For much of January, KJo and I were crunching financial numbers for 2021 for Boggs Family Ministries. We have to do this for four reasons.
First, budget. We live personally and Boggs Family Ministries runs on a budget. In order to know whether or not the budget is working, you have to know the numbers.
Secondly, we had our annual Boggs Family Ministries board meeting last week and I always give them an overview of our ministry finances. I hold myself accountable to them and I ask them to guide me along the way. I need numbers for that.
Thirdly, as a 501c3, we are required to send donation receipts to individuals and businesses that give directly to Boggs Family Ministries. Those must be emailed or snail-mailed by January 31.
Finally, Boggs Family Ministries is a 501c3 but not a church. Therefore, we must fill out form 990 EZ for the IRS by May 15 each year. It is not a tax return, but a reporting form. The 990 EZ is anything but easy. It is a multiple page undertaking and I need all the financial numbers to complete that task.
The numbers are in. The results are both frightening and enlightening.🙌
Because of sickness and being home for nearly seven months, the ministry's main income in 2021, which is revival income, was about half what it was in 2020. Keep in perspective that 2020 was also an abbreviated and unusual year. So, our 2021 revival income was a little over 1/3 of our normal revival income.
Much of our ministry and personal expenses continued as if we were working as normal. Property taxes, house and barn maintenance, barn insurance, house insurance, bus payments, bus and car insurance and higher utilities since we were home. Plus, food costs were way up for everyone.
We did have a few personal expense categories that were lower since we were not traveling as much. We were not buying as much diesel and we were not spending as much on bus repairs. Realistically, the bus repairs will still have to be done, but that particular personal expense was pushed down the road a bit.
All of that to say, it would have been very difficult to survive all year on about 1/3 of our normal ministry income. Thinking about that is frightening. However, we not only survived, but with God's help, we thrived all year.
Churches and individuals and families and businesses were extremely kind and generous to us all year long. Most of the churches that we had to cancel, sent an offering anyway. Some of them sent offerings twice, some of them three times.
Boggs Family Ministries was able to keep its obligations and commitments and to pay us even though we were not capable of producing income. We were not only able to feed our family and pay all of our regular bills on time, we also were able to help others, fulfill all our foreign and home mission commitments and added more mission giving besides.
We knew we had been divinely helped and blessed, but adding the numbers and comparing the dates of miraculous income and outflow was enlightening. God walked with our family down through the valley of the shadow of death and kept pace with us all along the way! He never left our side one moment!
We are overwhelmed with the goodness of God and the goodness of the people of God. Many of the people that stepped up and did amazing things for us read these Mile Markers every day. It is difficult to know how to express our extreme gratitude.
We have tried to thank each of you personally, but you deserve public appreciation as well. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for helping us. May God bless you for blessing our ministry and family.
It is our sincere hope and prayer, that we can work in revivals all year long in 2022 with very few interruptions. That is our heartfelt desire. But we will never, ever forget God's incredible and almost unbelievable provision for us in 2020 and 2021. He truly helped us when we could not help ourselves.
The last two years have been difficult years for everyone. We have all lost way too many friends prematurely. Many of you and us have been sicker than we have ever been and for longer than we have ever been sick. These are troublesome times.
Yet, these last two years have been unbelievably wondrous and miraculous too. We will never forget God's marvelous works. He is great and greatly to be praised!!!
Thank you for reading today. In the midst of your trouble, I hope you can see the fingerprints of God's goodness in your life.
Davy
