Yes, it's Day Two of the great Learning to Give in a Getting World giveaway. We've already had over 700 people download the free eBook, which has put it squarely at the #1 spot for free downloads in the "Christian Living" category. However, what is truly surprising is that we are now #59 for free downloads in the "Nonfiction" category. I am actually quite astounded at that.
Anyway, to the point of today's blog. Marc Farnell (my co-author) and I were discussing our future plans for the book, which has been the very definition of a slow-starter (or slow-burner, whichever you prefer). It is incredibly difficult to sell a book on sacrificial giving during a recession. I think we expected that. But, it became very clear to us that the message was too important to just let it languish on the virtual shelves of Amazon. So, we decided to give the book away for a period of two days, starting yesterday and ending tonight around midnight.
Once we made the decision, there was an incredible peace about it, almost as if God was whispering "Duh!" in our ears. If we're going to offer a book on generous giving, why not start by giving it away? Doesn't that make sense?
So, we are putting our (non-)money where our mouths are, and we are offering the book for free, where we stand to gain no money off the downloads of the book. Would it be nice if we made some money off the book to compensate Marc for his time in preparing the messages on which the book is based, on the six months or so that I spent compiling his messages and turning them into a narrative? I would be lying if I said "no", so I won't. But, is there great blessing in following God's will? Yes, I know this to be true.
I don't know what will happen with this book in the future, but I trust that God will do whatever He wants with it. It is our loaves and fishes that we've brought to Him, and if He decides to "feed the 5000" with it, then so be it. If the 700 or so (well, now 720 since I've started writing this post) people who have downloaded it already were all the people He wanted to reach with this book, then I'm at peace with thinking of the writing of this book as an act of service.
Of course, tomorrow, the book goes back on sale. But rest assured that when Marc and I first started writing this, we made a pact that we would model the behavior espoused in the book, and we would not just give 10% of the royalties to the Lord's ministries, but we would give 50%. It just wouldn't seem right any other way. In that way, we are actually putting our money where our mouths are.
But for now, we're putting the "no money" that we're getting from these free days where our mouths are.
And it feels good...
Learning to Give in a Getting World, by Marc Farnell and Jesse Greever, is available as both a paperback and eBook at the following locations:
Amazon.com (paperback, $13.99; eBook, FREE 3/21/2012 and 3/22/2012)
It is also available to Amazon Prime members as a free eBook download as a part of the Kindle Lending Library. Pastors and church administrators can contact me directly at jesse@accidental-author.com to find out about discounts available for churches that wish to use this for teaching and small group curriculum.
You can also become a fan of the book at www.facebook.com/LearningToGive.
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JesseSGreever
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