I really need some advice. I don't know what to do. I have an opportunity to start a new business. A friend and fellow member in our church is a very blessed M.D. and has offered to make a costly investment for equipment (about a $5,000 monogramming machine). I sew as a hobby, paint as a hobby, scrapbook--if it's creative I do it. And I have "piddled" and made alittle money. He was carried away with some sewing I had done for his wife and thinks I should start a business. I did not seek this out--it came to me.
Problem is...I just don't know if I should. On the natural side of it, I know it is not a good idea to do business with church people. Secondly, I am not organized enough, I mean I struggle with..can I be honest here??? ..procrastination and just a twinge of laziness..(I'd rather be reading!! I love to read, I can't help it) But I can't get away from this other fact.. I know I am called to teach the Word. I don't have many opportunities right now, I have had some but it's not just tying up all of my time if you get my jist.
Anyhoo... I KNOW that I know I am called to do that one day. And I just don't know if I should try to start a business. Am I being afraid of a little hard work? Do other ministers wives run businesses. See we could REALLY use the extra money. The missionaries in our church that live in Mexico live off of $9,000 more than we do..and they're in Mexico. So we have it really tight. Here's another twist. You will love this Deanna...
I had a guy prophesy to me two years ago that God was going to bring a business to me that I could work from my home and that people would come to me..I wouldn't have to seek them out. Well, that is what this business would be. But..He prophesied other things(like a move out of the state) that fell through and I just don't know...I feel so torn about it. I want to please God and I don't want to turn my back on a possible blessing. What do you think? And yes we are being tested right now. The spiritual pressure is hard everyday. Internal struggles like this just weigh you down and I need some advice. I am ready to just make a decision with confidence and be done with it.
One more thing...my pastor isn't real keen on it because of the amount of $ and he said "what if you move to Texas somewhere to pastor or something?" So add to all this having it hanging over dh shoulders that we don't know what in the world we have ahead of us for ministry (we don't even know if we are called to be pastors??) I don't seem to know squat right now! I just want to know what to give my all to. That's all anyone really wants. I have such a burden to create a ministry for pw that I am in contact with and I think about women all the time. I do have some more support now, but it isn't adequate. )I can't get real enough yet either) So what would you do? Please throw the ideas at me..fast and furious...
Well, for clarification...what would your moving to Texas or anywhere else have anything to do with this business not working? I am aware of the machine and the business you speak of. Someone in a previous church I was in did the same thing and it was very successful. There is always a market for it...and the products are lovely. In fact, the first gift we gave here to our staff here at NS were monogrammed polos with our church logo.
Is the M.D. in question giving this machine with strings attached (pardon the pun!!!)??? Is he just giving this to you as a gift, as a blessing? Or is he going into a business partnership with you? This needs to be clarified.
There are some businesses I would want to be involved with church people in...it could get sticky. But you could succeed in this business and not even sell to church people. You would not need to. I would not push your products on them -- if they come to you (and pre pay!) fine, but if not, just sell to the general public. I do not see anything different in this than you having a job elsewhere in the community. Would your pastor be upset if you were a real estate agent, or a car dealer?
I understand the business aspect being dangerous in certain situations. I gave piano lessons in the past and it was a flop because church people would always stiff me for the money and complain about their financial situations as if they didn't need to pay me... (like, hello...if they didn't pay their mortgage, what would happen? If they didn't pay their Visa bill, what would happen? But they looked at me different because I was a PW.) You know, people will stiff "the church" before the stiff anybody else. After several months of giving up my evenings for zilch, I said, "no thanks" and now to this day I will not give a piano lesson.
I think the business is a great idea provided you clarify the issues. Does the machine belong to you no matter what? Or, if you were to move, is is just a matter of giving it back?
Regarding ministry I think you need to slow down. Don't do anything hasty. Delay is better than disaster. You may be in uncomfortable situations but those are the ones you grow the most in. Too many times we get uncomfortable and we jump from the frying pan into the fire. Dh and I have learned --from hard earned experience -- move slowly, cautiously. Be sure you're making the right decision and hearing the voice of God. If you are unsure as to whether you are to pastor -- move cautiously and learn all you can in your current situation...don't jump to Texas or wherever, just because you feel unsettled.
