Are you overwhelmed by your finances?

Do you feel like you've lost control or confidence when it

comes to managing your money?

Well, if you are, let me just tell you, you are not alone.

Many Christians struggle with financial confidence at some point in our life,

but today we're gonna change all that.

Today we're tackling a really important topic, how we as Christians

rebuild our confidence with money.

See, this isn't just about financial strategies, but it's about aligning

our finances with our faith.

And trusting in God's provision because he is there to take care of us.

Over the years, I've learned that rebuilding financial confidence isn't

just a one-time fix, it's a journey built on consistent daily action.

So today I wanna share with you seven daily steps that you can take

grounded in those biblical principles to help you regain that confidence

and experience peace of mind.

So if you're ready to take control of your financial future, stick around.

We've got some practical and powerful steps just ahead.

Well, thank you for joining me on the Ask Ralph Show.

I am your financial evangelist and I am thrilled you're spending

your valuable time with me today.

Our goal here is helping you escape the financial shame with confidence.

So today we're exploring a very critical topic, and that is the seven daily

steps to rebuild your confidence with money from a Christian perspective.

Now, you might be asking, Ralph, why should I listen to you today?

Here's why.

Because financial confidence is a cornerstone of a peaceful life.

And the truth is, many of us struggle with debt.

We struggle with lack of financial knowledge.

We have unexpected life events and economic uncertainty.

And these challenges can lead to stress, that can lead to anxiety, and that

hinders our ability to be good stewards.

But let me just tell you right now.

There is hope, and today we're gonna explore some practical steps

to overcome these challenges and align our finances with our faith.

So I'm gonna encourage you, stay engaged, because you're gonna

find immense value in the key takeaways we're gonna discuss today.

Now, yesterday we talked about what's stopping you from

starting an emergency fund.

Try these five tips.

So if you missed it, be sure to check it out at.

Ask ralph.com.

It was packed with actionable advice to help you build a safety net.

And today we're gonna continue that journey to financial peace

with seven daily steps to rebuild your confidence with money.

So let's get right to it.

And today's listener question comes from Nancy, and Nancy writes this.

She says, Ralph, I feel so overwhelmed by my finances.

Every time I open my bank statements, I feel this pit in my stomach.

I've lost confidence in managing my money and it's affecting every part of my life.

I'm constantly worried about how I'll pay my bills, and I'm embarrassed

to talk about it with anyone.

I need to know how to make changes, but I don't know where to start.

I feel like I'm drowning in debt and I don't see a way out.

Can you help me?

Well, Nancy, thank you so much for your question.

And yes, I can help you.

I can hear the weight of your concerns, and I want you to know that

you are not alone in this struggle.

I. Many of us feel overwhelmed by our finances at some point in

our life, but here is the truth.

There is hope.

And today we're gonna find a way to get through this together.

Today we're gonna talk about those seven daily steps to help you rebuild

your financial confidence because I've seen these steps work in my own life.

And in the lives of clients.

So let's take this journey together.

Nancy, I wanna thank you for sharing your question because financial

stress can be incredibly overwhelming.

It's normal to feel like you've lost control.

But here's my first thing I want you to take away.

Remember, God has a plan for you, and he wants to see you thrive.

Yes.

He wants to see you thrive.

I've worked with many clients who, who felt the same way, and, and I've seen

them transform their financial situations by taking small, consistent steps.

So today I'm gonna provide you with those steps, and I'm confident that

with God's help, Nancy, you can again, regain your financial confidence.

Now if you've got a question you'd like to have answered.

Just like Nancy, head over to just ask ralph.com and submit it because listen,

your questions are the heart of this show, and I'm here to help your questions.

They fuel my motivation and they keep, so keep those questions coming

because I wanna keep doing this show.

Now, Nancy, let me share a Bible verse that will guide

us in our discussion today.

It comes from the book of Proverbs, chapter three, verses five and six, and

it says this, trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own

understanding in all your ways, submit to him and he will make your past straight.

What a reassuring truth, but notice it takes our trust.

Not just some of our trust.

It takes all of our heart, all of our trust, because here's the truth.

God wants all of us.

He wants us to submit to him, but the promise of straight paths is amazing.

