Creating a Financially Healthy Marriage - Crosswalk Couples Devotional - September 19

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Creating a Financially Healthy Marriage
By: Kia Stephens

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24 (NIV)

My husband and I were on two ends of the financial perspective when we met each other. He was a saver and I was a spender. He was a planner and I was not. He never bounced a check and I had bounced plenty. This is typically the case in a marriage. Not only do opposite personalities attract one another, but opposite financial habits also tend to attract in marriage as well.

God, however, says in Genesis 2:24 (NIV), “The two shall become one flesh.” Does this mean financially too? How can two people with different upbringings, perspectives, and financial behaviors come together as one when it comes to money?

Although it seems like an impossible feat, it can be done. In fact, financial agreement in a marriage is non-negotiable. This is why money is one of the top reasons marriages fail.

It is best to discuss how money will be managed prior to saying, “I do,” but if this does not happen two people can still figure out how to get on the same financial page. The best place to start is in prayer. Financial oneness in marriage begins here.

Couples must first acknowledge that all of their resources come from God. Philippians 4:19 (NIV) says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” God is the giver of all of our financial resources, not our jobs. He gives us the ability to earn an income and pay for the things we need. This is a foundational understanding for creating a financially healthy marriage. The next step would be to ask God to help both spouses to honor Him with the resources they have been given to manage.

This requires a mutual acknowledgment that God gives us the ability to produce wealth. He, and not our finances should come first in our marriage. This is what it says in Matthew 6:24 (NIV), “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Knowing and acknowledging that we serve God and not money places God in the financial driver seat. In doing this both individuals are able to recognize God’s accountability in how we utilize the money we have been blessed with. Knowing we will one day answer to God for the way we spend our money will impact our spending on earth.

Placing God as the head of our finances helps us to prioritize what matters most. This includes tithes and offerings, monthly expenses, debt elimination and saving. Prioritizing expenses enables couples to create a monthly plan for spending before the month happens.

This is the beginning of a financially healthy marriage. It is not accomplished through nagging or begging the other spouse to get on board. It happens through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit causing both spouses to agree and be on one accord. God is the one who causes a couple to flourish financially.


Kia Stephens is a wife and homeschooling mama of two who is passionate about helping women know God as Father. For this reason, she created The Father Swap Blog to be a source of encouragement, healing, and practical wisdom for women dealing with the effects of a physically or emotionally absent father. Each week through practical and biblically sound teaching she encourages women to exchange father wounds for the love of God the Father. For more encouragement download Kia's free audio message, “Knowing God as Father.” Additionally, you can connect with Kia on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest.

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Delmaine Donson

Kia Stephens is a wife and mom of two who is passionate about helping women know God as Father. For this reason, she created The Father Swap Blog to help women exchange their father wounds for the love of God the Father. Kia is also the founder of Entrusted Women, which she created to equip Christian women communicators of color. In addition to these ministries, Kia faithfully serves in Bible Study Fellowship and her local church in Atlanta, Georgia. When Kia is not writing or serving women, she enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends. Kia will be releasing her first book, Overcoming Father Wounds, on March 7, 2023.

Related Resource: 3 Simple Ways to Feed Your Spouse More Praise

How often do you intentionally stop to praise your spouse? To recognize and affirm their character or actions? Many of us probably cringe at answering these questions because we know we could do better! If you struggle to feed your spouse praise regularly, this episode is for you. Listen in as we share some practical steps we all can take to criticize less and affirm and build up our spouse more. If this episode helps your marriage, be sure to subscribe to Team Us on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode.

 

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Larry Elder is an American lawyer, writer, and radio and television personality who calls himself the "Sage of South Central" a district of Los Angeles, Larry says his philosophy is to entertain, inform, provoke and to hopefully uplift. His calling card is "we have a country to save" and to him this means returning to the bedrock Constitutional principles of limited government and maximum personal responsibility. Elder's iconoclastic wit and intellectual agility makes him a particularly attractive voice in a nation that seems weary of traditional racial dialogue.” – Los Angeles Times.

Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher began his broadcasting career in 1978 in Dayton, Ohio. Today, he is one of the most listened-to talk radio show hosts in America, recently having been ranked in the Talkers Magazine “Heavy Hundred” list – the 100 most important talk radio hosts in America. Prior to being launched into national syndication in 1998, Mike hosted the morning show on WABC-AM in New York City. Today, Talkers Magazine reports that his show is heard by over 3.75 million weekly listeners. Besides his radio work, Mike is seen on Fox News Channel as an on-air contributor, frequently appearing on the cable news giant.

Hugh Hewitt is one of the nation’s leading bloggers and a genuine media revolutionary. He brings that expertise, his wit and what The New Yorker magazine calls his “amiable but relentless manner” to his nationally syndicated show each day.

