Pockets

Mitch and I make pockets.  We’re far from rich, but we have discovered the power of saving just a little out of every paycheck so that when those big things come along, they don’t come out of the regular budget and they don’t hurt.

It hasn’t always been that way.  It took us a couple of running starts before we embraced the wisdom of God’s principles of managing money.  In the latter 90’s, we took the Crown Ministries Course and learned so many things that we still remember today.  At the very first meeting they said this:  There are 2350 verses in the Bible having to do with money.  God knew that managing it was gonna be a challenge.

It was then that we started our first pocket – the Gift Fund.  Every single week a little money goes into that account.  That way, when birthdays and weddings and graduations and Christmas come along, the money is there.  We don’t worry anymore about how we’re gonna pay the credit card bill in January or how much we have to dip into the grocery money in order to afford a baby shower present.  

Many Pockets

Since then, we have added many pockets…for medical bills, for missionaries, for travel, and retirement.  Sometimes, we even manage to save a little!  Admittedly, we went through a time when we were fighting a losing battle with credit cards.  God prospered us and we returned the love with stupid.  Enter Dave Ramsey.  We love that guy.  Through his debt snowball and by getting serious about tithing, Lord willing, there will never be a need for a third clean-up act.  God gave us a do-over and we are just giddy about using it to give.  We love being able to help our kids in times of need, we are committed to keeping the lights on at our church and making sure our pastor gets a paycheck, and we love being able to give as much as we can to our brothers and sisters serving Christ in other countries.  

More Blessed to Give

In Acts 20:35, Paul says this:  In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

In Matthew 6:21, Jesus says: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  It’s true, isn’t it?  We don’t have to flip through too many pages in the checkbook register to see what captures our hearts.

Finally, in Malachi 3:10, God Himself says:  Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure. 

You might be suffering 2020 losses or having difficulty making ends meet right now.  Even in these circumstances, God’s Word has nuggets of wisdom.  Hebrews 13:5 says, Keep your life free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for he himself has said, ‘I will never leave you or abandon you’.

Mitch and I are frequently reminded that we can’t outgive God.  I am humbled that He has entrusted us with enough to share.  I pray that we will never let Him down.  Do you have your own story of victory over money using God’s principles?  I would love to hear it at Lifting Her Voice, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.