I urge you to watch this clip from Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University - The Great Misunderstanding lesson. I first watched this clip back in 2005 and it forever changed the way I viewed money and finances.
I've always been frugal all my life. I know the value of a dollar. I started helping in the family business when I was 12 years old. It was just my parents in the store and they could use all the help they could get. In return, my dad would fund my college education if my grades were good enough.
So, off I left home as a young 20-year old adult, some 10,000 miles away and across an ocean. It was also the first time I left home. Very quickly I learnt that if I get into "trouble", that my bank account will be there for me faster than my dad would.
I wasn't hoarding money but I did find lots of security in it.
When I gave my life to Christ and learnt how to handle money God's ways, I live in a new life.
I used to think that NOT SPENDING MONEY is handling God's financial resources responsibly. But over the years, I realized that in the end, God who creates us in His image wants us to give. To give in all sorts of way: give of ourselves, give of our time, give of our energy and give of our finances. Finances is a very tricky thing. Until you learn to give of your finances in a Godly way, you still lack all that God created you to be.
But I want to warn though: We must give responsibly and correctly. One with credit and consumer debt can be awesome, generous financial givers but that defeats the point.
It's all His to begin with. How we manage what we have responsibly is what we are called to do.
I finally understood that it's all His anyways. I finally understood the power of the clinched fist. After all, it's not power at all.
God who created us in His image wants us to learn to give. After all, He is the ultimate giver. He gave his only begotten Son so that all of believes in Him shall have eternal life.
Scripture of the Week:
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.
Psalms 24:1
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Loreena, I come from similar background where we were taught the value of money! It stays tight but it opens big fist when comes to charity. Excellent video!!
Loreena, I loved this post! God wants us to find balance in spending, giving and saving. :) I remember reading this verse and it really struck me from Deuteronomy 8: "But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you the power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day." Have a wonderful rest of your Sunday!!
Loreena, this is sooo true. It reminds me of what I read in The Blessed Life by Richard Morris. We have to change our mindset when it comes to money, to giving.
LOVE Dave Ramsey and take it one step further--
"Ye are not your own: for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."—1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
Great post Loreena- I have taught the FPU course 6 times at my church. I grew up with a mother who was a 32 yr. old widow with 4 young boys. We were raised on Social Security.
In my young adult life, I was obsessed with saving money, mostly from the fear of returning to what I didn't have. Though I believed I was a good person, I was very selfish with my money. I rationalized that I worked hard for it, it was mine.
But then then I found Christ. In the months to come, I learned (As Dave reminds us) that God is a giver. He gave his one and only son.. Next to my Lord and Savior"Jesus Christ", Dave Ramsey has taught me the most about how to handle the gifts that God has given me.
@Greg - What a wonderful testimonial you just shared..... Yes, our Lord is the ultimate giver. Many years ago, I thought I was good too.
I want to learn to love and give with an open hand.
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Yes! Magnificent Obsession.
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Loreena, thank you for posting this worthwhile information. I hope that all is well with your business.