RHM Newsletter 42: Website and Email Changes
Posted by Dion Todd June 12th, 2024 559 Views 5 Comments
Hello everyone! Because there were significant and
sudden changes that happened at RHM over the month of April, I wanted to
send y'all an update on what has been happening. The Lord has brought
positive changes, but they came in the midst of attacks from the enemy
that we are still dealing with, so this newsletter is also a prayer
request.
As a bit of background, when we started this ministry in
2013, we didn't have much in the way of resources to get started, nor
did we know what it would grow into as time went on. To get started, we
created the website using third-party software as a starting point. The
email subscriptions were handled on one server, and the website accounts
on another. Then, we made them work together with custom scripts.
As
time went on, though, updates would occur that would cause errors that
we were not able to fix because it started with that third-party
software that didn't get along and with code that we didn't write. It
was a fine way to get us started, but we always knew we would need to do
something else to take us through the ministryβs long-term needs.
To
resolve this issue, I started building a new ministry website from
scratch, one that we could build into any form we needed, add features
that would integrate into the base website, and have the mailing
controls and abilities we wanted. A web application that is modular and
could evolve with us and adapt to whatever we need, like adding apps for
tablets and phones. Also, if there were an error, we would have the
ability to deal with it. It is something I have been working on for the
last couple of years because it was no small task to build it from
nothing, and it had to fit in amongst our other ministry and life tasks.
We
were still in the midst of working on it, but apparently, the Lord was
ready for us to move on and get it launched! In April, we had a member
who, even now, still wants to subscribe to the devotional, mark about a
hundred of our past devotional emails as spam. They seem to have a
mental health problem, so we sympathize. Nevertheless, it was rather
catastrophic as it caused Yahoo and AOL to block our servers and,
subsequently, others to block us because Yahoo did. We were not even
able to get replies through to people asking questions. The last straw
was the day we sent out the devotional and had 40,000 emails bounce back
at us.
Since the new website and accompanying tools had email
abilities that our old site did not, we decided that, ready or not, it
was time to launch! Fortunately, the base functions of the website were
mainly in place. We were still adding features like small groups, live
chat, a functioning search, etc., but it was usable and already better
than the old website ever was.
We did a Spring cleaning and
unsubscribed about 40,000 subscribers and about 5,000 members from our
emails and signed us up to send emails through Amazon Web Services as a
fresh start. We only migrated people who had logged into the RHM website
in the last year and thought that would be good. To be sure, they would
want to hear from us. Well, most did, but there were still enough
sending complaints to put us into "warning status," which was
frustrating, to say the least. So we did another purge and unsubscribed
everyone who had not logged into the new website that we launched on April 1st. Now, we are kind of holding on and seeing which way this will go.
One
thing we have learned is that email delivery is becoming increasingly
difficult, and every subscriber brings risk. Also, many of the people
who mark the devotional as spam do not even realize what they are doing.
We have had members who were very involved in the ministry mark the
devotional as spam and then try to reverse it, but that is a one-way
button. Once a person marks our mail as junk, future mail from us
usually lands in your junk folder because it is now "trained" to do
that. We pay for every email that goes out now, so in effect, we paid
for them to do that to us.
Every email complaint gets sent back
to us, so I built a "Naughty List" into our new website mail system. Any
email address that marks one of our emails as junk will never receive
another email from our server.
As with most situations, the Lord
uses pressure to steer us and make us better. Learning to praise Him in
the storm is part of everyone's growth journey. We had already been
wanting other means of delivery besides email and we are actively
working on that now, because we have to. We now have browser
notifications, which will give you a little banner when the devotional
is ready and, in the future, apps for phones and tablets. Also you can get notifications when you receive replies to your prayer requests or inbox messages.
We
know that in our efforts to deal with all of the above, we caused
confusion and inconvenience for a lot of you who actually want the
devotional and to be a part of this online church community. We also
know that it would have been a lot smoother if we had been able to
announce the changes ahead of time. For both of those, we truly
apologize. We so appreciate all of you who have been part of RHM, and
who have prayed for and encouraged us through all these years.
Unfortunately, because of the email delivery, sending out communications
was not an option.
At this point, we are still blessed, pushing
forward, and continuing to believe the Lord is part of this
ministryβ¦but we could also use prayer. I know we shouldn't take it
personally, but it is a little difficult not to when people who signed
up for the devotionals I prayed and worked so hard on mark them as "junk." For all of you who continue to walk with us, thank you all so
much for your friendship, prayers, patience, and time. There will always
be trials, but you all make it worthwhile!
If you are one of the
folks who want the devotionals but have not been receiving them, create an account and edit your subscriptions. Or just
contact us, and we will help you get set up!
Join the discussion! Please sign in to comment, like, and share.
Marisa Jackson commented on Dion Todd's blog post: RHM Newsletter 42: Website and Email Changes
2 months ago
I love π Refreshing Hope Ministries as it has gotten me through some very wonderful and difficult π trials. I pray π that all will continue to be well as Our Father in Heaven is seeing you through this journey! Thank you π for the time you take each day to send out devotionals every day and know that you are not alone and that there are many of us who are lifting you and Sylvia in prayer because we are all brothers and sisters in Christ and we are supposed to lift each other up!! In Jesus precious name I pray π, Amen π, Amen π, Amen πβ€οΈ!!
Richard Mondello commented on Dion Todd's blog post: RHM Newsletter 42: Website and Email Changes
2 months ago
I've been here since the beginning of this ministry. It was right on time then and is timely now. By the grace of God keep up the good work. Changes come that is certain and by God's grace we are to roll with them. Thanks to you both pastor Dion and Mrs Sylvia for heeding the Holy Spirit's call.
Chris Motley commented on Dion Todd's blog post: RHM Newsletter 42: Website and Email Changes
2 months ago
Father God I stand in prayer with those here at RHM that a hedge of protection be around this ministry , That no weapon formed will prosper. I am reminded of this passage; Zachariah 2:5 And I myself will be a wall of fire around it, " declares the Lord" , and I will be its glory within. Yes Lord that you will be glorified here in this place. In Jesus name , Amen
Lynn Brown commented on Dion Todd's blog post: RHM Newsletter 42: Website and Email Changes
2 months ago
Thank You Pastor Dion and Sylvia for all your hard work on this new website! We are truly blessed and grateful for you both!
Father, please guard RHM from any attacks that keep this ministry going. I pray that RHM will prosper and grow to reach all who are in need of Your word. Please give Pastor Dion and Sylvia wisdom and guidance in building this website. Remove anyone who should not be here and tries to attack them. I pray for a hedge of protection around this ministry. Thank You for answering these prayers! In the name of Jesus, Amen.πβ€οΈ
Sylvia Todd
2 months ago
Thank you so much for your prayers, we are honored to have y'all here π!
Liesel aka lisa Wardle commented on Dion Todd's blog post: RHM Newsletter 42: Website and Email Changes
2 months ago
AMEN and AMEN, Pastor!!! π As you said again and again, we are here for such a time as this, there is no accident according to God's plan and why we are here!! The attacks will be increasing for all of those who believe in the Lord, all kinds of attacks to break us down, but the worst ones will be aimed towards you, the ministries that truly reach out and touch so many lives, preaching the word uncompromised and in truth!!! Ephesians 6:12 says "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against . . . ", but there is great comfort for all of us, because our Lord will not leave us comfortless "John 14:18"!!! We must lift up one another and pray like never ever before, especially for you and Sylvia, your entire family and the "RHM" ministry!!!π "Psalm 91:1-16" π
Psalm 91:1-16