Faith & Finance

Theologian Dorothy Sayers once wrote, “Work is not primarily a thing one does to live, but the thing one lives to do.”

That challenges the way many of us think about our jobs. We often see work primarily as a way to earn a paycheck, provide for our families, or make it to retirement. But Scripture gives us a much bigger vision.

From the first pages of the Bible to the last, Scripture does not present work as a necessary evil. It is woven into what it means to bear God's image. And whether our work is paid or unpaid, public or unnoticed, Scripture invites us to offer it to God as an act of worship.

Sometimes we speak about work as though it were a consequence of the fall. But work existed before sin ever entered the world. Genesis 2:15 says, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”

Adam was given meaningful responsibility in a world God repeatedly called good. Work was part of humanity’s original purpose.

What changed after the fall was not the existence of work but our experience of it. Genesis 3 describes thorns and thistles, painful toil, and the frustration that would now accompany human labor. Work remained good, but it became difficult.

We still experience those thorns today: projects that fail, difficult coworkers, exhaustion, inefficiency, layoffs, broken systems, and days when our efforts seem to produce very little fruit.

Yet Scripture’s story does not end there. Redemption reaches every part of our lives, including how we understand and practice our work.

And the Bible’s final picture is not one of eternal inactivity. Revelation 22 says that God’s servants will serve Him and “reign forever and ever.” The world to come is marked by meaningful service under the rule of Christ.

Work was good in the beginning, and meaningful service remains part of the future God is preparing for His people.

One of Scripture’s most striking pictures of work appears in Exodus 31. When God commands Israel to build the tabernacle, He chooses a man named Bezalel for the task. God says: 

“I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship.” - Exodus 31:3

That is remarkable. The first person Scripture explicitly describes as being “filled” with the Spirit of God is not being equipped to preach a sermon or lead an army. He is being equipped to create.

Bezalel would work with gold, silver, bronze, stone, wood, and fabric. His craftsmanship mattered because God Himself had entrusted that work to him. That should expand the way we think about serving God.

Faithfulness is not limited to what happens inside a church building. A teacher grading papers, an accountant reviewing numbers, a carpenter building a home, a parent caring for children, or a volunteer serving meals can all honor God through faithful work.

God cares not only that work gets done, but also how it gets done.

Paul makes this explicit in Colossians 3:23–24: 

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…You are serving the Lord Christ.”

Notice the breadth of those words: “Whatever you do.” That means no tasks are insignificant just because they seem ordinary. The spreadsheet matters. The dishes matter. The phone call matters. The diaper change matters. The meeting matters. The quiet act of caring for an aging parent matters.

Not because every task is glamorous, but because we can offer every task to Christ. That changes our motivation.

We no longer have to work primarily for applause, recognition, promotion, or comparison. Excellence can become an act of love rather than a strategy for proving our worth.

Our value does not rise and fall with our job title. Our identity is secure in Christ. That freedom allows us to work diligently without asking our work to tell us who we are.

Income is an important fruit of work. Scripture takes our responsibility to provide for ourselves and others seriously. But a paycheck is not the only purpose of work.

Through our labor, we create, cultivate, solve problems, serve neighbors, provide goods and services, care for people, and contribute to communities. Work can also form us.

It teaches patience when progress is slow. It can cultivate humility when we need help. It requires perseverance when the task becomes difficult. It gives us opportunities to practice honesty, generosity, excellence, and love for our neighbors.

In that sense, work is not merely something we produce. It is also one of the places where God shapes us. That remains true even when a paycheck is no longer involved.

Retirement may change the form of our work, but it does not end our stewardship. Work might look like mentoring younger believers, serving at church, volunteering in the community, caring for grandchildren, helping a neighbor, or supporting an aging family member.

Our jobs may change. Our responsibility to faithfully steward what God has entrusted to us does not.

So perhaps the better question is not simply, “What do you do for a living?” Ask instead, “How can I serve God and my neighbor through the work in front of me today?”

Maybe that means doing excellent work even when nobody notices. Maybe it means treating coworkers with patience and dignity. Maybe it means refusing to cut ethical corners. Maybe it means remembering that your career does not define your worth. Or perhaps it means recognizing that some of the most important work you do will never appear on a résumé.

When we offer our abilities, responsibilities, and opportunities back to the God who gave them, ordinary work takes on deeper meaning.

The spreadsheets, dishes, carpentry, caregiving, counseling, teaching, parenting, and volunteering are not wasted when you offer them faithfully to the Lord.

So don’t merely go to work. Worship through your work. Ask the Spirit to help you labor with excellence, integrity, humility, and love—not simply for others' approval, but for the pleasure of the King.

Because ultimately, what matters most is not the job you have, but the God you serve through it.

This vision of whole-life stewardship is something we explore more deeply in Our Ultimate Treasure, a 21-day devotional about what it means to faithfully steward not only our money, but everything God entrusts to us.

You can order an individual copy or place a bulk order for your church or small group at FaithFi.com/Shop.

• I inherited money from my mother’s retirement plan. Should I take a lump sum and pay the taxes, or move it into an inherited IRA? And how can I confirm exactly what type of account I inherited?
• My husband is retired, we’re on a limited income, and I’ve had significant health issues. Where can I find affordable health insurance and help choosing the right plan?
• A solar company wants to build a solar farm on my 40 acres. What risks or contract issues should I watch for, and how can I learn from other landowners who have dealt with the same developer?
• I use QCDs from my IRA for charitable giving. If I don’t have access to my IRA checkbook, is there a way to make a qualified charitable gift online or by debit card?

• Become a FaithFi Partner
• Sound Mind Investing (Just the Basics)
• Charles Schwab | Fidelity 
• Healthcare.gov | HealthSherpa | eHealth Insurance | HealthMarkets
• Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine
• FaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? 
• Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West
• Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money
• Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety
• Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool
• Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)
• FaithFi App

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Artificial intelligence can help you build a budget, explain an investment, or compare financial options in seconds. But how much should you trust it with your money?

AI is quickly becoming part of everyday life, including the way we manage our finances. And like any tool, it can be used wisely or unwisely.

For Christians, the better question isn’t simply, “Should I use AI?” but, “How can I use this tool wisely and faithfully?”

