Tag Archives: Living Giving

5.13.16 Who Formed Your View About Money and Giving?

If you are a reader who prefers to skip a blog post on giving, I ask that you not disconnect so soon. I want to share with you an important question posed to me in a recent meeting that I believe all should consider. If you are willing to read on, I think you will discover an underlying reason why you don’t get jazzed about Living Giving. If you make it to the end, I bet you will walk away from this post with some insights of your own on this topic.

I am a new board member of the Riverbend Church Foundation. We partner with National Christian Foundation (NCF) to handle monies received from donors. Our chairperson asked us to meet with NCF to familiarize ourselves with their processes. I dutifully set up an appointment with Ryan, our local NCF representative. Our topic for this meeting was legacy giving. After Ryan explained how NCF works, he opened the door for me to share the Living Giving plan that God showed me in 2007. I shared my investment strategies with him and emphasized the joy I feel through giving and the evidence of compounding over the last nine years! I communicated my prayer that by God’s grace I will change the family financial tree for the younger generations.

My goal is to help family members serve the Lord freely without financial hindrances.

Ryan advanced the conversation by posing this question: “Think of a patriarch and/or matriarch in your family. What did they teach you about money and giving?” As I tried to absorb the question, he proceeded to answer it.

“Lee Ann, when I sit down with potential donors and ask this question, the majority shrug their shoulders. Their patriarchs were silent on money and giving,” he said. “Most donors I meet learned about money and giving on their own or through the church.”

I left the meeting reflecting on this question: Who was the patriarch or matriarch who taught me about money and giving? I learned about money and giving through my parents. My Mother and Dad embedded in me the importance of tithing at an early age. Giving is a spiritual act, first and foremost. Dad so strongly emphasized tithing (giving a tenth of my income) that it was “non-negotiable.” You ALWAYS write the Lord a “thank you” note to acknowledge God as your provider! No if, ands, or buts. If you don’t, you’re robbing God. If you do, God will pour out so much blessing on you, you won’t have room to store it (Malachi 3). Dad showed me this particular passage to point out that God invites me to “test Him” on this. This is the only place in the Bible God invites us to test Him.

Dad also modeled generosity to other Christian organizations. When I paid bills for him as his power of attorney, I saw money go to over twenty different Christian ministries. Dad wanted to give as many dollars as he could to help Christian organizations spread the gospel. However, Dad was generous to a fault. He didn’t care if his contributions were building debt on his credit card that he couldn’t pay in full the following month!

I also learned an unspoken family rule about money the hard way. I accepted a call to serve as a Christian counselor in Iola, Kansas, in January of 1994. Since I had been in graduate school and only worked part-time, I didn’t have any cash reserves to initially support myself. It would take at least six months to build a counseling practice in a city where I was unknown. Since this was a Christian ministry, I decided to send out letters to raise funds based on prior mission trip experiences.

In 1990 I traveled to Poland on a mission through my local church and Campus Crusade for Christ. Many of my friends used a template fund-raising letter developed by the organization. It’s a common practice, so I didn’t give it any thought. When I went to Kansas, I used the boilerplate fund-raising letter I had saved from the Poland mission trip packet. I promptly sent it out to my family and friends. I was unprepared for Mother’s disapproval when she called to express her displeasure that such a letter went out to our family members. She announced a rule: “You don’t ask your family for money. It’s up to you to earn it.” I embarrassed her by asking for financial help. Fortunately, other family members weren’t offended by it and gladly helped.

As I finished reflecting on Ryan’s question, I realized that I learned a range of ideas about money and giving. The most important lesson I learned is that giving originates with God. God made us in His image, and He is a giver. Giving is where joy resides. Learning to cultivate the habit of giving through tithing as a child was an integral part of my spiritual formation. But I also observed an unhealthy practice when Dad gave money through credit cards when he didn’t have the means to pay it.

I imagine we all learned both healthy and unhealthy views of money and giving as we grew up.

I am grateful that my parents laid the groundwork for giving at an early age. Some of you may not have been that fortunate. There’s a good chance that many of you didn’t receive any teachings on money and giving from a patriarch. Instead, you had to figure it out on your own. No matter what, we all need a healthy foundation to cultivate a heart for Living Giving. This conclusion leads me to another question.

How can I inspire people to engage in Living Giving if most people don’t have a sound framework to build toward legacy giving?

Maybe God showed me a new angle to consider for my book on Living Giving. Maybe the “problem” I need to solve in this book is the absence of a healthy biblical view of money and giving generously. There’s only one way to find out if this hypothesis is valid. Ask!

