Half Way (update): UCCF Staff Worker Fundraising

We want to say a big thank you to everyone who has already partnered with us in prayer and financially! We couldn’t have ever got to this point without your help and support! God is truly so faithful and we are amazed at his provision!

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Faithy and Elisha excited for us to serve God with UCCF!

Where we’re at

We are currently in the middle of our fundraising journey, before I (Adam) could start working with UCCF. And we’ve raised a bit over half the amount we need for me to be eligible to start. So we are on track, but need to pray and keep on fundraising to get all the support we need in time.

The next few weeks will be very critical and decisive for us. We trust God for His provision and praying for people’s kindness, generosity and willingness to support us financially and in prayer, to be able to start the adventure of student ministry.

We have 7 weeks remaining to raise all the funds. Any amount of monthly financial support, even as little as £5 a month, makes a world of difference for us. It is also possible to give one off donations. Your support means so much to us and we can’t express in fullness how grateful we are.

I’m not going to lie, this time of fundraising has been very stressful for us so far. We have never needed to rely on God and people in this way before and we feel vulnerable as we take this step of faith. But God is very faithful and we believe He will provide for us all our needs, according to His will and for His glory.

If God looks after sparrows and lillies and knows the number of hair on our heads, surely He will look after us. (Matthew 6:26-34).

Partnering with us (UK)

Would you please consider partnering with us, and with God Himself, in the work of the Gospel? And invest your worldly wealth in something that will last for eternity, becoming a partner in the extraordinary work God is doing in the lives of students?

You can support us by donating through this link:

http://www.uccf.org.uk/give/adam-butterworth

Supporting us from another country

It’s easiest to give gifts from international accounts through IFES:

To set up a regular gift from a USD or EUR account please go to:

https://give.ifesworld.org/

Then go to ‘Staff Worker’, and click ‘Enter name and country of service’

Then put ‘Adam Butterworth – UCCF Great Britain’ in the free text box. (Adam’s name wouldn’t appear in the search lift yet so it needs to be added manually.)

You can also give one off gifts through IFES, or straight through UCCF website.

Gifts via IFES can take 6-8 weeks to get through. If people can message me or Adam or email UCCF with what you plan to give then it can be added as a pledged gift before.

My work with UCCF

This August I’m staring work with UCCF – a charity which seeks to give every student in Great Britain an opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel. This is done through training and equipping student-led Christian Unions (known as CUs) to reach other students for Christ. My role as a Staff Worker will be working alongside the CUs in Chester and Liverpool Hope Universities and I will be helping them by providing training and support, and mentoring key leaders. Many students grow immensely in their faith and in their confidence for evangelism during their time at university and Staff Workers are a key part in this. Over the years UCCF has seen thousands of students coming to faith through the witness of the CUs and I am really excited to see what God will do in and through Chester and Liverpool Hope CUs in the coming years. As a charity UCCF relies on donations from supporters. I need to build up a support base of prayer and financial partners and would be extremely grateful if you would consider supporting me.

Why I choose UCCF

When I started studying in Glyndwr Uni, I wasn’t yet a born again Christian, but through CU friends and Katia, I came to know Christ personally. I made friends for life in CU, met my wife Katia, met some great Relay Workers and met my amazing Staff Worker, John Perry, who is still one of the people in my life I look up to most.

My Staff Worker had been a huge blessing and source of wisdom and support in my student years, God really used him to grow my faith and inspire me to get to know Jesus more. I served my CU first as Worship Leader and than as President. And by the end of my time at Uni I knew that my heart burns to carry on serving God through working with students, leading them closer to Jesus and helping CUs.

I want to be a vessel of God’s blessing and guidance for students in CU, I want to have eternal impact on their lives for the glory of God, like my Staff Worker had on my life. I want to see Jesus glorified and worshiped in Universities, I want to see Jesus change people’s lives forever and I want to play my part faithfully and effectively. And with your ongoing support I would be able to.

Below are some pictures from our little but fiery Glyndwr CU (2013-2016) 🙂

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And our wedding picture with CU friends!

