Wednesday, October 08, 2008

The Things We Do for Love Pt. 2

Call is an amazing force. There are many days when my vocational clarity is cloudy - many days, but I have yet to meet a day that produced a less than vivid ministry focus. My call to a concentration on international women's issues is clear and for that I am thankful. The challenge is that not many churches are hiring International Women's Issues Ministers. As our economy wobbles, non-profit spending is taking a nose dive along with church budgets and even standard church staff positions. I believe in the local church and I believe in non-traditional ministry. How do I successfully meld the two?

I'm not the only hipster looking for a new way to do ministry. I have a covey of friends with whom I commiserate. Do we settle for a 9 to 5 in exchange for health insurance or do we hold out for the miracle? Either way, we need health insurance.

Last month I attended a non-fiction writers' conference hosted by The Woodhull Institute. I spent three days in upstate New York learning and being amazed by the power of the pen. I came home with the expected - a book proposal, and the unexpected - a business plan.

Handwritten in a thank you note writing service for busy brides. Handwritten is a business as mission. My love for the local church has not wavered. My need for health insurance is still the same. I will work for both.

If you have a blog or a website, please consider linking to Handwritten by using the words, "Handwritten Notes", "A Thank you note writing service for busy brides," or simply, "Suzanah Raffield." The more links the higher the page rank. The higher the page rank, the quicker I become a Faith Based Liaison to the UN, an International Women's Minister, and a maternal health advisor to Ann Curry during her travels to Sudan. Let's network.

Many thanks.
S

Monday, October 06, 2008

the things we do for love

On the Gulf Coast, October is one of the prettiest months of the year. This happens to be the first October I've spent in the US since 2004. Today I am working from the at home business of my friend Laurie Chapman. She asked me to write for her blog. I did and I thought I would share:

http://wiregrassweddings.blogspot.com/2008/10/hand-assembly-required.html

I have a new venture to introduce to you. It isn't quite ready, but it's coming and I can't wait.

S