Money! I keep thinking of the popular song that was played when I was a teen. Karen Carpenter beautifully sang about how little money she and her husband had, yet they loved each other intensely. When I was younger, I thought that was so romantic. Everyone would say love gets you through anything, including poverty. Now, I know living with a constant battle over how to spend what you do have makes marriage much harder.
I can recall how difficult it was for us when we first married. My husband was adamant that we needed a budget, and he kept trying to make one.
Every few days, he’d come to me with a new idea and explain how it would work. That was 39 years ago, but I don’t remember any details about the first submissions. However, he finally contrived something that worked, and we’ve stayed on that for years.
I know many couples end up disagreeing and arguing over money. Many young married folk today bring school debt to marriage. Money is such a tough issue because we all have needs and wants. Sometimes it’s truly hard to know which is which.
My husband would say, “Do you need that? Or do you just want that?” It was hard to admit sometimes I wanted it for selfish reasons. Oh, the conversations we had and the ache. Yet we never had a huge debt to pay off.
Some of you just barely make it and live from paycheck to paycheck. How can we honor God with our money? Today my guest is Stephanie Beck. She and her husband do financial counseling and help couples overcome debt. Use the links below to contact them HERE. Or, email them: coaches@beckfc.com.
Stephanie Beck and her husband do financial counseling
[tweetthis]Financial freedom is possible[/tweetthis]
[tweetthis]Financial Plan: Do you #need that gadget or #want it?[/tweetthis]
New Money Mindset Combines Freedom with Loving Others
Money is an uncomfortable topic. I have an acquaintance. I believe she stopped going to c because the pastor asked for money one too many times. I don’t know about you, but I can be tempted by money. I’ve always hated to back up when driving. A year or so ago, my husband bought a car with a rear camera that shows behind you as you back. I have to admit feeling envy over his rear camera. And I can justify it, I’m so bad at backing up. That drive to get the latest iphone or techy device tends to hang over us, me included.
The Lord brings this verse to mind often: “look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18) My focus needs to be on eternal things, things that last forever. The latest invention will be old in a week and useless in a few years. Things we cannot see will last for3ever. With that in mind, my husband and I have deliberately chosen to live so that we have a surplus to give to the kingdom.
Here’s a testimony from the church at Macedonia: “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will.” (2 Corinthians 8:1) The church there in Macedonia wasn’t rich, but they gave anyway. Awesome!
Brad Hewitt is my guest. He’s co-author of New Money Mindset. He shows how you can choose your attitude toward money and control your money rather than allowing your wants to control you.
Cynthia ‘interviews’ Katie Luther about October 31, which is an important day in church history. And Peggy Sue Wells chats about a Christian’s response to Halloween as our nation celebrates it today.
Abundant life? Doesn’t Romans 8 say the world suffers under the curse? Yet, Carol McLeod shares how she praised God in the midst of terrible pain. She insists that you can have the abundant life, and she explains how. Listen and learn.