If you’d like to get in contact to catch up and chat about this further:

Мy number is 07716733180

And my email address is adamjbutterworth@live.com

Many blessings,

Adam and Katia

Outpouring of recent thoughts

I haven’t written any blog posts for a while. I was desperate to share something but felt like I simply had nothing to share. Now I think I have realised why, I am only brave enough to share from the place of victory, but not from a place of trial. So here I am writing from victory.

I am a very impatient person, constantly wanting to be on the move and do something, it is hard for me to stay still and just listen or wait, and a lot of the time that is a problem. I am desperate to ‘do’ something for God but not to just ‘be’ with God…my heart wants action without coming to the Father first, it wants to run onto the spiritual battlefield without putting on the full armour of God first. But the Father is wise and patient and He didn’t force this lesson on me until I was ready for it, He simply held me back and made me wonder what I’m doing wrong.

Thank You Father.

Now looking back from the place of spiritual awakening I have finally encountered, I’m glad He didn’t use me in the ways I wanted, before meditating with Him first. Only now have I realised that a lot of my motivations were selfish and for my own gain or glorification, even though I tried to hide it from my own understanding as much as I could. I see now that I wanted to be used by God, at times, predominantly to feel important, not to feel bored or depressed, and probably to see myself as better than others, worshiping my impatience and hypocrisy. What a deceit of self-validation.

You can’t pour out from an empty jar.

Becoming a mother, I believe, has shaped me and continually ‘trimms’ me to come closer to God and to run to Him first, about everything. My first few month of motherhood were difficult and filled with insecurity, having no idea what I’m doing, especially at the sight of enormous responsibility and blessing of raising a new person. I can’t describe the love I have for my little girl, and the fear that comes with it. Slowly, running to the Father about every little thing became my priority. Motherhood brings me so much joy, probably the most joyful calling I’ve had so far. I am beyond honoured that God has entrusted me and Adam to be parents and to raise His beautiful creation, lead her in the way she should go, teach her about Him and how to bless His name. Being a mother helps me grow and discipline myself, gain patience, understanding, love and focus on God. It is truly such a blessing, never have I imagined it being so precious.

I think my recent spiritual awakening started with facing my own vulnerability and admitting my imperfections, without being defencive or hostile, instead purposefully admitting everything to God and leaving it at His feet, being ‘undone’ in His presence without fear of being rejected. I was able to do that by the example of someone else, whose public vulnerability and raw honesty has greately impressed me. I found podcasts and meditations from Strahan and felt led to listen…God has greately blessed me through Strahan’s ministry (‘Commoners Communion’). What impressed and inspired me the most was how open and vulnerable he allowed himself to be about the years of trouble and trials he is enduring. There is something so special about openness and vulnerability, it requires enormous amount of bravery, trust in God and His defence, lack of fear of men. There’s something so pure and childlike about it. I think it is a human trait I admire the most. Having a baby daughter, who cant help but be vulnerable and ‘real’ about everything and rely on me and Adam for most things, helps me understand and appreciate it even better.

It is so easy to overlook and neglect a hardened heart and not realise how world-like and luke warm it can become. Until someone’s pure and raw love for God shines through, tearing down the veil and setting a new sparkle of the fire of God inside, awakening the heart to it’s Christ-likeness and reminding to leave the dead self behind and actively be the ‘new creation’ He has saved you to be.

Be encouraged because your light can wake someone up to the truth of God, someone like me. Only something real can overcome something fake, only raw love can burn down the ugliness of indifference. God can bring wholeness to His children through the outpouring of your pain through your testimony and honesty. God can save and bring prodigals home through your zelous love for Him and people, through your heart-felt sharing of trials and suffering from your walk with God. You don’t know how much difference your ministry makes for the Kingdom of God and for the body of Christ. You don’t know how much glory your pure heart-felt prayer life can bring to the Father. Your sonship and honest worship are His joy and His delight. Don’t ever be discouraged in following after Christ, even when it seems slow and fruitless. Be faithful and don’t doubt His love, He can bring true beauty from ashes. Only in heaven will we see the fruit of our labour, but here on earth, with trials and temptations, don’t be discouraged, be the light and shine as bright as you can. He sees the unseen and rewards the hidden. He loves you, child, and He is there to catch you when you fall and put you back on your feet. Run to Him.

