care

1)      Sleep. Elijah was tired! He laid down under the shade of a tree and fell asleep. When you lead others, you will also need opportunity for rest. Set aside time to regroup.

2)      Eat. Elijah was hungry! He needed nourishment. Have you ever noticed food isn’t as appealing when you’re up against a deadline? Your mind is on the details instead of the tastes. Take time to nourish your body with lots of pure water and fresh fruits. Good nutrition will rejuvenate your mental capacity and your physical stability.

3)      Acknowledge need. The angel of the Lord knew the journey was too much for Elijah. When we plow through life, we have to pay attention to lulls in energy. They are reminders to take care of ourselves or we won’t be able to minister to anyone. Ask for prayer. Let friends know you’re having a dark day and need their intercession. They’ll surround you with love and care.

4)      Seek the Lord. Elijah went to Horeb, the mountain of God. He felt alone in his zealous activities for God. Yet the Lord revealed Himself and His servants to Elijah in a generous response to Elijah’s despondency. Do you feel alone in your work for the Lord? Is it time for one-on-one with Him in order to gain a new perspective?

5)      Enlist help. Elijah got an assistant. Let others be a part of the planning and execution of your retreat. It gives them ownership and provides you with someone to share the joys and burdens.

Are you heading for burn-out? Take a cue from Elijah and tend to your needs. You’ll gain strength required for the next project!

Sally

You can find more articles like this one here.

Leadership

Leadership 101

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I have an apple tree in my back yard that has never borne fruit. Year after year, we sought signs that something would come of our efforts to put it in good soil. But nothing revealed indicators of growth. How about you? Have you been feeling like there’s no fruit from your work?
Pastor Bill Hybels says leadership begins with yourself. When you are dormant, people won’t follow you. So, how will you push yourself? He suggests taking leaders to lunch and asking questions, exposing yourself to new ways of looking at things, and developing character.
If leadership begins at home, then it does matter what we do when no one’s watching. We are all managers of:
• Time
• Money
• Words
In Psalm 39, David said he would watch what he said around others. But he also affirmed in Psalm 40 he would tell of God’s goodness. He sought the Lord’s help to know when to speak and when to be silent. What would that look like for a leader? We have opportunities to speak truth into people’s lives. Will it be laced with criticism or kindness?
At The Global Leadership Summit, Leadership Coach John Maxwell challenged all to add value to people’s lives every day. He said we can learn from the way Jesus valued Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman and even children. It takes intentional living to see things from someone else’s perspective.
Let’s get back to the basics in our leadership habits. Find ways to stretch yourself and your team. Expose yourself to new ways of doing things every day. Ask questions. Listen. Put your house in order. Speak kindness into the hearts of others. Hold yourself accountable to a high standard of integrity.

apple tree from back yard
This year, however, something is different with my apple tree. The branches are heavy laden and getting ready for harvest. Maybe you’ve been waiting for the fruit of your labor that seems negligent in coming? Don’t give up. Keep building on the basics of love and faithfulness. Let integrity be your hallmark. When God’s timing is ripe, you will see a harvest of His faithfulness in your life and in your work.

Sally

Self-leadership habits bear fruit!

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In what ways is the Lord nudging you to stretch your leadership skills today?

Faith, Leadership, Reviews

Review & a Giveaway: The NKJV American Woman’s Bible!

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NKJV American Womans Bible

The timing for the release of The NKJV American Woman’s Bible, and a celebration of our heritage of faith, could not be better. As we approach the birthday of our nation, we reflect on ways the Lord has intervened for our country, and the principles on which it was built. To say this book is patriotic would be true, but it is so much more. It begins with “A Woman’s Journey To Godliness,” and continues with examples from our nation’s history of women who fleshed out what it meant to embrace faith in tumultuous times.

