Consequences of Ignoring Your Bills
Have you ever failed to pay a bill? Early in my marriage, I was in charge of paying all the bills. One day, my wife, Ann, was home when the doorbell rang. A city employee notified her that he was shutting off the utilities due to our non-payment status. Shocked, she assured him that there […]
Expectations vs. Encouragement
Do you speak words of encouragement to your children? Or do they feel unable to meet your expectations? Sometimes we act as if we need to validate ourselves through our children. If we’re elevated spiritually by their achievements, then we’re also demoralized by their failures. Now, this shouldn’t be. Our identity should be in Christ, […]
Be Encouraged! Teach Your Children How to Buy Cars
Do your children know how to buy a car? Buying a car involves work, saving, and self-sacrifice. It takes discipline and determination. Teaching a young person how to buy wisely will impact them for the rest of their lives. First, establish a budget. Are they going to cover the cost or are you willing to […]
How to Have a Meaningful Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is coming up. Have you made plans? I love to give. In fact, my natural inclination is to go over the top. My wife tries to keep me in check. Americans spend billions of dollars on this holiday. Consumers were surveyed and chocolate, candy, or food treats took the top spot, followed by […]
Be Encouraged! Budget Coaching Works!
Do you need some encouragement? We at Crown care about your relationship with the Lord and your stewardship of all that He provides. We’ve trained coaches who offer hope in difficult situations. One particular couple went through our budget coaching course. The husband said that he was challenged, convicted, and rewarded. He now knows how […]
Faithfulness with Money and Marriage
Today I’m celebrating 44 years of marriage! Ann and I met in January of our Junior year of college. We got married in December between semesters. We were young and couldn’t imagine ever having an argument. Well….we’ve had our share of challenges, but through them all, we’ve been faithful. Faithfulness requires dedication to God and […]
Focus on Jesus – Ignore Materialism
What are your priorities this Christmas? Christmas celebrations reveal how the world’s priorities differ from those of the Kingdom of God. The world tells you that if you have more money, you’ll be happier. The world tells you that you’re a good parent if you can afford to buy your kids everything on their Christmas […]
Save Money – Create New Traditions
Christmas traditions can be EXPENSIVE! I know a family who spends all day opening gifts! Everyone buys everyone something: aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents – it doesn’t matter, everybody gets a present, and it’s not a cheap tradition! If you’re looking for a way to save money but still have a meaningful Christmas, start your own […]
Prepare for the Days to Come
Are you prepared for the days ahead? Proverbs 28:19-20 says: “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty. A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.” The squirrels have been preparing for winter on my […]
Appreciating Your Spouse’s Uniqueness
Does your spouse’s different way of looking at finances – or life in general drive you crazy? Today, Crown’s founder, the late Larry Burkett, tells the story of one couple’s tension-filled trip to a conference, when the husband finally understood the value of his wife’s perspective. Between now and November 30th, with your gift […]
