What happens when we never define enough? For many of us, it becomes pressure, always pushing us toward more, yet never delivering on the peace that it promises. Here at Faith Phi, we want to help believers discover true contentment. That's why for a limited time, when you become a FaithPhi partner, you'll receive our first ever Faith Phi field guide, How Much Money is Enough, an interactive resource designed to help you define enough through biblical wisdom. Your gift of $35 a month or $400 a year helps sustain a ministry that's equipping believers every single day through radio, digital tools, and trusted biblical resources.
Give by May 31st to become a FaithPhi partner and help point hearts toward what truly lasts. To become a partner, visit faith5.com slash give. That's faithfi.com slash give. Yeah. What if the question, how much is enough, isn't really about money at all?
Hi, I'm Rob West. It's a question many of us wrestle with, especially in a world that always pushes us toward more. Today, Taylor Stanrich joins us to explore why enough is less about numbers and more about the heart, and how that changes everything from contentment to generosity. Then we'll tackle your calls at 800-525-7000. This is Faith and Finance, biblical wisdom for your financial journey.
Well, it's always great to have Taylor Standrich in the studio. He's our production manager here at Faith Phi and a frequent contributor to the content that helps guide so many of these conversations. Taylor, great to have you back. Thanks, Rob. It's always a joy to be here.
Taylor, you shared some powerful insights in our first ever field guide, How Much Money is Enough, and I'd love to explore them with you a bit. At first glance, that question sounds like it's financial, but is it possible we're actually asking the wrong question?
Well, that's precisely the point that I make as you enter into that field guide, because it sounds like it's financial. Because the question that we have on the front is how much money is enough. But I think scripture is actually inviting us to look at the heart. Because when we think about enough, it's often about reaching a certain number, whether that's an income level, a net worth, a sense of comfort. But the Bible rarely treats that question that way.
It actually is pointing us to what's happening beneath the surface, what we trust, what we're chasing, what we believe will finally satisfy us. And I think that challenge is that when more becomes the goal, enough always stays just out of reach because that line keeps moving.
So, that real question that I'm wanting us to ask isn't how much do I need, it's what is my heart relying on. And I think until that is settled, no number is going to feel like enough because we can't expect God to be the source of our peace if the world is the source of our satisfaction. Wow, that is so well said. And so this really isn't a math problem. And if that's true, what is it?
Why does enough always seem just out of reach?
Well, I think it's not a math problem. Just like you said, it's a desire problem. It's about what our heart is oriented towards.
So, scripture is showing us that when our hearts are set on accumulating, satisfaction is always slipping through our fingers. I like the way that Ecclesiastes 5:10 puts it: whoever loves money never has enough. Hear those words again: never has enough. The issue isn't the amount, it's that our desires are expanding right alongside our resources. And I think that's why enough feels so elusive, because as our income grows, so do our expectations.
And what once felt like abundance starts to become normal, and that finish line continues to move further and further away.
So, we end up chasing this target that keeps shifting. And that's not because the numbers are wrong, that's because the heart was never meant to find rest in them. Wow, yeah, that's powerful. And that really sets up your first principle that you write about, Taylor, that enough is ultimately a matter of the heart, not a number.
So, what does that actually look like in every everyday life. Yeah, well, I think in the day-to-day, it shows up in what we look for when it comes to peace and security.
So, two people can have the exact same income, but experience it completely differently. One can feel constant pressure, always needing more to feel secure, while the other one lives with confidence, not because they have more, but it's because their trust is anchored somewhere else. And that's what it means for enough to be a hard issue. It's less about what's in your account, and it's more about what is shaping your sense of security. That's why I'm not a big fan of saying things like financial security or financial peace, because I don't think any of those things should be found in our financial circumstances.
So, practically, on our day-to-day lives, it looks like asking different questions: not how can I get more, but do I trust God with what I have right now? And when our heart shifts like that, the pressure to constantly chase more begins to fade, and contentment actually becomes possible, even without changing the numbers. And Taylor, we see that pattern all through Scripture, don't we? God providing exactly what's needed. Oh, yeah.
I think one of the clearest places we see it's in the wilderness with manna. God is providing for Israel day by day, giving them exactly what they need, but not more than that. You know, if they tried to store it up and take control of their future, it would spoil overnight.
So, this wasn't about food, it was about forming trust. And God was teaching them to depend on Him daily, not to build their own sense of security that is apart from Him. And so, it's a reminder that enough is not found in stockpiling, it's found in trusting that God will provide what we need when we need it. Wow, this is such an important conversation.
Well, when we come back, folks, Taylor will be with us. We'll talk about control. We'll also talk about how all of this leads ultimately to contentment. The question today: how much money is enough? There might be a different answer to that question than you imagine.
