Even though my family of three (My husband, my baby boy, and I) were living in a beautiful home, rent free, we were still only getting enough money coming in to make it by. At one point we only had $25 in our bank account. That was my lowest point I have ever been in regards to finances.  We didn't have any needs in that moment. We had plenty of groceries, the bills were paid, we had enough gas in the car but if anything happened or came up we were in trouble. That was a very hard season with finances being so tight. We never got in thousands of dollars just hundreds of dollars monthly.

I was learning how to rely on God even more in that tight season. Once a month I would write God a list of our needs, our wants, and our bills. I would separate them on paper so I could see what was what. When I was stressed about our expenses I would write it more than just once a month.  Every time I wrote that list it was like my stress went from my heart onto the paper and I would have this peace come over me. I realized it was me giving God the weight of our needs. Now it was Jesus carrying the heavy load instead of me.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30

I realized that when I gave that list to God I was giving Him my burden. I was working with God instead of just working on my own. I saw so many miracles writing that list to God. He came through in the most amazing ways.

One of my wants list was a collar for my dog that would help keep her on our property. We didn't have a fence. She wanted to be outside but she would run.  A month or so after I put that collar on the list my sister came over out of the blue with the exact collar I was asking for. She said she found it out a garage sale and bought it for me.  WHAT?!? I never told her but God knew!

Another time I put Christmas Decorations on the list. I had totally forgot I had put that on my list sometime in October or November. Someone brought it bins of their unwanted Christmas decorations to me.  As I was looking through my journal one day I came across one of my needs, bills, and wants list to God and saw I had written Christmas Decorations. My heart jumped. Though I had forgotten about that request yet God had not.

Time and time again God not only brought in my wants but would bring in finances to pay the bills even the unexpected bills. He would put food on the table and gas in our car.  God supplied.

Life is hard. Sometimes ends just don't meet but God knows and He longs to help you with what you are going through.  He is a good father. He loves you.  God doesn't want you to carry the burden by yourself. He wants to do it with you. When you have time today get a piece of paper and write a needs, bills, and wants list and give it to God. Say "God I give these burdens to you. Please I need your help."  And anytime you feel the weight of your needs write them down and ask God to help.

Our church knows this is a hard time for a lot of people. We want to help also. Every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month we give groceries to anyone who comes. You don't have to be from our area or show any form of ID. If you need food then come. 5pm-7pm at 2810 N Park Rd Spokane Valley WA

If you need someone to pray for you we would love to. Comment below or send an email to [email protected]. 

My family and I did make it through that season and though we don't have a lot now, we have way more than we did then. No matter what season we have walked in, my family has seen God's hand provide time and time again.  He really is an amazing and good God. 

From the Heart,
Dess
The Pastor's Wife 

MONEY! Any one who is alive will be affected by it. But not everyone is taught how to budget. Here are 4 steps to budgeting for beginners.

1) Know how much money is coming to your household every month. From your job, maybe a you have a side gig where you play guitar on the weekends and make a few extra bucks, or when you babysit for your neighbor twice a week. Add everything up that comes in your household on a regular basis.

2) Next you need to make a list of all your bills and spending you do on a regular basis in a month. 
Food
Gas
Bills (Electricity, Garbage, water, phone)
Anything else you spend regularly in a month.

If you don't know guess or look at your online banking and add up how much you spent in a month. If you still don't know keep your receipts for this coming month and calculate your spending. Then add then all up.  

3)Subtract what how much goes out to what comes in the month.  That is how much you have left over.

Question is do you have any left over. Are you in the negative? Or are you in the positive? How much are you in the positive?

If you are lacking is there something you are spending on a regular basis that you don't really need. Maybe your phone bill is high can you cut back on your phone plan? What at the grocery store do you buy that you don't really need? Do you have a monthly subscription like amazon prime, other spending that is more of a want than a need.  It's great to have nice things but not if it cost you to be in the negative at the end of the month.

If you do have excess save it.  Put it away. You will have other bills come up like insurance for the car maybe every six months or registration for your car.  Or an emergency like a trip to the doctor you were not planning on.  If you have a hard time saving maybe ask someone you trust to hold it for you. If you don't have anyone take it to the bank and put it in savings or somewhere you won't touch it.  

There are times you just can't save but the times you have excess or were gifted with money you weren't expecting put it away. 

4) Now that you know how much comes in and how much is going out decide what is a reasonable amount of money you should be spending for your different items use your money for. You can make envelopes for each item. Make a Food/Grocery envelope. Make a Gas Envelope, Make a bill envelope. Maybe even an entertainment envelope like for the movies, going out to dinner, etc.  Put a reasonable amount of money you are willing to spend on those items and stick then in that envelope. Do what you can to spend only what is in the envelope. If you have money at the end of the month in that envelope then you can either leave it there and have a little extra for that item, for an example food or gas.  Or you can take it out and put it in savings and start over with the amount of money you decided for that item for the month.  

And that my friend is Budgeting for Beginners.  

If you have any questions or comments we would love to hear from you.