AHH, How To Be Wise Financially?
Is it actually out of curiosity or there was something else that led me to read this book, AHA You Are Rich! Claim It!: 3 Steps of Claiming and Sustaining God's Wealth. Or it was just a coincidence that I am on renewing myself on every aspect, that’s include financially. If I was not mistaken, I first heard about this book when she posted it on FB around 2 or 3? years ago, and I thought it was already published back then. But surprisingly, it was just this year that it was officially published. Maybe I thought, she (Joem) being a businesswoman and as the term defines it all, got BUSY and she maybe busy. But believe me when I say, there was this inside of me that I got excited to finally see the book and read it. But wait, $18..uuumm? Personally, I do not really buy new book but I am always interested on them, but not really the book worm type. I only buy that interest me, not brand new though and as much as possible I look for them at the thrift store like Interval or Olive Tree and you can find a lot in there for a dollar or less.
Going back to the the book, well, the other day, me, and my friend, was talking about this book. I ask her if she will buy it since she was a client of her, but not yet too sure if she will (actually I thought she does not have time to read because she is one of the hardworking mom I knew) but told me she will just ask her other friend who bought the book if she can borrow it. But last night, I thought of browsing the book at Amazon and it was there, and good to know that it had the e-book, which is much cheaper than the hard copy (just being practical hehehe), so I downloaded it right away. I am sorry I am not implying it is not worth the money to buy but for me it does not matter how you had it, but what matters most is what have you learned from having to read it. I know the author will agree because, primarily, aside from earning from it, she wanted us to learn from her book.
As I said earlier, aside from the fact that I was really curious about it, lately I have been interested and reading books about finances and investment. Actually, I already had a handful of them long time ago, but I did not actually finish reading them only until recently. And I felt sorry for myself. I felt sorry that why it took me years to finally invest my time on these books. And hers came perfectly. Perfect in a way that the author is a Filipina, so you can understand it better, and it’s a book that tackles not probably the whole real scenario, but most of it, the reality of life here in Canada because she actually had experienced or had witnessed it from her clients, since she’s a financial advisor anyway. I may not agree less with what she had wrote in her book. And most of them had happened and still happening in my life. And too bad, it’s the reality. A lot of us are in debts, a lot of us are still struggling with regards to finances and I’m not proud to say I am one of them.
Financial literacy for me came too late. I can not turn back 12 years ago, but I know the Lord had set this time for me to renew every aspect of my life, including my finances. Maybe I had a dream but I did not set a goal. Not that I dreamt of becoming “the rich”, but I did not really have the financial goal. I did not have a financial direction. Maybe I became at ease on our finances, like I mean due to the fact that both of us (my husband and I) were so blessed to have a high paying job, with good benefits and we don’t have to work double or triple job because one income alone can sustain our needs. But that needs, became wants. No, it is not about the branded bags, shoes, clothes, and jewelry and honestly, I don’t have those fancies and I don’t indulge myself from those things.
From one credit card to another, we allowed ourselves in believing that yes, we are high earners and we can afford and we can always be approved every time we wanted to loan from the bank. And that is how it started our financial trouble; we became complacent that we forgot to save and we did not do a budget to the point that every purchase is impulsive as if there is no more tomorrow especially on food and groceries. Until that biggest setback came in our married life that have impacted our finances. I don’t want to divulge on it anymore since it is a thing in the past but in any consolation, I believe is that at least we still have investments and insurances. Yes, we have RRSP, RESP, and insurance but I do not review them periodically before. I thought what I knew about finances was enough so I became stagnant on financial management.
But this time I promise myself I am setting a goal. It could be impossible to attain that goal this moment since of what is happening around us (recession and pandemic), and I lost my job but I know God is with me, and we are both in this together this time. And this is not even a test of faith in God, for I learn to let go of things I can’t change, and if it is not really for me, no matter how I cling into it, it won’t be for me ( I don’t want to expect too much); if it’s really meant for you, it is for you no matter how long you have to wait for it (patience is a virtue).
I may not be a financial advisor like Joem (and I am not her client but how I wished I was) but like her, I wanted to impart even a little wisdom, to someone like me, an immigrant in this country or as someone who is in it, financial trouble. It’s not too late to be WISE on money, nahh not to be empowered or become a slave of it literally; it could have been 12 years late, but now I am wiser on choosing the people I surround myself with; I have the motivation to become wiser in dealing or managing our finances; I’m humbled to seek wisdom from asking advices from the expert (whoever is your trusted financial advisor) or by simply learning from their books (you can start by reading Joem’s book); I am wiser on spending money (living within our means, no more hoarding on groceries); I have learn to give wholeheartedly without sensationalizing it on social media ( It is when you give of yourself that you truly give), and most of all I am becoming wiser by knowing that God has a purpose for me and He had began imparting wisdom on me to know Him more through His Words.
Money, I know is important. It could provide us with an exciting lifestyle, pleasure, leisure and even a little happiness, but don’t let it control your life, know its purpose in your life. Be grateful of the blessings, no matter how big or small the blessing is and most of all have the wisdom to find contentment in life.
And on the lighter side, here are some principles that says about money from the main source of Wisdom itself, the Holy Bible:
God Owns Everything
Exodus 19:5: Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine.
It Is About Discipleship
Matthew 6:24: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Be Contented
2 Corinthians 12:9-10: "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Give Help And Provide For The Needy
Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Do Not Be Greedy Over Money
Hebrews 13:5: "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Do Not Be A Slave Of Debt
Proverbs 22:7: "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.”
Know How To Manage Your Money
Ecclesiastes 7:12: "For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.”
Believe that God Is In Control
Psalm 55:22: "Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”
Disclaimer: I was inspired by the author that's why I thought on writing about this topic and if you found that there were ideas that were somehow similar to her book, it was not my intention to copy, it just happened we have the same intentions which is to inspire others about Financial Literacy. And as what I have said, she is a financial advisor and I am not. This topic is written with pure and good intentions. And I am not even an endorser and I assure you I am not earning anything from endorsing her book. I actually thought of that via affiliate marketing (which I message her about) but God led me on the other way. It's all about inspiration. I am a silent fan and was inspired more and I had thought I could also write a book someday like her. Thank you.