Faith shapes every part of life—not only what we believe, but how we spend, save, invest, and give. Every financial decision reveals something about what we value, trust, and treasure most. That’s why conversations about money are never just about budgets or balances; they’re deeply spiritual.

Today, Afton Phillips, our Head of Content at FaithFi, joins the show to talk about how our faith reshapes the way we steward God’s resources. This conversation grew out of our upcoming 21-day devotional, Our Ultimate Treasure, and the themes behind it.

The Heart Behind the New Devotional

Afton has been shaping this project from its earliest concept to its final pages. She shared that when she first joined FaithFi, she longed for a place where people could revisit core biblical principles—not simply hear them once, but reflect on them deeply.

“Money isn’t just about math,” Afton said. “It’s really about our hearts.”

The devotional walks readers through foundational truths:

• God owns it all.
• Money issues are heart issues.
• Our financial lives are deeply connected to our spiritual formation.

If that’s true, then what we need isn’t a formula—it’s space with God. Scripture. Prayer. Reflection. This devotional is designed to help readers slow down long enough to allow God to reshape how they see and handle money.

Redefining Success: What We Surrender, Not What We Store

One of the early themes in Our Ultimate Treasure is the truth that God doesn’t measure success by what we store up, but by what we surrender.

We’re all tempted to believe that just a little more—more savings, more security, more achievement—will finally bring peace. But no amount of accumulation ever delivers the rest our souls crave.

True biblical success is about formation more than finances.

• Are we growing in Christlikeness?
• Are the fruits of the Spirit becoming more evident in our lives?
• Are we learning to let go of fear, control, and comfort so God can shape us?

When surrender becomes the lens, money stops being a monument to ourselves and becomes a tool for becoming more like Jesus.

Restoring Purpose in Our Work

Another key section of the devotional explores a truth we often forget: work is not a curse—it’s a calling.

From the very beginning, God designed work as something good. Not something we merely do to earn or survive, but something through which we participate in His redemptive mission.

Your desk, job site, classroom, or kitchen table isn’t just a workplace—it’s holy ground. Your work is one of the primary arenas where God shapes your character and blesses others through you.

Why Margin Matters for Faithful Stewardship

Margin is one of the most important threads running through the entire devotional.

Afton put it simply:

“Margin creates space for God to move.”

When we max out:

• our money
• our time
• our energy

We leave no room to listen, pause, or respond to God’s leading.

Margin isn’t restrictive. It’s freeing. It enables generosity, rest, trust, and wise decision-making. It’s one of the clearest marks of faithful stewardship.

The Power of Wise Counsel

Money can feel personal—sometimes even private. But Scripture is clear: we’re not meant to navigate finances alone.

Every day, callers to our program remind us how many people long for guidance, encouragement, and clarity. That’s why we devoted an entire day in the devotional to seeking wise counsel.

Afton shared:

“When we invite wise counsel into our lives, we begin to see things we might have missed.”

That’s also why