The money hits your account on Friday. By Wednesday, you're wondering where it went.
If you were with me back in January, you'll remember I shared about my parents' approach to stewardship — my father's radical generosity and my mother's practical envelope system. Today, I'm writing about why adequate income somehow “never” stretches to the next payday.
The refrigerator breaks. The car needs tires. School expenses appear. Before you know it, you're juggling bills and praying for financial miracles.
Here's the uncomfortable truth I've had to face: The problem often isn't the size of our paycheck; it's our relationship with money and how we manage what God has already provided.
What Your Budget Reveals
Jesus taught something radical in Matt. 6:31–33: "Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
God already knows what we need. He promises provision for those who prioritize His kingdom. However, provision doesn't mean God will magically make money appear. Rather, He gives us the capacity to earn, the wisdom to manage and the discipline to multiply what He provides.
Our budget — how we actually spend our money — reveals what we truly believe about God's provision. We may say we trust God, but our purchasing patterns tell the real story.
What Works Against Us
Why does enough rarely feel like enough? I've been thinking about this lately. Several forces work against our fixed income. Lifestyle inflation means that as income grows, spending grows faster. Social media shows us what others have, creating artificial "needs." Small unconsidered purchases drain hundreds monthly. Many of us weren't taught how money actually works.
Each of these works against the financial margin we need for generous, joyful stewardship.
My Mother's System
Remember my mother's envelope system from January? Let me show you how it worked.
When my father's modest pastoral salary arrived, my mother had already planned its deployment. She used a simple folder with labeled envelopes: tithe, offerings, food, clothing, transportation, education, utilities and, importantly, savings. Each envelope received its predetermined amount. "An empty envelope means no more money for that activity until it's replenished," she would explain.
This wasn't punishment; it was wisdom. It taught us to live within God's provision rather than beyond it.
What made her system brilliant was that she included a savings envelope that received money first, not last. She understood something profound: If we wait to save what's "left over," there rarely is any left over.
The 1/12 Principle I'm Learning
I want to share something practical that's been changing my financial reality: the 1/12 principle.
Save 1/12 — about 8.3% — of your monthly income consistently. This creates a 13th "month" of income within 12 months. Initially, this fund serves as your emergency cushion — the buffer that prevents small crises from becoming financial catastrophes. Later, once you've built adequate reserves, that same discipline becomes your investment fund for future kingdom opportunities.
This isn't about accumulating wealth for its own sake. It's about wise stewardship that creates financial margin for generous living.
Simultaneously, calculate your annual irregular expenses — insurance, vehicle maintenance, holiday giving — and divide by 12. Set aside that monthly amount so you're prepared when these "unexpected" but predictable expenses arrive.
I'll be honest, I'm not perfect at this, but I'm learning.
Creating Margin for Ministry
Financial discipline isn't the goal — it's the pathway. When we manage money wisely, we create margin. That margin provides freedom to respond to Holy Spirit promptings for generosity, capacity to serve without stress and resources for kingdom opportunities.
This connects to our personal relationship and dialogue with God. When we ask, "God, what would You have me do with this?" we need margin to actually respond.
Where to Begin
This month, maybe start your 1/12 savings habit, even with just $50 monthly. Or track one week of spending without judgment — just awareness. Have an honest conversation with God about the difference between your needs and wants.
God provides the capacity to earn. We're called to manage what He provides with wisdom that honors His kingdom. When we do, we discover that enough really is enough.
Every day can be wonderful when we're walking in God's provision with open hands and faithful hearts.
