Pick up a roadmap, you’re going to need it…

Jenn S. asked an interesting question about finances over on her wordpress. I responded to her entry in a comment, got asked to comment back and realized I was writing a book. Here is my answer to her question for insight on my comment. (Wow, if that didn’t make you dizzy, I don’t know what will.)

I came to IHOP as a working person. My heart is tied to the prayer room and the community of believers here, but my heart would not be happy if I were to spend all my days in the prayer room. (In no way am I knocking people who do just that, I’m just stating the condition of my heart as previously stated here.) I love to work and I spend most of the hours of my life doing so, but I also take responsibility for my spiritual well being by being in the word, spending long-ish periods of time in prayer, fasting, and being in fellowship with like minded believers. I am tied so closely with the prayer movement - I’m just one of those people who know that in the deepest parts of my spiritual DNA that I was created to work on the mission field called life.

So on the money issue these are my thoughts:

I’m paying off a car and college loans; keeping my insurance up to date; and keeping a roof over my head. Oh yeah, gas is getting more and more expensive each month.

I don’t really have a family structure that I can call and say “Hey, the rent is due in a week and I just don’t have the money to pay it all, can you help?” Not that my folks wouldn’t help if they could, but its just not feasible for them. The weight of this responsibility falls on me. I am constantly asking God for wisdom in how to handle money. There hasn’t been one time yet that a bill hasn’t been paid - oh, its come close, but it hasn’t happened yet.

Add to that the fact that when I moved up here it was with a desire in my heart to support a certain number of people for a certain amount a month. When I haven’t done just that, God has gone to extreme measures to get my attention.

I wonder if it would be possible to do this without prayer and divine guidance.

No, it wouldn’t be possible.

I knew when I moved back that I would not be full time in the prayer room. I knew that I would work - and work hard. Money is important to me in the sense that I have to steward it well. I am no good to the people I support if I can’t care for myself. Realistically I have to plan my budget each month around what I KNOW I will have that month. Sometimes I get a little bit extra - great, that can be extra money to support people or even have a fun night out - but that isn’t a guaranteed thing each month.

In stewarding my money, first comes my commitments to God. That means that the first things out of my paycheck each month are my tithes, offerings and support checks. After that comes the fixed expenses (rent, utilities, money for gas and food, etc.) Then out comes my savings money. It’s not much, but 25 or 50 dollars a pay check adds up to a few hundred bucks a year.

The people I support are covered in prayer - if I can’t consistently pray for them, then I don’t’ support them - I ask that each person lets me know at least once a month how I can specifically be praying for them. I pray for a stronger support base or for the family member they are concerned about, or maybe they just ask me to pray the apostolic prayers for them. As I cover them in prayer the Lord leads me in any “extra” support money to send them. I’ve been surprised when the Lord tells me a certain amount to give, I panic because I don’t have that amount, the extra money comes in and then I give only to find out that that was the exact amount they needed that month. I also am sure to tell the people that I support that if they have an unexpected expense come up that they can always call and let me know. I may not be able to pay for the full amount, but if my NEEDS are met then I will do all I can to help with their needs.

My needs are their support money, the roof over my head, food on my table (for me and for others) and my bills paid. Beyond that the gas money can be stretched, coffee can be skipped, social events can be free or cheap instead of dinners out.

To do this I have two checking accounts that are linked so I can transfer money as needed. One is my spending account and the other is my savings account. The bulk of my expenses obviously comes from my spending account, but occasionally I have to spend some money from the other account. I won’t let my savings account drop below a certain level - the cost of premiums on my insurance and money for rent for one month. This way, if anything happens and my income goes down, I don’t have to panic about paying that deductible on my car if I get in an accident or paying that unexpected month of rent. I know big purchases come up from time to time - furniture, trips, new clothes (yes that one tends to be a big purchase for me) - I try to plan in advance for them and save. An extra 10 or 20 bucks in savings makes a huge difference when you want to go to a concert or something with friends.

I plan things like “fun money” or “time with friends money” into my budget. I may not always use all of it, but I put it in there. Plus if I don’t use it during one pay period - that means I have more to work with later. If I can do anything to help my friend, my comrade, out - that comes first before my fun. How can I have fun if I know I can help another and don’t do it? We are the family of God. We are to care for each other the best we can - be it finances or time, our gifts to each other are invaluable.

Living simply is so different for each person. For me I can define living simply by saying that I have everything I need and some of what I want. It isn’t depriving myself of the joy of extras, it is making sure the basics are there and what comes after those is up to the Lord. I love a good cup of coffee or a dinner out as much as the next person, but I also know that in order to pay my debts I must avoid doing those things to excess. A homemade dinner in can be more fun than going out. But maybe, just maybe, He has something different for my finances.

More than anything, when I make choices with finances, I cover those choices with prayer. In the natural my check book has never truly balanced out. But as I put God first, the finances fall in line. He gives such grace. He strengthens my faith by proving ever faithful. He gives me hope by promising that his righteous ones will never be found begging bread. He makes me smile as I watch the money come in super-naturally.