“Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” — Mark 12:43-44

Passionate hearts come in all shapes and sizes. Five year-old Ryan Jackson was recently moved to generosity after hearing lessons on giving at his Preschool Life Bible Study at the Houston’s First Cypress Campus.

Ryan is no stranger to generosity as his parents, Lyndle and Jessica Jackson, give regularly of their time. John leads the Men’s Serve team at the Cypress Campus, where Mom, Jessica, is also Co-coordinator for Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS). “Ryan adores going to Men’s Serve with his daddy,” said Jessica. “One time he tried to run one of the meetings.”

Last February, Ryan began posing questions about asking Jesus into his heart, and has since brought up the subject again, telling his mom with teary eyes, “I have to tell people about Jesus.”

One Sunday, Ryan’s Life Bible Study co-teachers Eddie and Camille Vitulli, a.k.a., Mr. Eddie and Ms. Camille, guided the young children to make o ering envelopes to teach them how the church helps others. A few days later after naptime, Ryan approached his mom with some coins from his piggy bank and few “paper dollars” tucked carefully inside the envelope he had made.

Jessica quizzed her son as to why he would take money out of his piggy bank. “I have so much money, and some people don’t have any!” he cried. She wondered about the paper she found along with the coins and had to ask. “I didn’t have any dollars, so I made some,” he said.

Lyndle and Jessica are thankful for Ryan’s teachers, the Vitullis and John and Amy Robertson, who introduce and reinforce the concepts of generosity and trusting Christ with the children. “Ryan’s learning that God provides for all of us, and that we can help others as we trust Him enough to give,” said Jessica.