The car was packed and I was nearly ready to leave for a work trip. I paused at the door, doing that familiar last-minute scan of the house before heading out. My last task was to bring the dogs in from the backyard.

I stepped onto the porch and gave a whistle. That’s when I spotted an extra wiggly figure beyond the fence. Luna, our neighbor’s puppy from down the street, was joyfully darting back and forth. Her owners were nowhere in sight. Apparently, Luna made a great escape, choosing the most inconvenient moment to come looking for a playdate.

I welcomed her into the yard and called my neighbors to let them know where their adventurous pup had landed. If I am honest, this kind of interruption would usually frustrate me. I had places to be and a schedule to keep. But there was something about that goofy puppy that softened my mood.

As I waited for Luna’s family to arrive, I decided to make the most of the moment and began weeding one of the flower beds. Before long, I noticed the irises I had transplanted with little hope of survival were in bloom. They had taken root and brought even more unexpected joy to my morning.

Soon enough, Luna’s family appeared, laughing as they retrieved their proud escape artist. I got in my car and continued on my way. I did not make it very far down the road before I observed that something had shifted. My heart felt lighter. My morning felt more meaningful.

Generosity works like that.

When we respond to life’s interruptions with openness instead of frustration, we often find that God meets us there. In extending kindness, however small, we discover that we feel closer to God and closer to one another. Generosity clarifies our sense of the divine, helping us recognize God’s presence in the seemingly ordinary moments of our lives.

In my work as a Ministry Relations Officer, I have the privilege of walking alongside churches as they grow in a more intentional kind of generosity. We provide resources to support year-round stewardship planning, tools for planned giving, and workshops to help congregations cultivate generosity as a shared spiritual practice. We emphasize that stewardship is not a seasonal activity in the life of the church; it is a way of living. When churches engage in stewardship thoughtfully and consistently, they begin to realize that generosity is not only about moments that we can plan for. God also invites us to be attentive to unexpected moments that allow us to offer a generous response.

One congregation I serve has embraced this idea in a beautifully creative way. Finley Memorial Presbyterian Church in Stuarts Draft, Virginia, introduced note cards into their offertory practice. As the offering plate is passed, congregants are invited to write down reflections of moments when they have seen God at work in their daily lives. This includes moments of gratitude for God’s generosity to them and through them. These stories are given alongside their financial gifts, allowing their testimonies and expressions of gratitude to become part of their offering.

It takes practice to notice the ways God invites us to be generous. It takes patience and reflection to recognize how giving of our time, talents, treasure, and testimony deepens our connection with God and with one another. But as we grow through these practices, we begin to see that even smallest moments hold the potential to reveal God’s presence in our lives.