Over the course of our nineteen years of marriage, we have always wanted to get the financial piece right. We took classes at our church on financial stewardship. We bought various books on the topic. We attempted the program, Quicken. Always we crashed and burned. We could never master managing our money responsibly. The very idea of money management became a source of discouragement and a topic to be avoided. Our differing views on money and our consistent lack of “enough” served to drive a wedge between us.
After sharing some of our struggles at a marriage study one evening, the leader of the class offered to introduce us to someone he was confident could help us. We met Carey Northington, and the Lord worked through him over the months that followed to change our lives in an amazing way. First, Carey gave us a copy of Randy Alcorn’s book, Managing God’s Money, and guided us through it. That book with Carey’s council opened our eyes anew to God’s plan for us as stewards of His money. Our hearts were being made ready for the changes ahead. Our eyes were opened to fundamental truths that had evaded us until that point. We did not realize that by charging our purchases and paying off the balance when the bills came in, that we were borrowing money for monthly expenses. We were living a month behind without even realizing it.
Carey then introduced us to his financial mentoring ministry. With his guidance and oversight, we took our first steps toward financial freedom. He helped us make sense of where we were and where to go from there. What followed amazed us both. Over time we began to understand our financial situation and make spending decisions that we would not have made before. Not only did our financial condition improve, so did our relationship. The friction of financial disagreement and frustration is behind us. We are on the same side, and we are winning. Certainly we aren’t perfect, and we do have to make course corrections along the way. But with the tools we now have, we can work together to quickly get back on track.
Recently we learned one of our children has a medical condition that will require a significant out-of-pocket expense. This would have been financially devastating for us before. Now, instead of being overwhelmed, we thank God that He has used One Master Ministries to set our feet on solid financial ground. We know there will be sacrifices and even possible struggles ahead, but we rest assured the Lord who began this work, will see it through to completion. What a blessing to know that by His grace we are finally being faithful stewards!