Category Archives: Uncategorized

The borrower is slave to the lender. Watch out, MasterCard will become your master. Michelle Singletary

Walking In God’s Favor: And, of course, it is very good if a man has received wealth from the Lord and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and to accept your lot in life—that is indeed a gift from God. The person who does that will not need to look back with sorrow on his past, for God gives him joy. Ecclesiastes 5:19 TLB

Wealth is the ability to fully experience life

Our definition of wealth is holistic and different than most people. We define wealth as things money cannot buy such as good health, loving relationships, peace of mind, creative abilities, knowledge, and contentment.

Having a huge bank account,  strong investment portfolio, or family trust fund, doesn’t  necessary mean you are truly wealthy. If you have a billion dollars net worth and instead of using it, you are always worrying about losing it, then you aren’t truly wealthy.  You have a scarcity mentality.

The real measure of  wealth, is how much you’d be worth if you lost all your money  

Mr Williams

The first truly wealthy person I was able to observe over the years was my father-in-law, the late Howard T. Williams. This barrel- chested, quick to laugh man, was always willing to share a smile and words of wisdom with anyone who crossed his path.

Mr. Howard Williams was an employee for  Chrysler Corporation for 37 years and had one of those long-term relationships. He was married to the same woman, Dalzenia, for 47 years. He gave back to his community by serving as a member of the Detroit School Board for 13 years, as well as serving his country in the U.S. military during World War II.

Mr. Howard Williams avoided credit cards and had an emergency fund for the unexpected. He saved money in a college fund for all (5) of his children and paid off his home mortgage early. On the day of his death, Mr. Williams had a will and his burial arrangements in place. He was a faithful steward who recognized all his blessings came from the Creator God.

Being wealthy doesn’t always mean having money, it means being happy with the amount you have

Mr WIlliams Military Service

In the world’s economy, wealth is measured primary by material possessions and the things money can buy. In God’s economy, true wealth begins with things we cannot necessarily see like contentment, and is measured with certain things money cannot buy such as wisdom, health, and character.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord, help us to seek true wealth.

Michael J. Vance is the co-host of a weekly podcast Better Husband Father Man a hub for all things; parenting, marriage, and self-improvement. He is a financial & benefit risk manager with Hundley Batts & Associates Insurance Agency  and co-founder of Stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance volunteers her time, talents, and financial resources to causes she is passionate about. She is a gifted educator and a Master Guide in the Pathfinder Club, a global organization empowered to teach life and leadership skills to young people. The Vances have been married well over 30 years and share their lives with four adult children and eight exceptional grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog from their workbook “Stewardship of Wealth”.

A leader lives with people to know their problems. A leader lives with God in order to solve them. John Maxwell

Walking in God’s Favor: Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything.  Tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank Him for his answers. Philippians 4:6 TLB

Living a Stewardship Lifestyle

We were introduced to stewardship principles by Elder Harold Lee, as a young couple with 4 kids, while I was serving in the U.S. Navy at Rough & Ready Island in Stockton California. My life’s spiritual discovery has never been the same.

071111-N-6597H-220 PACIFIC OCEAN (Nov. 11, 2007) Ð Amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa (LHA 1) transits through the Pacific Ocean while on deployment in support of maritime security operations and the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jon Husman (RELEASED)

The USS Tarawa LHA-1 was the ship I was deployed on in 1981

We discovered that God has placed in each of you more potential then you will ever develop and  you must choose to or not to develop your God Given gifts. After practicing and living stewardship principles for over three decades we teach 4 levels of  stewardship in which you are living  consciously or unconsciously each day of your life.

Level 1 Stewardship is a life of struggle. The Level 1 Steward is trying to survive; to keep the lights on, food on the table and gas in the car. I remember as young father being so concerned about paying bills and meeting my family financial obligations I could not think about my higher purpose. Something was missing. Why did I want to become wealthy?

The Level 1 Steward can become so overwhelmed trying to survive, you can not hear God’s voice calling you. The Holy Spirit speaking to your heart is drowned out by the immediate needs in front of you.

Why ask God for what you don’t have, if you’re not faithful in what you do have?