Also, don’t hold back when God leads you to share encouragement for people, don’t hesitate sharing your prayers and concerns for them. Your words can bring a tonne of strength to a weary and discouraged soul that feels forgotten. Be courageous in following after Christ, always.

Thank you Father for your love for me, thank you for Your edification and your patience. I have learnt my lesson, thank You for blessing me, using me and setting a fire in my heart again. Thank You for leading me to the place of thankfulness. I don’t want to be luke-warm, Lord. I want to want You more and to love You more and to lead others to thirst for You more. Don’t let me become hardened, Lord. Let my closest friend be Your Holy Spirit, and let in never change. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Inspired to write

I just felt like I should start writing, and God will provide with the content…so here it is. God is very loving and very patient with us. He is patient about our disobedience, our disbelief, our distraction, our impatience, our ideas and dreams that we wont let Him intervene with because we struggle to trust Him. He is patient and loving, His love for us is so deep and so clean that we can’t even comprehend it, its incomparable to anything in this world, it’s too deep and too real for us to understand…but we know it and feel it when we come to Him and he saves us. From then on we belong to the Lord and Saviour of the Universe. God is such a loving Father, no earthly father could compare. He is such a gentle and loving friend, His faithfulness and trustworthiness are incredible, we could always rely on Him, He already knows us from the inside out and loves just the same, He never lets down. The Lord is such a selfless Saviour…unless Jesus gave his life for us – there was no way for us to be saved. So He did, He cleansed us with His blood and welcomed us into His Kingdom of eternal glory. When we were dirty and unwanted, He accepted us, when no-one cared, He called us the children of God. Another amazing thing is that even though He loves us and accepts us just as we come, we don’t have to (and can’t really) sort ourselves out before coming to God, He loves us too much to let us carry on destroying ourselves and each other through the old ways of life. So He leads us to repentance, the Holy Spirit gently and firmly convicts us of our sin, and He changes us so we are never the same again. He puts a new heart in us, He exchanges our heart of stone with a heart of love. He makes all things new and gives us so many gifts and blessings, to shine this amazing hope to people who are still lost…and to build up those who are already found. To be like a lighthouse in the midst of a dark raging sea, to be like Christ. He was and is and is yet to come. And He is coming back unexpectedly, when no-one is looking out for Him, like a thief in the night. Those who serve Him will be separated from those who decided not to serve Him. He is going to take His people Home, Home that He built for us. There will be no more tears and no more death. There we will be so close to Him, looking at Him face to face, knowing His precense in full. Now we know in part, but than we will know in fullness what it is like to love and live eternally for God. It will be amazing.

Hope and comfort from the Lord

This blog post is a bit different from my usual posts, it is rather a prayer that the Lord has laid upon my heart, than a story. But first, here is a bit of the background.

Today in church we had a “creative service”, there were a few “creative zones”, where people could go and express their love to Jesus and hear from Him in different ways. We had: worship zone, craft zone, message zone, and quiet zone…I always love “creative services” very much. Today the Lord spoke to me very clearly that He wants me to go to the quiet zone, spend some special one-to-one time with Him, read where He leads me in the Bible and lift people up in prayer. I wrote down the prayer He has laid upon my heart, but didn’t share it in the church.
Later on today I went on a walk to the park with God. It was a very special walk with my King, He awakened my heart once again from the busyness of everyday life and focus of man-maid treasures and creations to the beauty of His presence, the uniqueness of His creation and His never-ending love for us. On the walk, the Lord made it very clear to me that what I wrote today wasn’t for me alone, that He would speak to people through it and I shouldn’t keep it hidden.
I feel like God is “expanding” my heart, my love for Him and people is growing, and my heart is overflowing with empathy and compassion for those who are facing dark and difficult times right now.
We have great hope in Jesus Christ, He is our refuge and strength, our everlasting help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run into Him and are safe (Proverbs 18:10).

