“Do any of the office staff have a medical background?” one of our volunteers asked urgently.

Faithfully every Wednesday morning, our volunteers stuff envelopes with donation receipts and missionary mailings. Now Eleanor, one of these committed volunteers, was having a medical emergency. Was there anyone with the knowledge needed to be of assistance? Susan Payne, our Development Director, is a nurse and was quickly summoned to assess the unfolding situation.

Throughout life there are times when the right knowledge is needed for a particular situation. Because Susan had medical experience she was able to provide the right help. The following Wednesday, there was Eleanor cheerfully stuffing envelopes as usual.

The quest for knowledge is so intricately woven into the fabric our lives that it is simply part of our being. As fetuses in the womb, we learn to recognize our mother’s heartbeat, the voices of our parents, and even the sounds of music. Later in life we attend school, internships and job training, continually increasing our useful knowledge. Solomon, when given the choice between riches and wisdom, chose wisdom, and in so doing he gained both.

In Luke 14, Jesus says that no one should start a project without knowing that it can be completed. In planned giving, knowledge is required before making a significant gift. In an effort to provide the knowledge needed, AFM has revamped our planned-giving website. There are clear descriptions of various gift scenarios, useful information and easy-to-use benefit calculators showing how various gift types can benefit both AFM and the giver.

Keep building your knowledge as you seek to live in the center of God’s will for your life.

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