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Walking In God’s Favor: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

Prioritizing Your Life 

Faithful Stewards realize the importance of time and manage their time wisely. Staying connected to the Source is always their first priority. Faithful Stewards are aware that the choices they make today will impact future generations, so staying connecting to the Source is critical to the success of their life mission.

We agree with what President Barack Obama says, “Focusing your life solely 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.”

Re-Discovering Your  Purpose

We have discovered in our spiritual life, that when we allow God lordship over our will, dreams, and ambitions, we experience more peace, love, and happiness in our world. God’s blessings in the life of the Faithful Steward will also be a blessing in the life of others. I believe God blesses the lives of Faithful Stewards so they can be an example of what He can do in a life that is connected to the Source.

We have developed the daily practice of investing time in prayer and reading the Bible. This allows us to say “No” to the good, in order to say “Yes” to the great. For example, in order for us to live a healthy life style, we say “No” to certain unhealthy foods that may taste good, and “Yes” to foods that give us proper nutrition and support our goal of healthy living.

Here’s another example. In order for us to live a debt free life style, we say “No” to financing our desires with debt, and “Yes” to saving and investing to support our goal of building wealth. The challenge for the Faithful Steward is the ability to stay connected to the Source when you can have, do, and be anything you desire.

The Unlimited Source

Connectivity to God is the source of all blessings. Connectivity to people is one way God uses  us as a conduit.  We love what Mary Kay Ash said, “Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember you can achieve.”  Faithful Stewards are determined to stay connected to the Source and regularly share God’s blessings with other people.

You are invited to visit our http://www.firstsdachurch.com Financial Peace University Class Tuesday 6:30pm January 27th to discuss how you can prioritize your money God’s way.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord, help us to stay connected.

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: Don’t worry about anything. Instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. Philippians 4:6 NLT

Stewardship Principles For Life 

We were first introduced to stewardship principles by Elder Harold Lee. A young family with four children, Ardella was a stay-at-home mom, while I was serving in the United States Navy at Rough & Ready Island in Stockton, California. Our life’s spiritual journey has never been the same.

God has placed in each of you an abundance of potential, and you must make the choice to develop, or not to develop your God-given gifts. After learning and practicing stewardship principles for over 25 years, we have discovered certain levels of stewardship in which people are living consciously or unconsciously, each day of their lives. (Down Load Your Free Stewardship Guide) http://www.stewardshipofwealth.com/freesowguide.html

Life Lessons We Have Discovered About Faith 

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

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

First Things First

Why is it, when God blesses you with a good education, you worship the education? God blesses you with a successful business, and you worship the business. God blesses you with talent, and you worship the talent. Instead of worshiping the Gift Giver, you worship the gifts. The Level 1 Steward learns to worship God as Creator/ Owner and giver of all gifts. Stay focused on the dream God has placed inside you and keep first things first.

You are invited to visit our Financial Peace University Class http://www.firstsdachurch.com the guest presenter is Adolphus Elliott, co-founder of  “It’s Not About Us” Ministry Tuesday 6:30pm January 20th. Discover how practicing stewardship principles can change your life.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord teach us to become faithful stewards.

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: Every man according as he purposeth in his heart,  so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.     2 Corinthians 9:7 KJV

The Blessings of Generosity

Giving From A Biblical Prospective

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.

• Prayer…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 iphone.  Get into a regular Bible study group. How can you walk in God’s favor and 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.

Developing A Lifestyle of Generosity

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.

You  are invited to visit http://www.firstsdachurch.com  our Financial Peace University Class to learn how to eliminate debt, save for emergencies and build wealth. Our first class begins Tuesday 6:30pm January 13th. Make 2015 a year you give the best in you.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord help us to give cheerfully.

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: Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath  fulfilled the law. Roman 13:8 KJV

Choosing Financial Success for 2015

We believe overcoming financial bondage is one of the greatest struggles for you to obtain financial success. Many of  you only dream of saving money. In many instances you do not experience financial success because you are trying to borrow yourselves into wealth. You want to look rich to cover your raggedness. You desire to appear prosperous to hide your poverty. You feel that wealth can heal your wounds.

Retooling Your Approach to Debt

Many of you do not see anything wrong with living in debt. The more you can borrow the better. We didn’t either at first; just like the story of the frog . I’m told if you put a frog in a pot of water on a stove with no lid, and gradually turn up the heat, the frog will remain in the pot until it is cooked alive, even though the frog has the ability to easily jump out of the pot at anytime.

Initially we felt debt was a good thing; just a financial tool. It allowed us to obtain things we felt we needed  now and we could pay for it later….WOW! That sounded like a good deal… Just like when the serpent lied to Eve in the Garden of Eden. He told Eve if she ate of the tree of good and evil she would not “surely die”. Listen to me people, if you play with snakes you will get bitten.

Gaining Momentum In Your Personal Economy

Debt has been successfully marketed by banks and financial institutions in the United States as your pathway to prosperity. As a result, many of you have found yourselves in financial bondage with little or no hope of ever experiencing financial freedom again.

If you are in bondage because of debt, your first step into financial freedom is to admit your finances are out of control. If you continue to live in denial, you won’t seek help and you won’t break free.  The Bible says that “the borrower is slave to the lender”. Ask God, in prayer, for the power  to break free of  debt. With God, and a made up mind, you can experience financial freedom.

We invite to visit our www.firstsdachurch.com  Financial Peace University Class on Tuesday 6:30pm January 13th 2015.  You will discover how you can win with your money. Ardella and I will personally walk along side you to cheer you on to victory. Make it your goal to live debt-free 2015.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord give us the courage and 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“.

