Homes hold memories. They hold family history, meaning, and for many, a lifetime of love. But as we age, the very places that once felt secure can quietly become harder—and riskier—to live in.

Most homes in the U.S. were never designed for aging bodies. Yet many older adults feel emotionally and financially locked in. The result? Families delay important housing decisions until a crisis forces change.

Today, we were joined by Harlan Accola, who leads the reverse mortgage team at Movement Mortgage, about a lesser-known option that may help older adults move into safer homes—without taking on new required monthly payments.

Falls are far more common—and costly—than most people realize.

Roughly 30 million older Americans fall each year. About one in five of those falls results in serious injury, often leading to hospitalization. The direct medical costs alone total nearly $50 billion annually. But the emotional and lifestyle costs for families can be even greater.

What’s sobering is where these falls happen. Not in extreme situations—but in ordinary places:

These everyday features become obstacles as mobility changes.

Most homes were built decades ago for young families in different stages of life. Only a small percentage include basic accessibility features such as:

As a result, stairs, tubs, and tight spaces often push older adults toward assisted living or nursing homes—not because they want to move, but because their homes no longer support their safety.

Even when homeowners recognize their house isn’t ideal anymore, they often hesitate to move.

There are two major reasons:

1. Emotional Attachment

This is the home where children were raised, and milestones were celebrated. Letting go isn’t easy.

2. Financial Lock-In

Many retirees either:

They worry that selling means taking on a new mortgage payment—something they might regret later in life. So they stay…often until something goes wrong.

Many people assume a reverse mortgage is only for accessing equity in their current home. But there’s another option: using a reverse mortgage at the point of purchase. Here’s how it can work:

For example:

The key distinction? No required monthly mortgage payments for as long as the homeowner lives in the home. That opens the door to:

One of the wisest principles in Scripture is found in Proverbs 27:12: “The prudent see danger and take refuge.”

Housing decisions in later life should reflect that kind of prudence. Rather than waiting for:

Families can proactively ask: How can we use the housing wealth we’ve built to improve safety and quality of life—while we’re still healthy?

When purchasing a home for the “fourth quarter” of life, it shouldn’t just be your best home—it should be your safest home.

Interestingly, two-thirds of retirees still carry a mortgage. Even when downsizing, some may still need financing. A reverse mortgage for purchase can allow retirees to:

Like any financial tool, it isn’t right for everyone. But for some families, it may provide a path forward they didn’t realize existed.

Housing is more than real estate—it’s stewardship. It’s about safety, dignity, and wise preparation for the season ahead.

If you’d like to learn more about whether a reverse mortgage for purchase could fit your situation, you can explore your options at Movement.com/Faith.

As with any major decision, seek wise counsel, pray for clarity, and take steps not just to protect your assets—but to protect your well-being.

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday 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 the Bible doesn’t just give us advice about money—but reshapes the way we think about it entirely?

The messages we absorb from culture shape our fears, our goals, and even where we look for security. But Scripture offers a different foundation—one that brings clarity, freedom, and purpose to every financial decision.

Ron Blue—co-founder of Kingdom Advisors and a pioneer in biblical financial stewardship—joined the show today to share how Scripture reframes our assumptions about money and calls us into a deeper, more faithful way of living.

One of the most powerful cultural assumptions about money is that it provides security. We spend much of our lives trying to answer the question: How much is enough?

But Scripture turns that question upside down.

True security, the Bible teaches, isn’t found in wealth, savings, or income—it’s found in God alone. Culture urges us to pursue more, feeding discontent and anxiety. Scripture calls us instead to pursue faithfulness.

Money can create the illusion of certainty. But it cannot protect us from life’s ultimate realities. It cannot buy peace. It cannot purchase eternity. Only God provides the kind of stability that lasts forever.

Many people feel that no matter how much they have, it never feels like enough. Scripture addresses that tension directly. Hebrews 13:5 calls us to “be content with what you have,” reminding us that contentment isn’t a financial outcome—it’s a spiritual posture.

Contentment grows when we trust that God knows our needs and promises to provide for them. Gratitude replaces striving. Peace replaces fear. Joy replaces comparison.

