by Jordan Raup

Since my $10-a-month allowance as a young child, the idea of 10% tithing was instilled in me, setting aside a dollar each month to put in the offering basket. However, it seemed like a habit more than anything genuinely coming from my heart. As I came back to the church in recent years, I would give a portion of what I had in my wallet here and there every Sunday, but it rarely felt like a joyful act. It admittedly took a lot of prayer and guidance from God about how and why to give. He opened my heart and with my wife, we set up a dedicated amount to give weekly.

While we've called Forefront home for some time, to be more invested in their generosity is a true blessing. It's also been an unexpected opportunity to see how this act has affected us other ways. By having the discipline of simply giving a portion of what God has already provided, it's taught us to be more responsible in other areas of our finances as we work towards becoming debt free in order to give more generously. Proverbs 11:24 says, "One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want." I give because everything I have God has given to me.