Should financial difficulties limit the ministry work?

Every activity costs money; there is no such thing as free. If you get something free, then someone paid the price so you can enjoy it freely.  

When funds are limited, what should I do? It makes me sad how our financial status restricts our ability to perform ministry work. We have had similar experiences several times, but I didn't give in to the situation. Instead of abandoning our activities, we find creative ways to pursue church projects even on a tight budget. Previously, I was not accustomed to facing financial difficulties while living with my parents.

Now that I am starting my own family while serving God as a pastor's wife, I realize that my parents set a very good example, which is not easy to follow, but I strive to do so. My mom and dad are business people, and God has blessed the work of their hands. I cannot remember a single time in my life when my parents failed to provide for our needs: food, clothing, shelter, and education. While all our needs were met, our wants are a different matter.  Our wants can wait; it is here that I learned the value of delayed gratification and hard work. One thing my parents  knew was how to manage their resources. Through their stewardship, we are blessed to have a good life, even though we are not wealthy.

I grew up in a family that serves the church.  I saw how my parents support church activities, where they are actively involved while also funding those events.  They modeled for us how to be good stewards of finances and wanted us to dedicate some of our time to church involvement as well.  I can still remember when we were young, my mom would monitor whether we were faithfully giving our tithe every Sunday.   Now that I have my own family, I understand the greater importance of the principles my parents taught me about handling finances, which I appreciate even more. It clearly explains to me why my parents have been so blessed. The reason I am in ministry serving is because of the example they showed me.

Since ministry work needs funding, I honestly feel the frustration of not being able to reach people because I have nothing in my pocket. Visiting others comes at a cost. I've found that sharing God's word and simply praying is not enough to make them feel that God truly loves them. This includes those who have suffered loss during calamities, children in orphanages, elderly individuals in care homes, impoverished sick people, and others like them.  I have four children to support, and they are my top priority. However, my heart yearns to help, influence, and reach out to a greater number of people, which I believe is what God wants me to do. Engaging in this work comes with its costs.  

We used to raise funds from friends and others - the response? Barely anything.  Does this situation mean we should stop?  We have reasons to stop, but there are alternatives.  God has opened a way for us to start a business.  My parents have set a good example for us in financial stewardship.  This time we can apply that in our business.  We will work to finance what God has placed in our hearts to do. We can't wait for others' responses; while it would be a big help, we cannot pass our responsibilities onto others.  I believe when God calls us to do something, He'll also lead us in a way to make it happen.

This time, we're praying that the Lord will bless us with wealth, not for personal reasons, but to fulfill what He has placed in our hearts.  God is beginning to teach us the right attitude towards money.  We are now starting to grow the resources we already have because we recognize that having larger financial resources provides us with greater opportunities and the capability to conduct ministry on a larger scale.