In Matthew 6:21, Jesus explained why it’s so important to align your resources with your values and deepest passions: “Where your treasure is,” he said, “there your heart will be also.” But sometimes you may need help determining the causes and charities that are closest to your heart.
We have a practical tool that can help.
When NCF teams help givers dive into deep questions about purpose and impact, they often use our Giving Strategy ™ Causes & Passions guide and its two discovery exercises. Here’s how you can use them and how they can help:
1. Exploring your causes
NCF offers a list of our 58 cause categories. You can scan this list and prayerfully consider which ones align with your values and experiences. What brings you the most joy or breaks your heart? What have you given to in the past – financially or with your time, talent, or skills? And, most importantly, where do you feel God prompting you now?
A more purposeful connection with causes you truly care about could be a new source of inspiration and joy in your giving. One giver explained it this way: “My wife and I have walked through this exercise, and as we refine where we feel God is drawing us in, we feel a sense of greater generosity. There is a joy that enters our giving, and we’re excited to do it.”
2. Defining your big dreams
After you have a better understanding of what causes and charities you want to focus on, it’s time to dream. What would it look like if you were able to accomplish something big for a cause God has placed on your heart? And what would it take to get there?
For one giver who works with Tim MacDonald, President of our NCF Southwest team, the dream looked like an unattainable goal. “As a recent widow, she was trying to figure out what the next half of her life would look like,” Tim says. “Her big dream was to fund a project which would include a program and a building for one of her great cause passions, but she didn’t believe it was possible.”
After talking with her financial advisor and Excellence in Giving to do some research, it became clear that it was attainable with a little strategic planning and faithful stewardship. “It has been such a joy to see her renewed sense of purpose,” Tim says. “And to watch her bring her remaining family, grandchildren, and others into this incredible generosity experience is so rewarding.”
As you walk through the exercises in the guide, remember that finding your giving passions is not just about where to allocate your financial resources. It’s about discovering the profound joy and fulfillment that comes from aligning your generosity at the place where your deepest convictions and God’s calling intersect.
Contact your NCF team for more tools and resources to help you discover your giving passions.
