After healing a crippled man in Acts 3, Peter tells the astonished crowd, Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. We’re blessed to have a God Who hears our cries of repentance and welcomes us back into the fold. I’ll talk about how that affects your money. Then we have some great calls lined up. It’s the Memorial Day edition of MoneyWise where biblical wisdom meets today’s financial decisions.

One of the freedoms we have as Americans is the ability to earn money, accumulate wealth, and spend it as we wish. But with that freedom comes responsibility. We’re to be faithful stewards of God’s resources.

We might be tempted to think that God doesn’t concern himself with mundane things like money, or how we manage it, but nothing could be further from the truth. More than 2300 verses in God’s Word dealing with money and possessions show that He iskeenly interested.

And as with any other act of unfaithfulness, we must repent those involving our finances. When we do God is eager to refresh us with His blessing.

That means we must also never think that our financial sins are too great for God to forgive. Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross paid for all of them. You can be assured that when you repent of financial unfaithfulness God will hear your prayer.

But what should we repent concerning money? First, we must never forget that God owns everything. We’re not the source of our wealth we’re not even the source of our ability to earn money. All of that comes from God and failing to acknowledge it is the first step toward financial unfaithfulness.

Next, we must always act with honesty and integrity in our financial dealings with others because we are witnesses for Christ. 2 Corinthians 8 reads,For we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.

We must also be generous, sharing God’s bounty with our local church and with those in need. Malachi 3:8 says, Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.

Next, we must live on less than we earn. Failing to do that results in debt, which the Bible doesn’t say is a sin, but it also never condones. Proverbs 22:7 The borrower is slave to the lender.

Finally, we must never let ourselves be overcome by envy or covetousness. In Exodus 20 we find the 10th Commandment:You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.

We’re to be content with what God has provided us, never wishing that we had what others possess. Envy is insulting to God, who has promised to provide for our needs and is always faithful.

If you’ve committed any of these financial sins, don’t despair. God waits patiently for you to repent and to begin following His financial principles.

Here are a couple of questions we answered from our callers on today’s program:

I have a 401K at work, but I recently transferred it into a Roth. Is this wise?

We have about 100K in equity in our home. We will probably move in about 5 years. Should we do renovations on our home in the current market?

I am looking at refinancing. I can buy my interst rate with points. Is this a good idea?

Our church closed during the pandemic. I have been visiting other churches and watching online. Where should I tithe?

Ask your questions at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab at the top of the page.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

After healing a crippled man in Acts 3, Peter tells the astonished crowd, Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. We’re blessed to have a God Who hears our cries of repentance and welcomes us back into the fold. I’ll talk about how that affects your money. Then we have some great calls lined up. It’s the Memorial Day edition of MoneyWise where biblical wisdom meets today’s financial decisions.

One of the freedoms we have as Americans is the ability to earn money, accumulate wealth, and spend it as we wish. But with that freedom comes responsibility. We’re to be faithful stewards of God’s resources.

We might be tempted to think that God doesn’t concern himself with mundane things like money, or how we manage it, but nothing could be further from the truth. More than 2300 verses in God’s Word dealing with money and possessions show that He iskeenly interested.

And as with any other act of unfaithfulness, we must repent those involving our finances. When we do God is eager to refresh us with His blessing.

That means we must also never think that our financial sins are too great for God to forgive. Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross paid for all of them. You can be assured that when you repent of financial unfaithfulness God will hear your prayer.

But what should we repent concerning money? First, we must never forget that God owns everything. We’re not the source of our wealth we’re not even the source of our ability to earn money. All of that comes from God and failing to acknowledge it is the first step toward financial unfaithfulness.

Next, we must always act with honesty and integrity in our financial dealings with others because we are witnesses for Christ. 2 Corinthians 8 reads,For we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.

We must also be generous, sharing God’s bounty with our local church and with those in need. Malachi 3:8 says, Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.

Next, we must live on less than we earn. Failing to do that results in debt, which the Bible doesn’t say is a sin, but it also never condones. Proverbs 22:7 The borrower is slave to the lender.

Finally, we must never let ourselves be overcome by envy or covetousness. In Exodus 20 we find the 10th Commandment:You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.

We’re to be content with what God has provided us, never wishing that we had what others possess. Envy is insulting to God, who has promised to provide for our needs and is always faithful.

If you’ve committed any of these financial sins, don’t despair. God waits patiently for you to repent and to begin following His financial principles.

Here are a couple of questions we answered from our callers on today’s program:

I have a 401K at work, but I recently transferred it into a Roth. Is this wise?

