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Karla Merrell was the first in her family to immigrate to the US from Panama to pursue the American dream. After years of success in the corporate world, Karla still struggled with the scarcity mindset that was passed down in her family's culture. But during the beginning of COVID, Karla faced a sequence of events that led her to step deeply into both faith and generosity. One memorable act of generosity set the stage for an exciting and adventurous life of faith in the years that followed. Now, Karla is passionate about breaking generational cycles of scarcity and fostering a generous culture in her own home. She invites people to express generosity in multi-dimensional ways, and facilitates connection and spiritual growth in unexpected outreach avenues. Major Topics Include: Karla's faith and cultural background How her generosity journey began with a single email Learning about the nature of God through her generosity awakening Comfort and hope in total dependence on Jesus A walk through the Women Doing Well process that revolutionized Karla's mindset A view of generosity and money in a Hispanic context Growing out of generational scarcity into a culture of generosity Discovering the power of constant prayer through running How starting a faith-based running group became an outreach opportunity Generosity as more than money Practical ideas for exercising relational generosity QUOTES TO REMEMBER “I didn't have a generous bone in my body.” “We are absolutely dependent on Jesus.” “There comes a point when you have to make a decision—do I want to return to the person I used to be, or am I courageous enough to change and become the person I didn't know I needed to be?” “You have to decide if you are going to be a consequence of your background or you want to create a new generational story.” “When you give spontaneously in response to the Spirit, you never miss that money.” “When I decided to stop holding on so tightly to all the things I thought I could control and I thought belonged to me, a whole new world opened.” “The dependence on God is what makes the whole thing exciting.” “Generosity is not just money. Money is a great way to express generosity, but there is so much sacrifice in other things too.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here) Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) Fellowship of Christian Athletes The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Luke 16:13 | God Or Mammon? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
Mary Helen Klingen began her career in accounting but transitioned to financial advising after a few years in the corporate world. Currently with Blue Trust, she regularly supports clients in embracing deeper generosity. As a single woman in a male-dominated field, Mary Helen has grappled with her singleness in relation to her faith, career, and purpose. This journey has inspired her to encourage other women in similar situations to find their voice in the space God has given them. Mary Helen is passionate about empowering single women to integrate their faith and finances. She actively participates in the stewardship and singles ministries at her church and offers practical advice that you won't want to miss! Major Topics Include: Mary Helen's faith background and career journey Integrating faith and finances in the unique culture of Blue Trust Being the only woman in the Houston office How her struggles led into ministry Common barriers to generosity for spenders and savers Viewing singleness as an asset in generosity Navigating the search for purpose and contentment in the single season Mary Helen's experience setting a finish line as a saver The importance of talking about money in the Church QUOTES TO REMEMBER “We are called to generosity not because God needs our money, but because He wants to do something through us.” “The way you know you care about a mission is if you pass it on to someone else.” “In the moments when I feel different, I remember that at the end of the day, these men and I have Christ in common. We're all Believers, and that's the most important thing about us.” “Jesus asked more questions than He answered. So as financial advisors, we follow that model to get to the heart level.” “I had to learn contentment in the stage and season of singleness that God had for me before I could move into a more open-handed, generous space with my own finances.” “I didn't find the answer I was looking for, that marriage was guaranteed or promised to me, but what I did find was a good God who loves me and has provided for me.” “We get the opportunity in singleness to see the beauty of following Jesus and to have Him, and in having Him, to truly have all that we need.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here) Blue Trust (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue) God and Money (see our interviews with coauthors Greg Baumer and John Cortines) Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) 7 Myths About Singleness by Sam Allberry Compass Financial Ministries (see our interview with CEO, Brian Holtz) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Hebrews 10:39 | Don't Shrink Back But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. 1 Timothy 6:17 | Set Your Hopes on God As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. Psalm 37:4 | Delight in the Lord Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 34:10 | Seek the Lord The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Psalm 23:1 | The Lord Provides The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 1 Corinthians 7:6-8 | Better to be Single Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. Matthew 28:20b | I Am with You Always And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. 1 John 1:7 | Fellowship in the Light But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
www.marktreichel.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-treichel/The NCUA's boardroom has been rocked. Two board members fired. DOGE staff roaming the halls. Rumors of a regulatory consolidation swirl. In this must-hear episode, Mark Treichel is joined by former NCUA Board Member Geoff Bacino and former NCUA Congressional Affairs Director John McKechnie to unpack one of the most chaotic weeks in recent credit union regulatory history.From unprecedented dismissals to the looming question of NCUA's independence, we cover:
Todd Harper AM, CEO of Cancer Council Victoria, has held four CEO roles across some of Australia's most respected public health organisations. But his leadership edge doesn't come from always having the answers — it comes from the opposite. In this conversation, Todd shares how embracing uncertainty, seeking unfiltered feedback, and learning to let go of control shaped him into a more effective leader. From leading through the HIV/AIDS epidemic to driving strategic cancer prevention and policy reform, Todd reflects on legacy, vulnerability, and the power of values-led leadership. This episode is a refreshing, deeply human look at what it really means to lead well — especially when the stakes are high, the issues are complex, and the outcomes matter. ----------------------- Learn more and apply for the Influence Mastermind: https://www.bravefeminineleadership.com/influence-mastermind ----------------------- Inside My CEO Calendar: How I Led A Team of 5k+ Without Getting Pulled Back Into the Weeds A behind-the-scenes private podcast for senior female leaders and CEOs who don't need fluff—just sharper thinking, smarter moves, and more time for what matters. You don't have time for another 60-minute webinar. But you do have 15 minutes while you're driving into the office or grabbing your mid-day coffee. Listen here: https://www.bravefeminineleadership.com/BFL-Private-Podcast ----------------------- Craving inspiration? I send an email each Sunday about leadership reflection, top tips to build an intentional & sustainable life and other things that have captured my attention and are too good not to share! Sign up here: https://www.bravefeminineleadership.com/leadershipinspiration Loving the podcast? Leave us a short review. It takes less than 60 seconds & will inspire like-minded leaders to join the conversation! Access Your Free Clarity Tool Between the endless to-do lists, competing priorities, and decisions piling up, it's easy to lose sight of what matters most. But here's the truth: you can't give more if you're running on empty. That's why we created Balance Your Brave—a free 15-minute diagnostic tool to help you regain control and clarity. In just 15 minutes, you will: ✅ Pinpoint energy drains holding you back. ✅ Identify where to focus for the biggest impact. ✅ Walk away feeling calmer and more confident in your next steps. Think of it as your personal roadmap to balance and alignment. ⬇️ Click here to access your free Balance Your Brave diagnostic tool. https://www.bravefeminineleadership.com/Balance-Your-Brave Are we friends? Connect with Us. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bravefeminineleadership Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bravefeminineleadership Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brave-feminine-leadership
www.marktreichel.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-treichel/NCUA Predictions: What Will the Do in 2025?Treichel: [00:00:00] Hey everyone, this is Mark Treichel with another episode of With Flying Colors. Today I am flying solo and I am calling this podcast something like what I expect from NCUA in 2025. In preparing for today's show, I took some notes going back and looking at NCUA's Agenda from their board action taken in 2025 and am gleaning based on the Trump administration and the Helpman leadership.What may or what may not happen in 2025 compared to 2024. When you go back and look at 2025. They had canceled two board meetings. So that was one takeaway. They canceled the March, 2024 board meeting, which was the first time in a long time that that had happened. And they canceled the June, 2024 meeting.So this was under then [00:01:00] chairman Todd Harper, who is now a board member at large, although he came close to being named vice chair, and you can check out some of my past podcasts for discussions on why that may have blown up anyway. It things continue to blow up at the board level, but I'll get to that here shortly.All right. They canceled 2 board meetings and they held for N. C. U. S. I. F. share insurance fund briefings. I report on those quite a bit here and on linked in because that's 1 of the few windows to generic camel code ratings. You can see when camel code ratings go up and they did 4 of those. in 2024.I'm expecting they'll do four of those in 2025. They did one cyber security update briefing and they did a new charter update and briefing and tip to what I might say in the future. I think there will be more briefings because I don't think the board will be acting on much because I don't think the board [00:02:00] is currently getting along because of the kerfuffle on NSF and overdraft fees.All right. So other things they did they did a proposed succession planning rule and a final succession planning rule. They did an incentive based compensation proposal, which I think will go nowhere in 2025. That was put out there because Biden's administration required it from all. Banking agencies and under the Trump administration there will be less or zero regulation.And I don't see them wanting to put proposals in on incentives. If you'd know what I mean. In July, there was a loan rate ceiling approval to. re approve utilization of the 18 percent rate. That's what they do every time. The trade associations come out saying you should allow that to go up or you should make it based on variability.If NCOA was ever going to raise it, it would have been last year and or the year before. They [00:03:00] didn't seize that opportunity because they thought it would have been egregiously harmful to credit unions and credit union members. I disagree with that, but they will vote on that again because they have to vote on it and they will likely just do what they've done umpteen years in a row, which is reaffirmed the 18%.I expect that to happen in July again. All right. What else is going to be happening? Potentially, they did have a board appeal in August. By the way, they typically don't have open board meetings in August. That was a closed a closed item where a credit union appealed something without revealing what I know relative to that.That was a field of membership appeal. There was a fair hiring and banking proposal, which doesn't need to repeat in 2025. They simplified the insurance rules. And then when you get close to the end of the year, what happens at the end of the year and CUA approves their budget. But before they approve their budget, they do a budget briefing.A little [00:04:00] bit of history on the budget briefings. The budget briefing started when I was the deputy executive director and they were started by Dennis Dollar. And I remember saying to that executive director, Len Skiles, if you do this, Make sure you want to do it and it was for transparency. But once you start something, it's very difficult to stop it.And I'll get to that and why I'm making that point. I'll get to it now, but I'll refer to it again. So NCOA did stop it. I believe it was under the Matt's administration and the trade associations got upset because that was their opportunity. One of their opportunities to show value saying your budget's too high.Here's why we think it's too high. And through assistance from Senator Mark Warner in Virginia, they were able to get the Federal Credit Union Act proposed, requiring NCUA to do a budget briefing. They are required to do a budget briefing. I believe they will do a budget briefing. I'm not so sure they will do a budget.They're not [00:05:00] required to do a budget, and they are required to do a budget briefing. They're not required to do a budget, and that's because there is a two year budget. So I'll get to that and why I think that they may not do a budget when we walk through what I think will happen in totality in 2025. The NCOA approved their annual performance plan, which is linked to their strategic plan, already in January.That was one of the last things they did prior to Hauptmann taking over. So they don't need to do that annual plan, but they do need to do another strategic plan, and that would be due by the end of 2025 for the years 2026 through 2030. Will they do that? We will see. All right. So when you look at what is going to happen and what I predict will happen in 2024, that's a little bit about what happened.What I'm predicting in 2024 is that the theme of canceling board meetings will continue. They, as I mentioned, they canceled March and June. I'm [00:06:00] expecting that they may cancel April or May. Or June or July, I don't believe they're going to have enough briefings to keep an agenda full. I don't believe they're going to agree on enough things because of the arguments they're having about about NSF fees and overdraft fees being reported by over a billion dollar credit unions.There's two approaches here. Kyle Hauptman canceled and changed the. Way that billion dollar plus credit unions were going were reporting for three quarters on NSFs and overdrafts saying that it's overkill and it's onerous on the credit unions, et cetera, et cetera, and that they would be looking at that during part of the examinations and then after he announced that at GAC and then.Board member Harper and board member Otsuka came out with their own press releases, and I understand they did a full court press on [00:07:00] Capitol Hill on the topic and came out saying that what's wrong with transparency? There should be transparency here. Why are you stopping something that was started and that credit unions had been providing and that's bad for members?So that's the nexus I wanted to say where I mentioned with Dennis Dollar that when he started the budget briefings, I thought they would never be stopped. And it's hard to stop something when you do. What happened? Debbie Matt stopped the budget briefings, and then lo and behold, the Federal Credit Union Act was changed and INSU 8 was required.to do that. So at some point, whether it's when the next time there's a D in the White House or there's a D in running the Dems have control of Congress. And the White House, you're going to see more on the fee situation. You're going to see NCOA go back to collecting this data. Will it be in 4 years?Will it be in 8 years? Will it be sometime sooner than that? [00:08:00] My guess is not before the four year period. I can't see how it went flip floppi...
