Ronald Smith serves God as Gift Planning Counselor for the LCMS Foundation in the North Wisconsin District. He shares a story about a couple whose desire to glorify God with their use of His blessings continued to grow and grow...and so did His blessings.
A Lutheran Brotherhood representative asked me to meet with Otto and Irene Leverenz in order to provide some options for them to give to the Lord's work. In addition to the money they were leaving for their family, they wanted to make a direct gift to a Museum in Washburn, Wisconsin. Washburn was the family home and they had ties there.
When we planned their gifts the estate was close to $700,000. They also wanted to leave a substantial amount for the International Lutheran Laymen's League, their local congregation and District scholarships. Otto and Irene were both retired teachers. I visited them occasionally and we became pretty good friends. Otto would joke that because Irene liked me he thought it would be okay for me to stop and see them. Otto had been diagnosed with cancer and he was concerned that he would die first. With the gift plan in place he did not have to worry about that aspect. He said that when the lord called him home he knew Irene would call Ron for help.
Surprisingly, Irene passed away first. Otto and I visited quite often after that. In one discussion Otto said he would like to do something in memory of Irene. North Wisconsin District President Arleigh Lutz and I visited Otto and discussed a scholarship endowment fund. Within five months Otto had given $20,000 to start the fund and pledged another $80,000 over the next four years.
Once the endowment was funded and some scholarships were awarded, Otto asked me to stop and see him again. During our discussion he said he was very happy with the scholarship fund and the difference it was making to help students attend one of the Concordias. He regretted that Irene never had the joy of seeing their gift work. He urged me to suggest more direct gifts and to help other people see the results of the blessings the Lord had given them to manage.
During another meeting Otto asked about tithing: "Is the percentage based on gross earnings or net earnings?" Did it include all of the growth in stocks and other investments as well as from gross earnings? Otto prayed about this and informed me later that he chose to give from all sources of income and his growth as well!
When Otto passed away his estate was worth more than $1.6 million. Everything went to support the ministries he and Irene had selected during their gift planning process. God blessed Otto and Irene and they glorified God with those blessings.