Why I Don't Ask God for Money

by Ed Cyzewski

I’d like to think I’m an expert at the “Low Checking Account Balance Prayer.” I also call it the “Money Prayer.” We’ve moved and changed jobs enough that I should be able to proclaim a few prayers to settle things down with a suave confidence that emanates from my spiritual authority over low balances.

We just passed through such a time recently. My wife moved into a new job, and for a few months our financial security rested entirely on me and my fledgling business—something I wouldn’t wish on anyone. We did all right, but I finally hit the point where I felt the need to pray the “money prayer.”

There are two basic ways to say the money prayer. I have a feeling that God only likes one of them, but I’m usually willing to give them both a shot just in case.

The first version of the money prayer involves a simple formula: Hi God + we have no money + please help us = waiting for a response.

The second version adopts a slightly different approach: Hi God + use me to bless others + please give me what I need to do that = response.

The more I ask for my own provision, the less I see happening. The more I ask to be used as an instrument to bless others, the more I see God doing both for and through me.

Saying that God wants to use us to bless others isn’t exactly breaking new ground. If I tried to teach a seminary course based on this premise, I’d meet a room full of vigorous nods and then a rash of yawns.

The difference for me is that I sometimes compartmentalize my work and paycheck from “real” ministry. God wants my customers to feel cared-for, he wants my colleagues to return home with a greater sense of peace, and he wants to support life-changing ministries with the money I earn from my work.

As soon as I started asking God to send what I needed in order to bless others, my work changed. I discovered ways to connect colleagues with the help they needed. Prayers for provision that could bless others turned into extra work that enabled me to increase my generosity.

Only asking God for provision is like asking God to replace himself. My self-centered prayers are really something like this: “Dear God, life is hard, and I need money to take care of me. Please send money to provide the security you can’t provide.”

Asking God to use me to bless others puts us both in the right place. This places God in charge of my needs, the needs of others, and the overall direction for my life.

When I need more money, I really need more of God. I need to stick myself right at the center of his will. If God can use me, then I’ll never lack anything I need.

The provision of more money will cloud my vision of God. The provision of more God turns everything in my life into a tool that God can use as he pleases.

The trouble is that some days I still think prayer would be a lot easier if I had a bit more money.

Image by Velo_City. Used with permission. Sourced via Flickr. Post by Ed Cyzewski.

Are You Up and Down With the Dow?

Over the past few years, the economy has been a roller coaster that's left most people screaming, "I want off!" As if that's not enough, news about the world economy all over the media has given us more reason to feel afraid and out of control. 

Staying armed with truth will ward off the panic for you and the people in your church, promoting peace no matter what's going on with the Dow. Keep spreading the word to your congregation that market volatility doesn't have to mean mood volatility!

Here are some things to keep you calm and peaceful no matter what the market is doing:

Where is your security? First things first. When your investments are bouncing around like a pinball machine, it's a good time for a gut check. Take a look at how much it's bothering you and remind yourself that security lies in God, not money. No amount of money can give you security, but you can be secure in Christ no matter how much or little you have. A loosened grip on your wallet or purse strings might bring some much-needed peace back into your life.

Maintain a long-term perspective: Like Dave Ramsey says, the only way you get hurt on a roller coaster is if you jump off! Investing is a long-term process, not a get-rich-quick attempt. Unless you are retiring tomorrow, you don't need to be concerned if your 401(k) looks more like a 201(k). The market always bounces back, and you'll make yourself sick if you stress over it. Keep investing just like you would in any other economy. Over time, you will win!

Imagine yourself debt-free: Think about it—how much do market fluctuations really affect your day-to-day life? And how much less would you care if you were completely debt-free with a fully funded emergency fund? If you are already there, congratulations! If you're not there yet, keep at it. Your hard work will be so worth it! When you are in complete control of your personal economy, what's going on in the nation and world economy just doesn't seem to hold as much weight.

Speak out against the hype. The sky is not falling. Encourage your congregation to keep working their way through the Baby Steps and striving to be excellent stewards of all that God has given them. You can't go wrong with that!

Learn how to start an FPU class in your church.

Stewardship Ministry: A Tale Of Two Churches - daveramsey.com

Stewardship Ministry: A Tale Of Two Churches - daveramsey.com: "Gunnar Johnson, Stewardship Pastor at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, leads a stewardship ministry that serves about 3,000 people a year. As a result, hundreds of church leaders contact him every year to ask his team how to start a stewardship ministry. In general, churches that reach out fall into one of two categories."

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Christian Charities Look for Cyber Monday Donations

(AP Images/Paul Sakuma)

It’s Cyber Monday. That means millions of consumers will flood the Internet looking for online bargains in what has become the busiest Internet shopping day of the year. By some estimates, Cyber Monday revenue will top $1 billion again in 2011.