Fear often sits beneath our financial habits—the fear of not having enough or losing what we already have. But Scripture gently redirects our hearts: God is our provider, and He will supply what we need when we need it.

Another assumption Scripture overturns is the idea that what we have belongs to us. The Bible consistently teaches that God is the true owner of everything. He created it. He sustains it. And for a season, He entrusts resources to us.

That changes the central question of our financial lives. Ownership asks: What do I want? Stewardship asks: What does God want?

When we see money as something entrusted to us rather than as something we possess, it reshapes how we spend, save, give, and plan. We begin to live not as controllers, but as faithful trustees—managing God’s resources for His purposes.

Scripture also helps us understand a difficult reality: people receive different amounts of resources. God loves each of us equally, but He treats us uniquely. He knows what each person needs and what each can faithfully steward. That perspective invites trust instead of comparison.

Much like a loving parent treats each child according to their personality and needs, God provides for each of His children differently. What we have today is not random—it reflects His wisdom and care.

When Scripture reshapes our understanding of money, the goal isn’t perfection—it’s faithfulness.

The question becomes simple and practical: What is my next faithful step? Not how much more can I accumulate. Not how secure can I make myself. But how can I steward what God has entrusted to me today?

That perspective brings freedom. It replaces pressure with purpose and transforms money from a source of anxiety into a tool for worship, generosity, and trust. Because in the end, the Bible doesn’t just change what we do with money—it changes what we believe about it, and ultimately, who we trust to provide.

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday 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.

Many investors feel a real tension today. They want their portfolios to reflect biblical convictions. They care about justice, stewardship, and human dignity. Yet they’re also navigating volatility, inflation, and economic uncertainty. When markets feel unstable, the question quietly surfaces: Do I have to choose between faithfulness and financial performance?

The answer may surprise you.

Today, we sat down with Stella Tai, Stewardship Investing Impact and Analysis Manager at Praxis Investment Management, one of the country’s oldest faith-based mutual fund families and a valued underwriter of this program. Our conversation centered on whether values-aligned investing can truly pursue both impact and competitive returns—even in uncertain times.

In strong markets, impact investing can sound inspiring and straightforward. But when markets grow choppy, many investors feel drawn into survival mode.

Stella noted that this tension isn’t just financial—it’s spiritual. People of faith don’t want to pull back from caring about stewardship or community flourishing. But they also worry: Will my returns suffer if I invest with conviction?

That’s an honest question. 

Scripture reminds us in Proverbs 21:5 that “the plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance.” There’s a difference between being responsive and being reactionary. When anxiety drives decisions, fear often replaces conviction—and that’s when costly mistakes happen.

At Praxis, stewardship in uncertain markets begins with discipline. Stella described three anchors:

Hebrews 12:11 reminds us that discipline may feel painful in the moment, but it yields a peaceful fruit of righteousness. That’s true in spiritual formation—and in investing.

One common misconception is that screening companies based on faith convictions automatically sacrifices performance.

Stella explained that Praxis uses what’s called benchmark tracking. In simple terms, that means aiming to closely track the broader market while thoughtfully excluding companies that don’t align with biblical values.

The goal isn’t to “beat the market.” It’s to minimize what’s known as “tracking error”—the gap between a fund’s returns and its benchmark. In other words, you can seek market-level returns while owning companies that better reflect your convictions.

Over full market cycles—not just in a single quarter—faith-based investors should expect competitive returns. That commitment to consistency is central.

Screening is often the most familiar strategy in values-aligned investing. But real impact doesn’t stop there.

Praxis recently released its Real Impact Report, highlighting a framework that includes multiple strategies—from screening and shareholder advocacy to direct community investing.

One powerful example involved long-term engagement with a large utility company in the Southeast. Instead of divesting, Praxis used its ownership stake to advocate for:

The company published just transition metrics and began tracking progress. That’s what patient, long-term engagement looks like. Rather than stepping away, they stayed invested—believing transformation often happens through steady, faithful presence.

If you’re intrigued by impact investing but feel overwhelmed, start with clarity. Ask yourself:

Then consider working with an advisor familiar with faith-based investing options. You don’t have to master every strategy. Firms like Praxis Investment Management handle the research, engagement, and implementation.

Your role is simpler—and profound: to say, "I want my money to reflect my values."