“Future blessings are often the logical outcome of present obedience.” – Dr. Richard G. Lee

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General Editor, Dr. Richard G. Lee has done his research! Indeed, he compiled the American Patriot’s Bible and authored another twenty-one books. His works highlight the legacy of the Judeo-Christian values that created a foundation for our government and justice system. He says, “American history is no stranger to the fact that God uses humble, unassuming ‘everyday’ people to do extraordinary things.”

I love the behind-the-scenes look at our country. Sidebars are filled with quotes and qualities of virtuous women. Biographies add detail to the lives of many unknown, but influential people. And glossy inserts are packed with the stories of those who sacrificed and served their Lord and country.

In a time when patriotism is ebbing low, this book is an important standard. It lifts up the Word of God and shows how applicable it continues to be, in every generation.

The fascinating biographies include immigrants, pioneers, presidents’ wives, missionaries, writers, peasants, celebrities, slaves, singers and songwriters. Here’s a sampling of the quotes that grabbed my attention:

“You can be too big for God to use, but you cannot be too small.” – Nelle Reagan

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.” – Corrie ten Boom

“Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with the sense of responsibility for each other’s welfare, social justice can never be attained.” – Helen Keller

“Faith isn’t the ability to believe long and far into the misty future. It’s simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step.” – Joni Eareckson Tada

“Democracies have been, and governments called, free; but the spirit of independence and the consciousness of unalienable rights, were never before transfused into the minds of a whole people…The feeling of equality which they proudly cherish does not proceed from an ignorance of their station, but from the knowledge of their rights; and it is this knowledge which will render it so exceedingly difficult for any tyrant ever to triumph over the liberties of our country.” – Sarah Josepha Hale

”The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” – Coretta Scott King

Do you love stories of heroes of the faith? Hebrews 12:1 says we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. They are the ones who endured hardship and overcame difficulties with a shining faith in God. The NKJV American Woman’s Bible is an inspiring look at the sacrificial ways women gave their devotion to God’s truths and the practice of those truths in a young nation.

I am giving away a copy, courtesy of Thomas Nelson Publishers, to one reader in the continental United States. Leave a comment on my blog (Comments are at the top, under the title) about a favorite hero of the faith, and you will be entered into the drawing, to be held one week from today, June 16, 2016. Side note for those from my area, there is even a biography of Mary A. Lathbury, who helped found the Chautauqua Movement in Western New York!

Sally

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the The Blog Spot Network book review program in exchange for a fair and honest review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


In the News, Leadership

Bible Study Expo

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2016 Poster

Marnie Swedberg annually hosts an event that has become a go-to resource for me. She invites authors to share the stories behind their Bible studies, and in the process, makes the writer more real. It brings a smile to follow the conversation threads during this event; the fast paced comments on the Facebook party happen at the same time as The Bible Study Expo, and the enthusiasm is contagious. It’s fun, because these gals have become friends. As we dialogue over author quotes, we encourage, inspire and enjoy one another!
Maybe you’ve wanted to lead a Bible study, but never had the courage to step out? I’ve blogged about that at “Why lead a Bible Study?” Here, I want to tell you how I’ve benefitted by connecting with authors. Listening to their voices online, you can hear the passion for the subject they researched. Marnie interviews them, they share behind-the-scenes discoveries, and we all come away enriched by the treasures in God’s Word.

The Expo is 100% free and online, catch it while it happens, or come back to dig in later. Register at http://www.biblestudyexpo.com/

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A few years back, Sue Edwards was involved in the Expo, with her book, Ephesians: Discovering Your Identity and Purpose in Christ. I connected with Sue’s work, even though she was not able to attend at the last minute, and used it with my Women’s Bible Study group. I had the opportunity to participate in launching an online study of Ephesians on Sue’s Facebook Page. We also went on to use another in the series, Luke: Discovering Healing in Jesus’ Words to Women.
This year, Kathy Carlton Willis is on the docket with her book, Grin With Grace. Our Women’s Class just wrapped up this study, and I’m looking forward to hearing more stories from Kathy’s quirky take on life.
How can you benefit from attending the Expo? You develop friendships, find studies to share, and more fully appreciate the author’s work. Besides, you may be one of the winners of the door prizes from Sarah Young, Logan Wolfram, Raechel Myers, Barbara Roose, Sherry Poundstone, Kathy Carlton Willis, Jeanne Brooks, Sherri Burgess, or Gwen Smith!
Come join us at The Bible Study Expo, Thursday, March 17, 2016!