When new technology arrives, we can be tempted toward one of two extremes. We either embrace it without much thought, or we become suspicious of it and want nothing to do with it.

Biblical stewardship calls us to a more thoughtful approach.

AI can already be remarkably useful when it comes to financial information. You can ask it to explain the difference between a Roth IRA and a traditional IRA, define an unfamiliar financial term, suggest categories for a spending plan, compare debt-payoff strategies, or help you prepare questions for a financial professional.

Used that way, AI can be a valuable research assistant. But there’s an important difference between having information and exercising wisdom. Proverbs 14:15 says, “The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.”

That’s a helpful principle in an age of artificial intelligence. AI can gather, organize, summarize, and analyze information remarkably quickly. But having more information doesn’t remove our responsibility to consider carefully what is true and how we should respond.

Biblical wisdom is more than knowing facts. It’s applying truth faithfully before God—and that requires spiritual discernment.

AI might help you calculate whether you can afford a larger home. But it can’t determine whether buying that home reflects wise stewardship or simply a desire for more.

It can compare investment strategies, but it can’t decide what faithfulness should look like in your particular circumstances. It can calculate how much room you have in your budget to give, but it can’t worship God through generosity.

That doesn’t make AI bad. It simply means we need to keep the tool in its proper place.

Technology can assist the steward. It cannot replace the steward. A few practical guardrails can help us maintain that distinction.

First, verify information before making significant financial decisions.

AI can sound confident even when its answer is incomplete, outdated, or simply wrong. Tax rules change. Investment products differ. Government programs and financial regulations evolve.

The more significant the decision, the more important it is to confirm what you’re seeing with reliable sources or a qualified financial professional. 

AI can help you identify the questions you need to ask. It shouldn’t necessarily be the final authority answering them.

Second, be careful about the information you share.

Avoid entering Social Security numbers, account numbers, passwords, or other sensitive financial information into an AI system unless you fully understand how it will handle and protect that information.

And remember: AI isn’t only available to consumers. Criminals can use it too.

Voice cloning, convincing fake images and videos, and highly personalized scams can make fraudulent requests increasingly difficult to recognize. If you receive an unexpected request involving money—even if it appears to come from someone you know—verify the request through another trusted channel before acting.

A phone call to a number you already know or a face-to-face conversation could prevent an expensive mistake.

Perhaps the most important guardrail is this: Don’t surrender your responsibility to think.

AI promises efficiency, and efficiency can be useful. But efficiency isn’t always the highest good. Some financial decisions require prayer, patience, conversation, wise counsel, and time. That’s especially true when money intersects with marriage, family, generosity, fear, competing priorities, or the difficult question of how much is enough.

AI may help you reach a goal more efficiently. But you still have to decide whether it’s the right goal. That’s one reason relationships still matter in financial decision-making.

A wise financial professional can understand family dynamics that don’t fit neatly into a spreadsheet. He or she can ask questions you may not have considered and walk with you through decisions over time. And a professional who understands biblical stewardship can help you think beyond simply maximizing wealth toward faithfully managing what God has entrusted to you.

If you’d like to connect with a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA®) in your area, visit FindaCKA.com.

This is something we’re thinking carefully about at FaithFi as well.

In the future, the FaithFi App will include optional AI features designed to make certain aspects of money management easier. For example, AI could help streamline routine tasks or use past spending patterns to suggest a starting point for a budget.

Those features will be optional, allowing users to decide whether they want to use them. 

Either way, the principle remains the same: The technology should serve the steward—not the other way around.

Artificial intelligence may become increasingly capable. It may help us process information faster, automate routine tasks, and understand our finances more clearly.

But it cannot replace prayer. It cannot replace Scripture. It cannot replace wise counsel. And it cannot assume the responsibility God has given us to faithfully steward what He has placed in our hands.

So use AI where it’s helpful. Verify what matters. Protect your information. Seek wisdom from trusted people. And remember that when it comes to managing money faithfully, the goal isn’t simply to make faster decisions. It’s to make wise ones.

To learn more about the FaithFi App, visit FaithFi.com/App.

• I have an irrevocable trust, and my daughter is the beneficiary of a $50,000 life insurance policy. Will she owe taxes on the proceeds, and will the trust help her avoid probate?
• I owe about $27,000 in taxes after taking lump-sum retirement withdrawals. A tax-resolution company wants $5,000 with no guarantee of results. What’s the best way to handle the debt?
• I’ve owned my home for 18 years and may sell it. What exactly is home equity, and how does it factor into the sale?
• I have VA health care, so why am I also paying for Medicare Part B through my Social Security? What does Part B cover that VA care may not?
• How can I enjoy things like vacations or home improvements while still being a wise steward? Is there a good guideline for how much to spend on non-essentials?

• Become a FaithFi Partner
• IRS.gov (Internal Revenue Service)
• National Christian Foundation (NCF)
• Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine
• FaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? 
• Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West
• Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money
• Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety
• Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool
• Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)
• FaithFi App

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if one of the clearest signs of generosity isn’t simply how much we give, but how deeply we desire to participate?

In 2 Corinthians 8, the apostle Paul describes a group of believers whose generosity was remarkable—not because they had abundant resources, but because they were eager to give even amid significant hardship.

Their example shows us what happens when grace transforms the heart.

Paul is writing to encourage the church in Corinth to participate in a collection for believers in Jerusalem who were experiencing severe need. To encourage them, he points to the churches of Macedonia.

But the Macedonians weren’t wealthy benefactors with plenty to spare. Paul writes:

“We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints.” - 2 Corinthians 8:1–4

Paul describes their circumstances in striking terms: severe affliction and extreme poverty. Yet alongside those circumstances was an “abundance of joy,” and somehow the combination overflowed into generosity.

Perhaps the most surprising detail is that they begged to give.

Paul wasn’t begging them for money. They were asking Paul for the privilege of participating.

That posture can feel unfamiliar. Even within the church, giving can easily begin to feel like another financial obligation—a bill to pay, a percentage to calculate, or a requirement to satisfy. The question becomes, “How much am I supposed to give?”

The Macedonians appear to be asking a very different question: How can we be part of this?

