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Walking in God’s Favor: The Lord will bless you so you will become the leading nation in the world, if you pay attention to what He said and faithfully keep the commandments and laws that He has given you. Deuteronomy 28:14

Do you love God or only the blessings God provides?

North America  is one of the richest countries on the planet. Mel Gipson, movie actor/producer,  earned over 350 million dollars from the movie The Passion of  Christ. Oprah Winfrey is one of the richest Women of Color in the world.

Such enormously powerful income can support lavish lifestyles, magnificent mansions, awesome automobiles, exotic vacations, unlimited shopping for designer clothes & luxury personal items. Social media is more than willing to unveil  to the general public the lifestyle of the rich and famous.

The Curse of  Riches 

Unfortunately, many Americans believe that anything less than  excessive luxury is equivalent to poverty. If your goal is the Hollywood style of prosperity, more than likely that is something you will probably never reach. The bling bling life style of professional athletes and recording artists influence people young and old to get rich or die trying.

We believe there is a difference between riches and wealth. You can become rich without God in your life. We can easily find unethical Wall Street Bankers, greedy CEO’s, drug dealers and pornography pimps who are rich. That’s because riches are material possessions.

Living Your  Core Values

On the other hand, wealth is obtained through spiritual wisdom, character development, and the observance of God’s laws. We should not worry or focus all our time on getting rich. But instead, focus on loving God with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your soul. It is He who gives you the power to get wealth.

God will take care of your needs according to His riches in glory. God’s plan for your life is greater than anything you could ever dream or imagine. God loves you more that anyone and has a plan for your life.

Prayer of Blessing : Lord, because of who You are, we love You.

Michael Vance is a senior account executive  with Hundley Batts & Associates and the co-founder of stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance 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 seven grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.

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

Winning With Your Money

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.

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, Health, Love, Education, Social Capital and Peace)

We have learned 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.

Your Inner Power To Prevail

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.

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 you prepare for the storms of life  or the 5D’s with our family, friends and meaningful others in our community.

Trusting God as Your Provider

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 trust in God and to walk in His favor. Your life can become a great example to the world of what a Mighty God can do in the lives of ordinary people.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord, teach us to be faithful in our finances.

Michael Vance is a senior account executive  with Hundley Batts & Associates 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 seven grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.

Walking in God’s Favor: But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if he has enough money to pay the bills?  Otherwise he might complete only the foundation before running out of funds. And then how everyone would laugh! Luke 14:28-29 TLB

Planning For Your Golden Years

Let’s face it, as we gracefully age we generally have less energy and our health slowly begins to decline. As a result, we need to decrease the amount of physical work we perform, so we don’t injure or prematurely kill ourselves. In other words, we have to work smarter not harder.

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You must begin with the end in mind. If  you plan to become faithful stewards of your wealth in this life you must be willing to pay the price. You are going to have to develop the habit of saving and investing your money.

Living Life Intentionally

While you are young and healthy you must develop the practice of saving for your golden years. Otherwise, your golden years will not be so golden. Many employers are no longer contributing or providing retirement plans for their employees. Therefore you must become personally proactive in saving and investing money for your golden years.

With that in mind, what is your plan? Do you have an emergency fund for the storms of life that are sure to come if you live long enough? Have you begun setting aside money for your golden years? Years ago, Ardella and I began the practice of saving a certain amount of money from our income so that we could have the flexibility to follow our dreams, passions, and opportunities in life during our golden years.

A Life Journey Well Lived

The Joseph principle is the ability to look around the corner and anticipate life’s challenges you may or may not face one day. In the Bible, Joseph wisely counseled Pharaoh in the book of Genesis. ” And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh and let them keep food in the cities. Then the food shall be as a reserve for the land for seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt that the land may not perish during the famine.” Genesis 41:35,36 (NKJV)

Joseph was divinely given the principle of saving for the storms of life and saved the entire Egyptian nation and his family. There are many lessons you can learn and practice in your life from the Joseph principle. Where ever you are in life, trust God in your planning so you may end well.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord, help us to trust You.

Michael Vance is a senior account executive with Hundley Batts & Associates 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 25 years and share their lives with four adult children and seven grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.

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

Faithfulness Is Your Economic Advantage

Faithful Stewards humbly recognize the awesome power of God’s favor in their life. You can feel God’s protection covering your life, and have personally experienced over and over again God opening doors for you.  You know, that   God has given you power to have surplus in your life.

The Cheerful Life of Generosity

You cheerfully give your first fruit off the top and then some. You have 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 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.

One Family’s Journey Towards Financial Peace

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 hours of life on this planet.

Ardella and I celebrating 32 years of marriage with a 10-day tour of Europe

Living Your Life In The Overflow

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 You have given us.

Michael Vance is a senior account executive with Hundley Batts & Associates and the co-founder of stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance 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 25 years and share their lives with four adult children and seven grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog weekly from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.

Walking In God’s Favor: Tell those rich in this world’s wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they’ll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17  MSG

Why Do You Want to Become Wealthy?

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

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.

The North America’s Wealthiest Families

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.

The Insider Secrets of  The Wealthy

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, I 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 wisdom that creates wealth into our life.

Michael Vance is a senior account executive with Hundley Batts & Associates and the co-founder of stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance 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 25 years and share their lives with four adult children and seven grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog weekly from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.

Waking in God’s Favor: Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9 (NLT)

A Warning to the Wise 

In our society people will take advantage of you. They will scheme, swindle, and fraudulently go after your wealth. People like Bernard Madoff, who perpetrated over a 50 billion dollar Ponzi scheme, have made money their God. They have no problem ripping you off, if it puts money into their pockets. They knowingly take advantage of their influence, power, and wealth.

