To close out an exciting year for 4word, our founder, Diane Paddison, returns with a letter of reflection, expectation, and awe at the grace and power of God and His will.

Don’t have time to read this blog? Listen to it below!

Isn’t it amazing when you take time to reflect back to the start of the year? When I look back, I see where we were and what we set out to accomplish, and how almost all goals were accomplished. To God be the glory! 

For the next ten years, we are REDEFINING 4WORD’S GOAL SETTING with GOD-SIZED GOALS. When I blurted out this Big Hairy Audacious Goal (“BHAG”) at the last session of our 2021 Strategic Planning session, my four teammates looked at me with a look like, “Has she gone crazy?” We went on the adopt the “BHAG” “To empower 10 million Christian women in the workplace to change the world by 2030.” We still have some details to work out, but this is what we as a team and organization are shooting for. No one can argue that, if we reach this goal, it’s because of God blessing 4word and the team by using our God-given gifts to our full potential.

This year, we had goals around our clients, people, platform and financial results. 

Our clients voted by giving their time, talent, and treasure at a new high. Giving Week 2021 beat Giving Week 2020 by 45%. The 4th Annual C-Level Christian Women’s Forum sold out two months ahead in 2021 and the C-Level Forum 2022 is almost sold out six months ahead. 4word was blessed that all sponsors continued to support 4word when we put “safety first” and executed our first virtual Gala.

At the beginning of the year, we had no idea what would be the result of our first virtual gala. We had to move forward with faith, trusting God with a hope that comes from believing miracles can happen through Him.  We were only 1% off of our net income goal and reached twice as many people as usual. A virtual Gala gave 4word the chance to have a global audience including people from Korea, the United Kingdom, and France.

For the 2022, please pray that the face-to-face Gala will beat 2020’s face to face Gala net by 10%!

Our people including Mentors, Board, and Advisory Board members, Community Group Leaders, blog, podcast, and radio interviewees, all volunteers, have continued to give time and talent that God is using to CHANGE LIVES. Our staff serves all of our clients, volunteers and donors. We added two new staff in 2021 and will bring in a new Executive Director in 2022. I am excited to be moving to the Founder/Visionary role.

We have two huge platform initiatives that began in 2021 and will extend into 2022. First, our clients are supporting Journey4word, our pilot sustainable mission support program, which began its pilot soft-launch this fall and will be fully launched in 2022. Marion Medina and Laura Aguero are leading this important project. In addition, 4word is upgrading our technology platform. Molly Hergenderfer and Pam Johnson are leading this platform initiative

Lastly, with God blessing our clients, volunteers/people, and platform initiatives, the financial results will happen. His provision will be amazing!

Please join us in reaching 4word’s Big Hairy Audacious Goal is to “empower 10 million Christian women in the workplace to change the world by 2030.” Our God-sized goal. I hope you have a wonderfully Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Join 4word as we pray, invest and invite others to the kingdom work that God is doing through 4word

What happens when you give to 4word? You multiply stories of positive change for the kingdom of Christ around the world. Imagine what could happen when you join 4word in our strategic goal of empowering 10 million Christian women in the workplace to change the world by 2030. Will you join us? Every gift, of any size, makes a difference. To give, simply text “GIVETODAY” to 95577 or click the button below to give online.