Close your eyes for a moment and remember when you were a child. How did you play? You used your imagination, of course. You pretended you were a mighty warrior – in your backyard with sticks for swords or via a character in a video game. You reclined at a table, sipping tea as if you were a princess discussing the matters of the kingdom. You dreamed. But soon, dreaming would fade into the background as a new pursuit injected itself into your life: the pursuit of knowledge.

The American public education system is designed around the pursuit of knowledge. Sure, at its fringes are the elective art classes and band practices, but the system has a deep love for math, science, and language. Not that those are bad endeavors – to the contrary, they are building blocks for operating in the world. However, how to apply those building blocks to create something new is hardly ever taught, causing many to think that knowledge is more important than imagination.

The Importance of the Imagination

You might be asking, “Isn’t knowledge power?” Yes, it is, but without imagination, knowledge is power without proper direction.

Why should this topic be important to you? Because it matters in your life. It matters in your finances, in your business pursuits, in how you spend your time, and in your overall purpose in life.

The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. – Albert Einstein

A reason why so many people have expertise in a field but are paid below-average wages is due to a lack of imagination – and perhaps a lack of motivation to become unstuck.

Have I “arrived?” No. I’ll be the first to admit that it’s easier for me to trust in knowledge than in my imagination. But I can tell you, that every time I’ve nurtured and pursued the results of my imagination, I’ve never regretted doing so. Every time I’ve learned a valuable lesson that furthered my pursuits.

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. – Genesis 1:27 NIV

God is the creator of everything. With God being the creator of everything, I don’t have to tell you that God has quite the imagination. While we typically dream up new combinations of already-existing ideas, God makes entirely new things. Yet, God has created us in his image, and I believe he has put a spark of creativity and imagination inside of all of us.

If you’re feeling stuck – stuck in your job, in your life, in your financial situation – perhaps it’s time to take a deep breath and start nurturing your imagination.

How to Nurture Your Imagination

It’s not easy. And for most adults, it requires intentional and focused effort. Children have a much easier time dreaming about all that they could do and grow up to be, but by the time they grow up, many have abandoned their childhood dreams calling them “childish” or “silly.”

It’s time to be childish again. It’s time to be a little silly.

1. Ask “what if” a whole lot.

• What if you could start a business out of your home?
• What if you could build a substantial emergency fund?
• What if you could pay off all of your debt?
• What if you could _______________________? (You fill in the blank.)

Asking “what if” will promote a new measure of faith, and cause you to use your imagination more than ever.

2. Seek out the encouragement of those closest to you.

When you dare to imagine, you leak. You leak your dreams to friends, family, co-workers, you name it. The problem with this is that the imagination doesn’t always render believable pursuits – at least, others might not believe you can make it. Some dreams you should keep to yourself, and only share with those who will honestly assess your ability to pursue them. It’s sad, but true, that some don’t want to see you succeed and escape the fate they believe they’ll have to endure themselves later on down the road.

However, do share your dreams with your spouse, a close family member, or a good longtime friend. They are most likely to encourage you to pursue the results of your imagination – and help you make appropriate tweaks along the way.

3. Be intentional about using your imagination.

You’re an artist. Perhaps not of the van Gogh variety, but certainly one who has a God-given ability to create. Freedom is a beautiful thing, and if you’re fortunate enough to live in a country that allows you to pursue it, do.

You must be intentional about nurturing your imagination. Instead of coming home from work and flipping on the television, read an inspiring book or mark in a diary some ideas you’ve had throughout your day. Do less consuming, and more creating. Find some time each day to brainstorm and discover ways to improve your life, and the lives of others.

Final Thoughts

Too many of us are overwhelmed, stressed out, and held back from nurturing our imaginations. Today, I encourage you to unleash even just a little bit of your creativity. Doing so might result in a boost of productivity, more time for your family, fewer financial struggles, and maybe even a brand new career. You can do it. You can become unstuck. You can imagine new circumstances and pursue them. All you have to do is imagine the possibilities. Cliche, but true.

Do you nurture your imagination? Or, are you simply a data cruncher? What would you like to be, to do, and to affect in this world? Are you living with purpose? Leave a comment!

