I love to serve. I love to give of myself in order to build others up.
I love creative arts. I would do it even if no one paid me. I am my truest self when I am being an artist.
I have learned over the years that over serving can steal my gifts. There is a life giving way to approach this reality, and there is a way that can actually steal our joy.
It’s my pleasure to serve and give of my talents in a way that helps others. It’s also completely ok to be paid for that service and gifting. If I want to be a healthy person who people can trust it benefits me to choose a structured way of managing my serving vs earning.
Here is the shortlist of how I prioritize my contribution to the world in a way that keeps me stable and sustained.
1. Day job comes first.
No matter how much I want to be working as an artist fulltime some years I have to be on staff for companies in order to eat, drive, and be merry. (Merry equals boarding or fishing. Neither of which are cheap hobbies.)
In those years I take a job that’s working in one of my strengths. I am talented at leading teams, administration, and marketing. When needed I take a job that uses one of these strengths. It doesn’t bless anyone for me to try to do something I’m terrible at.
I do not serve anyone by being broke and hungry. I can’t even benefit my own business or career if I can’t keep a roof over my head.
Therefore…the day job comes first.
2. Work on your own business.
Whatever your passion it needs to be nurtured as soon as you have free time to get to it. Right now I work 9-5. In the evening, after I train. I work another two hours as a freelance writer. The first job pays the bills, the passion job pays the heart (and sometimes bills).
I believe it is crucial to have a day job and a passion job. Sometimes in life we only work the passion job, and that’s great. That’s the goal. But I want to be clear. It doesn’t serve anyone for me to volunteer all my hours when I need to be working on what God uniquely placed in my heart.
3. Serve from a place of excess.
This is crucial. I used to serve first, work second, dream third. All out of order! I became bedraggled and didn’t like myself very much, and I doubt any one else did either. It did nothing for my reputation and I resented the groups I was serving.
No healthy organization wants us to give up our dreams to come work for them for free. If a group really cares about you they will want you to take care of yourself and family first.
I have learned to serve out of a place of excess. I know that there will be organizations that cannot pay me my rate for what I uniquely do. But I still want to help. It’s a powerful thing to give of myself with a group of likeminded people and watch miracles happen. But it can be toxic if it’s done out of order.
Here’s an example of what my week might look like.
Mon-Fri – day job 9-5 (This covers my entire budget.)
Sun-Wed 7pm-9pm – free lance work Some flexibility is involved for interviews and meetings.)
Thursday night – volunteer projects. I choose to provide free services to a small group of organizations that I love and support. But I need it to come from a place of excess. Once I know the bills are paid, my career is on track, then I can give of myself without resentment. Giving from a place of excess is the strongest and most loving choice for everyone involved.
Saturday – Sabbath. Where would my creativity come from if I never took time to live an actual life?
That’s it. Work, thrive, serve, play! It’s that simple!
I love you guys with my whole heart and I hope you are thriving!
-Jessika Fuhrmaneck
http://www.jessikafuhrmaneck.wordpress.com
http://www.jessikafuhrmaneck.com
Jessika Fuhrmaneck 
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