Thursday, May 1, 2008

Preparation, Property & Patience

No one told us how much patience it would take to make a vision a reality. Though we know God remains in control, to us if feels that we are progressing at turtle pace--a real test of our patience. Right now we are in a bit of a holding pattern.

We continue to labor, and we mean labor, at creating a business plan. For this we use Nolo Business Plan software. Thank goodness for a software that is smarter than we are, but even so, sometimes we respond to its prompts with a big "huh?" To two creative people the process is YUCK. Teena has threatened to chain Jeff to a chair in front of the computer to make him finish the plan.

We are at both the breaking point and break even point. The break even point is the point where, because of all our previous investigative work figuring out the cost of start up, we must determine how much product we must sell in order to just break even.

We are waiting for a call back from the Shield Foundation, so that we can set an appointment with them to talk through this plan and hopefully work with them to get funding and financial counseling. But due to Rusty Shield's busy schedule, we again find ourselves in a waiting pattern. The good news is the delay allows us to finish up the plan, and investigate potential coffee shop locations.

Teena continues to call on a variety of locations. We are looking at one building for sale today--a house formerly used as offices--on busy 127. It include a vacant lot to the side which can be developed but cost is nearly a quarter of a million dollars.

We've lined up several other lease properties to view tomorrow. We find it similar to our house shopping experiences where we see something that will do but find no real twang of the heart strings that produces excitement that verifies that the location is, absolutely, without a doubt the right place. Rather than responding like the aging single woman who ops to marry because she's been asked and doesn't want to wind up an old maid, we're waiting for the twang of the heartstrings for both of us so that we that we know that this indeed is THE ONE.

The cost remains a challenge and God will definitely need to provide another miracle in order for the size space we have in mind to become a reality. But He is a big God and he continues to surprise and amaze us with His providence.

As for the Cup of Life Sunday Evening community which began several weeks ago, it is a bit of a challenge. We've met primarily with one other couple and due to their schedule for the next month or so, it looks to be primarily us for a while. We've posted info regarding the meetings online and in the paper, so the next move is to do face-to-face invites. We may just have to put the community on hold for a while until we can get the business plan and property search completed because juggling jobs and other duties is very exhasting.

If nothing else, we can see where God is building character, and most of all, patience.

As always, we appreciate your prayers. At times we feel like Noah and his wife, what was her name? Joan of Ark out in the desert building an ark. Is there any body out there? Anybody? Let us hear from you. We could use the encouragement.

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