The people are real and so are the stories. And their lives were never the same because of what they did and continue to do. That’s a big claim, we know. But we think you’ll agree once you hear from these ordinary people and the extraordinary impact generosity has on them and others.
So why are we sharing their stories? Here are four reasons:
- Because research shows that generosity is often beneficial to us in a variety of ways (including financially);
- Because we want to help you leave a lasting legacy;
- Because most of us realize there is more to this life than accumulation; and
- Because there are needs around us that will only be fixed if someone gets involved.
No guilt trips in these stories. We don’t like guilt trips either, and they aren’t helpful at producing joyful generosity. Also, these stories are not solicitations for you to give to a particular organization.
Each story comes from a VFA client who has given us permission to share their inspiring story. If we use an alias to keep their generosity confidential, we will tell you that we’re doing so.
We hope these stories stir your imagination as you live out your generous life.
Happy reading!
Your VFA Team
RESOURCES
Articles:
- “What Giving Gets You at the Office,” by Shawn Achor for Harvard Business Review
- “Generosity and the Maintenance of Marital Quality,” by the Journal of Marriage and Family
- “Don’t bet on stinginess to keep stress low,”by the Queensland University of Technology
Books:
- Mark 8:36, The Bible
- Acts 20:35, The Bible
- “Giving It All Away…and Getting It All Back Again: The Way of Living Generously,” by David Green (Hobby Lobby founder)
- “The Generosity Factor,” by Ken Blanchard and Truett Cathy
- “The God Pocket,” by Bruce Wilkson
- “The Treasure Principle,” by Randy Alcorn
