You Get What You Give

 My heart is so full tonight.  I am so blessed to know so many amazing givers.  We are showered with love so often; it's just astounding, and I am so thankful.  In fact, it is some of these people in my life who really taught me to become a giver and to make it a priority to give above and beyond as often as possible.  
  Quite frankly, the secret to abundance is becoming a person who always gives more than you get. And if this sounds counterproductive to you, stick with me.  It would seem like, according to our earthly economy that if you are always giving more than you get that you will very quickly be out of business.  But that's not how our God's economy works.  You see, in God's economy, He can take a small lunch of five loaves of bread and two fishes and use it to feed 5,000 people.  (Luke 9)  The cool part about this story is not that God created enough food to feed 5,000 people from a meager lunch serving.  After all, He's God... He could have created food out of nothing.  But the neat part about this all is that God allows us to be part of the blessing, and He blesses us in return for giving of what we have.  God, being that He's God and all, could theoretically just solve every problem in the world by Himself.  But He has graciously allowed us to become a part of solving some of the problems so that we can share in the blessings and benefits of doing so.  Pretty cool huh?  And I'm not saying you should give to get stuff in return.  I'm talking about genuine, deep down, from the heart giving.   Giving must become a way of life for you before you can enjoy the blessings of abundance you were made to have.
   The Bible instructs us to "Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days."  (Ecclesiastes 11:1)  What this is really saying is that if we are willing to throw what we have out there for those in need, we will find that what we need will always find its way to us as well.  And the Bible also promises us that if we are faithful in taking care of a little bit that we have, then we will be entrusted with more.  (Luke 16:10)
  Maybe you're going through a tough time financially, and giving seems really impossible right now.  I want to encourage you to find some way that you can.  Whether that be a few dollars to buy a homeless person lunch, or just picking up a card and taking the time to send some words of encouragement.  There are always ways you can give if you look for them, and if you become a giver, you will be rewarded in more ways than you can imagine.
  Make giving a way of life and I promise you, you will not be disappointed when you develop a truly generous heart.  I pray that you learn to be an extravagant giver and that you reap the blessings of doing so.  I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.W.