Lauren France, founder of the Lydia Network, encountered the Gospel after graduating college and was immediately captivated by its transformative power. Her passion for sharing Christ and making disciples quickly took root, leading her to serve in various capacities where she honed her skills in organization and fundraising. As she grew in leadership, she recognized how these gifts could be leveraged for the advancement of God's Kingdom. With a deep calling to empower global church leaders, Lauren now serves as Director of Development and Marketing with Equipping Leaders International, which provides theological training to indigenous pastors across 38 nations. Along this journey, she became increasingly aware of the vital role of women in fueling Kingdom work through generosity. This realization inspired the founding of the Lydia Network—a nationwide movement equipping and empowering women to step boldly into their God-given calling as givers. Today, the Lydia Network unites women from all backgrounds, mobilizing them as catalysts for the extraordinary work God is accomplishing around the world. Major Topics Include: Lauren's inspiring backstory Gaining the pinhole-to-panoramic view of missions Why Lauren is so passionate about women givers The Lydia Network story The desperate need for theological resources and training for global church leaders The cost of training and equipping indigenous pastors Powerful stories of how God is moving in the nations Encouraging women to help fulfill the Great Commission through giving Crossing denominational, racial, and generational lines to further the gospel Stories of women leveraging their passions and skill sets to enable generosity What's ahead for the Lydia Network QUOTES TO REMEMBER “Long before I ever knew God, God knew me.” “We get the privilege of living this adventurous, generous life with God. God has that for His daughters and He wants them to live whole-heartedly.” “About 95% of global church leaders have no theological training.” “If you transform a leader, you transform a church. If you transform a church, you transform a community.” “God is building the next movement of generosity in the Church.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW The Lydia Network Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here) Equipping Leaders International When Women Give by Kim King The Generosity Gap by The Barna Group Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounders Todd Harper and David Wills and CEO, April Chapman) Polished Network Women & Work by Courtney Moore The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW 2 Timothy 2:2 | Making Disciples And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 | Sufficiency in All Things And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. Matthew 18:20 | There I Am For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
Speaker and author Brian Kluth has been deeply involved in the generosity space for decades and has thought deeply about how to effectively communicate the joy and adventure that is to be had in the generous life. For the last forty years, Brian has been teaching biblical financial principles and helping countless people discover the joy of living a generous life through international seminars, books, and other written materials. Brian and his wife, Mary Ellen, have also begun many works as generosity mobilizers. In partnership with many other organizations, these works are helping to improve the lives of millions in Africa and around the world by providing solutions for basic needs and sharing the Gospel. Brian is overflowing with stories of generosity and risky faith that are sure to build faith and inspire. Major Topics Include: Brian's transformative salvation story Seven simple, biblical keys to generosity Why to separate your giving money from your living money How he and he wife give according to God's blessings How living with a finish line prepared him for life with a pastor's salary The evolution of the modern generosity movement Becoming a “donkey for Christ” in Africa The magnifying impact of partnerships Tips for staying focused when you're growing tired QUOTES TO REMEMBER “Generosity is God's crazy mathematics. when you honor God, you're inviting Him into your financial life.” “God helps you in ways you can't even imagine.” “You cannot buy your way to contentment. Contentment doesn't come from getting everything you want; it comes from being thankful for everything you already have and sharing it.” “I have one goal in life: to one day hear ‘Well done good and faithful servant.'” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Global Generosity Pledge 30-Day Devotional and 40-Day Devotional (Generosity Pledge) Gospel Lights Sandi House Healthy Charity National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills) Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounders Todd Harper and David Wills and CEO, April Chapman) Crown Financial Ministries Ronald Blue and Co., CPA (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue) Generosity Path Generous Church (see our interview with founder Patrick Johnson) Kingdom Advisors (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue) Faith Driven Investor Faith Driven Entrepreneur Christian Economic Forum Compass Financial Ministries The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Ephesians 4:28 | A Thief No More Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. John 7:38 | Rivers of Living Water Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'” 1 Corinthians 16:2 | First-Fruits Giving On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. 1 Timothy 6:6-7 | Contentment But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
Alisa Hoober has been connected with Hope International since her elementary school years. During that time, her family and church began partnering with a sister church in Ukraine, which laid the groundwork for Hope's mission today. Through family trips abroad and a strong foundation of biblical values, Alisa was raised in a culture that emphasized stewardship, generosity, and contentment. Alisa Hoober has been connected with Hope International since her elementary school years. During that time, her family and church began partnering with a sister church in Ukraine, which laid the groundwork for Hope's mission today. Through family trips abroad and a strong foundation of biblical values, Alisa was raised in a culture that emphasized stewardship, generosity, and contentment. As an adult, Alisa spent 10 years on Hope International staff before transitioning to spend more time with her young children. Currently, Alisa serves on several boards, including that of Hope International, and is actively involved in the generosity community alongside her husband. She has valuable insights to share about finding one's calling, establishing priorities, raising generous children, and setting a financial finish line. Major Topics Include: Learning and teaching the principles of “Earn, Save, and Give” Growing in generosity as a couple Intentionally raising children in a culture of generosity Balancing motherhood with other meaningful passions Practicing generosity through hospitality Practical tips for traveling to the nations with children How to know where God has you right now When to say yes to something new and the self-care of saying no The challenge of raising kids with a heart of contentment in a world of consumerism QUOTES TO REMEMBER “How can we be generous with our whole selves?” “Generosity can be huge and generosity can be really simple.” “When we can learn from each other and spur each other on in living generously and giving cheerfully, we all are better for that and grow from it.” “The best way to figure out how to be a good steward is to ask the Owner.” “It's a calling to love God, to love others, and to live generously.” “When we practice generosity, we see growth.” “The joy of giving is contagious.” “At the root is a heart of contentment.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Hope International (see our interview with founder, Jeff Rutt or CEO, Peter Greer) Tomorrow Clubs Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World by Kristen Welch Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here) Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) I Like Giving The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Matthew 6:19-21 | Treasures in Heaven Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
Cherise Vermeulen, Executive Director of Generous Generations, had several childhood experiences that radically impacted her faith and her understanding of generosity. At the age of six, she woke from a coma following a severe car accident, where she felt the healing touch of prayer. This life-altering event left her with visible scars, but it also prompted her to explore her identity in Christ and discover her intrinsic value. Later, as the recipient of an incredibly generous gift, Cherise came to recognize the immense impact of generosity in changing the course of someone's life. Through these experiences and Cherise's background in children's educational television, God laid the foundations for Generous Generations, which now provides generosity programming, videos, and content for children and youth across 26 different countries. By collaborating with localized ministries and training local leaders, Generous Generations has reached millions of children with the message of generosity in a culturally contextualized way. Major Topics Include: The amazing story of how Generous Generations was born Different strategies for teaching children to young adults about generosity Collaboration as a central strategy for sharing the program How Generous Generations is affecting families and communities The challenge of contextualizing stories and examples to share generosity concepts with different cultures Tips for families to incorporate generosity into the daily lives of their children QUOTES TO REMEMBER “Even in times of need, it's not about what you can get, it's about what you can give.” “I used to think you had to have a lot in order to give.” “Let's decide how much we want to give and let God work out the details.” “Generosity is transformational. Why do we wait until we're grownups before we learn about these beautiful values?” “Children learn quickly because they're not afraid to fail.” “Teenagers need to feel like they have a voice and a role to play in deciding how to give.” “We want children under the age of twelve to begin to understand that generosity is an adventure.” “With the great wealth transfer being underway, we have the opportunity to speak to children and youth now to instill these biblical values of generosity and stewardship into their lives so that by the time they reach adulthood, they will be able to make huge decisions about how money is spent.” “When a child discovers the joy of giving, it's not a duty to them or something that they have to do, it's something they get to do. And the joy is contagious!” “Generosity is a new way to spread the gospel because it's a universal language. It's a concept that's understood across cultures.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Generous Generations Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) Scripture Union Global Children's Forum The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Philippians 4:8 | Think on These Things Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
Leigh Ann Horton grew up in a Christian home where open conversations about money and stewardship shaped her perspective on finances and faith. Her natural talent for numbers guided her career as a CPA and entrepreneur, while also influencing her early approach to generosity. Initially meticulous in tracking her giving, Leigh Ann's journey has since evolved into one of holding resources with open hands and following the Spirit's leading in both her businesses and giving. A turning point came when Leigh Ann and her husband connected with a community of like-minded givers, leading to a transformative shift toward heartfelt, Spirit-led generosity. Today, Leigh Ann is passionate about empowering women to engage in meaningful conversations about money and giving. Her inspiring stories radiate the joy and fulfillment that come from embracing a generous life. Major Topics Include: From “tickled-tithing” to joyful generosity The transformative power of community in generosity Finding freedom from comparison and cultivating joy Growing as a couple in Spirit-led giving Equipping and inspiring women in financial conversations Understanding and measuring impact investing Quotes to Remember “When I realized that I was being legalistic in my giving, I quit trying to measure everything and tried to become more freehanded in it.” “It doesn't matter what I have because it's not mine; I'm just a steward.” “As you know what your purpose is, then you can figure out where your passions align.” “Start where you are, even if you've only given a tiny bit before. You can start anytime to be generous with your time, your treasure, or your talent. It all matters.” “If you want to start being more generous, you have to start with acts of generosity.” Links from the Show J4 Leaders Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here) Talanton Faith Driven Investor Solving the World's Greatest Problems Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group Bible References from the Show Malachi 3:10 | “Test Me in This…” Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. We Want to Hear from You! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Actress Whitney Goin was raised in Orlando, Florida, immersed in a community, church, and family that modeled generosity as a way of life. Her father, a powerful influence, shaped her understanding of giving as a deeply relational commitment, leaving a profound legacy in his community through his wholehearted generosity. After his passing, Whitney felt compelled to pursue her own distinct path, discovering how to express generosity in a way that truly resonated with her. A meaningful connection with our guest co-host, Julie Wilson, led Whitney to find a welcoming community in Women Doing Well—a network of faith-driven, generous women. This supportive circle helped her reignite her sense of purpose in giving, as she uncovered God's unique design for her generosity journey. Now, Whitney uses her passion for acting and theater to inspire others, encouraging them to embrace their own distinctive calling to generosity in alignment with their purpose and passions. Major topics include: Her father's generosity legacy Learning how God designed you to give Following the voice of the Holy Spirit with joy The blessing and tension of freedom from comparison in generosity How to know and walk in your purpose Individuality and diversity within the Body of Christ Freedom in spontaneous generosity QUOTES TO REMEMBER “God does not ask us to give of ourselves until He fills us to overflowing with what He's asking us to give.” “I started realizing just how unique and special and diverse we all are, not only with how we give and where we give, but in the way we were created uniquely to give.” “I'm now on fire with joy! It's truly an overflow rather than trying to scrap for a little energy to be generous.” “So much of our walk with the Lord is having the vulnerability to really get to know ourselves and let Him show us who we are. Stop trying to be who you think you're supposed to be so you can truly be the hands and feet He's created you to be.” “I pray everyday, ‘Compel me or constrain me according to Your will.'” “I don't need to be any bigger than the influence He's put right before me.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here) Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounders Todd Harper and David Wills and CEO, April Chapman) A Land Remembered by Patrick D. Smith The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Matthew 11:30 | Easy and Light “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 | A Cheerful Giver Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Psalm 31:7-8 | A Broad Place I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
Zenet Maramara is the founder and president of Christian Stewards in the Philippines. After Zenet became a born-again Christian in her thirties, she enrolled at a seminary where she stepped into a fundraising role. Wanting to master the art of fundraising, Zenet attended Regent University and there experienced a “second conversion” into biblical stewardship, understanding the principles of managing God's money for His Kingdom purposes in a way that is transformational to the giver, not just transactional. Zenet became passionate about advancing biblical stewardship education and has since built a multi-dimensional platform to empower the Filipino Church with generosity champions across the realms of business, ministry, and the local church. Christian Stewards has become a beacon of generosity in the Philippines and beyond, and Zenet had much wisdom to share. Major topics include: How Christian Stewards began The difference between transactional and transformational fundraising Articulating your theology in fundraising and stewardship Intentional integration of generosity and discipleship training Empowering business owners to share the gospel by integrating business and faith Steward-leadership theology Core beliefs for a conversion as a biblical steward The blessing and challenge of collaboration QUOTES TO REMEMBER “Whose money are you fundraising? Isn't it all God's money?” “It's not just about money. It's about the heart.” “Giving is a barometer for our spiritual condition, and money is a great way to test if we are fully surrendered to God.” “Fundraising is as spiritual as giving a sermon, a prayer, or going on a mission because you're helping people understand who they are and how to relate with the resources that God has entrusted to them.” “My vision is that every one of the 92,000 evangelical churches in the Philippines would have at least one generosity champion who will coordinate the teaching of generosity in their church.” “Business is the new ‘Roman Road' for the Gospel because we're in the marketplace more than we're in the church on Sunday.” “The steward-leader theology and practice is an upside-down leadership. Most leaders have the power, but a steward-leader shares the power, shares privilege, and shares in the purpose of the organization or company.” “If we hold lightly the material things that God has entrusted to us, then it is easier for us to listen to God when He calls us to move that resource to where it is most needed.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Christian Stewards The Spirituality of Fundraising by Henri Nouwen Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) Stations of Generosity from the MacLellan Foundation (see our interview with Director of Generosity, John Cortines) Generous Church (see our interview with founder Patrick Johnson) Faith Driven Entrepreneur Rooting for Rivals (see our interview with author Peter Greer) Lausanne Movement The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
Helen Schmid was very young when her family immigrated from China to the US with their eyes set on the American dream. She strove to be the best that she could be in all that she did to earn her place in life. Coming to faith as a student at New York University, Helen began to understand that her salvation was based on faith, not works. For over a decade, Helen led high-growth marketing teams at Walmart, Amazon, and L'Oreal. But in 2020, Helen and her husband felt dissatisfied with climbing the corporate ladder and were drawn to engage in purposeful, Kingdom-building work. They set a financial finish line and began to learn what generosity looked like, not only in finances, but with their skillsets and in all facets of their life. Today, Helen is the founder of My Strategy Mentor, a successful marketing and growth consulting firm that works heavily with ministries and businesses to equip missional, faith-driven leaders so that they can grow their organizations confidently and strategically. She also serves as a board member for Women Doing Well with our special guest co-host, Julie Wilson. Helen has much to share about meaningful work, a holistic approach to generosity, and the joy of living a life surrendered to God. Major topics include: Discovering a counter-cultural faith in her early twenties Her journey from financial generosity to whole life generosity Finding purposeful work beyond the corporate ladder Making generosity about glorifying God, not performance How she encourages her children in generosity Navigating when generosity feels difficult The impact of serving as a board member at Women Doing Well QUOTES TO REMEMBER “If God owns my whole life, as in my possessions, my time, and my treasure, I need to understand what that means in terms of what I have to give.” “What might God have for me beyond climbing the corporate ladder?” “Understanding biblical stewardship and generosity has given me a shift in mindset and values where success no longer looks like more.” “The more we surrender, the more we see the goodness and the faithfulness of God, and that allows us to then take more risks.” “We think of generosity as partnering with God to serve His Kingdom and make an outward impact.” “I don't really view myself as a generous person. That feels like an achievement or a trophy. I just feel like I'm learning the boundaries God has for me, and I'm learning to listen and trust in Him more.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW My Strategy Mentor Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here) Ronald Blue and Co., CPA (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue) Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) The Money Wise Adventures For Kids by Concepta Akinyi Otieno, Gabriela Awino Otieno, and Daniella Aloo Otieno The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
An affluent family with multiple homes and a successful business, Bruce and Sue Osterink were living the American dream. But God used one trip to Russia in the early nineties to begin a cascade of events that would bring a dramatic shift in their lives. The Osterinks began to hear a calling to simplify their lives and belongings so that they could be available to love others and be generous with their money, their time, and their relationships. Over the last thirty years, Bruce and Sue have taken some radical steps of faith and obedience that have led to some amazing stories. They are no stranger to suffering, and their journeys have impacted countless college students, young couples, and givers of many kinds. You won't want to miss all they had to share! Major topics include: Setting a financial finish line Learning to be available to love others Living simply to give generously Important lessons from serving as house parents to college students Making big decisions in radical obedience to God The relationship between generosity and faith QUOTES TO REMEMBER Bruce: “What God needs is people who are available to love others.” Bruce: “Our generosity started with our money, but as we began to understand what God was calling us to more and more, we understood that it wasn't just our money. It was our time, it was our life. It wasn't only what we gave away, but what we did with what God allowed us to hold on to.” Bruce: “Unity isn't compromise, it's finding what God wants for us.” Bruce: “It's been interesting to be able to look back and see that had we made a plan, we would have had nothing in our plan of what was God's plan.” Sue: “Why say ‘no?' That's kind of our philosophy. We tend to say ‘yes,' very seldom say ‘no,' as long as we feel it's a good investment in the Kingdom. Bruce: “We would much rather give our money away than spend it.” Sue: “Pick your lifestyle before you make any money.” Bruce: “Pray about your lifestyle. And whatever lifestyle God calls you to, you don't change it because you get a raise. You change it when God tells you to.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW The Treasure Principle (see our interview with author Randy Alcorn) Young Life Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounders Todd Harper and David Wills and CEO, April Chapman) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Acts 4:32 | Unity Among Brethren Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
NCUA Chairman Todd Harper talks about his priorities, his health, industry concerns and more. And Michael decides to no longer be old... for about 4 minutes until he complains about social media influencers.
