For Ken and Renee Moreland, the scholarship funds they’ve established at Messiah College (the school where my husband serves as provost) aren’t just about helping students afford a Christ-centered education, as praise-worthy as that is. Nor is their giving simply what a good board member does (Ken serves on the college’s board of trustees), as laudable as that would be.
As the Morelands explained at a recent donor appreciation event, they give to “equip young people with the resources to discover and nurture their God-given gifts and talents” in pursuit of the Great Commission.
Giving is a ministry of this generous couple. It’s one of the many ways they participate in Kingdom building.
Which explains my determination to share their good words with you here at Generous Matters. Immediately upon the last amen of the program, I made a bee-line for Ken, Renee, and their notes. They graciously gave permission for me to post their comments.
BLESSED AND A BLESSING BE
We have been asked to share with you why we have chosen to provide ongoing contributions to our scholarship funds. It is fair to say that we could sum it up in one phrase:
Because we are blessed,
we are called to bless others.
This has been a guiding principle in our lives since we got married. Although in the early years of building our careers and raising our family, the financial contributions and commitment of our time to our church and to other organizations didn’t seem to make a big difference, we now see the principle of sowing and reaping in action. We have been spiritually and financially blessed 10 plus fold in return.
We have learned that God’s blessing process is exponential. The more we give, the more we seem to get blessed, and the more we get to bless others.
Our primary motivation for giving is biblical. As Proverbs 11:25 states, “A generous man will prosper, he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” . . . We believe that the key to living a successful and purposeful life is to positively impact the lives of others, always for the glory of God.
We hope that the recipients of our scholarship awards, both today and over the years to come, will feel as though they have received a blessing. And likewise, we hope that one day they will reflect back on the blessing they have received and will in turn, desire to bless others.
With a testimony like this to guide them, it’s more than a hope that students who benefit from the Moreland’s gifts will someday become donors. It’s a certainty.