But virtual shoppers can give back while cashing in on Christmas deals—and Christian charities are hoping they do.

The charitable giving trend is expected to continue despite another holiday season faced with a struggling economy, according to a Harris Interactive study. Of survey participants, 51 percent say they're now more likely to give a charitable gift as a holiday present this year. And 80 percent of adults say they'd prefer to receive a "meaningful gift" that would help someone else instead of a traditional holiday gift like clothing or electronics.

International Christian humanitarian organization World Vision is proving this study out. More than half of the $32 million contributed through the organization's annual holiday Gift Catalog were funds raised through its online catalog.

The virtual store features more than 250 untraditional holiday gifts including cows, chickens, mosquito nets and microloans that are purchased on behalf of families living in impoverished communities.

"This year, World Vision is issuing a challenge to all Cyber Monday shoppers to consider items in the Gift Catalog," says Traci Coker, national director of the World Vision Gift Catalog. “We know times are tough but we also know shoppers are looking for gifts that are impactful. As long as you're going to be doing some shopping online, why not include a meaningful gift?"

Givers can make the purchase in the name of a friend, family member or business associate. World Vision sends special cards to those individuals, describing the gifts and their impact on people in areas where extreme poverty is a reality.

Last year alone, the World Vision U.S. Gift Catalog helped provide assistance to more than 800,000 people around the world. Since launching the catalog in 1996, World Vision has raised more than $162 million.

Dear God, Thank You for This Crummy Job

I remember the days when I bounded out of bed, ready to seize the day.

Back then, work was a joy. My coworkers banded together as we found new solutions to fix problems. My chain of command was empowering. My duties were challenging and fresh, engaging my mind and abilities.

That was yesterday.

These days, the workplace has a certain sense of gloom. The economy hasn’t treated my company well. When I enter my building, it seems as if half the lights are dimmed, probably to save electricity. But it certainly doesn’t help the atmosphere.

Many of my coworkers have left through early retirement or have been forced out through downsizing. Those that are left have the duties of two or three, with no other resources to call on.

All the managers are stressed, trying to keep the fiscal boat afloat while still delivering a valuable product. At times the duties are creative and challenging, but I mostly find new ways to tell a continuing saga of sagging revenues, depressed demand and a bleak future. It’s a crummy position to be in, for sure.

I sense that I’m not alone. As I talk to friends, I’m finding that many of them have gone from the rolls of short-term unemployed to long-term. Others are underemployed, finding work as temps or part time workers, benefits trimmed or stripped outright.

And for those that are still working, they have to do way more with way less.

Rather than let my employment challenges drag me down, I’ve decided to take back the workplace for God’s glory, and I’m doing it through an attitude of gratitude. The seed of thankfulness was first planted by scripture, “In all things give thanks.” It was watered by The High Calling editor, Ann Voskamp, with her book, One Thousand Gifts, where she dares me to “live fully”, right where I am.

So, I’m putting the challenge into action. And it’s working.

First of all, I’m thankful I even have a job. When I think about my friends Steve and Becky, and a host of others stuck in pervasive unemployment, my complaints just feel wrong.

I’m thankful for the challenge, and even the frustrations. Through fire and trial, I’m becoming God’s man.

I’m thankful for the out-of-control schedule, the 117 unopened e-mail messages and the drop-everything-projects. I think there’s some patience to be gained in all this.

I’m thankful for my coworkers, and I often find myself saying this sort of prayer: “Lord, bless them in the stress.” We’re in this together, and using a calm voice of reason might just work wonders.

I’m thankful for every penny that my employer sends my way. I haven’t always earned it.

In every way, I’m grateful for this crummy job.

Image by Ben Fredericson. Used with permission. Sourced via Flickr. Post by David Rupert.

A Fundamental Shift in Holiday Giving?

New Study on Long-Term Impact of the Great Recession on Charitable Giving

SEATTLE, Nov. 14, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- The struggling economy continues to affect holiday spending and holiday generosity. According to a World Vision study, more than 7 in 10 (71%) Americans report that they'll spend less on holiday presents this year because of the current economic climate. This number has remained nearly the same three out of the last four years. This trend appears to reflect a fundamental shift in how Americans perceive holiday generosity. This is the third year World Vision has commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct research on holiday charitable giving. This is the second year the U.S. and Canada have been included in the same comprehensive study.

