Blogs and Articles

Open Bible and mug with heart on it

To encourage worshipful, generous-hearted living

For the most recent blog or to see articles by dates, look down the list on the right.

Beyond “Don’t Panic”

Sep 30, 2016

“Don’t panic” was a key phrase early in my life with personal computers. It was the Post-It Note message I stuck on my monitor, back when I wasn’t sure the computer had stored something as soon as it left the screen. I’d almost forgotten that phrase until earlier this month, when I discovered I would…

Read More

Generosity Rising

Jul 4, 2016

Book Review by The Rev. Rosanna Anderson From http://www.umcdiscipleship.org, July 3, 2016 Generosity Rising: Lead a Stewardship Revolution in Your Church by Scott McKenzie (Abingdon Press, 2016) What is a “stewardship revolution”? A revolution in giving comes from renewed stewardship commitment by a leadership team filled with people whose hearts and lives reflect financially-dedicated discipleship.…

Read More

Ultimate Security

Jul 1, 2016

The fire season: it’s summer once again. Fire is the only potentially terrifying aspect of living in the Sierra Nevada foothills. The photo here is of the fire now burning above us, its southern edge currently seven aerial miles north of our home. Thankfully it is moving in the opposite direction, although at the moment…

Read More

What Stuff Means

Jun 20, 2016

In The Power of Enough: Finding Contentment by Putting Stuff in Its Place, Lynn Miller has a great exercise for our personal reflection. It goes like this (my paraphrases): For each word on this list, write down what it means to you. There are no wrong answers. House Car Salary Food Clothes Cash Savings Retirement…

Read More

Beauty and Gratitude

Jun 16, 2016

Looking up, I watch the high, bright clouds slide smoothly across e. e. cummings’ “blue, true dream of sky.” What beauty God makes with creation! Gratitude gives us solid ground to stand on, but as long-armed as it is, it can never reach as far as God’s grace extends. Like the clouds, I want to…

Read More

The Problem with Seekers

Jun 13, 2016

There was a trend among church leaders years ago to call non-church-goers “seekers.” It seemed like a polite term at the time: better than “the unchurched,” anyway. The problem is that “seekers” implied that members of the opposite group are “finders,” as if people who have found a church home aren’t seekers anymore. “Finders” sounds…

Read More

Propel: Involvement and Generosity

Jun 10, 2016

I just wrote a book review for next year’s Giving magazine on Clayton Smith’s new book, Propel: Good Stewardship, Greater Generosity. The theme of that issue of Giving is “Living Generously,” and I hope you’ll order it online at www.stewardshipresources.org this fall. But there are a lot more ideas from Propel than I could pack…

Read More

Giving is Receiving is Giving is . . .

Jun 2, 2016

There is no way to give without receiving in the process. No doubt you’ve thought about it. For example, you decide to visit a sick friend or shut-in neighbor. By doing that you’ll be giving your time, care and compassion, strengthening a relationship, and simply by going reminding that person of God’s presence. But when…

Read More

Impact Investing

May 23, 2016

“Impact investing” was a new phrase to me until I saw a piece on YouTube. The term refers to microfinancing: loaning very small amounts of money to individuals to help solve economic and social problems. Microfinancing is a market of about 100 billion dollars today, serving roughly 100 million people by giving loans of 50…

Read More

A Reminder from the Birds

May 9, 2016

These past months the wild birds have been everywhere, first seeking whatever they could to build their nests. When much of the U.S. was still battling snowstorms, Northern California began to see spring. Thankfully we’ve had enough rain this year to cancel the current year’s (although not long-term) drought. Mornings have been filled with birdsong…

Read More