008 | Finance | More Than Money

Speaker A: Welcome to Leadership by Faith, where we believe that leadership starts within, and faith is the foundation we stand on. I'm your host, Miya Allen, executive leadership coach, speaker, founder of Lead in Life, and fellow traveler on the journey to leadership excellence. Each week, we'll explore, explore how to live by faith, lead with excellence, and love intentionally as we transform how we show up, uh, at home, at work, and in our communities. Because when faith and service leads, leadership follows. For many people, money is one of the most emotional leadership topics there is. It brings pressure, fear, comparison, guilt, doubt, and sometimes silence. So today, we're redefining financial leadership. Not as a status symbol, not for appearances, not as comparison to others, and definitely not for greedy. But we're redefining financial leadership as stewardship because many people pursue financial success without ever developing financial discipline, which results in financial pressure. And that has a way of affecting everything, including your peace, your relationships, your decision making, and, yes, even your faith in God. Uh, are you someone who has a high income with low or no stewardship? Or maybe you're someone with limited resources but deep financial wisdom. Either way, you should know that God is not simply looking at what comes into our hands. He's watching how we manage what passes through them. Today, we're talking about financial clarity, discipline, generosity, and leading your finances instead of being led by them. Stewarding resources with faith and purpose. Now that's financial leadership. Let's talk about it. Welcome back to the Leadership by Faith podcast, where we put faith in service first and leadership always. I'm your host, Miye Allen, and today we're stepping into finance, which is the second part of the second pillar, which is lead. And this is the fourth F of the 5F framework. We're talking about something many people avoid, literally, emotionally, spiritually, and unfortunately, practically. Keep in mind, finance is never just about money. Finance reveals our priorities, our mindset, our discipline, and our trust in God, or lack thereof. Now, remember, leadership by faith is about standing on the word of God. So if you go back to episode number four, you can listen to where we outlined our foundational scriptures for each pillar and the 5F, uh, framework. And so the foundational scripture for finance was Deuteronomy 8 and 18. I'm, um, going to repeat that. Deuteronomy 8 and 18, and I'm going to locate it now in my Bible. I hope you have your Bible. And the word reads as follows. But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your Ancestors, as it is today. Notice the wording very carefully. God gives the ability. There's another version I read, I can't recall it now, but it says God gives us the. The power, the ability, the opportunity, the capacity, the wisdom, the strength God gives it. Which means financial success should produce humility into each and every one of us, not arrogance and overly self confident. Because stewardship begins with the understanding that everything belongs to God. Yes, it all belongs to God first. Not just 10% that you tithe, and that's great, that you tithe, but all of what you have. Everything. You don't own it. You don't own anything that you have. You manage what God has entrusted to you. Our finances are not merely our own personal things. They are assigned resources. Yes, I said they are assigned resources. Your finances are not yours personally. Yes, that includes your paycheck, your business, your investments, your credit, your opportunities. All of it belongs to God. And once you begin to read the Word, you will find that Scripture teaches us this consistently, that faithfulness in your finances matters not just the increase, but faithfulness. And what do I mean by faithfulness? Well, you have these resources, so it matters how we spend, how we save, how we give, how we manage our debt, how we respond to abundance, how do we behave when we're in lack. All of that matters. So as you can see, finance is deeply spiritual because money magnifies what's already inside of our hearts, whatever's living inside of us. Luke 16, 10 through 11. Let me find that. But Luke told us that he who is faithful with little can be trusted to be faithful with much and vice versa. But that I'm paraphrasing. Let. Let me go to the Word. I have my Bible here. Let me go to the word. Okay, Luke 16. And we want to look at 10 through 11. 10 through 11. Um, so I'm reading the NIV version here. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much. And whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. You heard it. I didn't say it. Luke said it. It's in the Word. So how does this impact our leadership? Strong financial leadership requires clarity, not avoidance. You cannot avoid. And many people avoid looking closely at their finances because emotions are attached to them. Emotions like fear, shame, comparison, and stress. But avoidance creates anxiety and stress. Whereas when you have clarity, that creates direction for your finances. So let's talk about three core leadership principles that we should be aware of around our finances. The first one is alignment with God. Your finances Must be aligned with God's word. The second core principle is giving. Why giving? Giving is obedience, which is aligned with God's word. And then the third core principle we want to talk about is budgeting. And budgeting is discipline. So let's talk about the first core principle, alignment with God. Many leaders are externally successful. Yes, they drive a certain thing, live in a certain neighborhood, wear certain clothes. But internally, they're burdened. And financial stress can create tension in your home. It creates pressure when you're trying to make decisions. And there begins to be fear, fear around your future. But when you steward your finances, you create stability. And it's not because life becomes perfect. It's because having wisdom creates structure. And structure reduces stress and chaos. Financial leadership is not about impressing people. It's about creating alignment between what pleases God, what's in God's word, versus your values and your habits. Are they aligned? Okay, let's go to the core principle of giving. Like I said, giving is obedience and generosity. That helps to shift your heart away from ownership and towards trusting God. Giving reminds us that I am a steward. I am not the source of whatever comes into my hands. I'm a steward. And generosity is not just financial. We should be looking for opportunities to give beyond tithing. How are we giving to our families, our communities, and those in need? And are we giving happily, or do we give reluctantly and under pressure? You know, our giving reflects our heart posture. And when you're giving happily, that's again, aligned with the word of God. And the third core principle is budgeting. Budgeting 101 is simply, uh, helping you to be disciplined. A budget is nothing more than a tool. And it's a tool that helps you to create structure. And that structure is needed to effectively steward your finances. It's about being intentional. And intentionality helps you to steward finances. Well, it sort of tells your money where to go and how to work for you. Rather than telling your money nothing or wondering where all your money went, I have clients oftentimes say to me, I don't know where the money went. Well, a budget will help you know exactly where the money went. Again, budgeting is a discipline, and it will help us to reduce stress and create freedom in our finances. I'm remembering one of the most important financial lessons I ever learned. And it had very little to do with money itself, but it had everything to do with alignment. Remember the first core principle we discussed? Discuss. When I was in college, I became fascinated with designer handbags. Now, that's really funny, because before college, I honestly didn't know much about designer brands. But once I arrived on campus, it seemed like everyone had a designer bag. And if everyone had them, I, um, wanted them, too. Back then, there were people who would get what we call the hookup. The hookup was simply saying that we could get something at a deeply discounted price. So I was all in. Because as a college student, I needed a deeply discounted price. I had bags to match every outfit. I had different colors. I had different styles. I literally enjoyed the experience, excitement, and the status that came with these designer bags. One day, me and a group of friends were invited to a house where people were selling designer bags, clothes, shoes, and other items, again, at a discounted price. I purchased several bags, and there was one particular bag that I really wanted, but it had sold out. So we started making plans to come back to this house the next day so we could buy more. They said that particular style, they would have more of it tomorrow. But, you know, when I got home, something important happened. I'll put it that way. It was important. I sensed the Lord speaking to my heart. And what he said was, point blank, period. You're stealing now. I immediately pushed back. I was like, lord, I paid for these bags. With my little college fund money, I paid for these bags. But then I sensed another question. And the question from the father was, how do you think they got the bags to. To sell them to you? Now, I didn't know the answer for sure, but deep down, I knew the possibilities. Either someone had stolen the bags, or they were counterfeit products made to imitate the real thing. But either way, what I suddenly realized was that I was very uncomfortable if I wanted to be honest with myself. And yes, I was stealing. I had been more concerned with getting what I wanted than whether it aligned with God's standards. And back then, I was what I would call dating God. I wasn't in a committed relationship. My values were not aligned with his values. I remember thinking afterwards, so now I'm convicted. You've spoken to my heart, Lord. And I started thinking, well, it's too late now. I already bought them. And then I started thinking, or wondering if the Lord is asking me, so what are you going to do about tomorrow? Because you guys were making plans to go back and get even more. I couldn't do that. So as I slept that night, I couldn't sleep. And