Sunday, November 28, 1972. It was a big day. A really big day.

I turned 11, and my parents gave me the greatest gift ever – a blue Schwinn bike, complete with a sparkly banana seat and high handle bars. It wasn't just cool, it was going to be the coolest bike in the rack in front of Ben Franklin Elementary School on Monday ... and, it was!

Friday, December 3, 1972. ... read full post

Several months ago, I was in Washington D.C. and stayed across the street from the tent city of the Occupy D.C. movement. Remember the Occupy movement? It is still very much alive in many places. As I walked past it one day, I was struck with their passionate belief that when some prosper others should protest.

This mindset is in stark contrast with one of my favorite "generosity" verses. It can be found in ... read full post

This past weekend I stayed in my parents' home in Dallas. On the shelf in the upstairs bedroom was the book Born Again by Chuck Colson. It was the version with the original black and yellow jacket cover. The one that shows Chuck's profile in black and white on the left with the White House in the lower left-hand corner. On the right side of the jacket is Chuck's profile in color. The contrast from left to

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Proverbs 11:24 is an interesting verse about generosity. It says, "There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results in only want." Simply put, this verse reflects the truth of sowing and reaping that we see throughout Scripture. He who scatters will gather. He who gathers will reap little.

Life often tells us the opposite. There's an ... read full post

Wow – We saw God do amazing things in 2011, and we look expectantly to how, through His amazing grace, He will work through us in 2012! And so we've decided to once again read through the entire Bible together as a community. This year we are going to return to the Discipleship Journal reading plan we used several years ago, and we want you to join us!

The good news about ... read full post  |  3 comments

It’s often said, “Whatever is rewarded is most often repeated.” This principle should be considered when encouraging generosity within your family.

There are three primary motivators for just about everything we do in our spiritual lives: love, reverence (some call this “fear”), and rewards. This last one is often forgotten. The rewards of generosity can be found in this life and the next!

Put ... read full post

College roommates. Those two words conjure up some interesting memories, don't they?

I once had a roommate who hated waking up in the morning. And more than anything, he hated the alarm. He had an alarm clock beside his bed, and when it sounded, he turned it off, rolled over, and fell back asleep. He had another alarm clock on his dresser. When it sounded, he got up, turned it off, got back in bed, and fell ... read full post

With all the heated debates centered around the new Jobs Bill, proposed by President Obama on Monday, it's often difficult to understand what the changes in Washington would mean for your giving. At National Christian Foundation, we're here to:

Be a voice in D.C. on your behalf and try to influence our lawmakers on decisions regarding charitable giving Help you understand what is transpiring in your nation's ... read full post  |  1 comments

You might have missed an important but little known holiday this past weekend. It was a day dedicated to the tickle monsters, the storytellers, and the ultimate spoilers. Last Sunday was Grandparents Day! Since a day hardly seems sufficient for the amount of love and care they pour into our lives, I'm encouraging families everywhere to embrace this special relationship in a meaningful way this fall and holiday

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OK, those that know me are probably thinking this title reflects that I have just experienced a sudden flash of self-awareness. No such luck.

Here's the story: this past weekend was a life milestone for my family. My wife, Chris, and I took our oldest child, Jonathan (pictured below), off to college at Baylor University in Waco, TX.

But first, let me take you back in time ...

It was 2003, and I ... read full post  |  3 comments