Dana and Bill Wichterman have a long history of generosity. From the onset of their marriage, Dana and Bill have practiced financial stewardship, always living below their means. Even in a one bedroom apartment with no vehicle to drive, they budgeted a specific amount they could use for spontaneous generosity, and trained their children in Spirit-led giving. Their collective backgrounds in missions, politics, and poverty alleviation have given them a passion for impact investing, allowing God to use their money to see real change in the world. Recently the Wichtermans reached their net worth finish line, recognizing that they need nothing else for themselves. Yet the joy of giving drives them to continue in their careers simply to have more to fuel God's Kingdom. Dana is a senior advisor to the Impact Foundation, and she and Bill had some amazing insights to share about giving, stewardship, investing, and the importance of Christian community in the generosity space. Major topics include: Their unique backgrounds and stories of coming to faith How they learned financial stewardship Thinking through an accumulation finish line vs. an income finish line A long term view of maximized generosity Budgeting in view of their callings together and individual What is impact investing and how they got involved How to look for impact an returns in your portfolio Strategically praying for your investments to change the world and bless people The blessing of community among Christians stewarding finances The importance of hearing other people's stories QUOTES TO REMEMBER Bill: “The more you understand the nature of the Gospel and its implications for your life, the more you get the implications of generosity.” Dana: “Once we set a finish line, I entered into an abundance mindset.” Dana: “Now that we've reached our finish line, it makes our work that much more joyful. Now it's like why would we ever want to retire? We want to keep generating this amount so that we can give.” Bill: “It's so fun to help change the world with your money!” Dana: “You have your Holy Spirit radar up for needs that you couldn't possibly anticipate, but you know you have to cash to give to that when it comes.” Dana: “We can't meet every need around us, but there are certain needs that have our name on it. And when our name's on it and then God provides, there's such a joy with that.” Bill: “Most of the time, you possibility for world change is greater with for-profits, especially in poverty alleviation.” Dana: “I believe that God made us all in His image to be creators. We're either builders or backers, founders or funders. So if we're all doing what God calls us to, the success of it isn't so much on us. It's the faithfulness that's important.” Dana: “It's to God's glory that He's transforming us from selfish, self-absorbed individuals into more of the Family likeness which is more and more generous.” Bill: “What do we have to boast about? We're only giving what we've already been given.” Dana: “Sacrificial giving can actually become very joyful over time because it has become part of your DNA as God is transforming you, and then it doesn't feel sacrificial anymore. His burden becomes light, but only over time.” Dana: “One person's generosity doesn't have to look like another person's.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Impact Foundation Crown Financial Ministries Noble Story Co. Sunshine Nut Co. Scatter by Andrew Scott Operation Mobilization The Steward Investor Masterclass The Gathering National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills) Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounders Todd Harper and David Wills and CEO, April Chapman) Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Matthew 25:14-30 | Parable of the Talents 2 Corinthians 9:7 | A Cheerful Giver Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
WHAT WE'LL COVER Jim Rasmussen was raised as a pastor's kid in a Lutheran church in Georgia, and his faith solidified in college as he involved himself in ministries that affected transformational change in many lives. After graduating with an accounting degree, Jim was led to a job with Chick-fil-A, first in accounting and later advising franchise owners on how to run their businesses more efficiently. Today, Jim is a financial advisor and the co-founder of Pandowealth, an advising firm that provides personal finance guidance to franchise owners and other Chick-fil-A staff to empower them to more purposeful living and giving. Jim is a passionate teacher with powerful insights on financial stewardship, Kingdom-building generosity, and trusting God with big steps of faith. Major topics include: His personal and faith background His 20-year experience working for Chick-fil-A How God led him from accounting to financial planning Trusting God with crazy steps of faith Dealing with common barriers to generosity Copying others vs. doing what you're called to do with your resources Deciding how much is enough Tools and framework to develop a written generosity plan QUOTES TO REMEMBER “I'm not somebody who can sit behind a desk all day just doing debits and credits. I got the accounting degree so I could learn how numbers work and how I could move up and have more impact and influence in the world with the things that God's given me.” “If you look around, all the people that have joy are generous.” “How do I remove the obstacles to my generosity? If I can remove those, then I can be generous and experience more joy.” “The company is about, ‘We grow wealth to empower purposeful living and giving.' What's better than that?” “What have you been given gifts for that God wants you to accomplish? If you can look at your life plan, then you can develop a financial plan that helps you to accomplish that.” “Don't just look through the lens of the financial, I want you to look through the lens of the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual as well. Sometimes, it's ok to give up a little bit of the financial stewardship to improve your personhood of emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual stability.” “Our goal is for 80% of our clients to have a written generosity plan.” “I'm now working to give, not working to live.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Ronald Blue and Co. (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue) Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki The Eternity Portfolio by Alan Gotthardt Charityvest (see our interview with CEO Stephen Kump) Money, Possessions, and Eternity (see our interview with author Randy Alcorn) The Treasure Principle (see our interview with author Randy Alcorn) National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills) Switchboard The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Luke 12:16-21 | The Bigger Barns Parable 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” 1 Peter 4:10 | Stewarding God's Gifts As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
In this special 100th episode, the shoe is on the other foot as Kealan and Cody are interviewed by Todd Harper, co-founder of Generous Giving, and David Wills, President Emeritus of the National Christian Foundation (NCF). Together, Kealan and Cody share about their family and faith backgrounds, how they got started on their journeys of generosity, and some of the amazing things they've learned along the way. The interviews conducted over the last 99 episodes have been life-changing for the Hobelmann brothers in many ways by providing opportunities for “spiritual templating,” implementing what they've learned from others into their own generosity strategies, and by facilitating connection between like-minded Believers. Major topics include: What life looks like now for Cody and Kealan The inspiration for the Finish Line Pledge How setting Financial Finish Lines has changed both of their lives The evolution of the Finish Line Podcast Making the Finish Line Pledge relational Most memorable podcast moments The many ways they have seen God work through the podcast QUOTES TO REMEMBER Cody: It kinda felt like I was walking up a staircase that I could not see the end of. It just continued up into the clouds. But when I set a financial finish line, suddenly I could see the top of the staircase, and I realized I was most of the way up it in terms of the course of my career. Kealan: I appreciate so much more now the true breadth and diversity of expressions of generosity. Cody: We realized that God's up to something that we didn't even notice. We had no idea. It really humbled me and helped me to understand that even though it's a lot to ask of our guests and our wives to carve out this time once a week, once every other week, and do the editing and all that kind of stuff. It is such an honor to be able to do this and we hope to be able to do this for a very long time. Kealan: At this point, I don't ever say for myself or for anybody else, “this is how generosity has to be expressed,” or “this way is how God intends it.” There is too much range of expression that God gives us for anybody to say “it has to be this way.” Cody: I've learned that giving is a lot of fun and it's a relational thing. As a financial planner and as someone who was not giving or living generously, it seemed like a transactional thing. But I'm starting to understand that it's far more complex than that and far mor joy-creating for everyone involved. Cody: I'm learning that generosity and giving are not the same thing. Giving is an expression of generosity, but when done in community as a relational thing, there's nothing better and it's become my favorite use of money. Kealan: I just want constant stories and relationships to help me grow as a Believer and not just in generosity. We've grown in prayer and community and so many other areas that are all interrelated to generosity. LINKS FROM THE SHOW Cody Hobelmann, Shifting to Eternal Kingdom Building (see our past interview here) Kealan Hobelmann, Answering “How Much Money Do I Really Need?” (see our past interview here) Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills) Crazy Love by Francis Chan Compound Impact Doulos Partners (see our interview with CEO David Johnson) MacLellan Foundation (see our interview with Director of Generosity, John Cortines) ROI Ministry (see our interview with founder, Tim Barker) Jimmy Seibert, Pastor, On Sensing the Spirit through Spontaneous Generosity (see our past interview) Faith Comes by Hearing (see our interview with VP Morgan Jackson) Neverthirst (see our interview with CEO Matt Letourneau) Richard Baxter, DMD, On Leveraging His Entire Dental Practice to Bring the Gospel to Unreached People Groups (see our past interview here) Aaron and Miran Cho, Committing to Give More Than You Can Budget For (see our past interview here) Andy Dewitt on the Importance of Sharing Your Generosity Story (see our past interview here) Eternal Perspective Ministries (see our interview with founder, Randy Alcorn) The Finishing Fund (see our interview with founder Doug Cobb) IllumiNations Bible Translation Alliance (see our interview with Todd Peterson or John Chesnut) Kingdom Advisors (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue) Faith Driven Investor Podcast Faith Driven Entrepreneur Podcast Generosity Now Podcast Celebration Conference with Generous Giving The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW 1 Corinthians 12:6 | God Empowered Action And there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. Proverbs 11:24 MSG | Generosity and Abundance The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. Proverbs 30: 8b | Our Daily Bread give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
Jimmy Seibert is the founder and pastor of Antioch Community Church in Waco, Texas. Jimmy didn't grow up in a Christian home, but his decision to follow Jesus in a radical way over a summer during his college years started him on a path of extreme generosity as an outflow of his relationship with God. Jimmy's passion for generosity has poured over into the church that he leads, which now has a thriving culture of generosity. His principles of living simply, working diligently, giving generously, and living for eternity have paved the way for a lifestyle of spontaneous and strategic generosity. He has many miraculous stories of Spirit-led giving as well as practical advice for givers of all kinds. He shares how surrendering to Jesus and embracing obedience and generosity transformed his life, even in the face of financial challenges, and opened the door for living out the Great Commission. Major Topics Include: His story of coming to faith and radically following the teachings of Jesus How God miraculously provided for him to go to the nations because of his obedience with his last dollar Learning to hear and obey the promptings of the Lord Spontaneous giving vs. strategic, long-term giving Creating and inviting people into a culture of generosity Incorporating generosity into a family culture Plus, many powerful stories of Spirit-led generosity QUOTES TO REMEMBER “When you deal with money and possessions, you deal with everything in your heart.” “You asked me to show you that I'm real, and I have come.” “The moving of God is just the normal outworking of a surrender to Jesus.” “My commitment was that if anybody asks for anything, give it.” “Until you feel, taste, and touch the power of the gospel in peoples' lives, giving is too distant of an experience.” “When we live obedient lives of sacrifice, whether that's with our finances or going ourselves, it produces this incredible authority to see people find hope and help that they so desperately long for.” “I don't want to get identity out of what I do. I want to get identity from the Lord, and then I want to be fully obedient in whatever expression He's given me and do that with all me heart.” “I may not be as gifted as someone else, but I will do anything He says anytime, anywhere.” “Learning to hear the voice of God is learning to trust the heart and person of God. It's really about trust in the end.” “From years of meditating on who the Holy Spirit is in my life, and God the Father and the centrality of the beauty of Jesus, I've learned to take risks with confidence.” “The promptings of God are best learned through action.” “You are already right with God through the blood of Jesus alone. You can't earn anything in your standing with God by anything you do. You're good with God by the grace of God.” “We're not looking to outdo our neighbor in our giving, we're learning to build our relationship with God.” “When we open up everything of our resources to God, intimacy with Him is His end goal, not provision.” “It's not a percentage, it's a personal relationship with God.” “If you preach a surrendered message and then you live it out, it creates a catalyst for others. If you give, they'll give.” “God will constantly challenge me when I have little to see if I'm still in the game.” “Follow the money. If you give to something, get involved in what you give to.” “You'll only stay in a posture of generosity as long as it's connected to people's lives being transformed in a way that you can touch.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounders Todd Harper and David Wills and CEO, April Chapman) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Luke 6:35 | Give Freely But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Matthew 13:23 | Reaping a Harvest As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Ephesians 2:10 | Created for Good Works For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. John 16:7, 12-13 | The Spirit of Truth Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
Paul Bolte was brought up with a firm foundation in faith and generosity. A seventh-generation Christian born to a farming family in Australia, he learned the value of a good work ethic and the principles of giving as a small child. As an adult, Paul served in various leadership positions in Australia, New Zealand, and the US, and is a lifelong student of servant leadership. Today, Paul is the Executive Vice President of TrustBridge Global. TrustBridge connects donor advised funds in countries all around the world to allow people to make tax deductible gifts to ministries in other countries, even if they don't have a 501c3 designation. TrustBridge acts as a powerful conduit for money to flow from Christians in countries with high concentrations of wealth to organizations working in other countries, impacting the Kingdom by getting financial resources to the “boots on the ground.” Major Topics Include: Paul's family and faith background which laid the groundwork for what he does now The background of TrustBridge Global How they choose partners in various countries Paul's view of how generosity is expressed uniquely in different cultures How TrustBridge has helped facilitate interconnectedness between Believers across the globe QUOTES TO REMEMBER “I didn't realize that, ‘how can I help,' was the very first question in a concept called ‘servant leadership.' And I became a student of leadership; for my entire life, I've been a student of leadership.” “We're trying to mobilize the resources in the hands of Christians.” “Culturally, we are all very different. But we all have this one core value of our faith and what we're called to do. We're called to be generous with everything that we have and everything we are.” “There are many countries that have no tax benefits, yet they are still generous.” “When you send money directly to a charity overseas, the bang for your buck is significantly higher because they can stretch it further and it can get to more people.” “If you want the best return on your investment, you can do that by giving directly to a charity overseas.” “We look for a way to say ‘yes.'” “Generosity to me is not just about money, it's about time.” “When you're working in a Kingdom business and you know that God is behind what you're doing and you watch it grow and give all glory to Him, it's such a joy to watch it all happen.” “Whatever gifts or skills God has given you, take them and use them to serve others.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW TrustBridge Global Foundation National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills) C12: Christian Business Leadership Coaching International Generosity Foundation Generosity Path Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounders Todd Harper and David Wills and CEO, April Chapman) Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving Global Trust Partners (see our interview with COO Trevor Lui) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Romans 5:8 | God's Love Demonstrated But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Ephesians 2:8-9 | The Gift of God For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
Ron Bare is a financial advisor and the founder of Bare Wealth Advisors in Lancaster, PA. Raised on a fifth-generation dairy farm with a faith-filled family, Ron learned early in life the value of hard work, the biblical principles of stewardship, and the eternal impact of generosity. Those elements became the foundation of who he is and what he does as a financial advisor, or in his words, a “pastor of finance.” In this episode, Ron shares personal stories and many helpful thoughts to show the power of intentional generosity as a conversation with God, and how giving of your finances, giftings, and time can change a life, a community, and even affect people across the globe. Major topics include: How Ron's upbringing shaped who he is today The story of how Bare Wealth Advisors began How God prepared and called him to be a “pastor of finance” Implementing an intentional core value of generosity in his personal life and his business How Ron's passion for good stewardship in finances led to his family's financial and practical involvement in supporting young moms in their local community Advice for following the voice of God and your passions to know how to serve and where to give The value of tracking generosity and its impact Stewardship as a conversation with God The power of collaboration in giving QUOTES TO REMEMBER “Plan intentionally, give generously.” “We are pastors of finance.” “The biblical principle of stewardship isn't about how much we have. It's about being faithful with what's in our hands, even if it doesn't feel like a lot.” “The more that our works and our treasures are flowing together, the more our hearts will flow.” “The most important thing anyone decides with their finances is how they interact with generosity.” “Giving isn't something we have to do; it is something we are invited into with God.” “We always need to be growing in generosity.” “If we don't answer the question ‘what is enough,' it can limit the impact that we have.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Bare Wealth Advisors Ron Blue, Founder of Kingdom Advisors (see our past interview here) Kingdom Advisors (see our interview with founder, Ron Blue) Crown Financial Ministries Jim Wise, Financial Advisor (see our past interview here) John Rinehart, Author of Gospel Patrons (see our past interview here) Randy Alcorn (see our past interview here) Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounders Todd Harper and David Wills and CEO, April Chapman) National Christian Foundation (see our interview with President Emeritus, David Wills) Every Good Endeavor by Timothy Keller The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Matthew 6:21 | Treasure of the Heart For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 | Rich in Good Works As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. Luke 12:48b | Much Given, Much Required Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 | The Cheerful Giver The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. John 3:16 | For God So Loved the World For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 2 Corinthians 8:7 | The Grace to Give But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
Stephen Kump is the CEO and founder of Charityvest, a pioneering donor-advised fund platform merging technology and collaborative giving to make charitable giving accessible to all. Charityvest simplifies the donor-advised fund process and cuts down barriers to entry, inviting individuals from all walks of life to partake in the joy of giving with ease and impact. Stephen shares numerous creative strategies that push the boundaries of donor-advised funds, fostering community giving and encouraging creative generosity. He addresses tangible tactics for givers, including orchestrating a personal giving strategy and embracing collective generosity. Topics include: What inspired the launch of Charityvest? What experiences shaped Stephen's perspective on generosity? How is technology like Charityvest changing the generosity landscape? How do partnerships like Trust Bridge Global enhance Charityvest's capabilities? What creative ways are donor-advised funds (DAFs) being used to foster generosity? How does collaborative generosity compare to individual giving, and what are its advantages? In what ways is God present in the broader movement of generosity? QUOTES TO REMEMBER “Generosity begets generosity.” “When people were generous to me, it would short-circuit my framework.” “When people give away a significant portion of their net worth, it shapes them.” “We had already allocated our income to our donor-advised fund, so all of the talking about giving was about where we give.” “If we are not willing to have a free donor-advised fund, then we need to get more creative.” “Generosity is in the image of God that is stamped on each of us.” “Generosity is a gateway to a deeper reality.” “All giving is relational.” “Giving is better as a team sport.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Charityvest Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis TrustBridge Global Praxis Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Philippians 3:8 | Our Achievements Are Nothing Compared to Christ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ Acts 17:23 | The Unknown God For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.
