I’m not sure when I bought my first personal finance or stewardship book. I think my first exposure as a young Christian was through Larry Burkett and Christian Financial Concepts, which he founded in 1976. That ministry merged with a well-known Christian stewardship ministry, Crown Ministries, in 2000 and became Crown Financial Ministries. Larry Burkett … Read more
I announced earlier that I would soon publish my next book, Redeeming Retirement: A Practical Guide to Catch Up. I’m excited to announce that it’s been released and is now available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle editions! In this article, I want to tell you more about it and offer some giveaways to celebrate … Read more
I first heard Dave Ramsey use the phrase “retire with dignity.” You may know Dave for the “baby steps” he teaches to help people get out of debt so they can save and give. He uses the phrase often to motivate students on their journey toward financial peace. The idea behind the phrase is that … Read more
We discussed paying off the mortgage and home equity in the last article and how our house decisions are both financial and emotional, and very personal. There’s also a spiritual component. We want to seek God’s guidance for any major home or home-financing decisions to ensure that we wisely steward the gifts he has given … Read more
Real estate and mortgages are very much in the news right now. The market is “hot,” and long-term interest rates remain at historic lows. Therefore, lots of people are thinking about selling—perhaps to upgrade or downsize. Others want to refinance to reduce their payments or to get access to some of their equity for improvements, … Read more
As I mentioned in my last article about spending in retirement, this one is a chapter from my new book, which I plan to self-publish very soon. The book, which will be titled “Redeeming Retirement: A Practical Guide to Catch Up,” is targeted at the large number of middle-aged and older households who realize (or … Read more
I try not to “preach” about spending in general or spending in retirement in particular. It’s not my place to tell anyone how much to spend or what to their money on. If you’re a responsible person, you certainly don’t need me to tell you that your essential living expenses and caring for your family … Read more
As we start 2021, the global pandemic continues to rage its economic fallout continues to be felt by families worldwide. Some were in a tenuous financial situation before the pandemic, and their situation has become worse. Others have found themselves there because of the pandemic (job and income loss, medical bills, etc.). In any case, … Read more
As you know, I don’t “get political” on this blog. That doesn’t mean I don’t care about politics; I do. I focus on other things here, but when the political winds change as dramatically as they have, it’s important to understand (and plan for) possible changes in the tax code and other policies and laws … Read more
