"We are going out to Outback for dinner tonight," Sue mentioned cheerfully while we were working in the nursery together one Sunday morning.

I must have had a surprised look on my face because she quickly added, "We just got our tax return."

I pinched my lips together. Mike and I had done several financial counseling sessions with Sue, and her husband, Bob. They were constantly spending more money than they had, landing in debt to creditors and family members. Each year, I watched their tax return disappear in days, always going toward things I would consider frivolous.

But, how people spend their tax return is their own business, isn't it?

Maybe not. How we spend our money is always God's business. So how can we honor the Lord by how we spend our tax return?

 How should I spend my tax return?

 Your tax return should be spend as prayerfully and carefuly as you spend the rest of your income. This is money you have paid the government, or your employor has paid the government for you, not a windfall of free money. As with all tthings financial, your tax return belongs to the Lord.

Should I tithe from my tax return?

That depends on whether you tithe from your gross or net income. Your gross income is the money you make before the U.S. government takes its cut through taxes. Net income is your income after taxes are paid. If you are self-employed, you are more likely to tithe from your gross income before you pay your taxes. The return you get has already been tithed from, but you might give an offering.

If you work for a company, you probably don't even see your gross income because the company pays the taxes you owe to the government before they write your paycheck. If you tithe from your net income, then you should tithe from your tax refund.

Should I pay off debt with my tax return?

This is a great way to spend your tax return. If you don't need to use this money to pay bills, you should pay off debt with your tax refund. You can throw a large chunk of money at debt, making a huge difference toward the process of becoming debt-free. If you are paying a mortgage on your home, consider putting some or all of your tax refund toward paying off you house. For many Christians, a mortgage is their only debt. What a great way to work toward being completely debt-free.

If your refund check is large enough, you may be able to elimiate an entire debt such as an old medical bill or school loan.

"All my money is gone," my friend moaned, rubbing his hands over his face as if to erase the pain of the dreadful reality he was facing.

"All of it?" I asked with a little bit of trepidation. He was the father of four children and the husband of a very pregnant wife. I was mentally trying to fit them into our already filled household so that they would not end up on the street. Was this just a matter of God not providing on their behalf or was this a demonic attack?

There was an awkward silence that followed which I finally broke.

"What happened to all that money?" I asked the thirty-two year old man in front of me. My question caused tears to stream down his face and I felt terrible asking.

"I don't know. I just don't know."

Tim's Story

Here is what happened. Tim had been in a car accident, had to stop working, and ended up foreclosing on his house. HIs wife worked for awhile, but was soon pregnant again with complications that required her to stay home. But God did not forget this young family. The insurance company gave Tim a sizable settlement that was five times the amount of money he made in a year. Six months later, it was all gone and they were back in the same situation they found themselves six months after his accident. If you could have been a mouse in Tim's pocket, you would have watched the money eek out toward bills, vacations, needed clothing, needed medical expenses, and many items that Tim had always dreamed of owning (cars, computers, sound equipment, video camera, and a motorcycle).

Was Tim experiencing bad luck? Did TIm just lack wisdom with money? Had God abandoned him? Was there sin in his life that the Lord was punishing?

My immediate suspicion was a spirit of poverty. What? A spirit of poverty? Yes. Let me explain.

Patterns of Poverty

Upon investigation, I found that a pattern emerged in Tim's life. Whenever there was a large financial gift or windfall of money, it always completely disappeared. It was often spent on "necessities" or things that Tim just couldn't live without. When the money was gone, many of the items purchased ended up breaking, being lost, or sold. It seemed to be a pattern that after the money was gone, there was nothing to show for it!

Walt's Story

Walt was a completely different story. He had an ability to make wealth. Whenever he came across a little extra money, he put it aside and let it grow. When there was enough, he would invest in something with the money. Walt started businesses, bought homes, and sent his kids to college debt-free. He never made a truckload of money, but he managed it well.