NCUA Chairman Todd M. Harper's Written Testimony Before the House Financial Services CommitteeNCUA Chairman Todd M. Harper testifying before the House Financial Services Committee in 2023.Chairman McHenry, Ranking Member Waters, and members of the committee, thank you for inviting me to discuss the work of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA).The NCUA insures deposits at federally insured credit unions, protects credit union members, and charters and regulates federal credit unions. The NCUA also protects the safety and soundness of the credit union system by identifying, monitoring, and managing risks to the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (Share Insurance Fund). In my testimony today, I will discuss the state of the credit union system, recent efforts by the agency to strengthen the system, and several legislative requests.State of the Credit Union SystemThe credit union system over the last year has remained largely stable in its performance and relatively resilient against economic disruptions. However, during the last few quarters, the NCUA has seen growing signs of financial strain on credit union balance sheets and in household budgets. Economists are also forecasting an economic slowdown as the lagged effects of elevated interest rates take hold. Each of these developments could affect credit union performance in the coming quarters.Over the same period, the NCUA has also seen growing stress within the system because of a rise in interest rate and liquidity risks. In fact, this financial stress is reflected in the increasing number of composite CAMELS code 3, 4, and 5 credit unions.1 Assets in composite CAMELS code 3 institutions increased sizably in the second quarter, especially among those complex credit unions with more than $500 million in assets. Such increases may well continue in future quarters. We have additionally seen more credit unions fall into the composite CAMELS code 4 and 5 ratings during the second quarter.Credit Union System PerformanceAs of June 30, 2023, the system's net worth ratio stood at 10.63 percent. There was continued year-over-year growth in assets and lending, with system assets surpassing $2.2 trillion and outstanding loans at more than $1.5 trillion. Although insured shares and deposits decreased slightly compared to the previous quarter, they stood almost 2 percent higher than one year earlier.Second quarter data also demonstrate some indications of growing consumer financial stress. The delinquency rate for loans rose slightly to 63 basis points, although it remains below historic averages. Credit cards and automobile loans, however, show increased delinquency levels at 154 and 67 basis points, respectively. Additionally, net charge-off levels have risen over the last year, returning to pre-pandemic averages.Additionally, funding costs for credit unions have increased significantly in the rising interest rate environment. Credit unions have increased their issuances of time deposits, leading to total interest expenses growing substantially over the year. However, the industry's return on average assets remains sound at 79 basis points. Together, these numbers show the credit union system continues to rest on a solid footing.External Factors Affecting the SystemThe NCUA is closely monitoring the financial markets and the economy as the current environment has created challenges for some consumers and credit unions. Inflation and interest rates are affecting household budgets, which could lead to an increase in credit risk in future quarters. In addition, the prevalence of hybrid work environments has placed pressure on commercial real estate lending. While the credit union system overall has modest exposure to this type of lending, the NCUA is closely monitoring individual credit unions with material exposure to commercial real estate.The rise in interest rates has also increased liquidity and interest rate risks in the credit union system, including at several of the 421 federally insured credit unions with more than $1 billion in assets. Accordingly, the NCUA has emphasized the importance of liquidity risk management and contingency planning in its industry communications and will continue to ensure credit unions conduct liquidity and asset-liability management planning to address current challenges and future uncertainties.With respect to all these risks and to protect the Share Insurance Fund against potential losses, the NCUA will continue to vigilantly monitor credit union performance through the examination process, offsite monitoring, and tailored supervision. The NCUA will also, when appropriate, take action to protect credit union members and their deposits.Share Insurance Fund PerformanceBacked by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Share Insurance Fund provides insurance coverage for individual accounts at federally insured credit unions up to $250,000.2 As of June 30, 2023, the Share Insurance Fund insured $1.7 trillion in deposits and shares. Notably, the Share Insurance Fund protects nearly 92 percent of total share deposits in the credit union system. In comparison, uninsured shares and deposits equaled approximately $160 billion in the second quarter or 8 percent of total share deposits.The Share Insurance Fund continues to perform well, with no premiums currently expected. As of June 30, 2023, the Share Insurance Fund reported a year-to-date net income of $79 million, a net position of $20.3 billion, and an equity ratio of 1.27 percent.3 The NCUA projects that the equity ratio of the Share Insurance Fund will end the year at 1.27 percent, which is sufficient but below the 1.33 percent normal operating level target set by the NCUA Board.Given the liquidity events in 2023, economic conditions, and the growing stress in the credit union system from liquidity and interest rate risks, the NCUA Board decided to build up the liquidity position of the Share Insurance Fund to a targeted amount of $4 billion. The Share Insurance Fund reached that target in September. The NCUA Board continues to monitor liquidity in the Share Insurance Fund.State of the Central Liquidity FacilityThe COVID-19 pandemic, inflationary pressures, interest rate volatility, and liquidity risk have all underscored the importance of the NCUA's Central Liquidity Facility (CLF).4 The CLF is an important tool and acts as a shock absorber when unexpected liquidity events occur.Under the NCUA's regulations, credit unions with assets more than $250 million must have access to a federal emergency liquidity source as part of their contingency funding plans. This federal emergency liquidity backstop can be the CLF, the Federal Reserve's Discount Window, or both. Credit unions with less than $250 million in assets are not required to have membership with a contingent federal liquidity source; however, they must identify external sources as part of their liquidity policy.5As of September 30, 2023, the CLF had 399 consumer credit union members, providing $19.8 billion in lending capacity. These credit unions range in asset size from less than $50 million to more than $10 billion. Their access to the CLF helps protect approximately $360 billion in credit union members' assets.The more members the CLF has, the more effective it is as a liquidity facility. As of December 2022, the CLF had a much greater total membership of 3,673 consumer credit unions with a combined $537 billion in member assets and a lending capacity of $27.5 billion. This rapid decline in membership assets followed the expiration of the temporary statutory enhancements that: Increased the CLF's maximum legal borrowing authority; Permitted access for corporate credit unions, as agent members, to borrow for their own needs; Provided greater flexibility and affordability to agent members to join the CLF to serve smaller groups of their covered institutions; and Gave the NCUA Board the clarity and flexibility about the loans it can approve by removing the phrase, “the Board shall not approve an application for credit the intent of which is to expand credit union portfolios.” Among other benefits, these statutory provisions facilitated agent membership of corporate credit unions. These enhancements, however, ended on January 1, 2023, resulting in 3,322 credit unions with less than $250 million in assets losing access to the CLF. Consequently, the CLF's borrowing capacity has decreased by almost $10 billion.To address this expiration and growing liquidity risks, the NCUA Board has unanimously requested that Congress allow corporate credit unions to purchase capital stock in the CLF to help smaller credit unions access to the facility. This change would make the CLF more affordable for corporate credit unions subscribing for a subset of their members. The Congressional Budget Office has scored the CLF reforms at no cost to taxpayers.6NCUA's Efforts to Protect and Strengthen the Credit Union SystemIn recent months, the NCUA has undertaken several actions to respond to cybersecurity risk; support minority depository institutions; enhance the credit union system's and the NCUA's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts; and consider and adopt new rules to strengthen the system.Enhancing CybersecurityCybersecurity threats within the financial services industry are high and expected to remain so for the foreseeable future. To maintain vigilance against these threats, the NCUA is committed to ensuring consistency, transparency, and accountability in its cybersecurity examination program and related activities.Earlier this year, the NCUA deployed its updated, scalable, and risk-focused Information Security Examination (ISE) procedures. The ISE examination initiative offers flexibility for credit unions while providing examiners with standardized review steps to facilitate advanced data collection and analysis. Together with the agency's voluntary Automated Cybersecurity Evaluation Toolbox maturity assessment, the new ISE procedures will assist the NCUA in protecting the credit union system from cyberattacks.In addition, the NCUA's recently implemented cyber incident reporting rule has proven to be helpful to the agency and credit union industry.7 The final rule requires a federally insured credit union to report a substantial cyber incident to the NCUA as soon as possible but no later than 72 hours after the credit union reasonably believes a reportable cyber incident has occurred. In the first 30 days after the rule became effective, the NCUA received 146 incident reports, more than it had received in total in the previous year. More than 60 percent of these incident reports involve third-party service providers and credit union service organizations (CUSOs).The NCUA also actively communicates with credit unions about the increased likelihood of cyberattacks resulting from geopolitical and other cyber events. Credit unions of all sizes are a part of the U.S. critical infrastructure and should implement appropriate controls in the technology they use to deliver member services.Maintaining Consumer Financial ProtectionAn important part of the NCUA's mission is to examine credit unions with less than $10 billion in assets for compliance with consumer financial protection laws. The agency's consumer compliance efforts are integral to maintaining a safe-and-sound credit union system.In 2023, the agency's consumer financial protection supervisory priorities have included overdraft protection, fair lending, residential real estate appraisal bias, and Truth in Lending Act and Fair Credit Reporting Act compliance. The NCUA also prioritized examining credit union compliance with the Flood Disaster Protection Act, including disclosure requirements.In addition, the agency increased its review of overdraft programs and non-sufficient funds fee practices at credit unions to assess whether providing those services and charging the fees are potentially unfair practices. The NCUA's supervision of the services aims to create a more equitable system that supports financial stability for credit union members, improves transparency, and advances the statutory mission of credit unions to meet the credit and savings needs of their members, especially those of modest means.8Furthermore, the NCUA conducts targeted fair lending examinations and supervision at federal credit unions to assess compliance with federal fair lending laws and regulations. These reviews are critical to identifying discrimination and fostering financial inclusion. In August 2023, the NCUA encouraged the industry to review and comply with previously issued guidance addressing prohibited discriminatory practices in automated underwriting systems. Specifically, the agency encouraged credit unions to review system parameters to ensure compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and its implementing regulation.In addition to appraisal bias oversight examinations, the NCUA joined with the other Federal Financial Institution Examination Council agencies in June to issue proposed guidance for reconsideration of value for residential real estate valuations. The proposed guidance advises on policies that financial institutions may implement to allow consumers to provide information that may not have been considered during an appraisal or if deficiencies are identified in the original appraisal.As part of its consumer financial protection efforts, the NCUA's Consumer Assistance Center also resolves consumer complaints against federal credit unions with total assets up to $10 billion and, in certain instances, federally insured, state-chartered credit unions. In 2022, the Consumer Assistance Center responded to 10,589 written complaints, 1,842 inquiries, and 30,232 telephone calls from consumers and credit unions concerning consumer financial protection regulations.Finally, the NCUA regularly presents webinars promoting financial literacy and financial inclusion. Over the past year, the agency has hosted webinars on appraisal bias, elder financial abuse, and minority depository institutions. In addition, the agency participates in national financial literacy initiatives, including the interagency Financial Literacy and Education Commission.Supporting Minority Depository InstitutionsSupporting minority depository institution (MDI) credit unions is a longstanding priority for the NCUA. MDI credit unions represent approximately 10 percent of federally insured credit unions, and there are presently 498 such credit unions. These MDIs have more than five million members and exceed $66 billion in assets.In 2015, the NCUA established its MDI Preservation Program and has since sought new ways to assist MDI credit unions, their members, and the communities they serve. In 2022, the NCUA launched the Small Credit Union and MDI Support Program, allocating resources to assist MDIs in addressing operational challenges such as staff training, examinations, and improving earnings. In 2023, the NCUA allocated 10,000 staff hours across its three regional offices for the program.This year, the agency also issued customized guidance to examiners to provide insights into MDIs' unique business models and members' needs. The guidance assists examiners in understanding MDIs' distinct business model compared to other mainstream financial institutions by providing instruction on how to use MDI peer metrics instead of traditional peer metrics.Notably, while MDIs tend to be smaller institutions, they have relatively strong financial performance. As of the end of the second quarter of this year, MDIs averaged about $133 million in total assets, yet their return on average assets and net worth ratios were higher than federally insured credit unions overall and equal to credit unions with assets exceeding $1 billion. Meanwhile, their charge-off levels were consistent with the levels reported for both larger credit unions and credit unions overall.Congress recently authorized all MDIs to be eligible for Community Development Revolving Loan Fund grants and loans. Previously, MDIs required the low-income credit union designation to qualify. In the 2023 grant round, 42 MDIs received more than $1.4 million in technical assistance grants. The amount of funding MDIs received was a five-fold increase from the level of funding provided in 2022.Finally, the NCUA in October hosted an MDI Symposium that discussed how the agency can better serve these institutions. The MDI Symposium brought together MDI credit unions and industry stakeholders to learn about the challenges faced by MDIs. Sessions included case studies of successful MDI business models for replication. The NCUA plans to leverage this information to further support its MDI Preservation Program. And, as part of the NCUA's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Summit for credit unions in early November, the NCUA held a session that discussed MDI challenges and strategies for success.Advancing Diversity, Equity, and InclusionThe NCUA is fully committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the agency and the credit union system.The agency uses data from the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, including the Office of Personnel Management's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility index, to inform its data-driven DEI strategies and activities.9 The agency's internal practices to promote DEI are also wide-ranging. For example, the NCUA's employee resource groups serve more than 30 percent of agency staff, surpassing the industry standard membership goal of 10 percent. Further, the NCUA's special emphasis program educates staff on cultural diversity and provides dedicated support for employees and managers with disabilities.In addition, the NCUA routinely recruits employees with diverse backgrounds and seeks to ensure broad applicant pools for vacancies. These diversity recruitment efforts are aimed at attracting and retaining highly qualified individuals from underrepresented groups, including Hispanics and candidates with disabilities. In 2023, the NCUA conducted a targeted barrier analysis to identify hiring and retention challenges for women and Hispanic employees. In addition, the agency has consistently exceeded the federal employment rate goals for employees with disabilities and targeted disabilities since 2017.10 Slightly more than 59 percent of the NCUA's managers are women.The NCUA has additionally built a diverse supplier network to obtain innovative solutions and the best value, particularly in technology and IT solutions. During 2022, the agency awarded $32.8 million of reportable contract dollars to minority and women-owned businesses. That figure represents 45 percent of the agency's contracting dollars, an increase of 8 percentage points from the prior year.Credit unions may also assess their DEI policies and programs through a voluntary credit union diversity self-assessment offered annually.11 Credit union submissions of their self-assessment have no bearing on their CAMELS rating, and examiners cannot access the data. The NCUA reports credit union diversity data only in the aggregate. The agency encourages credit unions to use this tool to support their DEI efforts.In 2022, 481, or 10 percent of all credit unions, submitted a self-assessment. The figure represents an all-time high for submissions to the NCUA. Of those submissions, 302 were federally chartered credit unions, 178 were federally insured and state-chartered, and one was a non-federally insured, state-chartered credit union. The number of CUDSA responses in 2022 is twice as much as the 240 self-assessments submitted in 2021.Finally, to support credit union accomplishments in DEI and provide further guidance, the NCUA hosted its fourth DEI Summit in Washington, D.C., in early November. This now annual event provided a forum for hundreds of credit union stakeholders to network, share best practices, and meet with thought leaders on ways to expand their DEI efforts. The event also highlighted the importance of allyship in helping to achieve the NCUA's and credit unions' DEI goals and improve the financial prospects and futures of families across the country.Rulemaking ActivitiesSince May, the NCUA Board has engaged in several rulemakings on topics like MDI preservation, member expulsion, financial innovation, fair hiring, and charitable donations. These rulemakings have aimed to implement laws required by Congress and strengthen the credit union system.In May, the NCUA Board approved a proposed rule that would add “war veterans' organizations” to the definition of a “qualified charity” that a federal credit union may contribute to using a charitable donation account. The NCUA Board approved the proposed rule noting the attributes of “veterans' organizations” as defined by section 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code are aligned with the purposes of the current charitable donation account rule. A “qualified