A Year of Yes: A Faith-Based Nonprofit Impact Story

I joined Giving Basics less than a year ago.

Which means I didn’t step into the beginning of the story. 

I stepped into the middle of something God was already doing. 

Over the course of this year, I’ve watched how a series of faithful yeses came together in ways none of us could have planned on our own.

Have you ever stepped into something already in motion, only to realize later that God had been preparing it long before you arrived?

That’s exactly what happened to me. 

A prayer whispered by a woman in Southern California quietly met a prayer being lifted by a woman in Northern Indiana—two lives, unaware of each other, drawn into the same unfolding story.

Last year began with an invitation.

An invitation to go on a missions trip to Africa.

An invitation to step into board leadership.

How often does God ask us to say yes before we know what that yes will cost?

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A Year Shaped by Yes

This past year became a year marked by yes.

Yes to showing up.

Yes to responsibility.

Yes to opportunities that arrived before we felt fully ready.

Yes to trusting that God was already at work ahead of us.

What does “yes” look like in your own life right now?

Early in the year, Giving Basics was operating very lean, with no surplus or safety net—only careful stewardship, prayer, and trust that God would provide what was needed, when it was needed.

And He did.

By the end of the year, over $300,000 had been given through Giving Basics to support the work in Malawi, a humbling reminder of how provision unfolded step by step.

Through the growth, the calling became clearer: to steward what God was doing with humility, care, and wisdom.

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Provision That Met Obedience

At the start of the summer, we didn’t have everything figured out.

There were real questions. Real needs. Real responsibility. And yet, as the year unfolded, provision consistently met obedience.

Out of that posture came many things:

• A new school

• More student sponsorships

• The resource center funded

• Agroforestry efforts taking root

• School farms and irrigation systems thriving and sustainable

• Feeding programs growing steadier and sustainable

• The container (finally) arrived

• And many other projects through which the love of Jesus is shown and shared.

None of these stood alone. They were connected. 

Each one an expression of God’s faithfulness unfolding in real time.

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The Wonder Was in the Pattern

There wasn’t just one moment that made us stop in awe, there was a pattern we kept noticing.

God provided what was needed, when it was needed.

The work isn’t just growing, it’s working!

Farms are producing in abundance. Irrigation is holding. Feeding programs are consistent. Infrastructure is starting. School is in session. These are signs not just of momentum, but of health.

What patterns of faithfulness might God be forming in your life right now, even if they don’t feel dramatic yet?

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Partners Who Carry This Work With Integrity

We could not do any of this without the hard work, honesty, and faith of our partners in Malawi, Shine Malawi.

They are leading within their own communities, making thoughtful decisions for their own country, and carrying this work with integrity day after day. 

Being able to partner with people who want to make a difference where they live—and do so with courage and faith—is something we are deeply grateful for.

Who has God placed alongside you to carry the work you’ve been entrusted with?

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Gratitude for Those Who Walked With Us

To our donors—this year exists because of you.

• Some of you give monthly, quietly creating stability that sustains the work.

• Some of you stepped in with generous gifts when needs arose.

• Some of you prayed, encouraged, and supported behind the scenes.

We are eternally grateful for you. We do not take your contributions lightly. They are prayed over, handled with discernment, and carried out with integrity.

YOUR TRUST MATTERED. It shaped decisions. It allowed courage. It made room for obedience when outcomes weren’t yet visible.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your steady faithfulness makes a difference—this year is your answer.

Because of your generosity, children are eating daily, farms are producing, and classrooms are filled.

If you feel led to continue walking with Giving Basics—through prayer, partnership, or giving—we would be honored to have you with us as the story continues.

What This Year Has Taught Me

As someone new to Giving Basics, this year reshaped how I think about generosity and mission.

I’ve learned that God’s will doesn’t depend on perfect plans. 

I learned that I need to constantly push myself out of my comfort zone in order to put compassion into acton

I learned that faith often looks like taking the next faithful step before the whole path is visible. 

I also learned that sustainability isn’t opposed to faith—it’s one of its fruits.


Beginning the year with very little and ending it surrounded by provision taught me something simple: it wasn’t intensity that carried the year—it was consistency.

Where might God be inviting you into faithfulness through steady obedience right now?

This year didn’t begin with certainty.

It began with obedience.

And by God’s grace, it became a year marked by provision, partnership, and gratitude.

A Psalm of Thanksgiving 

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;

His steadfast love endures forever.

— Psalm 118:1

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

• Where have you seen God invite you into a quiet yes lately? Feel free to leave a comment below.

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