Finding Your Financial Path: Days 26-28

Today at church we spoke about finances and how giving to the church through tithes or giving to people in need is one of the greatest ways you can show your faithfulness to God. I thought todays message fit in so perfectly with what this plan has talked about and I would like to give you guys the main points we talked about today.

1. Nothing you can buy or possess can satisfy your craving that can only be filled by God.

2. As your passion for God grows, your passion for possessions should diminish.

3. Giving releases God's blessing on your life.

4. You have to give up to go up.

3 Signs that God is #1 in your life

1. Giving

2. You use the word enough

3. People matter more

Day 26: God Never Fails

The love of money will lead people to make foolish decisions, because we will do anything to have more. Regardless of how new our phones are, how big our homes get or how many designer labels we have in the closest, we will never be satisfied. And when we feel dissatisfied with what we have, we do things like take out a loan for a new car when we have one that runs just fine. The Bible tells the story of an Israelite boy named Moses that was rescued from death and raised by the daughter of the Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt. He was born into poverty and adopted into royalty. Moses could have chosen an easy life of royalty, but he loved God more than he loved money. While he grew up in a palace, Moses traded a life of luxury to follow God's call on his life and lead the nation of Israel on a 40-year trek through the desert. Money will never satisfy us the way the love of Jesus does. New stuff gets old. But God never fails us, never abandons us. So let us be content in working a good job, not borrowing for things we do not need, spending time with out families and doing what God would have us do.

Questions:

1. Are you content with what you have or constantly looking to upgrade? Why?

2. Think about the worst financial decision you ever made. What was your motive for that purchase or decision?

3. Do you love God more than you love money? If He asked you to give up everything you owned, would His love be enough?

Scripture:

Hebrews 13:5-6

Ecclesiastes 5:10

Prayer:

Jesus, You love is more satisfying than any possessions. Help me to be content with what I have and to put our relationship first.

Day 27: Work With Purpose

We each have work to do. Everything we do - from the way we work to how we talk - is an act of worship to God. One of the reasons we work is to experience happiness in God. When we exert an energy to complete a task, there is joy in accomplishing something. God is the source of all work; our meaning is found in Him, no matter what work we're doing. Work also gives us the financial means to meet our needs, help others, and worship Jesus. By working toward something and earning a living, we are building a life of freedom. Freedom is the ability to live according to God's directions rather than according to the restrictions of our debts and obligations. God wants to do work in you, not just make you accomplish tasks. Perhaps you're in a difficult job with challenging co-workers and impossible tasks. It may be a chance for you to grow in faithfulness, dedication, and overcoming conflicts. When we work, our character is built and we're better equipped to do more work God calls us to in the future. Ultimately our jobs are about stewardship. We've been given great opportunities to use our minds, bodies, creativity, and attitudes that God has allotted for us. Work because you've receives a task from Jesus, not just for a paycheck.

Questions:

1. Does your work ethic point people toward or away from Jesus? Why or why not?

2. How are you managing your earning from work and your responsibilities at work?

3. How can you practice being content in your work but staying hungry for God?

Scripture:

Colossians 3:12-24

Prayer:

Jesus, thank You for my job. It is a gift from You! Help me to use the resources and influence You've given me wisely.

Day 28: Do Whatever It Takes

There is always work to be done, but there are different "jobs" to do. It's our job to provide for our families and love the people in our lives. We should do the work of our careers as well as the work of serving others. God calls us to be people who live our a "whatever it takes" mindset. Because Jesus did whatever it took to save us from our sins and give us new life, we can follow His example by being responsible, including how we use finances. "No job is beneath you" isn't about doing work that involves lying, stealing, cheating, harming others, distracting people from Jesus or any other sin. It means we should do whatever it takes (short of sin) to be responsible financially, because debt is slavery. In the story of Jesus visiting Mart and Martha, there are two different "jobs," one is displayed  by Martha, who worked to prepare food for Jesus. And Mary fulfilled the role of hostess by making Jesus feel welcome. Unfortunately, Martha's work in the kitchen distracted her from Jesus Mary did whatever it took to value Jesus above everything else. If Martha sat at Jesus' feet, they wouldn't have had dinner. There are some "Martha" seasons of our lives when we need to hustle and work hard to make ends meet. But we also have some "Mary" seasons when we need to learn to rest in what God provides. The key is to listen to God's spirit for when to do which. This is how you can do whatever it takes to be faithful to Jesus, with your life and your finances: whatever "job" God has called you to, listen to Him and do the best work you can do.

Questions:

1. What role do you need to focus on in this season of your life: accomplishing tasks you already know to do, or building relationships with people and God?

2. Do you find it difficult to balance the different "jobs" you have? Why or why not?

3. How will you practice a "whatever it takes" mindset?

Scripture:

Luke 10:38-42

Ecclesiastes 3:1-14

Prayer:

Jesus, You don't measure my value by what jobs I perform. I'm valuable just because I'm Yours! Help me to do whatever it takes to obey You and worship You with my finances.

I hope you all enjoyed this plan and if you followed along with me I hope it helped you out in some way. Please let me know what you guys thought of this plan and if you'd like to see more of these types of things. I love hearing from all you!

xoxo

-k

Finding Your Financial Path: Days 21-25

Today has started out being a day of me decluttering my life Facebook friend's list. I honestly can't tell you why I've always been so afraid to just delete unnecessary and unwanted people from my page but it's always been hard for me to do so. Until today, I shared a picture about a Canadian that was sick of seeing all the negative things Americans have to say about Obama and how we can send him to them when he's finished here. I know a lot of you won't agree with me but I like Obama and I truly think he's done good things while he's been president. However; there was a woman commenting on the post that was being rude and very disrespectful, so I unfriended her and blocked her. I've realized today that I don't need those kinds of people in my life. If they aren't going to at least respect other people's opinions, beliefs, ideas, and/or morals then I have no room for them in my life.