The first life lesson you must learn in Level 1 Stewardship is that God is the Creator Owner and you are only a manager, apprentice or steward.  This spiritual truth must be the foundation of your life.  You can become a billionaire and be a billion miles away from God if you do not internalize this truth.

The second life lesson you must learn in Level 1 Stewardship is to put your faith and trust in God.  God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. The better steward you become, the more God will trust you, because he knows you can handle it.  Level 1 Stewards walks by faith and not by sight.

When riches dominate your heart, God loses authority in your life

Why is it when God blesses you with a good education and you worship the education. Why is it when God blesses you with a successful business and you worship the business? Why is it when God blesses you with money and you worship the money. Instead of worshiping the Gift Giver you worship the gift.

The Level 1 Stewards worship God as Creator Owner and have faith in God’s sustaining power. Stewardship is not just about giving money, it’s about giving everything. Stewardship is a lifestyle.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord we worship You and have faith in You.

Michael J. Vance is the co-host of a weekly podcast Better Husband Father Man a hub for all things; parenting, marriage, and self-improvement. He is a financial & benefit risk manager with Hundley Batts & Associates Insurance Agency  and co-founder of Stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance volunteers her time, talents, and financial resources to causes she is passionate about. She is a gifted educator and a Master Guide in the Pathfinder Club, a global organization empowered to teach life and leadership skills to young people. The Vances have been married well over 30 years and share their lives with four adult children and eight exceptional grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog from their workbook “Stewardship of Wealth”.

Happiness doesn’t result from what we get, but from what we give. Ben Carson

Walking In God’s Favor: Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving. 2 Corinthians 9:7 MSG

We Rise By Helping Others

Why would God say He loves a cheerful giver? Giving is an emotional experience that involves the heart.  The word of God says that where your treasures are, that’s where your heart will be also. You must make giving a part of your day to day Christian experience. Here’s how to start.

  • Pray…Ask for God’s power to change your heart. David asked  God for a clean heart. Only God has the ability to change hearts. God can transform your thinking if you give Him permission.
  • Seek…Discover God’s wisdom in His Word. Turn off the TV,  iPad  and Blackberry.  Get into a regular Bible study group. How can you walk in God’s wisdom if you rarely read His divine road map?
  • Fellowship…Rub shoulders with people who are generous givers of their time, talents, treasure (money) & temple(body) in honor of God. Hang around people who live a stewardship lifestyle and are great examples of faithfulness.
  • Share…Tell your experience to others of how God has blessed your faithfulness. Many times you do not realize God is all you need, until God is all you got.

You Do Not Have To Be Rich To Give Generously

People can give more when they are not in bondage to debt and credit cards.  It is difficult to give cheerfully to the Kingdom when you have overextended yourself financially. Learn to say “No” to the person in the mirror and “Yes” to the Giver & Creator of life.

TCW 18

Do Good and Goodness Will Follow You

You are invited May 20th 10am for the One Thousand People One Mile One Step At A time Walk in Big Spring Park Downton Huntsville, Alabama. Discover the power of giving as  families, business leaders, and  young professionals share their time and resources to promote a healthy and active lifestyle. A community project in collaboration with Mayor Tommy Battle Healthy Huntsville Initiative.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord, help us to give generously.

Michael J. Vance is the co-host of a weekly podcast Better Husband Father Man a hub for all things; parenting, marriage, and self-improvement. He is a financial & benefit risk manager with Hundley Batts & Associates Insurance Agency  and co-founder of Stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance volunteers her time, talents, and financial resources to causes she is passionate about. She is a gifted educator and a Master Guide in the Pathfinder Club, a global organization empowered to teach life and leadership skills to young people. The Vances have been married well over 30 years and share their lives with four adult children and eight exceptional grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog from their workbook “Stewardship of Wealth”.

Focusing your life soley on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself; because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential. Barack Obama

Walking In God’s Favor: If you start thinking to yourselves, “I did all this. And all by myself. I’m rich. It’s all mine!”—well, think again. Remember that God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors—as it is today. Deuteronomy 8:18 MSG

Faith is being sure in what you hope for and certain in what you do not see.

