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| The Philosophy of Money "Lord, you have given me so much. Grant
me one thing more: a grateful heart. Amen." . . . . The emphasis on money in our society has intensified to the point that, when we discuss money, it evokes feelings of anxiety and insecurity, rather than possibility. Perhaps that is why we dread talking about, and avoid handling, our finances. The purpose of this book is to stimulate a positive concept of money based on spiritual values, to enable you to communicate openly and effectively, and to help you create a plan for handling your finances that will bring you peace and assist you in reaching financial independence. As we approach the subject of money, if we are not grounded in faith, we seek money as an object to be acquired and kept. We are instead grounded in fear-fear of limited supply. Because we can only depend on ourselves, we feel the need to hoard money, and are not open to the divine flow of God's gifts, which leads to real prosperity. When we are grounded in faith, we no longer have to shoulder the responsibility of being the source of our wealth. We turn that over to God and His unconditional love, trusting in His Will and believing in His unlimited supply to provide for us all that we need. We have all been blessed with many unique God-given gifts: our talents, our intelligence, our faith, our country, our families, and our friends. As we develop our individual talents and use these gifts to serve others, our talents then have value which generates money-money that is meant to be appreciated by putting it to good use! Remember that God is the source of all gifts-we are the stewards. The good steward does not put money in the ground, but uses it in positive ways to provide for his needs and goals (spending and saving), to generate more money (through investing), and to help others (gifting). These positive uses of money each allow the "gift-flow" to pass on and multiply . . . . When we are in love, we especially avoid discussing money. We soon realize that we come from different economic backgrounds, and to avoid conflict, we don't bring up our concerns . . . . We need to be open to and sensitive to our differences, learn from one another, find common ground in order to resolve our conflicts, and see this process as an opportunity to share ourselves intimately with one another . . . . As you read through the various sections of this book, it is important to be aware of our different backgrounds and attitudes about money, keep a sense of humor, be patient, and come from love as you communicate about money. And communicate you must! . . . I hope this book empowers you to enjoy the adventure of planning your financial future together and to treasure the gift of love you have been given. |
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