Just think about that for a second, and this verse reminds us that our

financial journey is not just about our efforts, but also in God's guidance

and provisions, and by submitting our financial decisions to him.

We can truly find the peace and clarity we need to move forward.

So, Nancy, do you want that peace today?

Well, I know you do, so let's get started.

And I'm just grateful for this wisdom that God provides in his word.

It's a constant reminder to all of us.

That we're not alone in our financial journey.

And I'm also grateful for the experience he's given me and the understanding he's,

he's given me to help people just like you, Nancy, and all those people listening

today to overcome their financial challenges from a place of faith.

So let's get right to it.

Let's set our sights on peace.

And let's talk about those seven things we can do.

And let me start by telling you about my client, Maria.

Now, I worked with her a few years ago.

Maria was a single mother.

She was struggling in debt and financial uncertainty on that.

Let me just tell you, that's a troublesome combination, but I can't

tell you that I haven't seen it before.

It is a very common thing.

She felt overwhelmed and she didn't know where to start.

One day she came to me to do some counseling.

She was frustrated.

She was on the verge of tears, and she said this, and I will never forget this.

She said, Ralph, I can't do this anymore.

I feel like I'm drowning in dead and I don't know how to get out.

And listen, that's a ing I hear far too often in my counseling

and accounting practice.

And I could see the pain in her eyes.

I knew she needed more than just financial advice.

What she really needed was hope.

And I told her this.

I said, Maria, let's take this one step at a time.

Let's start with prayer and then we'll make.

A plan.

And over the next few months, Maria began to implement small, consistent steps.

She prayed every morning.

She tracked her income and expenses.

She saved just a little bit every day, and she sought God's wisdom

in her financial decisions.

And slowly but surely, she began to see progress.

As I've said, it's not gonna happen overnight.

But with consistent effort, you can overcome your financial

security and get out of debt.

As Maria worked on it, her debt decreased, her savings grew, and

most importantly, her confidence in managing her finances returned.

I never forget one day Maria came back to me with this big smile on her

face and she said, Ralph, I did it.

I paid off my debt and I have a savings account.

I never thought this was possible, but that's what I love the best part

he says, but God has been faithful.

Yes, he is always faithful.

We just have to reach out to him.

And let me just tell you, Maria's transformation was incredible.

And it is a true testament to the power of taking consistent faith-based actions.

And that's what we're gonna focus on today.

Seven daily steps to rebuild your financial confidence.

So let's start with the first step.

My first step is this.

Begin with prayer and seek God's wisdom.

Nancy, the first step is to start each today by bringing your

financial concerns to God in prayer.

Ask for his guidance.

Ask for his wisdom and your financial decisions.

Because this practice can provide comfort and reduce feelings of unease.

Let's look at the book of Philippians, chapter four, verses six and seven.

It says this, do not be anxious about.

Anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving,

present, your request to God and the peace of God, which transcends

all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

So Nancy, here's some practical steps to implement.

First, my first step, you know, I encourage action.

So these are some action items that you can start with right away.

Don't wait till tomorrow.

Start today.

The first thing I'm gonna encourage you to do is create a prayer journal.

Write down your financial concerns.

Write down your prayers each morning because this can help you stay focused

and on track with God's answers over time.

Listen, make a list of those things and pray earnestly, and

let's get to the next piece.

The next practical piece of advice is make specific prayer requests.

Be specific in your prayers.

Ask God for guidance on particular financial decisions.

Maybe you're trying to do a budget, maybe you're trying to save, maybe

you're trying to work on debt, manage it.

You can ask him directly for it.

Another thing I'm gonna encourage you to do is start each day with a

morning devotional, combine your prayer time with a morning devotional that

focuses in on financial stewardship.

Because listen, this can provide daily inspiration and guidance.

And let me just tell you right now, here's a little preview.

I. Once I wrap up this third book and hint it, it's gonna be released

soon, I'm going to start working on a daily Christian financial devotional.

Yeah, as if I don't have enough to handle, but I really feel there's a need for

this because this is a great way to not only start your day, but also improve

your financial skills one day at a time.

Another practical piece of advice is consider joining in group prayer.