We'll be back with Taylor Stanrich, our production manager, right after this. Stick around. We're grateful for support from Guidestone, whose diversified suite of investment solutions align with Christian values to create positive change in the world. More information is available at guidestonefunds.com/slash faith. Investing involves risk, including potential loss of principal.
Carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of Guidestone Funds before investing. They're distributed by Forside Funds Distributors LLC, which is not an advisory affiliate, a registered investment advisor, nor do they provide investment advice. Uh Feeling burdened by credit card debt? As faithful stewards, we are called to manage our finances wisely. Christian Credit Counselors can help with a debt management program that allows you to pay off debt up to 80% faster while honoring your commitments with integrity.
Don't let debt hold you back from the life God has planned for you. Take the first step toward peace and financial freedom today. Visit faithfi.com slash CCC or call 800-557-1985. Enough isn't about reaching the right number. It's about trusting God as our source.
Hi, I'm Rob West, and this is Faith and Finance. Today, we're asking the question: How much is enough? Taylor Standrich joins us to unpack this. He's production manager here at FaithFi and a frequent contributor in all areas of the ministry. And he also participated in writing our brand new field guide on the question: How much money is enough?
Taylor, before the break, we were unpacking these principles. The first of which was that enough is ultimately a matter of the heart, not a number. The second principle is that enough is rooted in stewardship, not ownership. And that's a significant shift. What does that look like in the day-to-day?
Well, I think it changes the starting point.
So instead of saying, What do I own? we begin asking ourselves, What is God entrusted to me?
So, in practice, that means we stop seeing money as something we've earned for ourselves and we start seeing it as something that we're managing on behalf of God and His purposes.
So, the Bible is reminding us daily that everything ultimately belongs to Him. There are so many passages about that.
So, our role is stewardship, not ownership. That's what we say on the program all the time: we're stewards, not owners. And that shift shows up in everyday decisions, whether we're saving, we're giving, we're planning, we're budgeting. We're no longer trying to maximize our lifestyle, we're trying to be faithful with what's been placed in our hands. And I think that also loosens our grip on what we have.
Because when we realize that it's not ours to begin with, we don't have to cling so tightly. We can hold resources with open hands, ready to use them for God's purposes rather than just simply using them for our own comfort. Yeah, Taylor, let's talk about control. You say enough. Is rooted in contentment, not control.
So, where do we feel that tension most?
Well, I think when we're looking ahead, trying to secure our future, because it shows up in questions like: Will I have enough saved? What if something goes wrong? What if this isn't going to be enough later on? And there's that natural desire to eliminate uncertainty and create a sense of control through our resources. But I think God reminds us through His Word that control is an illusion.
That's where contentment comes in. It's not about ignoring the future or avoiding wise planning, it's about recognizing that peace does not come from having every outcome secured. And the tension lives right there. We can plan responsibly, but we don't place our trust in the plan. We trust the one who holds the future.
And that's what allows contentment to take root, even when things feel uncertain. Yeah. We see this show up in Scripture in Luke 12 with the parable of the rich fool. We wrote a whole study on this that you were a part of called Rich Toward God. But what's the key takeaway here?
Yeah, I think when we read that story, we see somebody who's really struggling with that finish line of like, I'm going to build bigger barns. And who's to say that once he earned more, he wouldn't build bigger barns after that? It's a story that is very much about this question of enough. And the key takeaway is that you can be financially successful and spiritually bankrupt at the same time. And so in Luke 12, the rich fool does everything that our culture would applaud.
He plans, he saves, he builds the bigger barns, he's expanding his lifestyle. But Jesus calls him a fool because his entire strategy completely leaves God out of the equation. His sense of security is rooted in what he has stored up, not in his relationship with God.
So the deeper issue here I want to invite people to look at is not that the wealth is the problem, it's the assumption that more can secure our future. And so Jesus ends with the sobering line that we called our study. This is what it looks like to store up treasure for yourself, but not be rich toward God. You know, I like the way that Thomas Watson puts it in his book, The Art of Divine Control. Contentment.
He says a contented Christian carries heaven with him. And that's the other side of the equation.
Somebody who's storing up treasure here on earth versus somebody who understands that ultimately what lasts is what we store in heaven.
So the key takeaway is simple. If our enough is built on accumulation rather than our relationship with God, it will never hold. Wow. Yeah. God is our ultimate treasure.
And so the goal, living rich toward God, treasuring God above everything else. And that leads right down the road then to one of the big ideas we see in scripture around money management, and that's contentment.
So talk about what it looks like to live content. I think it means that your sense of peace doesn't rise and fall with your income or your savings or what's happening around you. You know, Paul describes in Philippians 4, he describes contentment as a secret. It's learning to be at peace in both abundance and need because your strength is rooted in Christ, not your situation. I really like the way that Elizabeth Elliott put it.
