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Scripture reminds us that wisdom often begins with counting the cost. As the average age of a first-time homebuyer approaches 40, many people are asking an important and sincere question: Is now the right time to buy a home—or should we continue renting?

That question usually reflects a desire to make a wise, lasting decision—one that supports long-term stability rather than undermining it. Before comparing monthly payments or imagining life in a new space, it’s worth taking a clear-eyed look at what it truly costs to move from renting into homeownership.

One of the biggest surprises for first-time buyers is the sheer cost of getting into a home. The pre-approval and closing process involves numerous expenses, including appraisals, inspections, credit reports, earnest money, title searches, loan origination fees, and closing costs. Taken together, these can add up to thousands of dollars before move-in day ever arrives.

For renters transitioning to homeownership, these costs are typically paid out of pocket. That’s one reason many advisors encourage having close to 20% of the purchase price available—not only for a down payment, but to create margin for the entire process. This isn’t about delaying dreams unnecessarily; it’s about ensuring homeownership doesn’t begin with financial strain.

Many renters feel a growing weariness with paying rent month after month, especially compared with building equity. That desire for something tangible and lasting is understandable—but it’s important to remember that rent is not wasted money.

Rent pays for shelter, safety, maintenance, and predictability. It meets a real and ongoing need and, in that sense, pays for a valuable service. During certain seasons of life, that flexibility and stability can be a wise and intentional choice.

It’s also helpful to understand how a mortgage payment actually works. A typical payment includes principal, interest, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, and often private mortgage insurance if you own less than 20% of the home’s value. In some cases, HOA fees are also added.

In the early years of a traditional 30-year mortgage, a significant portion of each payment goes toward interest rather than reducing the loan balance. Thirty-year mortgages can still be wise—they keep payments manageable and allow flexibility if you want to make extra principal payments—but they are designed to be long-term loans. Early equity growth often comes more from market appreciation than from paying down the balance.

Rising home prices can create fear about waiting too long, pushing buyers to act before they’re ready. While market trends are worth paying attention to, they shouldn’t be the deciding factor. A home should fit your current season of life and support your responsibilities and priorities—not stretch your finances or limit your ability to live and give faithfully.

It also helps to release the pressure of finding a “forever home.” On average, first-time buyers stay in their homes seven to ten years. Career changes, growing families, and life transitions often make moving a natural part of the journey. The first home simply needs to perform well in the current season.

Rising rents are another common frustration, especially when lease renewals result in higher monthly costs. But owning a home doesn’t eliminate rising expenses. While a fixed-rate mortgage keeps principal and interest steady, property taxes and homeowner’s insurance typically increase over time. Even after a mortgage is paid off, those costs remain.

Maintenance is another reality worth considering. Once you own a home, repairs are your responsibili

Scott Hamilton is an Olympic gold medal figure skater and former national television commentator. His compelling story begins with being adopted and overcoming physical illness as a child to compete in skating, followed by cancer and multiple brain tumors. Reaching the pinnacle of his sport couldn’t fill the hole in Scott’s heart. Not until he found his identity in Christ did he arrive at true peace and joy. He’ll share about his lifelong journey of overcoming as he inspires others with the Gospel.

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Surprisingly, 20 to 30 percent of prescriptions for chronic health conditions are never filled . . . and about half are not taken as prescribed. Think about that. We go to the doctor, he or she examines us and gives us the medication to make us better. All we gotta do is take the pills . . . and an alarming number don’t! Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie points out the Bible’s prescription for growing spiritually . . . but, same thing, we’ve got to follow the Great Physician’s instructions.

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Feel like your spouse is physically present but emotionally checked out—especially after long days, travel, or career demands? Matt and Sarah Hammitt (Sanctus Real) get brutally honest about emotional absence and the tension that builds when one partner carries the load alone. Matt and Sarah offer practical ideas to help true love survive conflict, defensiveness, and absence--for a love that goes the distance.

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Counterfeits mislead precisely because they look convincing. Similarly, when familiar phrases replace Scripture, they can quietly distort how we view God, stewardship, and even money itself. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West talks with Taylor Standridge about those “counterfeit verses.” Discover how Scripture provides clarity and freedom. Then, it’s on to your calls. That’s Faith and Finance Live . . . biblical wisdom for your financial decisions. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

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Counterfeits are dangerous precisely because they look convincing. The same is true of spiritual sayings that sound biblical but quietly distort how we think about God, stewardship, and money.

Many believers can quote phrases that feel deeply spiritual—comforting even—but when placed under the light of Scripture, they don’t actually appear there at all. Or worse, they twist what Scripture truly says. These “counterfeit verses” often shape how we view success, risk, provision, and dependence on God without us even realizing it.

To explore this issue, we sat down with Taylor Standridge, Production Manager of FaithFi and a regular contributor to Faithful Steward. Taylor is also the lead writer behind Look at the Sparrows and Our Ultimate Treasure. 

In his recent article, Counterfeit Verses: How to Spot The Sayings That Aren’t in the Bible, Taylor traces this problem all the way back to the beginning.

Taylor begins in Genesis 3, when the serpent approaches Eve with a deceptively subtle question: “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1).

This moment is critical because the enemy doesn’t begin with an outright lie. Instead, he distorts what God has said and, in doing so, undermines God’s character. The implication isn’t merely that the command is questionable—but that God Himself may be withholding something good.

Once Adam and Eve doubt God’s goodness, disobedience follows naturally.

That same pattern persists today. Many modern financial lies—whether cultural narratives or counterfeit verses—aren’t blatant falsehoods. They’re half-truths. They sound wise. They feel spiritual. And because they’re close enough to the truth, they feel safe.

Like a ship that veers off course by only one degree, the deviation seems harmless at first. But over time, it leads somewhere very different from what was intended.

At the heart of every counterfeit is the same ancient question: Can God really be trusted?

Counterfeit verses don’t come with warning labels. They borrow biblical language, appeal to our emotions, and speak to real desires—hope, comfort, identity, and security.

Sometimes they even quote Scripture, but rip it out of context.

The danger isn’t familiarity with Scripture—it’s fragmented familiarity. When we know verses as slogans rather than as part of God’s larger story, we become vulnerable to subtle distortions. The goal, however, isn’t suspicion or cynicism. It’s discernment—learning to recognize when a truth has been nudged just slightly off course.

Taylor uses a powerful illustration from the film Catch Me If You Can. Frank Abagnale Jr. succeeds as a forger not by inventing fake money from scratch, but by studying the real thing in obsessive detail—down to the ink, paper, and watermarks.

Ironically, that expertise later makes him invaluable to the FBI.

Banks don’t train tellers by showing them every possible fake. They train them by handing them genuine currency until authenticity becomes instinctive.

The same is true of Scripture. Discernment doesn’t come from memorizing every error—it comes from knowing God’s Word so deeply that when something sounds “almost right,” you can feel that it isn’t.

“Money is the Root of All Evil”

This misquote radically reshapes our theology of money. If money itself is evil, then wealth becomes suspicious, and stewardship f