I decided to test drive this question with a couple of friends. One friend confirmed Ryan’s statistics. She was one of many who didn’t receive any teaching on money or giving from the patriarchs in her family. Another friend shared humorously a memory of seeing four tithe checks her parents made out to their church. The check stock was in a three-ring binder in full view. My friend wondered why these checks were still undisbursed. They said, “We don’t approve how the church is spending some of the money.” My friend learned that her parents attempted to control their church by withholding their tithe.

I am so glad you made it to the end of this post. I hope Ryan’s question has helped you gain insight into your own views about money and giving. I would love your help on this book project. I would like to collect data about the foundation you received (or didn’t receive) on money and giving.

  • Would you be willing to answer what you learned about money and giving from your patriarch/matriarch?
  • If the answer is “No one taught me about money and giving,” please share that as well. If it wasn’t your family who shaped your view of money and giving, then who did?
  • If all you have is a snippet, I welcome those too.

The comment box is below if you’re willing to help. I look forward to your feedback!

Blessings,

Lee Ann

12.19.14 Will You Be a Part of the Living Giving Journey?

You want to give generously and seek a way to make giving an integral part of your budget, empowering you to change the lives that God has placed in your circle of influence.

•But perhaps, giving has not been a priority for you, because you are strangled by debt.

•Or maybe the idea of giving in order to impact generations to come, feels like a futuristic fantasy.

•Or maybe you’re disappointed that you’re not where you want to be financially, which would allow you to give freely, without a second thought.

I can show you how to use your written budget as a tool to take dead aim at your Living Giving goals, starting with small sums of money.

I can show you how small amounts of money given on behalf of young family members can become large sums through compounding when they grow older—if you are willing to release small dollars now.

I can show you the strong biblical foundation for why we should do this. God wants us to multiply small seeds of money to help our families thrive financially for years to come.

I believe we are not leveraging the tools God has given us. We are too busy driving, barely looking beyond the hood ornament of our car.

Will you join me?

I am looking for a few men and women willing to join a pilot group on a Living Giving journey next year, as I write my book on this topic. I need a small group to test-drive what I’m teaching. Regardless of your level of income or debt, I can help you find a small starting point for building a financial legacy for your family. In return, I ask for your feedback, which will be invaluable.

Photo Courtesy @Shutterstock.com/Monkey Business Images

Photo Courtesy @Shutterstock.com/Monkey Business Images

If you’re interested in joining this small group, you need to meet a few criteria:

Criteria #1: You are a Christian

Just as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us – see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
— 2 Corinthians 8:7

Since the principles underlying Living Giving are based on Scriptures, our group needs to accept God’s Word as our source of truth. Of course, anyone can achieve Living Giving regardless of faith orientation, but for now I prefer to work with a group who share a Christian worldview.

Criteria #2: You are willing to meet with me once a month during 2015

We will hold twelve meetings through my video conferencing program at a time we all agree upon. If you’ve ever participated in a webinar, then you have an accurate picture of the format. The meetings will not exceed an hour.

Criteria #3: You have a WRITTEN budget for your household

Since Living Giving is an intentional plan, we need to know our cash flow and how much discretionary income we have. It’s not enough to have your budget “in your head” or to have a “strong feel” for your cash flow. If you want to join this group, you are on the honors system regarding a written budget.

Criteria #4 – You are willing to give me feedback

I will be gathering information from you as we go along. For example, I will need to know what parts of the Living Giving plan may not be clear to you. I will want to know what obstacles you faced to start a Living Giving plan. I will want to know your successes! I will want to know how God showed up and perhaps prospered you when you stepped out in faith to give. Please know your finances will remain private. I will not ask you to disclose your income, level of debt, etc.

My promise to you:

•You will experience the extraordinary blessing of joy, stepping out in faith when you don’t believe you have the dollars to give.

•I have been practicing Living Giving for seven years and I can promise that the small seeds I planted have multiplied in such a way I can’t stop giving! This is not a concept. It works!

•Prayer will be a significant foundation for all that we do.

If the Lord is prompting you to join this small group, please email me or call me. If you have other questions that I failed to answer above, please let me know.

As a Christmas gift, to show my appreciation for all of my readers, I have included a link to download an Excel budget spreadsheet: Budget Template 2015. The formulas are already set up for you. You may tweak it to fit your needs. If you need help customizing the spreadsheet, I will be glad to assist you. This is my forte, so please take advantage of my offer!

