SOW Blog

Walking in God’s Favor: Jesus once again addressed them:  “I am the world’s Light.  No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness.  I provide plenty of light to live in.”  John 8:12 (Message)

We empower others to grow when they can see a living example. Nothing is more discouraging than a person  who gives good advice but sets a poor example.  On the other hand, nothing can be more encouraging or inspiring than a person who lives the life he or she talks about.

Level 4 stewards internally recognize the importance of being who you say you are. Personal integrity has a tremendous impact on our own lives and those around us. In my early 30′s, as a young husband and father,  I made a decision  I would not teach or speak publicly about principles I was not practicing in my own life.

This idea to be transparent in my public life  has help me to set positive examples of faithful stewardship in how I prioritize my time, care for my body-temple, develop my God- given gifts, and invest my financial resources.

Spending quality time with my spouse, attending my children’s and grand-children’s events,  exercising and eating healthy foods, budgeting our personal finances, along with setting business goals has required me to consider who I am and the example I’m leaving others to follow.

Jesus provided his 12 disciples and all of us an example of the kind of life we must live as Christians.  A life of love, integrity and a life of victory. We live as stewards of the life God has given us.  Remember God is the Creator Owner. We are only  stewards of our time, temple (body), talents and treasure (money).

Prayer of Blessings: Creator God, allow our light to shine for others to see our lives reflecting 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 25 years and share their lives with four adult children and four grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog weekly from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.

Walking in God’s Favor: The plans of hard-working people earn a profit, but those who act too quickly [hurry] become poor. Proverbs 21:5 EXB

If God blessed many of us with some money with our current mindset, our desire for instant gratification, our impulsive  tendencies that are out of control, and our media-driven consumer mentality, these character traits would cause many us to blow most of or all of  God’s financial blessings.

Queen Latifa stars in a movie title  Last Holiday. She is mistaken told by her doctors 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 all 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 character in the movie books  her plane travel first class, to once in her lifetime experience what the rich people experience when they travel.

She books her hotel reservation in a five-star hotel where the rich people stays and selects 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.

Many of us live our financial lives pretty much the same way.  We spend as if there is no tomorrow. One of the definitions of  maturity  is learning to delay pleasure. If you struggle like me and many others in your spending 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 the counsel of a mature Christian you know and respect. (That have some money and is a faithful steward)

You are invited to visit our Financial Peace University Community Empowerment Session Monday January 28th and Monday February 25th 6:00pm at the First Seventh-day Adventist Church Library in Huntsville, Alabama.

When God opens the doors of heaven to pour out financial  blessings to you, spend your money wisely.  Learn to prosper with a purpose.

Prayer of Blessings: Thank your Lord for a opportunity to become a better steward of my wealth.

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 four grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog weekly from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.

Walking In God’s Favor:  I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me.  I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency. Philippians 4:13 Amplified Bible

Many Level 1 Stewards become comfortable at this point of their stewardship journey. They have learned to trust God and accept whatever circumstances the vicissitudes of life brings. I heard a preacher say, “I don’t mind living hand to mouth as long as the hand is God”.

Level 1 Stewards have some of the most inspiring testimonies of God’s power working in their behalf. They have personally encountered the Holy Spirit operating in their lives. As a Level 1 Steward, I remember several years ago riding on an empty tank of gas for three days.

There is no doubt in my mind that it was the hand of God working on my behalf. I was a relatively new believer in the principle of tithing. I was struggling with the decision of returning to God 10% of my income off the top before I paid my bills.  If I was faithful to God, I would not have enough money to put gas in our car to travel to my customers businesses as an insurance agent.

In faith, I returned my tithe and gave a love offering on top of the tithe. God intervened into my reality and for three days I drove my car on an empty tank of gas. God is awesome!  God intervened to encourage me to trust in Him. There is nothing like the power of God operating in your reality.

I also remember how I felt, several weeks after that awesome experience of driving my car on an empty tank of gas for three days. I ran out of gas on the corner of Oakwood Ave and Pulaski Pike in Huntsville, Alabama with a pocket full of money in front of a gas station. What I learned,  while in Level I Stewardship, is that God is not going to do for you, what you can do for yourself.

For me to think that if I tithe, every time my gas tank is empty, God will miraculously fill it when He has already blessed me with the money to fill my tank, is unhealthy thinking. God expects us to grow in faith and wisdom.

If you desire to move to the next level of stewardship, you must make a decision to grow. You have only seen the tip of what God can manifest in your life when you allow God to grow His Spirit of wisdom  into you. God is willing and able to move you to the next level of your spiritual discovery.

