ORANGE, Texas — Amid the many issues burning holes in the wallets of Southeast Texans, church goers and area pastors are sharing advice on how people can continue to give back to God on tight budgets.
Shortages, high gas prices, supply chain issues and more have Southeast Texans church goers wondering if they will have enough money left for themselves and their families after paying tithes.
“If I write this tithe check, we don't have the money for the rest of the week till we get paid again to make it through,” Laura Roberts, First Baptist Church-Orange, member, said.
When people tithe, they give 10% of their income as an offering to their church home. Finding the money to give back to a church is not always an easy task.
In fact, it is one Roberts has struggled with personally.
"My husband and I, when we first got married, we kind of struggled over tithing a bit,” Roberts said. “He was very passionate about it, and I was not a joyful giver."
For those currently struggling with the same issue she was, Roberts has advice.
“When I do my budget, as soon as we get paid, automatically I tithe,” Roberts said. “I don't let it sit because then you know, it's easy to say, 'Well, we really could use that money, blah, blah, blah.' I just let it be the first thing that comes out of my paycheck.”
Roberts said keeping her finances in check has not only allowed her to give tithes, it has also helped her to help others.
“You won’t have to worry about having enough money to give to offerings, to missions, to different things that are going on in, like I said, not just in the community but in our county and in our world,” Roberts said.
Southeast Texas pastors said they know times are hard for everyone, and it only seems to be getting worse.
“We probably could all use that excuse and say, 'You know what, I just don't have anything extra,'” First Baptist Church-Orange Pastor Josh Fults, said. “I think when you look all of us have a little bit extra."
Pastor Fults suggests easing tithes a budget.
“Even if you feel like it's just a little bit, it’s still you know, kind of living beyond yourself,” Pastor Fults said. “And it's that constant reminder, there's more to life than just me, and so, as I’m able to give to others and give to the lord, it's a reminder that there's more to life than just myself.”
Roberts believes that her faith in God will pay off, and that in the end, God will supply her every need.
"God really will maybe push you to the brink, but he wants to see how far you will go for him because he will take care of you in the end,” Roberts said.