Blessings,

Lee Ann

6.13.14 Let’s Bless Someone Today

Are you looking for an opportunity to financially bless someone today? If so, let me suggest a dear group of people who need support: single parents. Who comes to mind when you read “single parents?” Maybe your neighbors or your colleagues or your family and friends? Maybe you?

 

I sympathize for single parents trying to raise children on a tight budget. Some of them were divorced against their will, while others left an abusive relationship. If you ask them what they worry about the most, they will tell you, “not having enough money.” It is no secret that women are more economically disadvantaged after coming out of a divorce. They feel anxious being the sole supporter of their family.

 

Let’s try to live in their moccasins for a minute. Imagine dealing with the daily obligations of preparing meals, keeping up with the house, helping the kids get bathed or dressed, and then working a full time job. These tasks are stressful enough with spousal support. Now imagine the added emotional stress you would feel if a medical bill arrived in your mailbox that you couldn’t pay. Some of these bills induce sticker shock. We are privileged when we can pay our bills from our cash reserves or our next paycheck. But many single parents cannot. I fear that we’re too busy to notice the financial pain single parents are experiencing.

Photo Courtesy @IStockphoto.com/killerb10

Photo Courtesy @IStockphoto.com/killerb10

 

It saddens me that God has placed single parents in our lives, who are crying on the inside, but we’re not seeing it. They are financially hurting and wondering if they can make ends meet, while we dine at our favorite restaurants or engage in our favorite hobbies. How does God’s Word inform us to act when we see others needing help? Several passages come to mind:

 

Romans 12:8 Paul gives a list of spiritual gifts to his readers, declaring that if your gift “is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously.”

Romans 12:13 Paul encourages us, “Share with God’s people who are in need.”

James 2:15-17 James tells us our faith is dead if we see a brother or sister without food or clothing and then say, “I wish you well; keep warm and well-fed.”

I John 3:17 “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?”

 

I look to the above verses to strengthen my living giving vision of helping those who are financially stressed. Here is our graphic with today’s focus on helping single parents:

 

Graphic Courtesy of Chelly Drake

Graphic Courtesy of Chelly Drake

 

If you were a single parent, would you have the courage to ask for financial help? If you’re like most people, you wouldn’t dare ask. You might feel embarrassed, or ashamed, or worried that someone will think less of you. So how do we create a bridge to minister to our family or friends if they won’t ask for help?

First, pray for God to reveal a financial need so we can minister to them.

Second, listen for financial stress during conversations with single parents. My friends don’t come right out and say, “I can’t pay my medical bill.” Instead they say, “My doctor won’t see me until I pay my balance, so it may be a little while before I can make an appointment.” Or I will hear the stress in their voice when they say, “I can’t believe I have three bills due at once. It will be a miracle if I get them all paid.” Before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) came along, my friends who didn’t have health insurance would say, “I can’t afford to go the doctor or dentist.” Sometimes it can be difficult to come up with a $25 copay to see a doctor. In none of these scenarios did anyone ask, “Lee Ann, can you help me?” I take the initiative by asking, “Would you please let me help you with any medical bills you have?” Or “What bill is creating the greatest burden for you?” Or “Would it be okay for me to minister to you financially?” When I am direct, I don’t get turned down.

 

The Lord amazes me. He already knows the need of my friends and knows how to provide the resources to me to assist them with their medical bills. I have yet to miss the money that went to pay a medical bill for a single parent. Sure, the payment temporarily reduces my checkbook balance, but I promise you I do not miss it – and neither would you. In addition, my accountant informs me that by paying a medical provider directly, I can receive a tax deduction. That’s not the reason I give, but it’s a nice bonus.

 

I’m sure I sound like a broken record by now, but there is joy knowing that God has resourced us to help others. We have the privilege of being God’s conduit, while His generosity flows through us. When we reduce their financial stress by paying their medical bills, we are also giving them the gift of emotional rest. They are no longer losing sleep.

 

Would you prayerfully consider helping a single parent financially? In my last post, I suggested that you create a budget line item entitled, “Helping those in need.” This line item can be used for both the poor and/or single parents who need our help. With some gentle probing, I bet you will discover an opportunity to financially bless a single parent today. More importantly, watch your impact on them, and you will see how powerful your financial gift is to them. It will make you want to do it again!  

 

Blessings,

Lee Ann

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.30.14 Three Reasons Why We Should Give to the Poor

Recently I was sitting at a traffic light when I noticed an underprivileged woman on the corner holding a sign that read, “Anything helps. God Bless.” Because I was out of granola bars, I reached for a dollar in my wallet. When I rolled down my window, she flashed a smile of appreciation. As I handed her the dollar, I shared my standard pitch, “This dollar is not from me, but from Jesus. I hope you will spend it wisely.” Without skipping a beat she said, “Jesus is my Savior, and I am saving these dollars to pay next month’s rent.”