Level 4 Stewards practice the spiritual principle of forgiveness.  They have personally experienced the transformational power of forgiveness in their own lives and extend that kind of forgiveness to others.

The Process of Healing

When someone takes advantage of you, your faith can help you heal from your loss in many ways. Forgiveness is not an option for Level 4 Stewards. They extend grace to others, learn from the experience, and move on with their life’s mission. You can only experience this kind of forgiveness when you are connected to the Source of forgiveness.

Prayer of Blessings: Lord, place Your spirit of forgiveness in our heart.

Michael Vance is a senior account executive  with Hundley Batts & Associates and the co-founder of stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance 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 25 years and share their lives with four adult children and seven grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog weekly from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.

Walking in God’s Favor: The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets. Proverbs 21:20 TLB

 The Struggle to Save

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.

Saving For The Five D’s

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.

Creating Financial Strength to Save

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 radio http://www.wjou.com “Think It Over” with T. Marshall Kelly Saturday 5pm February 21st to learn how Ardella and I was personally able to break the bondage of debt in our lives. You will discover saving strategies that you can start right where you are.

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

Michael Vance is a senior account executive with Hundley Batts & Associates and the co-founder of stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance 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 25 years and share their lives with four adult children and seven grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog weekly from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.

Walking in Gods’ Favor: Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. Philippians 4:11 NLT

Living Like No One Else, So Later You can Live Like No One Elsee

Queen Latifa stars in a movie titled, Last Holiday. She is mistakenly told by her doctor that she has a terminal illness and has a very short time to live. Believing that she is dying and her days are numbered, she decides to do the one thing on her bucket list that she has dreamed about her entire life; travel to Europe.

She goes to her bank and withdraws all her life savings. She intends for this dream vacation to be an experience of a lifetime. Queen Latifa’s character in the movie books  her plane travel first-class in order to feel once in her lifetime, what the rich people enjoy when they travel.

She books her hotel reservation in a five-star hotel where the rich people stay and picks the high-rollers’ penthouse suite, which includes the luxury pamper  package only for the rich people. She dines out every night at the finest five-star restaurants where the rich people eat. She lives on the financial edge as if there is no tomorrow.

 Moving Toward A More Successful Financial Goal

Many of you live your financial lives pretty much the same way.  You spend as if there is no tomorrow. One of the definitions of  maturity  is learning to delay pleasure. If you struggle in your spending like us, and many others, here’s 5 tips from Financial Peace University  www.fpu.com to help you make wise choices when buying items over $250:

1) Wait over night before buying. Sleeping on it takes the edge off you.

2) Consider your buying motives; why and why now?

3) Don’t buy things you don’t understand or can’t explain.

4) Consider the opportunity cost. Would the money be better invested or saved?

5) Seek the counsel of your spouse. If single, seek the counsel of a mature Christian you know and respect.

Changing Future Generations’ Mind-set

If God blessed some of you with  money with your current character traits and mind-set, your desire for instant gratification, your impulsive  tendencies that are out of control, and your media-driven consumer mentality would cause many of you to blow most, or all of  God’s financial blessings. Our mission is changing future generations’ mind-set.

When God opens the doors of heaven to pour out financial  blessings on you, spend that money wisely.  Learn to make a plan, give to God, give to yourself, and have some fun. You are invited to visit our Financial Peace University Class www.firstsdachurch.com  Tuesday 6:30pm January 17th.

Prayer of Blessings:  Lord, we will honor You in our finances.

Michael Vance is a senior account executive  with Hundley Batts & Associates and the co-founder of stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance 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 25 years and share their lives with four adult children and six grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog weekly from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.

Walking in God’s Favor: If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. James 1:5 AMP

Breaking the Chains of Debt

If you are really ready to become a better steward of your wealth you must become willing to go through the process of increasing your financial IQ. It’s been said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over, expecting a different result”.

Ardella and I are helping meaningful others learn how to manage their money wisely by facilitating financial empowerment sessions. Ardella and I personally were able to pay off over $70,000 of debt in 48 months by learning to use the debt snowball systematically. We experience a three-step process of becoming dedicated, disciplined and diligent in order to receive our financial deliverance from the bondage of debt.

Our Personal Journey to Freedom

The first step was becoming dedicated in desiring to get out of the bondage of debt. Make becoming debt free a priority in your  prayer life. Asked God to renew your hearts and minds so you will have a desire to live debt free.

The second step is disciplining your money habits, give your money a mission. Began spending your money on paper, on purpose before the month begin by making a cash flow plan and using the debt snow ball.

The third step is diligent in working your financial plan. It took us 48 months of faithful diligence, discipline and dedication before we begin to experience  deliverance from financial bondage. The journey out of our mess didn’t happen over night and neither was the trip into it.

Working Together as a Team

We thank God for answering our prayers and bringing us to this place of deliverance and healing. There are many married couples who cannot agree on how to handle their money who argue with one another, manipulate one another or just avoid one another. Unfortunately, many of these  couples end up destroying their marriage because of money.

Practicing biblical principles for handling money has empowered us financially and spiritually. We have no desire to spend money in order to prove to the world we have arrived. More importantly we are free to serve and give to God cheerfully without the financially bondage of debt in our lives. There is financial peace in our home.

You are welcome to visit our http://www.firstsdachurch.com Financial Peace University Class Tuesday 6:30pm February 3rd to discover how you can break the chains of financial debt from your life.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord thank  You for the desire to live debt-free.

Michael Vance is a senior account executive  with Hundley Batts & Associates and the co-founder of stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance 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 25 years and share their lives with four adult children and seven  grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog weekly from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.