The life of a giver

"First, give out of faith....
"Second, give out of empathy....
"Third, give out of your whole life, not just your material resources....
"Fourth, give in a structured way....
"Fifth, make sure that you are giving 'freely'....
"Sixth, give past your comfort level at times....
"Seventh, make it relational...
"And last, give to those who don't deserve it.  Jesus told us to give to our enemies and to those who won't return the favor.  'Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be great, and you will be the sons of the Most High, because  he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.'" - Henry Cloud in The Law of Happiness

Giving too much of your emotional reserves can lead to unhappiness.  We need to be in other people's lives, forcing ourselves to give to not be selfish and to be loving.  It is not easy but it is a rewarding life.

Renee Madison, MA, LPC, CSAT is a counselor in Colorado.  She can be reached for appointments at 303-257-7623 or 970-324-6928