Susan Peterson

Susan Peterson. I live in Atlanta with my husband Todd and am a Co-Founder of karamacollection.com. Karama alleviates poverty by restoring dignity through creative, purposeful work for artisans, beginning in Africa. I grew up in a home that didn’t talk about giving really at all. Todd and I learned to give as a married couple, from Scripture and from older wiser couples the Lord placed in our lives.

If the free gift of salvation is not enough to show the generosity of our God, then I don’t know what is! In addition, I recently traveled to Haiti and was reminded of what we have been physically given here on earth through our American citizenship, living in a safe and secure environment, and not worrying about daily necessities for life. When I allow myself to be with and among the poor, I feel the weight of “to whom much is given, much is expected” (Luke 12:48).

The biggest lesson the Lord has taught me is that nothing on this earth is worth more than treasure in heaven. As I get older I hope to store up more treasure for eternity than I store up here (Matthew 6:19-20). Todd and I say that we don’t want to have a single earthly investment that has as its account value a number greater than our giving. We want our giving account to be hands down a bigger number than any of our earthly accounts.

I am tempted to be far too generous to myself, to love comfort, and forget God. I think wealth can jade our thinking and get us to depend on ourselves and not God. Wealth can control our decisions on where and how we spend our lives. Are we truly living for Jesus’ kingdom to come on earth?

I think about something my Bible study teacher used to say, “the Christian life is so daily.” Every single day I need to be with Jesus, in His Word, and in prayer. I began to practice the daily discipline of a quiet time because I knew it was important, but now I get up in the morning and do it because I am lost without Him!

What I wish I knew at 25 years old… I would not give a rip about most of the stuff I spent money on.

My routine consists of daily time in God’s word, prayer, and journaling and focus and involvement in the things that my husband and I believe God has called us to.

Out of a sense of passion and calling my husband and I have identified four areas we know the Lord has called us to over the course of our marriage: Bible translation, students, the poor, and our church. We are hyper-focused on those things today and determine our giving decisions around that sense of calling.

To whom much is given, much is expected. I heard it young and it has stayed with me ever since.

Three words I’d want to be remembered by are kind, faithful, and obedient.