Although we may not be able to give big dollar amounts, the Lord asks us to bring to the altar what we have to offer, and he will multiply them. For example, when I bring $5 to the table, and you bring $5 to the table, our $5 becomes $10, and just like that, our gifts have multiplied. But this only happens when we give as a community. All of us must offer our gifts at the altar, not just some.

I firmly believe that the most fun any of us will ever have with our money is to give it away and be a blessing to our family, friends, community, and world. Our unique personalities SHOULD be an intimate part of the type of giving we do. What causes, movements and ministries do you want to see furthered in our world? We should absolutely be giving to those personal reflections of our hearts, in addition to giving to our local parish and diocese.

As a Catholic woman, God has granted me gifts and resources which He hopes I will care for and nurture. For a long time, I viewed these gifts and resources as normal elements of life—family, friendship, money and time doing things I enjoyed like being in nature. Only when I intentionally spent time in prayer and considered these gifts, did my perception about them change.