Today I’ve been thinking about financial planning. Well, every day I think about it, but for some reason I thought I should share some thoughts with you – the readers. My question is this: do financial plans work? If so, which ones are better than others? What financial plan do you have?

As many of you know, right now we’re on Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover plan. It’s been going well! So far, we’ve:

• Paid off all of our non-mortgage debt.
• Built an emergency fund of six months worth of expenses.
• Started saving toward a college education.

If you know Dave’s plan, you recognize that we got through the first three baby steps and are taking a detour to make sure we don’t go into student loan debt.

Yes, we’re paying cash for college. No student loans! We are able to do so because of the circumstances of our income and how low we keep our expenses. In addition, any monetary gifts we receive, we put toward our financial plan.

Will Our Plan Work?

I’ve given a lot of thought toward if our plan will work. Sure, Dave’s plan has worked for countless people, but will our slightly modified plan work? Maybe Dave would endorse our excursion away from his “baby steps” to ensure we didn’t go into student loan debt. But can Dave’s plan – or any plan for that matter – really work under a wide variety of circumstances?

I think it can, but only if God allows it.

And that’s the point. I believe that for Christians, personal finance is managing God’s money how God would want it handled. It’s not our money, it’s God’s. We’re not to boast about our future plans. If it’s the Lord’s will, then we might accomplish the plans we have designed.

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  - James 4:13-15

Will our plan work? Maybe. Only if it is the Lord’s will.

What is the Lord’s Will?

That’s the question of the hour. It’s difficult to know the will of the Lord, but I suspect it comes from a lot of prayer and Biblical research.

We can certainly find various principles in the Bible. For example, we know that the “borrower is slave to the lender.” (Proverbs 22:7) There are many other principles that you can find within the Bible, and they should become part of your planning.

Using these approaches, we can find some clues as to what the Lord wills for our lives. Now, we do have freewill, and we can choose some of the specifics of our financial plan, but we should use the template that God gives us.

Which Financial Plans Actually Work?

I think you can see where we’re going with this. We shouldn’t solely look towards the plans of people. Instead, we should look at these sources:

• The Lord’s principles as outlined in the Bible.
• The plans that have worked for God’s people.
• Prayer.

There are so many financial plans you can choose from. Some are more aggressive on debt reduction than other plans, some are focused on investing. Others tell you to save money, and still others will push you to dramatically change your lifestyle. Whatever plan you choose, make sure that it aligns with Biblical principles.

I’m convinced that the plans that actually work claim to:

• Take a long time to complete. Anything that promises you overnight success is really too good to be true.
• Have a step by step approach that allows you focused intensity on one goal at a time. I’ve experienced what focused intensity can do in your financial world – it works wonders. Having one goal to work on at a time allows you to get excited about your goal and put all your energy into it.
• Require a big picture perspective. Some financial plans are so narrow in their scope that they only focus on debt reduction without teaching budgeting. Or they focus on saving up for emergencies without allowing for investing. You’re going to need to find one that has a balanced approach.

Perhaps someday I’ll list several famous financial plans and compare them for you. Would that be helpful?

Meet us in the comments and let us know what you think. What financial plans work best for you? What have you accomplished so far while on your financial plan?

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John

John officially launched TheChristianDollar.com on January 1st, 2010 with the intention to provide an excellent financial resource for biblically-minded individuals and families. Influenced heavily by Dave Ramsey, John started researching how he might better handle his money and help others in the process. John enjoys reading, writing, playing with gadgets, and spending time with his wife Courtney.

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As Christians we want to serve God with all of our hearts, minds, and body. How do we serve Him with our money? There are four words: Tithe, Give, Save, Live, that we will explore in relation to handling our money. These are vital concepts to apply to our financial lives and the way we approach money.

What is Money Anyway?

Money is a necessary part of our lives here on this world, used to buy goods – both needed and wanted. Back in the day the barter system was used with sheep, cattle, or camels; then eventually the denarius, the gold, silver, or copper coins made the world turn. Now, a hundred dollars is represented by a piece of paper with a picture of a person on it. But this isn’t just a piece of paper. This represents time.

We earn money from our job, eight, ten hours (or more) a day and that piece of paper is given to us as the reward for our labor. Think of it, every time we buy a $4 caramel macchiato, we are spending half an hour of time. An xBox is 30 hours (on a $10 an hour wage). Makes you think a bit about what you actually spend.

