Simpler Living

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Happiness and Money

By Betsy Schwarzentraub | April 9, 2018

Happiness can be elusive. Surveys from way back have shown that Americans in all economic levels thought they’d be happy if they had just 10% more. But recent research 1 is even more striking: When Harvard Business School asked more than 4,000 millionaires how much money it would take to be perfectly happy, 25% said…

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Wall Street and “Enough”

By Betsy Schwarzentraub | February 12, 2018

I was intrigued by a recent article in MONEY magazine, 1 and the explosive reactions to it from some other MONEY readers. It’s written by Roz Warren, a freelance writer and part-time librarian. So what radical thing did she do? She pulled all her money out of the stock market. Warren had made a financial…

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Mustard Seed Giving

By Betsy Schwarzentraub | December 5, 2017

Are you looking for that just-right Christmas gift for a woman who already has plenty of stuff? Giving a micro-loan to another woman in her name can be exciting and empowering to the women on both ends! I’ve put Women for Women International on my Christmas list. For twenty-four years, it has helped women survivors…

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Generous Stewards — Compassionate and Caring

By Betsy Schwarzentraub | July 25, 2017

     I listened to a fascinating TED Talk on National Public Radio about compassion a while ago.1 It featured political analyst Sally Cone, and journalist Christa Tippet. “Compassion [is] the ability to appreciate and respect another person’s viewpoint, even if it isn’t your own,” said Cone. It includes communicating that your feelings are valid, and…

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Pursuing Possessions

By Betsy Schwarzentraub | May 22, 2017

Jesus says that what we pursue is what we treasure (Luke 12:33-34). The trouble with pursuing wealth as a source of security, adds author Sondra Ely Wheeler, 1 is that “it usurps God’s role as source and measure and guarantor of life.” By contrast, Wheeler notes, the Book of Luke lays out “a confidence of…

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Lynne Twist for Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday

By Betsy Schwarzentraub | April 3, 2017

Oprah’s “Super Soul Sunday” this April 23 will include Lynne Twist, inspiring blogger and author of The Soul of Money. I was so moved by her blog, “Super Soul Sunday with Oprah” that I made the following comment: “Lynne, I was thrilled to read your response to being interviewed by Oprah for this April’s Super…

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Technology Then and Now

By Betsy Schwarzentraub | January 30, 2017

Here are some stunning facts about the explosion of technology and our usage of it in recent years. Your partner in ministry, Betsy Schwarzentraub

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Smartphone Addictions

By Betsy Schwarzentraub | December 5, 2016

Technology has made so many things possible, with literally global access to knowledge and information. I was stunned years ago, when I first had the chance to go on the Internet. At that time I was working on my doctoral thesis – and got into thirteen libraries around the world in a half-hour’s time, all…

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“Stewardship and Culture” course

By Betsy Schwarzentraub | November 15, 2016

I’m excited to teach an online course on “Stewardship and Culture: Building Contagious Generosity” this next Jan. 9 through Feb. 11. Registration will be open beginning in December at transformingthechurch.org. The class will feature four audio-video presentations, an interactive online Class Forum, and four weekly live conference calls on Saturdays, Jan. 21 and 28 and…

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What Stuff Means

By Betsy Schwarzentraub | June 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…

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