When Dr. Sebastian Gorka was growing up, he listened to talk radio under his pillow with a transistor radio, dreaming that one day he would be behind the microphone. Beginning New Year’s Day 2019, he got his wish. Gorka now hosts America First every weekday afternoon 3 to 6pm ET. Gorka’s unique story works well on the radio. He is national security analyst for the Fox News Channel and author of two books: "Why We Fight" and "Defeating Jihad." His latest book releasing this fall is “War For America’s Soul.” He is uniquely qualified to fight the culture war and stand up for what is great about America, his adopted home country.

Broadcasting from his home station of KRLA in Los Angeles, the Dennis Prager Show is heard across the country. Everything in life – from politics to religion to relationships – is grist for Dennis’ mill. If it’s interesting, if it affects your life, then Dennis will be talking about it – with passion, humor, insight and wisdom.

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Michelle Malkin is a mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, longtime cable TV news commentator, and best-selling author of six books. She started her newspaper journalism career at the Los Angeles Daily News in 1992, moved to the Seattle Times in 1995, and has been penning nationally syndicated newspaper columns for Creators Syndicate since 1999. She is founder of conservative Internet start-ups Hot Air and Twitchy.com. Malkin has received numerous awards for her investigative journalism, including the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) national award for outstanding service for the cause of governmental ethics and leadership (1998), the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award for Investigative Journalism (2006), the Heritage Foundation and Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity's Breitbart Award for Excellence in Journalism (2013), the Center for Immigration Studies' Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration Award (2016), and the Manhattan Film Festival's Film Heals Award (2018). Married for 26 years and the mother of two teenage children, she lives with her family in Colorado. Follow her at michellemalkin.com. (Photo reprinted with kind permission from Peter Duke Photography.)

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Creating a Financially Healthy Marriage - Crosswalk Couples Devotional - September 19

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

Updated Crosswalk Couples Devotional Header

Creating a Financially Healthy Marriage
By: Kia Stephens

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24 (NIV)

My husband and I were on two ends of the financial perspective when we met each other. He was a saver and I was a spender. He was a planner and I was not. He never bounced a check and I had bounced plenty. This is typically the case in a marriage. Not only do opposite personalities attract one another, but opposite financial habits also tend to attract in marriage as well.

God, however, says in Genesis 2:24 (NIV), “The two shall become one flesh.” Does this mean financially too? How can two people with different upbringings, perspectives, and financial behaviors come together as one when it comes to money?

Although it seems like an impossible feat, it can be done. In fact, financial agreement in a marriage is non-negotiable. This is why money is one of the top reasons marriages fail.

It is best to discuss how money will be managed prior to saying, “I do,” but if this does not happen two people can still figure out how to get on the same financial page. The best place to start is in prayer. Financial oneness in marriage begins here.

Couples must first acknowledge that all of their resources come from God. Philippians 4:19 (NIV) says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” God is the giver of all of our financial resources, not our jobs. He gives us the ability to earn an income and pay for the things we need. This is a foundational understanding for creating a financially healthy marriage. The next step would be to ask God to help both spouses to honor Him with the resources they have been given to manage.

This requires a mutual acknowledgment that God gives us the ability to produce wealth. He, and not our finances should come first in our marriage. This is what it says in Matthew 6:24 (NIV), “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Knowing and acknowledging that we serve God and not money places God in the financial driver seat. In doing this both individuals are able to recognize God’s accountability in how we utilize the money we have been blessed with. Knowing we will one day answer to God for the way we spend our money will impact our spending on earth.

Placing God as the head of our finances helps us to prioritize what matters most. This includes tithes and offerings, monthly expenses, debt elimination and saving. Prioritizing expenses enables couples to create a monthly plan for spending before the month happens.

This is the beginning of a financially healthy marriage. It is not accomplished through nagging or begging the other spouse to get on board. It happens through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit causing both spouses to agree and be on one accord. God is the one who causes a couple to flourish financially.


Kia Stephens is a wife and homeschooling mama of two who is passionate about helping women know God as Father. For this reason, she created The Father Swap Blog to be a source of encouragement, healing, and practical wisdom for women dealing with the effects of a physically or emotionally absent father. Each week through practical and biblically sound teaching she encourages women to exchange father wounds for the love of God the Father. For more encouragement download Kia's free audio message, “Knowing God as Father.” Additionally, you can connect with Kia on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest.

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Delmaine Donson

Kia Stephens is a wife and mom of two who is passionate about helping women know God as Father. For this reason, she created The Father Swap Blog to help women exchange their father wounds for the love of God the Father. Kia is also the founder of Entrusted Women, which she created to equip Christian women communicators of color. In addition to these ministries, Kia faithfully serves in Bible Study Fellowship and her local church in Atlanta, Georgia. When Kia is not writing or serving women, she enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends. Kia will be releasing her first book, Overcoming Father Wounds, on March 7, 2023.

Related Resource: 3 Simple Ways to Feed Your Spouse More Praise

How often do you intentionally stop to praise your spouse? To recognize and affirm their character or actions? Many of us probably cringe at answering these questions because we know we could do better! If you struggle to feed your spouse praise regularly, this episode is for you. Listen in as we share some practical steps we all can take to criticize less and affirm and build up our spouse more. If this episode helps your marriage, be sure to subscribe to Team Us on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode.

 

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