The 4 Aspects of Handling Money

1. Tithing – God’s Place in Money

This world was created by God. He owns it. He owns the animals and the trees and the hills. This is His Creation. He owns time as well. As Psalm 50:10,11 says “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.” If God owns everything, and we’re stewards of it, then the hundreds and thousands of dollars that we earn are his. They represent the time that He owns and gave to us.

Tithing is giving a tenth back to God what He gave to us. Really, it’s an acknowledgment that He is the Ultimate Giver, the one who gives us time, who gives us shelter and strength. He’s the one who gave us His Son so that we might join Him in eternity. What a treat to come into His House and give back a part of what He has given to us.

2. Giving – Out of Our Hearts

Giving falls right in line with that. Really, this money, this time, needs to be given away. It’s healthy to set aside that hard earned cash to be a blessing to others. The best way to hold our money is with our hands open. We can receive, but we also are able to give. We are commanded to take care of the poor and those in need around us. It’s part of being a Christian, of being a child of God.

We’re in the season of Christmas, where we give gifts to bring joy. It’s a reminder of the Ultimate Gift, of Jesus and His death and resurrection. What if we used part of our time, part of our wages to give year round? To represent Him to those in need?

What if we regularly bought groceries for a family in our neighborhood? What if we gave our time to mentor young people? What if we cleaned our church without wanting recognition?

3. Saving – Storing For Future Giving and Living

Saving is also a part of being a wise steward of our resources, of our time turned to money (or cattle, whatever currency you use). It means to store up, to set aside, and to redeem.

Saving is key to our lives and our stewardship of what God has given us. If we can save a portion of this money and put it in our storehouse (mutual fund, saving account, whatever) this money will grow. Then this savings, this grain, can then be used later for living, for giving and for bringing more glory to God.

As with tithing and giving, you have to do it with the right attitude. Saving and investing is a good thing, and it’s important that you remember that you’re investing it for God. This is all His and is to be given and used for His Glory. That said, there is a warning that needs to be said: It’s easy with savings to turn it into hoarding; becoming greedy and grabby. That’s where the sin of loving money comes in. Don’t allow your storehouses to become your god.

4. Living – God Provides in Our Lives

God is our provider. He will provide for us in all circumstances and we will see His Hand in everything we do in living a life for Him.

This is where budgeting comes in. We give our money purpose – from rent, utilities, food, and all the various important categories; to all those fun categories of movies, hobbies, and books. The key is to make sure your living has balance, that you’re moving the money to the right buckets at the right time. You should always have money in the rent, food, and utilities buckets before you move any to the movies, hobbies, and books buckets.

We have this money to be able to give glory to God, thus we need to remember to give Him the glory with what we spend.

These are not original principles, but they are sound. My challenge to you is to put God first in everything you do. Remember that He is King of all and we are stewards in this world.

That said: Meet us in the comments and tell us about how you’re applying these principles to your life. What has God done as you put Him first?

JC Reagan

JC is a writer over at God, My Weird Spouse, and I, where he writes about life, marriage, and God’s place in all of it. He believes that being weird is a good thing in this world of mediocrity. He and his wife want to stick out for strong marriages and the priority of God, as well as a Biblical worldview.

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This month marks a really significant time in my life. It was one of those things that you never think will happen to you; I sure didn’t. But, nevertheless, not too long after taking my first job at a Federal Credit Union, I became a statistic as I stood on the wrong side of the counter from a bank robber… twice, actually.

After any trauma, you tend to ask “why” a lot. Why did this happen? Why me? What does this mean? But I knew that God had been working in me, and in a startling revelation one night I realized that this was part of the training for whatever it was He had in store for me. And let me tell you, that’s not a comforting thought! Through tears I asked Him “what in the world are You doing in me that I needed to go through something like that? TWICE?! What are You trying to teach me?” And then I realized, friends: God wasn’t unaware of this. He wasn’t sitting in His recliner watching the football game and suddenly realized I was in trouble and jumped up to save me. He was watching it unfold. He knew that morning when I left for work that I would face this. He knew the day before that I would face this. He knew the week before, and the month before; He knew the very moment that I was conceived, over 26 years ago, that I would face this. It wasn’t an accident. It was then that Psalm 139:16 came to mind, which says,

Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.

