Julie,
         It is just a few who were bent out of shape really.  In 
truth, people understood what we were trying to accomplish and 19 
families gave pledges of support.  Basically, 80 percent of our 
budget is covered if everyone can actually give what they pledged.  I 
think that that's pretty good.  It also forced the trustees to cut 
back and be realistic in what could be done, which is also a good thing.
         Phil spoke in an earlier post of the difference between 
faith and confidence.  I think that most of us make that mistake at 
some time and our trustees have been doing that for a few years, 
making unrealistic budgets in the confidence that, somehow, Christ 
would pull us through in stead of being realistic about our 
resources.  What I'm very glad about is, that in all the trimming, 
the missionaries that we support are still covered and they did not 
receive a cut.  That tells me that, mistakes may be made, but 
priorities, as a whole, are still in the right place.
Kathy



At 04:57 PM 2/6/2007, you wrote:
>Kathy,
>
>That was a good article.  I agree that it's the heart attitude in 
>giving that counts, not the percentage.  Probably church members 
>were offended because it hit a little close to home.  I pray God 
>will continue to speak to them and help them to grow.
>
>
>
>JulieMelton
>visit me at
>www.heart-and-music.com
>or subscribe to my podcast at
>http://feed.feedburner.com/hmradio
>Keep smiling!
>
>
>
>
>
>>From: Kathy Du Bois <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: The Electronic Church <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Attention Phil, (I've read it)
>>Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 11:28:30 -0500
>>
>>Hi Phil,
>>         Okay, being afraid that I would not get around to it, 
>> after writing my last post, I went right to your site and read 
>> what you have written on the subject of tithing.  Truthfully, I 
>> believe that you and I are on the same page even though we have 
>> come to that place from different directions.
>>         I've never experience the fear base preaching on tithing 
>> that you speak about.  As I was reading, I just couldn't help but 
>> think how sad it must be to feel like God is demanding ten percent 
>> out of your wallet or else lightning will strike.  I have always 
>> been taught that it needed to be done in love and thankfulness, 
>> otherwise, don't bother because God doesn't want what you want to 
>> give with a stingy attitude.  In other words, if it couldn't be 
>> given in love, then, it wasn't really given.    I wonder if this 
>> may be part of the reason that you experienced so much blessing 
>> when you quit tithing because Christ was celebrating with you that 
>> you understood fully that you are truly free in Him.
>>         Now I understand why you say what you do about 
>> tithing.  It must be freeing to be rid of that fear and sence that 
>> what God truly is after is attitude.  That's another whole line of 
>> thinking that is taught in the old Testament, that isn't preached 
>> on very well.  Samuel told Saul that to obey is better than 
>> sacrifice and David says that a contrite heart is what God truly 
>> desires.  Giving to God must b a heart matter and not a rule of thumb.
>>         Who as a parent wants to receive a gift from their child 
>> because the child "has too."  That isn't love and true love casts 
>> out fear.  Giving out of fear is not love.
>>         I do want to share with you an article that, interestingly 
>> enough, I wrote last month for our church newsletter that is on 
>> the same subject.
>>Our church had a pledge campaign, for the first time this 
>>year.  Now, in asking for pledges, we did not ask for any certain 
>>amount of anyones income.  If people pledged 2 percent or ten, we 
>>have no way of knowing and that is really between the individual 
>>and God.  We have been making unrealistic budgets, however, lately, 
>>and the hope was that if people gave some thought to their giving 
>>so that we could do a better job of planning financially, as a 
>>church, that would make the church a better steward of its resources as well.
>>         The idea of actually thinking about what you will give, is 
>> a new idea to some of our people.  Some individuals were offended, 
>> but they are also the ones who dig through their purse, during the 
>> sermon to find what loose change they can to stick in an envelope 
>> and put in the offering plate as it goes bye.  I know this because 
>> I can't help but hear it going on behind me.  That's what I was 
>> meaning about spiritually immature, in my other post.
>>         My article was an attempt to get at the point that it is 
>> an attitude of the heart to want to give to God.  Yes, I mention 
>> that Greg and I tithe.  WE love to do so.  For us, this is a 
>> base.  If we can give more, we love too.  Last year, when Greg was 
>> doing extra work at the post office, we had an absolute blast 
>> giving a lot away to bless others.  To be truthful, I kind of miss 
>> that ability right now, but I know that the Lord knows our heart 
>> and that's what He truly cares about.  Anyway, I thought that I'd 
>> just share it.  It will be interesting to see your response.
>>God bless,
>>Kathy
>>
>>  My Story of Giving
>>By Kathy Du Bois
>>
>>
>>         We have always at least tithed.  I was taught about the 
>> importance of giving to the Lord as a child.  When Greg and I 
>> began our married life together twenty-five years ago, we decided, 
>> from the start, that we would tithe.  I never had a sense of 
>> obligation about tithing.  I always saw it as a privilege, an 
>> amazing fact that I could actually live on only 90% of our income 
>> and give 10% away.  When you think about it, that is just an 
>> incredible concept that I don't have to live on all I make: 
>> rather, I have been blessed and I can enjoy sharing that blessing 
>> with others.  When you consider that, truthfully, it all comes 
>> from Him in the first place, giving back 10% or more, really isn't 
>> doing much.  The trick is, never depending upon that 10% to begin 
>> with, but rather, making it a matter of the heart that you can do with less.
