Christian Lifesaving Skills
“I hear the smallest amount anyone in this hall has handled is 5 million Naira. Is that correct?”
I chuckled to myself as I watched the astonished looks on the faces of my audience. They were small business owners in a seminar that was intended to prepare them to access and properly utilize loans which were unlikely to exceed half a million Naira. So the question was clearly preposterous because they would not be here if they had 5 million Naira.
“What about 3 million?” Still no answer. “Someone must have lied to me then.”
“Ok let me modify my question and please listen well. Please raise your hands if you have handled more than 3 million Naira in your lifetime?” All the hands came up.
“Great! What about 5 million?” Still all hands up.
“Excellent! You can celebrate because you are all millionaires you just never thought about yourself this way!”
Smiles and laughter all round.
After the uproar had settled from my trick question, I asked. “So, where is all that money now?”
And the excitement started to cool again as people shouted out different expenses.
“It has been spent.” I summarized for them.
I then went on to explain that money is similar to time because we spend it, whether we are ready or not. The only question is whether we are spending it in a way that helps us or hurts us.
So, how can we ensure our spending is helping us? Through Vision and Planning.
Vision and Life Goals
“Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.”
Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV
We can have different goals ranging from early retirement, financial freedom to owning our homes and businesses, seeing our children or relations through higher education, etc.
The point is we must write these dreams down, fix an end date and start estimating what is required to get us there.
Planning and Budgeting
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it — lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,”
Luke 14:28-29 NKJV
When we spend in support of our vision or goals, we are spending in a way that helps us. And the little tool that helps us do that is an expenditure plan aka budget.
On the contrary, if we are not spending in line with a budget, it is extremely likely that we are hurting ourselves more than helping. And this is true for every entity be it a family, business or government.
Here are a few things to note…
A budget is a guide. Start with what you can come up with and refine it over time. A poor budget is better than no budget at all. So don’t wait for a perfect one.
Allow for flexibility. Don’t kill yourself trying to cope with 100% of your plan. Some things may come up that are not in your budget. If they are important and continuous, add them to the plan and budget. If not, treat them as one-off.
Giving should be part of your budget because it is in line with your values. If not, you will self-sabotage. That means one day, you may just take an extreme action to compensate for what you ought to have been doing.
Let me conclude by adding a special word for people in business and politics who sometimes feel they don’t need a budget because their inflow is not regular. They are the ones that need a budget more because their expenses are regular and the budget will help them control basic expenses like school fees, rent, etc.
This is important because when their inflow arrives, it is easier for them to plan for family needs and investments before facing other major interests and demands.
………….
Thank you Arnold for your article.
Friends, there are 2 writers in my home; my husband, Arnold (author: The Survival Mindset) and my little girl, Adima (author: David & Goliath (my thoughts).
Me? ..let’s just say that GRACE is at work in me. My other 2 kids are also graced differently.
I sometimes have the privilege to teach on budgeting. Hear my little secret here….. I am not good at micro-level budgeting (please don’t say it out loud). And no, Arnold and I haven’t had big fights because of fund mismanagement.
I believe every goal/vision needs a working plan/budget.
Budgeting helps us balance income and expenses. It helps us determine in advance whether we have sufficient funds for intended projects. Documented budgeting helps track our expenditure interests and commitments over time, meaning we can prioritize differently where necessary.
Today, I read the story of Jesus feeding 4,000 people with 7 loaves of bread and small fish. Not forgetting the feeding of the 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fishes. It is only a “Jesus-Budgeting” that works that way. Keep that in mind. There can be a divine twist in every budgeting which supernaturally exceeds expectations.
Friends, remember you can now publish on Grace Obomanu Blog (under the Christian Life Saving Skills Category). Simply email your articles to graceobomanu@gmail.com. Together we are making known the Beauty and Benefits of our Belief, thereby giving others the opportunity to believe too. That is what the Father’s Business is all about.
Love Always
Grace Obomanu
