'I’ve just started tithing again and here’s why I think you should too'

As Premier's end of financial year appeal begins, Woman Alive's editor Tola Doll Fisher tackles the tough topic of money, giving and tithe and explains why donating to the Church and Jesus-focused causes is so important to her.

The word tithe seems to make people feel uncomfortable. After all, we are in a cost of living crisis and it seems an easy thing to cut down on. So to be clear, in no way am I trying to shame anyone, after all I had a tithe sabbatical for a good few years after my divorce when my single income was suddenly required to cover all my outgoings. As anyone without a partner knows, a sole income household is often barely enough to put a roof over your head never mind to keep the heating on. It’s a hard decision to make.

Tithe is explained in literal terms by Wikipedia as follows: "After the separation of church and state, church tax linked to the tax system are instead used in many countries to support their national church. Donations to the church beyond what is owed in the tithe, or by those attending a congregation who are not members or adherents, are known as offerings, and often are designated for specific purposes such as a building program, debt retirement, or mission work."