Don’t Rely on Luck! Here’s What You Can Do Instead…
By Jake Wilson, TPF Relationship Manager
A few years ago, my sister asked if I would be willing to come help her construct a dresser she had just purchased from a big-box furniture store. She warned me that the dresser was delivered in many pieces and had a complicated instruction manual. She also mentioned that it would also require a few tools to put it together. Confident in my abilities to put a “simple” dresser together, I told her not to worry about it, and that I would soon be over to her apartment to help her out.
When I showed up to her place, I was taken aback by the sheer number of panels, boards, screws, and other parts already laid out on the floor. I did my best to reassure her that I would make quick work of this.
“Well maybe we should start by getting all the pieces organized and read through the instruction manual,” my sister suggested. “Do we have all the necessary tools with us?”
“Eh, we don’t need all that. Who needs instructions? How hard could it be!?” I confidently responded.
Well, three and a half hours later, I learned just how hard it could be! I sat there on the floor, hair disheveled, and completely perplexed at the seemingly thousands of pieces still laying all around me. There certainly was nothing resembling a dresser to be found as of a result of my struggles. I glanced up at my sister standing there waving the instruction manual over my head.
“Now do you care to look at the instructions, Jake? You can never be too prepared,” she said.
After admitting defeat, accepting the assistance of my sister, and finally deciding to follow the instructions, the dresser was completely built and ready to go within a mere 45 minutes. Just as we moved the dresser into place, my sister glanced over at me with that wry “told ya so…” smirk.
If there is one thing I learned from this event, it’s that you really can never be too prepared. This statement is especially relevant for organizations. Whether you are a church, nonprofit, or some other type of institution, there is no better time to prepare, or at least make sure your instructions and tools are in place, than now.
We at TPF are here as a resource to prepare and equip you to overcome any foreseen and/or unforeseen events on the horizon, and we are eager to ensure your organization is positioned to continue making a positive impact for years to come. Your financial health is important to us!
In fact, the TPF Team is so geared up to help your preparation efforts that we are providing a free two-part webinar series entitled, “Getting Your House in Order: A Guide to Mobilizing Your Mission and Ministry.” The first webinar, “Pt. 1: Laying the Groundwork,” focuses on critical organizational policies, key areas of oversight, and the importance of your mission statement, by-laws, incorporation, security, and document retention. Join us for the webinar live on Wednesday, October 7th, at 11:00am CDT / 12:00pm EDT, or simply register and view it later on-demand.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS FREE WEBINAR TODAY!
Registration information for the next webinar in this series, “Pt. 2: Strengthening Your Infrastructure,” will be available soon!
Time and time again, we hear stories of organizations falling victim to fraud, experiencing security breaches, running into legal troubles, dealing with financial issues, having communication failures, or suffering from other mishaps because they didn’t take the time to prepare and get things in order sooner. Yes, mission work and ministry are rewarding, but it is imperative that we all get our houses in order first.
Isn’t it so much better to get these important matters taken care of and prepared for now than to hear “told ya so…” later?