Consider joining a prayer group or finding a, a prayer partner who can support

you in your financial journey, because there is tremendous power in prayer.

It's one of those things that those in the secular world will never understand.

We have a loving father who wants us to succeed.

We've just.

God to ask him.

Well, let's move on to my second step, and this one, if you listen to me,

you know I'm gonna talk about this.

Track your income and expenses with gratitude and awareness.

See, Nancy, the next step is to develop a daily habit of knowing where your

money's coming from and where it's going.

It's kind of like a map.

If you don't know where you're starting, you're never gonna

figure out where you're going.

And approach this with a different mindset.

Approach this with thankfulness.

For God's provision and let's look at our biblical connection to this one.

Look at Luke 16, verse 10 says this, whoever can be trusted with very

little can also be trusted with much.

And whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

And see this verse I use frequently on the show because it all

comes down to being grateful.

But maybe even more importantly than that.

Being aware.

See, awareness is the key to success with your finances.

You can write that one down because that's something you can take to the bank.

You've got to be aware.

So Nancy, here are some practical tips to help build your awareness.

Well, the first things I'm gonna encourage you to do is huge

budgeting apps, absolute like mint.

You need a budget, or every dollar can help you track income and expenses easily.

Listen, paper and pen works great as well.

It doesn't have to be complicated.

It's just got to be something you'll use daily.

Yes, you heard me write daily.

I'll get to that in a moment.

You also got to categorize your expenses, you know, break down your

expenses into categories like groceries, utilities, entertainment, et cetera.

This helps you see where your money is going.

Again, if you want to see where your money's going, you gotta track it.

Next thing I'm gonna encourage you to do is do a weekly review.

As I always say, what gets measured gets done.

So set aside a specific time each week to review your spending.

Put it on your calendar because this is gonna help you stay on track

and make adjustments as needed.

An important part of that.

Next thing I'm gonna talk about is a practical tip is receipt tracking.

See, this is the key to success.

Keep all your receipts and enter them into your tracking

system at the end of each day.

Yes, you heard me right at the end of each day.

If you put it off, you're not gonna do it.

See, doing this daily is critical.

It's way too easy to put it off.

And then the next thing you know, you're buying it like,

well, maybe I'll start next week.

Maybe I'll start next month.

But see if you don't have accurate information.

You're not going to be able to use it and you'll lose your accountability.

So let's move on to my third step in that Save a portion.

No matter how small, trusting in God's provision, Nancy, I'm

gonna encourage you, make it a daily goal to save something even.

It's just a small amount because this act demonstrates trust.

God's provision for the future.

Look at the book of Proverbs, chapter 21, verse 20.

Another one I use on the show all the time says this, the why Store

up Choice Food and olive oil.

But fool's gulp, there's down all they have, world is story.

And this is gonna sound harsh.

Don't be a fool.

If you wanna rebuild your financial confidence, you gotta save,

you gotta save, you gotta save.

You're never gonna get ahead if you spend everything you make,

sorry, but that's the truth.

It's kinda like a diet.

I'm, I'm working to lose weight right now.

I'm at the lowest weight I've been in 30 years.

But it's a very simple process.

If you eat more calories, then you burn.

Guess what?

You're not gonna lose weight.

If you spend more than you earn, guess what?

You're gonna remain in debt and you're never going to have

anything put aside for the future.

So, Nancy and I know that was harsh, but it's truth and I

love you and it's true though.

So here are some practical tips to build your savings.

One of the things that I encourage everybody to do is

set up automatic transfer.

See, setting up those automatic transfers from your checking

account to your savings account.

It makes saving.

Effortless and consistent, and that's one of the things you

gotta take away from today.

You need to make it effortless and you need to make it consistent.

Now, you may wanna use one of those Roundup apps, like things like

Acorns or Chime that round up your purchases and then transfer the

difference to a signals account.

Now, I gotta be honest with you, I. I've never used that, but I've got some

clients to do it and they swear by it.

Maybe even considered an old fashioned change jar.

You know, we used to have these when I was a kid, and I can still remember

when I was a kid, my dad had one of those five gallon water bottles

and, and that thing would be full.

And when it was full, he'd empty it out and it was dollars and change.

