Category: Contentment

One of my goals this year is to be more consistent in reading the Bible. (Let’s be honest…it really does hold answers to so many of life’s questions!)

While reading through Proverbs the other day, a verse stopped me in my tracks. I found myself wondering, “What would this look like from a financial perspective?”

Proverbs 3:3-4 “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”

This verse reminded me that managing money well isn’t just a technical skill, it’s a matter of the heart. Love and faithfulness should guide every part of our lives, including how we earn, spend, save, give, and invest.

1. Managing Money with Love

In a financial sense, love means we don’t use money selfishly or harmfully. Instead, we manage money to serve others, not just ourselves.

1 Timothy 6:18 “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”

Love leads to generosity, compassion, and a heart for the needs of others. It also means guarding ourselves against greed, which hardens the heart.

Luke 12:15 says “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

Practical ways to manage money with love:

• Give to those in need (Proverbs 19:17 “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord.”)
• Support the local church, ministries and Kingdom work
• Be fair and honest in all financial dealings (Leviticus 19:13)

2. Managing Money with Faithfulness

Faithfulness is about being a trustworthy steward of everything God entrusts to us.

Luke 16:10-11 says, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”

What faithfulness looks like financially:

• Budgeting with purpose and living within your means
• Saving wisely for future needs (Proverbs 21:20)
• Avoiding debt when possible, and repaying what we owe (Romans 13:8)
• Being generous consistently, not just when it’s convenient

3. Winning Favor with God and Man

When our financial decisions are shaped by love and faithfulness, two beautiful things happen:

• We honor and please God
• We earn the respect and trust of others
  

A person who manages money with integrity, generosity, and wisdom becomes a beacon of what godly stewardship looks like.

Proverbs 22:1 says,“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”

In summary:
Proverbs 3:3-4 reminds us that how we handle money is a form of worship and witness.

• Love determines how we use what we have.
• Faithfulness determines how well we manage it over time.
  

Together, they don’t just shape your financial health; they shape your character, your influence, and your legacy before God and others.

At some point, almost everyone asks this question. I have, many times.

In high school, it sounded like: “Everything will be better once I graduate and have freedom.”
In college, it shifted to: “Once I start my career…” or “I’ll feel like an adult when I get married… or have kids… or reach ___.”

Often, we attach our sense of “arrival” to the next life milestone, whatever that may be.

But here’s the quiet truth most people don’t realize until much later in life: we never actually arrive. There is always a next step. A next goal. A next version of life we think will finally make everything feel settled.

And if we’re waiting to feel like we’ve “arrived” before we get our money in order… we end up waiting a long time.

Ecclesiastes 11:4 says,
“Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.”

In other words, if you wait for the perfect moment—when everything feels certain, stable, and ready—you may never start at all.

You’ve probably heard the saying:
The best day to start saving money was yesterday. The second best day is today.

It’s simple, but it’s true.

Because this—right now—is your life.

Not someday. Not when things calm down. Not when you have more money, more clarity, or more confidence. You are living your life right now. And one of the best things you can do for your future self is to start taking ownership of your finances in the present.

That doesn’t mean you need to have everything figured out. It just means you start.

Start paying attention to where your money is going.
Start setting aside even a small amount.
Start making intentional decisions instead of reactive ones.

Small steps taken today shape the life you’ll live tomorrow.

Jesus reminds us in Luke 16:10,
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.”

Faithfulness doesn’t begin when you have more. It begins with what you have now.

So if you’ve been asking, “What am I doing with my life?”—here’s a good place to start:

Live it.
Right now.

Take ownership.
Make a plan.
Do the next right thing with what you’ve been given.

Because there is no “there” waiting for you to arrive.

There is only today.

And today is a really good place to begin.

The other week, I was scrolling through Instagram when I saw a reel from a financial influencer I follow. Her advice stopped me dead in my tracks. Normally, she shares tips on budgeting and investing, showing us her budget breakdowns; everything from rent and food to “fun” expenses like eating out, makeup, Botox, and bi-weekly shellac manicures.

But this time, she shared something that really made me think: she added a giving category to her budget. My first thought was, “Wait, she wasn’t giving before? If she could afford bi-weekly manicures and Botox, surely she could have afforded to be giving long ago!”

It got me reflecting on a money masterclass I’d attended a couple of months ago, hosted by two women with over 450K followers on Instagram and a thriving membership program. The class covered budgeting in detail, yet giving wasn’t even mentioned. As I explored more financial influencers and programs, I realized this was a common theme…multiple people in the financial space who do not talk about giving.

Here’s the thing: If you wait until you’re “making enough money” to give, you might never give at all, or you’ll delay it far too long.

I get it! When I first started my career in Atlanta, I worked full-time and served tables on nights and weekends just to pay bills and my car loan (By the way, never get a car loan—it’s one of the worst financial decisions you can make!). During that time, I could barely afford to give more than $5 or $10 at church. My mindset was, “I can’t afford to give more right now.”

Then, I moved to NYC. This included not only a raise in pay but also in living expenses. Once again, I thought, “When I have more money, I’ll give more.” But after a year of living in NYC and attending church regularly, I decided to take a step and be more consistent in my giving. While I didn’t give the full 10% the Bible recommends, I started giving 5-7% of my income each month. And you know what? I didn’t go broke. In fact, I still had enough to pay my bills, save, and invest.

As I transitioned into a sales role and began earning commissions, my income increased, and so did my giving. However, I won’t lie. It took a long time for me to become a “cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7-8). Giving hurt at first. My natural instinct was to hoard my paycheck, saving and investing every penny.

But here’s the lesson I slowly learned: When you trust God with your money, it shows that He can trust you in return. Even when it hurts and you’re unsure if you’ll have enough, giving proves your faith.

So, my encouragement to you today is this: Don’t always follow the advice of every influencer or money expert. Instead, take small steps toward trusting God with your finances. It’s a journey, and the rewards, both financial and spiritual, are worth it.