Give Now

Transformed by Truth in Brazil

July 2025 Newsletter 3

 

Our Alliance Partner and friend Paulo Maximiano of Universidade da Família in Brazil recently shared a powerful testimony from Claudia Morato, who completed the 10-week Crown Bible Study. Her story reflects a deep spiritual, practical, and personal transformation—rooted in a renewed understanding of stewardship and guided by God’s principles for money.

I’ve come to realize that everything I have—money, possessions, resources—belongs to God. I am simply a steward of His blessings. This understanding has shifted my perspective from focusing on this life to thinking of eternal life.

Spiritual Transformations
Practical Transformations
Personal Transformations

I know this transformation is a continuous journey, as I strive to apply biblical principles to every aspect of my financial life.”

Claudia’s journey is a testament to the lasting impact that biblical financial principles can have when embraced with faith and commitment.

Confidence through Coaching

July 2025 Newsletter

When Micki Phenix began her journey to become a Crown Budget Coach, she felt uncertain and unqualified. But through the training, she not only gained practical tools and confidence, she also experienced a personal transformation in her own stewardship. Her story is a powerful reminder that Budget Coaching isn’t just about helping others—it’s about being changed yourself by biblical truth and practical wisdom.

“When I began the Budget Coach Training Course, I felt completely inadequate and unprepared to coach another person in their financial habits and decisions. After all, who am I to guide people regarding their money?

Over the course of the training, We have soaked in God’s principles about money and learned practical tools to help people cut costs and manage their money. I have even grown accustomed to using a spreadsheet, which is not my favorite tool. The coaching has helped me see areas that I can refine in my own life, and improving my own stewardship has given me better understanding of how God wants me to use my resources. Prayer and reliance on the Lord for every step of the counseling process is key, and knowing that I will have a mentor to come to as I coach others gives me additional confidence that I am prepared to begin coaching others in Biblical financial principles and practical application. 

I learned that my sons need clear and intentional coaching in the area of budgeting categories and a maintenance plan. My new confidence with a spreadsheet will help me accomplish this.

The more I reviewed the case studies provided in the course, the more I realized that over time I had personally become less attentive to keeping a maintenance account of my spending. My spending has always been reasonable and within the limits of our budget, but I had become lax about keeping accurate accounts of where my money goes. I realized that I can be a much better steward of our finances if I am more intentional with my spending.

The course emphasized God as our provider, and it encouraged us, as coaches, to direct our clients to turn to God, their local church and their family if they were in great need. Through the case studies, I could see the humility and vulnerability that happens when we are in financial need, and it gave me a more tangible perspective that God is our provider in every circumstance, no matter what.”

If you’re ready to become a better steward or help others walk in financial freedom, consider connecting with a Budget Coach or becoming one yourself.

Walking in Faith through Budget Coaching

2

For Shamika Hartgrove, budget coaching wasn’t just about dollars and cents—it was about transformation. Guided by her coach, P. Douglas, Shamika’s journey was deeply personal and profoundly spiritual.

“It has been a great journey working with Ms. Douglas,” Shamika shared. “Hearing her story about how God helped her help herself get out of debt was very inspiring and made me feel that if she could do it, so could I.”

Throughout the coaching process, Shamika discovered the biblical principles of money management—many of which challenged her previous beliefs. One significant revelation was about co-signing. “I used to think it was a blessing to help someone else in that way, but I have learned it’s more of a burden,” she said. That burden became real when she faced wage garnishment and had to surrender her vehicle for a more affordable option—difficult lessons that reinforced her desire to be a wise steward of her resources.

Though familiar with some biblical financial concepts, Shamika admitted, “I was doing it all wrong. I knew some of the biblical concepts but wasn’t applying them correctly until this course.”

Now, her perspective has shifted. “This course has been a life change for me and I am so grateful,” she said. “I loved learning so much throughout this journey that I have been blessed to share with others.” She hopes to continue that legacy by one day becoming a Crown budget coach herself.

“I will continue to show people through my actions and be the example in this world God called me to be.”

Finding Healing and Purpose through Restoration Path

Young Woman, Bible And Prayer In Home, Desk And Mindfulness For Faith, Religion And Reading With Hope For Future. African Lady, Praying Hands And Study Holy Book For Peace, Meditation Or Worship God

For many students, Restoration Path is more than just a program—it’s a lifeline. It offers a safe space to confront deep wounds, break free from destructive patterns, and rediscover their God-given identity. One student’s journey reveals just how transformational this process can be.

Because of deep childhood traumas, one student was angry, lashing out at people and stressed about her financial situation. After Restoration Path she shared, “This program has taught me to have patience with others, trust in God, love myself, know I have a purpose. I have learned everyone is made in the image of God and to always remember we are all God’s children and we all have a purpose for being here even if we don’t know why, or what for… Moving forward I will always trust that God has a plan for me and to not question my worth or why I’m here!”

A New Perspective on Stewardship and Time

Kevin And Alison Maclean Kpmac@mac.com Img 3708

Kevin and Alison MacLean have experienced a transformative journey with Crown Budget Coaching, guided by their coach, Brian Young. The couple credits their sessions not only for introducing practical budgeting tools but also for fostering deeper personal insights and spiritual growth.

According to Kevin, one of the most profound lessons was realizing, “everything I think I have is really God’s and that I must ask him how he wants me to steward what he’s entrusted us with.” This shift in perspective helped him recognize that every resource, including finances, is a gift that should be managed with care and intentionality.

