Ron Blue & Karen Guess
Christian Life
HAVE YOU EVER WORRIED that doubling down on your debt repayment is robbing your family of memories and fun? Or had a major appliance fail, right after splurging on an expensive purchase or vacation? The tension between giving to church or charity and paying for your kids' tuition or sports equipment is real.
Money and life are inextricably linked. They don't run on independent tracks but rather continually exist together, both of them somehow needing to be handled with steady applications of wisdom and biblical integrity, even when they seem in direct competition.
Veteran financial counseloor and trusted author Ron Blue helps you navigate the seeming incompatibilities of money management. His liberating, simplifying analysis breaks down all your financial options to a basic four, then shows you how to adeptly keep them spinning alongside each other without leaving you consumed by confusion or regret--in fact, with all your dreams, plans, and principles still intact.
My Thoughts
I have read several financial planning books over the years but I think I can honestly say that none have ever had the impact that Never Enough has had on my thinking. This isn't a mega book, in fact it comes in at only 213 pages. But those pages pack a punch.
Ron Blue's plan is simple yet complex. He uses the words Live - Give - Owe - Grow to show you how your money works in your life. In fact even if you aren't actively managing it these are still the areas that your money lands in.
During this tax season I particularly appreciated Ron's take on paying taxes. He presented it as a privilege rather than a burden. I honestly have never looked at it in that light but he's absolutely right. I pay taxes because of God's abundant provision in my life.
The other concept that is resonating is that of making more margin in our financial lives. And guess what, he encourages doing it without adding a second job! He uses a pie chart to show you how your money decisions aren't linear but rather circular. For instance you can't overspend on something and just continue on down the line. Instead when you overspend it comes out of the overall pie taking away from another area of your finances. It's an easy concept that makes perfect sense.
If you are looking for a book that will relieve the stress and guilt of money management then this is the one to get. The gentle reminders that God is in control of it all and that you can trust Him in every area of your life are a lovely way to begin setting your financial house in order.
