Why I Give
Stephen and Shavonda Neal
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A child of the 80’s and 90’s, I grew up in a middle class family in Cincinnati with plenty of love and needs met for the most part. My brothers and sisters and I even had a lot of our wants, until my father lost his job. My dad worked many years for a company building jet engines. Then one year the week before Christmas they let him know he wasn’t needed anymore. Not because of bad performance or even because of a down economy, but for the opportunity to hire on younger and newer workers for less pay. We quickly began to experience the realities that many other families experienced: it’s possible even for hard working people to experience difficult times.
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My brother and I (then in high school) worked after school to help supplement the family income and pay bills while my father searched for a new job. He would go on to work many odd jobs with other companies, but things were never the same for us. With this experience in mind, my father encouraged us on the importance of getting our education.
Years later, I was driving down the road to work and listening to a fundraiser for a local mission. As I listened in, it was more than the radio broadcasters inviting me to participate in meeting the needs of others. God began stamping into my heart how much He cares about those who are in need. In Psalm 12 the Lord says, “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise.” God arises to help the poor, when you and I take on His heart to help others. Together we can be His hands and feet!
Let’s enjoy the blessedness of giving together as we love our families, our communities, and even our neighbors abroad.
Blessings to you,
Stephen Neal
Consider the Poor
Years later, I was driving down the road to work and listening to a fundraiser for a local mission. As I listened in, it was more than the radio broadcasters inviting me to participate in meeting the needs of others. God began stamping into my heart how much He cares about those who are in need. In Psalm 12 the Lord says, “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise.” God arises to help the poor, when you and I take on His heart to help others. Together we can be His hands and feet!
Let’s enjoy the blessedness of giving together as we love our families, our communities, and even our neighbors abroad.
Blessings to you,
Stephen Neal
Consider the Poor