Anyway, let's get back to finding your financial path :)

Day 21: Faithfulness Leads to Responsibility
A good financial planner doesn't keep the money he receives from his clients. He invests it wisely so he can present his clients with more than they had before. In the same way, we're responsible to invest with God has given us. When Jesus left the earth, He put each of us in charge of a portion of His resources. Jesus will hold us accountable for what we've been given. Those God can trust to use money wisely will be given more, and those He can't trust will be given less. God's not picking favorites. He wants His wealth to be used to make the most impact before Jesus comes back. If a financial planner pockets his clients' money, he won't be in business long. The same is true for us. God tends to give more wealth to people who are using it for His kingdom, not just themselves. When we are faithful with a little, it shows we can be faithful with a lot.
Questions:
1. If you were your own financial planner, would you fire yourself? Why or why not?
2. How have you been faithful with what you've been given?
3. What are three ways you can begin to be faithful with a little to prepare for being faithful with a lot?
Scripture:
Matthew 24:36-51
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for trusting me with Your wealth. Show me how You want me to invest it so You get the most glory.

Day 22: Less Is More
Having more money is not the answer to a happy life. It may seem that money can solve it all and if you just had a better job or bigger waller, you'd have a better life. However, joy is not found in the size of our bank accounts, but the size of our hearts. Psalm 37 says the wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives. The key to living in freedom is realizing it's not all about you. God is the only one with the power to provide and you are responsible not for gaining something bigger or better but managing well what you've been given already. The best way to start following God with your finances is to follow His example and start living a generous life.
Questions:
1. Look at your checking account. Where do you spend most of your time and money? What do your spending habits say you love the most?
2. Psalm 37 says that someone who is righteous is also generous. Who do you know that you would describe as righteous? What do you admire about that person?
3. Through Jesus, we all have the ability to live righteously. What step can you take today to be more righteous?
Scripture:
Psalm 37:21-22
1 Peter 4:9-11
Prayer:
Jesus, everything I have, including my wealth, is a gift from You. Help me to use it well so I might honor You in every area of my life.

Day 23: Giving Is More Fun Than Receiving
Have you ever been so excited about finding the perfect present that you couldn't wait to give? Maybe it was the engagement ring that felt like it was burning a hold in your pocket. Maybe it was the toy you couldn't wait for your child to discover under the tree on Christmas morning. Whatever the perfect gift was, you got excited because you loved the recipient and you knew the gift would make him/her happy. The reason we enjoy giving to our loved ones are the same reasons we enjoy given to God. "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." If you want to get excited about giving, get to know Jesus. As we get to know Him, we grow in love for Him. Instead of giving on a whim or because we feel like we have to, we find ourselves thinking about what would make God happy.
Questions:
1. When was the last time you were excited to give someone a present? What did you look forward to most about that experience?
2. Do you think giving is better than receiving? Why or why not?
3. What is the next step God has called you to take in giving?
Scripture:
2 Corinthians 9:1-15
Prayer:
Jesus, You gave me the ultimate gift - the gift of salvation! May the gratitude that I have for that gift overflow into every area of my life.

Day 24: Give Your Best
Mark, one of Jesus' followers, told the story of a woman who broke a jar of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus' feet. This wasn't just any department store perfume. It was worth more than a year's wages. Jesus saw the extravagance of the gift and called it "a beautiful thing." However, others in the room didn't think her actions were beautiful. Bewildered, they complained that her perfume should have been sold so the money could be given to the poor. When we give God our best, people are going to think we're crazy. When we save diligently then give that money away, people are going to think we're crazy. Are we willing to follow the Bible's commands and the prompting of the Holy Spirit, even if we might seem a little crazy? Like the woman in Mark's story, we don't have to fear giving big because Jesus gives extravagantly for us. But dying on the cross for our sins, Jesus has already blessed us beyond all we could have asked or imagined.
Questions:
1. What's the most extravagant gift you've ever received? How did you respond to such generosity?
2. The woman in Mark 14 is a great example of how gratitude leads to generosity. What are you thankful for today?
3. How can you give generously to someone today?
Scripture:
Mark 14:1-9
Prayer:
Jesus, You have already given me the most extravagant gift. Your death on the cross paid a debt I could never pay. Thank You for giving generously to me, and help me to give generously to others.

Day 25: What Can Destroy You?
In Mark 4, Jesus spoke about the obstacles that a farmer faces when planting his crop. Occasionally, the seed will start growing and appear to be healthy, but then weeds grow alongside the seed and kill the harvest. There was nothing wrong with the seed the farmer planted. It was healthy, sturdy and strong, but it still encountered a problem. Like the seed, we also encounter weeds that make our lives unfruitful: worry, greed and envy. Jesus warned the crowd that some will hear His message and believe, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things will come in and choke the message from them. When these three areas affect our walk with God and our faith in Him, they will choke out God's words making it unfruitful in our lives. Becoming preoccupied with worry, wealth and what otters have causes us to miss the true meaning of life. Wealth is a took to meet needs and help others. When we use it or this purpose, we will see a great harvest of miracles in our lives.
Questions:
1. Where do you go for financial advice? What role does the Bible play in your financial decisions?
2. Do you remember the worst financial decision you ever made? What influences that decision?
3. How can you protect yourself against weeds such as worry, greed and envy?
Scripture:
Mark 4:18-20
Prayer:
Jesus, forgive me for allowing worry, greed and envy to influence my financial decisions. You have a plan for every area of my life, including my money, and Your plan is always best! Help me to follow You more every day.

