When I was asked to speak today about my views on stewardship, it made me uncomfortable. It made me uncomfortable to have to really examine my own values and how I live my life, and it made me uncomfortable to have to share the intimate details to all of you sitting before me.

Some things in life are a privilege. One of my privileges was to be adopted by loving, Christian people. My parents taught me the value of loving God, of giving him my talents and my service. This shaped me. It defined me as a person.

Today I choose to be a committed volunteer, giving generously of my time in service for the Lord. This can be tough to live out - some days I am tired from work and I am not "in the mood" to do my volunteer work with the youth program, and I remember that I have been called by God to serve in this way, at this time - and it will be God who enables and sustains me. I may not have as much time for myself, but the relationships I have built enriched my life, I am stretched, I grow.

I learned as a small child that you put something into the church offering plate, but I can't say that I learned that you rearranged your life priorities to make your finances the number one priority of stewardship. It wasn't until well into my adulthood and a very good friend lived before me, how your life priorities could reflect your number one priority of stewardship. Becca chooses to live a humble existence because she has this value. She was taught this value as a very young child making 50 cents an hour in the family printing business. The first 5 cents always went to the church, the next 5 cents always went to someone in need, the next 15 cents went into savings, and the remaining 25 cents went to purchase her wants, needs and desires in life. And you know what? She lives her life to this day that same way, 45 years later and it is an ingrained value. It has been her joy to live this way. It has been freeing not to be caught up in the ways of the world.

Knowing Becca, seeing her live her life, has challenged me to make adjustments in my life. I have made giving generously a priority of living. We all have different abilities to give, and our income determines how we can live. I work for a non-profit, so what does adjusting my standard of living in order for me to give more generously look like? It means choosing to drive my car for eight to ten years (longer then I would like). It means living in an apartment and not where I really desire. It means not going to Europe on vacation, but instead visiting a friend out of town. But it isn't a sacrifice really. I just view life differently, I have redefined what is "normal" in my life.

I wouldn't be honest with you if I didn't tell you that sometimes it is just out of pure discipline that I continue to give. I sometimes worry that I won't have enough in my old age (and being single this can be very scary). I struggle not to be jealous of my friends which have much more or have "made it" further. I wonder if others see me as odd and different because of my priority decisions. But in the long run, overall, I realize that I am accountable to God alone. That I have far more then many people in this world. That all my needs are met and many of my wants are fulfilled. That I am not deprived. That I am blessed.

I try to give - not to receive or control or to appear more humble. I give of my time, talents and treasures because I realize that I am only a steward of all God has given me. For every time I begin to believe that I have accomplished something, that I am so smart, that I am so special or that isn't God lucky to have me on his side - somehow I am reminded from where all this comes.

I want to be faithful in all God has given me, today, tomorrow and for my life. Where do I go from here? How do I respond to the church's capital campaign? I support why we are wanting to expand. I wholeheartedly believe in the increased ministry capacity it will allow us in our youth programs - that we will be able to more fully meet the needs of our growing youth population. That we will be able to teach the next generation the importance of growing in God, of being a faithful steward in every area of living.

Just last week we had 52 youth participate in our Mission Day. Youth were divided among seven mission projects. We had to adjust and wait to use the fellowship hall while others were walking through. This is not a huge problem, but a new youth suite will allow us to focus attention, have more creative programming, and reach more youth. We currently have almost 200 youth on our rolls. If we reach more of our youth, and they begin to catch the vision of inviting their friends - imagine where we might go. I think it is worth the investment.