Generosity and love (To whom much is given… much is expected)

Good morning, friends. By now you should know how Thursday goes on this page:

First, I’ll gently try to get you to click on the link to my new Wake Forest Today column (remember, you can’t read it anywhere else),
And then I’ll share today’s Life, Gratitude, Faith, & Passion posting about Habitat for Humanity.

This week’s Wake Forest Today column, To Whom Much is Given, Much is Expected, talks about my journey to becoming a U.S. citizen. I believe you’ll enjoy the short read.

TODAY’s POST: We’ve been here at WFPC for six months now. I know, it’s hard to believe it’s been so long, and that it’s been such a short time since we said goodbye to the amazing, faithful, disciples at fpcBrandon.

Wednesday evening dinner together, like every other aspect of life around here, has been a fun and growing experience. This week we broke new ground by feeding over 230 people and having our first Mission Auction.

GENEROSITY! The event – a virtual auction where people bid on photographs of items such as doors, roof trusses, and kitchen sinks – was designed to fund our portion of a Habitat for Humanity build here in Wake Forest.

Wake Forest Presbyterian is part of a coalition of area churches who have committed to build four houses this spring. We were asked for $6,500; Rebekah set a goal of $7,500; and – as of yesterday evening – WFPC had raised well over $15,000.

I could detail the evening’s hilarity, such as Jeff Simpson pretending to auction the first couple of items while a (hidden) professional auctioneer wowed the crowd with vocal gymnastics through another microphone. But there’s too much to share and too little space.

So all I’ll do is to encourage anyone still reading to take the essential message from today’s Wake Forest Today column to heart, to remember how blessed we are, and to take seriously the responsibility that comes with this thought from Jesus: “To whom much is given, much is expected.”

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48)

– Derek

(more pics from the auction, below)