 

Key findings:

Americans Expect to Spend Less on Holiday Gifts

71 percent in 2011 - 69% expected to in 2010 - 57% in 2009 – 71% in 2008

 

But Americans want those dollars to mean more. Because more than half (51%) say they're now more likely to give a charitable gift as a holiday present this year. Again, this number has remained nearly the same three out of the last four years (51% in 2011, 51% in 2010, 38% in 2009 and 49% in 2008). And 4 in 5 adults (80%) say they'd prefer to receive a "meaningful gift" that would help someone else instead of a traditional holiday gift like clothing or electronics. This number is identical to 2010 (80%). About 7 in 10 U.S. adults (71%) – the same proportion as 2010 (71%) – agree that they plan to increase their charitable giving once the economy improves. In 2010 that number was exactly the same (71%).

 

Americans More Generous?

 

The phone survey, conducted October 26-30, 2011 also says that U.S. adults are more likely than Canadian adults to have experience with both giving and receiving charitable gifts: More than 2 in 3 U.S. adults (68%) have given a "charitable gift" that honors a loved one, compared to just over half of Canadian adults (55%).

 

"It is worth noting that while the proportion who wants to receive a meaningful gift has been steady over the past two years, it is still an increase since the low of 76% who felt this way in 2009," reported Michele Salomon, Senior Research Director at Harris Interactive. "This suggests that the relevance or meaning of the cause, charity, or gift becomes more important for people as they make giving decisions in a strained economic environment."

 

FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN HOLIDAY GIVING?

New study:

 

"This survey shows once again that, during uncertain economic times, Americans continue to prioritize helping those in need," says Traci Coker, World Vision-US Gift Catalog Senior Director. "Even more so than our neighbors to the north, Americans want to reach out with charitable gifts like those found in the World Vision Gift Catalog this holiday season."

 

"A gift given from the Gift Catalog significantly improves the life of a child or family in need by providing tools and opportunities to overcome extreme poverty, while at the same time honoring your friends and loved ones," says Coker. For each World Vision gift, the giver can make the purchase in the name of a friend, family member, or business associate. World Vision then sends special cards to those individuals, describing the gifts and their impact. In the months that follow, the gift itself or intervention reaches a child or family in need.

 

Last year alone, the World Vision U.S. Gift Catalog raised more than $32 million and provided assistance to more than 800,000 people around the world. This year's projected goal: $34 million. World Vision launched the Gift Catalog in 1996. Since then it's raised over $162 million dollars. And while a goat ($75) may be World Vision's number one seller, there are more than 100 gifts (many under $35) to choose from.

 

To order in the United States: www.worldvisiongifts.org or call toll-free 888-511-6511.

 

World Vision U.S. Gift Catalog on facebook:www.facebook.com/worldvisiongiftcatalog         

 

About the poll:

 

This poll was conducted by telephone within the United States and Canada by Harris Interactive on behalf of World Vision, Inc. between October 26 and October 30, 2011 among 1,007 U.S. adults ages 18+ and between October 27 and October 31, 2011 among 1,021 Canadian adults 18+. (for complete methodology contact John Yeager jyeager@worldvision.org).

 

World Vision is a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty. We serve the world's poor, regardless of a person's religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, visitwww.worldvision.org.

Dave Ramsey’s Momentum Theorem by Stephen Blandino - ChurchLeaders.com - Christian Leadership Blogs, Articles, Videos, How To's, and Free Resources

Intensity plus time plus God equals Momentum.

Dave Ramsey’s Momentum Theorem by Stephen Blandino - ChurchLeaders.com - Christian Leadership Blogs, Articles, Videos, How To's, and Free Resources: "Dave Ramsey has helped millions of people navigate their finances, break out of debt, and take a path toward financial freedom. He has also worked hard to lead his organization with excellence and create a healthy organizational culture. In another post I shared some of the insights of Dave Ramsey’s Organizational Culture."

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Os Hillman to Headline Economic Summit in Grande Prairie, Alberta Nov. 10-13

Os Hillman

GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alberta, Nov. 8, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- One of the featured speakers at KEYS Canada will be Os Hillman, president and founder of Marketplace Leaders, Cumming, GA. Hillman is a pioneer and forerunner in the modern marketplace reformation movement that is integrating faith and work, and empowering business and financial leaders to exercise spiritual influence and authority in their workplace environments.

Hillman is a serial entrepreneur who has authored 12 books, including The 9 to 5 Window and The Upside of Adversity. His latest book is entitled Change Agent! Engaging Your Passion to be the One Who Makes a Difference. You can purchase it atwww.ChangeAgentBook.com. Hillman also offers a Change Agent video series and weekend seminar, and will be presenting several sessions from those. Cost of the Keys Canada webcast is $111.11 for all keynote sessions and worship. The event starts Thursday, Nov. 10th at 7:00 pm MST and ends Saturday, Nov. 12th at 10 pm MST. The Keys Canada weekend will close with a communion service Sunday at 8:30 am MST.

