Tom & Penelope,

I already have several organizations on my tithing list to send checks to and am wondering if purchasing a gift for an individual may be counted as a portion of your 10%? Thank you very much for your answer and for your beautiful book.

Dear Reader,

First I must say that your relationship with God is between you and God. Always ask for the guidance of the Universe in these kind of situations. Write down, "I now know with crystal clarity if I can consider this gift as part of my tithe."

As I see it generally gifts are not tithes. They are gifts. The Universe rewards you, the giver, with a ten fold increase. If you give someone a couch, for example, you can claim 10 fold on the value of the couch. But that's not a tithe. That's giving.

A tithe is about your spiritual growth. You give 10% of your income and you have no further control. You don't get to decide what anyone does with your tithe. You simply get to control who gets it. Giving a thing means you have decided in advance where the money is spent.

Obviously there can be exceptions. But these are things that are between you and the Powers of Creation. If you feel in your heart that both you and God accept your gift as part of your tithe, great.

What's really important here is your intention. Ask for direction and guidance. Your best and safest course of action is to keep your obligation to God on a cash basis. Barter tends to get a little tricky.

Tom & Penelope