You may be wondering why the authors in this anthology felt it necessary to write about financial issues. After all, isn't money and religion supposed to be opposing issues? Today, I'd like to share the answer to how and why this book came about--from the authors themselves.
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When God speaks, we listen. Much of our ministry planning time takes place on 3-5 mile hikes up the Blue Ridge mountains. Once we reach the Rattlesnake summit, it’s there God seems to whisper His plans. Faith and Finance happened on the mountain, looking down up Black Mountain and west toward Ashville, NC.
God tends to push us ahead by placing us into difficult situations. Weeks before our walk on the mountain, both our families were traveling through a financial droughts. The economy had yet to spiral downward, but we increasingly saw hints that pointed toward fractures in the economy. As we chatted on the phone one evening, I shared a story about a young couple. Each had good paying jobs. They did not have joint checking accounts. Instead, they divided the bills and each paid a portion out of their own paycheck—neither tithing. That story jolted us. Not only was this married couple refusing to share their riches with each other, but they weren’t willing to trust God, either.
When we met on the mountain God whispered “finances.” We’d begun the category Faith and Finances on the website and with the rumors swirling in the media of bubbles bursting it seemed as though God was pointing us to teach Finance 101 – His Way.
The story of the rich young ruler was the perfect example of how God asks us to allow Him control over all we have. Faith and FINANCES: In God We Trust – A Journey of Financial Dependence isn’t your typical wealth-management book. It’s NOT how to build your 401K. Rather it was meant to be an example of trust—of knowing how to trust God with for and with your daily provision. God seemed to saying, “If you won’t trust me with your finances how will you ever trust me with your life?”
This was the seed for Faith and FINANCES: In God We Trust. The book is designed to allow churches to minister to congregations and encourage them to make God their financial advisor.
God instructed us, not to worry and yet when times are tight, we recoil, retreat and hide our wealth from God and each other. Financial dependence on God releases us from the burden of worry.
Little faith is hoping that God will do what He says.
Big faith is believing that God will do what He says.
But great faith, is knowing God has already done what He said He’d do.
We came down from the mountain confident that God had called us to this book. Within the pages of Faith and FINANCES: In God We Trust, the reader will find devotions from others wrapped into the story of a man struggling to let go and let God minister to him. From beginning to end the books speaks to knowing and trusting God on a whole new plane…on a plane that leads not to poverty or worldly wealth, but to the abundance “of life” Christ promised
We invite you to learn more about Faith and Finances during April and May while they tour cyberspace. To find other tour stops, visit http://bookpromotionservices.com/2010/03/02/faith-finances/ For other details about the book or to get more information about Christian Devotions visit http://www.faithandfinances.us/ . The book is for sale at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982206542
1 comments:
Faith and Finances is about learning to trust God with your money. If you can trust your money to Him...surely you can trust your life.
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