THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING TO US
Sam: The number one reason that we give comes out of scripture. Romans 12:6-8 talks about the gifts that God has given us. To paraphrase, it says, “If your gift is giving, then give generously.” That is something that has always been important to us as a couple. If God has given us the gift to give, no matter the season of life that we’re in, then we are called to do just that. Give generously.
Christian: Giving has been a journey for both of us. The commandment of giving was something that I had to learn. Growing up, I never felt this passion or enthusiasm when it came to giving. When I started tithing, I was working at a coffee shop with an inconsistent schedule. But we saw in our relationship how God built us up through that season. He was calling us to be more faithful and trusting in Him. Then I lost that job. At the beginning of the next week, I received a job offer. That next job ended up being one of my favorite jobs to date. God is faithful. Through all of that, I learned what the commandment of giving meant. Giving is a tool to build His Kingdom.
WHY WE CHOOSE TO GIVE TO FINDING THE FAMILY
Sam: Giving to us means more than tithing. It’s about giving above and beyond the tithe and using what God has blessed us with to bless others. So whenever we finished our pledge with the church’s building campaign, we sat down as a couple and said, “What is the next opportunity? Where is the Lord going to lead us next?” The answer was simple – Finding the Family.
I had the opportunity to have a front-row seat in this ministry. My parents started it when I was in high school around 14/15 years old. I watched the first few families come through the ministry, and I got to witness my parents walking hand in hand with the participants to show them the heart of Christ. This ministry has the mindset, “Find the Lost Sheep.” Just like Christ leaves the ninety-nine behind to go for the one lost sheep, we should be doing that as Christians. There is no extent too extreme for Christ to reach out to His child, the one whom He loves. Scripture makes it clear that He is the founder of our faith. With that, we have to understand that as people come to know Him, He is the one who has been reaching out to them long before they even thought about reaching out to Him.
It is a blessing to donate towards Finding the Family because as they take in a family in need, they show them the same enthusiasm and relentless love that Christ has for these individuals. There is no extent too great, and there is no place that He will not stop to show His love to others. The heart of this ministry is something that we are honored to be behind.
WHY A HEALTHY FAMILY STRUCTURE MATTERS
Christian: It means so much to have a good family structure. The majority of participants that come through this ministry do not have a background that reflects a healthy family structure. Finding the Family helps them create this and teaches them how a healthy family should function.
So after we finished with the church building campaign and we sat down together, we knew that what this ministry is doing is near and dear to the heart of the Lord. He wants people to see Him as a Father and see what the family unit of the church looks like. Finding the Family accomplishes this because they have an adoptive family structure. They take the brokenness and help mend it back together so that they can reflect the heart of God.
Today, we get to serve alongside some of the participants that have come through the ministry. It is incredible to see their hearts as they are finding restoration in the Lord for the first time.
FINDING THE FAMILY IMPACTS FUTURE GENERATIONS
Sam: There is something precious about giving to a ministry that incites generational change. I saw this quite literally happen in my family’s life when they got saved. They had people come alongside them to create support in their community. They came out of being drug addicts for ten years. I do not think that anyone who would meet my family today would be able to recognize that. After they came to know the Lord, they had the opportunity to have people in the body of Christ stand by them. This ministry incites generational change. They provide a structure and a system to come alongside the whole family. It’s a ministry for the here and now and the generations to come. Finding the Family has the potential to impact the Springfield area, the state of Missouri, and even the world in a greater way.
JOIN US!
Christian: Giving is as much of a commandment as it is a joy. It is how we show love and care for others. We need to help those who cannot help themselves. If we have been blessed, then it is our responsibility as a believer, from love, to care for them. Finding the Family is a great ministry to give to because they help families in such an integral way. They help people learn a new way of living that reproduces into the children’s lives. It is a well-tilled soil, you could say. Soil that is ready to be watered and fed into so that the Lord can bring increase into the field.
Giving to Finding the Family is more than just giving to a blank-faced ministry. When you give, you’re specifically and intentionally pouring into people’s lives, and their kids’ lives. It’s a seed that gets to grow and become something bigger than itself.
*If you want to help families rebuild their lives as they break free from the bondage of addiction, please click here to donate. Thank you for your generosity!