Once you have determined your priorities, the next step on your Stewardship Well Done Journey is to set a budget. Did your heart just drop? Did you get a bad taste in your mouth? Budgeting is not often named as anyone's favorite activity. However, we invite you to think about a budget in a whole new way.
Instead of thinking of a budget as restrictive and stressful, we want to help you see it as life-giving. Budgeting is simply about allocating your funds toward your priorities. Miriam-Webster defines allocate as follows: 1) to divide and give out (something) for a special reason or to particular people, companies, etc.; 2) to set apart or earmark. Synonyms of allocate include portion, distribute, and designate.
Proper budgeting (allocating) brings power and freedom. In short, it's all about putting your money to work for you. It's taking control of your funds and making sure you are using them to fund and support the priorities you have identified. You work hard for your income. You deserve to have the satisfaction of fully seeing that income work in your best possible interests.
We aren't saying the budgeting process will be a breeze. It involves serious thought, effort, and prayer. But the results are absolutely worth it. It is our hope that you will find budgeting to be a very natural process that flows out of your calling and priorities, leading to peace, freedom and fulfillment.