Give with Joy: Day 4

As I have noted in the previous days, I decided to share something that talks about giving, generosity, and sharing. While these audio episodes focus on Christian giving, I believe we can all learn something from these short lessons on how to live a good life, whether we are Christian, agnostic, or believers in another religion.

In my experience, you always get more than you give. It's just the way it is with the laws of life. If you can't wait for me to share these stories over the next 40 days, you can always go here to listen in or read at: http://www.givewithjoy.org/true_stories_all40.htm.



Day Four: Middle class family gives a million dollars

http://www.givewithjoy.org/radio/GWJ-004.mp3

Steve owned a small business and had an annual salary of $50,000. He went to a conference where Dr. Bill Bright challenged people to give a million dollars to the LORD’s work. Steve told Dr. Bright it would be impossible for his family to give a million dollars.

Dr. Bright asked, “How much money did you make last year, and how much did you give?”

Steve said, “My salary is $50,000 and we gave $15,000.”

Dr. Bright said, “Next year, trust God to help you give $50,000.”

But Steve said, “That’s my entire salary!”

Dr. Bright said, “Trust God and see how He provides.”

With God’s help, Steve’s business did well and his family joyfully gave $50,000. The following year, God helped them give $100,000. Each year, his family lived on his $50,000 salary and gave all their extra income to the Lord’s work. Within several years, they gave over a million dollars!

Now, doesn't that inspire you. You don't have to give money. Give time. Give your book. Give your stories. Share with others.

You don't have to give to a church. You can give to Nature Conservancy, United Way, your local Girl Scouts, Sierra Club, American Cancer Society, or whatever. Give and share. Be generous. It will come back to you in a thousand ways.

Give with Joy: Day Two

As noted yesterday, I have decided to share something I found online that talks about giving, generosity, and sharing. While these audio episodes focus on Christian giving, I believe we can all learn something from these short lessons on how to live a good life, whether we are Christian, agnostic, or believers in another religion.

In my experience, you always get more than you give. It's just the way it is with the laws of life. If you can't wait for me to share these stories over the next 40 days, you can always go here to listen in or read at: http://www.givewithjoy.org/true_stories_all40.htm.



Day Two: African man saves children going blind

http://www.givewithjoy.org/radio/GWJ-002.mp3

While ministering in Africa, I met a Christian worker who raised his 6 children on $10 a month. He told me the story of how children in his village were going blind because of a disease that could be prevented with medicine that only cost 50 cents. He began to pray and ask God to send a rich person to their village to help give the money for the medicine, but no one ever came. As he kept praying, the Lord told him he should give the money to buy the medicine. But with 6 children and only a $10 a month salary, he couldn’t see how he could do this. But he and his family prayed and decided that every month they would buy the medicine to help one child. When I last spoke with him, he'd been doing this for 7 years and had saved 84 children from going blind. And his family saw God meet all of their needs.

Give with Joy: 40 Days of Giving

I decided to share something I found online that talks about giving, generosity, and sharing. While these audio episodes focus on Christian giving, I believe we can all learn something from these short lessons on how to live a good life.

In my experience, you always get more than you give. It's just the way it is with the laws of life. So, for the next 40 days, I'm going to share with you some short stories (in print or audio) on the power of giving. If you can't wait for me to share these stories over the next 40 days, you can always go here to listen in or read at: http://www.givewithjoy.org/true_stories_all40.htm.



Day One: A Single Mother Gives

http://www.givewithjoy.org/radio/GWJ-001.mp3

Nancy was was a single mother with young children. Her ex-husband sent her only a small amount of grocery money every week--so small it couldn’t even feed 1 person, much less her family of 4. But Nancy decided to begin giving to God from her little bit of grocery money and trust Him to provide. Shortly after, she got a job with a cookbook company. The company paid Nancy to go grocery shopping and prepare meals so they could take photographs for their cookbooks. When they were done taking pictures, Nancy could keep the food she had purchased and prepared. Isn’t that an amazing story of God’s goodness? Nancy learned that even if you’re poor, you still need to learn to give from whatever you have.