So here is the prayer for me and for you:
“Lord God, You are so wonderful, so powerful and so merciful. Let Your presence be known to us, let Your living water overflow our souls, Your holy power gives us strength to stand against sin and darkness in our lives and in the world.
Your light shines, brings peace and guidance with every step we take, Your light shines through Your people, brings healing and new life. You awaken the souls of the lost and weary, You love without measure and You teach holiness.
How great You are Lord God, how beautiful is Your touch…let the light of Your face shine on us Lord God, let us see Your glory, let us have more of the Holy Spirit…
Please, Lord, bring healing to those who are crying out to you, let Your presence be known to them and Your comfort silence the darkness and despair. Let their souls rejoice in Your presence and have new hope from You Lord. Let every breath they take become lighter and easier, let them know the beauty of Your salvation anew, the breath of Your Spirit…what a wonderful promise we have in You Lord God. You are so good to us Jesus, You died so we could live, You gave us the Holy Spirit so we won’t be like the sheep without guidance and belonging. Lord God You father us so gently and generously, Your love for us is so deep…no one can fully comprehend Your beauty. I pray Lord God that we wouldn’t live in slavery anymore, as You have set us free…teach us to live in Your love, power, and freedom. Let us know that You carry our burdens and fight our battles, that Your mercies are new every morning, and that nothing can separate us from Your love.
Amen. ❤ ”

This beautiful song was on my heart while I was writing:

I hope this encourages you, builds you up and motivates you to cling to Christ, from whom all blessings flow. God loves you very much, He is with you and you are never alone in your struggles.

Yours in Christ,
Katia

New house! Praise the Lord <3

God is good.
Today we have finally moved into a new house, the house that we feel God has led us to move into. After such a long struggle of searching for a place, having only 2 weeks to sort everything out, and then having trouble and multiple delays with needed documents, we have finally moved in!
God is such a good God, the only true God. Such a loving and caring Daddy… He has provided for us once again. Through every struggle, through every storm, He is always there going through it all with us, loving us and holding us. The Bible tells us not to worry about anything but pray about everything. Even though sometimes it is so hard not to fear and worry- we need to set our mind on things above and not below. His perfect love casts out all fear!
We are ready to spread God’s love and make Him known in our new neighbourhood! So far, the neighbours we’ve met were nice, our landlords are very lovely, and we have received so much help from our family and so many friends have been praying for us! We are so thankful! God is so beautiful, and makes everything beautiful! His will is awesome and He makes all things work together for the good of those who love him.We put our trust in You alone our amazing Redeemer!
I want to encourage everyone who is going through some tough times now, who doesn’t see the way out of their current difficulty, or who is slowly loosing hope…you are not alone, you are never alone. God is with you, He loves you and cares for you so much! Turn to Him, whatever you are going through, He is the God Almighty, He holds the whole world in His hands, and He is the only one who can help you and fill you up. Talk to Him, don’t hesitate to pour out your heart to Him…He is listening to you, you are His beloved. Turn to Jesus and find your hope in Him…He is waiting for you, He loves you, He is faithful…God delivers!

