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The Apostle Paul reminds us:  Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a   lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving. God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done.

As one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out. This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.

Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by  being openly obedient to the plain meaning of the Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone. Meanwhile, moved by the extravagance of God in your lives, they'll respond by praying for you in passionate intercession for whatever you need. Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise it enough!

 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

The Message Translation

Does God keep God’s promises?  Think about how you have experienced the generosity and blessing of God these past five weeks. 

Our giving:   On a scale of zero to ten, reflect upon how much and/or in what ways your giving mirrors God’s.  

Deni: Surviving Life, Through God’s Gifts of Love and Devotion

“He broke the chains that imprisoned me by saving my life. I woke up one day and when I looked in the mirror, I saw the woman He created for a purpose. The hatred and low self-esteem that kept me going back to my addiction repeatedly for the last 18 years was gone. It was my spiritual awakening of God’s love for me when I couldn’t yet love myself. I no longer hate nor want to destroy myself. I want to grow and receive his blessings. My hopes and prayers are becoming my future. One day at a time lived with doing God’s will, have made the last three months of sobriety, days of no regrets.”

These are the words of love and praises to God Deni wants to share with you. Deni grew up in Kansas, in a loving and nurturing Episcopal household, where prayers were an integral part of their daily lives.  The death of her brother, a policeman in Memphis, Tennessee, after a motorcycle accident, was a huge tragedy in the life of 17 year-old Deni and her family.  She later married, had a son and a daughter and then divorced after spending 8 years in a verbally abusive relationship. Deni blamed herself for ending the marriage earlier than God had planned for her. Her life went downhill as she turned to drugs and alcohol to escape from her troubles, marking the start of her 14-year battle of physical as well as mental imprisonment. Her beloved mom died while she was in prison; but her loving father’s prayers kept her safe all these years.

Deni moved to Arlington to create a new and sober life for herself. Her second AA meeting was at Trinity Church where she met the Reverend Betsy Bagioni and they talked for one hour. Deni was one of the volunteers who spent that precious weekend in September, cleaning and painting the house that is now called “Katrina’s Inn.” The people at Trinity have welcomed Deni, by giving and sharing our love of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who guides and strengthens us. She now calls Trinity her new and loving home.

“Today’s burdens can strengthen you for tomorrow. Without my trials and hardships, I would never have known how you turn burdens into blessings, with every passing day.”

Note: The italicized writings are Deni’s own words. The ability to express her feelings to God in her writings has played a tremendous part in her recovery process.

Our challenge:  Next Sunday, the season of Advent begins.  It is a season replete with God’s promises and the fulfillment thereof.  God makes many promises to us.  What promise to God will you begin fulfilling?

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