Give a little, get back a TON!

Give money away so that you can keep more in the end.

Sounds like a paradox to me. Or a crazy tax law.

Greg and I (in our debt elimination stage of life) faithfully donate the first 10% of our income to the church that we attend. We've done that since we started earning money long before we were even married. It's never been a question, we pay our tithing first and that's just what we do.

Now does that mean it's easy? Some people will tell you that it's not difficult and it sort of isn't all that hard but when you're counting every penny it can still be difficult to give that money away and to expect nothing in return. Except here's the funny thing, we've received more than we ever gave away. No, we don't get a check at the end of every year reimbursing us for the tithing that we paid. I don't mean that kind of benefit. There have been more intangible things.

Like healthy babies. And kids that have stayed healthy. Greg worked 2 jobs and went to school AND got really good grades. I've had 5 children and stayed (mostly) sane. Our marriage is strong, we actually like each other. Our faith and our belief is rock solid. Our debt is going away and somehow we keep finding extra money to throw at this beast.

I wrote the first draft of this post on Tuesday night and then Wednesday morning something crazy happened. The fuel pump in the Suburban went out, dead. Like side of the road, call a tow truck dead. But are you ready for the amazing part? It happened after I had been to work, after I had dropped the kids off at school and on the side of the road. It wasn't while I was rushing to get somewhere, it wasn't in the middle of an intersection, it actually was right by the school during the morning drop off rush. That meant that as I was sitting on the side of the road trying to figure out what to do I started to get phone calls and texts asking if I was okay. A friend stopped and picked up Maggie and me, she even happened to have an extra car seat. Coincidence? Nope. The mechanic gave me the grand total and by a weird series of events we had just that much extra sitting in our checking account. That NEVER happens.

I credit all of this to divine intervention*.

See all of the money that comes through our hands, that's not really our money. It's God's and He is letting Greg and I be stewards of a little part of what He has. All that He asks it that we pay 10% back to Him and then the 90% that is left is our responsibility to manage wisely. When we pay our tithing we are saying to Him that we trust that He will help us to make up the difference. Somehow we have been able to do more with the 90% that is left then we could have if just left to ourselves.

I don't understand God's math but I understand that He loves me. I know that He blesses my efforts when I try to follow His word. I know that He rewards His profitable servants.

So yes, tithing is our first obligation but the funny thing is that it's not really an obligation, it's more like an investment with a crazy rate of return. That sounds like a good plan to me.

PS- I hold my beliefs very dear and I also respect your right to believe the way you choose. If you disagree that's okay but please be respectful.

*Sometimes awful things happen to really good people who do all the right things, I don't understand that part of God's plan. But I do know one thing, God knows His plan and He loves each of His children. When I get to heaven I am going to ask why heartache has to happen but until then I know that my Savior came to earth and died so that all of that heartache, well, it's gone. He takes care of that.