I am taking a break from Generous Matters as my husband and I walk with his mother, Jean Helen Habeggar Basinger Schumacher, during her last hours in this life. Even as we and my husband’s siblings grieve the loss the family is facing, we rejoice that the constant pain with which she’s lived for several [...]
Generosity in quotes
May 23, 2012 By 1 Comment
“When the dreams we have for ourselves match the reality of our experience, we’re living our purpose. These moments of leadership aren’t always about being in the spotlight. They aren’t always about presenting to thousands or asking for millions of dollars. They are often quiet moments as we are getting dressed to leave or are [...]
Peter Drucker, the future, and deja vu all over again
May 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Now and then, I return to a book that was influential to my thinking in years past. Although less revealing than journal entries, the highlighted sections, along with notes jotted in the margins, recall the issues dominating my thinking and my work at the time of the first reading. Frequently, there’s not much distance between [...]
Generosity in quotes
May 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment
“One habit of transformative leaders is that they make creative friendships. This is not ‘empire building’ — getting to know people in case you can use them later. It’s networking — genuinely investing in someone in anticipation that God will generate fruit from the peculiar combination of gifts of these specific people.” Jason Byassee, senior [...]
Reassuring words for the harried Class of 2012
May 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Just in time for graduation season comes an essay from author Clayton Christensen on how to find work that you love. His encouragement to “follow your passion” is calming advice for this year’s class of newly minted alums who are under the gun to take a job – any job. Not that Christensen has a [...]
Perfecting the art of your ask
May 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Maybe it’s the fast-approaching fiscal year-end. Or perhaps it’s anticipation of the summer giving doldrums that has fundraisers in a frenzy. Whatever the impetus, there’s a lot of asking going on these days. Which likely explains the increased online chatter about THE ASK, including the following examples from my in-box. Say it with a style. [...]
Ten reasons why people become generous stewards
May 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Although I don’t often consult with congregations about their stewardship programs, I keep a close eye on trend lines related to local church giving. It’s my experience that as goes giving by Christians to their home churches, so goes their giving to other Kingdom causes. If churches within the support bases of the organizations with [...]
Generosity in quotes
May 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment
“Hope loves company. . . Misery improves nothing. I feel that this simple statement is at the heart of why we volunteer our time, energy, and money so freely to the worthy causes in our lives. It’s not so much that we’re trying to make a difference (though this is of course part of the [...]
The problem of the incredible shrinking board
May 7, 2012 By 2 Comments
You know the scenario. As the clock ticks down on a board meeting, seats begin to empty. No matter the announced ending time, there are always members who need (or choose) to leave early. A faithful remnant holds on to the finish line. And should a vote be required, fingers cross in hopes of a [...]
