Deeper Simplicity, Broader Generosity: Images of Financial Wholeness

Deeper Simplicity,

Broader Generosity

Images of Financial Wholeness

By Celeste A. Ventura

Copyright © 2015 by Celeste A. Ventura

All rights reserved. Deeper Simplicity, Broader Generosity: Images of Financial Wholeness is copyrighted material. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Cover design: Laurie Klein Westhafer

Interior design and production: Helen H. Harrison

Cover photo and pages 112 and 115: The Right Reverend Mary Gray-Reeves at the Sea of Galilee/Lake Gennesaret

Photos on pages 12, 15, 25, 28, 40, 43, 56, 59, 64, 67, 72, 76, 80, 83, 88, 91, 96, 100, 104, 107 courtesy of ThinkStock.com. Used by permission.

Photos on pages 16, 19, 32, 36, 48, 52 © Celeste A. Ventura

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

A catalog record of this book is available from the Library of Congress

ISBN 13: 978-0-8192-3195-6 (pbk)

ISBN 13: 978-0-8192-3196-3 (ebook)

Celeste Ventura invites the reader to explore the issue of financial well-being though a holistic approach to personal finance. Through the use of illustrations and personal insights, Celeste enables the reader to understand what can be a challenging topic for many individuals. Woven throughout the discussion is the spiritual appreciation of our money and our stewardship. Celeste generously shares her knowledge and experience for the benefit of those who have questions about how to manage their finances in the spirit of generosity. I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to consider a thoughtful approach to personal finances and stewardship.

—The Reverend Peter Sime, Vice President of Assistance, CREDO and Funds Development of The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (USA)

"Celeste Ventura speaks the language of beauty, poetry, and gentle grace taking the anxiety-inducing subject of money and stewardship to God in a way that is truly life-giving. Deeper Simplicity, Broader Generosity is an invitation to reflect on finances that draws me into a conversation with myself and God that I’ve longed for and will say yes to over and over again."

—The Reverend Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, Director of Networking for the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, CREDO spiritual faculty, and writer on food and spirituality

"Celeste Ventura provides a much needed reflection on how spiritual and practical matters are brought together in our lives and the pathway of faith. Our living will be more hopeful and fulfilled when we connect our financial resources with the values and beliefs that are at the core of faith. Deeper Simplicity, Broader Generosity provides map and method to help us do that."

—The Reverend Dr. James B. Lemler, Rector, Christ Church, Greenwich, Connecticut

Through an offering of the rich imagery found in nature, the words of scripture and the stories of friends and family, this little book provides nourishing soil for the reader to discover their own story of values, needs, and gifts. With Celeste, one is able to ponder deeply the role of money in our lives, using that important gift to tell our story through our choices, our planning, and our gifts. It is a beautiful tool by which one may reflect deeply on stewardship.

—The Right Reverend Mary Gray-Reeves, Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real

Soulful images. Biblical and religious truths. Personal stories. Distilled wisdom. Evocative questions for reflection. With the mind of a seasoned financial planner and the heart of a spiritual companion, Celeste Ventura has put together a practical, accessible guide for claiming our core values and living as if how we save, spend, invest, and gift our money really matters.

—Diane Stephens Hogue, Spiritual Faculty of Presbyterian CREDO and Affi liate Faculty of Spiritual Formation at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

"This is a tremendous resource for anyone who wants to make a meaningful shift in aligning their spiritual lives with their financial lives. The power of this book lies in the invitation to explore and play with images that