'Financial Language' - Are You an 'Overcomer'? - Part One

This is the final "Financial Language" discussion by Janice Thompson, to help us UPGRADE our Finances. We've already had the Driver, Thinker, Partner, Avoider and Idealist.*  Now we'll consider the "Overcomer" in a three-part series.

"While I would certainly prefer to counsel with women before a major upset occurs in their life," Janice said, "it is often what I call a tsunami-type event that forces women to come face-to-face with financial matters, many for the first time."

Yes, I [Dawn] identify with that. It took a financial meltdown for me to reconsider the scriptures about good stewardship. How much better to think through financial matters before a crisis comes.

Janice continues ...

Regardless of their natural language, women in financial crisis are immediately thrust into a foreign land with little emotional reserve to help them navigate.

Having traveled through a number of foreign countries, I understand the strange sensation of stepping off a plane in a different part of the world where everyone is going about their normal lives, eating their normal foods, speaking their normal language, and it is all so different from what you know.

It can be a bit unnerving until you adapt—but adapt you must!

Ruth comes to mind when I think of a woman adjusting to a foreign land and learning a new culture. Born in Moab, Ruth married a Hebrew man named Mahlon (Ruth 4:10). Ten years later, her husband died. Ruth then chose to relocate with her widowed mother-in-law, Naomi, to Bethlehem in Judah. Ruth declared, "Your people will be my people" (Ruth 1:16).

This is a profound statement from Ruth who would now be poor in a foreign land. Even the fact that she was a woman would add to her difficulties.

Scripture records the story of the care and concern that helped her mother-in-law, Naomi, overcome the challenges she faced. Ruth so loved Naomi that she was willing to change everything about her own life—the comfort of familiar surroundings, her culture and her language. She was willing to leave everything that brought her security, because she trusted Naomi and Naomi's God.

Ruth's story illustrates the triumph of courage and ingenuity over adverse circumstances. God would ultimately bless her with Boaz, a devoted husband.

In this, we find special significance for Christians. In the gospel of Matthew, five women were included in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:2-17), and Ruth was one of the five. God honored Ruth's courageous faith both with provision and an incredible place in history!

Sudden or unexpected life-changing events can make a significant difference in a woman's financial life.

If you find yourself in the midst of your own tsunami, perhaps you can have faith to believe that you can remain:

• objective in the face of fear or uncertainty,
• stable as you face a cascade of overwhelming emotions,
• balanced in the face of redefining who you are—and most of all,
• hopeful in the care of a loving God!

Women, through no fault of their own, can find themselves in relationships where they have little say or no control over their finances.

Women in this circumstance are perhaps in the most difficult position of all. Husbands to these women often proceed with risky investments without the collaboration or knowledge of their wives. They may be arrogant, viewing their wives as incapable in this area or simply hiding their willful decisions because of the dissension it may cause.

This is extremely painful to the woman who is aware that her husband is not practicing wise financial principles, and she is undoubtedly headed for a tsunami not of her own making.

Before I address the tsunami events in more detail in future posts, probably the best advice I can leave with you is this:

Be proactive where you can, continue to search out wise counsel, and trust God with that which you cannot control.

There are no easy solutions for this heart-wrenching situation, but we have a BIG GOD!

"And my God will meet all your needs acccording to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

Do you feel like you're facing a financial tsunami—perhaps of your own making; perhaps not? Do you believe God can help you become a financial "overcomer"?

In Part Two (June 17), Janice will offer help to survive and thrive in three Tsunami-type events: Disability, Unemployment and Identity Theft. In Part Three (July 17), she will cover surviving the financial stresses of Divorce and Widowhood, and the dealing with Significant Wealth.

Janice Thompson is the co-Founder and CEO of One Degree Advisors, Inc, a comprehensive wealth management firm focused on biblically-based financial solutions. Janice is a Certified Financial Planner®, a Life Stewardship Advisor, and serves on the Board of Directors of Kingdom Advisors. She has two married children and one grandson. She and her husband Tom live in San Diego.