Often, I could only imagine what Walt could have done with Tim's money (the insurance settlement, several inheritances, and many large tax refunds). Why did it seem to take so much more money to keep Tim afloat than it did Walt, and, at a lower standard of living?

The Monkey on our Backs

Should I re-title this article?" I thought to myself, "Because everyone I know thinks that they don't make enough money. They will read the title and think that there is no way they can live below their means."

Is this an impossible dream or can people on less-than-desirable incomes live below their means? This is an important concept to address because it is one of the secrets to financial success, along with seeking the Kingdom first and delaying gratification.

If you are living beyond your means, you have accumulated debt because you are spending more than you earn. If you have debt, becoming debt free will necessitate you living below your means and using the extra money to pay off debt. It always costs more money to be in debt, so get rid of the debt and begin to live below your means.

Taking the Second Step in Financial Maturity

"Well, we live within our means," you might say. "We have no debts, but we have a hard time saving any money." That is a good step toward the goal of living below your means, but it isn't good enough. You see, if you are living within your means, you have nothing saved up for your retirement and nothing left over to give away (I'm not talking about tithing--that should be done first!).

To live in financial freedom, we must learn to live below our income. The extra money we find can go to our savings account for future purchases and investments. The eventual goal for the Christian is to be dependent on no one, but to pull our own weight, financially and otherwise. We also want to be able to give to the poor.

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each of us should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each should carry his own load," (Galatians 6:2-5 NIV).

Last time we talked about reasons to start your own business and pitfalls in Starting Your Own Business I. Today, let's talk about character traits of a good businesswoman and choosing what kind of business to start.

Upbeat/Positive Attitude

Starting a business requires faith in God. It is hard, if not impossible to start a business if you are not trusting God, knowing you can trust Him no matter what.

My friend, Brad, lost his job and, a month later, got into a car accident. Both times, he kept his eyes on the Lord, proclaiming to all who would listen, "God allowed this to happen. So He will bring good out of these situations." His faith encouraged others, but more importantly his faith sustained him through the trials. He believed that God keeps His promises even when bad things happen.

If you start a business, bad things will happen sometimes. Customers won't pay, orders will be lost, mistakes will be made, sales might slow down--will you keep your eyes on Jesus when these things happen or give in to worry?

Integrity

My husband, Mike Curtis is the most godly man that I have ever met. He has never told a lie, cheated on someone, taken revenge, or done a dishonest thing in his business. As a result, customers trust him to keep his word and do good work. They know that they get what they pay for because he is trustworthy. Can people trust you? Are you a woman of integrity? Are you tempted to cheat, steal, or lie? Do you give in to temptation in these areas?

Walk uprightly with the Lord and God will bless you in all your ways, including your business. Have a reputation that is above reproach. God will take care of your business if you honor His Name. A good reputation will not only be good for your business, but will bring glory to God!

Hard Work

"What are you doing tomorrow afternoon?" I asked my friend, Zack, a young man of eighteen.

"We're going over to my grandparents' house to do some lawn work for them," he answered with a big smile.

"That is so sweet of you!" I commended him. I silently made note that his attitude at serving and working hard was different than other young men his age and I told him so. I was impressed.

"Oh, I enjoy hard work," he grinned.

Wow! Someone who enjoys hard work is miles ahead of the game. Learn to love working hard. Profitable businesses are built by hard work. If you are considering starting your own business, plan to work very hard!

Going the Extra Mile!

With the economy shaky, many businesses are downsizing. Our children's soccer coach lost his job a year ago and is starting his own personal training for children business. He is now leading our homeschool coop's P.E. class. One of my musicians (I am a worship leader) injured his back and is starting a T-Shirt company. His designs are amazing and I look forward to wearing his products. After months of job searching to no avail, my niece is beginning to sell Avon. Our pilot friends lost his job in flight instruction and has started a home improvement and repair company.