They knew their brothers and sisters were suffering, and they didn’t want their own difficult circumstances to prevent them from participating in their care.

Paul tells us where that desire came from. He begins the passage not by praising the impressive generosity of the Macedonians, but by saying, “We want you to know…about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia.”

Their generosity was evidence of God’s grace at work in them. Verse 5 takes us even deeper: “They gave themselves first to the Lord.”

That came before the money. Before offering their resources, they had entrusted themselves to God.

When we understand that we belong to Christ and that everything we have ultimately comes from His hand, generosity looks different. It becomes less about losing something and more about participating in what God is doing.

That doesn’t mean Scripture calls Christians to give recklessly or neglect legitimate responsibilities. Paul provides important balance later in the same chapter:

“For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.” - 2 Corinthians 8:12

Paul continues by explaining that his goal is not for some believers to be relieved while others are left burdened. Rather, he describes a kind of mutual care in which one person’s abundance can meet another person’s need.

So the point of the Macedonians’ example is not that everyone should give beyond what they can responsibly afford. The deeper lesson is about the posture of the heart.

Do I primarily see generosity as something being taken from me, or as an opportunity God may be placing before me?

When I encounter someone in need, is my first instinct to protect what is mine, or am I willing to ask whether God has entrusted me with something I can share?

The Macedonians’ circumstances were difficult, but grace had reshaped what they valued.

Ultimately, Paul doesn’t leave our attention on Macedonia. He points us to Jesus. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says:

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

That is the foundation of Christian generosity. We don’t give in order to earn God’s favor. We give because, in Christ, we have already received grace beyond measure.

And when that grace captures our hearts, generosity begins to change.

It becomes more than something we have to do. It becomes something we’re grateful to get to do.

• I have about $36,000 in student loan debt at 9%, and after decades of repayment I feel like I’m barely making progress. Would paying every two weeks help, and should I consider using home equity to pay it off?
• I have a whole life policy with a term rider I didn’t realize was included. Should I remove the rider, keep it until it expires, or redirect that money into the whole life policy instead?
• I’m selling my home for less than I originally paid, but the buyer wants the contract price listed higher to cover closing costs. How would that affect my taxes, and could any gain impact my Social Security?
• My husband and I own our home, and I want my daughter to inherit it without unnecessary difficulty. What’s the best way to structure that?

• Become a FaithFi Partner
• Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine
• FaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? 
• Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West
• Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money
• Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety
• Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool
• Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)
• FaithFi App

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What will you leave to the next generation—and will they be prepared to steward it well?

A faithful wealth transfer involves more than deciding who gets what. It means thinking carefully about the people who will receive those resources and whether they have the wisdom, maturity, and spiritual foundation to handle them faithfully.

Dr. Kelly Rush, Professor of Finance, Financial Planning Program Coordinator, and Chair of Business and Technology at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, points to David and Solomon as a compelling biblical example. Rush, who also serves on the board of Kingdom Advisors, says David did more than accumulate resources for his son. He prepared Solomon for both great wealth and great responsibility.

David knew Solomon would eventually build the temple in Jerusalem. So before transferring tremendous resources, David helped prepare his son for the work ahead.

His example offers families four important principles for thinking about wealth transfer today.

The first principle is unity: husbands and wives should agree on their plans for transferring wealth.

We see this in 1 Kings 1. As David neared the end of his life, his son Adonijah attempted to establish himself as king. Bathsheba approached David and reminded him of the commitment concerning Solomon. David acted, and Solomon was publicly established as his successor.

For families today, the circumstances are obviously very different, but the underlying principle remains valuable. Parents should work toward a shared vision for what they hope their wealth will accomplish and how it will eventually be distributed.

That unity can clarify the plan for the entire family. Children and other heirs are less likely to receive conflicting messages when parents have already worked through difficult questions together.

Before asking, “How much should we leave?” couples may need to begin with a more fundamental question: “Are we united about what we hope this wealth will accomplish?”

Assets will eventually change hands. The larger question is whether wisdom will accompany them.

David understood that Solomon needed more than resources. He needed spiritual and practical preparation.

David prayed that God would give Solomon wisdom and understanding, and he personally instructed his son to know the Lord and serve Him wholeheartedly. He also gave Solomon detailed plans for the temple and prepared him for the responsibilities he would inherit.

In other words, David did not simply leave Solomon a fortune and expect him to figure things out.

Parents today have a similar opportunity. Children and grandchildren can be taught biblical principles of stewardship alongside practical financial skills such as budgeting, saving, giving, investing, and making wise decisions.

The goal is not merely to prepare assets for heirs. It is to prepare heirs for assets.

That preparation may begin long before an inheritance is in view. Younger children can learn to manage small amounts of money and decide how to give. Teenagers can take on greater financial responsibilities. Adult children can increasingly participate in conversations about family resources, generosity, and long-term plans.

Wealth without wisdom can create significant challenges. But when wisdom comes first, financial resources can become another tool the next generation is prepared to steward faithfully.

David recognized something important about Solomon: he was “young and inexperienced” (1 Chronicles 22:5).

So David prepared him gradually. He imparted wisdom. He supplied practical plans and instructions. Eventually, Solomon received the resources he needed.

Families today can also think carefully about both the timing and amount of wealth they transfer.

No universal age marks when someone suddenly becomes ready for significant financial responsibility. Parents should consider an heir’s spiritual, emotional, and financial maturity rather than relying on age alone.

Where gaps exist, they can become opportunities for further preparation.

That may mean gradually increasing responsibility over time. In some situations, families may use joint accounts while younger heirs learn to manage money. For larger inheritances, trusts or trustee oversight may provide both protection and an opportunity for continued growth in stewardship.

Communication is also essential. Heirs should not necessarily be surprised by a family’s wealth-transfer plan after a parent dies. Appropriate conversations ahead of time can allow children to understand their parents’ intentions, ask questions, seek wisdom, and prepare for future responsibility.

And those plans do not have to remain static. As children mature and circumstances change, parents can revisit their plans accordingly.

David accumulated extraordinary resources for the temple, drawing from both Israel’s treasury and his personal wealth.

Yet David would never build it himself. God had given that responsibility to Solomon.