"We are delighted and thrilled to bring leaders of this caliber to the heart of the world-famous Alberta Tar Sands region," said Dr. Bruce Cook, founder and convener of the summit, known as K.E.Y.S. (Kingdom Economic Yearly Summit). Cook lives in the Austin, TX, area and is Founder and President of VentureAdvisers Inc., Kingdom House Publishing, and Kingdom Venture Partners, and is a director and/or trustee of four other companies, including Merging Streams Financial Network LLC.

Patterned loosely after the World Economic Forum, but with a Christian focus and perspective, K.E.Y.S. Canada will feature more than a dozen keynote speakers -- including Cook and Hillman - such as Dr. Gordon Bradshaw, Dr. Doug Atha, Dr. Mark Kauffman, Charlie Fisher, Marc Brisebois, Glen Boyd, Carolita Oliveros, Wende Jones, Fulton Sheen and John Anderson. 

Grand Prairie Mayor Bill Given will welcome the Summit delegates and attendees on Friday, Nov. 11 at 9:00 am, followed by a 2nd welcome from First Nations representatives Art and Lori Auger from Grande Prairie, and then a brief awards ceremony honoring the late Sylvan Swanberg and Frank Bigel of Grande Prairie. 

K.E.Y.S. and GBT will be donating part of the proceeds from Keys Canada to a local community nonprofit organization named Rising Above, which ministers to the homeless, jobless, abused women, needy children, etc. www.RisingAboveGP.com.  

Summit worship leaders are Krista Fisher and Peter Christensen of Grande Prairie. Personal prayer ministers are Jess Bielby and Charles Robinson. Intercession leaders are Jon Grieser, Wigs Bello, Yvette Jobson and Tammenthia Diesel. 

Venue for K.E.Y.S. Canada is the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, located near downtown and the airport. Schedule is registration 2:00-7:00 pm Nov. 10th and opening session 7:00 pm -12:00 midnight, then Nov. 11-12 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily. The Summit will close Sunday, Nov. 13th with a final service from 8:00 to 9:30 am. 

For more information on K.E.Y.S. Canada, visit their web site atwww.KeysCanada.org or call toll free 1-877-409-3663, ext. 701. Registration includes all meals on site. Group rates are available, with an 11% discount offered to groups of 11 or more.

Black Friday Becomes Bless Friday® -- Bless Friday® Nearly Triples in 2nd Year

HOUSTON, Nov. 8, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Houston and Galveston area churches and Christian organizations are providing an alternative to frenzied Christmas shopping on the day after Thanksgiving. Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church (MDPC), Beacon of Light Christian Center, St. Luke's United Methodist Church, St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, Moody Memorial First United Methodist Church, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Fair Haven UMC and Mission Milby are each scheduling community service projects on Friday, November 25. These churches ask families and individuals to celebrate Bless Friday® as an alternative to Black Friday.

Chuck Fox, founder of Bless Friday®, states, "I am excited that Bless Friday® expanded in its second year. People get our message that when we focus too much on buying things, we lose sight of the real reason for Christmas -- remembering and honoring Christ. We want to begin our Christmas celebration by serving others just as Jesus did."

He further says, "I'm also pleased that multi-church organizations such as the Presbytery of the New Covenant, The Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Texas recently advertised Bless Friday® in newsletters or on their websites. The publicity and endorsement helps us reach more people." More information is available at BlessFriday.org or by contacting Chuck Fox at 713-502-6356.

Dave Peterson, Sr. Pastor at MDPC states, "We want to transform lives as people reconnect to the real reason we celebrate Christmas. I am especially thrilled when children and youth participate. It changes how they view the season." MDPC congregants are volunteering at local ministry partners (Star of Hope, SEARCH), painting a Hurricane Ike damaged home or participating in a service project they can do at home with family and friends. More information is available at bless.mdpc.org or by contacting Jan Roe at jroe@mdpc.org or 713-490-9552.

Beacon of Light Christian Center plans to invite the surrounding community to its church, located at 6655 London St. in South Houston for a day of fellowship and caring. The church plans to serve the community the entire day by offering food to the hungry, clothing to those in need, and activities for people of all ages. Pastor Anthony Gasery states, "Our community is filled with people who financially overextend themselves at Christmas. We want to show them a more positive and more spiritual way to celebrate." For more information please contact Myree Francis atmyreelfrancis@yahoo.com. 

St. Luke's will hold a pot luck lunch at the Gethsemane campus where participants will prepare blessing bags of non-perishable food items for distribution to the homeless and needy. Mireya Ottaviano, event organizer states, "Many at St. Luke's want to spend a portion of the day giving thanks by sharing with others and send a message that Advent is about celebrating our values, not focusing on material things." More information is at 713-774-7693.

St. John the Divine will send one group to The Beacon to serve food to the homeless and help with laundry and other practical needs. Another group will go to Agape Development to work in the Urban Garden. For more information please contact Taylor Dawson,tdawson@sjd.org, 713-622-3600.