 Prayer of Blessings: Heavenly Father, move us to a higher level in our giving and living.

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 four grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog weekly from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.

Walking 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

We were first introduced to stewardship principles by Elder Harold Lee.   A young family with four children, Ardella  was a stay-a-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 us more potential than we will ever develop and we must choose to develop or not to develop our God-given gifts.  After learning and living stewardship principles for over 25 yeas we have discovered certain levels of stewardship in which people are living  consciously or unconsciously each day of their life.

Level 1 Stewardship – The Life of Struggle

Level 2 Stewardship – The Life of Stability

Level 3 Stewardship – The Life of  Surplus

Level 4 Stewardship – The Life of Sustainable Increase & Significance

Level 1 Stewardship is the life  of struggle. The Level 1 Seward is trying to survive. To keep the lights on, food on the table and gas in the car. I remember as a 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.

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

The first lesson you must  learn  in Level 1 Stewardship is, God is the Creator Owner and you are only the 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.

Why is it when God blesses us with a good education, we worship the education? God blesses us with a successful business and we worship the business. God blesses us with  talents and we worship the talent.  Instead of worshiping the Gift Giver we worship the gifts.  Level  1  Stewards learn to worship God as Creator Owner and giver of all gifts.

Prayer of Blessings: Thank you Creator, for all You have blessed in my 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 four grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog weekly from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.

Walking in God’s Favor: Moreover when God give any man wealth and possessions and enable him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work is a gift of God. Ecclesiastes 5:19

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 being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Having a fat bank account,  strong investment portfolio, or family trust fund, doesn’t  necessary mean you are truly wealthy. If you have million dollars net worth and you are always worrying about losing it or someone trying to scam your money, you aren’t truly wealthy.  You have a scarcity mentality.

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 chest, quick to laugh man was always willing to share a smile and words of wisdom with anyone who crossed his path.

Mr. Williams was a productive employee for  Chrysler Corporation for 32 years and had one of those long-term relationships. He was married to the same woman for 42 years. He gave back to his community by serving as a member of the Detroit School Board for 13 years.

He saved money for a college fund for all (5) of his children.  Paid off his home mortgage early, avoided debt & credit cards, and had emergency fund for the unexpected. On the day of his death Mr. Williams had a will and his burial arrangements in place. He was man ahead of his times.

In the world’s economy it says wealth is measure primary by material possessions and the things money can buy. In God’s economy true wealth begins with things we cannot necessarily see and is measured with certain things money cannot buy.

Prayer of Blessings: Dear Father, thank You for your divine favor.

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 four grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog weekly from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.

Walking In God’s Favor: Do not be shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect. Romans 12:2 NCV

Welcome to the stewardshipofwealth.com  final blog for the year. Ardella and I have posted the wisdom and insights we have learned from our journey of becoming a better steward of our wealth in 2012.   Our stewardshipofwealth.com Team is committed to playing a significant role in encouraging others to grow in areas of their lives they need confirmation and clarity.

Here are some suggested reading to empower you in that process of becoming a better steward of your wealth.

1. Your Best Life Now – Joel Osteen

2. Spend Well,  Live Rich – Michelle Singletary

3.  Wealth – It’s in Your Worship Not Your Works – Roland J. Hill

4.  Breaking Free from Financial Slavery – Deforest B. Soaries Jr.

5. Total Money Makeover – Dave Ramsey

6. The Dream Giver – Bruce Wilkinson

7. 80 Proven Ways to Become a Millionaire – Paul  S. Damazo

8. The Gospel of Good Success – Kirbyjon H. Caldwell

9. Are You Financially Checkmate?  – Tom Graneau, Sr.

10. The Monk and the Merchant – Terry Felber

11.  Power to get Wealth: No Money Required – Keith D0uglas

12.  40 Days to a Prosperous Soul – Thomas Weeks III

Prayer of Blessing:  Lord, we thank You in advance for your protection, peace and prosperity.

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 four grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama.

Walking In Favor: The Lord will open up the heavens. That’s where He stores His riches. He will send rain on your land at just the right time. He’ll bless everything you do. You will lend money to many nations. But you won’t have to borrow from any of them. The Lord your God will make you leaders, not followers. Pay attention to His commands that I’m giving you today. Be careful to follow them. Then you will always be on top. You will never be on the bottom. Deuteronomy 28: 12,13 NIRV

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 Black American women 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 media is more than willing to make known to the general public the lifestyle of the rich and famous.

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.

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 loves you more that anyone  and His plan for your life is greater than anything you could ever dream or imagine.

Prayer of Blessing: O God, we thank  You for Your protection, peace and prosperity.