Photo Courtesy @ IStockphoto.com/eyecrave

Photo Courtesy @ IStockphoto.com/eyecrave

 

I don’t profess to be an expert on ministering to the poor. I struggle with how to help them effectively as much as the next person. As Christians, I doubt we disagree about our duty to assist the poor, but how we go about it is another matter. Giving to the poor is part of my living giving vision.

Graphic Courtesy of Chelly Drake

Graphic Courtesy of Chelly Drake

 

I offer three biblical reasons why our living giving plan should include the poor.

 

#1: God said so.

“Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I COMMAND you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.      — Deuteronomy 24:10-11

 

Throughout the New Testament, you will find passages in which God places high value on the poor.  Examples include “remember the poor,” and Tabitha “was always doing good and helping the poor,” and Cornelius “was God-fearing and gave generously to those in need.”

 

#2: Jesus expects us to remember how merciful He was to us, which should motivate us to be merciful to those in need without judging them. 

Luke 6:27-38: Jesus teaches us how to love the unlovable, i.e. love your enemies, do good to those who curse or hate you, and lend without expecting repayment. He even says “Give to everyone who asks you.” Why? He gives an admonition, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged.”

Jesus showed us mercy when we deserved to be condemned. When the poor need help, He wants us to demonstrate His mercy and generosity without judgment.

 

#3: Jesus believes that when we ignore the poor and needy, we have ignored Him. 

Matt 25:34-40: This passage describes Judgment Day. The first three verses describe Jesus affirming the righteous for giving Him food, water, and clothing when He was in need. The last four verses describe the righteous trying to recall when they gave Him these provisions. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Jesus deeply cares for the poor. It is so important to Him, that we will be held accountable for our actions toward the poor on Judgment Day.

 

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

God expects us to take care of the poor, but I feel challenged by how to do this effectively. Don’t you? How do we give generously in a culture in which we are segregated by socioeconomic classes? How do we reach across those barriers when the primary times we cross paths with the poor are at a signal light or on a mission trip? How do we make meaningful connections with people in need? Moreover, how do we make this a part of our living giving plan?

Here are some opinions I’ve heard among Christians about how or how not to help the poor:

 

  • If we give money to a homeless man, he is going to buy alcohol with it. How is that helping the poor?
  • Handing money to a poor person is not solving the problem of poverty. We are rewarding their choice to panhandle.
  • Communities have places set up to provide meals and shelter for the poor. We should encourage them to seek assistance there.
  • When we give our tithe to the church, a portion of the money is sent to organizations that help the poor. Therefore, I am fulfilling the requirement to help the poor.

 

None of these points exempt us from looking the other way when a person is asking for help on the corner. When I read a passage from Deuteronomy about being “openhanded” or giving “without a grudging heart,” I can’t ignore my responsibility. Furthermore, if we adopt the premises shared above, we ultimately foster a pattern Jesus doesn’t favor – keeping the poor at a distance.

 

Of course, how I chose to help the woman on the street corner prevails as the least popular approach among the brethren! I typically have non-perishable food in the car to give away. However, this is the most obvious daily opportunity I have to create a meaningful connection with the poor. And if we are honest, giving a dollar doesn’t make a dent in our wallet when we don’t have food to give away. Why begrudge them? Who are we to judge them?

For those looking for an entry point, let me offer some ideas to help the poor as part of your living giving plan:

  • Create a line item in your budget entitled “Helping Those in Need” and determine a set amount to give each budget cycle. Then be intentional by praying for the opportunity to serve the poor directly. Ask the Lord to reveal persons in need so you know who should receive the amount you’ve set aside to give. I have been doing this for the last five years, and it is amazing how God answers this prayer!
  • If your church has a ministry to feed the poor, get involved. If not, then meet with the director of your local soup kitchen and volunteer to help serve meals. When you are finished serving the food, then sit at the table with them and make a connection. Learn a little bit of their story, and come back regularly so you can cultivate a relationship with them.
Photo courtesy @Istockphoto.com/jgroup

Photo courtesy @Istockphoto.com/jgroup

My friend, Barb, and I did this for over a year in Hutchinson, and five years later, we still share a friendship with a sweet woman named Bessie. She still calls us for prayer support, or when she’s lonely.

Bessie and me at IHOP.

Bessie and me at IHOP.

