Sherrian Crumbley, Author at Faithful with a Few

3 Ways To Keep God In The Center Of Your Financial Chaos

With the beginning of a new year, the internet is a-buzz with resolutions about saving money and getting out of debt. We have a few of our own goals, and since our savings challenge went well last year, we are doing it again this year with a few changes.

As Christians, we share a lot on this site about finance from a Biblical perspective. We believe the Bible has answers for many of the financial situations people find themselves in, and that God’s desire is for us to have a healthy relationship with money as a resource, while not allowing the love of it to take root in our hearts (1 Timothy 6:10).

When we are weighed down by financial stress, or are singular-minded in our desire to overcome debt’s hold, it can become easy to focus on our own abilities or helplessness and forget that we have a heavenly Father who sees our situation, is in control of it, and actively involved in working it out for His glory!

I have to be reminded that my finances are not separate from anything else in my life, and certainly not separate from my spiritual life. The same Biblical truths that govern everything else, should apply to how I view my financial situation.

1. Remember That God Cares About Your Situation

Whether I’ve made made poor financial mistakes and gotten myself into a mess, or am doing well and trying to decide what to do with the surplus funds I am taking in – God cares! In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminds the people that our Heavenly Father knows what we need and that he will take care of us (Matthew 6:28-33). While we should (prayerfully) plan and be diligent, those things should not lead to unhealthy anxiety and worry. Whatever is out of our control can never be out of His!

We are not alone in our sea of financial concerns just as we are not alone in our relationships, in our problems, in our struggles with sin. As you consider your next step on your financial journey, remember Who is walking with you, and already has the future all mapped out.

2. Remember That God Has Given You the Ability to Be Content in Any Situation

Many Christians struggle with contentment: the inward state of satisfaction (regardless of the outer circumstances), yet that is what God wants from His children. Contentment does not equate to complacency or surrender, nor does it mean that you have to put on a pretense of joy in times of hardship.

In Philippians 4:11-13, Paul says, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

In many places, including the passage above, the Bible exhorts us to look to Christ as the source of our strength and our joy. Your happiness shouldn’t be determined by whether you can afford a certain luxury, or pay off your student loan. Those things are nice, but the contentment in your heart should not be affected by them, not if the true source of your happiness is the Lord.

3. Remember That God Will Use Your Life For His Glory

One of my favorite passages, and one I’ve heard many times in my life is Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” It used to make me feel great because it meant that eventually things were going to be okay.

But there is more than just the first half of the sentence, the last part is equally important “called according to His purpose”. Being a Christian means that my life is not my own, I follow and serve Christ. There are other passages that talk about the need for our focus to be on God and glorifying Him, like 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, or the end of the passage from the sermon on the Mount that I mentioned earlier – Matthew 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you“.

Even though things may not happen in the time frame you’d like, or the way that you’d like them to turn out, remember that God’s plan for you is bigger than what you have for yourself. The things that we go through serve reasons that go beyond our temporal success or satisfaction. While we are alive, we are also being made holy, and sometimes that happens through trials (James 1:2-3). That is only one of many possible reasons, we may never know the answer to until we meet the Lord.

As you go through your financial journey this year, whether with hope, gusto, or trepidation, please remember that God is your source. He is your strength, and your great reward.

Every Sunday I am blessed to look at this scripture on a banner in front of me during our service, and it is one I think of daily. I pray it will bless you also as you focus on God:

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight”.

The Recovering Spender

By // by Sherrian Crumbley

After hearing about her and seeing Lauren Greutman‘s name often over the past couple years, I was excited to learn more about her through her new book, the Recovering Spender.

This book is not just for someone who needs a little direction in making a budget. It’s not just for someone who needs help picking a stock. As Lauren puts it:

I wrote the book for the not-so-saavy spenders. The forgotten people when it comes to money management. We are the black sheep in the finance class, sitting in the back of the room slouched down with our heads hung low.

She wrote the Recovering Spender for the person who spends as a compulsion – an addiction – and she frames the book through that lens, starting with herself.

The first half of the book is Lauren’s story of getting her family into $40,000 worth of debt and the trials and errors of getting out of it. She is very open with her flaws and missteps, and this genuineness allows the reader to easily find where they can relate to her story.

I really liked the way Lauren weaved stories about her childhood and upbringing into the narrative, and explained that a lot of our behaviors and attitudes toward money have been ingrained from youth. She gives a really good example of how two people with different value systems about money, based on social class, can have serious conflicts in a marriage as a result.

We don’t often realize how our views about money start from a young age. Whether it is directly from lessons taught to us by our parents, or by our reactions to experiences in our childhood (e.g. I am going to give my child everything I couldn’t have as a child). Lauren stresses the importance of acknowledging all these thought patterns in making steps toward a successful recovery.

The 12 Recovering Spender Steps

In the second half of the book, Lauren takes the reader through 12 steps of recovery… similar to the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. From her experience working with people with addictions, Lauren was able to diagnose her own issues with spending and create this plan which she is still utilizing in her own life.

12 recovering spender steps

Each of the 12 steps contains practical information, application, and a real-life example of someone’s recovery experience. Having real people with real experiences is always a helpful tool, and having Lauren share tips that she uses everyday makes the information seem more realistic.

At the end of the book, Lauren provides worksheets to help you sort out your financial state of mind, budget, and more.

Overall Thoughts

If your spending is out of control, if you have tried and failed to budget or save, or if your relationship is in trouble because of monetary issues, please read this book. I love that it is not just a book on how to get out of credit card debt (let’s say), but it looks deeper at the source of the issue.

It is equally important that she does give good, applicable advice to change your situation once you realize what is going. Do I think spending is an addiction for many? Yes. Do, I think everyone who shares some of these issues has an addiction? I am not quite as convinced as the author is, but I DO believe that we should all do the same work she prescribes to figure out the problem from the root.

I also believe that for many, the changes do need to be life-long. For varying reasons, we need the ‘fences’ she talks about to protect us from old thinking and habits.

This book is a really good one.

The Teenpreneur Conference

By // by Sherrian Crumbley

A few years ago we had the opportunity to meet Eva Baker from Teen Got Cents and we are glad to call her a friend, as well as being card-carrying members of her fan club! She is an exceptional young adult who, through her blog and community activity, educates teens (and adults) on personal finance topics. Most recently, she has been working really hard on the first Teenpreneur Conference.

TEENPRENEUR Conference? Really?

ABSOLUTELY! Two things we are passionate about here at KNS Financial are (1) That younger people be educated about handling money, which includes building wealth (2) The importance of encouraging entrepreneurship as a viable option for anyone!

If you have a teenager who is currently running their own business, or needs to be inspired to do so, this conference is for them! I can not stress how necessary it is for them to be surrounded by like-minded peers to motivate them about their ideas and aspirations.

I Think You Need A Little More Convincing

Check out these statistics shared on the Teenpreneur Conference website:

Since 2012, there has been a general decline in the number of students learning about business and money at school, especially in grades 5-8. – Gallup-HOPE Index

…a tough economy, increasingly competitive college market, expanding networks and shifts in technology – is creating a culture of innovators. Some people call post-millennials Generation Z, but I think a more appropriate moniker would be Generation (I)nnovation. – Harvard Business Review

In 2014, 4 in 10 students (42.1%) in grades 5-12 planned to start their own business. – Gallup-HOPE Index

If your teen is interested in taking their business to the next level, or considering starting their business, this is a wonderful opportunity to see what other teens are doing, thinking, and building.

Check out the website. All the conference information is detailed there! Parents, there are sessions for you too. You and your teen won’t want to miss it!

Real Money Answers for Every Woman Book Review

By // by Sherrian Crumbley

I sat down with my copy of Real Money Answers for Every Woman: How to Win the Money Game With or Without a Man not knowing what to expect. In all honesty, it is because I have never deeply considered how my approach to personal finance is affected by my womanhood. All it took was a glance down the table of contents for me to understand why this book is needed. More specifically, I was able to see why I needed to read it!