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 four grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama.

Walking in God’s Favor: When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside. I Corinthians 13:11  AMP

I clearly remember our parents teaching us the connection between work and money.  As a kid, they would give my two younger brothers and me money for doing chores like cutting the grass, raking leaves or washing the car.  As soon as I received my money, I would run down to the corner grocery store to spend every penny I had earned on Chinese Sweet & Sours Balls, Red Hots, banana flavored Now & Laters, and  my favorite, Hostess Chocolate Twinkies.

My parents would comment how  I had holes in my pocket when they observed how quickly I spent my money. They found teachable moments  to encourage me  to save.  They planted seeds of wisdom like ” Money don’t grow on trees” in  my life.  My parents were the first teachers who sowed into my life the importance of working hard and saving money.

My truth is,  even today as an adult I struggle with the desire to spend money I don’t have, to  buy things I don’t  need, to impress people I don’t know.  That desire to spend money grew into an uncontrollable desire to have wealth without going through the process of  developing the financial skills necessary to manage wealth.

One of the keys that differentiate the life of struggle with the life of stability is the will to delay immediate gratification for long-term goals. One sign of spiritual maturity is the will to choose long-term goals over short-term  gain.

Moving from a life of struggle to a life of stability is an individual choice. Many Christians cannot see themselves maturing from a life of struggle to a life of  stability; therefore they remain in a life struggle.

Faithful stewards learn to live on a budget and give their money a mission.  But more importantly,  faithful stewards are accountable to God. The faithful steward has learned to say “no” to the person in the mirror.

In order for you to move to a life of stability you are going to have to go through the process. It’s your choice. You have the ability to become a better steward of your wealth. I am a living example that God will empower your life  to do that which you cannot on your own,  do for yourself. Remember keep praying, keep believing, with God all things are possible.

Prayer of Blessing: Thank You Heavenly Father for allowing me to grow in Your grace.

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 four grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama.

Walking in God’s Favor: But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving.  II Corinthians 8:7

Among my siblings, everyone knows our sister Vonseal has the gift of giving. If you have a need and tell Vonseal,  she will get it done. Even if you do not mention your need to Vonseal,  when God speaks to her heart to meet your need, she will get it done.  She is a living example of how God employs gracious givers to become a blessing in the lives of others and to spreadl His incredible love upon the planet.

I can personally say,  having Vonseal as  a sibling has been an tremendous blessing in my life. She is a tremendous blessing to our family and to her community. She graciously gives of her  time, she graciously gives of her talents, and she graciously gives resources to whatever causes she is passionate about.  Anyone who knows her, will tell you how God is moving all over her life and pouring His favor upon her.

Faithful stewards are gracious givers. They are gracious in giving of their time, they are gracious in sharing of their talents, and they are gracious in giving of their financial resources. We all have people in our lives or know someone with the gift of giving.

Ardella and I  can personally acknowledge, whatever we give graciously and cheerfully to God, He multiplies it back to us in so many ways. Jesus said in Luke 6:38 “Give and it will be given to you. A measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you”.

Faithful stewards are not only gracious givers, they are motivated out of love for God and for people.  The heart of the faithful steward says, “All that I have is Yours,  Lord.”  When we choose to give out of our love for God, He pours His favor over our lives.  If you are seeking God’s favor over your life,  begin giving graciously from a place of love and joy.

As faithful stewards, we are examples to believers and non-believers in our circle of influence of God’s sustainable love. God loves us so much, He graciously gave up His Son. His Son, Jesus Christ, loves us so much,  He graciously gave up His life. What are you willing to graciously give up to make a difference in the lives of others?

Prayer of Blessing:  We thank you Lord for providing for our needs, empower us with Your grace of giving.

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 four grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama.

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

We believe overcoming financial bondage is one of the greatest struggles for anyone seeking financial freedom. Many of us only dream of saving money. In many instances we do not experience financial health because we are trying to borrow ourselves into wealth. We want to look rich to cover are raggedness. We desire to appear prosperous to hide our poverty. We feel that wealth can heal our wounds.

Many of us do not see anything wrong with living in debt. The more I can borrow the better. I 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 I felt debt was a good thing; just a financial tool. It allowed me to obtain things I felt I needed  now and I 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.

Debt has been successfully marketed by banks and financial institutions in the United States as your pathway to prosperity. As a result, many of us have found ourselves 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 the love affair with money and dependence on debt. With God, and a made up mind, you can experience financial freedom.

Prayer of Blessing: Sovereign God, thank you for imparting your grace and favor over our lives.

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 four grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama.