Giving means thinking positively

“Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times.” (Ephesians 5:16 The Message)

Tornados in the Midwest, tsunamis and earthquakes around the world, spring floods on the East Coast and along the Mississippi River, state and national budget controversies, rising gas prices … the past few months definitely feel like desperate times.

The apostle Paul writes, “Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times.” How will we as United Methodists make the most of every chance we get during these desperate times? For one thing, we’ve just come through another tax season. I’m always amazed that no matter what kind of a year we’ve had – good or bad – we always find a way to pay our taxes.

If you examine your tax return and you wish you had given Jesus a bit more so that you could give Uncle Sam a bit less, we invite you to consider starting now for next year. “Resurrect your finances” during the Easter season. Here are some suggestions:

• Make the first check you write each pay period, or the first automatic withdrawal you make, be a “thank you” gift to God.


• Instead of buying your children or grandchildren candy and trinkets for Easter or graduation, consider a gift in their honor to help victims of a natural disaster through UMCOR or to your church’s portion of our shared mission (apportionments).


• Give at least 50% of the total you might spend on a vacation or special events during the summer to the ministry of Christ.


• Try tithing; i.e., giving 10% of your income to the church for 3 months during the summer or fall.


• See how quickly you can get out of debt under various repayment scenarios by going to http://www.moneypurposejoy.com/, click on “resources,” “calculators,” and “accelerated debt payoff calculator.”

Attend the “Freed Up From Debt” workshop at Pine Lake Camp on Friday, August 19. Register for the Stewardship Retreat at http://www.wiumcamps.org/.

--Wisconsin UM Foundation



God Is Still In Control!



Miss Lladale Carey
Web Content Producer
http://www.umcgiving.org/
United Methodist Communications
lcarey@umcom.org