charity” is a section 501(c)(3) entity defined by the Internal Revenue Code and must be both a non-profit and be organized for a charitable purpose. The final rule will be considered on November 16.In June, the NCUA Board approved proposed changes to the interpretive ruling and policy statement on the agency's Minority Depository Institution Preservation Program. The proposal would amend an existing interpretive ruling and policy statement to update the program's features, clarify the requirements for a credit union to receive and maintain an MDI designation, and reflect the transfer of the MDI Preservation Program administration from the agency's Office of Minority and Women Inclusion to its Office of Credit Union Resources and Expansion. Proposed amendments to the interpretive ruling and policy statement also include incorporating recent program initiatives, providing examples of technical assistance an MDI may receive, establishing a new standard for MDIs to assess their designation periodically, and updating how the NCUA will review an MDI's designation status, among other changes. This rule is pending.Additionally, the Board finalized a rule in July to implement requirements of the Credit Union Governance Modernization Act of 2022.12 This regulation streamlines procedures for credit unions to expel a member in cases of serious misconduct.In September, the NCUA Board approved a financial innovation final rule that provides flexibility for federally insured credit unions to utilize advanced technologies and opportunities offered by the financial technology sector. The final rule specifically provides credit unions with options to participate in loans acquired through indirect lending arrangements and financial technology. With the adoption of this final rule, the limits previously found in the NCUA's regulations are replaced with policy, due diligence, and risk-management requirements that can be tailored to match each credit union's risk levels and activities.Lastly, the NCUA Board in October approved a proposed rule that would incorporate the NCUA's Second Chance Interpretive Ruling and Policy Statement, and statutory prohibitions imposed by Section 205(d) of the Federal Credit Union Act into the agency's regulations. This proposed rule would allow people convicted of certain minor offenses to work in the credit union industry without applying for the NCUA Board's approval. It would also amend requirements governing the conditions under which newly chartered or troubled federally insured credit unions must notify the NCUA of proposed changes to their board of directors, committee members, or senior executive staff. The comment period closes on January 8, 2024.Legislative RequestsWhile the credit union system continues to perform well overall, several amendments to the Federal Credit Union Act would provide the NCUA with greater flexibility to effectively regulate the credit union system and protect the Share Insurance Fund in light of an evolving economic environment, a changing marketplace, and technological advancements.Central Liquidity Facility ReformsAs noted previously, the NCUA Board unanimously supports a statutory change to restore the ability of corporate credit unions to serve as CLF agents on behalf of a subset of their member credit unions. Such legislation would better allow the CLF to serve as a shock absorber for liquidity events within the credit union system.On February 28, 2023, lawmakers introduced bipartisan legislation that would allow corporate credit unions to purchase CLF capital stock on behalf of a subset of their members.13 This legislation would permit corporate credit unions to contribute capital to provide coverage for smaller members with less than $250 million in assets. Liquidity risks within the credit union system are rising, and timely consideration of this bill would better protect the credit union system from future liquidity events.Restoration of Third-Party Vendor AuthorityThe risks resulting from the NCUA's lack of vendor authority are real, expanding, and potentially dangerous for the nation's financial infrastructure. Other independent entities, including the Government Accountability Office, the Financial Stability Oversight Council, and the NCUA's Office of Inspector General, have identified this deficiency as inhibiting the NCUA from fulfilling its mission to safeguard credit union members and the financial system. And, it is the NCUA Board's continuing policy to seek third-party vendor authority from Congress.14The agency is working within its current authority to address this growing regulatory blind spot, but it is evident that additional authority is needed. There has also been a shift in credit union leaders' understanding of the value of the NCUA having the same vendor authority as the federal banking agencies. The benefits include credit union access to NCUA examination information when conducting due diligence of vendors, fewer requests from the NCUA to credit unions to intervene with vendors experiencing problems, and fewer losses to the Share Insurance Fund.The potential for such resulting losses to the Share Insurance Fund is real. The NCUA's Office of Inspector General stated that between 2008 and 2015, nine CUSOs contributed to material losses to the Share Insurance Fund. The report noted one of the CUSOs caused losses in 24 credit unions, some of which failed. According to NCUA staff calculations, at least 73 credit unions incurred losses between 2007 and 2020 as losses at CUSOs roll onto credit union ledgers and lead to liquidations.15The absence of third-party vendor examination authority limits the NCUA's ability to assess and mitigate potential risks associated with these vendors. Vendors typically decline these requests or refuse to implement recommended actions. This limitation exacerbates any exposure credit unions have to the operational, cybersecurity, and compliance risks that can arise from these relationships. Without the authority to enforce recommended corrective actions, the NCUA is unable to effectively protect credit unions and their members.Furthermore, the growing reliance on third-party services in the credit union industry poses a systemic risk to the credit union system. Five core banking processors, for example, handle more than 90 percent of the credit union system's assets. A failure of one of these critical third parties could cause hundreds of credit unions and potentially tens of millions of their members to lose access to their funds simultaneously. Such a vendor failure, in turn, may result in a loss of confidence in the financial sector. Ensuring proper oversight is imperative, as CUSOs and third-party vendors are poised to capitalize on financial institutions' growing appetite for artificial intelligence and real-time payment services.If granted third-party vendor authority, the NCUA would implement a risk-based examination program focusing on services that relate to safety and soundness, cybersecurity, Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering Act compliance, consumer financial protection, and areas posing significant financial risk for the Share Insurance Fund.Additional Flexibility for Administering the Share Insurance FundThe recent turmoil in the banking sector, growing liquidity risks within the credit union system, and rising interest rate risk all highlight the need for the NCUA to have additional flexibility for administering the Share Insurance Fund.Specifically, the NCUA requests amending the Federal Credit Union Act to remove the 1.50 percent ceiling for the Share Insurance Fund's equity ratio from the current statutory definition of “normal operating level,” which limits the ability of the Board to establish a higher normal operating level for the Share Insurance Fund. A statutory change should also remove the limitations on assessing Share Insurance Fund premiums when the equity ratio of the Share Insurance Fund is greater than 1.30 percent and if the premium charged exceeds the amount necessary to restore the equity ratio to 1.30 percent.16Together, these amendments would bring the NCUA's statutory authority over the Share Insurance Fund more in line with the FDIC's authority as it relates to administering the Deposit Insurance Fund. These amendments would also better enable the NCUA Board to proactively manage the Share Insurance Fund by building reserves during economic upturns so that sufficient money is available during economic downturns. This more counter-cyclical approach to managing the Share Insurance Fund would better ensure that credit unions will not need to impair their one percent contributed capital deposit or pay premiums during times of economic stress, when they can least afford it.ConclusionThe NCUA stands ready to address the impact of the evolving economic and business cycles within the credit union system. The NCUA will continue to monitor credit union performance and coordinate with other federal financial institution regulators, as appropriate, to ensure the overall resiliency and stability of our nation's financial services system and economy.Thank you again for the invitation to testify about the NCUA's programs and operations.
David Wills stands as a beacon of philanthropic leadership and financial wisdom, carving his niche as the Chairman Emeritus of the National Christian Foundation (NCF). A luminary in shaping generosity, David co-founded Generous Giving, an organization dedicated to fostering a culture of charitable living. Under his guidance, NCF has flourished, disbursing over $18 billion to charitable causes, reflecting an unparalleled commitment to transformative giving. He adeptly navigates the complexities of donor-advised funds, turning the concept into a strategic tool for streamlined and impactful philanthropy. David's innovative approach is evidenced through his advocating for ‘finish lines' in financial planning, ensuring wealth serves as a tool for good, not a master. Merging financial stewardship with spiritual growth, David is a pioneer in impact investing, where charitable dollars yield social and spiritual dividends. His stirring personal journey from litigator to philanthropic strategist is a testament to living a faith-driven life. David's insights are not just theories—they're lived experiences that promise to resonate with listeners, urging them to explore the joy and responsibility of giving. Tune into The Finish Line Podcast for a profound dialogue with David Wills, where financial acumen meets the heart of generosity. Topics include: What inspired the creation of the National Christian Foundation, and how has it evolved since its inception? Why is a financial finish line such a powerful tool of generosity and faith? How do finish lines contribute to a sense of liberation and freedom? What is impact investing and how does it intersect with generosity? Who should have a donor advised fund, and how is it used effectively? What motivated the start of Generous Giving, and what role does transformational heart change play in the conversation around generosity? How has the modern generosity movement evolved over the past several decades? How is the growth in generosity aligned with movement in the Great Commission and what progress has been made? How can acts of spontaneous giving enrich family and community ties and demonstrate the joy of generosity? QUOTES TO REMEMBER “There's this extraordinarily large group of people that actually have the gift of giving, the spiritual gift of giving.” “This year, we will, for the first time, have over a billion dollars worth of complex assets contributed to NCF.” “Generosity is contagious when people are transformed.” “When you grow in the how and the where, your giving will grow arithmetically. You'll feel better about it. You'll be more strategic. But when you get the why question right, your giving can grow exponentially.” “If you're well planned, you will give more and you will give more wisely. Part of the planning process are finish lines.” “If a trustee starts to get confused about their role and they don't have any parameters around how they're dealing with whatever it is that they're stewarding, the stuff will actually own them as opposed to them stewarding the stuff.” “All investing is impact investing. So what kind of impact are you having?” “If you want to meet somebody in heaven that has never had God's word in their native language, you better get on it right now because we're running out of these languages” LINKS FROM THE SHOW National Christian Foundation Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) Ron Blue Trustbridge Global Sovereign's Capital Impact Foundation Eventide Ambassadors Impact Network Faith Driven Investor IllumiNations Bible Translation Alliance (see our interview with Todd Peterson or John Chesnut) The Finishing Fund (see our interview with founder Doug Cobb) The Treasure Principle (see our interview with author Randy Alcorn) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES Luke 16:9 | Making Eternal Friends And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Matt Mancinelli serves as the Managing Director at Generous Giving, where he harnesses his profound passion for generosity to empower individuals and unveil its transformative power. With unwavering dedication, Matt has committed his career to inspire others to embrace and embody the joy and liberating freedom that accompanies a life of giving. From a young age, Matt fostered a fervent enthusiasm for generosity, willingly enduring diverse circumstances to expand his capacity to give. Even during periods marked by minimal resources, he reminisces about experiencing boundless joy in the act of giving. In addition, Matt candidly shares about transitioning into married life and how he and his family, including their children, have embraced a lifestyle of radical generosity. Matt's life brims with captivating narratives of witnessing divine intervention through moments of unwavering faith and audacious generosity, contagiously igniting excitement within others. In this episode: What are common obstacles that people face when it comes to being more generous? How do we wrap our kids into lives of exciting generosity? How does giving impact our faith and relationship with God? How should we balance strategic, planned giving with joyful, spontaneous giving? How do we continue to grow in generosity? QUOTES TO REMEMBER The whole mission is to encourage people to be generous. Do I still actually believe that having more will make me happier? I got to spend a lot of years encouraging people to be generous without a hook. LINKS FROM THE SHOW Operation Mobilization George Verwer The Treasure Principle, by Randy Alcorn Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving Halftime by Bob Buford The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Ephesians 6:16 | Shield of Faith In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; Matthew 6:19-21 | Treasure in Heaven “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Acts 20:35 | Better to Give ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.' WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Al Mueller is the founder and President of Excellence in Giving, a transformative organization dedicated to guiding High Net Worth families in making impactful philanthropic decisions. Al shares his inspiring journey from a successful Wall Street career to his current impactful role as a philanthropic consultant. Al's faith played a pivotal role in shaping his life's purpose and mission. Through prayer and reflection, he crafted his mission statement: to motivate Christians to give significantly and sacrificially with maximum efficiency to Kingdom activities. This statement led him to take a leap of faith and establish Excellence in Giving, a transformative consulting organization that now serves over 40 High Net Worth families, guiding them in strategic giving decisions ranging from $1 million to $25 million annually to various causes both domestically and internationally. Al also helped launch the Kingdom Giving Fund, a pooled grant-making organization that focuses on high impact projects that change the trajectory of well-proven ministries. Throughout his interview, Al emphasizes the importance of stewardship, a deeper approach to generosity, where discernment and wise decision-making play a crucial role in making a meaningful impact. Major topics covered include: Al's journey from Wall Street to philanthropy The need to go beyond simple giving and foster a deeper approach to generosity for a lasting impact Al's approach to highly effective giving The importance of celebrating wins in generosity Excellence in Giving's approach to philanthropy The Kingdom Giving Fund model and collaborative giving QUOTES TO REMEMBER “I felt like the Lord had a kingdom purpose for me that wasn't helping wealthy people become wealthier.” “Faith is definitely important. And the crown ministry allowed us to really rethink that.” “Giving away money thoughtfully is a challenge.” “If you're not experiencing the joy of generosity, you're not doing it, right.” “Only the Lord has the capacity to deal with all the problems in the world.” “Joy is a big part of what God promises in the world of generosity and stewardship.” “Your passions have to be a subset of God's passions.” “There is really no substitute for doing your own homework in the area of giving.” “When God breaks your heart, then figure out who's championing that area and join them.” “There should be things in our lives that break our heart.” “When you have more money, you will just do more of what you're already doing now.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Excellence in Giving The Kingdom Giving Fund Crown Ministries Halftime by Bob Buford Jesus Film (see our interview with Executive Director Josh Newell) Ben Carson Reading Rooms Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) Rick Warren Compassion International The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Julie Wilson is the president of Women Doing Well, which encourages women towards a live of joy-filled generosity. Julie studied journalism in Boston and came to know Christ the same week she landed her dream job at NBC while living in New York. She later went on to work with Cru and then Generous Giving. It was during her time at Generous Giving when she began to realize the need for more community and guidance to support women givers. Women Doing Well was birthed out of a survey of over 7000 women about generosity. In that survey, 94% of women reported not feeling confident in their giving, desiring community and support in their generosity journey. Since that time, Women Doing Well has grown to meet women in that desire, providing comprehensive and immersive experiences to deepen women's purpose and joy in generosity and facilitating community to encourage them in the journey. Julie had much to share on topics like: Findings from the survey of 7000 women The goal and purpose of Women Doing Well Women's capacity for generosity What motivates women to give Barriers women face in giving generously Common misconceptions about generosity The importance of having a two-word purpose QUOTES TO REMEMBER “Money is just a tool, it's one of the ways you can be generous.” “Community is key, without community, women can't access their full generosity.” “Money is more than just what it can buy, it's what it can make you be.” “Women look for spiritual transformation around generosity.” “Purpose is a crucial part of generosity.” “If you are not in the world, some part of the Kingdom is going to lose out.” “Comparison is the total enemy of generosity.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Womendoingwell.org Cru.org Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) On Purpose Partners – Purpose test Yale Science of Wellbeing course The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Ephesians 4:6 | One God One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Acts 4:32 – 34 | They Shared Everything They Had All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Major averages closed higher today. It was the best day for the indices since May 5. Wells Fargo's Chris Harvey breaks down what's behind the surge. ServiceNow and NHL announce a partnership; CEO Bill McDermott and Commissioner Gary Bettman join to discuss. McDermott talks the company's Knowledge conference and its plans for AI in enterprise. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang sat down with our Jon Fortt in an exclusive interview talking the promise and peril of AI and scaling software. As questions swirl the regional banks, Todd Harper, Chairman of the National Credit Union Administration, discusses how to strengthen belief in the system. Smith Point Capital CEO Keith Block on spending levels in enterprise software and what it means for global demand. Earnings from Take-Two Interactive and Cisco.
