Divine Bible Verses

Greetings and Praise the Lord! I’m Sanyika Calloway Boyce, The Financial Fitness Coach, and I am so excited to be part of the Christian Business Today family.

God truly does work ALL things together for the good of those who love the Lord. I can testify that He has blessed me indeed and allowed me to turn a credit mess into a powerful message that I share with others to break financial strongholds, put an end to poor money management habits and control attitudes that block our access to all that our Heavenly Father has in store for us; for he longs to give us the desires of our hearts.

Don’t get me wrong, this is not the “name it and claim it” type of prosperity that doesn’t require any effort on your part, this is the “faith without works is dead” kind of prosperity that says we each must do our part so that God will do the rest in every area of our lives, including our finances.

The Bible speaks about leaving a financial legacy for our children’s children, however many of us find it difficult to consider that possibility as we’re faced with constantly rising gas prices, shrinking salaries and more “month than money.”

The legacy I’d like to address isn’t as much monetary as it is mentality. The question is not are you going to leave a financial legacy or will there be a financial legacy to leave; rather the question is – do you realize that regardless of your financial state you are actually leaving a legacy for your children and grandchildren?

You see the way that you handle your money will be the financial legacy you leave. Everything from your emotional reactions and attachments to money, to the way you spend and or save money are all part of a legacy that each of us are leaving for the generations to come.

Consider the type of legacy that was given to you – how did you learn about saving, budgeting, credit and debt? Most of us learned about money from our parents or in the home in which we were raised, and the majority – myself included – learned more from what we observed (and what wasn’t said) then from anything else.

I trust that whoever taught you about money did the best they could with what they knew at the time, given that their money legacy was handed to them as well. Now you know; no matter the size of your bank account you will leave your children a legacy.

Ask yourself, “How can I begin to make different choices that will positively impact the lives of generations to follow?”
These are just a few areas you might want to examine and prayerfully consider making adjustments in concerning the financial legacy you will inevitably leave behind.

Saving: There is no such thing as playing “catch up,” one of the biggest money mistakes you can make is not paying yourself first. No matter your income, you can put away a small amount of money each month. Small amounts grow to big accounts over time due to the power of compounding. Starting small might not seem like you’re making progress but you are because every dollar saved today counts toward a better tomorrow.

Budgeting: When I realized that a budget is telling your money where to go, rather than wondering where it went, I gained a new sense of freedom and created a spending plan that allowed me to be more comfortable with what I had coming in instead of worrying if I’d forgotten one of the bills that should have been going out. It’s important to remain consistent and committed to the spending plan you’ve created, you can always make adjustments when necessary, but if you skip this step now, you will pay a hefty price later.

Debt: One of the greatest financial sins of the last decade has been our gripping dependence on “buy now, pay later” – and guess who pays later? Not only do we pay more for these “must haves” in high interest rates and fees but if we are not careful to live within our means then often our children and grandchildren have to cover the debt that we incur.

Financial Planning: There is a big difference between secrecy and privacy but often when it comes to money more people choose to keep the things that should be private, a secret from their family. There is no reason that your spouse and children should not know where to locate important papers (i.e. will, insurance documents, deed to the house, medical records) or any documents that they would need access to in an emergency. Make it a point to discuss important financial matters with your family.

Whether it’s through a lack of saving, living above our means, spoiling our children (or ourselves) with expense “luxuries” or through modeling a constant malcontent complaining attitude about our financial situation; we are building a legacy.

The Bible says, “So as a Man thinketh, so is he.” This is true of the attitude we have about money. If we are not faithful with what God has entrusted us with, we will surely leave a legacy that reflects that for our children and generations to come.

Our money matters matter to God. He knows what we are in need of and when we are faithful over little, He knows that He can bless us with much more. I encourage you to be mindful of the mental and monetary legacy you’re building and will one day leave behind.

Sanyika Calloway Boyce an author and speaker who travels nationwide to conduct seminars about money, credit and debt. Through the creation of ChristianMoneyMatters.com she helps believers see that, “Our money matters, matter to God” ™. Visit her online today at http://ChristianMoneyMatters.com

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