Only one more post left on this series! Let me know what you guys thought about it and what other series or things you'd like to see posted here :)

xoxo
-k

Financial Plan: Days 16-20

I hope none of you are bored with the financial plan yet and for those of you that are following along with me I sincerely hope you are gaining something from it. After this post there will two more posts but the second one will only contain 3 days, not 5 like the past ones because there is an odd number of days in the plan.

Day 16: Broke People Can't Bless People
A Jewish man was mugged and left for dead on the side of the road. Many people saw him but walked right on by. Then a good samaritan man came to the man's rescue. He used the supplies he had on him - oil, wine, and two days wages - to help the man recover. The man was ready to bless others because he hadn't spend what he had unwisely. Not only was he able to treat the wounded man, he was able to bless him on top of it. The good samaritan took the man to an inn and gave the innkeeper two silver coins to cover the cost of the man's care. He also pledged to reimburse the innkeeper if the wounded man's expenses added up to more. The good samaritan was prepared to be generous and God blessed someone through that. We can't bless others if we aren't stewarding our own finances well. When we choose to save our money instead of spending all of it, we are equipped with tools to help others. You can't bless someone if you're broke.
Questions:
1. What could you do for God if money was not an issue?
2. Would you be able to give financially to someone who needs help?
3. How can you start saving today?
Scripture:
Luke 10:25-37
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for all the ways you provide for me. Help me to better manage the money You've entrusted to me, so I can do whatever You call me to do.

Day 17: Better Planning Means Better Choices
We all know people who are impulsive spenders - it may even be you. As soon as a paycheck comes in, they're out the door to spend everything they've earned. It's easy to get stuck in the same paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle without any thought for the future. Money can be used to make purchases, pay bills, and put food on the table. But when we spend everything as soon as we get it, we are failing to responsibly steward what God's given us. Part of being a faithful steward of God's money involves how we're saving, not how we're spending. Saving is about planning for the future. It will enable you to support yourself and your family if you lose your job or have an emergency. It also provides us the freedom to do whatever God calls us to do. Every time we get income, we should first set aside a portion to bring back to God, then plan to save. When we spend each paycheck with no money set aside, we're enslaving ourselves to our circumstances, leading no room for God.
Questions:
1. What are three examples of ways you spend money impulsively?
2. How can you start saving so you can be prepared for what God has planned for you?
Scripture:
Proverbs 6:6-8
Proverbs 21:20
Prayer:
Jesus, help me to exercise self-control in spending so I can be a wise steward of Your money.

Day 18: Fund Your Future
Studies show that as many as 90% of us are not on track to be able to comfortable retire. Too many people have bought into the lie that one day when we have more money we can start planning for the future. That kind of thinking ensures retirement never comes. Setting aside $50 one time won't change your financial future. However, setting aside a little bit of money consistently over a long period of time will build great rewards for the future. There's no amount too small to start saving and no better time then now. You may not be  millionaire, lottery winner, or stock broke, but that doesn't mean you can't start saving. Jesus has an incredible future planned for us, and when we save what we've been given, we free ourselves to act on what God wants to bring us in the future.
Questions:
1. What three things would you use to describe your feelings about your financial future?
2. Saving doesn't have to mean setting aside large sums of money each month. What's one thing you can change to start saving today?
3. How have you seen steady diligence pay off in other areas of your life? Why would the outcome be any different when it comes to money?
Scripture:
Proverbs 13:8-11
Jeremiah 29:11
Prayer:
Jesus, You knew I would need Your salvation before I was even born. You were with God at the creation of the world and made a way for me to know God before I was a thought in my parents' minds. Thank You for being a planner. Help me to be a planner, too.

Day 19: Every Cent Counts
Most of us don't consider ourselves rich. But if you live in the United States, you are among the wealthiest people in the world. We have been blessed with money resources, and we are responsible or what God has given us. God commands us to bring 10% of our income back to the church in tithe. But what about the rest of our income? Just because God gives us freedom to spend 90% of His money doesn't mean there are not consequences for how it's used. God wants us to enjoy our money but doesn't want us to put our hope in it or be enslaved to it. For some of us, honoring God with everything means giving more generously. What we don't have can't own us. For some of us, the next step is learning to save. Saving breaks the debt cycle so we can start asking "What does God want me to do?" Instead of "What do I have to do?" Wealth is one of many ways Jesus blesses us with more than we deserve. There's nothing wrong with taking pleasure in the abundance God gives us, as long as we don't start worshipping the gift instead of the Giver.
Questions:
1. Do you see yourself as rich? Why or why not?
2. Are you using your other 90% responsibly? In what ways do you need to change how you are stewarding your finances to be more faithful to Jesus?
3. Do you need help creating a plan for the remaining 90%?
Scripture:
1 Timothy 6:17-19
Luke 12:42-48
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for making me rich! Show me how to honor You with all of my money, not just the tithe.

Day 20: Hard Work Always Pays Off
Big goals require focus, sacrifice, and a lot of hard work. You have to want the outcome with a passion, saying "no" to other things that are competing for you time. Breaking big goals into daily activities will help you achieve them. It's hard to say no to dinner with friends or wait until the sweater you want goes on sale. But you have to be willing to make changes to see success over the long haul. One less dinner out a month for 12 months could be the difference between going into debt for a new dryer or being able to buy it outright. We cannot expect to see our lives change or experience freedom if all we do is talk about what we can do better. We all have a next step when it comes to our finances, and we have to take action if we want to see things change.
Questions:
1. What is one thing you worked hard for to earn? What did you learn about perseverance during that experience?
2. Have you ever started budgeting and stopped? What caused you to quit and how can you prevent that from happening again?
Scripture:
Proverbs 14:23
Proverbs 10:4
Proverbs 6:9-11
Prayer:
Jesus, help me to keep going even when budgeting is hard and saving is not fun. Give me passion for managing money in a way that honors You.


