I know I say this almost every post, but I am so thrilled to be sharing this with you!! One of my big 10 goals for 2015 was to make giving an “automatic” part of my business. Not mindless, but something that happened every month without fail. Something that I didn’t forget to incorporate and realize 6 months have gone by since I supported a wonderful cause. So with that, I set out to see how best to make sure I will make giving a part of my business every month.
What resulted from my quest is what I am calling The Boaz Fund.
A little back story from the book of Ruth. In Boaz’s day, it was common to harvest the wheat and then allow the poor to glean the fields. They basically did not cut all the way in the corners and left this for the poor. For my little efficiency-obsessed brain, this seems super wasteful. But for them, it was purposeful and generous. When Ruth came to Boaz’s field to glean, he told the workers to pull some out from what they had collected to leave out for her. I loved this picture of him giving away more than the excess that they were used to giving. I don’t want to give, only in those months like December when business doubles my expectations. Because let’s be honest, next year, I may simply expect last year’s blessing and say I NEED every bit of income from it. I want to give because, really, it’s all God’s anyways. I want to give because that is one of the biggest blessings of owning a growing business is getting to contribute more to His kingdom, not more to my standard of living.
So The Boaz Fund will be VMP’s way of giving back. Each month, $.50 for every journal sold will go to a specific charity or project. Last year we sold anywhere from 400 – 1500 journals a month and are growing every month. And possibly more depending on how each charity promotes them as well!
Part of me is scared to put this out there because I know it only means it will increase the number of no’s I have to send. I thought about simply seeking out the charities I want to partner with but I know that limits things to only the ones I currently know about. God may have some amazing opportunities that I have no idea even exist right now.
I know there are so many wonderful causes and charities, it will be hard to limit it to 12 each year, but I’d really like to make a big impact on those that are chosen. I thought I’d share some criteria I have come up with to help me choose those 12 causes/charities:
- Established faith-based charities or non-profits. Doesn’t have to be huge, but does need to be legitimate.
- Sects I am particularly involved in or passionate about: Entrepreneurs/Teaching Self-suffiency, Women, Kids, Europe, Healthy Eating, Louisiana.
- Timely. Whether it’s Christmas related projects in the winter, school-related charities in August or crisis relief when a crisis happens.
- Prayer. I have my own criteria, but this is God’s money so He can override anything I have determined if He leads to me to say yes.
I cannot tell y’all how excited I am to start this. I have not been great at giving throughout my life. My husband is super generous and sometimes, it highlights my own selfishness that I would really rather ignore. Over the last year specifically, God has been calling me out of my own selfishness to give all of me for His glory. I am now just so excited and hopeful to be a part of God’s story. I just finished Love, Skip, Jump this weekend and it has been inspiring me so much. Shelene, the author has all these amazing God stories and I sit and read and think, these aren’t happening to her by accident. It’s because she is saying yes to God.
Your “yes” may be submitting a form. You can do that right here!
Your “yes” may be doing something similar with your own business!
Let’s say “yes” together! 🙂
Edit: I wrote this post on Saturday and coincidentally, our sermon on Sunday was all about using our position and possessions for God’s kingdom. I would strongly encourage listening to the sermon here if this post stirred your heart! Also, if you donated to Change Agent through this opportunity, the founder Eric and the Liberian Ambassador to the US spoke during the service as well!
Leave a Reply
Comments (0)