Choosing to Thrive: Living and Giving with Intention
There’s a vast difference between surviving and thriving. Too many people today live like they are stuck in bumper cars at the county fair, bouncing aimlessly, colliding with whoever is in the way, and mistaking the jolt for progress. But true living does not happen by accident. It happens by intention.
That was the heart of my recent conversation on Voices in Leadership with Dr. Angela Buckley. We talked about what it means to stop drifting through life and instead wake up every morning with a clear decision: Today, I choose to thrive.
From Fundraising to Stewardship
When I started my career in development, I thought fundraising was the whole game. You ask, you receive, and in exchange, people get a token of thanks. That is fundraising. It works, but it does not change hearts.
The real breakthrough came when I discovered lifestyle stewardship. Stewardship is not about money. It is about managing what God owns. Our homes, our careers, our wealth, even our very breath, are all entrusted to us for a season. We are not owners. We are stewards.
When this clicked, everything changed. I no longer saw my role as simply helping ministries raise money. Instead, I saw myself as helping people step into their God-given calling as Authorized Wealth Distributors, men and women chosen to channel God’s abundance into His work.
Thriving Through Stewardship
Stewardship transforms the way we live. Instead of clinging tightly to what we think we own, we release it back to God. We hold everything loosely, knowing it was His from the beginning. That perspective unlocks joy, peace, and freedom.
I think of Mr. West, an elderly man from my father’s church in Colorado. He had little by the world’s standards, but he would say, “I can’t give my God enough. He’s been so good to me.” That is the heart of a steward, gratitude that spills into generosity.
Partnership, Not Transaction
On the podcast, I shared how fundraising often reduces giving to a transaction. A blanket, a t-shirt, a round of golf. But stewardship calls us into partnership. When people join your mission, they do not just donate. They participate. They lock hands with you in God’s work.
It is the difference between spectators and soldiers. Spectators pay for a ticket. Soldiers fight alongside you.
Building a Legacy That Lasts
As believers, we are called to think beyond today. Stewardship is not just about meeting immediate needs. It is about shaping the future. Every act of generosity is a seed sown into eternity.
One businessman who attended a stewardship seminar of mine had just sold his company and was preparing to retire. But after hearing about lifestyle stewardship, he realized retirement was not the end of his story. It was the beginning of a new chapter. He left determined to start a new business, not for himself, but to fund Kingdom work. That is legacy thinking.
Why This Matters Now
We live in a culture drowning in self-interest, consumerism, and short-term gain. But God calls His people to live differently. To give instead of hoard. To plan for eternity instead of just today. To steward rather than own.
This is why I wrote Intentional Living and Giving. It is a roadmap for thriving, not by accumulating, but by releasing. Not by chasing success, but by embracing stewardship. It is about finding joy in being God’s Authorized Wealth Distributor.
A Daily Decision
Every morning, we face the same choice. Will I survive, or will I thrive? Will I live for myself, or will I live as a steward of God’s blessings?
When we choose stewardship, we step into freedom. We discover abundance. We join God in His work of redeeming and restoring the world. And in that choice, we do not just make a living. We make a life.
Your Next Steps
- Listen to the full podcast conversation with Dr. Angela Buckley- Click Here: Voices in Leadership Episode.
- Share this post with friends and family who need encouragement to live and give with intention.
- Check out my book, Intentional Living and Giving, and begin your transformation as an Authorized Wealth Distributor.
It is time to thrive, not just survive. And it starts with living and giving intentionally.
