When You Give From the Heart...

My confidence had always been in my resume.  As a CPA Fil Woodbery relied solely on his resume and professional skills for job opportunities and a way to provide for his family.  But in 2006, a shake up at the office left Fil unemployed. He told his wife Deb, and though their budget was already tight, they were confident he would find a new job soon.  But Fil had no success.

“I’m a CPA, I have a Masters in Business Administration, I am very well educated, very highly experienced in what I do, but that got me nowhere,” said Fil.

Deb had always tithed from her income, and continued to do so, but Fil was reluctant about giving.  “I didn’t really give. I didn’t have a generous spirit,” he said.

“If you're a giver and you give generously, it’s always going to come back to you.  So, you reap what you sow,” said Deb.

When he wasn’t applying for jobs, Fil studied God’s word and finally understood what it means to give from the heart.  “One of the things that I studied during that time period was Deuteronomy Chapter 8.  And one of the verses says it is God who gives me the ability to get wealth. And I realized that these things that I had, this education I had, these skills I had, were things that God had given me, that God had provided. He had brought me along this path. But I had kind of gotten off the path. And I needed to get back on the path,” said Fil.

He came into agreement with his wife about giving and started with a small amount from his severance pay. Then he found temporary job.  From those earnings he gave more. “I think the generous spirit that I did not have was growing and developing.”

Fil was out of work for 2 ½ years. However, the couple remained faithful in giving. As they put their trust in God all their needs were met.  Each month, they were able to pay every bill on time.

“People would just give us money. He had extra jobs. Money would just come from surprise places.  It was just amazing how God took care of us,” said Deb.

“It came from God. It didn’t come from me. If I knew where it all came from, then I could say, ‘Oh, I did this. I did that. But I can’t,” said Fil.

During this time, they even paid off Fil’s truck.  Instead of pocketing what used to be their payment of 250 dollars each month, they added the full amount to their monthly giving.  “That was the moment that giving became a part of me. Because it was a moment where I really could have said, This is mine. And I said, ‘No, this is going to God,’” said Fil.

His part-time position became full-time work.  He came out of unemployment, with better finances and a stronger relationship with God.   Today, Fil and Deb give beyond their tithe and partner with CBN.  The Woodberys believe giving faithfully and obediently, starts with a heart for God.

“He is amazing. It was His plan to change me; To move my confidence from me to Him; To move my trust from me to Him and to finally give it all to Him,” said Fil.