GIVING FOR GOOD

FROM PAGE 7

They just put everything into place. The process was very easy.”

Hesseltine said The Salvation Army works to streamline the process of setting up a Charitable Remainder Trust and make it beneficial to all involved.

“We’re showing people how they can mutually impact their families and charity simultaneously,” he said.

“These trusts are designed to help people steward their income, increase it, provide a safety net of income and to protect their family against future unseens such as the loss of a job…The benefit to the Army is we are creating a pipeline of sustainable funding for the future of the ministry.”

Hesseltine said to set up a Charitable Remainder Trust, donors work with their local gift planner, fill out an application, The Salvation Army helps perform the transfers and the process is complete.

“It’s that easy,” he said.

The payout rate to the donor is set at 5 percent, while returns typically average around 7 percent, after fees, Hesseltine said, adding that this can become a hedge against inflation. “It pays out more the longer the trust operates, so income can increase over the years,” he said.

Claeys emphasized the importance of this type of giving to the future of The Salvation Army.

“It’s nice to know that future gifts are coming…because that’ll help make sure the programs go on forever because unfortunately there’s always going to be people in need,” Claeys said.

Chou knows she made the right choice by setting up the trust and recommends others do the same.

“God will use this in mighty ways and make you feel like you’ve done something worthwhile,” she said. “And when you see that your money is going to good use, you just find it such a blessing.” NFC

FROM PAGE 6 soul care to personal holiness, Dr. Stephen Macchia shared wisdom and insight from God’s Word. Some major takeaways include:

1. Spiritual depth

Spiritual depth is not the accumulation of things piling up, rather the work of God underground, deepening into the soil of our hearts. The temptation is to accumulate superficial stuff (to do lists, degrees, knowledge, rules, friends, activities, accolades, etc.) and we confuse it with depth and richness. Eventually, all of the superficial things distract us and keep us from pursuing true spiritual depth in the deepest soils of our hearts where roots are wanting to grab hold.

2. Spiritual revival

Spiritual revival is the surprising work of God which only he can do. It is an awakening of the soul. Spiritual renewal is the daily Spirit-guided making of choices to bring about change (committing to Scriptures, committing to community prayer and confessing our brokenness). It is an active pursuit of the spiritual disciplines.

3. A prepared heart

In looking to the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13), Jesus, as the sower, will lavishly and generously sow. Not all people are ready to receive, but there are others who do receive the seed. What makes the difference in the soil of hearts ready to receive is humility and availability.

4. Creating space for the spirit

Soul care can practically be carried out when we create space for the Spirit— when we are open and attentive to him, when we are unrushed and restful and when we live a lifestyle desirous of transformation. Such transformation can only happen when we position ourselves close to Jesus. We can do so by not forsaking our quiet time with God, which can be as simple as spending time in the Scriptures, in prayer and in reflection.

5. Rest in the wait

When we are waiting for God to do his work and resting in him, it is helpful to remember a sailing adage, “When sailing, wait for the wind. Oars are a whole lot harder.” While it is tempting to rush through the waiting, we do better to find rest in the wait.

6. “With-ness" is our witness

Our “with-ness” is our witness. We are called to be with God and with others. Only through time with God do we gain permission to witness to others. We can only be as effective to reach others for the kingdom as we have allowed God to reach us. Spending time with God is central to soul care.

We experienced rest for our souls throughout the weekend with inspiring worship music, testimonies, workshops, fellowship and times of reflection. Hearing from the weekend speakers and workshop leaders, we received God’s calling to find rest in him. It was a weekend filled with nourishment for holy living. NFC