I have been reading a devotional based on the book of Ruth. As I got to the last day and the devotional was focused on Ruth chapter 4, I noticed something interesting. 

As Boaz explains to the Kinsman Redeemer that is next in line to redeem Naomi’s family and possessions, he seemingly provides a cursory explanation of what is available to him. Before that, Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and sat at the gates where important conversations were held. He wanted to ensure there were witnesses of stature present. 

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

This is one of the most commonly quoted verses in the Bible.

Struggling to lay off the sugar? You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

Afraid of failing your algebra test? You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

Trying to learn to crochet? You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

But is that really what the Apostle Paul is talking about? That we can conquer anything because God’s on our side? Let’s take a look at the full context of this verse.

Nothing.

Picture this with me:

It’s the middle of winter, the coldest morning of the year. You’re already running late. Your brain is going a mile a minute stressing about all of the work waiting for you when you get into the office. You hurry out of the house. You quickly scrape some of the ice that has accumulated on your windshield overnight. Your car cabin is freezing. Your fingers are numb. 

And right as you go to turn the key…

Click… click… click…

Nothing.

The Live-Give-Owe-Grow (LGOG) model from Ron Blue Institute simplifies biblical financial stewardship into four uses of money: living expenses, giving, obligations, and saving. This framework helps Christians prioritize simultaneously while maintaining balance in managing money for day-to-day life.

Few topics stir up as much frustration—or confusion—as taxes. Every spring, millions of Americans gather their documents, say a quick prayer, and hope for a good outcome. Some rejoice over a big refund. Others wince at a balance due. But as Christians, we’re called to “not be conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2) so we should think about taxes differently. Our approach should be shaped not by fear, resentment, or even excitement—but by faithfulness, wisdom, and stewardship.

Visualize a story with me.

You are a few years into your career. Money is tighter than you would like, but God is providing. You are paying the bills, building a little margin, and learning what it looks like to make wise decisions with what you have.

Then, slowly, things start to change. Income rises (either slowly or more quickly). Life gets a little more comfortable. You upgrade a few things here or there. You sign up for the streaming services you used to share passwords for. You stop checking the bank app as often. You breathe a little easier.

And without ever saying it out loud, a new assumption sneaks in: when income rises, lifestyle rises. Otherwise termed: Lifestyle creep.

As Christians, Advent is such a great opportunity to share with loved ones what the birth of Christ truly means. However, it’s also a time that can be overwhelming in many ways, including financially.

This month, our advisors wanted to share some personal insights on how they’ve been able to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas in a way that’s affordable.

Towards the end of last year, I sensed the Lord giving me new instructions. As I prayed for my word for the year, I got two: Rest and Surrender.

These words aren’t particularly surprising, based on what I know of myself. For many years, the Lord had been calling me to “Be Still” - Psalm 46:10 and to “Seek Him First” - Matthew 6:33. Whenever I think I’ve finally gotten the instruction right, I seem to get a new level of understanding and He brings me into deepening the instruction.

This year has been no different.

However, something surprising has emerged as I contemplate my finances.

In the twelfth chapter of Luke, Jesus tells this parable:

“The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Luke 12:16-21

Our advisors at the Christian Financial Advisors Network talk a lot about generosity and stewardship. We believe giving is vital in breaking the power that money has over us but also is a way to rejoice and give glory to God.

With that being said, there is one specific vehicle that stretches how much you’re able to give to the charities and causes you care about.

In our culture, success is often measured by how much we can achieve, acquire, or control. For business professionals, these measurements can feel magnified: How big is our company? How high are our profits? Are we the biggest and most “successful” in our industry?

Yet as Christians, we’re called to something far greater than this view of ownership. Scripture challenges us to push against this societal norm and instead turn towards a posture of stewardship.

When two people say “I do,” they commit to love and cherish each other. They also commit to navigating life and money together. For Christians, marriage is a covenant before God, and managing finances within that covenant shows faith, trust, and unity.  

When debt feels like a heavy chain around your neck—credit card balances increasing, bills piling up, and maybe even collectors calling—it’s natural to question every dollar spent, even those given to God. Many believers wrestle with whether it’s wise—or even possible—to tithe while struggling financially. Yet the heart of this question isn’t just about numbers; it’s about trust, obedience, and priorities.

More than anything, our clients and prospective clients come to us asking, ‘How can I be a good steward?’ I think the parable that most sticks in the mind of Christians on this front isThe Parable of the Talents in Matthew.

This parable addresses what stewardship looks like in our whole life, not just finances, but since this is the Christian Financial Advisors Network, I figure we can focus specifically on finances for a bit. It is a bit lengthy, so I won’t write out the entire parable here, but I will summarize the high points below.

Our Christian Financial Advisors group (members of CFAN) recently met for our quarterly meeting. We typically start with prayer and devotion, and one of the members shared a devotion anchored in Matthew 25:14-30, more commonly known as “The Story of the Talents”.

As we listened to each other, we we had a few conversation points, and one of them was “What does it mean to you (as an individual) to be a good steward?”  We each come from different backgrounds and perspectives, so it was interesting to hear the various viewpoints.

One thing that’s been gaining momentum within the last decade, but has been around well over 30 years, is the FIRE movement. FIRE stands for Financial Independence Retire Early and I’ve had more and more Christians ask me my thoughts on it and how it pertains to stewardship.

In our modern culture, it is a common belief that money will fix your problems, bring harmony, and create fulfillment. In fact, a recent Empower study found that 71% of Americans think money would solve most of their problems. There is at least one American who does not agree, though. 

One of the things I love about the New Year is the opportunity to envision what the year ahead could look like—dreaming big, setting goals, and imagining the possibilities. And while many of us may ask, “What do I want to achieve this year?” or “What goals do I want to set for the year,” I want to invite us all to ask a slightly different question:

“How can I live more generously this year?”

As we continue to make our way through the Advent season it’s a great time to reflect on the coming of Christ and its significance. Oftentimes this season can become overshadowed by events, shopping, work, travel, and other year end activities but as Christians it’s an opportunity for meaningful preparation, reflection, and praise.

In this post our advisors get to talk about some of their favorite causes they support as they praise God and connect this season of giving to the birth of Christ and its eternal impact.

As we prepare for Thanksgiving here in the United States, I am reminded that “Giving thanks” is what this holiday is all about.  After all, the story of Thanksgiving says that it originated when pilgrim settlers celebrated their first harvest together with the Native Americans that helped them survive in the New World.  They gave thanks to Our Lord for the blessings they were provided.