Have you ever visited a bazaar or market in your local town, or perhaps while on vacation? According to Wikipedia, bazaars can be defined as permanently enclosed merchandising areas, marketplaces, or street shops where goods and services are exchanged and sold. I love visiting bazaars because you can find a lot of local hand-crafted goods.  Not only that, but you support local communities and economies when you buy them.

What if you were able to visit a bazaar online from the convenience of your computer or mobile device? Well, thanks to Zaarly.com, you can. Certainly, there is a lot of fun in visiting local marketplaces in person and no one is saying you can’t still do that. However, I’d like to encourage you to join me as we look at a virtual way of finding local services and products, building relationships with sellers and perhaps someday visiting an online bazaar or sellers across the globe from your iPad. Here’s what the folks at Zaarly are trying to accomplish: “a world where people can discover and interact with each other on a one-to-one basis to buy and sell locally.”

The name comes from “bazaar.” The founders took the word bazaar and shorted it and then added a few letters to the end. Genius! Zaarly is still fairly new. It’s limited to a few cities – San Francisco, New York, Kansas City, Seattle and LA. But don’t worry, they still offer the capability to order from sellers across the nation that provide shipping.

Zaarly Offers Services to Both Buyers and Sellers

Sellers can establish online storefronts after their application is approved. It doesn’t appear this is a high-volume based operation such as Craigslist or eBay. Zaarly is looking for unique qualities. They want only the best service providers and that’s probably why the spend time screening candidates and even helping them establish a storefront with professional photography. Here’s what they say on their website: “Zaarly Storefronts are exclusive to amazing service providers (such as handymen, private chefs, or yoga instructors) or creators of custom-made, unique goods (such as jewelry, clothing, or furniture).

How Does Zaarly Work?

Buying

I decided to do some searching and it automatically aligned me with Kansas City, which is the closest city to me. I decided to search for “repair man” and got 25 results. You can also search by category which includes baking and cooking, creative services, everyday help, home services and repairs, local experiences, business services, event planning and more.

“Junk removal and haul off,” “brake repair” to “three hours of misc home repair” and “chores” were among my repair man search results. Home repair and chores looked interesting and for $77 for three hours of work.

I looked closer. Shane Moore from Kansas City will come to your house and help you with just about any chore or repair around the house. You send Mr. Moore a list. He brings the tools and hard work and you sit back and relax.

But, is he trustworthy? Shane had 10 reviews and among them I found these – “Shane did an outstanding job for me”; “professional, nice guy and hard worker”; “just the best. And super great guy that does fantastic work.” By way of such reviews, you could connect with Mr. Moore, retain his services and have a go-to repair man for the future.

Is it baking and cooking you like? You could have one-on-one meat smoking lessons, a whole smoked pig catered and served to 150 people, or just invite a pro over to your house to grill. The services appear to be endless. Did I mention you can get handmade creations? Custom paracord dog collar, anyone?

Selling

If you can cater to the local market, or can ship your goods, Zaarly is worth checking out. As I mentioned, not just anyone can get a Storefront which I think makes this a little more exciting to try and can set you apart from other local businesses. To get started, you’ll have to apply by submitting your Storefront and listings for approval.

According to Zaarly, getting selected will require a compelling bio that tells your story and why you’re an expert.  They’ll need to know your skills so they can connect you with the right marketplace and potential customers. And you’ll have to create listings (products or services) that customers can simply click on and buy via your Storefront.

What can you do as a seller? You get a virtual storefront where you can sell your items to local people. You’re in complete control of pricing and the jobs you offer. Zaarly manages the payment platform and it’s secured up to $10,000. What I really like is that Zaarly’s editorial team will help you create a story for your Storefront and a professional photographer will help your listings look professional. What more could a local entrepreneur, services provider or craftsman want?

What’s the Cost to Buy or Sell?

It’s quite simple. Zaarly is free for sellers. Buyers are charged a 10% convenience fee when they make purchases – that’s how Zaarly makes their money (more on that below).

Advantages

As with any service, there are advantages and disadvantages. Here are some I would consider if you’re thinking about signing up for Zaarly.

