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Hey there.

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Ever get to the end of the month,
you look at your bank account and

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you just wonder, where did it all go?

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If you feel like your money just
vanishes into thin air today, we're

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talking about the simple first step to
finding out exactly where it's going.

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Hey there and  welcome back.

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Thanks for making time for
your daily dose of financial

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encouragement rooted in faith.

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I'm Ralph, and we're moving right along
in our series, the Joy of Living Below

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Your Means all with the goal of helping
you break that cycle of financial shame.

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And do it with confidence.

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Why sir? Hope yesterday's focus on
gratitude was a blessing for you.

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So let's talk about
that common frustration.

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You know, that feeling like you
should have money left over,

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but somehow you just don't.

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Maybe you and your spouse have
disagreements about spending

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because neither of you really knows
where the money's truly going.

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Or perhaps you just feel
completely outta control.

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Like small purchases here and small
purchases there, and they're bleeding.

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You dry.

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But you can't quite
pinpoint where they are.

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It's that feeling of confusion.

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It's that lack of awareness.

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It's kind of like trying to drive
somewhere new without even having

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a map or, or GPS for that matter.

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It's that feeling of being in
the dark about your own financial

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spending habits, the mystery of the
disappearing money, if you will.

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That's the single pain point we're
tackling on today's show, because it

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makes managing money feel impossible.

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But here's the thing, I.
You gotta understand this.

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We can't manage what we don't measure.

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See, as Christians, we're called
to be good stewards of the

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resources that God entrusts to us.

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Think of it from the parable
of the talents in Matthew 25,

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where the manager in Luke 16.

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But how can we be good stewards
if we're not even of aware of

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where those resources are flowing?

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We're operating in the dark and
it financially leads to stress.

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It prevents us from making
wise decisions, and it can even

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lead to unintentional waste.

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Well, let's look at Ephesians five because
it encourages us to live as children of

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light, and that includes bringing our
financial habits into the light as well.

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So how do we switch the lights on?

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How do we solve this specific pain point
of being ignorant about our own spending?

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The single foundational
solution is simply track.

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You gotta track where your money's going
and just do it for a short period of time.

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And listen, we're not
talking about budgeting yet.

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We're not talking about restrictions.

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We're not talking about judgment.

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This is purely about
observation and awareness.

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It's kinda like a detective
gathering clues for just one week.

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You become a financial
detective for your own life.

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You're probably asking Ralph,
why does this even work?

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Well, let me tell you why.

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First, it removes the mystery.

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No more guessing.

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You're gonna see exactly
where every dollar went.

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Second, it's gonna reveal patterns.

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Your likely spot habits you didn't
even realize you had, like that

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daily coffee or those small online
purchases that add up over time.

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Third thing it does, it provides data.

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This information is crucial for
making informed decisions later

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about where you might wanna cut back.

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And finally, it brings awareness.

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See, often the simple act of tracking
makes you more mindful before you do that.

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Spending see the solution is illumination.

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Track your spending.

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Okay, so ready for your one
practical action step starting today.

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Here's what I want you to do for the next
seven days, I want you to commit to this.

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I want you to write down
every single dollar you spend.

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Get a small notebook you can carry
or, or use a notes app on your

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phone, whatever works for you.

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That $3 coffee, that dollar and a
half for the vending machine, that

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$20 online purchase when you fill up
for gas, when you get the groceries.

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I want you to track everything and listen.

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I don't want you to judge it.

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I don't want you to analyze it yet.

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Just record the amount and maybe
a quick note of what it was for.

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That's it, and I want you to track
every expense for the next seven days.

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Now, you might be saying,
Ralph, why this specific action?

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Why do you want me to do this?

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Well, here's why.

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Because it directly attacks
that pain of financial ignorance

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and that feeling outta control.

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That's what we're trying to
eliminate, and it's gonna

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replace that mystery with facts.

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It gives you the power of awareness,
which is the absolute first step

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towards making intentional changes
and becoming a more faithful steward.

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In the end, it's gonna be
no more vanishing money.

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Well, let's pray together.

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Father God, thank you for your provision.

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Lord, we confess that sometimes we spend
without even thinking, and we lose track

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of the resources you've entrusted to us.

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Lord, I pray for my friend listening
right now as they commit to tracking

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their spending for this next week.

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Lord, grant them the discipline to
follow through, give them courage

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to face the reality of their habits
without judgment, but with a desire for

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greater wisdom and better stewardship.

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Help this simple act of tracking bring
them clarity and be the foundation

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for the positive changes they need.

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And may they not do this out of legalism.

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But out of the desire to honor you,
and Lord, we ask this in Jesus' name.

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Amen.

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Alright, detective, your
assignment begins today.

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Get that notebook or that
app ready and start tracking.

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Don't get discouraged.

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If you miss something,
just pick it back up.

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Awareness is the goal this week,
and be sure to join me back here

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tomorrow once you've started tracking.

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What do you do with that information?

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Well, tomorrow we're gonna talk
about using that tracking data to

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identify your biggest financial leak.

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You know that one where your money
might be slipping away without you

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even realizing that we're gonna
cover action item number five, and

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if today's episode sparked an aha
moment, share it with somebody.

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You can find resources and links
in the show notes, and I encourage

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you, and I strongly encourage you,
join our community@askralph.com.

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So until tomorrow, happy tracking
and keep seeking him first.

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Stay financially savvy and God bless you.

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Have a great day.