And I just imagined, before I was even born, God writing out the details of each day of my life in that book. And on the page titled with those dates, which I will never forget, He wrote “Bethany will be in a potentially life-threatening situation, and she’ll be scared, but I will protect her.”

Maybe God doesn’t really write out the details of our days like that, but it was a nice image. He was the only one who understood me. It helps to talk about it, but at times that proved even more frustrating because people like to tell you “what they would have done.” In an attempt to make you feel better, but not having a clue what to say, people tend to make it worse. The truth is that you can plan as much as you want to, but you will never know exactly how you will react until you’re in that situation. Until someone is standing in front of you threatening your personal security, you really just don’t get it. But God did.

You don’t just bounce back from something like that; it was a long road and I still have effects of it that linger today and probably always will. But that’s part of me now; my experiences have glorified God in many ways, not only in my own life but in others’ lives as well. Countless people have told me I should consider quitting my job, and they would if they were in my shoes. But you know what? They’re not in my shoes! I have confidence that God placed me in this position at this company, and I like what I do. Colleagues and friends have told me that they admire my strength, and that’s when I get to explain to them that I am completely devoid of any power at all. It all comes from above.

In any robbery training you will hear the word “desperate” in describing the typical bank robber. The truth is that most of them don’t do it out of greed, and it nearly never happens the way you see it on television or in the movies. It comes from a desperation; one that you may be familiar with. Sure, maybe you didn’t rob a bank… but you can identify with the desperation of needing to take care of your family and pay the bills, but not being able to. Somewhere, something went wrong and you’re in a desperate situation that consumes you. Financial wipeouts can happen to anyone, and the only difference lies in how you respond to it and who your hope is in. You may be feeling, like I did, that other people just don’t get it; they don’t really know what they would do, either. It’s easier said than done. And you’re right. But God has a purpose for every moment and situation in your life and isn’t surprised by a single one.

My point to you today is that no matter what you’re going through – whatever trials you face – He knew about it long before you did. If you are His, there is nothing to worry about in a world consumed by worry. What I learned (and am still learning years later) is that no matter what happens to me, it’s all part of the plan. God knows what He’s doing, and He certainly knows how to fix our messes and bring glory to Himself. Not just in my life, but in yours too. Through what looked like a “bad” experience, He taught me priceless lessons of love, grace, trust, and forgiveness. Please, rest in knowing that our all-powerful, ever-constant, unfailing, creator God who loves you wrote it out in His book, and He will not make you finish it alone.

I promise.

Have you been in a life-threatening situation? What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn from God? Meet us in the comments.

Bethany Hartman

Bethany Hartman is 25-years-old and works in the Credit Union industry in Houston, TX. She also serves many roles in her church, including church secretary and children's teacher, and advocates for children in poverty through Compassion International.

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I have worked in the world of Finance and Investing for almost 20 years.  I have seen wealth gained and wealth lost, fortunes won, and empires crumble.  The one clear truth is that there is nothing certain in the world of finance and economics.  Our worldly success is largely due to timing, effort, and a whole lot of luck.  However, regardless of any outcome, the one thing that holds true to every investor, entrepreneur, or businessman is that they must have H.E.A.R.T. to truly succeed.

First is that you need to realize that (H) He, God, owns it all.  Our sovereign God, it the maker, the provider, and the owner of all we see and touch.  He is the greatest money manager in the world, his portfolio if diverse, and his assets under management are unbelievable.  What we must realize is that we are all here in a temporary human experience.  The old saying is true, “you can’t take it with you”.  A wealthy aristocrat died several years back and his only wish was to be buried with his money . . . his wife of many years, aware of his last request, tearfully wrote him a check and placed it gently next to him in the coffin.  Funny stuff I know, but realize today that the material possessions we have in this world are not ours but God’s.

(E) Every Day is an opportunity to do something of value, to do something good, and to make a difference in God’s kingdom.  We need to take the opportunities that we are blessed with and make the most of them.  We are encouraged to do more than others think is wise, to risk more than others think is safe, and to believe more than others thought possible.  Every day you have that opportunity.