• It’s free to sign up!
• Buyers can find local service providers and build long-term relationships with them. You have the support of community reviews to be confident in what you’re getting.
• Exclusivity also builds confidence for me. Not just anyone can set up a store and sell in this online bazaar. Would you Google a service or try Zaarly? Google provides reviews for local businesses, but again, it’s wide open.
• This goes without saying, but it’s convenient for buyers with mobile apps and the ability to browse market places from any computer.
• Sellers can create a business from their hobbies and skills without having advertising overhead, the cost of their own store. Word can get out fast if you offer high quality products and services!
• As mentioned, you get a professional Storefront with help from the editorial team and professional photographer.
• You don’t have to make payments to sellers or service providers. The entire financial transaction is handled through the website.

Disadvantages

• Zaarly has limited locations. The plans are big, but it’s just not rolled out everywhere yet.  You’ll be searching Zaarly for shippable items if your city isn’t available.
• A 10% fee may be high for some people. Zaarly is offering a premium, high quality service, so I get it. However, this could steer some people away.

Final Thoughts

For me, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. I’m looking forward to learning more about Zaarly and will be excited to see them in my area. For the time being, I’ll browse around more and certainly take a look at shippable items.

I like the idea of building a team of local service providers that I can trust and continue to work with in the future. I can also trust that people will only recommend services providers and products if they’re pleased themselves. There’s nothing like finding providers that your community already trusts. This in itself may be worth the 10% fee.

Will you use Zaarly the next time you need some yard work or perhaps a gift for your spouse? Leave a comment with your thoughts!

At first blush, this question might seem like a no-brainer to readers. But, who are the poor? What does God’s Word say about the poor? How do we effectively help the poor? Let’s dig in!

Who are the poor?

Because all of us come from different backgrounds, cultures, and expectations, what we define as poor, may not actually be poor to others or even in God’s eyes. Determining who the poor really are can become a very subjective exercise. To prevent that we must first establish a common understanding of whom the poor are as presented in the Scriptures.

The two primary Greek words used in the New Testament for the word poor are penichros and ptōchos. Penichros is defined as needy while ptōchos has more severe implications meaning reduced to beggary, destitute of wealth, influence, position, honor, lowly, afflicted, helpless, powerless to accomplish an end, lacking in anything.

John MacArthur writes, “The word commonly used for ordinary poverty was penichros, and is used of the widow Jesus saw giving an offering in the Temple. She had very little, but she did have two small copper coins (see Luke 21:2). She was poor but not a beggar. One who is penichros poor has at least some meager resources. One who is ptōchos poor, however, is completely dependent on others for sustenance. He has absolutely no means of self-support.”

For the purpose of this article, I’ve chosen to focus on the ptōchos poor, those that are helpless and lack everything.

Two Kinds of Poverty

The New Testament describes two kinds of ptōchos poverty:

1.  Materially Poor – But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, . . . . (Matthew 6:3 NIV).

This verse clearly points out the existence of the materially poor. This is not a command to give from Jesus but a description of how we are to give (quietly). This verse primarily strikes at our motive for giving to the poor as it comes in the context of a warning from Jesus to not practice acts of righteousness so that others will notice.

2.  Spiritually Poor – Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3 NIV)

This verse speaks of those who are spiritually poor and how they are blessed because of their poverty.  Matthew Henry’s concise commentary shares this insight, “The poor in spirit are happy. These bring their minds to their condition, when it is a low condition. They are humble and lowly in their own eyes. They see their want, bewail their guilt, and thirst after a Redeemer. The kingdom of grace is of such; the kingdom of glory is for them.”

Obviously, no one desires material poverty, but this verse makes it clear that all of us should desire a spiritual poverty that recognizes the need for forgiveness, a savior and God’s continued presence in our lives.

To keep this article focused and brief, we will focus on the materially poor.

What the Scriptures Reveal about God and Poverty

There are many Scriptures that address the God’s heart for and perspective of the poor but I have selected just a few to help us draw a conclusion to the subject question:

1. Giving and helping the poor is core to God’s character: As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” (2 Corinthians 9:9 NIV) Also, 1 Samuel 2:8 NIV shares, “He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes
   and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world.”
2. Jesus assumes we will be giving to the poor (notice not “if” but “when”): “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.” (Matthew 6:2 NIV)
3. True followers of Christ gave to the poor: “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” (Luke 19:8 NIV) Paul was eager to give as well: “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.” (Galatians 2:10 NIV)
4. When we give to the poor, we are giving to God: “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.” (Proverbs 19:17 NIV)
   