She said, the secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances. And I think practically that shows up in small daily ways, whether that's being grateful for what you have, resisting the pull to compare, and not feeling like you have to upgrade your life every time your income increases. You know, I love the way that a pastor told me this when he said, confidence is not going into a room thinking that you have more or are better than anybody else. It's being able to go into a room and not compare yourself at all. You know, contentment doesn't mean to have a passive attitude or to certainly have no ambition.
It means that our identity and our security are settled. Those are not placed in what we do.
So instead of constantly asking what's next, you're able to say, what I have today is enough for what God has called me to right now. And I think one line that really sticks out that I really hope listeners take away from this field guide is that when Christ is sufficient, our circumstances do not have to be. Wow. If we lived out of that understanding, it would be a game changer in all facets of life, but certainly in this area of money management. All right.
The last principle you point out is that enough is about purpose, not possessions.
So what's money really for then? Yeah, I think what we say on the show all the time: money is ultimately a tool, not a destination. And so, scripture reframes it in this way: money is not meant to define our lives through what we accumulate, it's meant to serve God's purposes through how we use it. And Jesus makes it clear that when he says, Life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. And so, many of us might read that and think, Well, what is it for then?
Well, it's for caring for our families, it's for meeting real needs, it's for supporting the work that God is doing, and it's also for participating in something that is bigger than ourselves. And when purpose becomes the focus, I think that's when everything changes because we're not just gathering endlessly, we're beginning to look through the lens of saying, How can I use what I've been given faithfully? I'm not just looking at how much I can gather, like the manna in heaven where I'm trying to secure that next day. And enough becomes clear when we start asking better questions. It's not when we've accumulated everything we want, it's when we have what we need to fulfill what God has called us to do.
Wow. That is a big idea.
Well, Taylor, we're about out of time. What's one thing you hope listeners walk away with from today's conversation? I would say this: enough is not something you discover by reaching a number. It is something you experience when your life is aligned with God. And when your heart is anchored in Him, you start to see Him as your ultimate treasure.
When you're trusting Him day by day, and your security is in Him, your resources will then, as a result, be directed to His purposes. And I think the result of that is not restriction. I think it's true freedom: freedom from constantly having to chase after more, freedom from comparing ourselves to others, freedom from fear about the future, and freedom to live open-handed, using what you've been given for something that actually lasts.
So, at the end of the day, we're not going to ask ourselves how much is enough, because the first question really is: who is enough? Oh, wow. That is so good. It's not about a number, it's a person, and his name is Jesus Taylor. Thanks for being with us today.
This was incredible. Oh, Rob, it's always a pleasure to be here. Our guest today has been, well, no guest at all. He's a key part of our team, Taylor Stanrich. He's production manager and frequent contributor here at FaithFi.
He has a hand in just about everything we do, and that certainly includes our Faith Phi field guide on how much money is enough. Field Guides are a brand new resource designed to help you work through financial questions in a practical way, grounded in biblical wisdom. You can become a FaithFi partner and get every new resource at faith5.com/slash give. We'll be right back. The freedom you're looking for may begin with one question: How much is enough?
That's why we created the Faith Five Field Guide: How Much Money is Enough, a scripture-centered resource designed to help believers just like you find contentment through biblical wisdom. When you become a Faith 5 partner by May 31st with a gift of $35 a month or $400 a year, you'll receive this field guide as our way of saying thank you. You can visit faithfi.com/slash give today. That's faithfi.com slash give. Uh Faith in Finance is grateful for support from Sound Mind Investing.
For more than 30 years, they've offered financial wisdom for living well. SMI provides step-by-step guidance for do-it-yourself investors, from those just getting started to those getting ready for retirement. More information, including a short video webinar on profit and peace of mind no matter what's happening in the market, is available at soundmindinvesting.org. Great to have you with us today on Faith and Finance. We're taking your calls at 800-525-7000.
Let's go to Tennessee. Mary, go ahead. Yes, um, I was calling to find out about um precious metals and also opinions if any of those have value and how I would navigate precious metals as far as that goes.
Okay. Yeah. So you're just wondering what place should precious metals have in your investment portfolio? Yeah, so how I would find out the value of things I already have. Oh, okay.
So, what do you have? Do you have bars or coins or something else? Coins.
Okay. Yeah. So the interesting thing about coins is, you know, it's not just about the metal itself. You know, you would want to look at the boolean value of what you have, so the actual weight of the precious metal, whether it's gold or silver. And then you want to look separately at what's called the collector value.
Because the numismatic value has to do with the fact that this is a collectible. And there is a person called a numismatist who is somebody who is skilled at evaluating the value of what you've got. And you would want to get a couple of opinions on that, and you may even want to get it appraised. Uh by somebody who's independent. And you could start with a local coin shop.
And I'd do some research to see the reputation online of the coin dealer near you. But they could begin to weigh in on here's the boolean value, here's the collector value. And again, I would get two to three quotes before you did anything. You could also explore one of the major online dealers. And I would read a lot of reviews there as well.