Do you humbly recognize the awesome power of God’s favor in your life. Do you feel God’s protection covering your life, and have personally experienced over and over again God opening doors for you?  Do you know that it is God who has given you power to have surplus in your life?

 WEUP Radio Wealth Wednesdays Program with Justin McFarland & Steve Murry 

Do you cheerfully give your first fruit off the top and then some? Have You moved beyond the 10% tithe and generously give a love offering out of your surplus? Faithful Stewards have a personal covenant with God and are living examples of what faithfulness is all about.

We agree with Antonio McGinnis the Executive Director for the Harris Home for Children when he  says in his book The Game Is Deep,  “There is no greater feeling than being prepared for every opportunity when it comes your way”. Faithful Stewards live each day as if  it is their last day, but plan as if they are going to live forever.

How Shared Goals Empowers Your Marriage 

When Ardella and I invested the time to plan our future lives together, it was very enlightening. We began to think about our financial assets  and the kind of legacy we desired to leave  to our children and grandchildren.

We considered the physical and medical challenges of aging together gracefully.  More importantly,  we shared our deepest thoughts of how we each wanted to  live our last days and moments of life on this planet.

SOW 41

Ardella and I celebrating a shared goal of a 10-day tour of Europe

The Faithful Steward’s life has become a reservoir of God’s bountiful blessings.  Blessings seems to overflow in the Level 4 Steward’s  life.  I heard someone say it like this, ” I am drinking from my saucer because my cup is overflowing”.  When  God showers His blessing down on a Faithful Stewardship, they wisely store some of their surplus for their future, their legacy, and for the storms of life.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord, thank you for the wealth and blessings You have given us.

Michael J. Vance is the co-host of a weekly podcast Better Husband Father Man a hub for all things; parenting, marriage, and self-improvement. Michael is a financial & benefit risk manager with Hundley Batts & Associates Insurance Agency  and co-founder of Stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance volunteers her time, talents, and financial resources to causes she is passionate about. She is a gifted educator and a Master Guide in the Pathfinder Club, a global organization empowered to teach life and leadership skills to young people. The Vances have been married well over 30 years and share their lives with four adult children and eight exceptional grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog from their workbook “Stewardship of Wealth”.

The best economic stimulus plan I can prescribe is ending the love affair with money and dependence on debt, and replacing them with an underlying trust and reliance on God. Lee Jenkins

The Love Affair With Debt

Saving money is one of the requirements for ending the love affair with  debt. Many of you only talk about saving money. Here’s a quick snapshot of America’s finances. The Wall Street Journal indicates that 70% of all Americans live from paycheck to paycheck.  You almost have to pull a gun on Americans to get them to save.

handgun

The Five D’s That Keeps You In Debt

We have learned in Financial Peace University (3) key reasons to save money; for emergencies, for purchases and to build wealth. With Ardella and I having careers in the academic and insurance risk management arena for over 20 years, we label emergencies in 5 categories we call the storms of life or the 5D’s.

1Disasters – Car accidents, weather related perils, any unexpected incidents.

2Disability – Any physical condition that prevents your daily living activities.

3Downsized – Loss of employment, bankruptcy or divorce.

4Death – The loss of a person who contributes to your financial well being

5Deployment- Active& reserve military called to serve 6 or more months away

If you want to become a faithful steward you must begin the process of saving money. Moving to a higher level of stewardship requires dedication, discipline and diligence. Living the life of surplus and overflow takes wisdom.

Breaking Free From the Culture Of Debt

Many of you have struggled so long in your financial lives you get comfortable with a life of debt. Now is not the time to rest, keep moving. There is so much God have for you to learn, experience, and become. You must choose to make saving a top priority. The choice is up to you.

You are invited to listen to 90.1fm  WJOU Christian Radio “Think It Over” with T. Marshall Kelly Saturday 5pm February 11th to learn how Ardella and I was personally able to break the bondage of debt in our lives. You will discover saving strategies we practice, that you can use right where you are.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord, help us to become diligent in our saving.