We have about 100K in equity in our home. We will probably move in about 5 years. Should we do renovations on our home in the current market?

I am looking at refinancing. I can buy my interst rate with points. Is this a good idea?

Our church closed during the pandemic. I have been visiting other churches and watching online. Where should I tithe?

Ask your questions at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab at the top of the page.

Most investors have heard of the tulip bubble that burst in 1637. Then there was the stock bubble of 1929 that launched the Great Depression. And, of course, the housing bubble of 2008. Are we headed there again?Housing prices have risen dramatically in the last five years leading many to believe it’s actually another bubble about to burst. We’ll talk about that today then take your calls on any financial topic at 800-525-7000.

Investopedia defines a bubble as aneconomiccycle where an asset tradesat prices that greatly exceed the asset's intrinsic value. In other words, something is way more expensive than it should be.

Average home prices are now 40% above the Great Recession low point in 2012 and 4% above the peak of housing values in 2006.

But many analysts point out that conditions are not the same today, and that all things considered, current values are not that far out of line maybe only 5.5% overvalued.And, although 5.5% might not seem like much, that, coupled with still high unemployment levels from COVID means that the upward trend in home prices isn’t sustainable. In other words, things will cool off in the near future.

After an initial downturn from COVID shutdowns real estate transactions were allowed to resume.By then, people had discovered they could work from home and schools began teaching virtual classes. That meant people had more choices for where they live, and people started looking for homes in the suburbs in droves.

Lenders were far too lenient in 2006, giving loans to people who really lacked the resources to keep up the payments. Foreclosures rose.

Today, lenders are far more careful about who they’re lending money to. In fact, many mortgage lenders actually tightened underwriting requirements as a result of the COVID shutdowns, which means today’s buyers are more qualified for loans than they’ve been in years. And that makes a surge in foreclosures that would precipitate a housing bubble bursting far less likely.

At its peak nearly a year ago, more than 4 million Americans had mortgages in forbearance. With unemployment slowly going down and fairly strong economic growth one would think that most of those homeowners were now out of forbearance having caught up on their payments.

But that’s not the case. The Mortgage Bankers Association reports that as of mid-April about 2.3 million homeowners were still not making some or all of their mortgage payments.

The federal government has extended forbearance and a foreclosure moratorium several times, but those measures can’t go on forever. Experts say if all of those homeowners defaulted at once it would cause another housing crash.

We should rest assured that this isnota repeat of the 2008 housing crisis. We should keep a watchful eye given that real estate prices are, in fact, ahead of themselves, and we should return to biblical and wise financial principles when buying a home.

That means buy something that fits well within your budget, do your best to pay fair market value, put a minimum of 20% down, and try to stay put for 5-10 years.

Here are a couple of questions we answered from our callers on today’s program:

I have an IRA account and am retired. How much federal taxes should I take out?

My husband is retired and I work part time. We wanted to get out of the stock market and now most of our money is in annuities and cash. What should we do with this? Should we let Fidelity handle it for 1%?

Is there a financial reset coming? Should I take some retirement funds out of the stock market and put it into gold or Bitcoin?

What is the best way to start saving and being financially smart?

Ask your questions at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab at the top of the page.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

Most investors have heard of the tulip bubble that burst in 1637. Then there was the stock bubble of 1929 that launched the Great Depression. And, of course, the housing bubble of 2008. Are we headed there again?Housing prices have risen dramatically in the last five years leading many to believe it’s actually another bubble about to burst. We’ll talk about that today then take your calls on any financial topic at 800-525-7000.

Investopedia defines a bubble as aneconomiccycle where an asset tradesat prices that greatly exceed the asset's intrinsic value. In other words, something is way more expensive than it should be.

Average home prices are now 40% above the Great Recession low point in 2012 and 4% above the peak of housing values in 2006.

But many analysts point out that conditions are not the same today, and that all things considered, current values are not that far out of line maybe only 5.5% overvalued.And, although 5.5% might not seem like much, that, coupled with still high unemployment levels from COVID means that the upward trend in home prices isn’t sustainable. In other words, things will cool off in the near future.

After an initial downturn from COVID shutdowns real estate transactions were allowed to resume.By then, people had discovered they could work from home and schools began teaching virtual classes. That meant people had more choices for where they live, and people started looking for homes in the suburbs in droves.

Lenders were far too lenient in 2006, giving loans to people who really lacked the resources to keep up the payments. Foreclosures rose.