My husband and I have had a family business since the early nineties, enjoying the joys and challenges of self-employment. Several years ago, we incorporated our business, making it an umbrella for several businesses, including my new publishing company, Powerline Productions, that my friend, Laura and I are getting off the ground.

It seems that I am surrounded by people who have, or are starting, their own businesses!

Reasons for Starting Your Own Business

Reasons abound for starting your own business. What a blessing it would be to be your own boss and have a flexible schedule. You could plan your work hours around the children's school hours and family needs. There is potential to make more money, thus sowing more into the Kingdom of God. You also have the opportunity to cultivate your own leadership skills and impact employees and customers. There is so much to make starting your own business attractive, why doesn't everyone start their own business?

Here is a little reality check. If you are used to working nine to five, or some other forty hour a week job, starting a business will be a shock. Most business owners put in at least 70 to 80 hours a week, especially when they are getting their business off the ground. Many times, there is no profit (and thus, no paycheck) for two to three years. There are, of course, exceptions to this, but, for the most part, starting your own business is a huge undertaking, best begun with lots of prayer and clear direction from God.

"There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD," (Proverbs 21:30 NIV).

The most important reason to start your own business is that God calls you to start a business. His heart and plan is for you to be blessed so that you can be a blessing to those around you. If God's plan and destiny for your life includes starting your own business, it will impact the people around you for His glory. That doesn't mean that it has to be a ministry, but that you minister through it to your employees and customers. Don't even try to start a business that isn't God's will or plan for your life. If a business doesn't honor the Lord, it is not God's will.

"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed," (Proverbs 15:22 NIV).

Get counsel from trusted friends and family members before beginning your own business. What do they think? Write down their counsel and prayerfully consider it! It is good to talk to mature Christians, other business owners, and people who know the real you to get a broad range of counsel and insight.

Pitfalls to Owning Your Own Business

Before we talk about the character traits necessary to owning your own business, let's talk about three very big character flaws that cause problems for business owners. If you see yourself in these pitfalls, don't despair. The Lord can change and mature us in Him. Work on these areas and get them straightened out before you start your own business. I have seen these three things cause businesses to fail.

They were back in Israel after a long journey. There was no money left and enough food for one more meal. Ruth tried not to think of her hometown in Moab, but she felt a little scared. She had promised her mother-in-law, Naomi, that she would never leave her, she had chosen to follow the God of Israel, and had trusted Him to take care of the two of them. Had God brought them this far to die?

"I will go get a job," Ruth announced the next morning. She was putting on a brave front, but inside she doubted that anyone would hire a foreigner.

That morning, Naomi patiently explained the gleaning laws to Ruth. Ruth relaxed and set off for the field of Boaz, a member of Naomi's family. She would glean in his field and there would be plenty of food for both women. 

What is Gleaning?

"When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen.Leave them for the poor adn the alien. I am the Lord your God," (Leviticus 19:9-10 NIV).

The gleaning law fascinates me! It is so creative and makes so much sense. What a great way to take care of the poor and unemployed.  

Imagine that you are a farmer or a vineyard owner. You are gathering in your harvest, trying to get every piece of fruit, grain, or crop that you can. You end up missing some. And, some of your harvest falls while you are transporting it to the storehouse.

What should you do? It would be a lot of work to go back over the field, especially because you just went through the whole field or vineyard. So, you LEAVE it for the poor.

The poor, unemployed, and foreigners can now come through and gather what is left. The poor people follow behind the workers and pick up what is left behind.

Here is what is so wonderful about the gleaning law.

• The poor are given food
• They work to provide it (it is not getting something for nothing)
• The poor are required to work
• The farmer doesn't have to collect the food for them
• There is no paperwork or forms to fill out
• The field or vineyard is left clean and tidy

What a great idea that the Lord had when he made up the gleaning law. It fulfills all His commands ("He who doesn't work doesn't eat" and "Take care of the poor"). God is so wise and amazing.

Fruit of the Gleaning Law