Maddy, Ryan, and Todd struggle through the second half of Dark Phoenix (2019), which abandons all of the decent ideas set up in the first half of the movie. Forget about Jean's dad, it's all about the D'Bari now ... and also Magneto, who doesn't need to be in this movie, despite that Michael Fassbender provides a great performance. We conclude our revisiting of this movie's failures by asking Simon Kinberg to send us his other script ideas. He listens to the show, right? Next week's episode: We're taking a break for a week, then starting up the Wolverine anime! Visit our STORE: teespring.com/stores/the-mutant-ages E-mail us your feedback at themutantages@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter at TheMutantAges, MIDImyers and RyanPagella. Our guest Todd Harper is on Twitter as well at @drtoddharper. If you like what you hear, please consider supporting us via patreon.com/themutantages. Thanks!
Maddy, Ryan, and Todd dive in to the first half of Dark Phoenix (2019), which is significantly better than the second half of the movie. Despite being the lowest-rated X-Men film in the 20th Century Fox version of the franchise, Dark Phoenix has some good scenes and strong portrayals of Jean, Scott, and Xavier. When the movie sticks with the character drama unfolding between these three characters, it's a strong story. Unfortunately, it's weighed down by the addition of the D'Bari aliens and the shadows left behind by the exclusion of the Hellfire Club from the entire Phoenix storyline. Next week's episode: Dark Phoenix (2019), Part 2 Visit our STORE: teespring.com/stores/the-mutant-ages E-mail us your feedback at themutantages@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter at TheMutantAges, MIDImyers and RyanPagella. Our guest Todd Harper is on Twitter as well at @drtoddharper. If you like what you hear, please consider supporting us via patreon.com/themutantages. Thanks!
Heather Tuininga is founder of the philanthropic consulting firm 1010 Strategies and lives in Washington with her family. Heather Bergen her career in politics with a desire to spark change, but quickly find that the political sphere did not always lead to the movement she desired to see. From there, Heather pivoted into the philanthropy space with the Gates Foundation, working with the Gates family directly to vet and analyze philanthropic opportunities around the world. After several years with the Gates family, she went on to work for a smaller family foundation in order to broaden her experience. Heather launched 1010 Strategies in order to offer the same level of service to families and business who sought philanthropic guidance, but weren't large enough to hire someone full time to manage their giving. Since that time, she has been able to help many families and business massive their impact and joy in giving. Heather has a particular passion for spontaneous generosity. In 2017, during a presentation on generosity, she gave 400 women in the audience each a $20 bill to give to someone else, what later became known as her $20 Challenge. Since then, she has passionately encouraged others into somebody acts of generosity and had many stories to share. Listen now to hear what Heather had to say on topics like: Why generosity is always linked to joy How she thinks about philanthropic strategy The power of small acts of generosity How to hear God's prompting in generosity Leveraging Joy by giving to others so that they can give again Countless stories of spontaneous and strategic generosity QUOTES TO REMEMBER “A life lived for others is a life well spent.” “When you are thinking about whether to share or give away or not, ask the owner, because He is the owner” “Giving is supposed to be sacrificial and cheerful” “When our giving is done well, both the giver and the receiver get life to the full.” “You can leverage joy to multiply joy” “Generosity and joy goes hand in hand” LINKS FROM THE SHOW 10|10 Strategies Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) Gates Foundation I Like Giving, by Brad Formsma The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW 2 Timothy 2:21 | Instrument for Noble Purposes Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,[a] he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. Psalm 24:1 | Earth is the Lord's The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein John 10:10 | Life to the Full The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 2 Corinthians 9:10 | Seeds to the Sower He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Matthew Hendley serves as a generosity ambassador with National Christian Foundation (NCF), coming beside givers, financial advisors, and nonprofits in order to maximize the joy and impact of giving. Matthew lives in Georgia with his wife and five children. Growing up in a Christian home, Matthew didn't have much skin in the game until God got his attention through a powerful experience at his high school. As Matthew leaned deeper into his faith, God quickly grew in him a passion for generosity. Matthew and his family have a particular knack for hearing God in the moment, and he had story after story of seeing God move after responding to that quiet prompting. He also shares some of the challenges of hearing that voice and the disappointment of missed opportunities. If you want to better learn how to follow God's lead in the moment, then this episode is for you. Matthew also has a financial finish line and shares about how his family went about the process as well as how it has changed their outlook. Matthew shares on topics including: Hearing God's prompting to individual acts of generosity How he decided to set a financial finish line His process for setting his initial finish line Stories of families he's worked with through NCF Obstacles that hold people back from radical generosity QUOTES TO REMEMBER “God is going to give you as much as you can handle as soon as you are ready to handle it.” “Listen well and obey quickly” “Money matters are heart matters” “If you won't be generous with $5 you won't be generous with $5 000” “The love of money is what grips our heart” “Greed is a matter of the heart, not a matter of what's in your bank account” LINKS FROM THE SHOW National Christian Foundation Journey to Generosity (JoG) Generous Church (see our interview with founder Patrick Johnson) Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) Faith & Finance, by The Chalmers Institute The Treasure Principle, by Randy Alcorn Simplifying the Money Conversation, by Ronald Blue The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Ephesians 4:28 | Have Something To Share With Anyone Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 1 Timothy 6:10 | Love of Money For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Brian Grasso is the CEO and founder of Simple Charity. When he was in high school, Brian was drawn to the intersection of the gospel and global poverty. He, along with a number of other high school students, set a goal to raise $100,000 through a variety of fundraisers to fuel organizations working in that space. That effort continued to grow into the nonprofit that Brian leads today, which operates at college campuses across the country. Simple Charity inspires Christian students to grow in solidarity with people experiencing poverty and injustice through multiple creative programs and initiatives. And deeply entwined with their message is the invitation to radical generosity. Brian had plenty to say on topics including: The challenges and benefits of reaching college students with the message of generosity The opportunities that exist today in reaching students How Simple Charity approaches vetting ministries How to stay grounded and energized when working in the nonprofit sector How he stays rooted in the Word QUOTES TO REMEMBER “We have a God who is generous towards us who wants us to live the good life of grace and abundance, and part of that life is caring for the poor.” “It's such a wonderful blessing to do meaningful work with people that you enjoy” “The word of God has the power to transform our hearts” “God wants us, rather than what we can do for him.” “There is always enough time to do the things that are most important. What changes is what is most important.” “Every seed that's planted is an opportunity to see God work.” “The most important thing is seeking the Kingdom of God” “Solidarity with the poor starts by learning from the poor, by seeing their abundance.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Crazy Love by Francis Chan Heart for Africa (see our interview with COO Janine Maxwell) Biblingo The Great Opportunity Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman) All Access International When Helping Hurts (see our interview with coauthor Brian Fikkert) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Matthew 25:35-40 | I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Food For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you and when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. 2 Corinthians 8:9 | He Became Poor For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. Proverbs 31:10-31 | The Woman Who Fears the Lord Matthew 5:3 | Blessed are the Poor in Spirit “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.
In this conversation, Jessica discusses, among other things:Mining family narrativesFocusing on what's in front of youWorking with lightThe influence of teachersWrestling with the materiality of nowTranscending the ordinaryPhotojournalism vs artOne ‘good' photo a monthLife fitting into photographyArtist Resources/InspirationInterior Exposure by Jessica Todd Harper and Sarah McNearThe Home Stage by Jessica Todd HarperCentre Claude CahunRick Wester Fine ArtKinship, The National Portrait GalleryBo Barlett at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine ArtsMothercraft, Toni PepeUndo Motherhood by Diana KarklinDesigning MotherhoodHettie JudahFlow by Mihaly CsikszentmihalyiVERMEER, Mary CassattMaine Media Photography WorkshopsArnold NewmanThe Mount, Edith WhartonThe Clark InstitutePublished by Damiani EditoreWebsite | Instagram
How Will NCUA Respond to Silicon Valley Bank Closure?Hey everyone. This is Mark Treichel with another episode of With Flying Colors. I am recording this on March 12th. Going to publish this Monday morning, and this is again about the ramification of Silicon Valley Banker sb. B being shut down. , I'm going to talk about how that might impact N C U A, what N C A might do and how that might impact you as a credit union.So N C U A, what now? Because of. S v b Bank, but first, a lot has hit the news since I recorded, , the podcast that published on Sunday. And, , there was, there's some tweets out there that, , president Biden is saying there will be no bailout. There's some tweets out there that say Janet Yellen is, , saying there will be no bailout.Janet Yellen, , was on the news shows this mor morning to help. , efforts to ensure that contagion doesn't happen. And I'll go into that a little bit. And these are all precursors of just the news that's hit in the last couple hours. And then I'll jump into, , the main topic, which is N C U A, what Now, I've also heard and seen some tweets that, , as I mentioned in my previously recorded podcast, there's no doubt F D I C and the Fed is trying to sell some assets, , this weekend.And if they do, They turn it into cash, that cash quickly can be paid out or more quickly can be paid out to the uninsured depositors. All of that is good. , there's also a new article on the Wall Street Journal, , that says, regulators face urgent task to stem spread from Silicon Valley Bank. And, , Janet Yellen., , there's a quote from Janet Yellen, , treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. It says, I've been working all weekend with our banking regulators to design appropriate policies to address this situation. Treasury Secretary, , Janet Yellen said in an interview on Face the Nation on c b s, she didn't provide.Specifics to those plans. We wanna make sure that the troubles that exist at one bank don't create contagion to others that are sound. We are concerned about depositors and are focused on trying to meet their needs. House speaker Kevin McCarthy said that he had discussed the issue with Ms. Yellen and Federal Reserve Chair Drew Powell, and that he was hopeful that the officials would be able to announce their next steps later on Sunday.They do have tools to handle the current situ. Mr. McCarthy said, , on Fox News's Sunday Morning Futures. , they do know the seriousness of this, and they're working to try to come forward with some announcement before the market opens. I'm hopeful something can be announced today. So again, I've also heard that some bank sale information may happen before the Asian markets open up., and all right, so, , there. A lot of work going on at federal agencies, , over the weekend. I'm anticipating that some folks at N C A may be, , doing some number crunching as well. So that gets me to, okay, what happens now at N C U A? So, the N C A has a board meeting on Thursday. It's a light. , light agenda., there's only one item and it's the subordinated debt Final rule. I think they're tweaking it, , as it relates potentially to EIP and some other things that they've proposed, , relative to that. So that's a good rule. But that's all that's on the agenda. I'm expecting that, , ensu, a board chairman Todd Harper, will open up and discuss., what happened at, , S V B Bank and what that means for credit unions. I think he, when he does that, he will take it as another opportunity to say that Congress needs to provide more flexibility and make changes to the rule around the C L F, also known as the central liquidity facility because there were some laws that were in place under the pandemic.For more listen to the full podcast
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” – Malachi 3:10 Todd Harper, one of the four cofounders of Generous Giving, sat down with us to share not only his incredible personal story, but the story of Generous Giving. Generous Giving's purpose is to create environments where people can experience and ask questions about generosity in a safe, encouraging way. Their mission is simply to invite Christians into a spirit-led commitment to generosity in order to fill them with a newfound freedom and purpose when it comes to wealth. Learn more about Generous Giving at https://generousgiving.org/ -- Get your FREE Storehouse Family Roles Exercise PDF here: www.storehouse310.com/roles Come join David and Stu in The Storehouse Mastermind, which brings together a diverse group of men striving to become the best husbands, fathers, friends, and leaders possible. Learn More here: https://storehouse310.com/mastermind Get the FREE Kinetic Living Family Roles Worksheet by emailing podcast@storehouse310.com. Join our Facebook Group! Do us a favor and leave us a review! Click here at Apple Podcasts! Know someone who would make a great guest on our podcast? Let us know! stuart@storehouse310.com. This podcast is sponsored by DoDReads.com which promotes lifelong learning, personal development and leadership that comes from the books you read. If you are interested in updating your military reading list, email: storehouse@dodreads.com.
