What do you believe about volunteering?
Do you believe you don’t have enough time? Do you believe it’s a good thing to do when you can? Do you think you don’t have anything of value to contribute?
Or do you believe it could be the answer to your prayers?
In December, during a visioning session at our Center, I got the clear message to volunteer my time and public relations skills in support of our Center. Knowing the amount of work and attention required, I immediately questioned Spirit’s guidance, “What about my photography business?”
Spirit replied, “You can and will do both.”
With faith, I took our Center’s marketing on like I would a paying PR client. I jumped in with both feet. At times I felt like Evan in Evan Almighty. Do you remember that movie? God tells Evan, a modern-day Noah, to build an arc.
There were a few times when I was really busy and spending a lot of time at my computer writing and my husband asked, “What are you doing?” And, I simply replied, “I don’t really know.”
Over the past 9 months, I’ve discovered that my photography skills offer the perfect compliment to my public relations efforts. Because I can submit professional photos with my news releases, they appear in the local newspaper with a photo credit. My photos accompany my blog posts, our Center’s advertisements and direct mail marketing, and my photos have gone viral on social media.
Spirit knew that the perfect way to bring me closer to living my dream as a photographer was to serve our Center’s marketing needs. My photos and photography business have received more exposure than I ever could have imagined. Volunteering for our Center brought me into perfect alignment with my good.
On the Sundays I volunteer in the youth Center, I remind the kids during the offering to, “Look for what you put in the basket to show up for you in your experience.”
So I ask you, what are you putting into the Center and are you ready to see it show up in your experience, pressed down, multiplied and spilling over? Where are you being called to serve? It just might be the answer to your prayers.