Faith & Finance

At the most recent Kingdom Advisors Conference , John shared an incredible story about some friends of his and an inheritance decision they made: “I’ve got some friends who are a super sharp young couple in their 30s. His Father shared that he was about to give them a vast, multi-million-dollar inheritance. Amazing! But they had been reflecting carefully on money and faith for months. They said, ‘...

The Playbook for Chronic Anxiety It's generated by assumptions, expectations, false beliefs, and false needs. So, if we can uncover false needs, we can learn to die to them and relax into God's sovereignty. This is a compelling way to grow in our relationship with faith. We can use our anxiety triggers to open our souls up to God's presence.  What is an assumption you hold about yourself that's un...

The Power of Trust Proverbs 3:5-6 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” This establishes our role as stewards and God as the owner, which gives us the freedom to look to Him for His plans for our money and not worry about our plans. The Power of Focus The power of focus is to ask G...

What does Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls do?  They are Buckner International's largest humanitarian aid project. Their mission is to follow Jesus' example by serving vulnerable children, families, and seniors. One way they do that is through partnerships like Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls, where they come alongside believers in churches, businesses, and families throughout the U.S. to provide new...

What options and rates do Christian Health Ministries offer? CHM is not health insurance, but medical cost-sharing, and nonprofit, enabling us to keep member costs down. CHM shares 100% of eligible medical bills, over $10 billion since its founding in 1981. Here are some of the plan costs to start (for individuals): Bronze , $92 per unit, per month  Silver , $138 per unit, per month Gold , $240 pe...

What does it mean to be Rich Toward God? It doesn't mean just giving money and possessions away. Anyone can do that. And the spiritual ramifications are different depending on your heart. But Jesus is inviting us to set our hearts on an imperishable inheritance.  So here's the context, a man from the crowd asks Jesus to settle an inheritance dispute, and Jesus deflects that question. He gets to th...

Must-Have Financial Skills The first “skill” is an attitude. The Bible says God owns everything, as in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” Understand that nothing belongs to you, even you. You are a manager of God’s resources, which should change your perspective on money and material things. The number two financial skill you’ll need is...

The 4-Step Process For How Busy Moms (Or Stay-At-Home Dads) Can Get Control Of Their Time Pray Starting our day in a posture of prayer and reliance on the Lord instead of trying to white-knuckle our way through life in our strength changes how we approach life. We feel a lot less stressed and more at peace, and it helps us focus our energy on those things that truly matter in Eternity.  This can l...

What is the risk of playing it too safe?  That does seem like a bit of a riddle, but we can start to make sense of it by first exploring a behavioral phenomenon called “loss aversion.” Researchers have found that most people feel the pain of losing money roughly twice as strongly as the joy of gaining money. To say it again clearly: losses feel twice as bad as gains feel good. This naturally cause...

What To Do When You’re Treated Unfairly Money is often the issue when we interact with others, and it’s a powerful motivator to strike back when we feel we’re being mistreated. Losing money we feel we deserve to have can make us feel bitter. But Hebrews 12:15 tells us, “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it man...

Here at FaithFi, we always want to help you manage your time, talent and treasure. And make no mistake—do-it-yourself preventive maintenance is a wise use of all three of those gifts you received from God.  The more time and talent you have, the less of your treasure you’ll have to use to get things done. But if you don’t have the physical ability or know-how to do any of the chores on our list, i...

The Danger Of Covetousness Covetousness is what happens when you see someone else’s possessions and want them for yourself.  It’s part envy and part greed, and completely sinful. But what’s so dangerous about that kind of desire? Well, like any sin, its first effect is to draw you away from a right relationship with God. Envy can also destroy your relationships with other people. When you’re zeroi...

Relational Effects Of Lending Money Proverbs 22:7 reads, “The borrower becomes slave to the lender.” Lending money can hurt a relationship. And that can happen whether you lend the money or not. You’re “between a rock and a hard place,” and it seems like either way, someone may end up resentful. There are really only three things that can happen and only one of them is good:  If you decide not to...

What is the main problem with any investment that guarantees returns, such as annuities? They’re always a tradeoff. Guarantees come with a cost. Typically, the lower the risk, the lower the return.  What does the Bible say about this? You won’t find the word “annuities'' in the Bible, but there is a biblical principle to guide us on this topic. The Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25 reveal...

Why do reverse mortgages still have a bit of a PR problem?  Many people are not aware that federal regulations were put in place in 1988 to address issues with the product and protect consumers. However, some bad players still gave the product a bad reputation by taking advantage of vulnerable seniors in the past. Now there are new laws and safeguards by the FHA for widows to be protected and fina...

So, how much is enough for Christians? If you’re just starting out, or struggling financially, “How much is enough?” might seem like a silly question. The bottom line for you is that you just need more money at the moment! Why should you think about “how much is enough” when you hardly have anything?   And what if you’re at the other end of things? If you’re approaching retirement, you might be th...

It All Starts With Communication Communication is crucial for estate planning in blended families, highlighting the importance of being open, transparent, and truthful. While this may be difficult at times, it's essential for bringing issues to the forefront, suggesting that effective communication is the foundation for addressing the unique challenges blended families face in estate planning. How...

Albert Einstein is credited with saying that the power of compounding is the eighth wonder of the world, and “He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn’t, pays it. And Ron Blue shares a story for us about a couple who apparently understood this very well. “I received a call from my 30-something-year old son awhile back. He’d been married for some time and he is a teacher and his wife Ann was a...

The Financial Impact of College Education Going to college is a financial decision, second only to buying a house. More specifically, it’s an investment decision. Will it pay off? Perhaps the most important factor determining that is whether you graduate with a degree. Fail to do that, and any money you spend, or borrow, for college, will likely be money down the drain in terms of future earnings....

Historical Context and Modern Implications After crossing the Jordan into the promised land, the Israelites fought the battle of Jericho. Joshua was their leader, and the Lord gave them the victory. In Joshua 24, the general reminds his people of God’s faithfulness to them at Jericho and through their history.  He ends by making that memorable statement of faith: “As for me and my household, we wi...

It's appropriate during this Easter season to reflect on the big picture of our Christian faith.  Sometimes we just have our noses to the grindstone, so to speak, and we can lose sight of why we’re here and how much God has done for us! You know, whether you’re in a season of prosperity, or facing hardships, you have to remember that God is still on the throne and that your circumstances haven’t c...

What should folks consider when making this decision? People should consider the following when deciding when to take Social Security benefits: Understanding that if they take benefits before full retirement age, they will be subject to a reduction Delaying past full retirement age means receiving an annual increase of 8% called a delayed retirement credit Cash flow needs if retiring and replacing...

When it comes to work ethic , there’s nobody we like better–aside from Jesus, of course–than the woman described in Proverbs 31. We don’t know her name, but her actions and attitudes are worth studying and imitating…no matter what kind of work you do. A Biblical Work Ethic From Proverbs 31 First, a note about Proverbs.  It’s part of the “wisdom literature” found in the Old Testament. We refer to P...

Disappointment is inevitable, but discouragement is a choice. People love to look into the future. We all have hopes, and dreams, and expectations about what we want our life to be. So, we make plans. Plans to save, serve, build a family, work, travel, learn, grow…you name it. Planning is part of what it takes to make our dreams come true. And there’s nothing wrong with planning. Planning is an im...

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” - Proverbs 3:5-6 Why are people so worried about the economy these days? Part of the issue is concern about a number of factors, including the upcoming US election, high inflation, high interest rates, and various geopolitical issues like what'...