“Our Finances”

Proverbs 21:5 - "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty."

1 Timothy 6:10 - "For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Note:*For this new year of 2021, the combination of my age (understanding my own fragile mortality), this current and ongoing global pandemic, and most recently the personal loss I’ve experienced of one of my students, has amplified the need to land on one word... #Prepare.

In this "pursuit to prepare" I am determined to dedicate the 52 weeks of 2021 blogging every Week about one aspect of preparation God lays on my heart. This week 9 we talk about what it means to "prepare” our finances.

As mentioned in week 1, the word “prepare” means “to establish, fix, or apply.” It conveys the idea of deliberate effort over a prolonged period of time.

Oh, how I wanted to skip over this topic of #prepare and finances!

How many mistakes have I made in the area of finance over the years? HA!!

The book I could write could be called, “everything NOT to do when it comes to finances!”

You name the mistake in regards to finances, and I’ve done it!

I could simply say, "been there, don’t go there!” Maybe this will be the title of the book?

So in this moment, and in keeping with this year long blog series encouraging us all to get on the path to “#prepare”, let me ask the first question:

What do you need to do today, “to establish, fix, or apply” when it comes to your finances?

In Proverbs 21:5, it reads, "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty."

Now remember as I’ve expressed am I am NOT the expert in this field, but I am a good encourager so the words that I share I hope only serve as a reminder of yet another area of focus in which we all need to #prepare.

My first thought is, "oh how I wish I could turn back the page on all the past mistakes I’ve made in this area, but then, in my self talk, and my encouragement to you I say, STOP! Stop this way of thinking and begin to prepare today your financial strategies.

One expert in my research said, "The key to preparing your finances is to be both deliberate and diligent."

Deliberate and diligent in wherever you are whether you are initiating a plan, well into the middle, or close to arriving towards financial security. "Deliberate and diligence" are essential elements for preparing your finances.

Asking the questions, “what’s the end in mind”, “what do I hope to accomplish” and “what will be my financial legacy?”

My brothers these are all questions for my own careful and intentional self reflection this year and as I have stated before there is no time like the present it is time to #prepare for our finances Today!

To God be the glory!