Maddy and Ryan invite Todd Harper back onto the show for the introduction of Emma Frost on the X-Men anime. We talk about her outfit, her boobs, the boob window on her outfit, and so much more (as it relates to Emma's boobs). Scott and Logan continue their sexual tension, and Scott tries to convince everybody else that Emma can't be trusted. This works fairly well until Hisako wakes up and makes it clear that Emma is her favorite person ever, at which point the X-Men realize they're all going to have to work together if they want to save Hisako and escape the U-Men. Next week's episode: "Transformation - Secondary Mutation," X-Men (Marvel Anime) Visit our STORE: teespring.com/stores/the-mutant-ages E-mail us your feedback at themutantages@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter at TheMutantAges, MIDImyers and RyanPagella. If you like what you hear, please consider supporting us via patreon.com/themutantages. Thanks!
On today's episode W. Scott Olsen is talking to an American portrait photographer Jessica Todd Harper.This podcast is brought to you by FRAMES - high quality quarterly printed photography magazine. You can find out more about FRAMES over at www.readframes.com.Find our more about FRAMES:FRAMES MagazineFRAMES Instagram feedFRAMES Facebook Group
Comedian Graham LeMay hops in the Kia this week for a fun-filled ride on "UBER FUNNY!", the HIT NEW GAME SHOW on YouTube! Graham talks about hosting the Craft Brewers Open Mic as well as how his comedy career began and an awesome show that he performed on in Northern Idaho. Watch as Graham gets TRIPLE TEAMED! with games like SUCK THIS!, EAT THIS! and CREAM PIED! Will he come out victorious in the end and WIN the PRIZE? Scroll to the end to see or watch til the end and enjoy the laughs! Thank you so much for tuning in every Monday for a BRAND NEW EPISODE!! WATCH ON YOUTUBE: Comedian Graham LeMay TAKES ON The TRIPLE TEAMED CHALLENGE! | “UBER FUNNY!” https://youtu.be/QBkKVzU4ZLo Special thanks to Chip Ruberry and Todd Harper for their help with our "UBER FUNNY!" theme song! Check out their new band: Blue Roux https://www.facebook.com/BlueRouxBoise All the links you need! For those of you like Wendy
Todd Harper is the first head of the National Credit Union Administration appointed after serving in the agency's own ranks. His conversation with Jo Ann touches on the NCUA's new innovation office, and the technology pressures and opportunities facing credit unions.
Finally, we've reached the final X-Men movie directed by Bryan Singer, although the fact that we have Dark Phoenix (2019) does not comfort us very much. Maddy, Ryan, and Todd collectively lose their minds over the sheer volume of characters in this movie, and the number of scenes that don't matter at all to the plot but still didn't get cut out of the movie. This is only the first half of our journey, so we haven't even gotten to Weapon X yet, but please trust that we're already mad about it. Next week's episode: X-Men Apocalypse (2016), Part 2 Visit our STORE: teespring.com/stores/the-mutant-ages E-mail us your feedback at themutantages@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter at TheMutantAges, MIDImyers and RyanPagella. Our guest Todd Harper is on Twitter as well at @drtoddharper and @arcanistfox. If you like what you hear, please consider supporting us via patreon.com/themutantages. Thanks!
Hosted by Andrew Keen, Keen On features conversations with some of the world's leading thinkers and writers about the economic, political, and technological issues being discussed in the news, right now. In this episode, Andrew is joined by Jessica Todd Harper, photographer and author of Here. Jessica Todd Harper uses portraiture to explore the subtle tensions within daily family interactions and the complexity of human relationships. Her work is grounded in art historical tradition, but with a psychological undercurrent that marks its modernity. A silver medalist in the Prix de la Photographie in Paris (2014), she was an Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition prizewinner (2016) and selected that same year for the Taylor Wessing Portrait competition at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Her work will be significantly represented in Kinship, opening at the Smithosonian's National Portrait Gallery in late 2022, and running until 2024. Harper has published two prize-winning books of photography, Interior Exposure (2008) and The Home Stage (2014) (both Damiani Editore). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, Jeff, Jeff, and Todd discuss: Todd's journey through entrepreneurship and faith from a young age. How Generous Giving gets their message out and serves those in the world. Meeting God where you are. Rethinking generosity with scriptural references. Key Takeaways: Encourage people to be radically generous to God's kingdom. You can do that without asking for money. You should never have a sense of guilt or shame around your giving. It's not about us, it's about what God wants to do through us in building His kingdom. The ultimate authority in our life is God. There is freedom in living by applying the scriptures to your life. "All truth is God's truth. Whether you believe or not, giving brings joy." — Todd Harper Episode Reference: Francis Chan Eternity Rope Illustration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N5AfkLN2YsPete Och's Story: https://generousgiving.org/a-conversation-with-pete-and-austin-ochs/Alan Barnhart's Story: https://generousgiving.org/god-owns-our-business/JOG Events: https://generousgiving.org/events/jog/ About Todd Harper: As a founder of Generous Giving, Todd has been actively engaged in spreading the message of generosity for 20 years. In his current role as Co-Founder, Todd acts as a key spokesperson, relating with givers and implementing strategies for advancing the generosity message. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics and entrepreneurship from Baylor University and spent 11 years with Campus Crusade for Christ International (Cru), where he served in Russia, Yugoslavia, and in the United States. Prior to joining Generous Giving, Todd was a partner in an investment management firm, advising high-net-worth clients on growing and using wealth wisely. Todd's passion is to mentor others, and given his experience in organizational leadership, major gifts development, and philanthropic advising, he is particularly suited to encourage leaders to excel in the grace of giving. He and his wife, Collynn, have five children and live in Orlando, Florida. Connect with Todd Harper:Website: https://generousgiving.org/ Email: todd@generousgiving.orgVimeo: https://vimeo.com/generousgiving LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/generous-giving/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GenerousGiving/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generous.giving/ Connect with Jeff Thomas: Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-upEmail: jeff.thomas@arkosglobal.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisorsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/
When everyone is carrying a camera in their pocket, what raises the act of taking pictures to the level of fine art photography? Jessica Todd Harper, the award-winning portrait photographer, says that it's equal parts mindset and technique--and lots of setting the stage to seize that perfect light. Listen as Harper speaks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about her desire to capture the complexity of life in a single image, why family relationships and home life are her chosen subjects, and the integral role beauty plays in her images, despite its diminished status in art today.
We are stewards of God's resources – this has always been the way we, Christians, understand our relationship to God and our possessions. Because the Bible makes it clear that God is the true owner of everything, all that we have comes from him and we have a responsibility to manage His resources wisely on his behalf. But, how do we become good and joyful stewards of God's resources? Our guest today, Todd Harper, of Generous Giving Foundation, sheds light on what makes a joyful and wise steward of God's resources. Having worked closely with high-net-worth families and individuals in creating a national movement of generosity for more than two decades, Todd has gained a deep understanding of the qualities of a joyful and wise steward. He describes how a wise steward thinks and acts while using resources, skills, gifts, and time in ways that matter to God. We'll look at examples of how to work toward becoming a good steward as Todd also shares some stories and Bible verses to encourage you in your journey of godly stewardship.Key Points From This Episode: Todd introduces himself and gives background information about Generous Giving, an organization that he co-founded to start a national movement of generosity.Why and how Generous Giving was created and its present reach and scale.What are the “Five P's of a Transformational Experience” in the giving journey?How did God prepare Todd for his role in Generous Giving? The catalyst that God used to shift Todd from pursuing his own wealth to investing in His kingdom.What book was significant and influential to the founders of Generous Giving and the growth of the organization?What are Todd's top ten observations about joyful and wise stewards?What did Todd observe as the barriers that hinder people from being cheerful givers?What's Todd's advice for people who want to start experiencing the joy of generosity?Todd explains what God's economy is.Todd answers the lightning-round questions.Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Click to Find out more about our upcoming event: "Crafting Your Kingdom Investing Thesis" Generous GivingJourney of GenerosityMover of Men and Mountains by R. G. LeTourneauMoney, Possessions, and Eternity by Randy AlcornHow Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton ChristensenAbout Todd HarperAs founder of Generous Giving, Todd has been actively engaged in spreading the biblical message of generosity for 20 years. In his current role as co-founder, Todd focuses on mission-related activities: strengthening and developing relationships with champions, facilitating JOGs and training, and contributing to program and story development.
Explore with NCUA Chairman Todd Harper what diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) means, how the NCUA is adopting initiatives to promote DEIB and why it’s critical to your institution and the credit union community. Todd M. Harper was nominated to serve on the NCUA Board on February 6, 2019. The U.S. Senate confirmed him on March 14, 2019, and he was sworn in as a member of the NCUA Board on April 8, 2019. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., designated him as the NCUA’s twelfth Chairman on January 20, 2021. On June 8, 2022, the U.S. Senate by a vote of 59 to 40 confirmed Mr. Harper to be a Member of the NCUA Board for a term expiring on April 10, 2027. Key takeaways: The basics of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging A discussion of Chairman Harper’s recent remarks at CU Pride Leadership Conference How the agency is promoting DEIB and why
In Acts 10:35, Paul quotes Jesus as having said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” That's a short but extremely profound and revealing statement, and if you've ever made a gift for the right reason and from your heart you've experienced this truth. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we're talking with Todd Harper, the co-founder of Generous Giving, and April Chapman, Generous Giving's Chief Financial Officer, about the incredible privilege we have to be generous. Their 22-Hour Journey of Generosity (JOG) event has been transforming generous givers into extravagant givers for many years, and they'd love to help you and your church community experience it for yourself.
Maddy, Ryan and Todd continue the second half of their review of X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), so if you missed the first half, go back to last week's episode. We analyze the metaphorical heroin that Xavier and Hank take in order to diminish their powers and the overall impact this has on the mutant metaphor in the film. We also talk about the hit-or-miss portrayal of Mystique in the film, all the way up to the climax in which Magneto drops a baseball stadium onto the White House. A little overdramatic, Erik! Next week's episode: "The X Factor," Iron Man Armored Adventures (S2E17) Visit our STORE: teespring.com/stores/the-mutant-ages E-mail us your feedback at themutantages@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter at TheMutantAges, MIDImyers and RyanPagella. Our guest Todd Harper is on Twitter as well at @drtoddharper and @arcanistfox. If you like what you hear, please consider supporting us via patreon.com/themutantages. Thanks!
Ryan, Maddy, and Todd reunite for another live-action movie episode, and it's X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014). This is our first time splitting a movie episode into two parts, and thank goodness, because we managed to spend the entire first hour of this episode dissecting the first ten minutes of this movie (!!!) and losing our minds over the decision to give Kitty Pryde psychic time-travel powers. We also discuss the abuse allegations against Bryan Singer and the bad atmosphere that many of the actors had described on the set of this movie. Above all, we get to see Bishop's eternal catchphrase in action: TIME TRAVEL IS REAL. Next week's episode: Part 2!! Visit our STORE: teespring.com/stores/the-mutant-ages E-mail us your feedback at themutantages@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter at TheMutantAges, MIDImyers and RyanPagella. Our guest Todd Harper is on Twitter as well at @drtoddharper and @arcanistfox. If you like what you hear, please consider supporting us via patreon.com/themutantages. Thanks!
Today on MoneyWise, Generous Giving co-founderTodd Harper joins Rob West to explore God's view of generosity. Generous Giving is a Christian non-profit organization that exists to spread the message of biblical generosity in order to grow generous givers, especially among those entrusted with much. Todd discusses his organization's free resource: Introduction to Biblical Generosity, which he describes as scripture, key and compelling real-life stories, and opportunities to explore that by yourself, with a spouse, or in a small group. The first lesson features a teaching from Rev. Tim Keller on scattering and gathering based on scriptures found in Proverbs and Psalms. Harper describes it as a different perspective designed to challenge the prevailing paradigms of our culture. Additional lessons feature teachings on purpose and joy, aligning our hearts with God's will, and the generosity of God. You can find more free resources from Generous Giving at their website:GenerousGiving.org/resources LISTENER QUESTIONS On today's program, Rob also answers listener questions: ●What kind of financial tools are recommended for a young married couple? ●How do you determine whether to hold onto a rental property or sell it? ●What should you consider before investing money from savings? ●How does passive income factor into Social Security payments? RESOURCES MENTIONED ●Betterment ●Schwab Intelligent Portfolios ●NerdWallet Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them toQuestions@MoneyWise.org. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, join the MoneyWise Community, and even download the free MoneyWise app. Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it's your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking theDonate tab on our websiteor in our app. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29
Todd Harper of Generous Giving speaks on how our giving reveals who we are, who masters us, and what joyful people we can be when giving generously. Visit generousgiving.org for more. Listen to every episode of the Dr. Jeff Show wherever you listen to podcasts. More episodes of the Dr. Jeff Show on YouTube: bit.ly/3flbj2j More about Summit Ministries: www.summit.org Summit Student Conferences: https://bit.ly/3iQB6D2
We live in a culture that would have us believe that the way to happiness is to gain more—more money, more things, more pleasure. In this excerpt from his book Abundant: Experiencing the Incredible Journey of Generosity, Todd Harper explores what the Bible has to say about money, and how to experience the abundance God wants for us. Read more about the Joy of Generosity. Recommended Reading: Todd Harper, Experiencing the Incredible Journey of Generosity (Generous Giving, 2016). | Amazon
Todd Harper, one of the 4 cofounders of Generous Giving, sat down with us to share not only his incredible personal story, but the entire foundation story of Generous Giving. From a young age, Todd was fascinated by money, eventually dreaming of becoming a millionaire by 30. But God had a very different plan for his life. After a number of years in campus ministry, Todd's life intersected with a couple of key individuals whose lives were marked by extreme generosity. As he carefully watched how their lives differed from those around them, his curiosity eventually grew into the foundation of Generous Giving. Generous Giving's purpose is to create environments where people can experience and ask questions about generosity in a safe, encouraging way. Generous Giving is fully funded by the Maclellan Foundation, so they never have to ask for donations in return. Their mission is simply to invite Christians into a spirit-led commitment to generosity in order to fill them with a newfound freedom and purpose when it comes to wealth. Few organizations have had a greater impact on reframing the concept of generosity in the American church, and we were blessed to be able to sit down with Todd to hear the whole story. You certainly won't want to miss this one. QUOTES TO REMEMBER “If we really come to understand God's plan for our lives, then living into that plan is the most obvious, natural way to live.” “What I felt like God was asking me to give up was my dream to be a millionaire by 30.” “I'm an eternal investment advisor, I help people lay up treasure in heaven.” “The essence of what we started with is still the essence of what we do, which is to tell compelling stories and ask questions.” “It's so easy to be convinced that what the world is selling 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year is legit – that bigger, better, faster makes you happy.” “The Holy Spirit flips the switch for people from ‘ought to' to ‘get to' in their giving.” “Desire is so much more powerful than duty.” “Being around generous people is just stinkin contagious.” “People who are giving their lives away for the sake of others – there is a joy and authenticity in their experience of life that is attractive.” “I've never met an unhappy generous person.” “This orientation towards others, this orientation towards giving, really is the thing that brings life and joy.” “Because of my orientation to always wanting more, the notion of what I had being enough created a sense of freedom and contentment that I never would have predicted.” “I don't always need to figure out how to make more, or save more, or create more for the future.” “I think many of the most generous families I know have implemented some version of a finish line.” “The idea of establishing limits to create freedom is a very powerful idea and it's rarely implemented in the financial space.” “The more dependant I am on God, the better of a place I'm in.” “I'm not sure God ever wants us to get to the place where we are financially independent.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Generous Giving Generous Giving's Journey of Generosity retreats Generous Giving's Celebration of Generosity annual conference Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) – college campus ministry Money, Possessions, and Eternity by Randy Alcorn Hugh Maclellan and the Maclellan Foundation Mover of Men and Mountains by R.G. LeTourneau David Wills – Cofounder of Generous Giving Forrest Reinhardt – Cofounder of Generous Giving National Christian Foundation Kingdom Advisors The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Forum BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW John 8:32 | The Truth Will Set You Free 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Matt. 6:21 | Where Your Treasure Is 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 | That Which is Truly Life 17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can leave a comment below or reach out on our contact page.