Today, lenders are far more careful about who they’re lending money to. In fact, many mortgage lenders actually tightened underwriting requirements as a result of the COVID shutdowns, which means today’s buyers are more qualified for loans than they’ve been in years. And that makes a surge in foreclosures that would precipitate a housing bubble bursting far less likely.

At its peak nearly a year ago, more than 4 million Americans had mortgages in forbearance. With unemployment slowly going down and fairly strong economic growth one would think that most of those homeowners were now out of forbearance having caught up on their payments.

But that’s not the case. The Mortgage Bankers Association reports that as of mid-April about 2.3 million homeowners were still not making some or all of their mortgage payments.

The federal government has extended forbearance and a foreclosure moratorium several times, but those measures can’t go on forever. Experts say if all of those homeowners defaulted at once it would cause another housing crash.

We should rest assured that this isnota repeat of the 2008 housing crisis. We should keep a watchful eye given that real estate prices are, in fact, ahead of themselves, and we should return to biblical and wise financial principles when buying a home.

That means buy something that fits well within your budget, do your best to pay fair market value, put a minimum of 20% down, and try to stay put for 5-10 years.

Here are a couple of questions we answered from our callers on today’s program:

I have an IRA account and am retired. How much federal taxes should I take out?

My husband is retired and I work part time. We wanted to get out of the stock market and now most of our money is in annuities and cash. What should we do with this? Should we let Fidelity handle it for 1%?

Is there a financial reset coming? Should I take some retirement funds out of the stock market and put it into gold or Bitcoin?

What is the best way to start saving and being financially smart?

Ask your questions at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab at the top of the page.

1 Timothy 6:20 warns us,The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.A few years ago we reported on the curious tale of Forrest Fenn’s hidden treasure and how hordes of people became obsessed with finding it. Today, we’ll give you an update.

Unlike so many tales of buried treasure, the story of Forrest Fenn’s lost loot proved to be all too real because it’s no longer lost. Proof of that surfaced about a year ago. If you’re unfamiliar with the story, Fenn was an aging amateur archaeologist who reportedly amassed a fortune in gold and jewels while doing controversial explorations in the southwest. A self-described millionaire, Fenn came under FBI scrutiny once for selling Native American artifacts he claimed to have found in the Four Corners area, but no charges were filed. He did, however, come under heavy criticism for buying and excavating (some would say desecrating) a Pueblo Indian site in New Mexico which may have been the source of his treasure.

Fenn said he’d hidden a foot-square treasure chest stuffed with valuables, claiming it was loaded with emeralds, diamonds and gold coins and weighed about 40 pounds. Diagnosed with cancer in 1988, Fenn said he filled the chest with treasure and planned to take it up into the Rockies to die beside it, maybe thinking he could take it with him? Well, it turned out that Fenn survived his brush with cancer and tucked the chest away in his house for 20 years. But when the Great Recession hit in 2008, he decided to bury it in the Rockies and launch what became a massive, international treasure hunt. The reason he did it, Fenn said, was to give hope to people who might have lost their jobs and to encourage families to get outside and get fresh air.

He published a poem with clues for finding the treasure and challenged people to go out and look for it. All anyone knew was that it was hidden somewhere in a thousand-mile stretch of the Rockies between Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the Canadian border. He estimated that some 350,000 people had trekked through the mountains looking for his treasure chest without finding it. He’d told no one the location, not even his wife. The fear was that if Fenn died, the secret of the treasure’s location would go to the grave with him.

To say that people became obsessed with finding the treasure would be an understatement. At least 5 peoplediedsearching for it. But the effort to find the treasure ended last June when Fenn announced that one man had indeed recovered the hidden chest stuffed with valuables. Fenn lived just long enough to see that happen. He died just a few months later. What many people don’t know is that before his death, Fenn had been hit with several lawsuits by disgruntled and angry treasure seekers claiming they should have the treasure even though they’d never found it. One of those lawsuits now targets the eventual finder of the treasure. He’d tried to remain anonymous, fearing both litigation and physical harm. The plaintiff in that case claims the finder stole his strategy to recover the treasure, even though the finder had never heard of the plaintiff.

Now, all of this would seem pretty silly if it weren’t for the human lives and untold thousands of dollars lost in litigation over something that may have been ill-gotten to begin with. Proverbs 1:19 says, Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.The Bible doesn’t say that searching for buried treasure is a sin, but it does say that thelove of moneyis a sin and obviously risking your life in the sometimes harsh environment of the Rocky Mountains is foolish. The Bibledoestell us how we must avoid a get rich quick mentality. Proverbs 21:5 tells us, The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.

