Cherise Vermeulen, Executive Director of Generous Generations, had several childhood experiences that radically impacted her faith and her understanding of generosity. At the age of six, she woke from a coma following a severe car accident, where she felt the healing touch of prayer. This life-altering event left her with visible scars, but it also prompted her to explore her identity in Christ and discover her intrinsic value. Later, as the recipient of an incredibly generous gift, Cherise came to recognize the immense impact of generosity in changing the course of someone’s life.  

Through these experiences and Cherise’s background in children’s educational television, God laid the foundations for Generous Generations, which now provides generosity programming, videos, and content for children and youth across 26 different countries. By collaborating with localized ministries and training local leaders, Generous Generations has reached millions of children with the message of generosity in a culturally contextualized way.   

Major Topics Include:

Philippians 4:8 | Think on These Things  

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Scott Cheatham, CEO of e3 Partners and I Am Second, was raised in a Christian, entrepreneurial family in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Scott started off in the business world as a successful entrepreneur living the American dream. But God got his attention in a powerful way, and led him to sell it all without knowing where God was taking him next. Through baby steps of radical obedience, God led his family to the nations to plant churches in one of the darkest places in the world.  

Today, Scott’s business expertise and church planting experience have come together as he leads e3’s church planting network across over 100 countries. Scott is also closely involved with the Coalition of the Willing, a massive coordination effort among church planting organizations to see the gospel reach every person and village.   

Major topics include:

Acts 2:43-47 | The New Testament Church

And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Leigh Ann Horton grew up in a Christian home where open conversations about money and stewardship shaped her perspective on finances and faith. Her natural talent for numbers guided her career as a CPA and entrepreneur, while also influencing her early approach to generosity. Initially meticulous in tracking her giving, Leigh Ann’s journey has since evolved into one of holding resources with open hands and following the Spirit’s leading in both her businesses and giving.

A turning point came when Leigh Ann and her husband connected with a community of like-minded givers, leading to a transformative shift toward heartfelt, Spirit-led generosity. Today, Leigh Ann is passionate about empowering women to engage in meaningful conversations about money and giving. Her inspiring stories radiate the joy and fulfillment that come from embracing a generous life.

Major Topics Include:

Malachi 3:10 | “Test Me in This…”

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Barry and Linda Rowan, a corporate executive and a CPA, were both raised in environments that emphasized faith, family, and the pursuit of financial success. By their late 20s, they had each established successful careers; however, they found themselves in a crisis as they sought meaning in their work. In their quest for purpose, they were brought to a position of total spiritual surrender. Through a series of paradigm shifts, they learned from God how to integrate their faith, generosity, and professions, ultimately creating a harmonious blend of work and spirituality.  

Barry has served as CEO and CFO of eight major companies over his career and sees business as an expression of faith when walking in step with God. Together Barry and Linda set a finish line early in their marriage which has guided their generosity since, and they are passionate about raising up the next generation of givers and Christ-following leaders to view all that they are, all that they do, and all they have to give as belonging fully to God.  

Major topics include:

Colossians 1:27 | The Hope of Glory  

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  

Ecclesiastes 5:10 | The Love of Money  

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.  

Ecclesiastes 5:19 | The Gift of Enjoying Wealth  

Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.  

Luke 12:48b | An Expected Return  

Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.  

Luke 14:33 | Full Surrender  

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.  

Jeremiah 29:11 | Plans for Your Good  

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  

Mark 10:18 | Only the Father Is Good  

And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.  

Galatians 2:10 | Remember the Poor  

Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.  

Acts 28:31 | Teaching with Boldness  

[Paul lived] proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Dawn Hynes Esposito—entrepreneur, business owner, and author—always aspired to become a corporate executive, and her journey seemed to be right on track as she climbed the ranks within a Fortune 500 company. Yet, despite reaching the heights of her career dreams, Dawn realized she was missing a deeper sense of fulfillment. That’s when God captured her attention.

In a profound moment of transformation, Dawn fully rededicated her life to Christ, embracing the gospel with a renewed passion and a heart for bold witness. Since that time, she has devoted her time, talents, and resources to spreading the gospel as widely as possible, witnessing God’s powerful work in the lives of others. Dawn brings valuable insights into integrating faith and profession, offering inspiration on being creatively generous with all that God has abundantly provided.

Major topics include:

Zechariah 4:6 | By My Spirit

Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.

Isaiah 58:10-11 | God Is Generous with Those Who Are Generous

If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Micheline Ouedraogo, founder of Bridges to Burkina, grew up in a missionary family in West Africa with few resources. She learned from a young age what it looks like to completely depend on God for provision and guidance. While attending college in the US, she felt a call from the Holy Spirit to sponsor education for a handful of orphans in her home country, and despite her minimum-wage income, she stepped out in faith and obeyed. What began as a humble expression of generosity has bloomed into an amazing ministry.

