One of the great things my dad and stepmom taught me early on was the principle of giving.
When I was 9 I started getting a weekly list of chores and a payment plan was put into place based on the amount of work I did that week. Fortunately, dad was a big spender and I learned quickly that hard work pays well. Before I knew it, my piggy bank was getting quite full and I was faced with the decision of what to do with my earnings.
I would like to take credit for it, but I am sure that at 9 it was probably some persuasion from my dad that convinced me to start donating to Feed The Children. I believe my first donation was $10 per month. But soon, it was $20 and I believe I topped out at $40/month (from CHORES, y'all... I was scrubbing the toilets with a toothbrush).
Now, I was no saint, I definitely spent some of that hard earned cash on the newest Left Behind book or the best GameBoy Color game EVER. But... looking back, I am pretty proud of myself and thankful for a family that taught me the value of giving. I would receive a monthly newsletter from Feed the Children with some bios of kids who were now getting hot meals daily because of my contribution... it felt good.
And 10 years later, I am learning to re-adopt the love of giving. I am reluctant to say that I got greedy for a while, but I am back to putting consistent effort into being a servant of Christ, especially with my finances.
If I have learned anything on this perilous journey of mine over the last 2 years, it is that God provides. Whatever you need, whenever you need it.. He is there to fulfill and over-fill. Maybe not in the way we think He should, but hindsight is 20/20 and I can always look back and see God working in every area to protect, provide, and strengthen me.
Have I mentioned how liberating it is to give your money and time to something bigger than yourself? I literally get giddy when I look at all the things I have contributed to and connected my heart, money, and faith into.
The title here was a pun-intended, but let me also give a shout out to Dave Ramsey and all of his financial wisdom. Ramsey equips his listeners with the skills and knowledge to save money, reduce and eradicate debt, and get back on track financially- who doesn't love that?