When multiplied across many investors, even small portfolio decisions can move markets toward greater justice, dignity, and stewardship. And in uncertain times, that kind of disciplined conviction may be one of the most faithful investments you can make.

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday 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.

J.I. Packer once wrote, “What matters in life is not what you make of it, but what God makes of it for you.” That contrast becomes especially clear when it comes to money. When circumstances shift, and uncertainty rises, the quiet question surfaces: Will there be enough?

Our culture tells us peace comes through self-provision—earning more, saving more, planning better. But Scripture invites us into a different posture: resting in a Father who provides.

In Matthew 6:26, Jesus directs our attention upward: “Look at the birds of the air…your heavenly Father feeds them.” Birds don’t build financial models or stockpile reserves. Yet God sustains them.

Jesus’ point isn’t irresponsibility—it’s relationship. Behind every plan, paycheck, and effort stands a God who sees, knows, and provides.

Throughout Scripture, this truth repeats like a steady drumbeat:

From Genesis to Revelation, God’s provision is precise, purposeful, and personal.

Paul echoes this promise in Philippians 4:19: “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Notice what Paul doesn’t say. He doesn’t promise every want, preference, or wish list. He promises to meet every need. And that supply doesn’t flow from our economy, our income, or our investments—it flows from God’s riches.

Provision is not sourced in us. It’s sourced in Him.

The truth goes even deeper. Jesus doesn’t just provide—He is our provision. In John 6:35, He says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger.”

Peace, then, is not found in financial comfort or problem-free living. It’s found in the presence of Christ.

When we forget this, we drift into two familiar traps:

Both pull us away from trust.

Scripture reminds us that God provides not only resources but the ability to obtain them. Moses tells Israel, “Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18).

Our skills, opportunities, work ethic, and even our capacity to earn—all come from Him.

When that truth settles in, something shifts. Financial security stops being something we manufacture and becomes something we receive.

Trusting God as provider doesn’t lead to inactivity. It frees us to work, plan, save, and give with joy. Our efforts become acts of stewardship rather than self-provision. Money becomes a place of spiritual formation rather than fear.

That’s why Jesus teaches us to pray for “daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). Not because God lacks resources—but because our hearts need daily dependence. Daily bread cultivates daily trust.

Take a moment to ask:

Whether you’re in a season of abundance or a season of need, Jesus doesn’t just promise provision—He gives Himself. And He invites you to trust Him day by day.

When we trade fear for faith, striving for surrender, and self-reliance for dependence, we discover the deep joy of resting in a Father who sees and provides.

This is the journey explored in Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Devotional to Faithful Stewardship. It’s an invitation to trust God as Provider, Owner, and Treasure in every financial decision. You can pick up a copy—or place a bulk order for your church or small group—at FaithFi.com/Shop.

And if you’re using the FaithFi app, you’ll find excerpts woven into the first 21 daily Rhythms, helping you connect your financial decisions with your spiritual life each day.

Start today by establishing a new rhythm—seeing your money not as your security, but as an opportunity to trust the God who provides.

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday 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 the greatest change you could make in your financial life didn’t start with budgeting, investing, or earning more—but with surrender?

We don’t usually think of surrender as a financial word. Yet Scripture places it at the center of faithful stewardship. The life-changing truth that God owns everything reshapes how we live, give, and manage what we’ve been entrusted.

When we talk about finances, we tend to ask familiar questions: How much do I have? How much do I need? Am I doing well?

They’re natural questions—but they’re not the first question Scripture asks.

From the beginning, the Bible establishes that God is the owner. Before humanity ever managed a garden or named a creature, God formed, filled, and ruled creation. Psalm 24:1 declares it plainly: “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.”

Simply put, God is the owner—and we are the stewards.

For many of us, that’s a familiar idea. But familiarity doesn’t always lead to surrender. We may affirm God’s ownership in theory while living as if everything depends on our effort. We say, “I worked for this,” or “I earned this.” Yet Scripture adds an essential truth: “It is He who gives you power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18). Even our ability to work is a gift from God.

Jesus reinforces this perspective in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30). A master entrusts resources to three servants. Two invest faithfully. One buries what he’s been given out of fear.

When the master returns, he doesn’t praise them for increasing his net worth—he commends their faithfulness.

