My pastor is suffering excruciating back pain right now. His pain medication only takes the edge off the pain while also making him somewhat incoherent. Besides the pain, he’s also suffering the angst of not being able to minister to most of his church members. In short, he’s miserable.

I wanted to do something for him and decided to focus on surprising his kids. I know when you care for someone’s kids, you care for their parents as well. But pandemic concerns meant I couldn’t take the three kids out for the day or even hang out with them at their home. A solution eluded me.

Then I read Giving Outside the Box, the latest book by Crossworld President Dale Losch. I’ve read a great deal on generosity and have discussed the topic with many believers. Usually financial giving is framed as “man up and do it because you know it’s right.” But Dale portrays giving as joyous — a gift to the giver.

Suddenly a solution occurred to me and I knew how I could serve my pastor’s family: Build the “Family Bomb.” I headed to Walmart to pick out toys, art supplies, flashlights, markers that are “stinky and sweet,” and other miscellaneous items I knew would thrill them.

I packed the “bomb” box to the rim and dropped it off at their house. The kids were wild with excitement and their mom was jolted with joy.

I had spent more than $100 building the “bomb,” and it was worth every penny.

I’ve been self-employed for five years with no steady paycheck, and sometimes giving can be a stretch. But Giving Outside the Box gave me new ideas to “excel still more” in giving.

Here are four principles from the book that inspired me.

1. Be creative.
2. Don’t limit your giving to what the government deems tax deductible.
3. Make sure you experience the great joy of giving, because it is truly better to give than receive.
4. We’re called to reach and serve the world, which is abstract. But this often happens locally, through concrete actions, one gift at a time.

And from my experience with the “Family Bomb,” Dale was right. That was one of the most joyful $100 I’ve ever spent.

Want to grow in the joy of giving generously, too?
Check out Dale Losch’s Giving Outside the Box.