Well, there you have it! Days 16-20 :)

I'll be back a day or two with days 21-25 and then one more after that and we'll be done!!

Please leave me a comment below or contact me on any of my social media sites and tell me what you've thought about this plan. Have you been following it or just reading along? Would you like me to start posting about another plan I've been doing? I started 3 more plans yesterday and I find them very interesting already.

xoxo
-k

Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur!

If you couldn't tell by the title of the post, we got a new kitty!! 

We adopted her from Noah's Ark Animal Foundation. She is 5 months old and we named her Chloe! She was one of the sweetest kitties there but also playful at the same time - she was perfect :)

She wouldn't eat her cat food at first but she's gotten much better with that. She was already potty trained and hasn't made a mess yet!

I've owned cats before but they wer usually wild barn cats or if they were tame they were still outside cats so this one was pretty special. She's also special in the way that she's a female orange tabby and those are pretty uncommon. I could have got a free cat from various people but when there are animals in shelters that are in need of homes I decided to just spend the money and help at least one cat live a happy, healthy, and most likely spoiled life.

I can't wait to spend many many years with this little ball of fur. I hope someday when we have children she will still be with us and I hope our children are able to grow up with her and remember her.

If you're in the Southeast Iowa Area here is the link to Noah's Ark and and another area shelter.

 I hope the next time you consider getting a pet you will consider a rescue pet.

http://www.noahsark.org

http://www.heartlandhumanesociety.org

xoxo

-k

Financial Plan: Days 11-15

Hopefully you all enjoyed that last 5 days of the plan because I'm back again with the next 5. I would love to hear from you guys on how this is going for you and how you are incorporating these things into your lives! 

Day 11: Know Where Your Money Goes

When we realize we are servants, we willingly give God control of every area of our lives - even our finances. Just like we want a financial planner to manage our money well, God wants us to manage His money well. Being a good manager of money means being cautious and aware of spending habits. A budget is a tool to help us manage our money. It shows us how much money is coming in and where it goes. It holds us accountable so we save for the things we need instead of only buying things we want. 

Questions:

1. Do you know where your money goes each month? What's your biggest challenge when it comes to keeping up with your spending? 

2. Do you have a budget? Why or why not?

3. What step can you take this week to be a better money manager? 

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Prayer:

Jesus, You have entrusted me with so much. Help me to manage Your money well

Day 12: Distinguish Wants From Needs

Most of the time, what we want isn't what we need. And if we're honest, we've been given far more than we actually need. We need food, clothing, and shelter. We want everything else. How do we find joy when we can't get what we want? Contentment is contingent on our attitudes, not our bank statements. If we're always looking to make more money, gain more resources and acquire more wealth, we're not using money how God designed it to be used. Money is a tool to provide for our needs, to provide for the needs of others and an opportunity to give back to God. Loving money more than God leads to pain, letdown and sin. But when we trust God will provide for our needs, we can find our contentment in Him. When we trust and obey Him with our money and our lives, we receive His rich love and the transformation it creates in us. 

Questions:

1. What are two things you want but don't really need? Will you trust God to provide them for you (or to know better that you don't need them)?

2. On a scale of 1 to 10, how content are you? Why did you choose that number?

3. Discontentment begins when we believe God doesn't have our best interests at heart. What are three ways God has been faithful to you this month? 

Scripture:

Philippians 4:15-19

1 Timothy 6:6-10

Prayer:

Jesus, thank You for always having my best interest at heart. Help me to be content in You and You along.

Click HERE to be sent to the website pertaining to the picture above

Day 13: You Can't Love Both God And Money

When we let advertisers convince us that our possessions define us, we give greed a foothold that will only lead to destruction. What defines us will sustain us. Material items will never be enough to fulfill us forever. Only God's love lasts forever and never changes. When we let Him define our lives instead of the next best thing, we will be sustained forever.

Questions:

1. Who's influencing your spending decisions more: the Bible or advertisers? Why?
2. How can you let God define your finances today?

Scripture:

Luke 16:1-15

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, help me to be content with what I have. Show me how to filter the messages I hear each day and remain focused on You.

Day 14: God Wants You To Be Debt-Free
Debt is not God's best for our lives, because it prevents us from being able to do what He's called us to do. If God called you to move to another city, cut your hours at work or give extravagantly to someone in need, could you do it right now? Whatever we're controlled by is what we're enslaved to. When we're in debt, we belong to those who lend us money. The more debt we take on, the fewer options we give ourselves when to comes to where we work and how we spend our time. Instead of making decisions based on what we want to do, we find ourselves thinking about what we have to do.  When Jesus died for our sins, He paid the ultimate debt, a debt that we could never afford to pay. Paul encouraged the Christians in Rome to pay off whatever the owed, whether it was money or an apology. When the only debt we're concerned with is how to love the people around us, we'll do more for God than we ever imagined.
Questions:
1. What could you do for God if you were debt free?
2. What debts do you owe to those around you? What step can you take this week to start paying off those debts and living in freedom?
Scripture:
Proverbs 22:7
Romans 13:7-10
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for giving me the ability to live in freedom. Help me as I aim to serve You and You along.