David could have looked at that limitation and decided the project was no longer his concern. Instead, he prepared extensively for something another generation would complete.

That offers an important perspective on stewardship. We cannot take our possessions with us when we die, but we can thoughtfully use them while we are here in ways that bless others and support work that continues beyond our lifetime.

For families, that may include making generosity part of family life now rather than waiting until an estate is distributed.

Parents might invite children into giving decisions, support ministries together, or develop a family mission statement that expresses the values they hope will continue into future generations. Some families may also incorporate charitable gifts or trusts into their estate plans.

The specific tools will vary. The deeper goal is to cultivate a family culture in which wealth is understood as something God entrusted, not merely something to consume or accumulate.

Rush has seen this principle at work in her own family. She and her husband have used financial resources to take their children on family mission trips, giving them opportunities to serve together and learn to share the gospel.

Those experiences illustrate an important possibility: financial capital can sometimes develop something far more important—spiritual maturity, relationships, wisdom, and a vision for serving others.

For parents, that raises a worthwhile question: How might the resources God has entrusted to us today help prepare the people who may steward them tomorrow?

The answer will look different for every family. But the biblical pattern reminds us that wealth transfer is not simply an estate-planning event at the end of life. It is an ongoing process of teaching, communicating, preparing, and modeling faithful stewardship.

David prepared resources for Solomon, but he also prepared Solomon for the resources. That may be one of the greatest gifts we can give the next generation.

• My bank is being acquired, and the new bank has limited in-network ATM access when I travel. I’m considering switching to an online bank with a larger nationwide ATM network. What should I look for?
• I’m 40 and have three old 401(k)s from previous employers. Some advisors suggest consolidating them into one account with expected returns around 8% to 10%, while another is proposing a hedge fund targeting 15% to 17%. How should I evaluate these options?
• My daughter is in her 50s and currently incarcerated. When she comes home, she’ll have no income, no car, and significant credit card debt, though she owns her home outright. Should she consider bankruptcy, and what's the best way to address her debts?

• Become a FaithFi Partner
• NerdWallet | Bankrate
• AdelFi Christian Banking
• Ally | Charles Schwab Bank | SoFi | Alliant Credit Union | Axos
• Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine
• FaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? 
• Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West
• Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money
• Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety
• Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool
• Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)
• FaithFi App

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Christians often think about stewardship in terms of giving, saving, and spending. But if God owns everything He has entrusted to us, stewardship also raises another question: What about the companies we own through our investments?

Harry Pearson, Founder and CEO of OneAscent, says that question became increasingly important in his own journey of faith and finance. OneAscent is a family of companies that equips advisors and investors with faith-aligned solutions for planning, investing, and giving.

For Pearson, connecting biblical convictions with investing began with a broader realization: Faith should shape every part of our financial lives.

Pearson grew up in a home where generosity was modeled well. His parents taught him to tithe from an early age. For every dollar he earned, he put a dime in the offering plate.

What he had not learned, however, was how to connect his faith with the rest of his financial life.

That began to change about 18 years ago when he attended his first Kingdom Advisors Conference. Pearson remembers arriving somewhat resistant, but the experience challenged him to consider what it would look like to align his work with the faith God had already planted in his heart.

Colossians 3:23 became an important lens: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”

That principle extends beyond our occupations. If everything belongs to God, then our time, abilities, and financial resources are all things we manage on His behalf.

The question becomes not simply, “What do I want to do with what I have?” but, “How can I faithfully steward what God has entrusted to me?”

That perspective also changes the way we think about leaving a legacy.

Families often devote significant attention to the valuables they hope to leave the next generation—homes, savings, investments, and other assets. Pearson believes Christians should give just as much attention to the values they are passing along.

Rather than focusing only on leaving a legacy, he encourages families to think about living one.

Children often learn stewardship less from formal lessons than from what they regularly observe. They see how their parents talk about money, respond to financial pressure, practice generosity, and decide what matters most.

That gives parents an opportunity to invite their children into the stewardship process.

Let them see generosity practiced. Allow them to participate in serving others. Talk with them about why your family chooses to support particular ministries or causes. Those conversations can help the next generation understand not merely what the family owns, but why it uses money the way it does.

After all, preparing the next steward is about more than transferring assets. It is about cultivating wisdom and faithfulness in the person who may one day receive them.

The same stewardship framework applies to investing.

Many investors purchase mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, or other investments without knowing much about the individual companies they indirectly own. Pearson believes that is worth examining.

If God is the ultimate owner of our resources, Christians can thoughtfully consider whether the businesses in their portfolios align with their biblical convictions.

That begins with a simple question: Do you know what you own?

For some investors, looking beneath the surface of a portfolio may reveal companies or business activities they would not knowingly choose to support. That realization has helped drive the growth of faith-based and values-aligned investing.

At OneAscent, Pearson says the investment process includes three broad steps: eliminating companies whose activities conflict with certain biblical convictions, carefully evaluating the remaining investment opportunities, and seeking businesses that are making a positive contribution through the products and services they provide.

The goal is not merely to avoid certain companies. It is to think more intentionally about what ownership means and how investment capital is being used.

One concern surrounding faith-based investing has historically been whether applying values to a portfolio necessarily requires sacrificing investment performance.

Pearson says the field has developed considerably over the past decade. There are now longer track records, more investment options, and increasingly sophisticated approaches to portfolio construction.

But he has also come to appreciate that values-aligned investing is not only about selecting investments. It can also influence investor behavior.

When investors consider their principles before markets become volatile, they may be better prepared to stay disciplined when uncertainty arrives. Rather than making emotional decisions in the moment, they can return to an investment philosophy they have already thoughtfully established.

For Christians, that provides another opportunity to move from simply knowing what they believe to putting those beliefs into practice.

Faithful stewardship touches far more than the offering plate. It shapes how we earn, spend, save, give, plan, and prepare the next generation. And for Christians who own investments, it can also shape the way they think about the businesses represented in their portfolios.

That does not mean every Christian will make identical investment decisions. But it does mean we can approach investing prayerfully and thoughtfully, remembering that the resources under our care ultimately belong to God.

OneAscent helps advisors and investors explore how their financial lives and investments align with their biblical values, including through a portfolio analysis.

