120: Hope in Giving

"...In the struggle for existence, it is only on those who hang on for ten minutes after all is hopeless, that hope begins to dawn..."

This week, I am reading selected quotes on hope from GK Chesterton.

Reflection question:

• Where do you need to lean into the desperate, forlorn hope this week and keep moving forward?
  
  

Reflection on quote:

Last week, we discussed the first of two opposite errors in our campaign messaging that we can fall into.  The first error is blaming others and encouraging rage giving.  The second is to create desperate pleas for emergency giving with the implicit threat that the capital campaign project will fail without the donations.  This week, let’s reflect on the weaknesses with desperate pleas during a capital campaign.  

I typically counsel my capital campaign clients that they get one shot at giving a desperate plea in a small town and they need to use it wisely. Why? As GK Chesterton stated, fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed.  But, if dragons keep getting resurrected, and resurrected, and resurrected, then children cease to believe that dragons can be killed. Repeated desperate pleas sap hope from the community.  Instead, when we are facing obstacles, it is better for us to lean into hope.  It’s not the hope of bright prospects.  It’s the hope of desperate circumstances.  It’s the hope that holds on for 10 minutes more.  The hope that keeps calling potential donors with the vision of impact the project will have. The hope that keeps asking the community to partner together to finish the project.  The hope that keeps moving forward.  

What do you think? Send me a text.

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Music credit: Woeisuhmebop