The book has four sections, with a few chapters within each section. The magic is what happens within these chapters: the table of contents lists questions that are proposed within the chapter topic. Many of these questions resonated with me and many of the clients with whom my husband and I engage. They come up over and over again, a lot of them specific to women of varying demographics.

Reading this book, the author delivers on her promise of real money answers. She doesn’t speak in personal finance generalities, taking a one-size-fits-all approach. I can believe that Mrs. Washington has taken her years of experience in her field, having really heard the voice of her clients and audience, and packaged her most genuine responses in a power-filled tool!

The Tone

Have you ever had a friend that ALWAYS tells you the truth, even though you may not want to hear it? (If you haven’t, you really need to get one of those!) Well, let me help you be prepared if you are going to pick up this book: PATRICE WASHINGTON WILL BE THAT FRIEND!!!!

Her tone is very down-to-earth, very conversational — and equally firm. She is not afraid to let her readers know when their mindsets are just crazy, silly, or wrong!

She writes, “If you’re not really a finance type of person, then make yourself one, and quickly! That type of mentality is not how a wealthy, successful person
thinks. If you’re thinking you’ll be fine, God will provide, you’ll just hit the lottery one day, blah, blah, blah, then this book—all the books in the world—won’t help you. You might be uncomfortable hearing that, but somebody had to tell you.”

I’ll admit, you may have to say “ouch” a few times while reading this, but you will keep on going because you can trust that she is helping to get past your unhealthy mindsets and actually providing you with the information you need to get results. It reminds me of Proverbs 27:6 “Faithful are the wounds of a friend”.

She is also extremely open and encouraging throughout the pages. She starts off by sharing her own story, including some of her own missteps and how she had to change her thinking and relationship with money to become financially healthy and successful.

The Treasure

There are many gems in Real Money Answers, but I will just mention a couple of my favorite things.

The detail: Mrs. Washington gives you everything you need to set you up for success (There she goes being that friend again). It’s more than just some useful worksheets in the back – although there are those, but when she answers specific questions, she provides resources to utilize and specific steps to take to get things accomplished!
The scope: As I said already, the author did an amazing job of meeting the needs of her audience. She covers such a wide range of topics where I know people need direction and advice. For example, she tackles how to handle: friends who are taking advantage, entitled children, money questions to ask when dating, and financial recovery after a divorce.

The Takeaways

You need to change your mindset about money! If you don’t change that first, you’ll keep making the same mistakes. The book will help you consider your mindset, how you’ve developed it, and the steps needed to adjust.
Wherever you are in life (single, married, child, elderly, etc), you are exactly where you need to be to make a positive change in your finances. This book has such a wide range of questions and answers, that I am sure women will find the help they need to be financially successful
The time is now! Nothing will change, or things will get worse, in your financial situation until you take action. Real Money Answers for Every Woman is available on Amazon and other retailers.

The Real Money Answers Author

Patrice C. Washington has dedicated her life to moving the masses from debt management to money mastery since 2003. As a featured columnist, television commentator, radio host, author, speaker and leading authority on personal finance for women and youth, Patrice is intentional about keeping her message on money management practical and upbeat.

Patrice’s down-to-earth advise has been featured in numerous articles, quoted in dozens of newspapers and magazines and appeared on hundreds of radio stations and television networks, including Bloomberg TV, Forbes, The Huffington Post, CNN Money and Black Enterprise. Each week, 8 million listeners tune in to hear her “Real Money Answers” segment on the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Radio Show.

As a transformational speaker, Patrice is invited to conferences, churches and colleges nationally to electrify, entertain, educate and most importantly to her, inspire action in thousands of families monthly.

The Purpose of Christ’s Death … And Why It Wasn’t Financial Wealth

By // by Sherrian Crumbley

A few days ago prosperity preacher Creflo Dollar posted this on Twitter (it has since been taken down): “Jesus bled and died for us so that we can lay claim to the promise of financial prosperity. #ProsperityInChrist #WealthyLiving #AbundantLife”

A phrase like this is exactly why we started our business – not only do money issues matter, but MORE importantly, spiritual truth matters.

Honestly, I started this post the SAME DAY because I was upset. I was feeling a LOT of things. When Khaleef came home, I rallied him into doing a Periscope with me on the subject!