Michael J. Vance is the co-host of a weekly podcast Better Husband Father Man a hub forSOW65 all things; parenting, marriage, and self-improvement. He is a financial & benefit risk manager with Hundley Batts & Associates Insurance Agency  Ardella Vance volunteers her time, talents, and financial resources to causes she is passionate  about. She is a gifted educator and a Master Guide in the Pathfinder Club, a global organization empowered to teach life and leadership skills to young people. The Vances have been married well over 30 years and share their lives with four adult children and eight exceptional grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog from their workbook “Stewardship of Wealth”.

Ability is a poor man’s wealth. John Wooden

Walking in God’s Favor: I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. Genesis 12:2

You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great

One of our financial goals was to take a cruise to the Bahamas when we eliminated all our debts. We were able to pay off over $70,000 in debt in 48 months practicing biblical financial principles in our everyday lives. We did it and you can do it! It feels amazing to live debt free.

Living a  life of surplus is a great place to be. Ardella and I have journeyed through the process of learning how to put our faith in God and not the blessings He provides..ie (Wealth, Education, Career, Social Capital and Good Health)

bahamas

Greatness is a lot of small steps taken everyday

We have discovered how to walk in faith when experiencing life’s struggles and the storms of life. Faith is the ability to walk past your current reality, while anticipating a fabulous future.

To walk in God’s favor you must develop the inner discipline it takes to delay immediate gratification by surrendering lordship of your life to God. The faithful stewards can say “no” to the person in the mirror and “yes” to the will of God. Faithful stewards first seek and desire God’s blessings to shower down over their lives.

dave-ramsey

Surround Yourself With People Who Will Push You to Greatness

Ardella and I have learned how to wisely look around the corner and plan for the storms of life or 5D’s (Disaster, Disability, Downsizing, Deployment and Death). We openly share how to prepare for the storms of life  or the 5D’s with our family, friends and meaningful others in our community.

Ardella and I acknowledge that it has been God who has brought us financially to this point in our lives, and we remember where we were in the years past.  Our daily prayer is ” O Mighty God, teach us to be Your faithful servants”.  We encourage you to live faithful to God and to walk in His favor. Your life can become a great example in your world of what a Mighty God can do in the lives of His people.

Michael J. Vance is the co-host of a weekly podcast Better Husband Father Man, a hub forSOW65 all things; parenting, marriage, and self-improvement. He is a senior account executive with Hundley Batts & Associates Insurance Agency and co-founder of Stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance volunteers her time, talents, and financial resources to causes she is passionate  about. She is a gifted educator and a Master Guide in the Pathfinder Club, a global organization empowered to teach life and leadership skills to young people. The Vances have been married well over 30 years and share their lives with four adult children and eight exceptional grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog from their workbook “Stewardship of Wealth”.

 

Treasure the love you receive above all. It will survive long after your good health has vanished. Og Mandingo

Walking in God’s Favor: Love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself. Luke 20:27 NIV

When you put God first, everything else falls in order 

Faithful stewards have discovered in their  spiritual journey that God’s nature is love.  That He gives each of you the freedom to discover his loving nature for yourself.  The Creator freely gives you opportunities to experience His divine love.  Faithful stewards understand that He only wants what is best for your good and His glory.

The Creator has a purpose for your life and He is calling you to a higher level of stewardship. I love what the book of Jeremiah says in chapter 29 verse 11. “I know the plan I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans for your hope and a future”. Wow! Now that is the kind of God I choose to worship.  I know He has everything under control. When you learn to let go and let God….that’s when things start happening.

Your future is as bright as your faith

I clearly remember when I began the process of looking for a life partner. I prayed that the woman who I planned to marry would be someone who truly loved God.  That she would be someone I could spiritually connect with. It was very important to me that we shared our love for God with one another. I was raised in a home where I observed my parents praying to God with one another, worshiping God with one another, and trusting in God with one another. That seemed to be high priority in their relationship.

I am so thankful for God bringing Ardella into my life. Every area I have allowed Ardella to touch in my life has turned to gold. I have prospered in my spiritual life, family life, professional life and financial  life.  Over the years God has blessed our marriage, our family, and our lives as we continue to grow more in love with Him as well as each other.bhfm-3

God loves you everyday

Faithful stewards have learned to make intimacy with God their highest priority. God is faithful. He loves you with an unending love. There are no boundaries to God’s love for each of you.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord, Thank You for loving us without limits.

