A Craving for Fundraising

Have you ever felt like you had an opportunity to say something and just couldn't figure out what to say? Or just the opposite, you knew what you wanted to say, but didn't have the opportunity to? 

That's the beauty of writing. The empty words on the page can be just as revealing as specific penned words in our thesis papers. The most amazing aspect of writing to me is that it reflects the innermost thoughts from its author. Almost like what I am reading was once something screaming to get out of another. 

“Writing is not just jotting down ideas. Often we say: ‘I don’t know what to write. I have no thoughts worth writing down.’ But much good writing emerges from the process of writing itself. As we simply sit down in front of a sheet of paper and start to express in words what is on our minds or in our hearts, new ideas emerge, ideas that can surprise us and lead us to inner places we hardly knew were there.

“One of the most satisfying aspects of writing is that it can open in us deep wells of hidden treasures that are beautiful for us as well as for others to see.”

— Henri Nouwen

 Many of you know I have years of experience with fundraising. Back in 2005 I started on a journey of raising support for my time in YWAM. Then after three years I found myself helping the Donor Marketing team at WAY-FM, to raise the financial support needed to operate the radio stations. Words became my life line. Support letters, email updates, and phone call scripts seemed to all come naturally after 6 years. God continuously amazed me as he used the words I can up with to raise funds to advance His kingdom.

So what's the connection between my desire to write and share the stuff screaming to get out and fundraising techniques. Well, that's just it... until you see that connection your fundraising will be pointless. God uses the people that are most passionate about spreading His Glory to raise awareness to the funds needed. When I look back I see a women that never wanted to "fundraise", but kept being put in spots that saw how God supernaturally provided through it. I have seen God move the hearts of men to give tremendous amounts, simply because people like me put words on a page asking for support. 

Henri Nouwen has a book on fundraising that I highly recommend. A Spirituality of Fundraising has become, for me, one of the blue prints for fundraising. One of the first things he writes is, 

"fundraising is first of all, a form of ministry. It is a way of announcing your vision, and inviting other people into your vision with the resources that are available to them."

So instead of simply sending out an "ask", those that are a part of God's supernatural plan to fund His ministry should ask themselves what it is they are passionate about. Does each letter, email, or phone call have the main purpose of glorifying God, or have you succumb to the desire to just simply fund "your" ministry. If God ever calls me back into a career or life of fundraising, it is my prayer that my soul purpose of each written piece would be to raise the funds needed to bring Him the most glory, where He has me, for the ministry that He has me doing. 

But regardless my writing will continue to be the same. One that desires to give others the opportunity to see a women that is on the same journey as they are, the journey of becoming more like Christ. Learning to trust and believe that he loves, lives, and is always there for us!

B