Living generously helps others while benefiting your own mental and spiritual health. Anchorpoint’s “Inspiring Generosity” series tells stories of supporters like you. May these examples inspire you to live generously!
“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” -2 Corinthians 9:10-11 (NIV)
“‘You may not come out of this alive,’ the doctor told me before surgery. When I woke up, the doctor asked me, ‘what are you smiling at?’ ‘I’m here. [I’m alive],’ I said.”
When Bruce Bartlett was a young adult, he was given 50-50 odds of survival from a complicated surgery. It was
one of many health challenges he’s overcome. Looking back, he says, “I recognize how blessed I’ve been.”
Bruce’s life is sprinkled with miraculous moments when the right person was there for him at the right time, including
a perfect-match kidney donation from his brother. “That’s why I don’t play the lottery,” Bruce says. “I feel like I’ve
already won the lottery!” These moments are constant reminders that God exists and plays an active role in his life.
Bruce’s careers in healthcare and medical billing opened doors to pay forward the blessings he’s received. He finds
great fulfillment in being generous. “It’s what God is asking of us,” he contends, “to give to those in need, to help
others, and to be kind to your neighbor.” But he urges: “the most important part is not expecting anything in return.”
From an early age, Bruce wanted to give to others. “I’ve always had that feeling [of wanting to help],” he remembers.
Whether it was sharing a portion of his allowance with his church or fundraising door-to-door for charities as a child,
Bruce aimed to be the first in line to help. It’s a family legacy he inherited from his mom who was always one of the first to help.
As he grew up, Bruce discovered that generosity compounds. “The more you do, the more you want to do,” he learned. And he found the benefits of generosity enriched his own life. “When you give, it comes back ten times over,” he notes. Subsequently, Bruce developed new friendships and met new people through giving, including others who shared his values and passions for giving.
After years of supporting Anchorpoint’s mission as a donor, Bruce recently joined the team in retirement to help expand this important ministry. He values Anchorpoint’s focus on providing direct care to community members and families in need. And he appreciates how much of every dollar goes to support these critical services.
Bruce hopes to pass on the virtue of generosity—to inspire more people to help others by supporting important causes like Anchorpoint’s mission. “When the world seems to be in turmoil,” Bruce asserts, “we need to get back to caring and sharing.”
Check out our blog to read more stories of generosity in our community!