From the left, that's Heidi Starnes, the Chair of our Church Council, Don Ligon, the Vice Chair of the Council, Carol Hardison, the Executive Director of Crisis Assistance Ministries, Ron Dozier, our Pastor of Missions & Community Impact, and me.


So why are we all smiling?

Well, the Good Shepherd people are smiling because it really is more blessed to give than to receive.

And Carol Hardison is smiling because it's not so bad to receive, either.

We were able to deliver our check for $40,500 to Crisis Assistance on Tuesday. That represents a tithe of the people's pledge (just over $400,000) towards the Without Limit capital campaign in support of our Corner Campus expansion.

We wrote that check first as a confirmation of Proverbs 3:9: "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops."

A couple of things to know about this gift from the people of the church to the people of city: 1) when we walked into CA headquarters yesterday, there were 186 families waiting for help -- help ranging from rent to clothing to utilities; 2) last week, one of CA's sponsoring churches had to drop their support because of low funds at that congregation. So the Good Shepherd gift came at just the right time. Some would call it God's time.

Rent. Utilities. Dignity. That's what Crisis Assistance is about. I am privileged to be part of a church whose generosity helps to make such a thing possible.