Alison, on the other hand, discovered a parallel lesson in the realm of time management. She explained that “the overspending that I was so angry with Kevin over was actually evident in my life in a different resource, the resource of time.” This insight allowed the couple to see that financial challenges often mirror broader issues in life, prompting them to address both with equal commitment.

The coaching program equipped the MacLeans with tangible tools to manage their finances, particularly for saving for irregular expenses, emergencies, and long-term purchases. “We finally have a tool to help us save both for irregular expenses, emergencies, and long-term purchases,” they noted, emphasizing that biblical stewardship principles are both practical and sustainable.

In addition to financial tools, their Budget Coach provided the space for the couple to engage in honest, sometimes difficult conversations. The regular accountability meetings with Brian have been essential in keeping them on a consistent path of growth, contributing to their overall sense of peace. As they shared, “we feel so much more at peace being able to see the big picture more clearly.”

Through thoughtful budgeting and spiritual reflection, Kevin and Alison MacLean have made significant strides toward a healthier, more balanced life, setting them on a path toward lasting peace and stewardship.

Taking a Leap of Faith: How Crown Budget Coaching Transformed the Murray Family

Redefining Success through Stewardship

Enoch Weng shares his transformative journey from financial struggle to faith-driven success. Raised in an immigrant family, Enoch grew up with a deep mistrust of money, shaped by painful experiences like being scammed and facing eviction. His early pursuit of wealth left him disillusioned by the lack of purpose in the financial world. A pivotal encounter with Crown changed his life, revealing that money is a resource from God and that true success lies in stewardship, not accumulation. Through mentorship and personal growth, Enoch learned to embrace generosity, starting small but gradually increasing his giving. This shift in mindset sparked his passion for teaching others how to manage money with purpose, leading him to found Rise Above Finance, a Christian financial planning firm dedicated to helping individuals make faith-centered financial decisions. Enoch’s story is a compelling reminder that financial success, when rooted in stewardship, can be a powerful tool for serving others and fulfilling God’s calling.

Ready to transform your relationship with money? Take the MoneyLife Indicator to evaluate where you stand in key areas like saving, investing, and generosity.

 

Refocused and Renewed Purpose

Image (83) Circle

We were so encouraged by this testimony we received from Jimmy & Hong Hagerman who recently completed the Crown Budget Coaching program:

“The Crown Financial Budget Coach Course has been a unique experience for my wife and I. We had a great coach. Thanks, Bob! The principles are solidly grounded in Scripture and presented in the context of recognizing God’s ownership of our lives.

Perhaps the most significant lesson we learned is that financial decisions must be shared among the husband and wife. Meeting with the budget coach together as a couple helped to reinforce this lesson. We have been practicing Biblically based principles for over a decade but this course helped to refocus our goals and gain more of a broad Scriptural base for the principles we are practicing.  The overarching message of the course was not that we ought to learn financial tips to better spend money on what we want but that we want to steward our resources in such a way that we can be fully spent by God.”

If you feel alone and overwhelmed with the burden of financial difficulties, Crown can help. Our online Budget Coaching program matches you with one of our certified coaches to thoroughly analyze your financial status. Your coach will work with you to develop a customized spending plan and debt elimination strategy to put you on the road to financial freedom!

Transforming Finances Through Faith

Keyla

Keyla Drake, a participant in the Budget Coach Training Course, describes her experience as transformative, fundamentally reshaping her perspective on money and stewardship. “I came into it thinking I had a solid grasp of biblical budgeting, especially after getting out of debt with my husband in 2021. I was excited to share our journey with friends and guide them toward financial freedom,” she recalls. However, what she learned during the course went beyond her expectations, impacting her views on money, contentment, generosity, and legacy.

One of the most profound lessons Keyla learned was understanding that God is the creator and owner of everything, which shifted her mindset from, “How much of my money should I give to God?” to “How can I best manage God’s resources?” This new perspective transformed the way she approaches budgeting, no longer seeing money as something to control, but rather as something to steward faithfully for God’s glory.

Stewardship, Keyla admits, was the biggest takeaway from the course. “I used to think that as long as I gave my 10% to the church, I was doing enough,” she explains. But she came to realize that God doesn’t just want a portion—He wants her entire life to reflect faithful management of His resources. This lesson prompted her and her husband to re-examine their financial priorities, moving away from the desire for material upgrades and focusing instead on contentment and intentional giving. “We also made it a priority to give more intentionally to causes that align with spreading the Gospel, like buying Bibles for places like Malawi,” she shares.

The spiritual growth Keyla experienced through the course has been profound. She reflects on how the encouragement to “seek first the Kingdom of God” became not just a familiar verse but a guiding principle for her life. Even during financially challenging seasons, Keyla says, “He has provided for us in surprising and beautiful ways,” reminding her of God’s abundant provision. “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think…to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations” (Ephesians 3:20-21), she concludes, celebrating the lasting impact the course has had on her faith and finances.

Testimony Spotlight: A Journey of Generosity

Virgil and Mary Knox share their spiritual and financial journey, beginning with learning the practice of tithing in the 1970s. Initially giving 10%, in one step of obedience after another, they gradually increased their contributions up to a radical 100%. Virgil recounts how this path also led them to global mission work in places like Haiti and West Africa. Their commitment to stewardship and generosity now extends through their involvement with Crown. Through Crown, Virgil and Mary embrace a lifestyle of giving, connecting with like-minded individuals and supporting transformative global initiatives. He highlights that Crown provides a way for them to impact lives in places they can’t be. Through Crown’s community of givers, they’ve found unity, purpose, and the fulfillment of God’s plan in their lives, continually looking forward to what God has next for them.