5. When we give to the poor, it honors God: ”Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,
   but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” (Proverbs 14:31 NIV)
6. The Israelites were commanded to provide for the poor and were blessed for their generosity:  “At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” (Deuteronomy 14:28-29 NIV)
7. Not helping the poor was reason for judgment in the past: “ ‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.” (Ezekiel 16:49 NIV)
8. It will be a topic at the future judgment: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
   “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
   “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
   “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
   “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
   “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
   “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:34-46 NIV)

Specific Commands from Jesus and His Word

Here are three specific commands from Jesus and His Word. One to the rich young ruler wondering what his life lacked and the others to more general audiences of followers:

• “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Matthew 19:20-22 NIV)
• Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (Luke 14:12-14 NIV)
• If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:17-18 NIV)

While the first is a specific command to an individual, the principles apply to all of Christ’s followers, which is that we must give generously to the poor, and that when we do, it’s an eternal investment. Luke 14:12-14 clearly shares Jesus’ heart toward the poor and needy and is a specific command to His followers to be intentional about reaching out and providing for them. The passage in 1 John is a clear warning to those who say they are Christ’s followers but the actions don’t align with their proclaimed faith. In this verse, we are compelled to provide for those in need.

How can we help the materially poor?

After just a brief review of Scripture it becomes very clear that we are commanded to help the poor. God demonstrates His heart for the poor and needy by His own example, through His promises for those who do, and through His perfect judgments for those who don’t. But how does one give to the poor effectively? Here are four suggestions:

1. Give strategically through a trusted ministry or foundation.

You can effectively give your time and talents to the poor by supporting a local rescue mission or community organization that is trusted and has a proven track record helping the poor and needy. Knowing how to choose the best charities is important. If your church has a direct ministry to the poor and needy, this is a great starting place!

2. Give strategically by giving more than money.

Effective long-term support of the poor and needy typically requires more than money. For the poor and needy who are mentally and physically able to recover, I encourage readers to plug in with respected and trusted ministries and community organizations to give by sharing practical skills, such as job/vocational skills, budgeting, and basic life skills that will effectively empower those in need for long-term recovery.

3. Give spontaneously and cheerfully.

I’m often asked, “Should I give to the beggar on the street corner?” Many are rightfully skeptical due to recent scandals of pan handlers who are not truly in need. My advice is to listen to the Holy Spirit. If you sense a burden or call to give, then give cheerfully and obediently. If you don’t, then don’t give. If your motive is pure, you will never regret a decision to give. Now this advice can only be successful if you are asking God and listening to Him.

4. Get equipped.

I recommend two books that will equip you with how to effectively help the poor. The first is When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. A second resource is titled, Giving Wisely by Jonathan Martin.

How about you? Have you found an effective way to help the poor that would equip other readers? Share any lessons you learned as well!

That’s a question that’s on a lot of people’s minds these days. There are signs of improvement in the economy, but there are an equal number suggesting that we’re doing little better than bumping along the bottom. News reports don’t seem to be adding any clarity to the situation either. Superficially, the statistics are definitely pointing toward improvement, but secondary numbers often tell a very different story.

Let’s take a quick look at the evidence and arguments for both better and worse in the economy for 2013.

Signs the Economy is Getting Better

It seems as if all indicators that have a number attached to them are pointing toward a better economy. There’s been steady improvement across the board since the recession hit bottom in 2009.

Unemployment is dropping. In the most recent report, unemployment has fallen to 7.6%, down considerably from the Great Recession peak of 10.0% in October of 2009 (though technically the recession ended in June of 2009).

GDP is reflecting growth. For better than three years the gross domestic product (GDP) of the U.S. has been reflecting steady if unspectacular growth, ranging from 1.6% to 2.8% per quarter. It’s been strong enough to generate job growth and increase corporate profits without igniting inflation or causing interest rates to increase.

The housing market is showing definite signs of recovery. According to Zillow.com, house prices rose by 5.9% in 2012, and are projected to rise an additional 3.3% in 2013. In addition, the number of foreclosures is in sharp decline.

Look at that stock market! The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) currently sits well above the 14,000 level. At the bottom of the last stock market crash, in March of 2009, the Dow dropped as low as 6,547. Translation: The Dow has more than doubled in just over four years.

