Three Things Giving More Helped Me Accomplish

I recently decided that I was going to increase my giving. After calculating my giving for 2010 I was, quite honestly, saddened. Here I am working my butt off to build a ministry, asking people to give their hard-earned income for the cause, and I am not giving myself. The truth is that I have it in my heart to give, but something always seems to hold me back. If I want to be really honest about it, it’s fear! Fear keeps me from doing what my heart longs to do. My 2010 year-end average of giving came out to 14.13%. I know it doesn’t seem too bad, but when I break down my giving over 2010 it doesn’t look good at all, and it motivates me to do better.

Over the first 9 months of 2010 my giving was only at 9.07%. My first thought was, “How can this be? I mean, I tithe all of my income.” But after further analysis I realized that I didn’t tithe all the money that came in for Haiti thinking it would even out in the end. After all, we weren’t raising the money to spend on ourselves, but for God, so in my head it all came out in the wash. Now, as I look back over the year, my convictions are telling another story. Over the last 3 months of 2010 my convictions became so strong that I intentionally upped my giving dramatically. My last quarter giving was at 27.13%. That’s substantial, considering that I don’t have the largest income right now, and I’m saving for school in the fall. It’s tight, but I would rather give up a little financial peace rather than give up on the spiritual peace that I feel now. The last quarter of 2010 best reflects the my goal for 2011, which is to give between 20-30%. It seems a little crazy to me right now, but I know I can do it. I know I can give, pay for school, build a ministry, and live off the rest.

In the process of changing my lifestyle by giving more it helped me accomplish some things that I want to share with you:

1) It helped me get out of debt:

• It always seems crazy to me that this is how God works, but in the process of giving more I gained a new perspective on finances. It helped me put different priorities on my finances and what I was to do with them. It helped me to focus on the most important things. I am excited to be just two months from debt free’dness! Being debt free means that I have the freedom to move about as God sees fit. Not being tied down by debt means that I can raise money for Gods work and not so I can pay unnecessary bills.

2) It helped me trim down by eating out less and eating less food:

• The truth is, I just don’t have enough extra cash to go out and eat anymore. If I do go out to eat it is usually paid on a gift card, or there is a coupon involved. This means eating less fast food and other junk food and eating more food at home. I do allow myself a little treat every couple of weeks, but it is not a large amount.

3) It helped me to realize that I don’t need as much money as I think I do:

• It’s quite amazing how far a few dollars can go when you shop for deals. Almost all stores have sales, store coupons, and accept manufacturer coupons, and most will let you intermix a combination of the three. With a little work you can pay very little for food and other merchandise. Many companies also hold crazy one time offers, like free gift cards or free merchandise offers, which can get you crazy amounts of stuff for little or no money.

During this process I have put into place three steps that will help to ensure my success:

1) Cut back on impulse purchases:

• I no longer go into stores and let their psyche attacks affect me. I am careful to not get pulled into special sales on stuff I don’t need. By eliminating the impulse I have also eliminated the fear of causing an overdraft by reckless spending.

2) Live tightly on a budget:

• I give myself about a $10 leeway when it comes to spending. I keep track of all money that comes in. This includes cash, gift cards, and any other form of spending. Basically, what it comes down to is if it’s not on the list it’s not going in the cart, period! (for the record, this one is very difficult for me)

3) ABSOLUTELY NO CREDIT CARD PURCHASES:

• This is a bit easier for me, considering I do not own a single credit card anymore, but unfortunately this lesson did not come without a huge cost to me. Past bad decisions have definitely made the current one a whole lot easier. Still, it is a necessary sacrifice if you want to give more to God’s work and less to the credit card companies. Think about how you could immediately increase your giving by taking the 18% or more you pay in interest and putting it into some great work being done for God.

The real truth is that it’s all about discipline. It really is that simple. If you can be disciplined you can give way more than you do now. I’m not saying everybody should give 30% of their income, but if it’s on your heart to give more then you’re going to have to make some sacrifices. It is my goal in life to reach a point where I give 90% of my income away and live off the other 10%. I know some of you are thinking that is impossible, that it can’t be done. Maybe not, but you can ask me in twenty years or so and I’ll let you know if it’s possible.

So, in evaluating 2010 I can definitely say that the first 9 months saw me focused on me and not on the work that God was doing around the world. During the last 3 months the focus of my finances changed and I have seen a significant difference in the way I live. I live pay check to pay check, but the difference for me is that I choose to. I am not binding myself to things that I do not need, but rather giving toward somebody elses needs. My current budget for 2011 is set at 28.5%, and I am looking for other areas to cut so the giving can increase even more. I now know what Jesus meant when He said it is better to give than to receive. There is no greater reward for me than to see others able to succeed and know that I was able to help them along the way.

I know many people don’t see giving the same as I do, but I would like to challenge you to give a little more this year. Don’t let the economy, gas prices, or increasing costs prevent you from being a blessing to others. Giving to God is not burdensome, but rather an exciting adventure in watching God provide for your life in unique ways. God promises to take care of us and I can say from experience that He does, especially through increased giving.