Moody Memorial UMC (Vivian Pinard, vivian@moody.org, 409-744-4526) will host a Clean Galveston Day. Mission Milby (Jose Pena -jose.pena@servantsnow.org, 713-454-6480) and Holycross Lutheran Church (John Jairo y Sussy- hclc@holycross.us) will each share lunch in their communities. Finally Fair Haven UMC is also scheduling events (Jairo Ortiz- jortizc@yahoo.com). 

Bless Friday® was founded in 2010 in Houston to change the way Americans celebrate Christmas.

G20: The Verdict | Robin Hood Tax

G20: The Verdict | Robin Hood Tax: "At the G20 this week, a growing group of G20 countries from South Africa to Brazil backed the Robin Hood Tax, and the link between the Robin Hood Tax and fighting poverty and climate change became clearer than ever. Momentum is building and leaves leaders like David Cameron who opposed the tax looking increasingly isolated having sided not with the 99% suffering the effects of the economic crisis, but the interests of a privileged few in the financial sector."

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Catholics more inclined to share wealth than Protestants, Euro central bank says | FaithWorld

Catholics more inclined to share wealth than Protestants, Euro central bank says | FaithWorld: "Catholics are more likely to support government intervention in the economy than Protestants and also have a stronger preference for sharing wealth equally, a European Central Bank study said."

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The Morality of Income Inequality » First Thoughts | A First Things Blog

The Morality of Income Inequality » First Thoughts | A First Things Blog: "Income inequality is one of those pseudo-political issues that no one really thinks is an important issue. If anyone were truly concerned about unequal distributions of income they’d be willing to do something about it. But they aren’t. I’ve never met anyone who earns $40,000 a year express a desire to redistribute half their income to someone making only $20,000 a year so that we can help fix this immoral inequality problem. What people mean when they say that income inequality is a problem is that they think its a problem that someone who makes more than they do. “Income inequality” is merely the politically correct term for covetousness."

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Top 3 Reasons Churches Avoid Evaluations by Thom Schultz - ChurchLeaders.com - Christian Leadership Blogs, Articles, Videos, How To's, and Free Resources

Top 3 Reasons Churches Avoid Evaluations by Thom Schultz - ChurchLeaders.com - Christian Leadership Blogs, Articles, Videos, How To's, and Free Resources:

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It's the Economy: More Than 1 in 4 Young Americans 18-29 Say They Will Delay Repaying Student Loans and Other Debt Due to Poor Economy - Christian Newswire

It's the Economy: More Than 1 in 4 Young Americans 18-29 Say They Will Delay Repaying Student Loans and Other Debt Due to Poor Economy - Christian Newswire:

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Dear Occupy Wall Street ... - daveramsey.com

Dear Occupy Wall Street ... - daveramsey.com: "“I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!” Yeah, that’s great. But what do you want? What are your goals? What are your demands? What result are you looking for?

The beauty of being vague is that anyone who has any emotion can get caught up in the excitement and join your crusade. They’ll just get mad at something and assume that you’re both mad about the same thing. Put a few hundred of these people together, and boom. You’ve got a crowd, a headline and a lot of attention … but no message."

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Global Men's Summit Seeks to Reverse Financial Crisis by Calling Men to Live a Life of Integrity - Christian Newswire

Global Men's Summit Seeks to Reverse Financial Crisis by Calling Men to Live a Life of Integrity - Christian Newswire: "
Global Men's Summit Seeks to Reverse Financial Crisis by Calling Men to Live a Life of Integrity
Contact: Josh Hixson, 817-980-1240, jhixson55@gmail.com

DALLAS, Oct. 21, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- In the midst of headlines detailing the latest financial downturn and the weakening of the world's economic integrity, one vital statistic has gone unreported:

Single-parent households are nearly twice as likely to be living in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
"

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Would Jesus Side with the Wall Street Protesters? - Christian News, Conservative Commentary

Would Jesus Side with the Wall Street Protesters? - Christian News, Conservative Commentary: "One of President Obama’s chief spiritual advisers is Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners, a liberal Christian community in the D.C. area. He has now likened helping the Occupy Wall Street protesters to siding with Jesus."

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WORLD Magazine | No jobs, no sale | Warren Cole Smith | Oct 22, 11

WORLD Magazine | No jobs, no sale | Warren Cole Smith | Oct 22, 11: "On Monday, Sept. 19, President Barack Obama made a Rose Garden speech to unveil his $3 trillion plan to shrink the deficit and create jobs, with about half of the savings coming from spending cuts. Most of the rest will come from taxes. Despite an aggressive sales tour by the president—mostly to states that will be battlegrounds in the 2012 election—he's finding few buyers."

