01

Hello, I’m…

I’m Janice Munemitsu, born and raised a farmer’s daughter in Orange County, California. I spent my business career growing some of America’s favorite food brands. Then, God moved me to lead my church’s capital campaign. During that time God worked in my heart and the hearts of thousands at my church to increase our generosity. That lead me to spend ten years working for an organization called Generous Giving as well as serving on a number of business and ministry boards. In 2021, I wrote my first book “The Kindness of Color,” a true story about how the kindness of many helped two American immigrant families through the discrimination of the 1940s. It’s been really fun to spread that message and see it grow into my full-time work.

02

God’s Generosity

I have learned that God is a God of abundance, not scarcity. Running three back-to-back capital campaigns at my church was a laboratory for learning to trust God and really believe Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” It’s true! God is our provider and his desire is for us to depend on him physically, emotionally, and spiritually. A pastor once told me, “God always pays for what he orders.” I believe when God prompts me to give, it’s my job to trust that he has either already provided for me to be able to give or he will as I give in faith.

03

Giving

I didn’t realized it at the time, but the power of giving was modeled for me by my father and grandfather. When they died many people told me how much my father and grandfather had done for them. After WWII most people had very little, but I kept hearing how the men in my family gave of what they had to help others, providing employment and other necessities to help get the Japanese American community back on their feet. I believe this is what God calls me to do, to be generous with what I have, making the most of it to serve others and glorify him.

04

Dangers of Wealth

My grandfather immigrated to America in 1916 with virtually nothing. During WWII my parents and grandparents were sent to a Japanese American incarceration camp. They didn’t know what the future would hold, or even if they had a future. Growing up with these roots meant saving came naturally to me. Money in the bank provided a feeling of security. But God has been training me to make saving a lower priority and put his resources to work now rather than put his priorities on hold. It takes faith. But this step of faith brings me back to the reality that Jesus always has been and always will be my true security.

05

Treasuring Jesus

I grew up in a culture focused on being obedient more than being beloved. This led to feeling valued for what I could do more than feeling loved for who God created me to be. But what I found in God’s word is that I am his beloved child. Jesus said, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.” (John 15:9) Jesus’ closest disciple wrote, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1) It’s a journey to comprehend how loved we are by God. The more I can feel in my soul that I am God’s beloved the more following and obeying him becomes my deepest desire. I treasure Jesus more than wealth and success because he treasures me!

06

I Wish I Knew…

As a young believer, I wish I knew that God’s deepest desire for me is intimacy with him. The world and the church often communicated a performance message: “be better, do more, go beyond.” Even to please God I felt I had to be better and do more, but more was never enough. I didn’t understand God’s grace, that God loves me for me, not what I should be or should do for him. As an adult I have had to learn and am still learning to abide in Jesus and live as his beloved.

07

My Routine

Solitude and silence have become a bigger part of my life. I love the quote by Eugene Peterson that says, “Sabbath is the time to receive silence and let it deepen into gratitude.” Making time to be quiet and listen for the Lord’s voice refuels and sustains me. Silence also weakens my focus on myself and helps me return to focusing on God and his abundant love for me. Gratitude is the source of contentment. It turns what I have into enough so that I can freely give to others.

08

Giving Decisions

I give first to where I worship, my church, and to the ministries where I participate on boards. Then I give to where I know the integrity and authenticity of the leadership and see the Holy Spirit working in the organization or individual. I don’t limit my giving to non-profit organizations or ministries. Sometimes, it’s to help a friend in a tough season and other times God says to give to someone and I don’t even know why. Listening to God’s voice is important to me because God often tells me where to give and even how much to give. I may have an amount in mind, but God loves stretching my faith and changing a digit or adding a few!

09

My Mission

A few years ago I asked the Lord for a mission statement and he gave me the words: “inspiring spiritual freedom.” This closely aligned with a verse he put on my heart years before: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17) I love helping people find greater intimacy and freedom with the Lord to “take hold of the life that is truly life.” (1 Timothy 6:19)

10

3 Words

If I had to choose three words to be remembered by, they would be: Faithful, Joyful, Beloved.

 

© 2017 John Rinehart