Thank you for praying and for inviting God into your decisions about giving! Thank you for taking seriously 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NLT):
“You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
—2 Corinthians 9:7, NLT
We reported in November that we would need $2.7 million to reach our yearend goal of $10.1 million. This was revised down from the original budget of $10.4 million approved in January 2011. It was a significant challenge considering that we had fallen short of our yearend giving goal in 2010 and we had met our monthly budget expectation only once in the first ten months of 2011.
On January 4, when all gifts postmarked by December 31 were counted, we had received $3.1 million for a 2011 giving total of $10.5 million, exceeding our goal by $400,000! Praise God for allowing us to meet and exceed our yearend giving goal and our 2011 budget!
More good news:
- After being down or flat for two years, total giving in 2011 increased by 4 percent!
- November and December giving increased 20 percent over the same period last year!
- Almost 100 households gave for the first time in November and December.
- It took gifts of all sizes to reach our goal!
Praise God for transforming many of us from fearful givers into cheerful givers. Praise Him for allowing so many of us to experience the deep joy of obedience. And, praise Him for the hope and confidence He has provided as we begin a new year of sharing the Good News that God is present in us and with us!