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CNS STORY: Vatican to issue document on global financial reform

CNS STORY: Vatican to issue document on global financial reform: "VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican has prepared a document on reform of the global financial system and the potential role of a public regulatory authority.

The document, prepared by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, was to be released Oct. 24 in four languages, and presented the same day at a Vatican news conference by Cardinal Peter Turkson, head of the council."

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Investing My Talents | The High Calling

Investing My Talents | The High Calling: "This post is an except from Dan King's new book, The Unlikely Missionary: From Pew-Warmer to Poverty-Fighter.

“I’m not qualified for this.”

That was the prevailing thought running through my mind as I settled into my room for the night in Thika, Kenya. I couldn’t be more excited to teach the next day, but somehow I couldn’t shake the feeling of being unworthy of teaching these beautiful people anything."

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Business and Financial Leaders to Meet in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada November 10-13th - Christian Newswire

Business and Financial Leaders to Meet in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada November 10-13th - Christian Newswire: "GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alberta, Oct., 19, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Christian business and financial leaders from Canada, the U.S., and other nations will attend the K.E.Y.S. Canada marketplace summit Nov. 10-13, 2011 in Grande Prairie, according to Charlie Fisher, event host and Founder and President of Guiding Business Transitions (GBT), a corporate strategy, board governance, investor relations and business development consulting firm. Theme for the summit will be "Kingdom Keys to Supernatural Abundance." "

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New ECFA Paper Urges Faith-Based Nonprofits to Put God First in Fund Management - Christian Newswire

New ECFA Paper Urges Faith-Based Nonprofits to Put God First in Fund Management - Christian Newswire: "WINCHESTER, Va., Oct. 19, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Faith-based nonprofits must operate with "Kingdom values" as stewards, not owners, of the endowments that help sustain their organizations, even as they manage such funds with an eye toward the future, according to a new monograph offered by ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability)."

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WORLDmag.com | The ‘animal spirits’

WORLDmag.com | The ‘animal spirits’: "In the General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money, John Maynard Keynes pondered on a peculiar characteristic of human nature. He identified it as a major contributor to the cyclical pattern of growth of modern capitalist economies. In his view, most human decisions are not made on the basis of a “weighted average of quantitative benefits multiplied by quantitative probabilities.” Instead, Keynes believed that most wealth-generating activities are a result of “spontaneous optimism.”"

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WORLD Magazine | The Smiths & Browns | Joel Belz | Oct 22, 11

WORLD Magazine | The Smiths & Browns | Joel Belz | Oct 22, 11: "Here's a brief story about personal finance—and maybe macroeconomics as well—that I first heard about 40 years ago. I wish I had heard it 50 years ago. I hope a few 20-somethings are listening to me now.

It's the simple story of two young couples—let's call them the Smiths and the Browns—who were eager to buy their first homes."

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Three Things to do When Your Career Hurts You | The High Calling

Three Things to do When Your Career Hurts You | The High Calling: "I am eating a peach. I notice the white flesh that is laced with streaks of pinkish red fibers. I feel the fluff of the skin like an abrasion against my own. I taste the sugar water that pours from within it and I realize that I have not taken life in like this for many, many months.

This refreshing perspective comes after a year of deep treading in very murky water. My career has hurt me in ways that I am only able to process after the fact. The days that mark this period of my life look like a continual darkness that I cannot break through. I cringe waking up; I cry going to sleep. My sleep is disturbed thinking of work the next morning."

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Demonstrations against financial greed sweep the world | Ekklesia

Demonstrations against financial greed sweep the world | Ekklesia: "Millions of protesters in 82 countries and across nearly a thousand cities have taken to the streets to demonstrate against the bailing out of the rich, while those at the bottom end of society are expected to pay for a global economic crisis prompted by speculation and greed.

The 'Unite for Global Change' actions look set to continue throughout the week, with a new wave of demonstrations planned across Europe and the USA.

The activists "mean to limit the power of finance capital "

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IRD Challenges Religious Left over Support for Wall Street Occupation - Christian Newswire

IRD Challenges Religious Left over Support for Wall Street Occupation - Christian Newswire: ""Religious activists who have aligned with the Wall Street Occupation should model mature Christian discernment, not echo angry resentments that dream of a secular utopia." -- Mark Tooley, IRD President"

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Relief From Being Scared - daveramsey.com

Relief From Being Scared - daveramsey.com: "It’s the Halloween season, and few people would be as scared as Will, a member of My Total Money Makeover. He’s staring down $647,000 in debt.

Between $84,000 in credit card debt and student loans, $540,000 in debt on a mortgage and a townhouse investment property, and a $23,000 car note, he’s got more than a few reasons to be scared."

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Managing Money God's Way

Managing Money God's Way:

"In these uncertain economic times, financial matters are a huge concern. But God’s Word speaks in a very practical way to money and money management—both corporately and privately.