>>I can remember, about twenty years ago, seeing a TV evangelist use 
>>the illustration of a big shovel and a little shovel.  In fact, if 
>>you sent money to his ministry to support his work for God, you 
>>could receive a replica of a big shovel and a little shovel, on a 
>>key chain to remind you that what you are giving financially, is 
>>nothing compared to what God will give back to you.  I think that 
>>the idea was that if you give to God, he will bless you with tons 
>>of money, so don't hold back.
>>That, however, has not been our experience.  We started giving 
>>because we love the Lord and we wanted to have lives centered in 
>>his will. We weren't concerned that God would, Pay us back, so to 
>>speak.  Why should He, if we truly believed that it was His to give 
>>in the first place.
>>   We have not been blessed with worldly wealth, as many of you 
>> know.  I can remember Christmas's when we shopped at GoodWill to 
>> have presents for our children.  I can remember many Christmas's 
>> when there was nothing under the tree for Greg and myself.  There 
>> were times when we were almost penniless.  Once, when Greg and I 
>> were both out of work and Matt was around six months old, we used 
>> our collection of pennies, about $25, to buy food. There were 
>> times when I'll admit, I worried, and complained.  I read Psalm 37 
>> on a daily basis and I clung to the promises in those words, "I 
>> have never seen the righteous forsaken," but we still tithed to 
>> the Lord out of what we had.
>>   I suppose that to many of you, this doesn't make sense and, to 
>> be truthful, if you are  someone who only views money from a 
>> worldly perspective, I can't really explain it.  There were times 
>> when I, especially, was tempted to hold back, but we gave, and 
>> trusted God, and we always got through the tough places.
>>You see, while it is true that God has not blessed us with great 
>>financial gain, what He has given us is Himself.  I wish that I 
>>could help you see how much more valuable that is than any vast 
>>number in a bank account.
>>We've learned about God's faithfulness through trying times.  We've 
>>learned the importance of depending upon Him for everything.  We've 
>>learned the value of going on our knees to seek His will before 
>>making any decision.
>>What should we do with the car?  Should we junk it or repair 
>>it?  Where should our children be educated?  How should we deal 
>>with a difficult teen?  We have learned that nothing is too small 
>>and no need is too great, to be placed before our heavenly Father 
>>in prayer.  In poverty we have learned how to walk with God and in 
>>earthly struggles, we have learned how to depend upon Him.  How can 
>>you use a shovel to illustrate the presence of God Himself in your 
>>daily life?  No shovel is big enough to demonstrate what we have 
>>truly been given in return.
>>My God shall supply all your needs, becomes three-dimensional when 
>>you live this way.  I do have to admit that God and I have 
>>different views on the idea of, "NEED" from time to time, but He 
>>remains patient as He conforms my way of seeing to His, and, He's 
>>always right, and, He always gets us through.
>>There have been the times when giving has felt as though it 
>>required sacrificing.  When we still lived in Michigan, we 
>>cancelled our membership at the Y. M. C. A. so that we would have 
>>the money to continue sponsoring a child through the ministry known 
>>as Compassion International.  We found a double stroller at a 
>>garage sale and took up walking instead.  The blessing there was 
>>that we were able to continue to support a child, I believe that 
>>the one that we were sponsoring at the time was from Haiti.  Later, 
>>Compassion began a program in which it helped some of its sponsors 
>>to write wills or living trusts, for free, something that we had 
>>neglected up to that point.  We took advantage of the offer, and 
>>took a step toward better securing our family's future.   God 
>>guided us all the way and while I missed swimming, and still do, we 
>>gained some things too; an hour of family time a day, fresh air and 
>>exercise on our walks, and financial guidance and wisdom.  It 
>>doesn't always work like that, but it does demonstrate how His ways 
>>are higher than our ways, if we will just submit our ways to Him.
>>I have to admit that I'm a bit nervous about this upcoming 
>>year.  We've learned that our mortgage will be going up 
>>considerably.  Liz may need braces for medical reasons, on her 
>>teeth and insurance may not help much.
>>Our car is a constant concern because it is older and gets a lot of 
>>wear and tear.  Greg will be working much less at the post office 
>>this year, which is good because he will have more time to devote 
>>to ministering to you, but it will mean a cut in our income.  Yet, 
>>we will continue to at least tithe.  Not because we have to, but 
>>because we love too.  It's so little compared with all that Christ 
>>has given us.
>>As I live, I have two main prayers for my personal life.  The first 
>>is that I will always do my best to be generous to others.  This is 
>>the heart of God at work in my life. I pray that we can be able to 
>>give more than a tithe to continue to help God's church and those 
>>in need.  The second is that, if I am given a choice between my 
>>life and my Lord, that I will choose Him over myself.  Then I will 
>>know that I have truly lived well and that He will say to me, "Well 
>>done, good and faithful servant. Now enter into my rest."
>>I would just like to ask this, why do people hang on to all of 
>>their earthly things so dearly? When they are gone, those things 
>>will go to others if they are not broken or used up before that.
>>Life is the only investment that we can truly take with us. Even if 
>>our earthly possessions were thrown into the coffin with us, they 
>>would do us no good in the after life. Let's give of our time, our 
>>talent, our effort, and our finances to what really matters: 
>>eternity, and the salvation of others. That is the one blessing 
>>that we will never regret forever.
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