{"id":634,"date":"2023-06-13T08:00:34","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T08:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/upliftingstar.com\/star991\/2026\/01\/28\/generosity-of-spirit\/"},"modified":"2026-01-31T06:05:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T06:05:07","slug":"generosity-of-spirit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/upliftingstar.com\/star991\/generosity-of-spirit\/","title":{"rendered":"Generosity of Spirit: How One Act of Kindness Changed Everything"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We talk about generosity a lot on\u202fThe Brant Hansen Show.\u202f<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

May I share a short story with you from my early 20s that forever changed my life and perspective<\/a> on generosity? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(**If you said \u201cno\u201d I couldn\u2019t hear you, so I\u2019m just going to plow ahead here\u2026) <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listening to God’s Word<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One Sunday afternoon my Mother and I were sitting in the car waiting for the rest of our family to come out of the church. A young mother exited the church and reluctantly approached our car. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMiss Bev\u2026?\u201d she said softly with tears in her eyes.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, baby?\u201d my Mom asked in her classic calming, motherly tone. She lowered the window on the passenger side so she could hold the young mother\u2019s hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hate to ask this,\u201d the young mother continued never lifting her eyes from the ground. \u201cI\u2019m ready to do what we talked about,\u201d tears streamed down her face as she looked down at the little three-year-old girl clinching her leg. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do you need?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLike\u2026um\u2026\u201d she paused. \u201cLike..17 dollars?\u201d her voice broke. She rubbed the head of her baby girl who had reached her hand up to touch my mom\u2019s hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s<\/em>\u202fall you need?\u201d my Mom asked with surprise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am. Just a few dollars to get Hailey something to eat and a few dollars gas money to get to my mom\u2019s. She said we can stay there for a while.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll your stuff packed?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am it\u2019s in the car. It\u2019s just when I went to the ATM before church to check my balance\u2026He\u2026He\u2026um\u2026 He\u2026\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTook it all,\u201d concluded my Mom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am. And he doesn\u2019t work. So, it\u2019s all mine,\u201d her voice began to raise. \u201cAll of it. Mine!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay, baby! It\u2019s ok,\u201d reassured my Mom as she dug in her purse and pulled out a piece of peppermint hard candy and handed it to an ecstatic Hailey.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Mom then turned to me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSherri, I don\u2019t have any cash. Can you give this girl some money, please?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d I said, whipping my head quickly to the passenger seat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We stared at each other for what seemed like a few hours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGive this girl some money,\u201d she said confused about why she had to say it twice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, um, ok. Sure.\u201d I reached for my purse and wallet in the back seat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The young mom felt the awkwardness and attempted to assure me. \u201cI\u2019ll pay you back when I come back from my mom\u2019s, Sherri.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou ain\u2019t got to pay her back, baby,\u201d My Mom said loud and proud. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, my head whipped to the passenger\u2019s seat. My Mom was smiling and rubbing little Hailey\u2019s hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I opened my wallet. My mom glanced over as I grabbed a 10 and a 5. As I went for the final two dollar bills to complete the 17 dollar request\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c20. 20. 10.\u201d My mom said calmly under her breath to me as she turned back to the window.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWait. What?\u201d I thought to myself. That\u2019s FIFTY! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour mama lives in Kittaninning, right?\u201d she said, scrounging in her purse for another peppermint. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am,\u201d the young mother answered with a smile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a nice drive. My son just had a football game out there. Beautiful trees and hills.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSherri, come on! They gotta get on the road.\u201d She handed another peppermint to Hailey who quickly crunched through the first, so she could accommodate a second. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I, admittedly in shock, handed my mom a 20, a 20, and a 10. She took it from my hand and in one fluid motion handed it out the window to the young mom.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her eyes expanded to two times their size.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMiss Bev, this is too\u2026\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fine. You get you and this baby something to eat, get some gas, and get on the road.\u202fStraight<\/em><\/strong>\u202fon the road. You hear me?\u201d My Mom paused while still holding the young mom\u2019s hand \u201cDon\u2019t go back to that house.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The girl stared at my Mom as if she had just uncovered a secret.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is enough for you to get directly on the road, right?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow did you\u2026?\u201d the young girl whispered, still holding the money in her outstretched hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMiss Bev, been there baby. Y\u2019all go ahead now. Get to your mama\u2019s house.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The young mom bent down and hugged my mom through the open window. She broke down and cried. As my mom whispered in her ear: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll never leave you nor forsake you.\u201d\u202f<\/a><\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After she wiped her tears, she gathered up Hailey and crossed the street to her overpacked car burgeoning with all their belongings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We watched them pull off. I stared straight ahead trying to process what just happened. Miss Bev had unfinished business with me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou really was gonna give that girl 17 dollars?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe asked for 17 dollars.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe needed 50, Sherri.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow was I supposed to know that?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy listening.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had no comeback for that, so I just sat there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sensing all the mixed emotions I had swirling around in me, she gently reached over, pulled my head down, kissed my forehead, and held my face in her hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTrust me. God will do far more with that 50 dollars in her hands than you would have done with it in yours.\u201d She smiled and kissed my forehead again.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As other members of my family began to leave the church my Mom leaned her head out of the window.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cY\u2019all done?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d my Uncle yelled back as he headed for his truck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOk, one of y\u2019all gotta pay for our dinner. Sherri just gave all our money away.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, my head whipped to the passenger seat. Seriously? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo problem. I got y\u2019all,\u201d my Aunt said as she opened up my back door and got in the back seat.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThank you!,\u201d my Mom said as she rolled up her window. \u201cSee,\u201d she said as she grabbed my hand. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen the righteous forsaken nor His seed begging bread!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hope y\u2019all know y\u2019all ordering from the kiddie menu.\u201d My Aunt quipped from the back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They both laughed hysterically as I pulled off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As crazy as it may seem, that day I received my greatest lesson on generosity<\/a>.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bible Verse About Generosity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u201cI was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\nPsalm 37:25-26<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Sherri Lynn<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morning Show Host, STAR 99.1<\/p>\n
More Posts for Show: <\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We talk about generosity a lot on\u202fThe Brant Hansen Show.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n

This is a short story from my early 20s that forever changed my life and perspective on generosity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":635,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[12,41,79,19],"class_list":["post-634","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spiritual-growth","tag-encouragement","tag-faith","tag-generosity","tag-trust-god"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-13 17:30:22","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/upliftingstar.com\/star991\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/634","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/upliftingstar.com\/star991\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/upliftingstar.com\/star991\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upliftingstar.com\/star991\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upliftingstar.com\/star991\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=634"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/upliftingstar.com\/star991\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/634\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upliftingstar.com\/star991\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/635"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/upliftingstar.com\/star991\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=634"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upliftingstar.com\/star991\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=634"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upliftingstar.com\/star991\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=634"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}