It wasn’t my most polished moment … Khaleef was fine and a lot more articulate. I was just emotional. And, there is a way that I’m fine with that. Here is the video that we recorded that same night (follow this link if reading via email):

But I’m glad that I’ve had time to settle down and really think about what should be said about this.

To be honest, Creflo Dollar’s statement shouldn’t be alarming because it’s the same message he and others have been sounding for at least three decades and since the recession, thankfully, more Christians have evaluated their thinking about God and the long-term effects of that theology.

Addressing the True Reason

But what still needs to be addressed, in my opinion, and magnified, is the reason why Christ did die.

The truth of the gospel is what matters. Khaleef and I believe that if you get the gospel right – if you get Christ right, then everything else He gives will help you to get the other things right, like your finances. So we need to start here.

I can assure you of this, as Christ sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane, prayed all night to the Father, and asked that the cup of death and punishment of sin that He was about to drink be passed from Him…

As He prayed for His disciples and for the disciples of future generations that were to come, for their unity, for their love, for their safety…

As He went to the cross and fulfilled what He set out to do before the world began — based on these things expressed so beautifully in the scriptures, I am assured that temporal comfort or success for you and me was not on His mind.

The breach between us and the Father, that animosity that existed, because we were blinded in our sins, that we didn’t even know about? Yeah, that was on His mind. (Psalm 7:11, Romans 1:18, Romans 5:5-8)

The magnitude of Christ’s death can not be fully understood while we are on this earth, but the bible does allow us to see some important points on why He had to bleed and die for us.

Why Did Christ Shed His Blood:

Hebrews 9:15-22

¹⁵Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

¹⁶For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established.

¹⁷For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.

¹⁸Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. ¹⁹For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,

²⁰saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.”

²¹And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship.

²²Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (emphasis mine)

Matthew 26:27-28

²⁷And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

²⁸For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (emphasis mine)

From both these passages we see that the significance of Christ shedding His blood had to do with the Old Testament sacrifices and the protocol that God put in place so the transgressions (sins) of the people would be forgiven. These sacrifices were temporary and were powerless to free us from sin.

Christ served as our sacrificial Lamb, His sacrifice being perfect, lasting, and eternal. Christ’s blood had to be shed for the perpetual forgiveness of sins. Period.

Reasons Christ Died:

1. He died so we can be reconciled back to God.

Romans 5:10

¹⁰For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19

¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ¹⁸All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹that is, in Christ[,] God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Colossians 1:19-22

¹⁹For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, ²⁰and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

²¹And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, ²²yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—

2. He died so we can have eternal life.

John 3:16-17

¹⁶“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 5:11-12

¹¹And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹²Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

3. He died so we can be forgiven for our sins.

1 John 2:1-2 tells us:

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

²He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

That word ‘propitiation’ means that he satisfied a requirement for our sins.

Our sins come at a cost. A cost that had to be paid. And if you don’t know Christ, you still owe that debt, but there is good news!

Here it is from someone who is way better at explaining it than me :-):

The good news, the gospel, is that God while being just and holy, is also gracious and merciful. And so He offers complete forgiveness for all violations of His Law. And He offers complete escape and deliverance from just punishment. To whom is this given? It is given to all who have saving faith in His Son Jesus Christ. For anybody who believes in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, who repents for sin and embraces Jesus Christ, there is forgiveness, forgiveness of all sin and deliverance from the penalty of sin, eternal damnation. And instead, there’s the promise of eternal blessing and holy perfection. That is the gospel. That is the good news that follows the bad news.” – John MacArthur

Christ’s sacrifice was a lot more glorious, eternal, and urgent than financial wealth! I’ll save all the warnings about going after riches for another article. I’ll also add that for the believer, Your Heavenly Father knows what you need and is faithful to provide!

Blessings, acquiring wealth, doing well, etc., these are all things that can be good and have their place – but it’s always at least second place (I would honestly even say a comfortable fifth or sixth). And to see someone (who claims to believe as I do) merge the most important event in history, and the most significant event for our eternity, with something so ordinary and terrestrial as financial gain is disheartening.