So that’s your modern-day tale of buried treasure. We hope you find it acautionarytale.

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

If I’ve lost my stocks’ certificates, how can I get replacements proving that I own them?

I have an IRA and part of it is invested in real estate investment trusts. I have 3 reits and one of them is traded and two aren’t. What are my options? I don’t want to incur any penalties.

I have 5 CDs. They’re traditional IRAs. I was thinking of moving them into a guaranteed lifetime fixed annuity. What are your thoughts on this?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

1 Timothy 6:20 warns us,The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.A few years ago we reported on the curious tale of Forrest Fenn’s hidden treasure and how hordes of people became obsessed with finding it. Today, we’ll give you an update.

Unlike so many tales of buried treasure, the story of Forrest Fenn’s lost loot proved to be all too real because it’s no longer lost. Proof of that surfaced about a year ago. If you’re unfamiliar with the story, Fenn was an aging amateur archaeologist who reportedly amassed a fortune in gold and jewels while doing controversial explorations in the southwest. A self-described millionaire, Fenn came under FBI scrutiny once for selling Native American artifacts he claimed to have found in the Four Corners area, but no charges were filed. He did, however, come under heavy criticism for buying and excavating (some would say desecrating) a Pueblo Indian site in New Mexico which may have been the source of his treasure.

Fenn said he’d hidden a foot-square treasure chest stuffed with valuables, claiming it was loaded with emeralds, diamonds and gold coins and weighed about 40 pounds. Diagnosed with cancer in 1988, Fenn said he filled the chest with treasure and planned to take it up into the Rockies to die beside it, maybe thinking he could take it with him? Well, it turned out that Fenn survived his brush with cancer and tucked the chest away in his house for 20 years. But when the Great Recession hit in 2008, he decided to bury it in the Rockies and launch what became a massive, international treasure hunt. The reason he did it, Fenn said, was to give hope to people who might have lost their jobs and to encourage families to get outside and get fresh air.

He published a poem with clues for finding the treasure and challenged people to go out and look for it. All anyone knew was that it was hidden somewhere in a thousand-mile stretch of the Rockies between Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the Canadian border. He estimated that some 350,000 people had trekked through the mountains looking for his treasure chest without finding it. He’d told no one the location, not even his wife. The fear was that if Fenn died, the secret of the treasure’s location would go to the grave with him.

To say that people became obsessed with finding the treasure would be an understatement. At least 5 peoplediedsearching for it. But the effort to find the treasure ended last June when Fenn announced that one man had indeed recovered the hidden chest stuffed with valuables. Fenn lived just long enough to see that happen. He died just a few months later. What many people don’t know is that before his death, Fenn had been hit with several lawsuits by disgruntled and angry treasure seekers claiming they should have the treasure even though they’d never found it. One of those lawsuits now targets the eventual finder of the treasure. He’d tried to remain anonymous, fearing both litigation and physical harm. The plaintiff in that case claims the finder stole his strategy to recover the treasure, even though the finder had never heard of the plaintiff.

Now, all of this would seem pretty silly if it weren’t for the human lives and untold thousands of dollars lost in litigation over something that may have been ill-gotten to begin with. Proverbs 1:19 says, Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.The Bible doesn’t say that searching for buried treasure is a sin, but it does say that thelove of moneyis a sin and obviously risking your life in the sometimes harsh environment of the Rocky Mountains is foolish. The Bibledoestell us how we must avoid a get rich quick mentality. Proverbs 21:5 tells us, The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.

So that’s your modern-day tale of buried treasure. We hope you find it acautionarytale.

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

If I’ve lost my stocks’ certificates, how can I get replacements proving that I own them?

I have an IRA and part of it is invested in real estate investment trusts. I have 3 reits and one of them is traded and two aren’t. What are my options? I don’t want to incur any penalties.

I have 5 CDs. They’re traditional IRAs. I was thinking of moving them into a guaranteed lifetime fixed annuity. What are your thoughts on this?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

When you think about it, shouldn’t saving money be easy? After all, isn’t it just the practice ofnotdoing something, namely, spending? Well, if only it were that simple! The real challenge to saving, of course, is overcoming the temptationto spend money. There are steps you can take to make it easier and we’ll talk about those first, today, on MoneyWise.

