Heritage United Methodist Church in Van Buren, Arkansas, has begun a Capital Campaign. Heritage is reaching so many people that they now have 3 services every Sunday morning. They are considering adding a 4th service, because there is just not enough room. Heritage, with it's 175 years of history, is growing at such a rapid rate, that they have moved up their 5 stage plan and are raising money to pay off stage 1, so they can start phase 2.
Phase 2, consists of a multi-purpose facility that is large enough to seat comfortably, I believe they said 1400 people during a service. Over the course of the next 6 years they will need 5.7 million dollars to complete this project.
One of the things they have done is to share this booklet with the congregation. Each family received a copy.
The booklet is designed to be read by the family. One chapter per week of Lent. And is four chapters long. Yes I know, I don't follow directions very well. IT'S AN AWESOME BOOK.
Before I finished chapter 2, I was making sure my tithe (I was a little behind) was up to date. I recommend this book to EVERYONE. I know I thought when we got the book, "yea, yea, another book on giving, just what I need". WELL, YEA, I NEEDED IT!!!!
Giving, is, what it's all about. If we can't give from our pocketbooks, then do we really know how to give. I give my time, yes, that's really all I have. Being a stay at home mom, blog writer, student, teacher, I'm not "earning" any money right now. But, that doesn't get me off the hook. My husband, makes money, he makes a good living, because God lets him. God set all that up. God's hand is all over it. That money is Gods, and he allows us to have some of it. It's the least we can do, is give the tithe back to him. (Did I really ever think that I would say that before now... No... Not really)
This book is good stuff. I want to share a part of it:
"Make the following three specific decisions, no matter what your financial situation might be, and Satan will fail. God will ensure your success because He is the Source of your blessing!"
Decision 1 - Give to the Lord this Sunday. (I changed that to Today, cause we do ours online, and I got it caught up!!!!)
Decision 2 - Give to the Lord every Sunday... (the more you "routinely" give, trains your heart to open up to giving more).
Decision 3 - Plan to give "tithes and offerings" (plan for them, budget it in, give God His first!!!)
"Give to the Lord first... It teaches that giving the first part of the crop as it came in was a sign of trust in the Lord's provision" (If you don't trust God's promise to provide... where are you, really?)
This little bitty booklet, that took all of an hour (or two) to read, totally changed my way of thinking, my way of looking at things. AND there is so much more in here that you just simply have to get your hands on a copy and read it. Share it with your family. Your friends. With everyone!!!!
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