reflections on being below average

A reader emailed me last week and said she was impressed with all of our fundraisers.

My first thought was "the reason there are so many fundraisers is because none of them have been that successful." and I had to laugh. (at myself)

Now don't get me wrong, we've brought in some big bucks in the last four years. But every time we do a "big" fundraiser, particularly one that is well known, and set up in my mind with high expectations, we come in well below average.

Example #1 - Both Hands.


Our Both Hands project was last March. The average amount of money families raise doing a Both Hands project is $10,000. We were hoping to raise $15k. We brought in about $2,500. See what I mean? Below. Average.

Example #2 - Give1Save1.


The average amount of money brought in during Give1Save1 week is $2,000. We made less than $2,000 and that was with the help of a matching grant for the first $500. Below. Average.

Please hear me: I AM NOT complaining. But this has been a very humbling experience for me. My professional background is non-profit management and most recently development. $35,000 is not that much money for me to raise. (In 2011/2012 I secured half a million dollars for the non-profit I was working for. Just sayin'.)

But here's the two part conclusion I've come to:

First, we don't need it. Yet.

³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

Matthew 6:31-32

¹¹ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Matthew 7:11

⁶  He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.

John 21:6

⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency^[a] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:8

¹⁹ And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

When we need it, I am confident He will give it to us. Reality is, we just don't need it yet.

Second, He wants us to keep sharing our story.

If we were fully funded, I'm pretty sure I'd be sharing our story a LOT less. I'd still be talking about orphan care and adoption and injustice BUT God wants us to share our story because He wrote it. He wants us to tell of the amazing twists and turns, some of which have a beautiful redemptive ending, some of which are still playing out.

He wants us to keep tellling our story because it all points back to Him. He gets more glory as we wait for our Glory if we are completely reliant on Him.

⁹ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession,

that you may proclaim the excellencies of him

who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Peter 2:9

So, I guess I'm ok with being below average.

PS. If you'd like to check out one of our NOT below average fundraisers, Beard for Glory definitely fits into that category. It was a success on all accounts:-)

Beard for Glory - Adoption Fundraiser from William H. Wallace II on Vimeo.