Makes Cents

"Money, money, money. It's a rich man's world" say the lyrics of the Abba song. I don't know that's it's a rich man's world or that "Money makes the world go around," as Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey sing in Caberet, but I do know that wise application of it certainly helps in living in the world. A good budget will certainly go a long way. You need to know what you have, where it's going, what your goals are and still save for emergencies with what the Lord blesses you. Now you know I am horrible with math, budgeting, balancing and the like, but I can definitely tell you who is good at it: Dave Ramsey.

Ramsey has a class called Financial Peace University that I am going to recommend you both take together. The class teaches you how to manage your money, beat debt and build wealth. It teaches you to pay in cash, have emergency funds in savings, how to invest and budget. It's a fabulous class. Your Daddy and I commented that we wish we would have taken a class like this when we were first married rather than when we were in our 40s, but regardless, even at our late date, it certainly helped us. In Luke 24:28, Christ says, "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?" Planning is key. The slogan for the class is "If you live like no one else, later you can live like no one else." It teaches you how to build credit, without a credit card, how to give, spend and plan. It's a wonderful course. It is costly to take, but it is worth it. You can take it online or even do a home study, but we recommend taking it in a small group because of the feedback and advice you get. There is more information at daveramsey.com/fpu.

Money is not the goal. It is not the be all, end all. Having loads of it is not the answer to all problems. Daddy said in worship Sunday that Jim Carrey once said, "I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of, so they can see that it's not the answer." The answer is Christ. The goal, focus, the be all end all, is Him. Scripture tells us that you "cannot serve both God and money"(Matt. 6:24). 1 Timothy 6:10 says, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." And in Hebrews 13:5 says, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So serve God, do not love money, and be content.

Learn to make good financial choices. In the long run, it will be such a blessing to you both. And getting a head start in the wisdom of it before you get married, makes cents ... ahem, sense.

Discussion: Do either of you know how to budget? What do you think of credit cards? Would you be interested in taking an FPU class?

Prayer: Lord, you have blessed us indeed with what we have. Help us to be good stewards of it. Lord, where we have opportunities to learn about managing the resources you have given us, open up the time and finances for us to invest in that learning. We love you, Lord, and pray you bless us to be a blessing to others. In Jesus, Amen.

Just A Little Something

I will never forget the day years ago your Daddy told me before I left to get groceries, "You have $100." Money was tight - it typically was, but this pay period it was particularly tight. I remember wondering how I was ever going to feed a family of four on just $100 for two weeks. I was pretty panicked honestly, to the point of getting nauseated. How would I make this work?

I started going around the grocery store, putting items in the cart, and truly getting sicker and sicker as the buggy got full. Finally, I just stopped where I was and prayed. I don't remember my exact words, but I do remember asking Him to please help me get what I needed for our family and stay within the limit. Then I heard my Father speak directly to my heart. He said, "Get only what you need." I opened my eyes and looked into my cart. Cheese puffs, pop tarts and bags of cookies were in the cart. I started slowly removing items that were more wants than needs and made my way up to the register to check out. Continuous beep after beep as the items were scanned, I could feel myself getting more nauseated. Then the total from the cashier: "One hundred sixty two."

"One hundred and sixty two dollars?!" I said feeling my stomach drop. "No," she said, "$100.62." I started weeping right there at the check out. I could handle 62 cents. My Father had me covered.

Our whole marriage, we have lived pretty much paycheck to paycheck. We foolishly didn't follow a budget in our early years and each had credit cards. While never having credit card debt, we always spent more than we had each month. After taking Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey - a wonderful class on budgeting and money management we highly recommend - we cut up those credit cards. Those first three months were the toughest as we played catch up. We ate a lot of canned ravioli and stayed home a lot. But we have since built up an emergency fund savings account and hope to be better at allocating what our Father has blessed us with. But living as we have, we are well aware of Who takes care of us. Repeatedly we have seen the Lord take care of us financially. One particularly tight month when I didn't think we'd have supper on the table, a friend's freezer died. She had pounds of beef, chicken, pork and fish she couldn't keep and asked if I would want some. I don't know if she realized it, but that saved our family that month.

Brad loves to tell this story. Just after he and I married and he was diagnosed as diabetic, after insurance, the hospital bill came to $518. Brad wondered how we could possibly pay this bill with no money to our name. I told him we just needed to pray about it. Over a series of a few days we received $500 in the mail from family members who said they felt "we could use it." $300 came via my mother, who received a check from a woman in her neighborhood, who told her, "God said you might need this," to which my mother replied, "I don't, but my daughter does." I brought Brad's attention to this precious God of ours who provided for the bill. Brad's snarky comment back: "If it was God, where's the other $18?" That day, Grandpa Zimanek sent us a letter with a check for $20 which said, "Had a good night at poker." There. Bill provided for.

One time when Ayla was about 8 or 9 and we were struggling that month financially, she caught me weeping and praying about it in my basement office. She came downstairs and handed me a sweet card that on the front said, "Just a little something!" Inside she had cleaned out her piggy bank and given me a few dollars sticking out of a slit inside the card. It said, "From someone who loves you. Hope it will help." Even just those few dollars certainly did. I have that card to this day. I never forgot her sweet, sacrificial spirit giving as her Father in Heaven would. It was a lesson for all of us.

God has been precious that way for us every time. He cares for our needs. And we are reminded by the author of Hebrews in 13:5, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.'" And in Phil. 4:11-13, Paul wrote from prison, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

Know that when you hit hard times financially, God will take care of you. Go to Him in prayer about every need. Notice that I said "need," but the Lord will listen to your wants also. He is a kind, loving and generous God and may choose to grant those also. 

I am currently reading a book called "Answers to Prayer" by George Mueller. Mueller opened an orphanage in 1835 with the intent on taking care of these children through prayer and faith. He recorded miracle after miracle of God's provision for those children for over 60 years. And you've read of our examples above.

Be fiscally wise. Budget. Do not spend more than you have. Pay off debt. Give 10 percent to the Father. But first and foremost, make God Lord of your finances. Be grateful to him in plenty and generous with His children. Go to Him in prayer when you are in want. And then watch what He'll do!

Discussion: Do you trust that God will take care of you? Do you have stories where God took care of you. What are some changes you need to make in your budgeting? What are some particular financial needs or wants you should go in prayer for.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for providing for us. Help us to be good stewards of all you have blessed us with. Father we thank you that you give us our daily bread. We pray we can be a blessing to others in Your name and for Your sake. In Jesus, Amen.