But I remember over time, and I can still remember him telling me that, that it

added up to nearly a thousand dollars.

Just think about that, that simple change jar.

Just dollars and cents.

Slowly adding up over time.

That's the key.

Consistency and doing it every day.

Here's another great idea.

Have a weekly or monthly no spend day.

I talked about this on the show a couple weeks ago.

Designate certain days as your no spend days where you avoid

any unnecessary spending.

Save the money you would've spent.

And listen, I've seen this build savings really quickly.

Plus you'll learn to really balance those needs and wants and hey,

we can all learn from that idea.

Well, let's move on to step number four, and that's learn one Biblical money

principle or practical tip each day.

See, we gotta get back into the word Nancy, dedicate a few minutes each day.

That's why I talked about that morning devotional, to learn something new about

managing your money from a Christian perspective or a practical financial tip.

Proverbs chapter four, verse seven.

It says this, the beginning of wisdom is this.

Get wisdom though.

It costs all you have, get understanding.

So Nancy, here's a few practical tips.

Like I said, talked about this a few minutes ago.

Use a daily devotional book that focuses on financial stewardship such as I,

I, I found this one in my research.

I've never actually read this.

I'm gonna be very honest with you.

The Financial Stewardship Bible by Chuck Bentley.

I think that is a good place to start.

Hey, another you can do, listen to my show, listen to Christian Finance Podcast

and find YouTube channels to subscribe to and continue to join me daily.

That will be a great start.

Another you can consider, Nancy is doing online courses.

You know, enroll in online courses that teach biblical financial principles.

Maybe you join a book club, join or start a book club with with

friends that focus on books about Christian financial stewardship.

Now let's move on to step number five, and that is review your financial goals

and budget with a steward's heart.

Yes, that is the key.

It's that budgeting with a steward's heart.

So Nancy.

Take a moment each day to remind yourself what are your financial

goals and review your budget.

Now, I'm assuming you have one.

If you don't have a budget, this is the time to make sure you build one.

You're gonna lose points at Ralph if you don't have that budget.

But approach this as a responsible steward of God's resources because it's all his.

Let's look to the Bible.

The Book of Luke, chapter 1428 says, suppose one of you wants to build a tower.

I want you to first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you

have enough money to complete it.

Our world needs to work.

Our financial world needs to work the same way.

Do we have enough?

Do we budget?

So Nancy, here are some very practical tips to build that stewardship

heart and to build that mentality.

One of the things that I'm gonna recommend is start by creating a vision board.

Now, I've never actually built a vision board.

I know a lot of people, I watch some YouTubers that do this, but create a

vision board for your financial goals.

Might include pictures of what you're saving for, like a home.

Maybe put that on the vision board or an education or retirement.

See.

Most of us are visual and we find motivation in visualizing things.

Another big thing I'm gonna encourage you to do is use a goal tracker or an app or

a spreadsheet even to keep track of your progress towards your financial goals.

I had a client one time, he got one of those big pieces of poster board and

he had a goal to to build a savings account, and he got a red marker and

every time he put money in that, he would just take that red marker and

add up till he got to the top of that.

But see it, view it, make it a reality for yourself by envisioning

what it's like to get there.

Another thing I'm gonna encourage you to do is have a monthly review.

In addition to those daily reviews, have a more in depth monthly review of

your budget and the goals at the end of each month, because you might find

that you need to tweak some things.

You might find that you, Hey, look, I'm, I'm saving a lot more money.

I can put more money in savings.

I can put more money in, in debt reduction.

I can put more money to charity.

We'll talk about that in a little bit.

Another I'm gonna encourage you to do, and I can't undersell this one,

find an accountability partner.

It is true if you find somebody to help you and you share your financial

goals with them, maybe it's a trusted friend or a family member who can hold

you accountable and provide support.

You are going to be more successful.

The people that I see, it's kind of like the AA model, you

know, alcoholics Anonymous.

They partner with somebody, they have a sponsor.

Because the truth is that if you have somebody to answer to, if you have

somebody that will hold you accountable and you have somebody that will support

you, you're more likely to be successful.

So now let's look at step number six, and that's take one.

Actionable step towards a financial goal or reducing your debt.

