“I know why I want my morality to save me. If I’m saved by my good works, then like a taxpayer, I have rights. I’ve paid into the system and God owes me a good and decent life. And there is a limit to what the Father can ask of me. But if I’m saved by sheer grace, then my life belongs entirely to the Father, he owes me nothing and there is no limit to what he can ask of me.”
The Snoopy Story of Generosity
The Snoopy Story
During the Hurricane Sandy relief work our church, New Covenant Community Church was so actively involved with… Brendon gets a phone call from a lady named Danielle from a Private Family Foundation (which I will let the family name remain anonymous) saying she read about us and she is very interested in partnering financially with us in the hurricane relief efforts.
She said she was on her way out of the country but before she left she was going to send a check and when she got back in the country, she wanted to set up a meeting with us about partnering long term.
Today was that meeting! I won’t go into the details about that meeting but… God NEVER does anything small when HE wants to show off!
The man who started this philanthropic foundation died in 2011 and so Danielle told us all about him. I hope you will be just as inspired by his story as I was!
When he was young, he wasn’t extremely wealthy but he transported children to and from a local children’s hospital and that is when the generosity bug bit him!
She described him as extrinsic and he had a “thing” for Snoopy! Yes, Snoopy the dog! As a matter of fact, when he didn’t have much, he would always have 3 or 4 little “snoopies” in his pocket and he would just give them out to children to make their day… put a smile on a little child’s face!
Well, as I heard Oprah say one time, “Money only makes you more of what you already are.” So, if you were generous when you had nothing, then when you are rich, you become a very generous rich person but if you were stingy and greedy when you were poor then you are only going to become a wealthy stingy and greedy person.
This man became VERY WEALTHY in his lifetime and he became a VERY GENEROUS man. His entire life he collected Snoopy memorabilia… as a matter of fact, you could say his office suite is decorated in “Snoopy.”
There are pictures of him dressed up as Snoopy at children’s events. She said until the end of his life, he always had 3 or 4 little Snoopies’ in his pocket even though he would also get out his checkbook and write large checks too.
I walked away and thought about how many people I have heard say, “If I were wealthy, I would be very generous.” Well, what do you love? Would it be possible to invest $5 and buy a 3 or 4 and put them in your pocket and try to give them out to someone and make their day?
You see that practice would MAKE you look at your everyday world… your neighborhood, your bus stop, your grocery store crowd, etc and you would look into people’s faces and eyes and you would notice that you have something to give to them!
I don’t think we are trained to look around our world through “giving” eyes, we are trained to either go into auto pilot or “see what is in for me.”
And… here is a secret…. the Bible says “He who is faithful in little will be given more.” One day you might be able to give away more than a snoopy too!
I dare you… take $5 and buy your version of 3 or 4 “Snoopies” and become a philanthropist. And… here is the last secret… you actually benefit more than the person that you give to!
Beware: Generosity is highly addictive!
Written by Danielle Wilson
Every goal needs a sub-goal
Henry Cloud has this recently to say in some of his upcoming research that I through was worth mentioning over here.
Navigate over to his website for more information.
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CREATE SUBGOALS
FOR BETTER RESULTS.
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I just got to Florida where I am facilitating a business retreat and looking forward to it. I love it when leaders get together to proactively think about how to do the best they can, and be the best that they can be for others. Very inspiring.I have been spending a lot of time researching goals and goal achievement. I will be sharing more about those in upcoming newsletters,
If you are trying to achieve something that feels big, one of the best things that you can do is to break that down into subgoals. For example, when I write a book it is about an 80,000 word project. If I think about writing 80,000 words, I get sick. But, if I break it down into subgoals, then those are very achievable. If I write 5,000 words a week, then a book is written in 4 months. 5,000 words in a week is very doable for me if I have done all of my research and am ready to write. Then, I no longer get depressed, but motivated. If you have to lose 50 pounds, that can be overwhelming. But, to have subgoals of exercising each day a certain amount of time is doable. Everything can be looked at that way, and this is actually the way that it always works. |
but here is one thing to think about:
I just had this conversation with someone this morning and my comment was; How do you eat and elephant? One bit at a time OR by developing sub-goals. Thanks Mr. Cloud
2013
2013 is on us and will start to move quickly! Before you know it will be in the heat of the summer, the falling leaves and back into Christmas.
The only person that can stop you from becoming what God intends for your life is you!
Some quick thoughts for 2013:
- Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results – make the required changes in 2013 to propel you to your destiny!
- If you walk in a yard and ignore the ‘watch dog’ sign and get bit … we will excuse you …. do it again and we will call you a fool. If you did things in 2012 that did not work … CHANGE …. stop doing them.
- Invest in relationships. Work, possessions. image and the list can go on …. it will all disappear one day … choose to invest in people!
- If your relationship with God is not #1 you will eventually loose out. Invest daily in your time with God.
- Your gifting might take you somewhere but can your character hold your there? Work on your character – this is the highest yielding part of who you are.
Grab 2013 and let’s make it happen!
Bible Study Tools
I have recently started using Bible Study Tools Online quit a bit and am loving to quick ease of use it has.
Why do I like the Bible Study Tools website:
- The quick search will bring up almost anything in the Bible Study Tools website
- If you know me, I am a huge fan on finding as many scriptures for a certain topic such as ‘trust’. Bible Study Tools seems to have an excellent search function for this.
- You get the below links right at your finger tips and they are included in your basic search many times:
- The Parallel Bible is a great tool also – I many times have something like the Message Version alongside a more traditional version such as the New King James version and often use the NIV as my standard Bible.
Find whats works best for you and use it!
What are some other great Bible Study Tools or websites you use?
One Solitary Life
Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.
He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself…
While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.
Nineteen long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the human race and leader of the column of progress.
I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life.
This essay was adapted from a sermon by Dr James Allan Francis in “The Real Jesus and Other Sermons”
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