Bountiful: The Heart of Money Management

Growing up, we likely had some milestones in mind of how life would go and when we would accomplish things like graduating, getting a job, buying a house, and having children. But what happens if life doesn’t go as planned? In spite of not wanting to get caught up in the rat race, we can feel anxious about falling behind in the race! In this episode, we discuss examples of financial milestones, so...

What do you want to be when you grow up? The world does not impose many limits on us. That means, if the Lord blesses you with time and opportunity, it’s up to you how far you want to go! This is where ambition comes in. How do we balance what we want to accomplish with making the best of our situation? How do we balance our priorities and resources against achieving our maximum potential? Resourc...

Quotes can be interesting and meaningful ways to remember or emphasize things. In all things, we want to measure all things, even thought-provoking quotes, against the Word of God, as that’s the only way we can know if they are true. In this episode, we do just that! We chose nine quotes about financial stewardship and discussed if the Bible backs them up. Quotes we referenced: “Money is a terribl...

The word “tithe” is sometimes used interchangeably with “give” when people talk about financial offerings for the church. Is “tithe” an appropriate word for us to use to describe the monetary gifts we offer? Does “tithe” accurately describe what it is we’re supposed to do, or are Christians called to do something different? In this episode, we define tithing, discuss its similarities and differenc...

Financial self-sabotage is when we undermine or damage our own financial situation. We could do this by depleting our savings as soon as it builds to something meaningful, buying things we can’t afford, or choosing to ignore sound financial advice because of fear or anxiety. In this episode, we’ll talk about how we can know if we’re self-sabotaging and how we can get out of destructive habits and...

We all will likely spend money on travel. We want to not only be responsible in our spending but also with our influence, especially when traveling to a foreign country. In this episode, Keith Kasarjian, Director of International Studies with Bear Valley Bible Institute, gives us his top five travel tips. Pack light. It is liberating to have less. Enjoy the journey. Traveling is more than just goi...

To celebrate our 200th recorded episode, we’re sharing some lessons we learned about podcasting that correspond to principles of stewardship. In this episode, we’ll talk about those principles, how we apply them on this show and how we can all apply them in our personal finances. Keep going even when it’s inconvenient. Doing something is always better than doing nothing. It’s better unscripted. Yo...

Mortgages have been in the news a lot recently. Higher interest rates combined with higher prices have made mortgages more expensive than in the past few years. In this episode, Gary & Christy take away the click-bait words and (some) bias as they discuss interest rates, home prices, and things to consider when applying for a mortgage today. Regardless of what mortgage rates do, remember this...

Conformity can be a good thing, especially when it involves positive peer pressure or keeping things organized. However, not all conformity is good. In fact, the Bible challenges us not to be conformed to this world (Romans 12:2). In this episode, we talk about conformity in our personal finances. This could happen when we spend how everyone else is, borrow how most people do, buy what most people...

When we invest in a 401(k), IRA, or other type of brokerage account, we normally put money into individual stocks, individual bonds, or “baskets” like ETFs or index funds. We want to put our money to work for us in ways that will yield good returns, but do we look into those companies or agencies in which we invest to understand the values they promote? These companies produce, distribute, and are...

It’s not always pleasant to talk about “ways people try to steal your money”, but it’s a necessary discussion. Part of being a good steward is learning the art of financial discernment – learning how to make wise decisions regarding our personal finances. One area of discernment is protecting ourselves from people who try to steal our online identity or steal our money. In this episode, we discuss...

Boundaries are an important part of having a healthy life and good relationships. In this episode, we discuss some tips on setting effective boundaries. These tips will help in most areas of our life and especially with our personal finances. Resources: https://www.scienceofpeople.com/how-to-set-boundaries/ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/setting-healthy-boundaries-i...

Jesus talked a lot about stewardship during his ministry. In this episode, we highlight four things Jesus said that are recorded in Luke 12. Then, we discuss how we can live those things out.  The passages we review are: Luke 12:1 – “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” Luke 12:6-7 – “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Wh...

Financial literacy involves knowing the core building blocks of personal finance on which we can increase our knowledge. But, is financial illieracy a problem? Can we be faithful in our stewardship of God’s money without understanding money & how it works? In this episode, we describe what financial illiteracy may look like and whether we should be concerned about it. Episode Resources “Bounti...

Buying a car can have an emotional aspect to it. Sometimes we view the vehicle we drive as an extension of ourselves, and this can complicate matters when what we want doesn’t fit within our budget. In this episode, we discuss five things to keep in mind when you’re in the market for a vehicle. First, know what you can afford. Just because we have money doesn’t mean it’s available to be spent on a...

Bountiful 101 is when we take a subject, like fiduciaries, and introduce some of its concepts. Our goal for episodes like this is to combine our Christian attitude with a little bit of knowledge in order that we may glorify God by making wiser decisions with the money & possessions with which we are blessed. Fiduciary relationships involve trust, loyalty, and honesty. In this episode, we discu...

Even though the recommended savings goal is typically 10% of disposable income, research suggests that the average American saves less than half that amount. There are many reasons why many of us fall short of that 10% ideal, and some of those reasons are within our control. In this episode, we discuss some things we could do to help us be better savers. First, there’s the mentality of saving. To...

Unexpected expenses are, ironically, something we expect to happen. This could be a home repair, medical bill, school expense, or an event in your life. In this episode, we talk about what we can do when unexpected expenses happen. Even though we cannot control what or when or how much an expense would be, we can control how we handle that situation. Colossians 4:5-6 teaches us to walk in wisdom t...

Budgets are for everybody. While a budget may look different from person to person, everyone can reap the benefits of having an outlined spending plan. In this episode, we talk about what a budget is, the importance of budgets, and then how to make a personal financial budget for you and your household. A budget is a written plan that shows your anticipated income and your anticipated expenses and...

When it comes to our material possessions, including money, we want to make sure to keep them where they belong. If our money is “rightly placed”, so to speak, then our plans to give, save, and spend have good chances of success. We would also be more likely to live bountifully in service to God, using his blessings in the best way. In this episode, we talk about 3 ways to keep money in its place....

We usually like to keep things in their “spot”. Car keys, wallets, and toothbrushes all have a place where they belong. If these get misplaced, we have trouble finding them. We try to proceed through our day, but we have to backtrack to find, not what was rightly placed, but what was misplaced. When it comes to our material possessions, including money, we want to make sure to keep them where they...

Financial matters matter because they can impact our soul. How do we handle the material blessings God provides to us? Do we handle them with love, joy, and peace? Do we use those blessings to be kind, good, and gentle? Do we manage our money with patience, faithfulness, and self-control? In this episode, we review each element of the fruit of the spirit and talk about ways we can honor God in our...

The word “complain” comes from the Latin meaning “to lament with excessive force.” While a lot of things in life are great, not everything in life is problem-free. If our minds are not set on the things of the Spirit, then we can slip into the attitude of “thankful stomachs and grumbling hearts”, meaning we focus on our fulfillment and self-satisfaction. However, if we live like our citizenship is...

It is easy to teach about the importance of self control. It is challenging to live with self control, especially in all aspects of our lives. In this episode, we discuss the importance of self-control with our income & with our expenses. Episode Resources Bountiful episode “Is This Job Worth It?” https://thelightnetwork.tv/bountifuls5e3/ https://www.apa.org/topics/personality/willpower-financ...

Gentleness, while it’s one of the parts that make up the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, is something that we sometimes dismiss. It can seem like a vague idea, compared to joy or self-control. However, God’s wisdom included “gentleness” (some versions use “meekness”) as something we should strive for in our lives, even our financial lives. In this episode, we discuss gentleness and how we can...