JUNK: Financial Wreckage

"Check yourself before you wreck yourself." It may sound corny but it is still true. Our willingness and courage to take an inventory on how we are shaped by and how we handle money is an essential part of living free. It does take some serious courage to look at our checkbook, our credit card statement, and our budget. Most likely there is some "junk" that we can get rid of in our financial life. Statistics still show that even in these challenging times, many Americans still do not have an overall budget written down to guide their spending, saving and giving.

We shared a checklist of sorts to see if we are on the road to financial wreckage. When we talk about designing a plan for managing your finances, we offer a course taught called Financial Peace University. This course is taught via DVD by author and radio personality Dave Ramsey and he does a great job of both inspiring and equipping folks. Group discussion follows facilitated by a couple in One Life who have been trained by Dave Ramsey's organization.

Lastly, if we are to be "rich toward God," it naturally follows to examine our pattern of generosity. Dawn and myself have adopted a "three-tired" giving plan. Our first 10% (or more) goes to the local church we serve. We give to the General Budget and beyonfd that to specific needs that arise through the year (compassion/youth/missions). The second tier of giving goes to missionaries, compassion ministries and other Kingdom oriented organizations. Thirdly, we work to live a life that is financially focused enough to give to real individual needs and unexpected tragic situations we hear about along the way. We give in these opportunities anonymously. I call it "sneaky good."