To learn more, visit OneAscent.com/FaithFi.

• I’ll turn 65 in January and am considering disability because my school job is becoming harder to manage. Should I use my employer’s short-term disability benefit, apply for Social Security Disability, or both? And when should I start the process?
• My credit scores are consistently above 800, but a bank recently showed a score of 780 when evaluating me for a HELOC. Why can the scores lenders use differ so much from the scores consumers see?
• My husband recently passed away, and I received about $50,000 in life insurance proceeds. I’d like to keep roughly half as an emergency fund and invest the other $25,000. I’m 59, working full-time, have only a car payment and a 3.87% mortgage, and may also receive VA survivor benefits. How should I think about using and investing this money?

• Become a FaithFi Partner
• OneAscent
• Wise Women Managing Money: Expert Advice on Debt, Wealth, Budgeting, and More by Miriam Neff and Valerie Neff Hogan, JD. 
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
• Christian Credit Counselors
• Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine
• FaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? 
• Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West
• Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money
• Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety
• Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool
• Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)
• FaithFi App

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Christians often say that God owns everything and that what we possess has simply been entrusted to our care. We apply that principle to our income, savings, investments, and giving. But we may treat another significant asset differently: the equity in our homes.

Harlan Accola, who leads the reverse mortgage team at Movement Mortgage, joined the show today to discuss why homeowners—particularly those approaching or already in retirement—should consider home equity as part of their overall stewardship plan.

For generations, many families have followed a familiar pattern: buy a home, pay off the mortgage, and eventually leave the house to their children.

That goal is certainly not wrong. But Harlan says tradition can sometimes cause us to mentally separate home equity from the rest of our financial resources.

“The home equity is wealth,” he explained.

That does not mean every homeowner should borrow against a home's value. Rather, it means home equity deserves to be considered alongside retirement accounts, savings, investments, and other assets when evaluating the resources God has entrusted to us.

That consideration has become increasingly important as home values have risen.

Harlan pointed to research from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies showing that many older Americans have accumulated substantial equity in their homes. In some cases, homeowners may have more wealth tied up in their houses than they have available in retirement accounts and other liquid assets.

That can create an unusual situation: someone may appear financially secure on paper while struggling to generate enough monthly cash flow for ordinary expenses.

Another common assumption is that parents should leave the family home to their children free and clear.

Again, that can be a worthy goal. But Harlan encourages families to consider it within the broader purpose of stewardship.

Scripture places tremendous emphasis on the spiritual legacy we leave behind—our faithfulness, wisdom, example, teaching, and love for God and others. Financial resources may certainly be part of an inheritance, but they are not the only inheritance that matters.

That raises several important questions:

• Could some of the wealth stored in a home help meet legitimate retirement needs? 
• Could it help provide for a surviving spouse? 
• Could it reduce unnecessary financial pressure? 
• Could it create opportunities for generosity while someone is still alive?

Those questions do not automatically lead to the same answer for every family. The point is to prayerfully evaluate the home as part of the entire financial picture rather than assuming it must remain untouched simply because that has traditionally been the plan.

In many families, adult children may also care far more about their parents having financial stability and appropriate care later in life than about preserving every dollar of home equity for an eventual inheritance.

Owning substantial home equity does not necessarily mean retirement expenses are easy to manage. Harlan says he regularly encounters older homeowners with significant equity who nevertheless struggle to cover monthly expenses or unexpected repairs.

He also noted that many older homeowners still carry mortgages well into retirement. When housing costs consume a large portion of a household’s income, even someone with considerable home equity can experience financial strain.

That distinction matters. A home may represent considerable net worth, but equity alone does not pay the electric bill, replace an air-conditioning system, cover healthcare expenses, or buy groceries.

That is why you shouldn't evaluate home equity in isolation from the rest of a retirement plan.

Considering home equity does not mean immediately pursuing a reverse mortgage or any other particular strategy.

In fact, Harlan recommends beginning somewhere else entirely. “Start with the big picture,” he said.

Consider everything God has entrusted to you—your income, retirement savings, investments, home, other assets, obligations, needs, family circumstances, and goals.

Then ask what those resources are meant to accomplish. A wise stewardship plan starts with the goals, not the financial product.

For some homeowners, the best decision may be to leave their home equity untouched. For others, accessing some portion of it may become one tool among many to support retirement needs, care for a spouse, reduce financial pressure, or accomplish other important goals.

Whatever the decision, the larger principle remains the same: our homes are not outside the boundaries of stewardship.

They, too, are resources entrusted to us by God. The question is not simply, “How much equity do I have?” A better question may be, “How can I faithfully steward everything God has placed in my hands?”

To learn more about the home-financing options available through Movement Mortgage, including reverse mortgages, visit FaithFi.com/Movement.

• My sister passed away four years ago and left most of her assets to her daughter through transfer-on-death designations, but one bank account was left out. The balance is under $10,000, and the bank says it must go through probate. Is that correct, and how can we stop the account from losing money to inactivity fees?
• I’m 55, married, and we earn about $120,000 a year. After expenses, we have about $500 left each month, around $20,000 in a 401(k), and we’re building a three-month emergency fund. What should we do with the extra $500?
• I’m working two jobs and earning about $20,000 to $25,000 a year while saving for a home. What mortgage rate should I be looking for, and how do I know whether a loan offer is affordable?
• I have a 5.25% mortgage, two higher-interest car loans, and a medical bill that will soon start charging high interest. I’ve been offered a consolidation refinance at about 6.25% that would combine everything into one payment. Would that be wise, or should I keep the debts separate?

• Become a FaithFi Partner
• Movement Mortgage
• Master Your Money: A Step-by-Step Plan for Experiencing Financial Contentment by Ron Blue with Michael Blue
• Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine
• FaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? 
• Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West
• Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money
• Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety
• Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool
• Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)
• FaithFi App

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Women are gaining more financial influence than ever before. But for Christian women, the bigger question isn’t simply how much wealth they will control. It’s what they will do with what God has placed in their hands.

