The Generosity Gaps
Do you think your generosity could be different than it is today? If something is holding you back, you could be in one of three Generosity Gaps. Are you ready to close the gaps and connect your generosity to your heart’s desire?
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Read More +My Focus This Advent
This photo was taken on the Colorado River last summer. The trout love clean, clear water even more than I do!
A couple of years ago my friend Fred Smith wrote about this time of year, noting how callused we can become if we only focus on what’s going on outside. The barrage of incoming requests, Giving Tuesday, year-end appeals, photos of hungry children, Facebook likes, Hollywood elite’s Twitter endorsements, clanging bells at the mall and big data reaching into our shopping sites can be exhausting. It can harden us and numb us to what is important. And what is important is what is going on inside.
Fred’s comments got me thinking again this year about what I choose to focus on. And for me this Advent, it’s looking inward not outward. Yesterday, I …
The Legacy of Mom
I can hear mom say, “Halloween. Oh, I just can’t be bothered.” So, at 5:30 a.m. on October 31st, Mary Josephine, my mom, took her last breath. I’m sure she was anticipating the party the next day in heaven… All Saints Day on November 1st.
One lesson that my mom’s 94-year life modeled was this… we are wired by God to contribute not consume. “Spend yourself,” I can hear her say. And spending herself she did. The last two years of dementia were debilitating for her and I must admit, my relationship with her was affected. These last two years consumed my capacity and the capacities of my sister and mom’s care givers in so many ways. I often said to myself, “this is all consuming.”
But now a …
Comments
“John brings us some great examples of men and women using their talents wisely when it comes to giving generously to others. He gets how important it is for people to think about generosity in terms of talent…”
– Brad Wilcox
National Marriage Project Director