In this episode we are joined by Todd Harper, CEO of Cancer Council Victoria to discuss the implications of Covid 19 and Cancer outcomes. Questions asked include: How are Covid lockdowns having an impact on cancer? Even under stress such as a lockdown is it a good time to quit? What are the odds of catching cancer versus catching COVID? Please share some tips on avoiding or lifestyle changes that can help you reduce the risk from catching cancer?
Kingdom Capitalists : For Christians Called to Start and Scale Successful Businesses
Other topics discussed: Should I keep track of my net-worth? Should I focus on making money or giving money in my thirties? 1 Tim 6:17-19What the most successful all have in common when it comes to generosity...Why Todd say's he has never met an unhappy generous person...Guest Link: Generous Giving WebsiteOther Links:Kingdom REI MastermindGuest Bio: As a founder of Generous Giving, Todd has been actively engaged in spreading the biblical message of generosity for 20 years. In his current role as co-founder, Todd focuses on mission-related activities: strengthening and developing relationships with champions, facilitating JOGs and trainings, and contributing to program and story development. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and entrepreneurship from Baylor University and spent 11 years with Campus Crusade for Christ International (Cru), where he served in Russia, Yugoslavia, and in the United States. Prior to joining Generous Giving, Todd was a partner in an investment management firm, advising high net worth clients on growing and using wealth wisely. Todd’s passion is to disciple others, and given his experience in ministry leadership, major donor development, and philanthropic advising, he is particularly suited to encourage Christians to excel in the grace of giving. He and his wife, Collynn, have five children and live in Orlando, Florida.
“Be safe, be well, be kind!” - Chairman Todd M. HarperThank you for tuning in to episode 106 of The CUInsight Experience podcast, with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. This episode is brought to you by our friends at PSCU. As the nation’s premier payments CUSO, PSCU proudly supports the success of more than 1,500 credit unions.My guest on today's show is The Honorable Todd M. Harper, Chairman of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). Chairman Harper was recently appointed to lead the NCUA Board by President Biden. We talked about what it was like when he got the nod to lead the NCUA personally, his journey to getting there, and what he wanted to be when he grew up. We also had a great conversation on the importance of DEI in credit unions.Chairman Harper shares his F.I.R.E. philosophy on credit union regulation, what the NCUA will focus on in the next twelve months, and the first place people should start when getting ready to have the DEI conversation. Chairman Harper also talks about how he keeps up with the pace of change in the credit union space.Chairman Harper has been lucky to have some great friends in his life, and he talks about the ones that have shaped him into who he is today. He also discusses how networking, being kind, and confident can lead you up the ranks when you are looking for a promotion. He tells us how he stays true to his purpose in his personal life and his career.In the rapid-fire questions, we learn what Chairman Harper was like in high school and how he likes to recharge. Who was the first person who came to mind when Chairman Harper hears the word success? You'll have to listen to find out. This was a great conversation and I can't wait to do it again. Enjoy!Find the full show notes on cuinsight.comSubscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List How to find Chairman Harper:The Honorable Todd M. Harper, Chairman of the NCUAwww.ncua.govboard@ncua.govLinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube
As a founder of the non-profit, Generous Giving, Todd has been actively engaged in spreading the biblical message of generosity for 20 years. Todd and I met during one of their signature Journey of Generosity events and we will never forget that weekend for reasons discussed on this episode. He reflects on living open-handedly, friends who have your back, and how we can all be more attentive to the needs around us. Todd holds a bachelor's degree in economics and entrepreneurship from Baylor University and spent 11 years with Campus Crusade for Christ International (Cru), where he served in Russia, Yugoslavia, and in the United States. He and his wife, Collynn, have five children and live in Orlando, Florida. Connect with Todd on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddharpergg/.
As we return to a studio (hurrah!), we turn to one of Australian golf’s favourites to tee off our 2021 campaign. Hannah Green drops in from Perth to tell us how her world has changed. Hosts Andy Maher and Mark Hayes also talk to Cancer Council boss Todd Harper about the enormous success of the Longest Day in Golf around the country and catch up on all the news from around the golfing globe this summer.
One reason Tod Harper’s new recording project is to honor the late Carei Thomas, a musical mentor of Todd’s who died in May 2020. Another is to demonstrate musical ecology. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Todd first talked about his late mentor, Carei Thomas.
Jeff Shafer, CEO of CommonGood Capital, speaks with Todd Harper, Co-founder of Generous Giving – a non-profit that encourages people to be radically generous to the causes they care about – about his life and career, the motivations behind the founding of Generous Giving, the types of conversations he's had with wealth creators, and much more.
RAINBOW COUNTRY A 2 HOUR Syndicated Gay radio show & #1 LGBT Podcast Working to give voice to the LGBT Community & BEYOND! ON EPISODE 220: HR 1 I chat with Aaron L. Gilbert Co Founder & CEO Of BRON The Worldwide Canadian Media & Entertainment Company that in 2019 brought us the Oscar winning films Bombshell & Joker! + Todd Harper from SHIFT 72 A leading technology company Providing Video On Demand platforms to the Entertainment industry joins me to talk about The digital cinema platform They created for TIFF 2020 & RAINBOW COUNTRY CONTRIBUTOR Business Person & Activist Louis Molnar with #LGBT News You Can Use HR 2 Music w/ 3 SONG MUSIC SETS f/ 80s - Images In Vogue Blancmange Ultravox Frankie Goes To Hollywood Pop - Michelle Treacy Singer Songwriter - Steve Grand Punk - CrackPuppy
Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership with Ruth Haley Barton
A conversation for those who have money and those who feel they don’t have enough money. Our relationship with money reveals what we are placing our trust in. Sadly even in most Christian families there is a disconnect between our spiritual life and money. In episode 4 Ruth is joined by Todd Harper, President of Generous Giving and David Wills, President Emeritus of National Christian Foundation, friends and alumni of the Transforming Community experience for a revealing discussion about transformation and money. Mentioned in this podcast: The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life Lynne TwistLent: A Season of Returning Ruth Haley Barton Exploring Further:Transforming CommunityRuth Haley Barton Become a patron: Join a growing movement of transforming leaders. We’ve received fantastic feedback about the podcast, and we would like to create even more episodes. We need you! Become a patron during Lent and receive our Lent: A Season of Returning! Music Credit:New Way to Live written by Joel Hanson. I am New written by Joel Hanson and Jason Gray.
This week, we watched Generation X, a made-for-TV movie about Emma Frost being amazing and also a bunch of other bullshit. This movie is obscure, and it probably should be. Maddy and Ryan brought Todd Harper back on as a guest for an hours-long breakdown of this very silly movie, complete with our Irish accents (apologies to Sean Cassidy) and tons of reminiscing about the '90s. Ahhh, what a time. Next week's episode: "Phalanx Covenant," X-Men: The Animated Series (Season 5 premiere) E-mail us your feedback at themutantages@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter at TheMutantAges, MIDImyers and RyanPagella. If you like what you hear, please consider supporting us via patreon.com/themutantages. Thanks!
Our theme for this year's Wilberforce Weekend was “Is Christianity Still Good for the World?” Today on the BreakPoint Podcast, we want you to hear from the founder of Generous Giving, Todd Harper, as he answers the question, “Are Christians Generous?” Now, as you might expect, Harper's answer is “Yes.” But the extent of Christian generosity, historically and statistically may surprise you. Harper also challenges us to think about Jesus' call to radical generosity. Resources Support the BreakPoint Podcast and the Colson Center Thanks for helping us end our fiscal year strong! Generous Giving Website
We all know that X3 is bad. But we had to watch it anyway, because that's what we do on this show. Ryan and Maddy brought their friend Todd Harper (@drtoddharper on Twitter) on as a guest to help us properly snark our way through this depressing trainwreck of a film. Join us as we reflect back on X3's important themes, such as, "should female characters really have that much power," and "maybe gay conversion therapy is a good thing." Why did this movie happen? E-mail us at themutantages@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter at TheMutantAges, MIDImyers and RyanPagella
Todd Harper discusses "Living a Generous Life" with The Hunters. Generosity has the potential to impact a lot more than the recipient's cause!
Dr. Todd Harper joins Kitty and Kevin to discuss hot pants, spheres, and the reasons to play the most joyful of all the Final Fantasies: Final Fantasy X-2.Find more of Dr. Todd Harper:chaoticblue.com@drtoddharper
Todd Harper, aka @laevantine took us to school on a lot of topics; including body diversity, fat characters in videogames, LGBTQIA issues in gaming, Bayo Studies and more.
Well, well, well. I have to apologize for us taking so long between the previous episode and this one. On account of a corrupt file that wiped our recording from a month ago... Still a little steamed about that. Anyway, First our thanks have to go to our guest for this episode Matt from the group Kinetech Forge check out their facebook page to see the great work they do. https://www.facebook.com/kinetechforgepgh and here's him showing off the talent that they've got working for them. https://www.facebook.com/kinetechforgepgh/photos/a.693977973986176.1073741834.685713318145975/693979580652682/?type=3&theater So next up is that we hit on a lot of topics this episode, Where we at times in the past have spent much more time on topics, tonight was a rapid fire barrage. Speaking of a Bharaj (pronounced the same) Jennie Bharaj is one of the most outspoken female voices from within #GamerGate, and she wants to have a website made by us, for us. So if you have some spare cash to spend this Christmas check out her indigogo campaign for BasedGamer.com click the link here, and give till it feels good. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/basedgamer-com Also you can see why she has such a passion about these issues and if you're a guy get a female perspective with someone that is fighting for the same possitive changes to be made as you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqwLyjcQ6SU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBSz6kSyzX8 The panel Q&A of this years Game Developer Conference that was titled "How to Insidiously & Subversively Queer Your Games" http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1020372/How-to-Subversively-Queer-Your So take that for what that is. I subjected myself to this Bullshit to better know my enemies As Sun Tsu's The Art of war teaches. That if you know your enemy you can fight countless battles without fear of loss. So since I know what Todd Harper's Idea for a unique character, I shit you not. "A half shaven head, purple haired, transgendered, latina, woman" Because a Straight white male marine isn't interesting enough apparently. By a show of hands, How many Marines in the service currently would fall into Todd Harper's version of reality? Or his take on how combat could be queered, Once again I shit you not. "Instead of having your combat be like Bro I'm gonna sword you in the face until you don't have a face left cause it's on my sword. Let them hug it out, competitively hug it out, or dance it off" ... WHAT THE FUCK! Then it's no longer combat you fucking simpleton! Anyway before I go off on another profanity laced rant, moving on. And the lunacy doesn't end there... just look at the headline of the verge article. http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/13/7213819/your-bowling-shirt-is-holding-back-progress wow, some of these people should be classified as a danger to society and shouldn't be able to feed themselves with the use of regular utensils. Oh yeah David Draiman you know the frontman from Disturbed has recently came out in favor of Gamer Gate. I've seen on his twitter feed as well he's not afraid to throw down in an intellectual debate with the SJW's that attack him for in their minds supporting a hate group. He shuts them down and makes them run home with their tails between their legs and cry to momma. Good work on you, So tonight all the bumper music is from disturbed. Listen carefully to the lyrics from the songs that I've chosen for this episode as they are completely applicable. and in order are Bound from the Believe EP Ten Thousand Fists from the Ten Thousand Fists EP Liberate from the Believe EP Indestructible from the Indestructible EP Violence Fetish from The Sickness EP Down With the Sickness from The Sickness EP I would've included more if we went longer but for now I'm happy with how the edits worked out. Some of the other topics that we tackle are regarding Mighty #9, Capcom Going Street Fighter V exclusive to the PS4 and PC. Don't worry in a few weeks after it's launch they'll release some variation of "Super Ultra Street Fighter V Championship Arcade EX edition." and that one won't be exclusive since it won't be the same game. I vent my frustrations about Assassin's Creed Unity and the over reliance on the inter-connectivity of the Companion app on your phone, and the AC Initiates website. I just want to play the fucking game, without being distracted by my phone and my computer trying to share face time. Target & KMart in Australia caved to feminist pressure and wont sell GTA V for the new consoles anymore. A Lot of sex acts can't be depicted in the UK any longer. Yet the argument that's always made by the SJW crowd is that it's not about censorship... sure looks like censorship to people with a functioning frontal lobe. So I think I listed everything that we cover in this episode, if not I'm sorry. Regardless check us out on facebook and like our page there since I'm not constrained to 140 characters I can let my mind just go and post extended opinions and write novels. Like us on Facebook.com/redpillpodcast or if you want to be one of the cool kids follow us on Twitter, where my brilliant mind has to run like an overclocked PC to figure out how to cconvey my message in a sentance or two. Follow us on Twitter @TheRedPillPC Email us directly at redpillpodcast@gmail.com Subscribe on Itunes Search red pill podcast You can also download the IPP podcast player on android devices and search Red Pill Podcast Thanks for listening, and especially thank you for giving us an audience to hear our ramblings, We'll keep entertaining if you keep showing up. Z0mbie0
The culture of fighting games — digital games of competitive martial arts-style combat—is one of the most interesting and contentious of gamer subcultures. This talk examines the influences and norms of that community, including its spiritual and physical roots in the arcade, common gameplay practices, and how issues of ethnicity and gender collide with gamer identity in the ‘FGC’. Todd Harper is a researcher at the MIT Game Lab with a background in mass communication and cultural studies. His current research focuses on both competitive communities and their cultural norms, as well as queer and gender representation and issues in gaming culture.
Todd Harper discusses the difficult, tense relationship between Greece and Turkey throughout history and in modern times.
Todd Harper discusses the difficult, tense relationship between Greece and Turkey throughout history and in modern times.