Generosity Isn’t Just Monetary

At Christmastime out thoughts go to gifts we will give, and gifts we will receive. Being generous is part of living a happy and fulfilled life! Giving takes the focus off ourselves and causes us to consider what someone else might consider special or valued. As a bonus, giving empowers both the giver and the receiver!

Fortunate that 2023 has been a prosperous year? Go ahead, feel empowered and give generously with gifts to others, extra donations to charity, and yes —go ahead— spend a little on yourself. For many, however, it may have been a difficult year and money is short. So how can we be generous without spending money?

Be Generous with Your Time
Determine to build new relationships
Help out a neighbor 
Volunteer at a charity or cause
Spend time with someone who is lonely
Visit the sick or a shut-in
Offer to drive someone to the airport

Be Generous with Your Things
Share any surplus you may have 
Lend out a tool, mower, or yard game
Take food to a shut-in or needy family

Be Generous with Your Words
Always give thanks and show appreciation
Offer words of encouragement when needed
Express love and hope
Always speak positively, especially with children
Offer sincere compliment
Put others before yourself

When we give advice in areas in which we are experienced, we are being generous with our talents and skills. When we accept the generosity of others, we are also being generous. When we’re wrong, admit it. Apologize with sincerity. Be a good sport. Be patient. Be kind.

We are also being generous when we don’t gossip, judge, condemn or embarrass others. 

As we welcome our Savior into the world, it’s a good idea to take a minute to thank the Lord for His generosity shown to us through the saving grace of His Only Son.

Merry Christmas from all of us at the Stewardship Foundation. 

Prayer for Peace

Now in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Cohort called the Italica, devout and God-fearing along with his whole household, who used to give alms generously to the Jewish people and pray to God constantly. One afternoon about three o’clock, he saw plainly in a vision an angel of God come in to him and say to him “Cornelius… Your prayers and almsgiving have ascended as a memorial offering before God.”  —Acts 10:1-4

Prayers and Almsgiving. Both are acceptable to the Lord and because of this, Christian charities are stepping up to give everyone an opportunity to provide medical care, food and shelter, and humanitarian assistance to those in need in conflict areas in the Middle East, especially Israel. For guidance on giving to those in need in the Middle East, especially in Israel, please email our office at info@stewardshipworks.org attention “Give for Peace.”

A Prayer for Peace

Lord Jesus Christ,
You are the true King of peace.
In You alone is found freedom.

Please free our world from conflict.
Bring unity to troubled nations.
Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart.

Dispel all darkness and evil.
Protect the dignity of every human life.
Replace hatred with Your love.

Give wisdom to world leaders.
Free them from selfish ambition.
Eliminate all violence and war.

Glorious Virgin Mary,
Saint Michael the Archangel,
Every angel and saint:
Please pray for peace.
Pray for unity amongst nations.
Pray for unity amongst all people.
Pray for the most vulnerable.
Pray for those suffering.
Pray for the fearful.
Pray for those most in need.
Pray for us all.

Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, hear our prayers.
Jesus, I trust in You! Amen.

Kickoff Time for Investors

Football season: the time of year when we invest over 2 hours watching men in one color of uniform repeatedly try to hold on to an odd-shaped ball while running toward a big “H” with the intent to get past that big “H” before someone in another color uniform trips him up or somehow manages to steal that ball and run with it in the other direction.

American football field and ball on green grass.

When one guy gets the ball over a white chalk line half of the crowd stands up and roars while the guy that took the ball over that line is mobbed by a bunch of men all dressed in the same color uniform.

Getting that odd-shaped ball over the white line is very important. Much like getting prepared for end of year giving.

Football fans love a good football game, and we love watching all those last-second decisions made by the players. They remind our customers that it’s time to make investment decisions that are both “transformational” and that will make an “impact.”

Transformational giving is what the nonprofit and the donor experience when the gift “transforms” or changes either or both parties. Think of transformational giving as the football player that assumes his role in order to win for his team. In transformational giving the financial returns do not come back to the investor, rather it generates revenue so that the organization doesn’t need additional grants to run its programs.

An impact investment is a socially responsible form of investing that creates measurable social or environmental impact alongside a financial return for the investor.

This model will not work for all charities (eg: disaster relief), but for most it enables a gift to keep on giving and attracts high net worth charitable investors. If this type of long term thinking fascinates you, inspires you, challenges you… or if you are a major gift or development officer, or you know someone who is, we’d like to lead the conversation.