Michael J. Vance is the co-host of a weekly podcast Better Husband Father Man, a hub forSOW65 all things; parenting, marriage, and self-improvement. He is a senior account executive with Hundley Batts & Associates Insurance Agency and co-founder of Stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance volunteers her time, talents, and financial resources to causes she is passionate  about. She is a gifted educator and a Master Guide in the Pathfinder Club, a global organization empowered to teach life and leadership skills to young people. The Vances have been married well over 30 years and share their lives with four adult children and eight exceptional grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog from their workbook “Stewardship of Wealth”.

You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you. Maya Angelou

Walking in God’s Favor: Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth and be in health. 3 John  1:2

Let Go of Who You Are, To become Who You Can Be

In his book titled The Reallionaire , Farah Gray, a young African-American man who went from public assistance to become a millionaire by the age of 14, says a reallionaire (a word he created) is someone who has discovered that there is more to money than having money. Understanding that stewardship of wealth is not just about being rich in your pocket-book, but realizing you have to be rich inside too.

I believe and agree with Farah Gray that wealth starts on the inside with a certain way of thinking. It begins with the belief system that governs how we relate to money. There are certain ways of thinking that can help you increase your financial health.

Win if You Can, Lose If You Must, But Never Give Up

The first way of thinking is to stop trying to act rich. ” Live Within Your Means.” Living to impress others will only cost you. In the long run trying to keep up with the Jones will eventually result in financial pain and bring you down. Some people who appear to be living prosperous lives, in many instances are in debt up to their eyes balls and have mortgaged their future.

The second way of thinking is to start living on a budget. Spend your money on paper and on purpose before the month begins. Give your money a mission. If you dream of becoming wealthy, create a financial plan to get there. Write it down and look at it often. Remember a dream without a plan is just a hallucination.

The third and final way of thinking that can help you increase your financial health is to start counting your blessings. You are wonderfully made in God’s image. If you have life and health, you are blessed. If you have a family and friends, you are blessed. If you have a personal relationship with Christ, you truly are blessed. Learn to be thankful for what you have right now.

Until You Give Your Best, You Will Never Know Your Potential

How we plan for our future, take advantage of opportunities and how we spend our money all begin inside with our thinking. What do you want to become? What do you want to accomplish? What do you want to obtain? Remember, our thoughts direct our actions or inaction. You have the ability to become a better steward of your wealth.

You are personally invited to attend as our guest to our (7) week series “Next Level Living: Healthy, Happy & Successful”  beginning September 7th to October 19th in Huntsville Alabama at the First Seventh-day Church. The first (10) people to register  will received our “Stewardship of Wealth” workbook. Limited seating. For more information or to  register call 256 852 8360 or email  busychurch@bellsouth.net.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord help us to become wise stewards

Michael J. Vance is the co-host of a weekly podcast Better Husband Father Man a hub forSOW65 all things parenting, marriage, and self-improvement. He is a senior account executive with Hundley Batts & Associates Insurance Agency and co-founder of Stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance volunteers her time, talents, and financial resources to causes she is passionate  about. She is a gifted educator and a Master Guide in the Pathfinder Club, a global organization empowered to teach life and leadership skills to young people. The Vances have been married well over 30 years and share their lives with four adult children and eight exceptional grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog from their workbook “Stewardship of Wealth”.

I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has had to overcome while trying to succeed. Booker T. Washington

 

Walking In God’s Favor: Do not wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle. Proverbs 23:4,5

Networking Is An Essential Tool For Building Wealth

We enjoy encouraging those of you who have a plan, purpose and passion for  obtaining wealth. We can be in the middle of a recession and you will find creative ways to reach your financial goals.

gg4life 2

Deciding to become a better steward of your wealth takes wisdom, diligence, and prayer. If you seek the spiritual power that God gives to get wealth, you are going to have to think differently, and make choices that will move you toward your financial destiny.

Guiding Principle: We Can Create Wealth Together

You will be surprised to discover the profile of those who accumulate financial prosperity in America. According to Thomas J. Stanley & Williams D. Danko, authors of the The Millionaire Next Door, who researched Americans that have a net worth of a $1 million or more.

