Stewardship

Stewardship:
1. the position and duties of a steward, a person who acts as the surrogate of another or others, especially by managing property, financial affairs, an estate, etc.
2. the responsible overseeing and protection of something considered worth caring for and preserving

From Dictionary.com
I have been contemplating this topic for a couple of weeks now. Being raised in an evangelical church all of my life, I have only thought about stewardship as related to finances. For the purpose of this blog, that is what I will be focusing on but I also wanted to draw your attention to the definition so you, as well, can look at all areas of your life and see if you are being a good steward with what you have been given.

As I previously posted, Steve & I both make good money so we could not figure out why we were so in debt. What were we doing wrong? We are one full month into using YNAB and it's been very enlightening. By making and (here's the important part) sticking to the budget, we have managed to seriously cut down on random spending, take care of our bills and get to paying down our debt - thank you Lord! We are also living completely on cash which is a whole 'nother experience.

What does all of this have to do with stewardship? Everything! We have been looking not only at our money but also at our resources. Are we using all of our groceries each week or are we throwing the fresh produce out? Could I look at starting a small container garden to help offset costs? Can I quit whining about not being in a detached home in the 5 years that we planned on (I seriously need to work on that one)?

We have been very blessed and as a born-again Christian, God commands me to be a good steward. As Steve and I spoke more about why we are going onto this journey, he came to the conclusion that it is not just about money but about stewardship. It's taking a "big picture" approach to not just our finances, but also to the other areas of our lives that impact - and are impacted by - our finances. It's about recognizing just how blessed we are, and being content in the place God has set us in. And it's about living (not just setting) an example to our girls of how freeing it is to live responsibly.