Generosity is grounded in a real sense of gratitude, says Rev. Scott McKenzie, Senior Vice President of Horizons Stewardship Company. He saw it firsthand on a mission service trip to Malawi, in the midst of a famine there. The villagers they had helped – themselves on the edge of starvation – danced and sang and brought out food as gifts to the express their deep gratitude.

Rev. Betsy Schwarzentraub, author and consultant in stewardship, agreed on the intimate connection between generosity and gratitude. “Generosity is our passion for giving out of who we are and what we have in gratitude for God’s generosity,” she said. Both Scott and Betsy say a generous lifestyle reflects God’s generosity and transforms our lives. Betsy promotes “first fruits living” and recommends Cami Walker’s book, 29 Days, as a resource.

See the full article, “Live Gratefully, Live Generously”, written by Emily Snell, in Gratefully Generous, a booklet published through the World Service Fund of The United Methodist Church.