Pam Pugh, Co-Founder of Women Doing Well and President of VirtuAssets Foundation, has spent years helping individuals and families think about how to use their assets virtuously. She believes women are entering a significant season of financial stewardship—one shaped by greater earning power, longer life expectancies, entrepreneurship, and an enormous transfer of wealth.

Those changes create opportunities, but they also call for preparation. For Christian women especially, growing economic influence offers an opportunity to prayerfully consider how their resources can serve God’s purposes and the good of others.

Pugh points to four significant shifts taking place in the financial landscape.

The first is education and earning power. Women now represent 62% of college graduates and earn more than half of all doctorate degrees. Four in 10 physicians and attorneys are women, and among women ages 25 to 54, 78% work outside the home. Women also make the vast majority of consumer purchasing decisions, giving them significant influence not only through what they earn but also through how they spend.

The second shift is longevity. Because women generally live longer than men, many will eventually become the primary decision-maker for their household wealth. Pugh notes that women live an average of 5.8 years longer than men and that an estimated 90% of women will manage their wealth independently at some point. She also points to estimates that women will inherit $124 trillion through 2048, including $54 trillion transferred to spouses, many of them widowed baby boomers.

A third change is the growth of women-owned businesses. Pugh says one in 11 working-age women is an entrepreneur, while women own 39% of closely held businesses in the United States. Those businesses employ 12.9 million people and generate $3.3 trillion in revenue. For many women, entrepreneurship is not simply about earning more. It can also provide flexibility and greater control over how work fits into the rest of life.

Finally, Pugh sees a shift in how women think about wealth itself.

Financial wealth matters, but Pugh says many women view wealth more holistically. They think not only about money but also about physical, spiritual, social, and intellectual well-being.

That perspective changes money's purpose. Financial resources become a tool rather than an end in themselves—something that can provide freedom and help accomplish meaningful purposes. Pugh also points to research suggesting women tend to be patient, studious, holistic, and methodical investors, with many prioritizing aligning their investments with their values.

For Christians, that raises a deeper question: If God has entrusted us with greater resources and influence, how do we prepare to steward them faithfully?

Pugh offers a simple framework.

Imagine you were preparing for a month-long trip overseas. You wouldn’t simply show up at the airport and hope everything worked out. You would think about where you were going, what you would need, what you already had, and who could help you prepare.

Financial stewardship deserves similar intentionality. Pugh encourages women to begin by prayerfully envisioning where they may be headed. One helpful exercise is to imagine your life five years from now and ask:

If I were confident that God was with me, what would I explore?

Then write it down. Consider not only what your financial life looks like, but the kind of life you hope to be living. What values are evident? What relationships matter most? What kind of work are you doing? What does generosity look like?

The point isn’t to predict the future. It’s to become intentional about where you are headed and why.

Once you’ve thought about where you may be headed, ask another question: What’s already in your hand?

Pugh draws that language from Exodus 4:2. Moses was reluctant when God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. After Moses repeatedly expressed his fears and inadequacies, God asked him, “What is that in your hand?”

It was a shepherd’s staff—something ordinary that Moses may never have imagined could play a role in what God was calling him to do.

The same question can help us recognize what God has already entrusted to us.

Your “inventory” includes more than the balance in your bank or retirement account. It may include relationships, financial resources, knowledge, experience, skills, opportunities, and even lessons learned through hardship.

Rather than beginning with what you lack, begin by identifying what you already have.

A dream becomes far more actionable when you share it and support it with a plan.

Pugh encourages women to talk about their goals with trusted friends, peers, family members, and, when appropriate, a financial professional who understands their values.

A like-minded advisor can help turn broad hopes into concrete financial strategies. That might involve evaluating whether current resources will support future needs, clarifying investment objectives, or determining how saving, spending, and giving decisions can work together to support long-term goals.

That guidance can be particularly valuable when uncertainty becomes paralyzing. Questions such as Will I have enough? or Can I accomplish what I believe God is putting before me? can be difficult to answer alone.

A thoughtful financial plan cannot eliminate uncertainty, but it can help you understand where you stand and make informed decisions about the road ahead.

Women’s economic influence is changing dramatically through education, employment, entrepreneurship, longevity, and generational wealth transfers. But influence itself is not the destination.

Stewardship asks a different question: What will you do with what God has entrusted to you?

Pugh encourages women to recognize the opportunity before them, prayerfully consider what God has already placed in their hands, and prepare intentionally to use those resources for His glory and the good of others.

You may not know every step that lies ahead. But you can begin by dreaming prayerfully, taking inventory, seeking wise counsel, and moving forward faithfully with what you already have in your hands.

• I owe about $78,000 on a Discover card, and they’ve offered to settle the debt for roughly $58,000. How would accepting the settlement affect my credit?
• I’m 58, own my home and car outright, and need to set up a will and possibly a trust. Where should I start if I want an estate plan that reflects my Christian values?
• I’m 24, living at home, and almost finished paying off my student loans. How should I start budgeting, investing, and preparing for rent or a future home purchase? And at my age, how should I think about renting versus buying?

• Become a FaithFi Partner
• Women Doing Well
• VirtuAssets Foundation
• Open Hands Finance
• Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine
• FaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? 
• Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West
• Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money
• Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety
• Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool
• Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)
• FaithFi App

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

God’s Word says that a husband and wife become “one flesh.” But it doesn’t say anything directly about prenuptial agreements.

So does that mean Christians should never have one?

A prenuptial agreement, or prenup, is a legal contract a couple enters into before marriage. It typically establishes how assets, property, and other financial matters would be handled if the marriage ended in divorce.

For some couples, that may seem like practical planning. But Christians should consider more than whether a prenup makes financial sense. We should also ask what it communicates about marriage and whether it supports—or undermines—the unity God intends.

Genesis 2:24 establishes the biblical foundation for marriage: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

Marriage is not merely a legal partnership between two individuals who continue living otherwise separate lives. God joins a husband and wife together in a unique covenant relationship. Paul takes that picture even further in Ephesians 5:31–32:

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.”

Christian marriage is meant to reflect Christ’s covenant love for His people—a relationship characterized by love, sacrifice, grace, faithfulness, and mutual care.

That pursuit of oneness should shape the way a couple thinks about every part of life, including money.