(A) Action is required.  We cannot glorify the kingdom without putting our talents into action.  Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.  If you are not in action then you are at risk of falling into the trap of status quo.  Do not let the grass grow under your feet, be active, be engaged, be alive in your financial picture, do not let yourself be directed, you do the directing.  You cannot accomplish anything if you do not move. So many times we let our life’s glide by us and never get in the game. I encourage you today to take that first small step, do something for someone else that makes a difference in their life, then look in the mirror and do something for that person that will inspire others.

We have all been given certain spiritual gifts and blessings.  Even in the worst of times we should have the ability to (R) remember our blessings.  Remembering the good things in our lives will pull us through the rough waters of economic turmoil, personal strife, and other individual struggles.  Always, always, remember your blessings. By reflecting on who we are, we will better understand our God ordained purpose in life.

(T) Thank Him.  In any relationship, the other needs to be appreciated, in your relationship with God, you need to remember to say thank you.  Be thankful that you have the opportunity to grow, to fail, to invest, to lose, too be a part of a world where you have opportunity to be anything you dream.  Thanks Be to God.

HEART is required in when it comes to money and finance.  You must have heart if you even want to have a chance at true financial success.  Good luck Investor, business owner, financial planner, employee, boss, student, retiree, I am praying for your heart.  Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your Heart and lean not on your own understanding”.  Trust in him when it comes to your finances.  God has a supreme plan for your life.  Money management is just one component of living a life that is designed to Glorify His Kingdom.  But by putting your heart into, taking action, leaning on him for understanding, you have a solid blueprint in which to live your life.

This is a guest post written by Doug Lawson, CEO of The Kingdom Trust Company.  At Kingdom Trust they provide a self-directed investment platform in where you control your investments. www.kingdomtrustco.com

Guest

How do you view the Gospel?

Do you view it as the gift that it is? That no matter how hard you could ever try, you could never earn the gracious gift of salvation? Or instead, do you ultimately pursue the created instead of the Creator?

And for us Christians, carelessly managing money can be a direct reflection of taking the Gospel for granted. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not perfect. My wife’s not perfect. The financial gurus aren’t perfect. No one will attain perfect until the day when we meet Christ in Heaven (and we won’t even need money!), but it is nevertheless crucial to make sure there is financial fruit blossoming from the Gospel taking root in your heart.

The world we live in is moving toward the “I want it all… for free!” mentality. Between bankrupt states, bulging budgets and economies headed toward collapse, it’s apparent that an increasing number of people want more and more without sacrificing to get it. And that greed is what holds back chutes of the Gospel from blossoming.

The Biggest Overlap

Perhaps the biggest overlap that budgeting has with Christianity is the idea of delayed gratification (yet day-to-day contentment). Budgeting and planning require long-term views. Those of us with modest incomes at least know that responsible financial management means you’ve got to look at the “big picture” and have an expectation that most things won’t be achieved right away. That idea parallels very closely the promises of Jesus Christ during his ministry on Earth (and furthermore in Paul’s letter to the Romans). Believing in Christ does not mean you will get an easy journey through life. In fact, Christ said that we have to “endure [emphasis my own] to the end” (Matt. 24:13 ESV) in our Faith. Being a good steward of your finances is often an act of endurance, isn’t it? Planning, setting goals, saving for a rainy day, all of those imply the need for an enduring attitude. Maybe you’d really like an iPad or a new pair of shoes, but you also know that you’ve been meaning to set aside some money for an upcoming car expense, or to contribute to your retirement fund. I’m not saying that a “responsible steward of God’s provision” can never buy those things, but if you’re budget shows a disproportionate amount going towards the “finer things in life,” then maybe it’s time to examine where your heart is.

Your Checkpoints

Here are some quick checkpoints for your Gospel-centered finances:

1. Are you tithing? This has got to be first and foremost in your budget. For awhile I thought I couldn’t afford to tithe, but when I looked at my budget I realized that I couldn’t afford to go out nearly every night if I started to tithe. Something had to give!
2. Are you planning for the future and saving for “rainy days?” Like I mentioned before, life ain’t easy. There are no guarantees that you’ll swim through life, and not preparing for future needs is living in naivety. It might reflect a heart that is entitled and haughty instead of humble and dependent on the Holy Spirit.
3. Does your budget reflect Biblical priorities? A budget heavy in consumption and light in giving is a clue that your finances are not as Gospel-centric as they should be. We are definitely guilty of this, and regular prayerful examinations of your expenses are very beneficial. The crux of this checkpoint is not what is necessarily important to you but what is Biblically important. Nice clothes and steak dinners may be “important to me,” but those things (when taken to extremes) are hardly Biblical.