Day 15: Debt Is A Choice
Retail therapy is much like it sounds - shopping to improve mood or disposition. The world tells us we deserve nice things regardless of whether we can afford them. With no money down, you can finance a car, charge a vacation or buy a bedroom suite. It's easy to get caught up in buying new things to make ourselves feel better, maxing our credit cards along the way. As a follower of Jesus, we can be free of the burden of debt. Financial imprisonment is a choice. It's a choice to give into the temporary satisfaction of spending instead of the lasting contentment that comes from following Jesus.
Questions:
1. How have your financial burdens made you feel enslaved?
2. What do you wish you had the financial freedom to do?
3. What steps can you take to get there?
Scripture:
Galatians 5:1-14
Prayer:

Dear Jesus, You along can fulfill the longings of my heart. Give me the courage to live in freedom instead of going back to old vices.

I hope you enjoyed these next 5 days of the plan! I would really enjoy hearing from you. Please comment below or you may contact me at any of the social media sites I have listed on my home page! :)

xoxo
-k

Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for..

Nightmare Before Christmas pumpkin carvings

Silly baby faces!

Pretty pretty princesses <3

The changing of the leaves

And lastly, adorable baby smiles that make your heart swell <3

What are you thankful for today? 

xoxo

-k

Financial Plan Days 6-10

Good morning friends! Let the weekend begin :)

I'm back to give you the next 5 days on the financial plan. I hope any of you that have started this journey with me have found something helpful with what I've posted so far. 

Day 6: Money Doesn't Save Us. Jesus Does.

When Jesus' preachings went well into the evening he told his followers to find food instead of going home to eat and not listening to the rest of his sermon. All the people could find was a little boys lunch that consisted of 5 loaves of bread and 2 small fish. Jesus fed more than 5,000 people that night. Because the little boy had enough faith to give all that he had, thousands of people were fed as much as they wanted. God doesn't need us to give because He needs what we have. God wants us to give because we need what He has. Your faith in giving has a bigger impact than you could ever imagine. When we decide to step up and give, God will use our faith to do miracles!
Questions:
1. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your faith in God's ability to provide? Why did you choose the number you selected?
2. When was the last time you witnessed a miracle? What happened that day? How did it change your faith?
3. Every miracle starts with a setup of faith. What miracles are you asking God for in your finances? What step of faith do you need to take?
Scripture:
John 6:1-14
Prayer:
Jesus, when You saved me, You brought me from death to life. I am a walking miracle! Increase my faith as I learn to trust You with every area of my life, not just my salvation.

Day 7: Jesus Alone Satisfies Our Souls
We are all climbing our own ladder to success. Whether that's a career ladder or even a social ladder. What happens though when you reach the top and there's nowhere else to go? A tax collector named Zacchaeus had hit the pinnacle of his career but he still wasn't happy. He heard a rumor that a man was coming to his hometown that healed people and changed their hearts. Zacchaeus was so eager to see Jesus that he climbed in a tree to get a better view. Jesus seen how eager Zacchaeus was and he told him to get down from the tree and they went to his house. When Zacchaeus met Jesus, his life was changed. He finally realized that that it was Jesus, not money, that satisfied him. When we surrender to Jesus our hearts aren't the only things that are changed. Heart change leaks into every area of our lives, even our finances.
Questions:
1. Who do you picture when you think of someone who "has it all"? What do you admire about that person?
2. Has your definition of "having it all" changed since you met Jesus? Why or why not?
3. What would you do for God if money was not an issue? What step can you take today to be obedient to what God has called you to do?
Scripture:
Luke 19:1-10
Prayer:
Jesus, forgive me for being tempted to think that more stuff will make me happy. You alone are what satisfies my soul!

Day 8: Everyone Can Afford To Tithe
A wealthy man in the bible faced a problem everyone would love to have: What do you do when you have more stuff than space to store it? The man had an amazing crop, more than he or his family could ever use. But he had nowhere to store it all. He decided to to build bigger barns to safeguard his crops. In an instant, the man's unshakable empire came crashing down, with a reprimand from God. God told him that he was a fool for keeping all his riches for himself and not being rich towards God. Robbing God, the giver of life, will only end in robbing ourselves of true life. We all want to be prepared for the future, but how do you balance wise saving with generosity?
Questions:
1. What is one way to know when you're being greedy?
2. How does generosity safeguard us against greed?
3. What can you give away today?
Scripture:
Luke 12:13-21
Prayer:
Jesus, You have given me so much! Protect my heart from greed and show me how I can be generous today.

Day 9: It's The Thought That Counts
Compared to multi-millionares, our earnings seem miniscule. But God is not impressed by our account balances. He is obsessed with the condition of our hearts. A broke widow went to the temple to worship. Wealthy people walked by the treasury, dropping in large sums of money. When the poor widow put in her gift, all she had to give were two copper coins. When Jesus saw the widow's offering, He told His disciples that she gave more than all the others. The rich gave out of the abundance, but she put in everything she had. She gave it all, trusting God to meet her needs.
Question:
1. Are you giving out of abundance or giving sacrificially?
2. What is your next step when it comes to giving?
3. Comparing our gifts to others' gifts almost always ends in competition. Have you ever been caught in the comparison trap? What did you learn from that experience?
Scripture:
Mark 12:41-44
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for being more concerned with the state of my heart than the size of my gift. Help me to grow more generous like You.

Day 10: We All Need Help Sometimes
The ability to manage money is a skill few people grow up learning, but money management is just as vital to a happy life. Not understanding money isn't something to feel guilty about or be ashamed of. Asking for help is an opportunity to learn new skills that can change the rest of your life. The Bible calls those who don't seek trustworthy advice, fools. The person who doesn't want input cares more about appearing smart than being smart. Admitting we need help might seem risky and it might require us to swallow our pride, but the best things in life require us to step up and step out on faith. God has given us all unique gifts and talents to encourage each other. Will you allow trustworthy people to help you along the way?
Questions:
1. What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given? How did applying that wisdom change your life for the better?
2. What's keeping you from seeking advice about your finances?
Scripture:
Proverbs 11:2
Proverbs 16:18
Proverbs 15:22
Pray:
Dear Jesus, give me the courage to ask for help when I need it.