A recent Bankratesurveyshowed that only 40% of Americans had enough cash in their bank accounts to cover an unexpected expense of $1,000. Considering the range of financial calamities that can strike when we least expect it, it’s no wonder so many people go into debt to cover money emergencies.It’s also no wonder that the Bible tells us that saving is wise. In Proverbs 10 we find, Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son. And while it’s wise to save, we also have to be careful not to puttoo muchtrust in our bank accounts. Those can never replace our ultimate trust in God as our source and provider.

Why is itsohard for some people to save money? For some, it can’t be avoided. There are people whose income is far lower than their outgothose people below the poverty level.And while that’s a real concern and not one to be taken lightly,mostpeople we hear from make enough money to save. In their case, self-disciplineis the main issue. It’s about living within your means. God wants us to enjoy His bounty; but Christians are also supposed to take care of their families and come to the aid of others in the church from time to time who may have needs. That’s difficult to do if you have no savings.

Here are some steps you can take to start the process:

(1) You need a plan. Without one, you’re just spinning your wheels with no idea where you’re heading or when you get there. Your plan should reflect your values and priorities. Be specific, and make sure you connect meaning to the money you save. The sacrifice it requires will be difficult unless the goal is something meaningful to you. (2) Realize that you can’t go it alone. If you’re married, you’ll never be able to save if your spouse isn’t on board. It has to be a team effort.Make sure you have common goals and to celebrate milestones of progress along the way. (3) Make a resolution that you’ll save something from every paycheck. In the beginning, establishing that habit is more important than reaching the ultimate goal. Develop the discipline of saving. As time goes on and you successfully put something away each payday you can begin to increase your savings. (4) Pray earnestly that God will give you self-control and a contented heart. Developing the habit of saving will dramatically improve your life, your relationships, and your ability to be used by God. You’ll probably sleep a lot better, too.

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

I’m a recent widow and want to know how to make my money work for me for the rest of my life. What do you think about setting up an annuity? However, I don’t want to tie up the money in case I need it.

I’m trying to determine whether or not I should refinance my home. Can you guide me?

I’m working on a reciprocal retirement and I may have some money left over. Would it be best to invest in a Roth or money marketor, what wouldyourecommend?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

When you think about it, shouldn’t saving money be easy? After all, isn’t it just the practice ofnotdoing something, namely, spending? Well, if only it were that simple! The real challenge to saving, of course, is overcoming the temptationto spend money. There are steps you can take to make it easier and we’ll talk about those first, today, on MoneyWise.

A recent Bankratesurveyshowed that only 40% of Americans had enough cash in their bank accounts to cover an unexpected expense of $1,000. Considering the range of financial calamities that can strike when we least expect it, it’s no wonder so many people go into debt to cover money emergencies.It’s also no wonder that the Bible tells us that saving is wise. In Proverbs 10 we find, Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son. And while it’s wise to save, we also have to be careful not to puttoo muchtrust in our bank accounts. Those can never replace our ultimate trust in God as our source and provider.

Why is itsohard for some people to save money? For some, it can’t be avoided. There are people whose income is far lower than their outgothose people below the poverty level.And while that’s a real concern and not one to be taken lightly,mostpeople we hear from make enough money to save. In their case, self-disciplineis the main issue. It’s about living within your means. God wants us to enjoy His bounty; but Christians are also supposed to take care of their families and come to the aid of others in the church from time to time who may have needs. That’s difficult to do if you have no savings.

Here are some steps you can take to start the process:

(1) You need a plan. Without one, you’re just spinning your wheels with no idea where you’re heading or when you get there. Your plan should reflect your values and priorities. Be specific, and make sure you connect meaning to the money you save. The sacrifice it requires will be difficult unless the goal is something meaningful to you. (2) Realize that you can’t go it alone. If you’re married, you’ll never be able to save if your spouse isn’t on board. It has to be a team effort.Make sure you have common goals and to celebrate milestones of progress along the way. (3) Make a resolution that you’ll save something from every paycheck. In the beginning, establishing that habit is more important than reaching the ultimate goal. Develop the discipline of saving. As time goes on and you successfully put something away each payday you can begin to increase your savings. (4) Pray earnestly that God will give you self-control and a contented heart. Developing the habit of saving will dramatically improve your life, your relationships, and your ability to be used by God. You’ll probably sleep a lot better, too.

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

I’m a recent widow and want to know how to make my money work for me for the rest of my life. What do you think about setting up an annuity? However, I don’t want to tie up the money in case I need it.

I’m trying to determine whether or not I should refinance my home. Can you guide me?