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

Reinventing Philanthropy

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.

Disrupting America’s Love Affair With Debt

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.

You are welcome to visit our Financial Peace University  class www.firstsdachurch.com  Tuesday 6:30pm January 13, 2015.  Discover the resources  available to you, as  families, business leaders, and  young professionals share their own personal stories of  God’s faithfulness.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord, teach us to become cheerful givers.

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: A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart,
but a principled life can stand up to the worst. Proverbs 11:4 MSG

Put People Before Possessions

Many Christians in America have become so materialistic in their thinking. You have probably heard someone say, ” The one who dies with the most toys wins” or “The one with the gold makes the rules.”

The things in this world are temporal, but the things of God are eternal. We believe Jesus Christ is returning for a people – not possessions. So, what are you doing to build intimate relationships with those you love? How are you investing your financial resources to better your relationship with God and meaningful others?

Increasing Your Social Capital

When you develop intimate relationships, you do it one-to-one. Your attention is focused on one person. Their needs become your priority. Dr David and Teresa Ferguson, co-authors of Intimate Encounters says, “Intimate relationships takes time and communication.”

Ardella and I have the wonderful experience of celebrating a debt-free lifestyle.  For us the best part of living without a mortgage, a car payment, or consumer debt is the financial peace.   With no financial drama, we can focus our attention on developing meaningful relationships.

This includes sharing one’s feelings, putting others first, sympathetic listening, and caring for one another. Sharing your heart with family and having meaningful relationships with others is what life is truly about. Life is meant to be shared. Sharing the love of God with those we care about is a priority for the Level 4 Steward.

Sharing Your Life Journey

There is nothing like the power of your own life story. Everyone has a story to tell. How are you being blessed today? What challenges have you overcome in your life? Who  are you reaching out to help make it? Are you sharing your widsom with the next generation? Sharing your life experiences with others encourages them and gives them hope.

Tell others how you have overcome life’s struggles; how your faith brings stability in your life; how living by biblical principles gives you the wisdom to look around the corner to prepare for the storms of life.

You are invited to visit our Financial Peace University class www.firstsdachurch.com  Tuesday January 13th 6:30pm  as we share our personal story of  how prayer, faith and action delivered us from the bondage of debt.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord, teach us to put people before possessions.

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: You shall love the Eternal One your God with everything you have: all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27 VOICE

Overcoming Negativity With Love

Does love motivate your decisions? 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. The faithful steward understands that God only wants what is best for your good and His glory.

Love Is A Critical Factor In Discovering Your Life Work 

Our Creator has a purpose for your life and He is calling you to a higher level of stewardship. We 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 we choose to worship. We know He has everything under control. When you learn to let go and let God….that’s when things start happening.

Seeking Love In All The Right Places 

I clearly remember when I began the process of looking for a life partner. I prayed that my future wife  would be someone who truly loved God.  We would be able to connect spiritually. 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 a high priority in their relationship.

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

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 Your love.

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: 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 gives? 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. The social media is more than willing to unveil  to the general public the lifestyle of the rich and famous.

The American Love Affair With Materialism 

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.

Overcoming Overspending  

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.

Five tips for overcoming spending during the holiday shopping season:

1) Pray before you spend.  2) Plan the amount of money you can afford to spend during the holiday. 3) Do not hang out at malls & shopping centers to avoid impulse spending.  4) Make crafts or creative gifts that comes from your heart. 5) Volunteer time to a homeless shelters or the Salvation Army (You really have a lot to be thankful)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 buy, dream, or imagine. God’s love is more valuable than anything this world has to offer.

Prayer of Blessing : Lord, thank You for your of love.

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: Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.   Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share. 1 Timothy 6:17,18 NKJV

A Life of Kingdom Service

To think like a Level 4 steward requires a change of heart. A Level 4 steward thinks more of how you can serve others rather than yourself. Once you have acquired a servant’s heart, you no longer focus so much on your own needs, but turn your heart to the needs of others.

I clearly remember walking into my office years ago, as a young insurance agent in my twenties, disappointed for not obtaining the sales goals I had planned for the week. I knocked on Mr. Hundley Batts’  door and asked if I could speak to him for a moment. “Mr.  Batts”, I said, “I have been out selling all day long and  cannot find anyone to sell insurance to.”

The Value of Service

Hundley Batts replied, “That’s your problem, Son.  Find people you can serve.” Those five words ” Find people you can serve” changed my whole entire paradigm on how I operate my business battsandassoc.com . These days, eighty percent of my business comes from referral business of people who value  my time, business insurance intelligence, and the resource services we offer.

Level 4 Stewardship is one of the best ways to describe the heart of a servant. Many faithful stewards begin their spiritual discovery as servants, however they end up as  celebrities. They become addicted to the spotlight, unaware that constantly being in the lime light can blind you.

There are four areas of life the Level 4 Steward will primarily focus:

#1 How you care for your body(temple)

#2 How you invest your time

#3 How you develop your talents or gifts

#4 How you manage your treasure (financial assets)

A God Centric Mindset

This is a holistic approach to serving. God wants all of you – not just little pieces of you.  Level 4 Stewards accept the truth that God owns it all, and we are only caretakers, managers, and apprentices . They think like servants, not like owners.

Can you be trusted with wealth, power, and social capital? The heart of the Level 4 Steward is in giving service to God. Level 4 Stewards make sure their lives honor God, and their life work leaves the planet a much better place to live.

Prayer of Blessing: Lord, thank You for the high calling of service.

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“.