I am going to put nuggets of thought here. These are things I have observed and learned over the years about money. First of all, a non-negotiable would be to give 10% of all you have to God. I am so blessed to have an awesome dad who gave away more than 10% and believed all that he had came from the Lord. On top of that, I married a husband who believes the same so I have been protected my whole life by being under the umbrella of God’s protection. In Malachi 3:11, "I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the LORD Almighty. I have seen the evidence of that in my marriage. Giving provides a sense of stewardship rather than ownership. If you are not able to give, somehow money grips you and causes you to think that it is your money and not God’s.
Think of your money in terms of eternity spending. Matthew 6:19-20 states, "Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being." Try to invest in things that matter for the long haul.
Another thing that Mark and I have done is invest in a child from another country. Compassion International feeds, clothes and educates children who would otherwise die of hunger. We started this when Ben was born, almost 29 years ago. Today we have added 4 sweet boys from India and Ecuador. Compare the amount you could spend going out to eat and the amount you could spend supporting a starving child. Literally, that is the amount it takes to save a life.That makes the decision a no-brainer.
As far as budgeting, Mark and I went through a financial seminar when we were newly married. There are a lot of good books on this topic. Many of the budgeting principals from that class have stayed with us through the years. Find a Christian financial seminar and spend the time to set goals for your finances. At least once a year, sit down together as a couple and evaluate how you are doing with your spending and what changes need to be made.
I am about to say something controversial. For a period of time in our marriage, I was in charge of the money. For us, it was totally out of God’s will. We made a decision at some point that Mark would take over this area. I cannot tell you how wise a decision this was for us. We do not have separate checking accounts. Mark handles everything. Understand that I have a Masters Degree in Mathematics and I am fully capable of handling the money, but in my heart I knew that for us this was not good. I do not think I was being submissive as long as I had that role. God has blessed us in many ways since then and I have thanked God for convicting us in that area. Ask God to help you make the right decision.
This is another area where Mark and I do not pretend to be experts...not even close. Start small. If your heart is gripped by money and materialism, start giving it away. That is the only known cure for greed.
As far as budgeting, Mark and I went through a financial seminar when we were newly married. There are a lot of good books on this topic. Many of the budgeting principals from that class have stayed with us through the years. Find a Christian financial seminar and spend the time to set goals for your finances. At least once a year, sit down together as a couple and evaluate how you are doing with your spending and what changes need to be made.
I am about to say something controversial. For a period of time in our marriage, I was in charge of the money. For us, it was totally out of God’s will. We made a decision at some point that Mark would take over this area. I cannot tell you how wise a decision this was for us. We do not have separate checking accounts. Mark handles everything. Understand that I have a Masters Degree in Mathematics and I am fully capable of handling the money, but in my heart I knew that for us this was not good. I do not think I was being submissive as long as I had that role. God has blessed us in many ways since then and I have thanked God for convicting us in that area. Ask God to help you make the right decision.
This is another area where Mark and I do not pretend to be experts...not even close. Start small. If your heart is gripped by money and materialism, start giving it away. That is the only known cure for greed.