In what other ways are your view of the Gospel and money inseparable? Meet us in the comments!

Austin Tidmore

Austin has been a believer in Christ since 1996. Since his first job he has been interested in financial matters and has a spreadsheet for nearly everything. He was married in January 2011 and spends his time loving his wife, Jessi, and enjoying their cat.

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I think about money . . . a lot. I wasn’t always this way. I used to be a fast food spender, and didn’t really care about what anybody had to say about my consumer habits. It seems I’ve swung from one extreme to another: from being apathetic about money to really watching what I do with it. Is this wrong as a Christian – to think about money all the time?

The Two Extremes

There are two extremes I’d like to focus on today. As you can see from my opening paragraph, I have been on both of these extremes. I’ve spent money as I saw fit without paying attention to what I should really be doing with it, and I’ve spent money with a purpose and plan that consumed my thoughts.

Sure, having a purpose and plan are good attributes to have, but lately I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed by all this planning.

The Complexity of Weighing the Options

For the past few weeks, I’ve been trying to measure the risk and return of certain investments. Those investments include:

• Funding college for Courtney. While this has the potential of a great return on investment (her knowledge and her making more money by getting a higher paying job), should we put off mutual fund investing until we fully fund her college?
• Investing in retirement funds. Dave Ramsey says we should be putting 15% of our gross income into retirement because we’re on Baby Step 4. But if we do this we won’t have enough to fund college!
• Refinancing our home. We have an adjustable rate mortgage (from our unwise days) and need a fixed rate. Should we pour our savings into refinancing?

These are just a few of the big decisions we have in front of us. The complexity of these things can really be a burden. I guess when you consider we have an emergency fund and no non-mortgage debt, you might ask why we should be complaining!

I recently talked with a very wise man over the phone (you’ll see the interview here on The Christian Dollar soon) and he recommended letting God handle the finances. Be involved, but don’t obsess over the details. Be patient. All of these things are good things to hear and follow.

Looking back at my money thoughts, I find a lot of worry involved. That’s not good.

Instead, I should be focusing my thoughts on managing my life and money well for today, doing things that will benefit tomorrow, and letting God take care of the rest. I should be letting God do the worrying about the things I’m not sure about and handling the tasks that I might not know I should be doing at the moment.

Do you find yourself in a similar position?

The Bible talks about money a great deal, and has something to say about every aspect of it. So I don’t think that it is wrong for Christians to think about money. But I think it is wrong for Christians to become consumed by it. Too much of anything is a bad thing, and too much thinking about money can truly drive you crazy – trust me.

If you’re a Christian, you’re called to be a good steward of God’s money. But don’t let it become a source of obsession or worry.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:34 NIV

John

John officially launched TheChristianDollar.com on January 1st, 2010 with the intention to provide an excellent financial resource for biblically-minded individuals and families. Influenced heavily by Dave Ramsey, John started researching how he might better handle his money and help others in the process. John enjoys reading, writing, playing with gadgets, and spending time with his wife Courtney.

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Many people are finding themselves in a situation where they’re in a rough spot financially. Maybe your expenses have gone up, your income has gone down, or an emergency popped up. Sometimes you just need money help. This could be a scary time for you and your family. You don’t have to feel like you’re going through it alone because you’re not alone. Millions of people everywhere have been experiencing a financial hardship in one form or another. Be confident that this situation is only temporary and there are people who are willing to give you a hand. There are a lot of places you can go to for help:

1. Your Pastor

Letting your pastor know that you’re going through financial hardships can be beneficial. Pastors are well connected members of the community, and they are usually great people to turn to when you need assistance. They may know someone who knows someone, or they have a solution for you in mind. Don’t hesitate to let your pastor know you’re having troubles.

2. Your Congregation

Just about every church has a list of people who are requesting prayer. Sometimes the reason is made public and other times it’s kept private. Asking your congregation to pray for you can help you more than you’ll ever know. God is listening and He will do whatever it takes to make sure His people are okay. Pray until something happens.

3. A Certified Financial Planner

A financial issue should be handled by a professional, and one professional you can turn to is your certified financial planner. You should visit your CFP when you’re in a financial crisis or need financial guidance on any level. They will be able to weigh the pros and cons and give you the best advice. They are also well connected people who have access to resources that can assist you in getting back on track.