the conviction of what I had done, it just wouldn't leave me. So eventually, I made an excuse. Something about needing to study or needing to do something I don't even remember what. But back then, I made an excuse so that I wouldn't have to go back. Now, that one experience did not fix me. It convicted me. But over time, what I can tell you is that carrying those bags, it no longer felt right. There was no excitement in it anymore. And I ended up giving those bags away. And I have never purchased bags that way again. Now when I look back, I understand. You know, they say 2020. When you look back, I understand, and I get it. God wasn't simply correcting a purchase decision that I was making. He was shaping my character. He was teaching me that stewardship is not just about how much money that we spend. It's about the things that we acquire. It's about integrity. It's about obedience. It's about aligning our values with God's values. Because financial stewardship is not simply asking, can I afford it? Financial stewardship asks a more important question. Does this purchase honor God? That experience taught me a lesson that I've carried with me ever since. When our finances are aligned, uh, with faith, we experience peace. When they don't align, no bargain in the world, no hookup in the world is worth the cost of our integrity and our peace. As we close, I'm asking you thus, reflect. Reflect honestly and ask yourself these four questions. One, do your financial habits reflect your values? Two, are those values aligned with the word of God? Three, where do you currently lack financial clarity? And four, are your financial decisions decisions driven more by wisdom or emotions? Now, here's the challenge. This week, I'm asking you to set aside intentional time to review your finances prayerfully. Remember, we're standing on the word, not fearfully, not emotionally. I want you to prayerfully review your finances. What do I want you to review? I want you to review your spending habits, your saving goals, your debt, your giving, your financial priorities overall. M. And I want you to prayerfully ask God for wisdom, discipline, integrity, and clarity. I want you to then choose one financial area, just one that you review. And I want you to bring into the, uh, light the challenge that you're having with that financial area. That means one intentional decision is going to be aligned with God's values, with faith and with wisdom, whatever that financial area is that you bring into the light, make one intentional decision that aligns with God, faith, and wisdom. And yes, I have something for those of you who love to journal like I do, I want you to journal on this question. What does my financial stewardship reveal about? Two things. One, my character. Two, my leadership and I want you to remember, financial leadership is not about status. It's about choosing trustworthiness. You trusting God and him being able to trust you. Can God trust you with finances? I hope your answer is yes. Let's pray. Father God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, thank you for being our source and giving us the wisdom to manage finances and the power to produce wealth. Remind us, Father, of the humility we should have when it comes to finances. Remind us that everything belongs to you, Lord. Remove any fear, pride, comparison and anxiety from our financial decisions. Give us discipline where we lack structure to budget, save, invest and give generously. Give us wisdom where we lack clarity. Teach us, Lord, to steward wisely what you've placed in our hands. We declare and decree that our stewardship is righteous and excellent. Help us find, Father God to honor you not only with these words, but with our stewardship. Let our finances reflect integrity, generosity and trust in you. God bless our assets. Protect them from loss and destruction. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Amen and Amen. You're listening to Leadership by Faith with Mie Allen. Today we strengthen Pillar two, which is lead. And we talked about finance through the lens of stewardship. Leadership is not just revealed in how you manage people at work or at home. It's revealed in how you manage responsibility and resources. We must remember money is a tool and when handled wisely, it creates peace, opportunity, generosity and impact for the Kingdom of God. If this episode resonated with you, share it with another leader who m wants two things greater financial alignment and stewardship. And they want God to be pleased with how they handle finances. And please don't forget to leave a review. Follow and subscribe to Leadership by Faith. Now next time we close this Pillar series as we move into Pillar three. Love with something that's needed yet often overlooked. Fun, which is the fifth F of our 5F framework. Fun, celebrating and the discipline of joy is something many leaders neglect. Yes, you heard me right. I said the discipline of joy, having it on a regular basis. Leadership by Faith is not and never was meant to be heavy or stressful. And if everything in your life feels heavy or stressful, something is out of alignment. So join me and let's talk about it next time. Until then, keep leading and loving by faith.