Cheerful Money Podcast

Does Jesus have anything to say about our money management?  YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!  

Today I'm reading a helpful article from Crossway.  

Link to the article:  Learning Money Management from Jesus

Reflective questions mentioned in the article:

1. Is my heart and mind set on God or on money, on how to serve him or on how to save and spend what I think I possess?
2. Am I committed to daily reflection on planning my life and the way I use my money to live for eternity, or to ensuring that I (and my family) will be comfortable and financially secure in this life? What proportion of each day is spent on these two different goals?
3. Do I truly recognize that all I have is God's and not my own, that I am his steward, or manager, and do I acknowledge that this is why he will call me to give an account of how I have managed his property?
4. Am I using what I have to bless others in need, whether I have little worldly wealth or whether I am relatively prosperous?
5. Do I truly realize that possessions are far less important than relationships, and that my attitude to my possessions is a kind of proving ground to prepare me for more significant responsibilities in serving others?
6. What do I have that I can truly call my own? Who are the people who are becoming my spiritual siblings, parents, children, friends—people whom I have given myself to in service and love, in kindness and mercy, and in self-sacrifice?

Many people and institutions in your life will try to overcomplicate your finances.  Fight against it by committing to the Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS) principle.  Overcomplicating your finances will only lead to additional anxieties and possibly fees.  Don't fall for these fast track money games and instead make a simple plan and stick to it.  

I also may have hit a bee in my car while recording...

Resources mentioned:

You Need A Budget Software

Mortgage Calculator

Five Vital Biblical Money Principles Checklist

Giving Goals Spreadsheet

"I've had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened." - Mark Twain

From big worries like the economy and the future of our nation, to everyday worries like paying bills, feeding our families, diapering our kids, putting gas in the tank, or losing our jobs...etc.  We all struggle with worry.  

God offers the solution to this problem.  Prayer and gratitude.

Philippians 4:4-7 (NLT)

4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Resources mentioned: CheerfulMoney.com/Podcast

This is a fun, light hearted episode to help parents enjoy their summer with their kids on a budget.  Summer vacation can bring with it a lot of expensive weeklong and one-day vacations.  These ideas will help your kids enjoy every day to the fullest without making mom and dad go broke or feel cheap.  Frugal entertainment is smart entertainment.

What is the difference between tithes and offerings?  In this episode I'll tell a story of when I learned this lesson from my Dad, and also walk through the biblical definition.

Ever said, "If I had a million dollars I'd...do ______ for you?"  I think we're all guilty of that at one time or another.  In this episode I'll walk through the fact that money only magnifies who you really are.  Your character (or lack of character) will shine through.  Yet, he who is faithful with the little will be trusted with much.  

Proverbs 31 reveals the biblical view of the important roles filled by women socially, economically and in the home.  In running the household enterprise she is a supervisor of staff, buyer, saleswoman, investor, and philanthropist.  She was also respected for her wisdom and responsibility.  

Each of these is a business function linked to her home and family.  

Money, money, money...in a world basically requiring us to interact with money, we are all susceptible to falling in love and craving more money.  In the Bible, God gives us many warnings of riches and wealth to look out for.  Craving money can lead to much pain.  

We all fall victim to Keeping Up With The Joneses at times.  I am not immune to this struggle of envy, covetousness, and comparison.  In this episode I'll launch a short discussion from a recent article by Paul Jarvis on this topic as relates to Instagram.  He calls it Keeping Up With The Insta-joneses.

Read the article for yourself:https://pjrvs.com/insta/

Be sure to subscribe to his Sunday Dispatches newsletter.

Scriptures read on the show:  Exodus 20:17; Mark 7:22

If you're one of the nearly 8 out of 10 Americans who received a tax refund this year at an average of $2,640, this show is for you.  I've compiled this list of 7 smart things you can do with your tax refund to make sure you don't waste this windfall.

1. Pay down debt
2. Save it / Emergency fund
3. Invest it - Roth IRA or 529
4. Invest in YOU
5. Give generously
6. Enjoy it
7. All of the above