Yours in Christ,
Katia

The beauty of Christ in my life

Hello everyone,
My name is Katia, I love God with my everything, and I love you, whoever you are!
I am going to introduce you to who I was before I have encountered the love of God, and to who I am now.
Here is my story.
I was raised as an atheist, though I was sometimes talking to God, but I was never sure if God was listening to me, or if He even was there.
In my teenage years, I became very twisted. I think then I was at the worst point in my life. My main focus became popularity in my friend groups, boys, alcohol, nightlife, and money. Soon I was very disappointed and depressed…I would have “fun” in the daytime, but every night I would cry because I was so unhappy. Having evaluated what the world says should make a person happy, I understood that I have it all and that I want to end my life because I feel so empty and meaningless. This feeling just grew and slowly I was becoming more desperate.
I got accepted to International Christian University in Ukraine, where I was planning to study business. At that time Christianity only annoyed me, and I was hoping that the name of the University didn’t really mean anything. My parents liked the university because the lessons were taught in English, and as well my cousin, Anton, having studied there many years ago, really enjoyed it.
It felt like “Christianity” was following me everywhere and I was trying to escape. Like for example, at around the same time as I was excepted to the University, my best friend, Imen, became a born-again Christian, and wouldn’t keep quiet about Jesus…that annoyed me so much then.
My first Christianity lecture in the University wasn’t anywhere near what I was expecting. I was expecting to see an orthodox priest dressed in robes with a massive cross in his hand…instead, I saw Steve. Steve is a very cool theologian from New Zeland. What shocked me at the time, was that before giving His life to Christ, Steve was a Satanist. I couldn’t believe that God could change someone’s life that much! But the evidence was just in front of me. Whenever Steve spoke about his life with God or read some verses from the Bible, I felt weird. Sometimes I had goosebumps, sometimes I felt like crying.
After a while of thinking, questioning my beliefs, and feeling hopeless at where I was, I came to the conclusion that I want to know God, and if He is actually there, He is my only hope.
So I came home and spoke to God, asking Him to come into my life and change it, if He is there. And He did.
I felt His presence, but I found it quite hard to believe straight away. I felt the spiritual battle in me very strongly.
I had a dream, in this dream, I was walking through a weird dry place, and there was someone who was scaring me from every angle, though I just walked straight. I ended up on the high hill, and this someone told me that he would give me all the world if I would follow him, but I replied “No, I will follow Jesus!”, and God took me and saved me.
When I woke up, it didn’t feel like I was asleep, it felt too real. And I definitely knew that the decision I made in that dream was very real and important.
After that, everything changed. I felt like I was given new everything…birds singing sounded so fresh and beautiful, like never before…every leaf on every tree looked so unique and wonderful. I was filled with so much love…I have never been loved like that before.And I love God so much! God’s love is so indescribable and overflowing! I was given purpose, hope, joy, new life…I started loving people, just everyone I see. Everyone is so unique, and they all are craving for that love I just found, it is the only love that can heal, complete and overfill! I couldn’t help it but tell people about Jesus! How could I say that I love them if I don’t tell them about Love Himself? We love because He loved us first. Real freedom can be found in Christ alone!
God led me to read the Bible (which I find so fascinating!) and to go to church…soon I visited a Christian Camp, where I have decided that I want my life to be completely and fully devoted to God, in everything I do and everything I am, I want Him to be glorified. On my 18th birthday, I was baptised.
Soon after, God led me to study at Glyndwr University in the UK. I was very excited for what God has planned and got involved in the Christian Union. God told me to eagerly pray for one of the boys from the Christian Union, whose name I didn’t even remember. Then God told me that I need to talk to him soon. This boy’s name was Adam, he wasn’t a Christian, though his desire to know God was growing stronger. Soon we became best friends, and would hang out every day, talking for hours about God. Few weeks later Adam was born-again, God saved Him! That was so beautiful and amazing to see him encountering the love of God, and finally having the true life!
Soon both I and Adam became leaders in the Christian Union, and God was doing a lot of beautiful things and saving many people.
Now we are married (that is so amazing, God’s plan is so beautiful!God is absolutely awesome!).
God is so good, I pray that we are always burning for Him, never burning out, always loving God and people, and never shy away from shining God’s love, light, and truth to all creation.
Jesus loves you so much, He laid His life for you, so you may have eternal life! And He resurrected on the third day, He is alive! Jesus is the Lord! He said: “Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened by life, and I will give you life.” (Mat 11:28) He has invited you to come to Him and be filled and comforted…come whoever you are, and be loved by Love Himself!

God bless!
Love,
Katia

Fashion and Individuality

 

  Fashion is: 1) a popular or the latest style of clothing, hair style, decoration, or behavior; 2) a manner of doing something.

  Fashion is a tricky thing isn’t it? It changes so quickly and it repeats itself so much through time. New colour theme, new jeans style, new hair style and makeup style…though is it really new? From season to season a lot of people follow the style set by fashion, buying top trending clothes and trying to look like models of the time…therefore it makes everyone who follows it look kind of the same.