That distinction matters. The world measures success by outcomes. God measures success by trust and faithfulness. If God owns everything, then we are not owners—we are managers. Scripture uses the term oikonomos, meaning household manager: someone who manages resources they didn’t create, for purposes they didn’t define, under a master they serve. At first, that may sound restrictive. In reality, it’s freeing.

If I’m not the owner, then I’m not the ultimate provider or protector. The weight shifts from my shoulders to God’s. As Ron Blue often says, “If God owns it all, you can’t lose anything.”

Ownership carries pressure. Stewardship carries trust.

When we truly embrace stewardship, ordinary financial decisions take on spiritual meaning.

The Puritan preacher Thomas Watson once wrote, “What we keep we may lose. What we give to God is kept forever.”

Paul echoes this in 1 Timothy 6:7: “We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” That reality isn’t meant to discourage us—it’s meant to liberate us. When we stop clinging to what we cannot keep, we’re free to invest in what we can never lose.

If God owns everything, what does He ask of us? Jesus answers simply: “One who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much” (Luke 16:10).

Faithfulness isn’t about the size of what we manage—it’s about surrender. And surrender always begins in the heart. When we embrace God’s ownership, two gifts follow:

Where might God be inviting you to shift from being an owner to a steward? In your giving? Your planning? Your savings or lifestyle? Or in the quiet belief that your security depends more on markets than on the God who “owns the cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10)?

Stewardship isn’t about God getting something from you. It’s about God doing something in you. It reorders the heart so money takes its proper place—not as a master, but as a tool.

If this idea resonates with you—that God owns it all and stewardship begins with surrender—I invite you to explore it further in Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship. You can learn more or order a copy for yourself, your church, or your small group at FaithFi.com/Shop.

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday 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.

Over the coming decades, women will steward a majority of the wealth being passed from one generation to the next. For many, that responsibility will arrive suddenly—during seasons of grief, transition, or new beginnings. Yet within that shift lies a remarkable opportunity for wise and faithful stewardship.

Sharon Epps, President of Kingdom Advisors and cofounder of Women Doing Well, joins us on today’s show to share what she has learned after spending years studying this moment and walking alongside women as they step into it.

Today, research consistently shows that women are inheriting a large portion of generational wealth. One primary reason is longevity—women often outlive their spouses by several years, placing financial responsibility squarely on their shoulders.

In fact, nearly 95% of women will become the primary financial decision-maker at some point in their lives. Many step into that role unexpectedly, often while navigating grief, life transitions, or new responsibilities. The result is a profound shift happening quietly across generations—one with real implications for confidence, stewardship, and generosity.

When Women Doing Well surveyed more than 7,300 Christian women—the largest study of its kind—one insight stood out: only about 6% felt confident or equipped to manage the resources God had entrusted to them.

The issue wasn’t a lack of desire. It was a lack of clarity, confidence, and inclusion in financial conversations. Many women had the responsibility, but not the preparation. That gap can feel overwhelming, especially when decisions arrive suddenly.

One of the most encouraging discoveries from the research was this: Christian women are already remarkably generous.

They give more of their time and money than many of their peers. The desire to live generously is not something that needs to be created—it’s already present. What many women want isn’t simply to give more, but to give well. The opportunity is to help generosity grow from clarity and confidence rather than from fear or obligation.

A strong correlation emerged between biblical understanding and generosity. The more women understood stewardship—recognizing God as the Owner and themselves as managers—the more purpose-driven their giving became.

Discipleship shifts generosity from pressure to purpose. It reminds us that giving is not a test to pass, but a response to God’s grace.

One woman, whom we’ll call Clara, had always given generously. But after inheriting a significant sum of money, she felt pulled in every direction—“a dab here, a little there,” without a sense of impact.

Through a process of discernment and clarity, she began narrowing her giving while increasing her investment in areas aligned with her calling. Her response captured the transformation: “You’ve given me the freedom to say no so I can say a better yes.” Clarity didn’t reduce her generosity—it deepened it.

For many women, financial responsibility begins in the midst of grief. In those moments, wisdom matters.

One helpful principle, often shared by trusted mentors, is this: avoid making drastic financial changes during the first year after a major loss. Decisions will need to be made, but there’s rarely a need to rush.

It’s also vital to seek wise counsel. A trusted advisor who understands both financial realities and biblical stewardship can provide guidance, and bringing along a trusted friend or family member can offer needed perspective and emotional support.

Financial clarity often begins with personal clarity.

Understanding how God has uniquely wired you—your experiences, passions, and calling—can shape how you steward resources. Many women find their generosity aligned with their life story: adoption, education, justice, poverty relief, or ministry areas where God has already been at work.

Stewardship becomes more meaningful when it flows from identity and calling rather than obligation.

When women gain clarity and confidence, measurable outcomes follow. Research shows that many increase both their financial giving and the time they invest in serving others. More importantly, they report greater peace, confidence, and joy.

Generosity becomes a whole-life response—expressed through money, time, skills, and relationships.

Growing in generosity doesn’t mean saying yes to everything.

True generosity flows from identity in Christ, not guilt or pressure. When fear or obligation drives a decision, it can be a signal to pause and pray. God is at work in many lives, raising up different stewards for different purposes. Saying no in one place often allows for a more faithful yes elsewhere.

For advisors serving women in transition, relationship matters as much as expertise.

Listening before leading, offering small and practical next steps, and creating an environment that feels relational—not transactional—can make all the difference. Guidance that is clear, manageable, and compassionate helps women move forward with confidence.

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or uncertain, know this: you are not alone.

Financial wisdom grows one step at a time. God has already been at work in your life, and the resources entrusted to you have purpose. Confidence develops through learning, community, and small acts of obedience.

Stewardship is not a burden to carry alone—it can become an adventure of discovering how God wants to work through you.

Some women have even formed giving circles, combining resources and discernment to support causes together. What began as uncertainty became what they now call “the adventure of giving.”

If you’re navigating this transition or preparing for it, consider seeking guidance and community. Learn more about the work of Women Doing Well and resources for growing in clarity and confidence. You can also connect with a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) who can provide biblically grounded financial counsel.

The shift is already happening. And with it comes a profound opportunity—not just to manage wealth, but to steward it faithfully for God’s purposes.

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday 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.

For many girls in Uganda, one opportunity can alter the course of their entire future—and that opportunity often begins with education. Around the world, poverty creates barriers that shape a child’s path long before adulthood. But through the work of ministries and local partners, those stories are being rewritten with hope, dignity, and the love of Christ.

Aaron Griggs joins the show today to share how Cross International is helping young women stay in school, discover their God-given purpose, and step into a future that once felt out of reach.

Cross International exists to serve some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable children and families for the glory of God. Rather than operating independently, the ministry works through trusted local churches and organizations across Africa and other regions—partners who understand the communities, relationships, and long-term needs on the ground.

This approach allows them to provide immediate help—such as food, clean water, and education—while also fostering sustainable, long-term change. Local leaders remain present long after programs begin, ensuring care that is relational, consistent, and rooted in the Gospel.

For many families in countries like Uganda, Malawi, and Zambia, daily challenges are not simply inconvenient—they are life-altering.

When children cannot attend school, their opportunities shrink dramatically. For girls in particular, the consequences are often more severe—and more permanent.

When resources are scarce, girls are often the first to be pulled out of school. In some communities, families facing desperate financial strain may feel forced to arrange early marriages for daughters—sometimes as young as 11 or 12—simply to survive. This leads to a heartbreaking cycle:

Without intervention, the very pathway that could break the cycle—education—remains inaccessible.

One of Cross International’s key ministry partners in Uganda is the Project Princess Initiative, based in Kampala. Together, they walk alongside vulnerable girls by:

The goal is not only academic success but whole-person transformation—spiritual, emotional, practical, and relational. 

As many girls grow older, something remarkable happens: they begin mentoring others. The hope they received becomes the hope they give.

Karen, a young woman from Uganda, once faced a future filled with uncertainty. After her father abandoned the family, her education stopped. Surrounded by poverty, drugs, and despair, she felt trapped and hopeless. Through Project Princess, everything changed.

She returned to school. She encountered mentors who reminded her of her worth in Christ. She discovered a future she never thought possible.

Karen eventually attended college and studied economics—an opportunity few girls from her background ever experience. Today, she mentors younger girls facing similar challenges and speaks passionately about the role of faith in her transformation.

Her story reflects a powerful truth: when education, mentorship, and the Gospel intersect, lives change.

Cross International’s work centers on more than academics. While education opens doors, true transformation begins in the heart. Their approach focuses on the whole person:

Education alone can inform the mind. The Gospel renews the heart and reshapes identity. Together, they empower girls to become who God created them to be.

Scripture calls believers to care for the vulnerable. Psalm 82:3 urges us to “defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.”

For many, generosity becomes a practical way to live out that calling. Through partnerships like this:

A relatively small gift can create a lasting impact—helping a child receive education, care, and spiritual support for an entire year.

Through FaithFi’s partnership with Cross International, every $62 helps provide a vulnerable child with a year of support—including education, nutritious food, mentorship, and the hope of the Gospel. Larger gifts can extend that impact to multiple children and families.

To learn more or make a one-time gift, visit FaithFi.com/Cross. As you steward the resources God has entrusted to you, this is a tangible way to defend the vulnerable, uplift the oppressed, and invest in futures filled with hope.

One opportunity can change a life. Your involvement can help make that opportunity possible.

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday 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.

Trusting God for our financial needs feels especially real when life gets tight. When savings shrink, markets fluctuate, or expenses rise faster than income, the pressure exposes what—or who—we truly rely on.

Long before budgets, retirement accounts, or emergency funds existed, one man stood on a mountain believing God could provide in the most impossible circumstances. His story in Genesis 22 gives us one of the most powerful names of God in all of Scripture: “The Lord Will Provide.” And it offers a blueprint for faithful stewardship today.

Trusting God’s provision rarely happens in comfort. It’s forged in seasons when resources feel thin, and the future looks uncertain.

Throughout Scripture, God’s people learn His faithfulness not at banquets, but in deserts. Not in surplus, but in scarcity. Whether wandering in the wilderness, facing famine, or standing before overwhelming odds, they discover that provision isn’t merely about resources—it’s about relationship.

God is not simply someone who provides. He is the Provider.

But biblical faith isn’t naïve optimism, nor is it passive resignation. Faith rests in God’s character, moves forward in obedience, and trusts Him with the outcome.

Genesis 22 is one of the clearest pictures of this kind of faith.

God asks Abraham to offer Isaac, his son of promise. It’s a shocking command, and we’re meant to feel its weight. Isaac is the one through whom God promised to build a nation “as numerous as the stars.” Without Isaac, the covenant appears to collapse. Yet Abraham obeys.

Before climbing the mountain, he tells his servants, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there and worship; then we will come back to you” (Genesis 22:5).

Notice what he says: we will come back. The author of Hebrews explains Abraham’s reasoning: “He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead” (Hebrews 11:19). Abraham trusted that God’s promise was more certain than the circumstances he could see.

And when Abraham raised the knife, God intervened—not before the climb, not halfway up the mountain, but at the exact moment when obedience and trust met. A ram was provided in Isaac’s place.

It’s there Abraham names the place: “The Lord will provide” (Genesis 22:14).

To say God provides isn’t to say He always provides in the way we expect.

It means His character is generous, attentive, and faithful. He knows our needs before we ask. He meets them according to His wisdom—not our timeline. That shifts how we think about financial provision.

Scripture commends diligence. “The hand of the diligent makes rich” (Proverbs 10:4). It warns against laziness. But diligence and provision are not the same thing. We work. God provides the harvest.

Modern financial fear often comes from trying to secure every possible outcome. We want guarantees. We want certainty. We want control. But the great enemy of faith isn’t need—it’s self-reliance.

When we believe we are our own providers, we shoulder a burden we were never designed to carry. The apostle Paul writes, “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Notice the scale and the source: According to His riches, not ours.

When we truly believe God provides, three things begin to shift.

1. We Plan Without Panic

Wisdom plans for the future. Scripture affirms preparation and foresight. But planning becomes idolatry when it tries to eliminate dependence.

Trust allows us to budget, save, and invest without fear driving every decision. Our spreadsheets serve us—they don’t rule us.

2. We Give Without Fear

Generosity flows from security.

