Originally published in 1989 and updated in 2000, Randy’s book Money, Possessions, and Eternity tackles some difficult subjects and encourages readers to reconsider their perspectives on money and material possessions. Randy shares more about the book in this minute-long video:

Over the years, readers’ stories and responses to the book have been a continuous encouragement to Randy. He writes, “I’ve received countless letters and emails telling me how people have been liberated to a new joy in their Christian lives. One man told me that the book helped him choose to move from his position as CEO of a major company to work in a missions organization. Another man told me he has given millions of dollars to God’s kingdom as a result of God speaking to him through the book. Pastors have written to say how their lives and their churches have been changed. This is a tribute not to my insight, but to the power of the Scriptures that are the cornerstone of this book.”

We recently received this note from a family that is learning firsthand about sending their treasures on ahead:

Money, Possessions, and Eternity and Heaven have had a very profound effect on my thinking—and my bank account—over the last year. We first downloaded the Kindle version of Money, Possessions, and Eternity. My husband began reading right away, but I wasn’t interested. We’ve always been responsible with money, giving generously, and not in debt, so I didn’t think I needed to read it.

But eventually I gave in and surprisingly found it interesting and challenging. In particular, your comments on Revelation 13:6 about the enemy seeking to steal our desire for Heaven caught my attention, so I began reading your book Heaven as well. Meditating on Heaven has given me a whole new perspective, making discontent circumstances seem so much smaller and insignificant. It also made me want to give a lot more—not because I felt guilty, but because I was excited about Heaven!

About the same time we were looking forward to my husband’s yearly work bonus, and using it this year for much-needed new kitchen counter tops. After reading your books though, my husband suggested that we give the entire bonus away to kingdom work, and I was totally on board with that idea. As we began to give, God began to release such joy!

Now one year later, I am convinced that there is absolutely nothing on this earth I could have bought myself with that money that would have given me half as much pleasure as I received from giving it all away. We helped friends with adoption costs, helped a missionary family come home for furlough, bought a used car for a young pastor at church, gave monthly support for Bible translation, and gave toward a large year-end need at our church.

The more we gave, the easier it was to give. We even designated part of the bonus money for each of our elementary-age children to choose how to give away, teaching them about stewardship and prayer in the process. We have been blessed by going to a new level of giving and in the future would like to continue stepping out in faith to give more.

Now it is bonus time again, and my counter cracks have turned into bigger chips. We have set up a small savings fund to replace the counters someday. It will take more time to get new kitchen counters this way, and our house won’t get paid off as early as we’d planned, but I am happy to send my building materials ahead to eternity. Whenever I look at the chips in my counter, I am reminded of the children of prisoners that we sent to camp this summer, the Bibles we sent to persecuted countries, and those who will soon have God’s Word in their own language through translation work we have helped with. What are counter tops compared to all of that? —A. K.

Stephanie
Eternal Perspective Ministries