4. Programs and Resources

A lot of people feel they are too prideful to ask for help, especially government assistance. The fact of the matter is those programs came into existence for this very reason: to help people in need. There’s a program that can help with just about any situation.

If you’re out of work, the Employment Development Department is there to help you with unemployment insurance and to assist you in finding a job. If you’re having a hard time putting food on the table, WIC and food stamps can provide you with groceries.

If you need a place to live but don’t have the income, Section 8 housing is available to provide a roof over your head. Don’t feel embarrassed; pride only breeds quarrels but wisdom is found in those who take advice (Proverbs 11:2).

5. Prayer

Sometimes God will make something so uncomfortable for you that you have to move, either literally or figuratively. Talk to Him about it and tell him how you feel. Ask for wisdom, ask for strength, and ask that He help you make the right decisions. Yes, He already knows what you’re going through but we serve a God who appreciates us when we call on Him and ask for him to help us through the struggle. Don’t hesitate to use that direct line.

Briana Myricks

Briana Myricks is a 20 something freelance writer and blogger. Striving for financial independence as a newlywed, she blogs about staying committed to marriage at 20 and Engaged.

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It’s going around the blogosphere that my husband and I are both unemployed. With no emergency fund and very little alternative income streams, this is going to be one of the toughest times in our marriage, and we were just married 3 months ago. I could be depressed, upset, and freaking out, but that’s not going to help any. Instead, I’m choosing to have faith that God will bring us through it. We’re not the only couple experiencing a rough time. We’re also not the first, and won’t be the last.

During this time that my husband is laid off, since it’s supposed to be temporary, we’re going to focus on building our faith, our marriage, and our income. The first place we’re turning to is the Lord, because we both know he’s more than good; he’s able. There’s several bible verses that have already proven that things will be okay for us:

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19

We’re humans and one of the things humans do is stress about things we need. “Are we going to be able to keep a roof over our head?” “Will we be able to keep food on the table?” These are things that we need. This verse tells us that God will meet these needs. It may not be in our earthly vision how it’ll happen, but it’s going to happen. I have faith that this is true, so I give that burden to him because he’ll take care of our needs.

On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. – 1 Corinthians 16:2

This is where we made a mistake in the first place. We were so focused on living paycheck to paycheck, we did not allow for savings, which could’ve acted as our emergency fund. We will be sure that even with the small amount we’ll have coming in, we put some money aside for inevitable expenses. Every little bit will help; it’s all about keeping it consistent.

Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. – Romans 13:8

Being in debt is hard for anyone. Someone compared debt to a form of slavery, which could be a bit extreme, but understandable. The feeling of not owing anyone anything is incomparable. My husband and I love each other, and we will rely on that to stay together during this time of financial struggle.

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? – Mark 8:36

My personal favorite verse in the Bible, it speaks volumes. Many people would rather be rich and not have to worry about struggling with bills or getting by day to day. While yes, this is a difficult position to be in, I’m still me. I’m not going to change who I am, compromise my values, for some money. This means I’m not going to go against my morals if an opportunity for a large amount of money comes about. If I’m not comfortable with it, I’m not going for it. The money isn’t worth it.

A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn’t, and even brags about it! – Proverbs 13:16

I’m known by many people as being a planner. I hate not having a plan, and admittedly, we did not plan ahead for this possibility, of us both being out of work with rent, car notes, credit card bills, and food to put on the table. But, it’s not too late. We can brainstorm a plan to how we’re going to deal with this with the resources we have. We won’t be caught without a plan in the future!

Like I said, this is going to be a difficult time, but God has already let me know that He will keep us, He will make sure we’re safe, He will take care of what we need. All we have to do is believe in Him.

Are you going through a difficult time? Or perhaps you’ve been through a financial struggle and God has seen you through it. Meet us in the comments and let us know your story!

Briana Myricks

Briana Myricks is a 20 something freelance writer and blogger. Striving for financial independence as a newlywed, she blogs about staying committed to marriage at 20 and Engaged.

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Are you going through a major financial crisis? Are you considering bankruptcy, short sales, and running from all your financial concerns? You’re not alone.

It’s been a rather difficult time for many Americans, and people are looking for answers. Every situation is different as you know, but there are a few tactics that can be applied to any situation. These tactics will help you wade through the loads of financial information you’ll have to learn in a hurry, and keep you sane while doing so.

