Notes by La'Rue

Can I be honest? I’m horrible when it comes to managing my finances. My biggest prayer as of late, is not only receive a financial increase, but to steward it well. I’m not sure if I could attribute my frivolous spending to once being impoverished and me try to make up for what I didn’t have, or if there is hole in my pocketbook that causes money to fall out every time I’m ready to unnecessarily spend. Either way, I’m working to prepare for incoming, because I know what’s to come is greater than what I have or had. However, whatever God entrusts us with we must not only give an account for it but be responsible with it as well.

I’ll speak transparently, but I know a lot of times I haven’t gotten the financial increase that I petition God for because of poor mismanagement of the little things He’s given me. We all know “to whom much is given, much is required,” and if God is requiring us to do right by the little we have and we have not, then He’s not going to give us more. I used to provide a financial literacy class to my former students. I would often explain, provide examples, and offer statistics on the importance of not only budgeting their personal finances well, but managing their student loans and FAFSA. Yet, I could never take my own advice.

During my wilderness season, God made sure to tell me that the drought I was experiencing would not last long, and neither would the fruits He gives me if I didn’t make some changes. Rather than focusing on what I’m going to buy when the rewards come, I instead focus on buying into stocks and getting a financial advisor, so I won’t be overwhelmed by God’s multiplication or lose it.

Maybe you don’t have more because you can’t manage less. Better yet, maybe you don’t have more because you’re not asking for more. Whichever the case, it’s always best to plan ahead because God just might show up ahead of schedule.

La’Rue