If we believe God replenishes, we can release. Hudson Taylor famously said, “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.”

When God is our provider, generosity becomes an act of confidence, not recklessness.

3. We Endure Lean Seasons With Hope

Scarcity is not wasted space in the life of faith.

Lean seasons refine us. They remind us that our ultimate security rests not in accounts, assets, or accolades—but in the Lord who sees. Abraham learned something profound on that mountain—not just that God provides, but who God is.

Provision in Scripture is relational. God provides so His people know Him more deeply and so the watching world sees His faithfulness.

Trusting God’s provision doesn’t mean we stop budgeting, working, or stewarding wisely. It means we do those things without trying to control the narrative. Our responsibility is faithfulness. God’s responsibility is provision.

When life tightens and financial pressure mounts, Genesis 22 invites us to lift our eyes beyond the mountain in front of us and remember the name Abraham proclaimed:

The Lord will provide. And He still does.

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday 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.

Henry Drummond once wrote, “To become like Christ is the only thing in the world worth caring for…before which every ambition of man is folly and all lower achievement vain.” Those words cut straight to the heart of how Scripture defines success.

In a culture that measures achievement by accumulation and applause, Jesus offers a very different scoreboard—one centered not on what we gain, but on who we become.

It’s easy to believe that if we could just reach a little higher, earn a little more, or move a little faster, we’d finally arrive.

We see this impulse at the very beginning of Scripture. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve weren’t lacking anything, yet they believed something better was being held back (Genesis 3). At the Tower of Babel, humanity declared, “Let us make a name for ourselves” (Genesis 11:4).

Success, in their minds, meant defining greatness on their own terms.

That same instinct shapes us today. We measure success by paychecks and promotions, by titles, trophies, and the size of our homes or portfolios. And in a world that equates success with accumulation, it’s hard not to wonder: Am I successful yet? Will more finally be enough?

Jesus speaks directly into that tension in Luke 12:15: “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

He then tells the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:16–21). A man experiences an abundant harvest and decides to tear down his barns to build bigger ones. He reassures himself: “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”

On the surface, it sounds like success. He planned ahead. He saved. He prepared. But Jesus calls him a fool.

Listen to the language: my barns, my grain, my goods, my soul. There’s no gratitude, no dependence on God, no concern for others. His definition of success was accumulation, and his confidence rested entirely in what he had stored up.

God’s response is sobering: “This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” (Luke 12:20)

Jesus concludes, “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21).

The story is meant to shake us awake. It exposes how easily we confuse preparation with control and wisdom with self-reliance. God isn’t measuring success by what we store—He’s measuring it by what we surrender.

The apostle Paul understood this well. By every cultural standard of his day, Paul had succeeded. Yet he wrote: “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8).

Paul didn’t lower the bar for success—he replaced it. Scripture tells us God’s goal for our lives plainly: “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).

That’s the metric. Not income. Not influence. Not recognition. Christlikeness.

So it’s worth asking: What scoreboard are you watching right now? Whose applause are you chasing?

If your goals are rooted in impressing others or securing more for yourself, satisfaction will always feel just out of reach. But if your goals are rooted in becoming more like Christ, you’ll discover a kind of success that cannot be taken away.

Jesus invites us to measure progress differently. Instead of asking, “Did I win today?” we can ask, “Did I look a little more like Jesus today?”

In God’s economy:

And God delights in what is done faithfully—even when no one else sees.

Jesus puts it plainly: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

Real success isn’t what you gain. It’s who you become in Christ.

This is one of the reasons I wrote Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Devotional to Faithful Stewardship. Each day is designed to help realign your heart—and your financial decisions—with God’s purposes, so that success is defined not by accumulation, but by transformation.

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

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday 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.

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

These seven words from the Lord’s Prayer are so familiar that we can easily miss how radical they are. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray in Matthew 6:11, He invited them to trust God for provision—not all at once, but one day at a time. 

In a world obsessed with tomorrow, this simple request calls us back to dependence, humility, and trust in God’s care today.

The idea of daily bread takes us back to Israel’s journey through the wilderness. In Exodus 16, God fed His people with manna each morning. It was enough for the day—no more, no less. When they tried to store extra, it spoiled.