Take it slow. Real slow.

The last thing you want to do is panic. Panic can cause you to make impulsive decisions that you’ll surely regret later.

When you feel panic setting in, remove yourself from the situation and take a few deep literal breaths. Don’t make a decision that your lawyer, financial planner, or friend advises without first weighing all the consequences. Don’t feel the pressure to make a decision right away!

You may not feel like you have sufficient time to make a decision, but you almost always will have time. The secret is that you have to make time. Remember, removing yourself from a situation where you are about to make an impulsive decision is almost always a good idea.

Evaluate your resources.

After you have taken some time to step back and take a few deep breaths, it’s time to evaluate your resources. Your financial resources include:

• Assets. Your home, your vehicles, and any other belongings qualify. You might have to sell some of these in order to survive your financial crisis. Be prepared to do so.
• Emergency funds. If you set money aside for emergencies, now is the time to use it. This might seem like common sense, but sometimes people will pull money from places they should avoid (like retirement accounts) so that they still have their “safety cushion” in the bank. Use your emergency fund when emergencies happen! That’s what they are there for!
• Income. What income sources do you currently have? How much money is coming in from each of those sources? Your income can help you navigate your financial crisis, but it shouldn’t be the only thing that helps you.

Also, keep in mind that you can pray for wisdom:

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. -James 1:5 NIV

Implement your plan.

As you sort through your resources, you’ll naturally start to piece a plan together. It also helps to ask yourself what the most important thing to do next is. What is your very next action? What is your most important next action?

These questions will get you thinking in the right direction. Ask for God’s help as you navigate these difficult times, and you’ll find peace and a path.

What have you done in difficult times to get on the right path? Meet us in the comments!

Photo by Samael Kreutz

John

John officially launched TheChristianDollar.com on January 1st, 2010 with the intention to provide an excellent financial resource for biblically-minded individuals and families. Influenced heavily by Dave Ramsey, John started researching how he might better handle his money and help others in the process. John enjoys reading, writing, playing with gadgets, and spending time with his wife Courtney.

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There is a huge difference between talking about something and doing something. The thing that will remind us of this is our paychecks. If our paychecks are low, that means we must be neglecting the work that we’re dreaming of doing, and that’s no fun at all!

The Bible has a great deal to say about talking vs. doing – and work in general – that we can learn from. Consider this verse:

All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. – Proverbs 14:23 (NIV)

Wow. Notice here that it says that all hard work leads to profit. Of course, you’re going to have to find a way to make the work profitable, but if it isn’t profitable, wouldn’t you not be doing the work anyway?

What’s holding you back from doing?

If you have a dream – no matter what it is – and you keep talking about it but not doing it, what’s holding you back? It could be a number of things:

• Fear of failure. You might not be sure if your money-making ideas will actually work. But how do you know if you don’t actually try? If you fail, so what! You’ve just found one way not to do something! By process of elimination, you might actually find something that truly works.
• Laziness. It could be that you’re purely not motivated to start something new. Sometimes starting something is the most difficult endeavor, and keeping it going is a piece of cake. So give it a go and you might be pulled out of your lazy behavior!
• People. Spilling your dreams out to people who are going to put you down is never a good idea. You’ll become discouraged and probably won’t try to do anything new.

No more talk, get to work!

Instead of constantly talking about the grand things you are going to do, just go out and do them! Your wallet will thank you, and you’ll feel better about yourself as you actually get work done! Don’t be too concerned about if your ideas will work. Just get to work!

Oh, and here’s the most important part: work hard. Work really hard!

One way to judge if you’re working hard is to take a look at the average person in the workforce. Now double their workload. That’s how much you should be striving for here. Shoot for double the workload. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to work double the hours. It could just mean that you need to work smarter and more efficiently. You get the picture.

Do you struggle with hard work? How hard do you work? Meet us in the comments and let’s talk about it!

Photo By nicolee_pikita

John

John officially launched TheChristianDollar.com on January 1st, 2010 with the intention to provide an excellent financial resource for biblically-minded individuals and families. Influenced heavily by Dave Ramsey, John started researching how he might better handle his money and help others in the process. John enjoys reading, writing, playing with gadgets, and spending time with his wife Courtney.

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