 

THE REWARD FOR HELPING THE POOR AND NEEDY 

I invite you to implement one of these ideas. Let me encourage you with these passages from Proverbs:

  • Prov 19:17 “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done.”
  • Prov 22:9 “A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.”
  • Prov 28:27 “He who gives to the poor will lack nothing.”

 

Here’s the bonus:God’s living Word is intended to be transformational, not informational. When we act on the information, the poor is blessed, but we are the ones who are transformed! Our hearts grow to be more like Jesus. Because we are made in His image, our generosity to the poor reflects Him. We share His joy when we tangibly make a difference in the life of another. It is my prayer that you will incorporate helping the poor in your living giving plan.

 

What is your greatest struggle to help the poor in more meaningful ways beyond sending money as a charitable gift? If you are helping the poor that includes connecting with them directly, please share a comment below on how you’re doing it to inspire the rest of us! 

 

Blessings,

Lee Ann

5.16.14 Life Insurance for Infants?

Talking about life insurance is like putting lipstick on a pig. How attractive can it really be? Take the parachutes off your back and stay with me! I have always believed in utilizing insurance to protect family from catastrophic events such as a premature death, disability, or long term care. But I bet the majority of you have not thought about taking out life insurance on your infant, let alone how it can be a tool for living giving.

Today I want to expand your thinking about living giving for your own child, grandchild, or any young relatives through life insurance. I’ll share with you the big picture and possibilities without going into all the factors and variables. As I demonstrate the versatility of life insurance, I invite you to ponder the question at the center of the graphic below: “What is My Living Giving Lifetime Goal?” for utilizing life insurance.

Graphic Courtesy of Bill and Chelly Drake

Graphic Courtesy of Bill and Chelly Drake

Let’s assume you want to buy life insurance on your child or grandchild as soon as he or she is born. What kind should you buy? In order to carry life insurance throughout your child’s life, you need permanent life insurance, e.g. whole life, universal life, or variable universal life policies. Let me be clear, the goal of buying insurance is not for purposes of a death benefit (though that comes with the policy), but rather to provide for them later in life.

How is using life insurance a “living giving” approach?

  • Because life insurance offers permanent protection as long as the premiums are paid, your gift builds equity (also known as cash surrender value) in the policy for your child or grandchild.
  • By building the cash value in the policy, it can be accessed for a number of purposes, like funding your child’s college education, or supplementing their retirement income decades from now – tax free.
  • By securing your child’s life insurance policy as soon as he/she is born, you are protecting the child’s future insurability over his/her lifetime. Once the policy is issued, coverage cannot be canceled as long as the premiums are paid. That’s a gift. And if you buy the policy with a Policy Purchase Option, you have the opportunity to incrementally increase the death benefit during certain windows of time, regardless of your child’s health situation. We take for granted that kids will be healthy, but conditions like diabetes or autism, for example, will preclude children from being underwritten.
  • Finally, the ultimate goal is to transfer the ownership of the policy to your child. You are gifting the equity that has been built up over a long period of time that they can tap for retirement income or other expenses – tax free.

 

Let’s Do Some Math

Life insurance premiums are based on age. If you buy a policy on your child when she is young, you pay less in premiums. Let’s assume you’re buying a variable universal life insurance policy on your infant, and you can commit $500/year in premiums. Here is what $500/year in premiums can buy in ballpark figures:

  • $68,000 for the initial death benefit.
  • When your child is eighteen, the equity is approximately $12,000 (assumes about a 7%/year rate of return net of expenses), which can be tapped for college education expenses tax free.
  • When your child is eighteen, the death benefit will have grown to approximately $80,000, though this is not the focus of this strategy.
  • If you don’t need to tap the equity for college education, then let it keep growing. When the child is 65, the equity is around $400,000, which can be withdrawn tax free.
  • When the child is 65, the death benefit has grown to approximately $500,000.

 

Here’s the punch line. Your living giving was $500/year in premiums from your child’s infancy to their age 65, or $32,500, but the resulting tax free gift grew to $400,000. This amount is your lifetime living giving goal for insurance assuming you are gifting for one child.

It is my prayer that as you read these posts, you are envisioning ways that you can practice living giving to change your family’s financial tree. As of today, I have covered living giving through 529 Plans for college education (Living Giving with 529 Plans), through Roth IRAs when your children start earning income (Living Giving Through Roth IRAs), and through life insurance. I hope your cumulative lifetime living giving goal is growing!

If you like the idea of living giving through insurance, contact your financial advisor or insurance agent to process it. They will gladly run an illustration for you at no cost for any scenario you want. 

 

Blessings,

Lee Ann