Let’s Take This Journey Together: Concerning Women of God
Concerning Women of God | Concerning Women of God | Concerning Women of God
Concerning Women of God | Concerning Ministry
Hello ladies, and welcome to my blog! The year 2014 is behind us – which means it’s time to say goodbye to my Women of the Bible Series. I must say, as I wrote about each of those pivotal women, learning the way they thought, felt and realizing their experiences were not much different than our experiences today, I found myself connecting with each of them in a special way. I hope you learned from them as I did.
This year I am shifting focus again. As a teacher, my students know that one of my favorite sayings is, “Let’s take this journey together!” So, I decided to make this the title of my 2015 blog. This year, I will be answering questions that many of us have about this Christian journey, but may be afraid to ask. All questions are submitted anonymously, and I will answer your questions using Biblical principles and drawing from my personal experiences. So if you have a question or would like to comment, feel free to submit them – you just may see your question addressed and answered on my blog! I look forward to another year of sharing with you. Let’s Take This Journey Together!
Taking this journey together,
First Lady Vivian Pruitte
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QUESTION: How is being a good steward of my finances a reflection of me honoring God? Is it wrong to get into debt? How do I balance taking care of my bills, while still being a faithful giver to the house of God?
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ANSWER: My mother taught me many things as a child, but one thing I wished she had done was sit me down and show me how to make a budget – and stick to it! I have observed in my few years of living that people tend to fall into two categories: they are either savers or spenders. While I know that these are learned behaviors, it seems to me that we are born already predisposed to one or the other.
When my daughters were young, I saw early on which ones were savers and which ones were spenders. I had two for each category. My spenders could never keep any money – they spent it on the first thing that attracted their eyes. On the other hand, my savers would not spend their money right away. Instead they would save for what they really wanted and looked for bargains. They might even try to persuade the spenders to purchase things for them. When we would go out to eat as a family, and my husband and I told them they would have to pay for their own meal, the savers would order water and split an appetizer. The spenders would use up all their money, knowing that they would get an allowance again the following week.
The Bible tells us to be good stewards over what the Lord has entrusted unto us. This includes our finances. Unfortunately, many of us carry our bad spending habits into our adulthood, and are left struggling to pay our bills on time and incurring debt. While it is not a sin to get into debt, it is more important to plan ahead so that you will not become overwhelmed by debt. Living within our means is something we have heard since we were young, but it is easier to say it than to put it into action because we are flooded with images of things that appeal to us. There is always something on the market that promises to make us look better, feel better or be smarter.
Another trap we tend to fall into is the trap of competing with others. We want what others have whether we can afford it or not. This makes it very difficult to save our money. When we overextend ourselves, we get things we cannot afford and then spend years trying to make up for it. Because one thing is for sure: the world is out to separate us from our money!
When my husband and I were first married we could not afford much. We had to prioritize. Two things we were adamant about included 1) giving our tithes and offerings and 2) having a decent place to live. We know the Lord requires that we pay our tithes and give offering to support His work. Paying our tithes demonstrates our obedience to God. Sharing our offerings demonstrate our love for Him. Because of our commitment to be faithful givers, my husband and I had to sacrifice in other areas. We did not buy new cars, so we drove "hoopties" for a long time. We also ate at home quite frequently until we were in a better financial position. But I’ve seen firsthand – when you honor the Lord's commands, He is faithful and extends your finances! He will open your eyes to see bargains and will make sure your needs are met. We get into trouble when we don't honor the Lord. He asks us to prove Him by giving to Him first and then see if He won't keep His Word.
Let's not fall into to the tempting snare of this world which seeks only to separate us from your money. Learn how to create a budget and stick to it. There are many tools available to us to be successful. This way you won't have to cheat yourself or the Lord.