Noon – 2 Pacific

1-3 Mountain

2-4 Central

3-5 Eastern
Sally


Leadership, Retreats

Where do you find retreat locations?

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forest_retreat_by_environaut

When word of mouth gets out that you’re looking for a place to host your gang, people can be really helpful with ideas. So helpful in fact, that it gets overwhelming.  Whether you’re planning a family reunion, church getaway or a team building event for work, there are a few crucial elements to settle first.

1) Do we want to cook?  Didn’t you think the first question would be about food?  Let’s be practical!  We all want to know what’s for dinner!  The food question is a big issue because it could pare down the number of choices.  Do you want to haul in food to grill yourselves, or do you want the food to be prepared and served in a dining hall?  There are merits to both and they affect time, cost and atmosphere.

2) What kind of amenities do we want?  Swimming?   Fishing?  Campfires?  Spa Treatment?  Golfing?  The location can bolster your theme’s effect.  For instance, a Boy Scout retreat would be out of place in a 5 Star Hotel.  And many people prefer a mattress over sleeping on the ground in a camping area.  So, find what works for you.

3) What size of group do you need to accommodate?  While searching the internet for a retreat location, my co-coordinator came across a gorgeous setting with prayer gardens and a castle atmosphere.   It wasn’t big enough for our retreat, but later we used it for a leadership training event!

Try several keywords when you Google places: retreat centers, vacations, and hideaways all convey the idea.  When you think like a tourist, you can find things you may not have noticed before.

Think like a tourist, when planning an event!

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4) How far are you willing to drive?   Even though a closer location is enticing for gas savings, it also presents a unique challenge.  People feel free to come and go according to their own schedule!  That means they miss out on group bonding time, as well as cheat themselves out of the amount of time needed to unwind.  If they’re still running on their own timetable, have they really retreated from the daily grind?

5) How much will it cost?  Your answers to all of the above questions will funnel down into this last major one.  Cost will effect who can come and participate.  If the cost is too high, you may eliminate someone who really needs to be there!  Anything you can do to knock off some of the price will create goodwill and growth in the long run.  Fundraisers in the months prior to your event are helpful, as well as build anticipation for what is to come.

Don’t let too many options cheat you out of finding the best option for your retreat. A little bit of research will launch you into the next phase of planning and equip you for the nuances of a great event!

You can find more articles like this, here.

For more tips on Retreat Planning, see my ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat!

Sally


Encouragement, Faith, In the News, Leadership

Bible Study Expo

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Check out the Bible Study Expo on Thursday, August 20, featuring 12 authors:

– Liz Curtis Higgs with “It’s Good to be Queen”

– Pam Farrel with “7 Simples Skills for Every Woman”

– Sara Hagerty with “Every Bitter Thing”

– Kimberly Sowell with “The Thin Red Line Series”

– Danette Crawford with “Total Turnaround”

– Sheryl Pellatiro with “Fearless Faith”

– Stephanie Olson with “Jesus is Passing By”

– Mindy Ferguson with “Moses”

– Jessie Seneca with “Joseph”

– Kathy Howard with “Embraced by Holiness”

– Carey Scott with “Untangled”

– Marnie Swedberg with “Flow Through Vessel”

The Expo is 100% free and online, catch it while it happens, or come back to dig in later. I have found this exercise to be very helpful in picking out resources for our study groups, as well as for networking.

Are you looking for study group resources?

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How about you? Are you looking for your next study for Fall?

Sally