I hope you all enjoyed the next 5 days of the plan! I can't wait to share the next 5 with you soon! Here's the link again if you would like a printable monthly and/or weekly budget plan
Just click HERE :)

xoxo
-k

Finding Your Financial Path

Lately I've been I've been losing sleep doing a financial plan on the "Holy Bible" app on my phone and I've really really enjoyed it and thought that some of you may find this interesting. It's a 28 day long plan to help you along any type of financial journey you may be traveling right now. Every day there is a devotional to read as well as different scriptures, questions to ask yourself, and a prayer that you can say. This is going to get kind of religious, preachy, Christiany, churchy, or whatever you'd like to call it and I'm sorry if you're offended in any way I'm sorry, but I've learned A LOT from this plan and I think people who don't consider themselves as religious could get a lot from this information too.

I started this plan on October 15th and I am 15 days into it. This post will be kind of long because I have so many days to catch you all up on - I'm sorry in advance. I will basically sum up what the content is saying and then add the prayer (they are very short, sweet, and to the point), scriptures, and questions to the end of it so that you may choose to follow along with me if you would like to.

Day 1: Following Jesus is Radical

Jesus asked Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him and Matthew sold all of his things and followed him. As a result of this Matthew became one of Jesus' closest friends. One day a rich man told Jesus he wanted eternal life and Jesus told him to sell all his things and give to the poor. The rich man went away because he wasn't willing to trade his lavish lifestyle for the lifestyle God had planned for him. Jesus gives everyone the same invitation to follow him that he gave to Matthew and the rich man. He calls us everyday to submit all aspects of our lives to him including our finances.

Questions:

1. Have you ever made the decision to follow Jesus?

2. What area of your finances is God calling you to surrender to him?

3. What is one way you can follow God's will for you life today?

Scriptures:

Matthew 9:9-13

Matthew 19:16-26

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, give me the courage to follow You wherever You lead.

Day 2: Everything Belongs to Jesus

When we work hard for something like a paycheck, new car, house, smartphone, etc. we feel a sense of ownership over it. The truth is that the earth and all things in it belong to the Lord. Everything we have is a blessing from God, and what we do with it matters to Him. Jesus tells the story of a master who gave money to several servants and when one servant didn't do a good job managing it he took it away and gave it to the other servant who had been diligent over his money. We must prove that we are trustworthy with what God has given us to that we may be trusted with more!

Questions:

1. Have you ever thought about the fact that everything you own belongs to the Lord? How does that change the way you make financial decisions?

2. If God were to look at your finances today, would He see you as a faithful manager? Why or why not?

3. What is one thing you can do today to be a better manager of the wealth God his given you?

Scripture:

Matthew 25:14-30

Psalm 24:1

Prayer:

Jesus, everything I have is Yours and everything I am I owe to You. Help me to be a good steward of what You have given me.

Day 3: It's Not About Me

In ancient Middle Eastern culture, servants were a common part of the household. They were treated like employees but sometimes, if the master was kind, the servants would be treated like a privileged member of the family. No matter what kind of relationship they had though the servant was always responsible to the master. It was the servant's job to complete tasks that the master wanted accomplished. Before you meet Jesus you are a slave to sin but he saves us through his death and resurrection. We are no longer slaves to sin but through Jesus, we are servants to God. God welcomes us into his family and gives us His inheritance. Which means we get to be part of His kingdom. He calls us to be faithful servants and it's not our job to question His plans. Our role is to obey Him and joyfully do the work He's given us.

Questions:

1. Do you think of yourself as God's servant? Why or why not?

2. When it comes to money, who's the boss of you bank account? How can you put God in charge of your spending this month?

3. What three changes can you make this week to be a more faithful servant?

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 4:1-2

Galatians 4:1-7

Prayer:

Jesus, thank You for making a way for me to join God's family. Help me to trust You as my master. Help me to be a good steward of what You have given me.

Day 4: Jesus Says We Should Tithe

When it comes to honoring God with our money, the first step is to tithe. Tithing is bringing your first 10% of your income back to God through the local church. When we bring back a percentage of our money, we thank God, show hat we trust Him and fight against greed by putting God first in our finances. Many believe that they "can't afford to tithe." The truth is everyone can afford this. God promises to provide for our every need and asks us to trust Him with what He's already given to us.

Questions:

1. Are you tithing? Why or why not?

2. What does it say about God that He owns everything, but only wants us to return 10%?

3. Who are you trusting to provide for your family? What would it look like to trust God to provide?

Scripture:

Malachi 3:1-10

Matthew 23:23

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, give me courage to always put You first in my finances. Thank You for giving generously to me even though I don't deserve it. 

Day 5: God Doesn't Need Our Money

When it comes to giving gifts, the point isn't the gift itself. The point is the heart of the giver. When you meet Cain & Able in the bible you will see that Cain begrudgingly gave leftovers from his harvest but Abel gave God his most valuable animals in his flock. Abel's gift came from a love and desire to please God, Cain's did not. God gave Cain a chance to change his heart and warned him of the sin waiting to overcome him, but Cain grew angry and became jealous and murdered Abel which led him to being condemned in God's presence. Giving is a heart issue. God doesn't want us to give to Him so we can check off a task. He also doesn't want us to give less then our best. He wants us to give from a faithful heart that desires to please Him. God doesn't need our gift, He wants our heart.

