Walking in Faith through Budget Coaching

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

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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

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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

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For years, Mike and Danica Murray tried to manage their finances on their own. They spent freely, believing they had control, only to find themselves trapped in a cycle of debt. “The debt continued to build until we spent tax refunds or a bonus check to pay it off,” they shared. “This worked for a while, but we were back to our old bad habits. We would consolidate debt as well, foolishly thinking that we ‘fixed’ it. We knew something had to change.”

That moment of change came one Sunday when they heard a guest speaker at church talk about money. “We knew that the time had come,” they recalled. Having heard about Crown Financial Ministries on their local Christian radio station, they felt God leading them to seek help. “It was clear that our way did not work. It was time to turn it over to God.”

Enrolling in the Crown Budget Coaching Course was a leap of faith for their family, but it was one that paid off. “Crown showed us that we were on the wrong path, however, it was out of love. We were not alone when it came to making bad choices. We learned quickly that God had a plan. We were not meant to live this way.”

The most significant lesson they learned was the importance of having a budget. “Having a plan for your money while making sure to still save and give each month is important. Knowing what you have each month and where it can all go has helped give us a baseline to know what our limits are.” Before, they relied on credit cards and racked up more debt. “Now, we understand how to manage our money, spend within our limits, and set goals to reach. It’s been a challenge to change our mindset, but learning God’s word on finances has transformed our hearts and made us want to live through HIS word more.”

One of the biggest financial changes they made was combining their incomes. “We realized that the way we were doing it separately was not working out well for us. Now that we’ve combined them, we truly know that we are in this together to make the changes we need.” They also started an emergency savings fund and are already halfway to their goal of $1,000.

Beyond the financial impact, the course has deeply influenced their spiritual journey. “We now see that everything truly belongs to God. We are called to be stewards of all His blessings. Debt robs us of His blessings and prevents us from being good stewards.”

For the Murrays, Budget Coaching was more than just a financial course—it was a heart transformation. “It has changed our hearts to want to not just get out of debt, but to use our blessings to bless others as well.”

Through their journey, Mike and Danica have learned that true financial freedom comes from trusting God’s plan and being faithful stewards of His provisions.

Partner of the Month: Christian Credit Counselors

Christian Credit Counselors, Crown Financial Ministries’ Partner of the Month, helps individuals achieve financial freedom through debt management rooted in biblical principles. Licensed in 36 states, they specialize in consolidating credit card debt, lowering interest rates, and creating plans to become debt-free in three to five years. Their compassionate, client-focused approach prioritizes hope and long-term success, empowering people to live free from financial burdens and aligned with God’s purpose.

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

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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!

Partner of the Month: Mountain Shadow Association

Mountain Shadow Association has been instrumental in fostering growth within the small community of Lodgegrass, located on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana. Over the past four years, Crown has partnered with the community to offer career counseling and Restoration Path training. Recently, Mountain Shadow invited Crown to lead a Foundations for Farming training, starting with a two-day composting workshop.

The workshop emphasized stewardship, drawing connections to the Biblical mandate to cultivate and care for the earth. Participants, including local science teachers and community members, engaged in learning about God’s creation, sustainable agricultural practices, and the importance of soil health. On the second day, the group worked together to build a compost pile using locally sourced materials, overcoming challenges such as the lack of nearby water by mobilizing community resources, including the mayor and a fire truck.

Crown looks forward to returning in the new year to see the compost ready and to begin establishing community gardens, continuing to work towards a shared vision of transformation in Lodgegrass.

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.

“Where is my heart? To whom should I give?”

We recently received this encouraging testimony from Tammy Thain whose life, faith and financial journey has been impacted by our Budget Coaching program.

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“Being in the circumstances that I find myself, I needed this financial course in a huge way! I have gleaned so much from this course, especially from the spiritual aspect of finances: Where is my heart? To whom should I give? Is my family provided for? My coach was perfectly placed in my life and situation by God! What a blessing, a help, and tremendous teacher she has been!

The significant lesson was how God wants me to work, give, save, spend, and invest – and the Bible verses that go along with each of these. A change in my heart to understand what God wants of me. To understand His economy of how we are to steward what He’s given us. Everything is His! Chuck’s videos were Spirit-filled. The videos spoke life back into my heart concerning God’s desire for me to use my gifts that He’s given me and to give generously, and that it is all for God’s glory.”