“We love because He first loved us.” — 1 John 4:19

Those six simple words form the foundation of all Christian generosity. Every act of love, every gift we offer, every step of obedience begins with what God has already given to us. We don’t start by giving—we start by receiving.

In this spirit, Sharon Epps, President of Kingdom Advisors, joined us for a meaningful conversation on the often-overlooked generosity of the women who financially supported Jesus. Their story, found in Luke 8, gives us a powerful picture of what grateful, gospel-shaped giving looks like.

Women Who Supported Jesus

Luke 8 opens with a glimpse into Jesus’ ministry on the move:

“Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the Good News of the Kingdom of God… and also some women… Mary called Magdalene… Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.” — Luke 8:1–3

These women formed part of Jesus’ traveling ministry team, and Scripture highlights an astonishing truth: they provided for Jesus and His disciples out of their own resources.

Among them was Joanna, a woman of high social standing and significant wealth. As the wife of King Herod’s household manager, she lived with privilege—but Scripture also tells us she was once spiritually and physically broken. Jesus healed her, and her generosity flowed from that transformation.

Receiving Always Comes Before Giving

Before Joanna gave to Jesus, she received from Jesus.

Sharon points out that Luke intentionally includes this detail: these women had been healed—spiritually, emotionally, or physically—before they supported Jesus’ ministry. It reminds us that money alone can’t solve the deepest problems of the heart. We all begin our stewardship journey by receiving.

At the most basic level, every good thing in our lives is a gift from God:

• The breath in our lungs
• The abilities we develop
• The resources we hold
• The love we experience

As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4:7, “What do you have that you did not receive?” The answer is nothing.

Giving, then, is designed to be a response—a natural overflow of gratitude.

Joanna’s Love for Jesus

Joanna’s story doesn’t end in Luke 8. We meet her again in Luke 24 at the empty tomb, heartbroken and confused, until the angels remind her of Jesus’ words. Joanna becomes one of the first witnesses of the resurrection, running with Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, to tell the apostles.

Her pattern is clear: She received from Jesus. She loved Jesus. And she gave to honor Jesus. Her generosity was not transactional—it was relational. It was the fruit of a transformed life.

Generosity as a Journey

Sharon suggests that generosity is never a one-time event—it’s a journey. As our relationship with Christ deepens, our giving naturally grows. Joanna shows us what sacrificial generosity looks like when it springs from grateful love.

To make this practical, Sharon shared three questions she’s been asking herself—questions all of us can ask:

1. What do I need to recognize as a gift from Christ before I can give generously?

Do I see what’s in my hands as mine—or as His?

2. Is my giving safe or sacrificial?

Does my generosity reflect comfort… or love?

3. What does my current giving say about how well I’ve received?

Giving reveals the condition of the heart.

These questions invite us into deeper intimacy with Jesus, because generous living always begins with grateful receiving.

Becoming Conduits of Christ’s Love

Joanna’s life encourages us to see generosity not as a duty but as a joyful response to God’s grace. As Sharon put