Nancy, you've gotta commit to doing one small thing each day that

moves you closer to your financial goal or helps you reduce debt.

It's all about building that habit.

Because this is critical.

If you wanna change your dynamic, and that's the whole point of today's

show, how do you gain that confidence?

If you wanna change that dynamic, you gotta start working on it.

You gotta put in the reps. The book of Proverbs, chapter 1311

says this, dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money,

little by little, makes it grow.

So Nancy, I've got a few practical tips here to share with you as well.

Maybe use the debt snowball method.

Make a make a list of all your debts from the smallest to largest, and focus on

paying off the smallest debt first while making minimum payments on the others.

That's something you can look at every day.

This is a great time to also consider making extra payments.

You know, whether you have extra money applied towards your debt.

Even small amounts of money can make a difference over time.

If you've got that credit card debt or if you've got that personal loan

debt and you're starting to see some savings will start rolling that.

Into reducing your debt.

If you got a mortgage, and I've talked about this on the show before, start

making extra payments on your mortgage.

Build that emergency fund.

There is a whole host of things that you can do to start that, that daily habit.

Nothing you might wanna consider is work on negotiating your bills.

Call your service providers, negotiate lower terms or, or better rates.

Hey.

All you can do is ask.

The worst thing you can do is tell you no nothing.

And I talk about this on the show all the time.

If you're really struggling to bring in the revenue side of this, maybe

you consider starting a side hustle to generate some extra income, and that can

be used to help pay off your debt or, or save towards those financial goals.

And now my final step number seven, and this one is the pinnacle

of what I want to talk today.

Practice contentment and look for opportunities to give.

Now, Nancy, the best way to find confidence is to cultivate a daily

mindset of contentment with what God has and then actively seek

opportunities to be generous.

Now, you might be saying, Ralph, that seems very counterintuitive and it

is for those who don't have faith.

But this is the secret sauce.

If you wanna find true financial peace, it starts with finding

contentment and given to others.

Remember, it's not yours in the first place.

God has given you a loan, and it's your responsibility to manage that.

Look at the book of Philippians, chapter four, verses 11 or 13.

It says this, I am not saying this because I am in need for, I have learned

to be content, whatever the circumstance is, and I love the end of this.

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

What a powerful verse.

It's one we all need to commit to memory.

This is a, there, there is great power in memorizing scripture.

But again, that's a topic for another day.

But that is a beautiful one.

So Nancy, here are some practical tips to help you find and practice contentment.

Build those giving plans.

One of the things I'm gonna highly recommend is starting a Gratitude journal.

Keep a gratitude journal where you write down things that

you're thankful for each day.

Listen, I've done this myself, and it makes you really appreciate

what you've already got.

It is so easy in our culture to think about what we don't have, but

how many times do we just sit down in the quietness, in the still?

Thank God for what we already have.

Make a list of that.

Make a daily habit of that.

Another great idea is to practice what I'll call random acts of kindness.

Now, you've heard about this on the movies and online, but practice random acts of

kindness such as maybe buy someone a cup of coffee or, or donate to a charity.

This can have a huge impact, not only on them, but on you,

because it builds confidence.

It builds that steward's heart.

Maybe a starter, increase your tithing, maybe set aside a portion

of your income to give to your church or other charitable organizations.

Maybe you've never even thought about tithing.

You're like, Rob, man, I'm at Harley able to make my bills now,

and you're telling me to give.

Yes, I'm telling you to give.

If you start that habit, and I'm not telling you to give everything you have.

Build it into your budget, build it into your intentional spending plan.

And listen, it doesn't have to be money.

You can also volunteer your time and and volunteer your talents to help others.

And this can provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

I. Nancy, the power of faith in overcoming financial fear and

anxiety cannot be overstated.

By placing trust in God's provision and plan, you can find strength, you can find

peace, and you can find a renewed sense of control in managing your finances.

See, faith helps us cope with financial anxiety by fostering

hope and a deep seated trust.

God will provide for our needs.

See, financial hardships from a Christian perspective can even be viewed as

opportunities for spiritual growth.

Yes, you heard me right and in deepening our reliance on God.

Look at the book of Matthew chapter six verses.

25 to 34.

