When we are scared, we hold on to what we have too tightly. Sort of a death grip, which is ironic because none of the things we are squeezing are ours to keep. As I’ve said before, dying with a big pile of money under the bed is the same as dying with a big pile of zucchini under the bed….Like an angel’s visit, gratitude interrupts our fear and reminds us of God’s faithfulness.

Imagining Abundance by Kerry Alys Robinson is part fundraising story and part spiritual autobiography. The book demonstrates how to integrate fundraising and spirituality. Robinson helped the Saint Thomas More Catholic Chapel and Center at Yale raise $75 million, starting not just from scratch, but from debt and diminishment.

Her central thesis is faith: fundraising requires a deep trust in God's generosity. How can we ask donors to participate in what God is doing in our ministry if we don't believe God is at work?