Their findings are interesting. Usually the person is an entrepreneur, who has lived in the same city all their adult life. They own either a service company, small factory, or chain of stores. They remain in a lifetime relationship and have married once. They live next door to people with a fraction of their wealth. They earned their money on their own, and 80%  are first generation rich.

Building Wealth Is A Marathon, Not  A sprint

Here are seven common traits found in people who successfully create wealth:  (Adapted from the The Millionaire Next Door)

1. They live well below their means.

2. They balance and integrate their time, energy, and money efficiently in ways that create wealth.

3. They believe that financial independence is more important than displaying high social status.

4. Their parents did not give them their wealth.

5. Their adult children are economically self-sufficient.

6. They are good at finding and targeting marketing opportunities.

7. They chose the right occupation.

In closing, we leave you with the words of  Jesse Jackson in his book, It’s About Money,  “Income without wealth, is just flash without cash.” Always remember,  income is based on your paycheck, and wealth is based on your assets (what you own).

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the wisdom to create wealth.

Michael J. Vance is the co-host of a weekly podcast Better Husband Father Man a hub forSOW65 all things parenting, marriage, and self-improvement. He is a senior account executive with Hundley Batts & Associates Insurance Agency and co-founder of Stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance volunteers her time, talents, and financial resources to causes she is passionate  about. She is a gifted educator and a Master Guide in the Pathfinder Club, a global organization empowered to teach life and leadership skills to young people. The Vances have been married well over 30 years and share their lives with four adult children and eight exceptional grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog from their workbook “Stewardship of Wealth”.

Talent is a gift, but character is a choice. John Maxwell

Walking in God’s Favor:  God-loyal people, living honest lives,
make it much easier for their children. Proverbs 20:7 MSG

What You See Is What You Get

Just like the 70′s R&B group The Dramatics sang in one of their many hit songs; What You See is What You Get. Through the power of the Holy Spirt you must be committed to being a person of integrity. You must become a “What You See Is What You Get” person.

I heard one spiritual leader Pastor Benjamin Jones say “Your career ends when you die, but your character goes on for eternity”. Gods truly wants to develop your character. He sent his son Jesus Christ to be your earthly example.

It Takes Everything

Faithful stewards are people of integrity. They follow through with what they say they’re going to do. Faithful stewards are people whose word is their bond. Faithful stewards are good examples and good leaders. They are an extremely positive witness to those who are in their circle of influence.

How you spend and relate to money has more to say about your character than anything else. Have you ever spent money you don’t have, for something you don’t need,  to impress people you don’t know? Many times money will reveal our inner selves; our true hearts.

Honest Hearts Produces Honest Actions

You are either a faithful steward or a unfaithful steward; a good example or a poor example. There is no in between. I clearly remember speaking at a Community  Financial Empowerment Session for a church on the topic of stewardship. When I completed my presentation I sat down next to Ardella and whispered “How did I do honey?

Ardella looked dead to my eyes and asked, “Why are you talking about something you are not doing yourself?” Ouch! Yeah that hurts, but I made up my mind that day not to stand in front of people and talk about something I was not practicing in my own life. That I would be a husband, father, grandfather and business man of integrity.

When Jesus Christ returned to heaven to be with his father, he sent you a Comforter to empower you to overcome selfishness, lust, greed, deceitfulness, and covetousness so you can walk in His love, freedom and favor. You can be a person of integrity.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord help us to live authentically.

Michael J. Vance is the co-host of aSOW65 weekly podcast Better Husband Father Man a hub for all things parenting, marriage, and self-improvement. He is a senior account executive  with Hundley Batts & Associates  Insurance Agency and the co-founder & of Stewardshipofwealth.com  Ardella Vance volunteers her time, talents, and financial resources to causes she is passionate about. She is a gifted educator and a Master Guide in the Pathfinders  Club, a global organization empowered to teach life and leadership skills to young people.  The Vance’s have been married well over 30 years and share their lives with four adult children and eight exceptional grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog from their workbook  ”Stewardship of Wealth”.