To 2018: A Stroll in my Personal Life
Hey everyone, I’m Jeremy. A few years back, Grant welcomed Jake Norton and I as partners of Stewardship Financial. Joining Stewardship was one of the best things that has ever happened to me. It stretched me and took all of the skeletons in my closet and placed them in the open so I could start to deal with myself.
I was pretty successful as a financial planner at my prior job. I was also a worship leader at my church, and I was super arrogant. However, I was drowning in debt. As a financial planner, it was embarrassing. My wife and I hadn’t connected in years, and almost everything in my personal life was falling apart. The opportunity to start a business at Stewardship to help offer investments and financial planning to our community stretched me and brought all of this to light.
My incredible wife, Grace inspired me through a transformation of her own. Because of her influence, the two of us talked, cried, yelled, and doubted. Through counseling, prayer, a community of friends, and God’s word, we were comforted. We recognized we are only satisfied when finding life in who Jesus is. I am not my marriage. I am not my kid’s success or failure. I am not my business. I am not my physical appearance. I am not my stuff. I belong to Jesus–what He says, I am. This simple and profound truth, that I have “known” my whole life, finally started to find a place in my heart.
This previous year was one of a single resolution: to be loved by God. Through this, I came to understand that I can never create my own satisfaction in life. Once Grace and I accepted this truth, we knew we were loved and in turn, we could love each other. As a result, we began to work together in our finances, budgeting, paying off our debt (trust me, it was a TON, and it can be done!) and actually started saving! We started to pray and seek God together for the first time in our marriage. It allowed me to serve my kids. It gave me the perspective that because I am loved and cared for, I can better love and care for others through their finances at Stewardship.
Here is my big point for 2018: MAKE ONE RESOLUTION.
In the Bible, John: 15 talks about abiding in the vine. When we abide in the vine (who is Christ), knowing that we are loved and that He knows best, we go through pruning. This pruning bears fruit. Galatians 5:22–23 talks about what this fruit looks like–love, and everything that comes from it–joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Every resolution you will make stems from these. Our resolutions will come to fruition when we grasp the truth of who we are in Christ and these virtues become part of our daily lives.
What does this have to do with Stewardship? Why am I writing this blog? The reality is, most New Year’s resolutions deal with behavior change. And most personal, financial issues deal with poor behavior. As a result, I thought I would tell you about behavior changes. I have experienced that perhaps you could relate to. It’s my hope that this story will inspire you to make one resolution — to be loved. My prayer is that love enacts a behavior change in you!
At Stewardship, there is a team of people who have a common goal and mission: to love people in their finances. Sometimes this is done through an actual transaction or service. But other times, it’s provided by simply coming by our office to hang out and drink delicious coffee with us. Our hope is that somehow through any experience with us (transactional or not) you know this one truth — you are loved.
To talk about behavior change for your finances, your new year’s resolution, or even ask me more questions about my personal life — schedule time with me! I would be honored to speak with you.
This content was originally posted at: https://moneywellrooted.com/2018/01/03/2018-stroll-personal-life/
