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FAITH AND MONEY – MAKING THE CONNECTION

Part Two of Three - For most of us making the connection between the way we live out our faith and the way we use our money is a life-long journey that invites us to live our lives more intentionally and purposefully than we have before, and in many cases, ever could have imagined. In our last column we introduced the topic, and in this one and the next we’re going to share the experiences   [Read More …]

FAITH AND MONEY – MAKING THE CONNECTION

Part One of Three - Sometimes our lives are touched and changed by an idea that grabs us and won’t let go, an idea that invites us to live our lives more intentionally and purposefully than we have before, and in many cases, ever could have imagined. For most of us who have been on, or are currently serving on, the Faith and Money Network Board of Directors, there is a connection between the   [Read More …]

Money, Time and Skills

If you went to Sunday school when you were a kid, you probably heard about the importance of tithing (that means giving 10%) your time and talent to the Lord, as well as your treasures. The time and talent message was beyond me at age 5, but treasures I understood. Back then it was the pennies I saved to put in the collection plate; today it is my financial resources. A couple of years ago my   [Read More …]

Does Your Money Buy Stuff or Joy?

The saddest words I ever heard my mother say were, “I got something, girls. I got something. I’m happy. I’m happy.” The “something” was a pair of slacks which joined countless others in her closet. And how long did her happiness with them last? Not much more than long enough to wear them once. How about you? Are your decisions determined by your addiction to “stuff”? Last year TIME magazine   [Read More …]

Unexpected Money – Blessing or Burden?

Think about these scenarios: Both of your parents are killed in an airplane crash and you are suddenly rich because of the insurance settlement you receive. Will you be comfortable investing that money or spending it on big ticket items since you have it only because of the tragedy that took your loved ones’ lives? Your spouse dies and you inherit a vast sum of money. Do you feel   [Read More …]

A Money-Free Measure of Happiness

In his book, Hometown Tales, Quaker pastor Philip Gulley discusses two ways to measure growth. The first is a traditional method which has been used by parents for eons. Once a year, you stand the kids up next to a wall in their stocking feet and draw a line on the wall to measure the past year's growth. Gulley's parents measured him that way for years, and he measured his sons that way too. The   [Read More …]

THE POWER OF A SMALL GROUP

When we listen to our dysfunctional congress and our eyes glaze over from the nightly news, it’s time to remind ourselves of Margaret Mead’s famous quote: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world.   Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Our last column on Inequality: a Global Problem highlighted the work being done by four individuals who   [Read More …]

Inequality: a Global Problem

Several years ago I read that if you aren’t working on a problem that can’t be solved in less than a hundred years, you aren’t working on a big enough problem. Today there is one problem that is so big it is felt in every corner of the world. That problem is Inequality. Awareness of the impact of inequality on every aspect of our lives is growing and as a result an increasing number of people   [Read More …]

Uniform Symbols of Equality

The photo above was taken at a junior high school in Guatemala where the government only provides free education through the sixth grade.   Can you tell from the picture which kids are there on scholarships? Would you be able to pick out which boys have to wash their own shirt every day and spread it on a bush to dry because their mothers are working too hard to help feed their families to do it   [Read More …]

HOW MUCH LESS IS ENOUGH?

John D. Rockefeller was once asked by a reporter how much money is enough. His famous answer was, “Just a little bit more.” Really folks, that’s what America’s first billionaire said: “Just a little bit more.” What do you suppose his answer would have been if he had been asked, “How much less is enough?” Do you know what your answer would be to that question? And if you discovered you   [Read More …]