The lesson wasn’t primarily about food; it was about trust. God was teaching His people that He—not their stockpiles or strategies—was their provider.

Today, we work, budget, plan, save, and invest—and Scripture commends those practices. Proverbs celebrates diligence, and Joseph’s preparation in Genesis 41 helped save entire nations. Trusting God isn’t passivity, and faith isn’t irresponsibility.

But here’s the tension: our planning must never replace our dependence. When Jesus taught us to ask for daily bread, He was establishing a rhythm—trusting God with today rather than burdening ourselves with controlling tomorrow.

For many people, this teaching hits close to home. We live in a time of economic anxiety. Budgets are tight, housing is expensive, and the future often feels uncertain.

And if we’re honest, money doesn’t just expose financial fears—it reveals deeper questions: 

• Will I have enough? 
• Will I make it? 
• Does God see me?
• Will He take care of me?

Jesus speaks directly to those fears in Matthew 6:25–26: “Do not be anxious about your life… Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.”

Jesus isn’t calling us to ignore real needs. He’s inviting us to rest in real care. Birds still work—they gather, build, and hunt—but they don’t live in anxiety. They don’t wake each morning wondering whether God will provide. Provision is built into creation because God is faithful.

Trusting God for daily bread shapes the way we live. It invites three important responses: gratitude, contentment, and generosity.

1. Daily Bread Invites Gratitude

When we ask God for what we need today, we’re reminded that what we have today is a gift. Gratitude pushes back against the relentless pressure for more—more comfort, more security, more status.

Ecclesiastes reminds us, “Everyone to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them… this is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 5:19). Even the ability to enjoy what we have is grace.

2. Daily Bread Invites Contentment

Contentment doesn’t mean settling for less—it means refusing to treat the future as the only place where peace exists.

Paul writes, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11). That learning happened within real circumstances, not after ideal ones arrived. Contentment grows as we trust God in the present moment.

3. Daily Bread Invites Generosity

When we trust God to provide for today, our grip loosens. Fear tightens our hands; trust frees them.

In 1 Kings 17, a widow shared her last flour and oil with Elijah, trusting God’s promise—and God sustained her household through the drought. The lesson isn’t that generosity guarantees prosperity. It’s that generosity reveals where our security truly lies.

Trusting God for daily bread often expresses itself in very ordinary financial decisions.

• Building an emergency fund can shield us from unnecessary anxiety.
• Creating a budget helps us steward what God provides.
• Saving for future needs reflects wisdom, as Proverbs 21:20 states: “The wise store up choice food and olive oil.”

Yet even the wisest planning must remember this: financial stability is not ultimate security. No account balance is large enough to silence fear if our hope rests in money.

At the same time, there is no scarcity so deep that God cannot sustain His children.

For some, trusting God for daily bread is literal. You’re not sure how the bills will be paid. You’re praying for provision in a very real way. For others, the challenge is different. You’re in a season of abundance—and the danger isn’t lack, but forgetting the Giver.

God warned Israel about this in Deuteronomy 8: “Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’” Every opportunity, every skill, every breath comes from Him.

In the Lord’s Prayer, the request for daily bread comes after “Hallowed be your name” and “Your kingdom come.” Provision is framed by worship and mission. God meets our needs not only for our comfort, but for His purposes.

So what does trusting God for daily bread look like? Ask God for what you need. Thank Him for what you have. Open your hands toward others.

He is faithful in the wilderness. Faithful in your budget. Faithful in seasons of uncertainty. And He is faithful today.

• I’ve built up significant credit card debt after a failed business investment and major car repairs—about $8,000 on one card, $10,000 on another, and $5,000 on a third. Should I use American Express’s relief program or look into debt consolidation?
• I receive Social Security. Do benefits automatically increase each year? Do I owe taxes on them, and if I go back to work, will it affect what I receive?
• I understand how firms like Vanguard and Fidelity charge for investment management, but how are Certified Kingdom Advisors compensated? How are their fees structured?
• My husband passed away, and I began taking his Social Security while waiting to claim my own at 70. I’m now hearing that my benefit may not increase if I do that. Should I switch to my benefit, and when should I apply to avoid missing any income?

• Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)
• SSA.gov
• Christian Credit Counselors
• Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship
• 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 workday 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.