Now, if you go with one of them, you're going to have to ship it to them and they're going to have to process it. And that requires trust and, most importantly, insurance on what you're sending. That's why the local option is also, you know, much simpler. And, you know, if you go to somebody who's reputable, you could still do well in terms of the price. But you need to find somebody who can help you understand what you have, how rare it is, and therefore how valuable it is.
And if you end up determining you do, in fact, have rare and valuable coins, then you're probably going to want to work with one of the auction houses. But you need to start by getting some intel on what you actually have by somebody who's knowledgeable. Does that make sense? And if you're trying to invest in things like precious metals like gold or silver, how do you navigate that part of it? Yeah, it's a good question.
So I would typically recommend: you know, you have. For most people, a 5% allocation is right. Because remember, gold and silver are more volatile than stocks and bonds historically. and they don't pay any income. But I think they have a place.
And so I generally recommend you have as a starting point what I call a 5% forever allocation. And that is usually with the physical metal. You buy it, you keep it for life, and you pass it down. And then, if you want to dial that up to a full 10% position, which I wouldn't go above that for most people. I would do that second 5% with an exchange-traded fund that tracks the price of the metal, but without you having to take possession, the biggest in the world is GLD, and then the one right behind it, the symbol is IAU.
Hopefully, that gives you some insights. Thanks for your call, Mary. But let's go out to Texas. Michelle, thanks for your patience. Go ahead.
Absolutely. Thank you for taking my call. I appreciate your show. I'm a 59-year-old woman. My husband passed away about a year and a half ago.
The other day I was listening to your program and you had mentioned a book that you were going to send somebody. It had to do with um Finances and widows. Yes. And then I would also like to know if. You can recommend.
I would like to get in touch with the CFP out in my area. Um just to be able to look ahead and I'm working for the first time in thirty-five years outside of the home, and I just need to be able to ask some questions as someone that is trusted from a biblical perspective. Yes. Well, first of all, Michelle, I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's passing, and I'd be delighted to help. In fact, that book that you referenced is a great resource, and I'd be thrilled to be able to send it to you as our gift.
It's called Wise Women Managing Money: Expert Advice on Debt, Wealth, Budgeting, and More. It's by mom and daughter Miriam Neff. And Valerie Neff Hogan. Valerie Neff is an attorney, but also a wealth manager. And her mom, Miriam, who lost her husband a couple of decades ago, they started a ministry called Widow Connection and wrote this book, which is, I think, just one of the more fabulous books for somebody who has been thrust into this role of now managing the finances after the loss of a spouse.
And I think it'll be a real encouragement to you, Michelle.
So I'll send it to you. The other thing I would point you to is.
Someone named Rachel Faulkner Brown. Rachel is fabulous. She has an incredible story as a widow, speaks a lot, has a devotional called Widow's Might. It's a 365-day devotional that if you wanted to pick it up, I think you'd be really encouraged by it. It's daily encouragement, scripture.
Hundreds of widow reflections. She lost two husbands and has really just leaned into what God has given her in terms of a ministry coming alongside other widows. And again, her name is Rachel Faulkner Brown. But we'll get Wise Women Managing Money right out to you. I love your idea of you putting together some trusted counsel, including an advisor.
And, you know, I think that is so key for somebody who can journey alongside you in the decision-making that you have and the management of the resources God has given you. And what I would recommend is that you reach out to a certified kingdom advisor, somebody in your area, they're in Texas, who not only is a CFP, but also a certified kingdom advisor, which means you'll know that they share your values as a Christ follower. They've met high standards in character and competence and experience, and they've been trained to bring biblically wise financial advice. And the way to find a CKA, Michelle, in your area is just to go to the website findacka.com. You can do a zip code search and you'll get a list of all the certified kingdom advisors near you.
Terrific. Thank you so very much. And I hope to be able to share that with others in my same situation. Awesome. Listen, stay on the line.
We're going to get your information and we will get Wise Women Managing Money out to you. And if you check that website, you can find a CK near you. Thanks for your call today. Hey, let me finish today by just saying thanks for being on the program. Thanks for listening and calling.
So many of you are such an encouragement, even our callers today, just sharing how this program has been a blessing to you. Here's what we would ask of you. If you found this program to be a blessing or you want to help us reach more people with this message, the way to do that is to become a FaithFi partner. This is the lifeblood of our ministry, those who support us at $35 a month or more. You can become a partner at faith5.com.
Just click give and we'll send you four issues of Faithful Stewart, our magazine, plus all of our studies and devotionals. As soon as they come out, they go to your door. Thanks to my team today. Devin, Sandy, Jim. Check us out at faithfy.com and we'll see you tomorrow.
Bye-bye. Faith in Finance is provided by Faith Buy and listeners like you.