Ron Blue is confident that financial freedom is brought by generosity. He takes God’s word for it—and he has seen it happen with his own eyes."

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Community Post: When Faith Clashes with Business | The High Calling

Community Post: When Faith Clashes with Business | The High Calling:

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The Spiritual Practice of Giving | Alive Now Spiritual Tools

The Spiritual Practice of Giving | Alive Now Spiritual Tools:

By Christopher Maricle

A powerful excerpt from the book The Jesus Priorities: 8 Essential Habits.

As Christians living in a modern age, dealing with our wealth presents a complex challenge. We experience tremendous pressure to accumulate, to own, and to buy happiness. How do we act on these concepts of detachment, abundance mentality, and justice in our daily lives? How much is okay to earn? How much should we give? Should we give to individuals or to organizations? Which ones? These are among the hardest questions of Christian discipleship, and there are no simple answers. . . .

Read more...

Sharing the Wealth: How to Grow Success | The High Calling

Sharing the Wealth: How to Grow Success | The High Calling:

This is a tale of two bosses. Boss No. 1 sees information as gold to be hoarded. He shares on a need-to-know basis...and he believes that few people need to know. So don’t ask him, either—that makes you suspect.Play Sharing the Wealth: How to Grow Success...

God as Your Source

By: Ann Doupont

God as Your Source: Things are not the same as they once were in the uncertain economy of the world’s resources. God never changes, but people do, conditions do, and times change as well.

It has been said that “desperate people do desperate things.” We are seeing that nearly everywhere we look. What used to work in good economic times doesn’t work so well in times of financial duress, except in seeking the Lord and knowing Him. That always works. Read more...

Honey, I got Fired (Now write your book)

Honey, I got Fired (Now write your book): "Honey, I got Fired — Nathaniel Hawthorne went home to tell his wife that he had just been fired from his job. “Good,” she said. “Now you can write your book.” “What do we live on meanwhile?” Hawthorne asked. His wife opened a drawer filled with money. “I have always known that you are a man of genius,” she said. “So I saved a little each week, and now I have enough to last for a year.” Hawthorne used the time to write “The Scarlet Letter,” one of the great masterpieces of American literature." Read more...

Does Your Work Need Unknotting? | The High Calling

Does Your Work Need Unknotting? | The High Calling:

The Robin Hood Tax Campaign — Home

The Robin Hood Tax Campaign — Home: "STAR IN THE NEW ROBIN HOOD TAX FILM"

'via Blog this'

Creating a Life with God

The Call of Ancient Prayer Practices
By Daniel Wolpert

"This book is truly about life with God: a life in which the awareness and consciousness of God sweep us off our feet the way a lover would. It is about taking on the mind of Christ, a process that is a journey, the journey of prayer."

So begins Wolpert's invitation to fully experience the lifeline God offers us in prayer.

Creating a Life with God goes beyond the rote prayers that so many of us have experienced and found wanting. In fact, Wolpert admits that his own frustration with the formula prayers and his unsettled longing immediately after college led to his search for a different kind of prayer, one that's "a deep conversation with God beginning with communion and leading to transformation."

Prayer illuminates our minds, enabling the love of God to permeate all that we do. The purpose of this book is to nourish a deeper, more satisfying prayer life. Wolpert explains 12 prayer practices and introduces you to historical figures who best illuminate each practice. You'll discover new ways to pray through

• experiencing solititude and silence
• using your mind and imagination
• using your body and creativity
• connecting with nature and community

You'll discover how classical approaches to God can deepen your prayer life today. An appendix offers step-by-step instructions for practicing the Jesus Prayer and the prayer of examen, for walking the labyrinth, and more.

Creating a Life with God is suitable for both individual and small group study.

40 Day Generosity Book Bends the Trends: Helps Church Giving Go Up in a Down Economy

Brian Kluth continues his 'generosity' work despite losing his wife after an eight-year battle with cancer

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries


HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO (ANS) -- The annual STATE of the PLATE research on church giving shows a lot of churches are experiencing giving declines unprecedented in our lifetime, but an ever expanding number of churches are finding surprising trend bending help from a small generosity devotional booklet written by a pastor in Colorado.

Cover of the booklet

The 40 Day Journey to a More Generous Life was written by Pastor Brian Kluth, who is also an ASSIST News Service correspondent, to help Christians know and understand 400 key Bible verses on finances, generosity, and giving. When ordered by churches and given out to every family, this small 40 day Bible devotional booklet is bending the downward giving trends upward, with some churches experiencing what seems like miraculous results - - double and even triple digit giving increases in a down economy.

Over the past few years, over 1600 churches have given out copies to every family in their congregation. There are now over 450,000 copies in print and translations available in many foreign languages around the world.