It encourages believers not to worry about tomorrow, trusting that God

will provide for their daily needs.

Now, I didn't quote the whole scripture today, but I'm

encourage you to go read it.

That's Matthew 6 25 to 34, and look back at Philippians four 19.

It offers this comforting promise.

And today's show is all about building that confidence, which I think

goes into building that comfort.

And this is what Philippians four 19 says.

It says, and my God will meet all your needs.

Not some of your needs, not a couple of your needs, not most of your needs.

It is very direct what scripture says.

It says, and God will meet all your needs according to the riches

of his glory in Christ Jesus.

And look at Hebrews 13, five, and I love this one.

It says, keep your lives free from the love of money and be

content with what you have.

Because God has said, never will I leave you.

Never will I forsake you.

Let me read that again.

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.

And this is the beautiful part.

God has said, never will I leave you.

Never will I forsake you.

And see, this is why I do a faith-based show.

Because faith provides a framework for understanding financial challenges

within a larger spiritual context.

It offers comfort and perspective that goes beyond immediate circumstances.

The belief in God's ultimate plan and his promise of provision can

significantly reduce anxiety about the uncertainties of the financial future.

Man, you've gotta have, we call it in the church Blessed Assurance.

So Nancy, today we've discussed seven daily steps to help you rebuild your

financial confidence by consistently applying these steps grounded in

unwavering principles of Christian faith.

And by doing this, you can cultivate greater financial confidence and

experience a deeper sense of peace.

Remember.

This is not a destination to be reached overnight.

I wish I could tell you that if you did all these things in the next seven

days, man, you are gonna have a miracle.

I'm not one of those prosperity preachers.

It's not gonna work like that.

This is not a destination that you're going to reach overnight, but if

you continue this ongoing process of daily growth and daily learning.

You'll get there because God's grace and guidance are available

at every step of the journey.

You know, start by incorporating one of one or two of these steps into

your daily routine, and then gradually add others as they become comfortable

and with perseverance, with faith and a commitment to these daily

practices, a confident and peaceful financial future is within your reach.

Let me ask you this, which of these steps resonates with you the most?

What's one step you can commit to starting today?

I wanna encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter.

You can do that by going to askralphpodcast.com/newsletter.

That's a great way to start that daily thing There, you're gonna find resources

and support to help you on your financial journey, and by signing up for our

newsletter, we're gonna keep you informed.

We're gonna keep you motivated, and we're gonna give you the support to

take those steps that you need to take towards that financial confidence.

So Nancy.

Let's get into our reflection question.

Let's start with this.

What is one financial area where you feel most overwhelmed?

How do you, how do you address that?

And how can you incorporate prayer into managing this area?

Nothing.

I'm gonna encourage you to ask yourself this question, how can tracking your

income and expenses with gratitude change your perspective on finances?

And finally, my last reflection question today is, what small step

can you take today to save money?

Even if it's just a little bit?

You gotta start now.

Start today.

If you've listened to the show today, I hope it has sunk in with you.

Now let's get to my key takeaways, and I'm gonna just go through these real quick.

Begin each day with prayer seeking God's wisdom for your financial decisions.

Track your income and expenses with gratitude and awareness.

Save a portion of your income no matter how small.

Trusting in God's provision, learn one biblical money Principle or practical

tip, each day review your financial goals and budget with a steward's heart

and take one actionable step towards a financial goal or reducing debt.

Each day.

And then my big takeaway here is practice contentment and

look for opportunities to give.

That's the secret sauce to the whole thing.

Now, tomorrow we're gonna discuss how you can secure your retirement.

I'm gonna give you 10 powerful steps to never run out of money.

That's the biggest fear that I hear from people as they get ready for retirement.

They say, Ralph, I'm so worried about running outta money.

Well tomorrow we're gonna handle that.

So be sure to join me for another great topic.

And I just want to thank you for your time today.

Remember, my passion is to help you achieve financial success.

I wanna see you live out your dreams and I wanna see you grow in your faith.

And I know working together we can master your finances

from a Christian perspective.

So as I always end this show.

There is hope and I'm gonna add a piece of this.

Stay financially savvy and God bless you.

Now do something and start that habit today.

I hope you have a great day.