Questions:

1. Are you giving to a local church? Why or why not?

2. What is your motivation for giving?

3. Do your reasons for giving reflect a heart that loves God? If yes, how so? If not, what needs to change?

Scripture:

Genesis 4

Prayer:

Jesus, thank You for caring more about the condition of my heart than the size of my gift.

I will stop there for now on this post and will do days 6-10 on my next one! I don't want you all to get super bored. If you would like some free resources and also a free monthly and weekly budget planner please click on the link below.

Budget Website

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this and hopefully join my on this plan. It's helped me out tremendously and I hope it does that same for you

xoxo

-k

He Works in Mysterious but Amazing Ways

Since the last time I posted there have been quite a few changes made in mine & Ross' lives. First off, we started going to church! I've always wanted to go but ever since he was little and had bad experiences with judgmental people in his church he never wanted to go. I met a lady named Rachel at my work and on her last day we started talking about God and going to church. I asked her what church her and her family attended and she said "The Bridge." I had always been interested in attending that church because it wasn't your everyday traditional type of place. She said we were welcome to join them anytime and I told her I would ask Ross but to not hold her breath. Much to my surprise he said yes!! He said he still wasn't into the while religious aspect of going but he wants to meet more good people and start becoming a better person himself. That's good enough for me :)

I've went three times now and he's went twice and we LOVE it. I was so shocked and he said we could continue going back every Sunday! When you get there you're greeted in the parking lot, they serve donuts and coffee, and you start the service off with a live band and beautiful current worship songs (as well as some traditional). The pastor used everyday experiences in his sermon which is so so so nice. He also uses scripture from the bible but says them in ways that aren't hard to understand. There is always so much power in that room when he speaks and when everyone is worshipping! I truly feel like God brought me and Rachel together to help us make a change. 

Another big thing that happened is we got moved into the new house! Not our new house but Ross' parent's new house. They are letting us have the entire basement to ourselves, which includes a shower, sink, complete kitchen, living room area, and even a separate bedroom! We're so blessed. We moved most of our things in yesterday and basically got the living room and kitchen all set up, just have a few more things we have to get taken care of before moving into the bedroom.

We also celebrated out 5 year anniversary on the 24th of September! To recognize that day we decided to get professional photographs taken since we've never had that done before. If you're in the Southeast Iowa area I HIGHLY recommend Leslie Cook. She is very affordable and so much fun to work with, not to mention our pictures turned out amazing! Click HERE to check out her website. I will be posting some of our pictures once we get the CD purchased from her. I can't wait for you all to see them.

We're still in school and we just hit the midway point. It's hasn't been too hard up until now but I can tell that the second half of the term is going to be much more stressful then the first half. I have to pick up more/longer shifts at work due to losing some employees so that's going to be hard for awhile trying to juggle that plus get my homework done, and still get up at 6:45 to go to school. Oh well, you do what you got to do I suppose. I just keep thinking of the end result and how much happier I'll be after it's all over and knowing that I stuck with it.

Question Time: It seems like the hardest thing for me to do is time management. What are some ways you guys deal with a heavy schedule? How are you able to juggle school, work, homework, plus a family, friends, working-out, etc.?

xoxo
-K

Thankful

Today I'm Thankful For..

Gardens & homegrown food

Iowa Sunsets

New lives that will be joining the family soon

Warm cuddles from man's best friend

What are you thankful for today?

Xoxo

Blessings & Wishful Thinking

I've had a lot on my mind the past couple of days and I thought, what better way to get it off my chest then to write it all out on here. 

As you've probably noticed I didn't stick with the no-poo method for very long. I felt that it took a lot longer to shower then normal and I really wasn't seeing any results. Granted, I didn't try it very long but I'm a very impatient person so if I don't see results right away or soon after then I feel like it was a failure. I've went back to using my Garnier Fructis but I have been looking into getting a different shampoo and conditioner, just to switch it up and see if anything works better for me.

I've been on a marriage/wedding kick recently and it makes me sad that I'm not engaged or married yet. However; rings are very expensive and we just don't have the money for that at the moment so I totally understand why it hasn't happened yet. I can still be sad though right? I see old friends getting engaged and married and moving on with their lives and I feel like I'm moving at such a slower pace then them. Sometimes I feel like that's a good thing and other times I don't. I just wish Ross could win some money that would allow him to purchase a nice ring for me and also have enough money to pay for the wedding. I can't wait to start planning and organizing it! Ok, you got me, I've been planning and organizing it since I was like 10 - but what girl hasn't?

I know everything happens for a reason and that God has a much bigger plan for me and my life then I could ever possibly imagine but sometimes it's hard to go through life without knowing what the future holds. Obviously my future will be with Ross but who knows what could happen within the next 5, 10, or even 2 years. He could propose tomorrow for all I know, or he may not propose until 5 years from now. I just keep telling myself that when the time is right it will happen.

After telling you all this I don't want you to think that I am unhappy with my life because that's sooooo far from the truth! I am sooo incredibly happy with my life and who I'm sharing it with. This is basically just me writing down the thoughts that swirl through my head - but in a much more public place.

All this wedding talk has also got me thinking of who I would want to stand up with me at my wedding. Ross & I have talked about this a lot and it seems like every time we do he has a bunch of people he can choose from and I have about 2. It makes me wonder where I went wrong in the friendship field. I was never very good at making friends  keeping friends so it's hard for me to see all these other girls who have tons of friends or who have a lot of people to hang out with. On the other hand I know that people come in to our lives to teach us a lesson or help us a long in someway and once they've fulfilled their duty they move on. 

