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Written by Laural Langmeyer

Budgeting in this day and age is much more difficult than it ever was. As Christians, we have to be much more aware of how budgeting affects our families and our lives. It is our duty to our Lord to insure that we are following Biblically based principles in our budgeting and every other area of our existence. There are many factors that come into play where budgeting for Christians is concerned It can be easy to forget that our problems are not all produced from lack of funds or any other "lack" in our lives.

The Bible says that we must hold each thought captive, this holds true for our financial beliefs about ourselves as well. Our perceived lack in our lives can many times be traced towards our attitude about money. I encourage you to ask yourself if you are truly following God's instruction for your finances. God does not say that our money or lack thereof are problems, it's the ego we so often relate to it that begins to cause the issue. Attitude affects use of funds, therefore affecting the actual budget, not the other way around. As God's followers, it is our duty to guard our hearts and mind against greed, misconduct, improper stewardship of money allotted to us, our emotional responses towards funds and our ego. We are already vulnerable as followers of Christ, we must put on the armor of God in every aspect of living, including our finances.

We know that as Christians, everything we have comes from God. We know that we don't truly own any of our possessions, we are simply granted stewardship over them for our time on earth. Our family, our friends, all our possessions and most certainly our finances, past and present debt included, fall into this category. Once we truly understand and commit this to heart, God can begin to mold us and teach us how to completely embrace and care for all He's given us.

If given control, God can be trusted to change our unhealthy patterns surrounding money. He can also wipe out all debt, and negative emotions surrounding our current beliefs of money. God promises to provide for each of us and he never breaks His promise. The first step in achieving financial freedom is to realize that God can do all things and truly seek His direction for your life. Budgeting for Christians can be simplified based on the Bible's teachings of money and finance and your ability to connect with Him concerning what he wants in your life. Transfer everything you own, including your emotional baggage, to God. In doing so, you will truly find peace of mind and heart.

Budgeting for Christians should cover many of the aspects of gaining financial freedom. One of these being getting out of any debt that you have incurred. This can mean a personal loan or a house payment, but where ever the debt comes from, it's critical that you do not stay in debt long term. Here are some helpful tips to help you achieve a debt free lifestyle and stay that way.

1. Allow a realistic budget and stick to it!! 

2. Continue to acknowledge that God is the owner of everything you have. (Psalms 8:6 & Deuteronomy 5:32-33 are Biblical references of this) 

3. Start to retire all your debt.

Start with the smallest, and as you eliminate them, you "retire" them. DO NOT add on more debt of any kind! (Psalms 37:21 & Proverbs 3:27-28 are Biblical references of this) Budgeting for Christians is done by developing the perfect budget for your needs, writing it down and getting in the habit of sticking to it. Christians must insure that they are leaving room in their budget for tithing. God promises us great rewards if we will tithe to him. As we covered before, God never goes back on His promises. "Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce" (Proverbs 3:9)

Remember also that God provides in many ways above and beyond finances. Your health, family, clean water, and many other blessings are available if you will only search for them. Simply being able to practice our religion freely is a gift we should not forget. Put others first, count your blessings and think positively. You are always halfway there!

Laural Langmeyer is a Christian based financial advisor who has been working with Christian families for over a decade to help create wealth, eliminate debt and structure healthy Biblical foundations for life long financial success. Laural is passionate about educating families and individuals about faith based, intelligent ways to not only free themselves from debt, but build healthy abundant wealth along the way. She lives by the Giver's Gain philosophy and continues to have God as her co-pilot.

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