(Image credit: http://www.balancebydeborahhutton.com.au/may-i-pay-you-a-compliment/)
“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates
the soul of the giver.” (Maya
Angelou)
In this season of thanksgiving I have discovered the
fountain of youth! It is not the latest cosmetic wrinkle cream or the latest
fad diet. The way to live a long happy life is to give, give, give, with love,
love, love.
New research on generosity has been compiled in a book
entitled: Why Good Things Happen to Good People, by Stephen
Post:
“The
inspiring new research includes a fifty-year study showing that people who are
giving during their high school years have better physical and mental health
throughout their lives. Other studies show that older people who give live
longer than those who don’t. Helping others has been shown to bring health
benefits to those with chronic illness, including HIV, multiple sclerosis, and
heart problems. And studies show that people of all ages who help others on a
regular basis, even in small ways, feel happiest.”
Sarah Bernhardt also knew this
when she said, “Life
engenders life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one
becomes rich.”
Our beloved Church of the Roses is here as a sacred avenue to help you show the love of God, engender life, create energy, and give of yourself.
Our stewardship season’s theme this year is: “The Love in
the Giving.” Our church needs your pledges to enable our faithful planning for 2015.
Our hope is that through giving to our church you will feel God’s love as you
share your blessings for the work of God.
At this time in the life of our church our future looks very
bright! We have new members, some inactive members returning, our choir is
growing, the number of adorable children attending has increased, and most
importantly, the way we are providing care for our members and the community is
expanding as well. For example, a new Grief Support group is starting November 16th,at noon and again on Wednesday, November 19th, at 6:30 p.m. hosted by
our Stephen Ministry. These GriefShare Support group sessions will provide
education and emotional/spiritual support for those who have suffered a loss. See:
www.griefshare.org for more details.
Mother Teresa once said,"It is not how much we give but how much love we put in the giving." The love works both ways. When you give with love, the love comes back to you in various ways.
Those who give, live longer because we thrive when we help
others thrive. Proverbs 11:25 explains the connection between giving and
living:
“A generous person will prosper; whoever
refreshes others will be refreshed.” (NIV)
So may you be refreshed this Thanksgiving and through the
Advent season by pledging to give generously as you are able. I
am so thankful that our God is good and knows what is good for us! Happy Thanks-giving!