In video testimonials (http://www.generouslife.info/index.htm), Tom Robertson, a leader at Pine Grove Community Church in Wisconsin said, "Our church hadn't met budget in 4 years and couldn't afford to buy the devotionals. So, my wife and I personally purchased copies for every family in the church. Since then the giving has gone up 50%!" Pastor Chris Richards, a pastor of a large church in Texas gave out copies of the devotional to every family. After the 40 days his church collected a special offering of $200,000 and also saw the church's general offerings go up 50%. Pastor Jay Klopfenstein from Grace Church in Indiana said, "Our offerings had been running 20% behind budget for our church and school.

We gave out copies of your 40 Day Bible devotional to all our families and used the 40 Day companion materials. Within a short time our offerings increased 50%. And the last 2 weeks our offerings are up 100%!"

Brian Kluth pictured with Dan Wooding during the interview for Front Page Radio

The miraculous giving results are even occurring overseas. A large church in Mongolia gave out the devotional and saw giving increase 60% in the midst of major bank failures. A church in Beijing, China distributed 8000 copies in the Chinese. In Australia, the Salvation Army has given the booklet out at churches and they have seen churches experience 50%, 100%, and in one place a 600% increase in giving. In India, the devotional has been translated into 10 major Indian languages. Next year, the Spanish version will be released in the United States and countries across Latin America to inspire greater generosity for churches, a growing missionary movement, and outreaches to the needy.

Spurred on by the incredible impact of the 40 Day Generous Life devotional is having in churches everywhere, Kluth has started the www.GenerosityPledge.org movement with a 7-point personal giving pledge and a 30 Day generosity devotional called, The 7 Keys to Open-Handed Living in a Tight-Fisted World. While Bill Gates and Warren Buffet have started the Giving Pledge movement for billionaires, Kluth believes there is a need for a generosity pledge movement among Christians everywhere that will bend the downward giving trends upward to release billions for God's work among churches, ministries, missions, and the needy. Recently, Kluth was even in a CNN TV news interview about tithing.

Kluth says, "We need Bible-based materials in churches that help people understand that real joy and lasting contentment doesn't come from getting everything you want, but by being thankful for everything you have and sharing it. We need a growing generosity movement that is unprecedented in our lifetime."

Every morning, he wakes up to put some more sticks of wood on the fires of what he believes is a growing generosity movement that needs to spread across the country and around the world.


He continues despite the loss of Sandi

Brian and Sandi celebrating Brian's birthday in northern Wisconsin

Brian Kluth has continued with his extraordinary "generosity" work despite losing his wife Sandi Kluth a year ago, after her 8 year journey with cancer. Over 20,000 visits from around the world were made to Sandi's www.caringbridge.org/visit/sandikluth website that chronicled her cancer journey up to the time of her death. And they continue today.


The www.CaringBridge.org website was started for people that have experienced a tragedy or life-threatening illness so family and friends can monitor their progress.

Kluth, who was for ten years, senior pastor of the First Evangelical Free Church of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and now has the unusual title of "Generosity Minister-At-Large" to the body of Christ around the world, told the ASSIST News Service (ANS) at the time of her death, "Sandi's health began to decline and she went into the hospital and hospice for several days. On Wednesday, she began hospice care at home and passed away that evening.

"In her life and in her home going we experienced wave upon wave of God's grace on the shorelines of our daily lives. She will be missed but never forgotten by all who knew her."

Writing on the www.caringbridge.org website, Kluth said, "Sandi was a wonderful woman, wife, mother, sister, cousin, friend, singer, and servant of the LORD. She will be deeply missed by all.

"As I went to sleep last night and as I woke up this morning, hymns came to my mind and I sang to the LORD (through my tears) praising Him for who He is and for the wonderful privilege He gave me for being Sandi's husband for 28 years."

If you would like to hear my moving interview with Brian Kluth about his ministry and his wife's battle with cancer, please go to: http://www.assist-ministries.com/FrontPageRadio/FPR06.27.10BrianKluthmono.mp3
* For free eBook copies of the 40 Day devotional, go to: www.GenerousLife.org
* For free eBook copies of the new 30 Day devotional and 7 point personal generosity pledge, go to:www.GenerosityPledge.org
* For media radio, TV, and print interviews, contact: Brian Kluth at: 30days@kluth.org Cell: 720.432.2422 Landline:303.346.5332

---

Dan Wooding, 70, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 48 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He now hosts the weekly "Front Page Radio" show on KWVE in Southern California which is also carried throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK and also in Belize and South Africa. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 200 countries. You can follow Dan on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. He is the author of some 44 books. Two of the latest include his autobiography, "From Tabloid to Truth", which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel "Red Dagger" which is available this link.