  There is a dilemma: everyone seems to want to be fashionable, but at the same time it seems like everyone wants to look unique. Common strive to be uncommon.

  People identify themselves by how they look, and everyone wants to be identified as attractive, special and interesting. People want to be loved and liked. Celebrities and models are identified as liked, attractive and cool, why not try to look like them?

  Though if we want to be and look special, why is everyone trying to look the same? Maybe because people don’t think that they are special unless they look and behave like someone else, maybe because people don’t understand that they are special for who they are.

  No person in the world is the same, everyone is unique. Bible in Psalm 139:13-14 sais that each one of us has been fearfully and wonderfully made. People are different, but it is a good thing! We should complement each other’s differences and encourage one another in love, leading each other to the truth.

  A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.(John 13:34)

  Now, this is the message to you, reader: Be you, because you are unique. God made you very wonderfully, whoever you are! You don’t have to try and fit in to be loved, you don’t have to be identified by the way you look, and you don’t have to try and be or look like someone else! You are loved for who you are, you are unique because of who you are, God of the whole universe loves you more than you could ever imagine! If you give it all to God, your identity is safe in Him.

Please comment and share! I would love to know what you think! J
God bless!

References:
1) http://howtobearedhead.com/4-tips-how-to-express-your-individuality-through-fashion/
2) http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fashion
3) https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=clavier%20francais
4) http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/nov/13/people-bother-keeping-up-fashion
5) Bible: Psalm 139:13-14, John 13-34

The matter of CHOICE

What is choice? Do we choose everything we do or buy? Does media and culture have control over our mind and decision-making? Can we even choose to choose, or are we manipulated by screaming advertisements all around us, to the point where we just blankly want and buy, without thinking about it too much?

  Choice involves mentally making a decision: judging the merits of multiple options and selecting one or more of them. One can make a choice between imagined options or between real options followed by the corresponding action.

  What is happening in the world, is a massive popularisation of material riches. Advertisements from all around are blinding people with their bright and attractive headings, shouting:  “You need me! Get me! Buy me! I will make you happier! I will make your life better and easier! I will make you cooler! I will make you more popular! I am all you need!”

  But do those things advertised really fulfil their promises? Sometimes they don’t, sometimes they do until the update/ new fashion/ new product comes out and screams that you need it even more than the previous one, and it will make your life even better. Though does it, and does this circle of unfulfilled promises ever end?

  We choose what we fill ourselves with, we choose what we believe in, and we have control over our actions. We can’t justify our actions by blaming our choices on someone or something else, we are capable to choose what we build our lives on. If we fill ourselves with the promises of modern world, would it ever be enough?

  If we build our lives on the strong foundation, on the “rock” (Bible talks about it in Matthew 7:24-27 ) , trust the promises that are true and everlasting and fill ourselves with the things that are good for our bodies and souls- we won’t be shaken. But if we build our lives on lies we hear or tell- surely it won’t lead anywhere good. It is our choice.

  According to William Glasser’s Theory of Choice, behaviour is made up of four components: acting, thinking, feeling, and physiology. Glasser suggests we have considerable control and choice over acting and thinking, but not as much control over feeling and physiology. These four components remain closely intertwined, the choices we make in our thinking and acting greatly affect our feeling and physiology.

  Media and nowadays culture definitely plays a big part in a lot of people’s lives, but it doesn’t have the power to control our decisions, unless we let it.  Choices are to be made. Things we choose to “feed” ourselves, become big parts of our lives and even kind of consume us, and sometimes we don’t even realise it.

   We need to choose what we choose and what we fill ourselves with very carefully.

   Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4).

Please comment and share! I would love to know what you think! 🙂
God bless!

References:
1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choice
2) Bible: Matthew 7:24-27, Psalm 37:4
3) William Glasser “Choice theory”

Materialism: Are you satisfied?

                  

  We live in a material world with material things around us. Though some people argue that materialism isn’t very good for us. Why so? Let’s investigate.