Micheline’s inspiring dedication to live a life of submission and obedience to the voice of the Holy Spirit led her from one divine connection to another, and Bridges to Burkina was born. Now, Bridges to Burkina works with rural villages in Burkina Faso, Africa, combating poverty by training locals to use agriculture and livestock to create sustainable businesses, as well as providing education for their children.

Major topics include:

• Choosing to obey God when it doesn’t make sense

• “I’d rather take a risk and obey God than stay put and try to protect myself.”

• Bridges to Burkina

The Book of Esther

If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Actress Whitney Goin was raised in Orlando, Florida, immersed in a community, church, and family that modeled generosity as a way of life. Her father, a powerful influence, shaped her understanding of giving as a deeply relational commitment, leaving a profound legacy in his community through his wholehearted generosity. After his passing, Whitney felt compelled to pursue her own distinct path, discovering how to express generosity in a way that truly resonated with her.

A meaningful connection with our guest co-host, Julie Wilson, led Whitney to find a welcoming community in Women Doing Well—a network of faith-driven, generous women. This supportive circle helped her reignite her sense of purpose in giving, as she uncovered God’s unique design for her generosity journey. Now, Whitney uses her passion for acting and theater to inspire others, encouraging them to embrace their own distinctive calling to generosity in alignment with their purpose and passions.

Major topics include:

• Her father’s generosity legacy

• “God does not ask us to give of ourselves until He fills us to overflowing with what He’s asking us to give.”

• Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here)

Matthew 11:30 | Easy and Light

“For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

2 Corinthians 9:7 | A Cheerful Giver

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Psalm 31:7-8 | A Broad Place

I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.  

If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Bruce Hildenbrand, raised as a pastor’s kid in rural Michigan, learned early on to rely on God for everything. So, when he faced uncertainty about his college major, he encountered the Holy Spirit in a powerful way, guiding him into the business world with one condition: that Bruce would dedicate all of it back to God.

Since then, Bruce has become a serial entrepreneur with a 35-year passion for operating from a profound relationship with God. His journey is one of steadfast obedience, producing abundant fruit for the Kingdom. He fully dedicates his talents, resources, and business endeavors to glorify God. Bruce brings valuable insights into recognizing the voice of the Holy Spirit in business, practicing generosity, and investing in eternity.

Major topics include:

• Bruce’s supernatural encounter in the middle of a business lecture

• “You can’t do anything if you don’t have a relationship with the Father.”

• Treasures in Heaven, Part 1 by John MacArthur (YouTube Video)

• The Finish Line Community Facebook Group

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 | God Gives Wealth  

Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.  

Isaiah 48:17 | God Teaches How to Profit  

Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.  

John 15:5 | Abide in the Vine  

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  

Proverbs 18:11 | Strong City, High Wall  

A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination.  

Proverbs 23:4 | Don’t Toil   

Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.  

Proverbs 10:22 | Riches with No Sorrow  

The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.  

Matthew 6:19-21 | Treasure in Heaven  

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  

Mark 12:41-44 | The Widow’s Offering  

Matt 6:3 | Giving in Secret  

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Zenet Maramara is the founder and president of Christian Stewards in the Philippines. After Zenet became a born-again Christian in her thirties, she enrolled at a seminary where she stepped into a fundraising role. Wanting to master the art of fundraising, Zenet attended Regent University and there experienced a “second conversion” into biblical stewardship, understanding the principles of managing God’s money for His Kingdom purposes in a way that is transformational to the giver, not just transactional.   

Zenet became passionate about advancing biblical stewardship education and has since built a multi-dimensional platform to empower the Filipino Church with generosity champions across the realms of business, ministry, and the local church. Christian Stewards has become a beacon of generosity in the Philippines and beyond, and Zenet had much wisdom to share.  

Major topics include:

• How Christian Stewards began

• “Whose money are you fundraising? Isn’t it all God’s money?”

• Christian Stewards

If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

Helen Schmid was very young when her family immigrated from China to the US with their eyes set on the American dream. She strove to be the best that she could be in all that she did to earn her place in life. Coming to faith as a student at New York University, Helen began to understand that her salvation was based on faith, not works.   

For over a decade, Helen led high-growth marketing teams at Walmart, Amazon, and L’Oreal. But in 2020, Helen and her husband felt dissatisfied with climbing the corporate ladder and were drawn to engage in purposeful, Kingdom-building work. They set a financial finish line and began to learn what generosity looked like, not only in finances, but with their skillsets and in all facets of their life.   

Today, Helen is the founder of My Strategy Mentor, a successful marketing and growth consulting firm that works heavily with ministries and businesses to equip missional, faith-driven leaders so that they can grow their organizations confidently and strategically. She also serves as a board member for Women Doing Well with our special guest co-host, Julie Wilson. Helen has much to share about meaningful work, a holistic approach to generosity, and the joy of living a life surrendered to God.  

Major topics include:

• Discovering a counter-cultural faith in her early twenties

• “If God owns my whole life, as in my possessions, my time, and my treasure, I need to understand what that means in terms of what I have to give.”

• My Strategy Mentor

If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.