I’m working on a reciprocal retirement and I may have some money left over. Would it be best to invest in a Roth or money marketor, what wouldyourecommend?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

Proverbs 11:24 tells us,One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. It’s one of many verses that proclaim God will provide and bless those who are generous.We’d all like to give more, but sometimes that seems to conflict with our need to prepare for when we can no longer work. David Parsley joins us to talk about that today. Then it’s your calls at 800-525-7000.Our Guest today is David Parsley, Senior Relationship Manager with the National Christian Foundation in Tampa Bay. David has more than 30 years of sales and consulting experience and loves helping families create strategies to enhance their giving.

Confusion/fear of not having a solid plan for lifestyle, health events, etc. realities that can often hold people back from being more generous.

To put this into context, David shares a story about an advisor’s client named Steve.

Steve has experienced some major life changes his wife passed away, he sold his 30-year business, no kids, and he’s getting ready to retire. He wants to have a plan, a giving strategy, for being generous and staying involved with some local charities while also maintaining a modest lifestyle income.

Steve developed a giving strategy to meet his unique situation. He determined his lifestyle income: Charitable Gift Annuity, opened a Giving Fund through NCF, and gave out of his IRA. All of these solutions helped Steve reduce taxes on what he was giving

Steve’s story is still unfolding, and his situation is unique. But those who are thinking about how to pass down wealth to kids and grandkids, it’s important to have those conversations now, so that you’re passing down values as well as valuables.

The National Christian Foundation has seen how a giving strategy can lead to more joy in giving and a deeper purpose for the story God is writing.

To explore more about wealth and resources,visit the generosity library to grow in your journey of generosity: ncfgiving.com/library

You can also learn more about our giving solutions and how they’re leveraged at ncfgiving.com/stories particularly an article about how to leverage your IRA for giving.

David Parsley with the National Christian Foundation has been our guest today. Their website again is NCFGiving.com.

Here are a couple of questions we answered from our callers on today’s program:

I retired at 55 years old to help take care of my parents. I was with my company for 31 years. I invested in stocks during this time. My financial advisor recommended that I decrease my stock portfolio, so I did to 52%. I think I could increase it, so that my finds will last. Advice?

My husband and I are considering buying a condo in my daughter’s college town for her to live in and then rent out after she is done with it. Is this wise?

Ask your questions at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab at the top of the page.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

Proverbs 11:24 tells us,One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. It’s one of many verses that proclaim God will provide and bless those who are generous.We’d all like to give more, but sometimes that seems to conflict with our need to prepare for when we can no longer work. David Parsley joins us to talk about that today. Then it’s your calls at 800-525-7000.Our Guest today is David Parsley, Senior Relationship Manager with the National Christian Foundation in Tampa Bay. David has more than 30 years of sales and consulting experience and loves helping families create strategies to enhance their giving.

Confusion/fear of not having a solid plan for lifestyle, health events, etc. realities that can often hold people back from being more generous.

To put this into context, David shares a story about an advisor’s client named Steve.

Steve has experienced some major life changes his wife passed away, he sold his 30-year business, no kids, and he’s getting ready to retire. He wants to have a plan, a giving strategy, for being generous and staying involved with some local charities while also maintaining a modest lifestyle income.

Steve developed a giving strategy to meet his unique situation. He determined his lifestyle income: Charitable Gift Annuity, opened a Giving Fund through NCF, and gave out of his IRA. All of these solutions helped Steve reduce taxes on what he was giving

Steve’s story is still unfolding, and his situation is unique. But those who are thinking about how to pass down wealth to kids and grandkids, it’s important to have those conversations now, so that you’re passing down values as well as valuables.

The National Christian Foundation has seen how a giving strategy can lead to more joy in giving and a deeper purpose for the story God is writing.

To explore more about wealth and resources,visit the generosity library to grow in your journey of generosity: ncfgiving.com/library

You can also learn more about our giving solutions and how they’re leveraged at ncfgiving.com/stories particularly an article about how to leverage your IRA for giving.

David Parsley with the National Christian Foundation has been our guest today. Their website again is NCFGiving.com.

Here are a couple of questions we answered from our callers on today’s program:

I retired at 55 years old to help take care of my parents. I was with my company for 31 years. I invested in stocks during this time. My financial advisor recommended that I decrease my stock portfolio, so I did to 52%. I think I could increase it, so that my finds will last. Advice?

My husband and I are considering buying a condo in my daughter’s college town for her to live in and then rent out after she is done with it. Is this wise?

Ask your questions at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab at the top of the page.