Since becoming part of the Goddard campus launch in 2012, Michael and Laura Church had been searching for ways to become more involved at Pathway and serve God in a greater capacity. This past year, they knew that increasing their tithe was the next step. Michael and Laura were already tithing an amount they had prayerfully chosen during the Accelerate initiative. But they didn’t feel stretched enough and knew an increase would push them to trust God more.

“We did not want to become comfortable in our generosity,” Michael said. “It’s something we still reevaluate often to make sure we aren’t just checking a box.”

So as the Churches increased their tithe in July, their decision and renewed trust in God were immediately put to the test. In August, Laura had a major health scare that involved multiple surgeries and a difficult 8-week recovery. As a stay-at-home mom for their two-year-old son, Kendric, Laura’s world was rocked; she and Michael soon learned that their “new normal” made them much more reliant on others. But rather than second-guess their decision to increase their tithe, they remainedcommitted to their new amount, largely due to the support from their church, family, and Home Team.