Dr. Art Rainer, Founder of Christian Money Solutions and the Institute for Christian Financial Health, has identified several important concerns Christians should consider when thinking through a prenuptial agreement.

1. It may communicate distrust. If one person feels the need to protect certain possessions from the other before the marriage has even begun, the other spouse may reasonably wonder whether they are truly being trusted.
    
2. A prenup may communicate uncertainty about the marriage itself. Because these agreements typically establish what happens in the event of divorce, they can feel like planning for the marriage to fail before the covenant has even begun.
    
3. It may be harder to pursue the financial unity marriage requires. A couple can begin thinking primarily in terms of “mine” and “yours” when marriage should increasingly move them toward “ours.”

Those concerns should not be dismissed. A legal agreement intended to provide financial protection can unintentionally introduce fear, suspicion, or division into a relationship.

However, that does not necessarily mean every prenuptial agreement represents a lack of biblical commitment.

Consider a couple entering a second marriage when one or both spouses already have children.

Perhaps each person has accumulated assets that they hope eventually to leave to their children. In that situation, a carefully constructed agreement may help clarify expectations and reassure family members that the marriage is not motivated by financial gain.

Rather than creating division, the process could potentially encourage greater transparency by forcing the couple to discuss difficult questions before marriage.

The important issue is not simply whether a legal document exists, but why it exists and what posture of heart stands behind it.

Is the agreement primarily about self-protection? Is fear driving the decision? Does one person want to maintain control over “their” money?

Or is the couple prayerfully trying to navigate genuine responsibilities involving children, previous marriages, family businesses, or complicated estate-planning concerns?

Those situations require wisdom, not a one-size-fits-all answer.

If a couple is considering a prenup, the process should involve far more than conversations with attorneys.

It should include honest discussions about money, trust, expectations, generosity, inheritance, and what financial oneness will actually look like in the marriage. Couples should pray together and seek wisdom from mature believers and qualified legal and financial professionals who understand their circumstances.

Most importantly, any agreement should serve the marriage, not undermine it.

Marriage is ultimately a covenant, not merely a contract. A legal document can clarify financial arrangements, but it cannot create the trust, sacrifice, forgiveness, and faithfulness a healthy marriage requires.

Whether or not a prenup is appropriate in a particular situation, husband and wife should continually pursue the oneness God designed for marriage—honoring Christ and one another with everything He has entrusted to them.

• When I use a rewards credit card, especially one offering 5% cash back, is the merchant paying higher processing fees to fund those rewards? I’m asking because I don’t want my rewards to come at a small business owner’s expense.
• My wife and I have had a Genworth long-term care policy since 1999. Our annual premium has risen from about $1,500–$2,000 to $11,000, but we’re concerned that reducing coverage could eliminate valuable protections, including a provision that waives the survivor’s premiums if one of us dies. At ages 83 and 81, is it still worth keeping the policy?
• I recently bought about $140 worth of individual stocks through Cash App and would like to learn more before investing further. What resources or advisors would you recommend for understanding stock investing?
• I’m 70 and recently retired. I owe about $11,000 on my home and $11,000–$12,000 on my car, and I have about $50,000 in a gold IRA and $120,000 in retirement accounts. I plan to live mainly on Social Security and continue giving regularly. Should I pay off the remaining debt, roll over my old 403(b), or make any other changes to my retirement plan?

• Become a FaithFi Partner
• The Sound Mind Investing Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Your Money From a Biblical Perspective by Austin Pryor with Mark Biller
• Betterment
• Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine
• FaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? 
• Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West
• Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money
• Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety
• Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool
• Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)
• FaithFi App

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Some of the earliest financial supporters of Jesus’ ministry were women.

Luke 8:1–3 introduces us to Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and “many others” who traveled with Jesus and the Twelve. Luke adds a remarkable detail: these women were supporting Jesus’ ministry “out of their means.”

Sharon Epps, President of Kingdom Advisors and one of the founders of Women Doing Well, points to their story as a powerful picture of generosity. These women didn’t simply contribute resources to a cause. They had encountered Jesus personally, received His grace, and responded by using what they had to serve Him and others.

Their example reminds us that Christian generosity begins not with what we give to God, but with what we have already received from Him.

Luke tells us that these women had experienced Jesus’ healing and restoration. Mary Magdalene had been delivered from seven demons, while others had been healed of diseases and afflictions. Then, having received from Jesus, they gave.

“God always pours into us first,” Epps explains. “Our breath, our skills, our life, and our resources are all gifts from Him.”

That changes the starting point for generosity. We don’t give to earn God’s favor or repay Him for His grace. We give because His grace has already been freely given to us.

Everything we possess—our money, abilities, opportunities, relationships, and time—ultimately comes from God. When we begin there, generosity becomes less about meeting an obligation and more about faithfully responding to what we have received.

An old Latin phrase, incurvatus in se, means “curved in on oneself.” It describes the human tendency to turn inward and make life primarily about ourselves. That temptation can become especially strong when life feels exhausting.

Epps uses the playful word “exhausterwhelmulated”—exhausted, overwhelmed, and overstimulated—to describe how many people feel today. When we’re depleted, our instinct can be to turn inward and focus almost exclusively on our own needs.

But remembering God’s care gives us another way forward.

“When we can breathe in God’s care, we can resist the self-focus and actually flow outward,” Epps says. “Let His generosity flow through us, even when life feels heavy.”

Generosity invites us to notice the people God has placed around us. It turns our attention outward—not because our own needs don’t matter, but because God’s provision frees us to see beyond ourselves.

The women of Luke 8 also remind us that faithful stewardship extends beyond financial giving.

Today, women can use their resources, work, relationships, businesses, investments, experience, and influence for others' good. That might mean supporting a local ministry, operating a business with integrity, investing in ways that promote human flourishing, mentoring someone who needs guidance, or simply responding to a need close to home.

“We can use our positions and relationships as part of God’s work of restoration,” Epps says.

God entrusts each of us with different resources and opportunities. Faithful stewardship asks how we might use those gifts in love of God and neighbor.

For someone who wants to become more generous but already feels stretched, the answer doesn’t have to be a dramatic financial commitment. Epps encourages women to begin by remembering who they are.

