Different Financial Views—One Spiritual Solution

Brian and Cara started dating in college. They soon realized they’d come from families with very different views when it came to managing money.  Cara says, “Growing up, it was sort of just a little bit of chaos, the lights would get shut off, because the bill didn't get paid in time.”

Brian’s family was financially stable and taught him the biblical principal of tithing. Brian says, “Tithing was kind of instilled in me from super early. You know, I remember getting a dime, you know, for I don't remember what I did, obviously some type of chores, and, you know, me giving my penny.”

Cara had never heard of tithing, until she saw Brian writing a tithe check to his church. She remembers, “It was $500 or something. And I was like, ‘You're giving all that money to the church?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah. I'm tithing.’ And I was like, ‘Really? But you could spend that money somewhere else.’” 
 
“God's commitments are up here and, you know, the things down here, what's leftover is what I'm able to do, and I have to work with this amount. Because this is what I promised to God,” says Brian. 

It became obvious to Cara that God had blessed Brian’s commitments and his finances. She remembers, “He just taught me so much, you know, in terms of being financially responsible or being patient and wise with your finances.”

Once they married they made tithing a priority. Unfortunately, they also had accumulated school and auto loans and credit card debt that totaled over $60,000. So, Brian picked up extra jobs as a programmer, continued to tithe on their income, and made a strict spending budget.

At first it was difficult for Cara. “Brian definitely helped me. I just started to kind of see the fruits of patience and wisdom and not having debt,” she says. 

Their financial discipline paid off—before long, they were debt free. Then, they received an unanticipated inheritance from Brian’s grandparents. The first thing they did was tithe. “That's still the biggest check I've written for tithe,” says Brian. “That was pretty crazy, being able to give money to God's Kingdom, to feel like you're actually, you know, pouring in, bringing other people to Christ, is so obviously very rewarding,” he says. 

Soon after they were able to buy a new home – with cash. “And that was from a lot of extra work, you know, above and beyond. You know, because obviously this time we're still continuing to tithe.” Brian says. 

Cara says, “It's surreal. I mean, that's the only word I can use to describe, you know, driving up to our house now and being, ‘Wow, we don't owe any money on this.’"

"Like it was so crazy how quick. It was just, ‘Wow, we just bought a house.’ All the way back, God's just been so faithful to us,” says Brian.

Brian believes the key to prosperity is keeping biblical priorities. “God is first, you know. God is my dad, my provider. I stay true to my commitments to Him. We try to be good stewards with what we’ve been given," says Brian.

Brian says there is a word for how he feels today, “I guess if you want to say it in one word, it is ‘freedom.’ You know, that ability to do those things and not have to be worried. We can bless who we want to bless. And it's just amazing.”

Cara says, “But I'm telling you, if you tithe and if you have a spirit to give and bless others like God – you don't go into that saying, 'What's God gonna bless me with now?' It just comes. It's overflowing.”