Note: Material adapted from the book, Managing Your Money Maze by Janice Thompson (Revive Our Hearts, 2009).

* Previous Financial Language posts: the Driver, Thinker, Partner, Avoider and Idealist. Also Re: Finances: Are you Thriving or Surviving?

'Financial Language' - Are You an 'Idealist'?

Janice Thompson has already shared four of the six "Financial Languages." Today, she discusses The Idealist. Are you this woman? Do you need a financial UPGRADE?

Janice begins with a story:

"Kathryn and her husband came to see me just preceding her retirement," Janice wrote. "Here was a couple who, because of substantial individual incomes, had lived life large with many privileges and amenities."

Sounds like my (Dawn's) entire financial dream—before God got my heart and gave me a desire to "live large" for Him!

Janice continues ....

From outside appearances, they had all the desires of their hearts. They were used to trips, nice cars and dining out. Kathryn was vivacious and engaging; she love to spend, love to laugh, and loved others.

But Kathryn's weakness for spending and her inability to deny herself impulsive pleasures would bring on the worry that inevitably comes with such patterns. She would seek financial guidance, but then ignore it and become overwhelmed.

Another couple, Cynthia and her husband, also lived life large until they were suddenly confronted with a terminal illness.

They came to my office and immediately began to work on their estate plan; but when the disease went into remission, the urgency gave way to celebration, and completion of their plans was moved to the back burner. When the disease returned with a vengeance, we found ourselves scrambling to make arrangements with the attorney to complete plans before Cynthia's husband passed away.

Talk about stress in the midst of pain!

Cynthia wound up paying a high emotional as well as a financial price for this delay. Her husband had clearly been motivated by his desire to take good care of his precious wife and spare her vivacious spirit the mundane side of finances, but the steep learning curve she now faced was both painful and frightening.

The fact that there was no longer someone else "to take care of it" thrust this reluctant widow into a financial world entirely foreign to her.

Hannah [1 Samuel 1] was a woman with a mindset of what her ideal life looked like. In Hannah's day, a woman's sole security relied upon having a son to take care of her in her old age. She prayed, "God, bless me with a son and I'll give him completely to you" [1 Samuel 1:11]. God ultimately blesses Hannah and grants her the desire of her heart—a son whom she names Samuel.

Hannah doesn't stop there. She follows through on her promise ... her ideal life included a level of commitment to personal responsibility. She weaned Samuel at around the age of three and, in fulfillment of her promise, gave him over to the Lord to serve in the Tabernacle.

Does this sound like you?

I used to tell my children growing up, "With increased privileges come increased responsibility." "To whom much is given, of him shall much be required" (Luke 12:48 AMP).

If you are one of those who enjoys the blessing of someone else in your life "taking care of it," I want to encourage you to realize the sense of responsibility for the privilege you enjoy.

I applaud men who take a proactive approach by ensuring that their wives, mothers or daughters are connected with the financial dynamics that will impact them and their future ... an established support network.

While you might be quite content to be left out of the financial loop, I encourage you to take the time to get some basic education. Grasping fundamental financial principles will be much easier on you if you take the time now—before you have to—to secure a basic working knowledge of your financial situation.

It grieves me to see women who chose to stay ignorant when a slightly more proactive approach could have made such a difference.

"Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise" (Proverbs 19:20).

Are you embracing your financial future? Do you know the fundamental financial principles? Is there something yet you need to learn?

Janice Thompson is the founder and president of Strategic Financial Solutions, Inc., a comprehensive wealth management firm focused on biblically-based financial solutions. Janice is a Certified Financial Planner®, Certified Life Stewardship Advisor™, and serves on the Board of Directors of Kingdom Advisors. She has two married children and one grandson. She and her husband Tom live in San Diego.

Note: Material adapted from the book, Managing Your Money Maze by Janice Thompson (Revive Our Hearts, 2009). Photo: adapted Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net