  Materialism – is a form of philosophical monism which holds that matter is the fundamental substance in nature, and that all phenomena, including mental phenomena and consciousness, are identical with material interactions.
  It is preoccupation with or emphasis on material objects, comforts, and considerations, with a disinterest in or rejection of spiritual, intellectual, or cultural values.

  So, according to its definitions, materialism is all about what you can see, touch and what you can surround yourself with physically. It rejects spirituality and inner personal values. Do though material things make us happy, or is happiness even possible if all there could be in the world is materialistic?

  Visual things, values and achievements are attractive because they are visual…because we can have them, wear them, use them, touch them etc. Though do they satisfy? Probably for a short amount of time, until we see something more attractive, and want it. So it seems like material satisfaction- is a very short lasting satisfaction. But if this doesn’t satisfy us, than what would?

  Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

  This is a very desperate situation to find yourself into, when everything you try to have- doesn’t make you happy. More clothes, more money, more technology…more we get- smaller the world seems to offer, and so smaller are the chances you would find something that would really make us happy and wouldn’t just fade after a day, or a week.

  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)

  Happiest moments in our lives aren’t defined by the rules of materialism. We are happy when we know we are loved and cared about, and we are happy when we love with our whole hearts. Can we love material things? Maybe. Can material things love us? Definitely not. Is there anything more to this world than we can recognize? A strong YES from me!

  I believe that we live in a very beautiful world that was created by a very beautiful Creator who made us in His image. And this Creator wants to fill us with perfect love and joy, so we don’t have to try and fill ourselves with things that make us happy for a short amount of time. And He will if you come to Him for it! His name is Jesus.

  I’m not saying that we won’t want anything or buy anything ever after…we just won’t do it for fulfillment, we won’t rely on material treasures as if they could satisfy our souls. If we know the One who satisfies truly, why would we try to find satisfaction in things that don’t?

  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Please comment and share! I would love to know what you think! 🙂
God bless!

References:
1)https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good_life_lessons_from_the_longest_study_on_happiness?language=en (A very interesting experiment! Check this video out!)
2) Banksy art
3)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Materialism
4)http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/materialism
5) Bible: Ecclesiastes 5:10; 2 Corinthians 4:18; John 3:16.

In love with your consumers?

   
  Love is a strong word isn’t it…there are so many definitions of it. Some people are afraid to show love in their actions and words and don’t give many people the permission to see it through them; others, oppositely, don’t mind who they share it with and use love as an expression of many things and feelings. But what is love and can we develop love for those we don’t really know?
 
  There are so many articles and concepts about making consumers fall in love with the company and with the brand, but not as many about falling in love with the consumers and serving them out of love rather than out of obligation.

  It is obvious that business work for profit, success, growth, and a lot of the products developed are for serving people’s needs and wants for the good (except from those that damage people’s health, I really don’t appreciate those to be frank). But can employees serve customers with having an intention to love first, and sell second.

  Love is an action, a relationship, a commitment and a choice. To truly love customers, means to see each one as an individual and develop a relationship with each one, built on honesty and trust. There is a dangerous trap to fall into- to see costumers as a mass instead of individuals. Everyone desires to be special, chosen and love, including those who come to the shop or use/buy products and services any other way.

  A way to want to show people love- is to be overfilled with love yourself. Loving what you do and who you work with is essential, though loving people isn’t very easy sometimes, but it is totally and absolutely worth it. Love multiplies when we give it away, more we give- more we gain. Bible states that the greatest commandments are to love God and love people (Matthew 22:36-40), and God says that He is love (1 John 4:8). Maybe it is really all about love?

  Once I have heard a beautiful story about a firm and its customer. Once the customer called the company when he was very lonely and just needed a chat. The phone call endured for more than 7 hours, until the customer felt listened to and comforted. Now, this is love and understanding between an employee and a client.

Please comment and share! I would love to know what you think! 🙂
God bless!

References:
1) http://www.economistgroup.com/marketingunbound/consumers/3-ways-to-love-your-customer-vision-critical/
2) Bible: Matthew 22:36-40; 1 John 4:8
3) https://www.quicksprout.com/the-complete-guide-to-understand-customer-psychology/