If the support you are receiving is not adequate, put yourself in position to receive adequate support. I know it's not easy and it's a lot of trial and error trying to find somebody. Rarely do we PW's have support, if ever in our own church situation, true support where we are open with our feelings. I have plenty of people who pray for me at my church, fervently...yet they do not really know what goes on. They pray for me while being in the dark about what it's really like to pastor a church. For those conversations, I have to call my friends outside the church. I have to put myself in position to make those relationships priority where we share on that level. It's not easy with all the other ministry demands, but so necessary for my emotional health and my friends as well.
We are here for you, Cassandra...please know you have listening ears and open hearts here. At this time what I tell you above all else is please be cautious. So many times we get an itch to get out of an uncomfortable spot...but we rush the process...
I am excited that an opportunity has presented itself to you to be in business! The Proverbs 31 woman was a business owner and I believe that when God opens the door to you to become self-sufficient that an awesome gift has been handed to you....
BUT...
Help me understand... Are you having to come up with $5000 to buy the machine and be a partner or are you paying $5000 to have your own business? Because if it is yours then if you move then you have an instant job wherever you go...
I understand the whole procrastination thing... I have that disorder myself from time to time... The only thing that keeps me on task is that I do youth ministry so the kids do not let me be late or miss a deadline...
The other thing I wasn't clear of in your post is can you afford to do this? Not to sustain but can you afford to start? As a previous business owner (who wishes she had never stopped) I can tell you that the key to success is your own goal and desires... Sure you may be a procrastinator but if you are a woman of your word - you may indeed wait to the last minute, but no one knows that but you... I am sure that I would amaze people by how many things were done on Thursday for a Friday deadline... I do what I do well therefore when I sit down to get it done I give it my best and do it right the first time... I find that often when I give something too much thought and time that it does not seem to have the same level of intensity... Or maybe that is how I want to see it to justify my procrastination but I digress!
At any rate - what does your husband say?
Let me tell you this in conclusion - if you have the time to get your business started I suggest that you prayerfully go forward... But count all the costs before you do... Okay the machine is $5000, how much are the items you would have to monogram? How much does it cost to get a kiosk at the mall? How would you market you business? How much would this business cost without the member being involved? Have you looked into a franchise opportunity that helps you accomplish the same goal?]
I will be praying for you... BUT IF YOU DO START YOUR BUSINESS PLEASE KNOW THAT I NEED SOME SHIRTS DONE!!!
I am very excited to let you ladies know I finally have direction. It feels so good. Actually this friend is buying the machine and I will be paying him a percentage for two years until the machine is mine. He has let us know the money is not the point to him. We will be doing alot of business becasue my husband has already been getting me customers. We are purchasing an industrial $10,000 machine. I swallowed hard at first but now I know I want to make a wise investment in a machine that will hold up. I am starting inmy home doing contract work and one on one monogramming and stuff. We are painting the room where the machine is going to go. I want to start right and God has given me all sorts of ideas. I will think well I don't know then get on line and read the professional advisors saying the same thing. I know who the best advisor is and it feels so good to be hearing him. My husband is so very excited. He wants to learn to run the machine as well so I will have help. I feel like God is asking me to stretch and let him enlarge me. It is scary becuse I am used to judging by my own perceptions and wehter I think I can "handle" it. I am going inot it preparing and learning and very very excited. Thank you for your prayers. And for clarification, I can take the machine wherever and whenever. It's a very good situation for us both. When I get my machine I will give any one on this site a very very good deal as I will need the practice and some very merciful customers:.
Wow! I'm so excited for you!!!!! This is great. I will definitely take you up on the offer for some merchandise. Trust me, this is something I really need from time to time. It will be a great blessing to you, and to us.
Let us know when you have the machine and when you can take an order.
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