I was raised in the Southern Baptist church, and even as a child I was expected to tithe 10% of every dime I received, from whatever source. As I grew toward young adulthood, I began to have serious questions about the religion of my youth, and ultimately rejected it in its entirety.

My parents were never wealthy, but always had enough to meet their needs and never had any debt. This, they told me, was because they gave back to God in the form of tithing. I rejected this, too! After all, they were not able to produce a control family with all the same characteristics who did not give to the church. I wondered if my parents were victims of a scam. Surely they would have more money if they weren’t giving it away!

For 30 years I searched for a spiritual path that satisfied the deep longing in my soul, and finally found it at Ananda. It was immediately apparent to me that the great blessings flowing from Ananda were the result of an incredible flow of energy coming from a few dedicated, loving people. I was still very reluctant about the concept of tithing. It was too much a part of what I had rejected. But how could I accept these blessings, that I had sought for so long, and not be a part of the energy flow that made it all possible? I began to serve in whatever way I could, and to tithe.

After a few years I was offered the opportunity to work full-time in the Sangha office. I saw that I could be helpful, and it seemed like the best next step for my own spiritual growth. But it meant my income would be reduced by more than 50%. How could that work? I knew I would have to sell my new car to eliminate the monthly payments, and I would have to get a roommate to help pay the rent. And I still had debt. It didn’t look good on paper! But I knew it was the right thing to do, for me and for the Sangha, so I took the plunge.

Somehow, miraculously, it has all worked out. I found my roommate in the form of a wonderful husband, whose presence is a blessing to me every day. We tithe 10% of our renunciate salaries to Ananda Seattle’s ministry expenses. We also make monthly contributions to the Temple Building Fund and Ananda Worldwide. Those monthly tithes and pledges add up to about 15% of our income. On top of that, we participate in all the fundraising activities and special collections of every kind. Now, here’s the interesting part… for the first time in my adult life I am completely free of debt and have money in the bank. No matter how much we give, in the form of money or joyful service, the energy is not lost, but replaced by a greater flow!

I tried getting satisfaction from new cars, jewelry and nice homes, and I know that it doesn’t work. The blessings of this path bring me soul satisfaction in this life and beyond. It is not possible to put out too much energy, in gratitude and love, for God and Guru.

Thank you, God!