I started thinking about all this on Sunday after I attended Ross' sister's baby shower. It made me so happy when I found out that Lacy's best friends, that live 1 1/2 - 2 hours away were driving here to put on the shower for her. Her closest friends showed up and after the shower I took a group picture for them. At that very moment I realized that I hadn't taken a group picture with any girl friend's in a very very long time. It made me so happy to see that Lacy had such amazing friends that were willing to do anything for her, but at the same time it made me sad because the two girl's in my life that I know would do that for me live far away and I hardly ever see them :(

These 2 ladies are in my life to keep me sane, to help me over obstacles that I have not even reached yet, and to love me. One of these girl's I have been best friend's with since about the 6th grade. We've told each other EVERYTHING about ourselves, our relationships, thoughts, ideas, etc. I've always gone to her when I needed advice about something or just when I needed to get something off my chest. It's so hard living two hours away from her. I know that doesn't seem like a lot but when you only have 1 car and life getting in the way of everything it can be hard to see her.

This other special lady has only been in my life for a little over a year now. I met her at Iowa State and we've been best friend's ever since. I didn't really know anyone while in Ames so when I met her and we hit it off I was so happy! We would go on Starbucks runs, we'd go to the mall, go workout, etc. It made me feel so good because for the first time in a very long time I actually had a friend that wanted to hang out all the time and who genuinely liked me for who I was! Since moving back home I now live two hours away from her as well. It was so hard leaving her because I didn't know when I would see her again. We still haven't seen each other since I left :(

We do have plans to meet up in a couple weeks though!!

So if you asked me today who I would choose to stand up with me at my wedding I would choose these two ladies in a heartbeat. I truly feel like their is more then 1 soulmate for everyone. You need your friends and your significant other. One you marry & the others you vent to about the other one ;)

I hope all of you find peace with where you are in life right now & know that there is a purpose for your life and the moments that you are living. Remember to let go of those who have served their purpose in your life and open up for the new ones that will be coming in. I am one very lucky & blessed girl and I hope that all of you will someday find all of your soul mates - I know I've found mine.  

xoxo

No-Poo

Happy May 1st Everyone!

Recently I've noticed a trend of using baking soda and apple cider vinegar as your shampoo and conditioner instead of the regular stuff. It's called the no-poo method.

I'm no scientist or hair expert so I don't know a whole lot about the science behind it but basically shampoo and conditioner strip your hair of its natural oils which causes you to overproduce oil and make your hair greasy. It also clogs your pores in your scalp which causes less hair growth. In short, you won't have to wash your hair as often, and it will make it hair healthier, fuller, and less greasy.

So I decided to try this method out and see how well it works. I purchased a box of baking soda for around $2, a bottle of apple cider vinegar for around $2, and a spray bottle for $1. You will also need some water. Everything I read said you should use distilled water for the mixing if you live in a place with hard water but I didn't do that.

There are two ways you can use the baking soda. The first being you mix 1 TBSP. to 1 cup of water in a bottle with a pin point hole, such as a mustard bottle or a squirt bottle with a tiny hole. This allows you to focus the mixture right on your roots. Make sure the baking soda is completely dissolved and the mixture should feel slick/slippery. If it doesn't then keep adding more baking soda until it does. The second method you put the baking soda in an airtight/watertight container and after getting your hair really wet you use a spoon to put them baking soda on your fingertips and massage it into your roots. As with the first method make sure the mixture is slippery on your scalp. (I had a problem with this because I kept adding and adding more soda but it didn't seem to get slippery - I eventually gave up :/) Leave it in while you do the rest of your showering and then rinse it out really well.

For the vinegar you will add 2 TBSP. for everyone 1 cup of water into a spray bottle and mix well. You will spray it on the long part of your hair, NOT your roots. Rub it in and let sit for a minute or so and then rinse. It may smell like vinegar when you first apply it but once you rinse it out you can't tell. It won't smell like your normal shampoo and conditioner, it won't have a smell at all - good or bad, so if you want to add some essential oils or lemon juice to the spray bottle you can.  I purchased the 8 oz. spray bottle but it was a little too small to fit a cup of water plus 2 TBSP. of the vinegar so I but it down to 1/2 a cup of water and 1 TBSP. of water. I would suggest get a spray bottle that's bigger then 8 oz. so you don't have to worry about cutting the size down.

If you have oily hair then you should use a little more baking soda and less vinegar. If you have dry hair then do the opposite and use a bit more vinegar and a little less baking soda.

I've only tried this one time and I used the second method. I think I'm going to try and find an old mustard bottle and do the first method to see how well it works because I just couldn't get that slippery feeling I was told I needed to get. I forgot to take pictures of my hair before I started this method but basically I would wash it and let it air dry, it would get really frizzy and big after it dried. After about a day or two it would look greasy on the top at the roots.
(Sorry about the bad quality of pictures!)

This is what it looked like after I towel dried it a little bit & before I brushed it

This was right after I combed through it. I was afraid there would be a lot of tangles since I didn't use actual conditioner but there really wasn't any more then usual, I was really surprised by that.

Here's a front shot of the hair after I combed it

A close-up of the hair after the combing. As you can see it still is frizzy looking but I've only used this method once and they say it can take weeks for your scalp/hair to get use to it. Also, your suppose to use a clarifying shampoo for awhile before starting this method to get your hair prepped but if you don't that's ok, it will just take a little longer for your hair to transition. It may feel dry and kind of like hay or cotton or something like that for the first couple weeks but they say that will go away. You can use a little bit of coconut oil to help with that. Also letting it air dry and keeping it up in a ponytail, headband, bandana, etc. will help.

Top of my hair after combing it. The main places that it frizzes after brushing it are the top where my bangs start and the sides by my ears.


Click HERE to see the website that I got my information from! You can also Google "no-poo method" and it will come up with a bunch for results.

I will make sure to keep you all updated on how things are turning out.

xoxo