“You are a daughter of the King,” she says. “Pause long enough to breathe in His love and acknowledge that He’s our ultimate provider. Then look for just one small, concrete way you can share.”

Perhaps it’s meeting a need you notice today. Maybe it’s offering your time, sharing your expertise, encouraging someone, or giving financially where you’re able.

The women of Luke 8 show us that generosity begins with receiving. They encountered the grace of Christ and responded by faithfully using what had been entrusted to them. Their names appear in only a few verses, but their generosity helped support a ministry that would change the world. And their example still invites us to ask: 

What has God graciously entrusted to me, and how might I use it today for the good of others?

To read more content on women and faithful stewardship, explore the special edition of Faithful Steward Magazine by becoming a FaithFi partner at FaithFi.com/Give.

• I own several renovated rental properties that I bought very cheaply and hoped to leave to my family. Should I place them in a trust so they pass to my wife and children, or sell them now and move the money into more passive investments?
• I retired this year and didn’t withhold enough for taxes. How does the IRS handle underpayment, and should I expect penalties?
• I’m 68 and setting aside money in an IRA for my granddaughter’s future. What’s the best way to make sure that money keeps growing and ultimately goes to her? Should it be in her name, or can I keep it in my IRA and name family members to manage it later?

• Become a FaithFi Partner
• Faithful Steward Special Edition: Women & Wealth (Issue 7)
• SavingForCollege.com 
• Women Doing Well
• Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine
• FaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? 
• Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West
• Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money
• Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety
• Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool
• Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)
• FaithFi App

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sometimes the simplest gifts can carry the deepest meaning.

For one mother in Mexico named Alma, watching her children receive new shoes brought tears to her eyes. She had grown up without something so basic, but now her children were having a different experience.

Her story is one of many that Shawn Spurrier, Director of Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls, a ministry of Buckner International serving vulnerable children and families in the United States and around the world, has witnessed. Shawn joined the show today to explain why something as ordinary as a new pair of shoes can have an impact far beyond what we might imagine.

For millions of children worldwide, shoes can protect against injury and disease, remove barriers to attending school, and provide dignity and confidence. And sometimes, they can become the beginning of a relationship that allows a family to experience the love and hope of Christ.

For many of us, choosing shoes is an everyday decision. We think about comfort, style, or what we have planned for the day.

But for millions of children worldwide, shoes are a basic need.

“For you and me, a pair of shoes was a choice that we made this morning,” Shawn says. “But for tens of millions of children around the world, a pair of shoes is a primary need for attending school.”

Shoes can also help protect children from injury and disease. Beyond those practical benefits, receiving a new pair can restore a sense of dignity and confidence and remind a child that he or she is seen, loved, and not forgotten.

That’s why FaithFi is partnering with Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls this month to provide new shoes for 1,000 children worldwide.

But the impact doesn’t stop with the child.

Parents naturally want to provide for their children. Yet families facing poverty may have to make difficult decisions between necessities such as food, clothing, and shoes.

Providing shoes can help carry one of those burdens.

Shawn says the gratitude on a parent’s face can be just as meaningful as the excitement of the child receiving the shoes. But Buckner’s goal is not simply to distribute shoes and leave.

Through its Family Hope Centers and partnerships with churches, ministries, and other organizations in local communities, Buckner seeks to build relationships with families and connect them with additional support, including after-school programs, economic empowerment, family coaching, and spiritual discipleship.

“This is not just dropping a pair of shoes off and leaving,” Shawn says. “This is really oftentimes the beginning of a relationship, or continuing or furthering a relationship.”

That relational approach also creates opportunities to share the hope of the gospel. Shoes distributed through Buckner include handwritten notes expressing the love of Christ, and volunteers have opportunities to spend time with children and families, wash their feet, and share the gospel with them.

Shawn describes this kind of ministry as the “theology of the ordinary”—the recognition that God often works through ordinary people, ordinary places, and ordinary means.

A pair of shoes might not seem remarkable. But placed on the feet of a child who needs them, that simple gift can help protect their health, make it possible to attend school, encourage a struggling family, and open the door to an ongoing relationship.

“One of the things that animates my faith the most is that theology of the ordinary—that God uses ordinary people and ordinary places and ordinary means to love and serve His world,” Shawn says.

That’s a helpful reminder for all of us as stewards. Faithfulness doesn’t always require doing something dramatic. Sometimes we simply use what God has entrusted to us to meet a need right in front of us.

And Alma’s story shows how meaningful something so ordinary can become.

When Alma watched her children receive their shoes, she thought about her own childhood. She hadn’t had the same opportunity. Now, watching her children receive something she once went without filled her with gratitude.

“The only thing that I can do is to thank God,” she said. “I didn’t have that, but they do, and I thank God.” 

For Shawn, moments like that reveal something deeper about the work.

“As parents, we want to see our kids experience things that are better than what we’ve gotten to,” he says.

Shoes alone cannot solve every challenge facing a vulnerable family. But they can meet a real need today while helping connect families with people and ministries committed to walking alongside them for the future.

And behind every pair is a particular child with a particular story.

FaithFi and Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls are working to provide shoes for 1,000 children by the end of September.

Every $15 provides a child with a new pair of shoes and socks and helps cover the cost of getting those shoes to the ministry program serving them. A gift of $150 can provide shoes for 10 children.

“Every pair represents the life of a child who’s going to be impacted,” Shawn says.

One pair may help protect a child’s health. Another may remove a barrier to education. Another may encourage a mother or father struggling to provide. And each can create an opportunity to tangibly express the love of Christ.

A pair of shoes may seem ordinary. But ordinary acts of generosity, offered faithfully, can carry extraordinary meaning.

To help provide shoes for a child, visit GiveShoesToday.org.

• I bought my home last year for about $200,000 and currently owe roughly $167,000. How much equity would I need before I could qualify for a reverse mortgage?
• I’m a single mom of three with limited income. What are the best steps I can take to improve my credit score?

• Become a FaithFi Partner
• Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls
• Movement Mortgage
• Christian Credit Counselors
• AnnualCreditReport.com 
• Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine
• FaithFi Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough? 
• Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West
• Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money
• Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety
• Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool
• Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA)
• FaithFi App

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.