Why the Economy May Actually be Getting Worse

Once we get past statistics, and even if we take a deeper look at those, the story gets more complicated.

There’s still too much stimulation required. We’re into the third round of quantitative easing, also known as QE 3, and this one was only started in December of 2012. Under this program, the Federal Reserve (the Fed) is buying up to $85 billion per month in U.S. Treasury securities and mortgage agency debt in an effort to keep interest rates at near zero levels. We should be asking why such an initiative would even be necessary if economic growth is so solid.

Record low interest rates are telling a very different story. Continuing on that same theme, interest rates are not just low, they’re as low or lower than they were in the depths of the Great Recession, and lower than they were during the Great Depression of the 1930s. These are the kind of rates that the central bank would only implement during a very bad economy. Normally, after four years of steady economic growth, interest rates would be rising as inflationary pressures and demand for credit build. Neither is in evidence.

There are some things the official unemployment number is hiding. The recent improvement in the unemployment rate seems to be even more significant for what it doesn’t reveal. The rate has mainly been falling because potential workers are dropping out of the workforce, far more than because of the creation of new jobs. In March of 2013, the unemployment rate dropped from 7.7% the previous month to 7.6% – not so much because the economy created 88,000 new jobs, but more because nearly 500,000 workers left the job market.

This is a trend that has been going on since the labor participation rate peaked in 1979. As recently as 2000, the rate stood at 67.3%, but is now down to 63.3%. In addition, there is increasing focus on the under-employment rate. This includes people who are working part-time but want to work full-time, and this percentage is somewhere in the 14% range.

The housing market is still weak. While the housing market is showing improvement overall, much depends on location. The fastest price appreciation is taking place in markets hardest hit by the financial meltdown, and may be more a bump off the bottom than anything else. In many markets, price levels are stagnant or continuing to fall. And we have to ask the question, with mortgage rates below 4%, why isn’t the housing market booming across the board?

What does this all mean?

We’re looking at very mixed signals on the economy. While it’s certain that economic conditions are better than they were in 2009 or 2010, the improvement is far less than spectacular. This recovery is moving at a much slower pace than previous recoveries, which is all the more apparent since the last recession was so much worse than it’s predecessors.

There is also the emotional factor – this recovery just doesn’t feel very solid. Job creation is weak outside government, education and healthcare, and job security seems non-existent. Meanwhile, the fiscal cliff tax increases have yet to be fully felt in the economy, and the federal government continues to run on trillion dollar deficits. None of that is the stuff of booming economies, and would seem to leave us in a weakened state going into another recession – which always seems as if it’s right around the next corner.

What are your thoughts on the economy this year? Better, worse – or something that’s beyond logical explanation? Leave a comment!

There are over 1.1 million public charities in the United States, and more than 55,000 new ones were launched in the year 2011, according to the IRS. All of these organizations purport to do good work and make a difference, so how do you decide which ones are the best charities to donate to?

Back in 2005, an email began to circulate on the Internet imploring people to “Think Before You Donate.” The email targeted specific charities whom it claimed were not worthy of your donations because of how much compensation their CEO received, and other charities who were more worthy because of how little compensation the CEO received.

The email went viral and, eight years later, is still being circulated. Unfortunately, much of the information in it is inaccurate, outdated, and out of context.

But because it was on the Internet, people believed it and kept forwarded it without verifying its claims. And groups like Goodwill, who were unfairly maligned, have to keep fighting it to set the record straight.

Despite the fact that people didn’t think (or verify) before forwarding this email on to others, the premise behind it was good – we should think before we donate. But what criteria should we use before donating to charity? And how can we be sure that our money will be used well and go to the people who need it?

Choosing the Best Charities

Here are four things to consider when choosing which charities to donate to…

1. Affinity

Give to charities that you’re personally connected to or affiliated with somehow. Like your church or denomination, your alma mater, an organization you volunteer with, a listener-supported radio station you listen to, etc. The closer you are to the organization, the more confident you can be that they’re really doing what they say they’re going to do, and in the way you hoped they’d do it.

2. A Cause You Care About

Give to charities that are working on causes or passion areas you really care about. Like evangelism and missions, abortion prevention, cancer research, the environment, politics, the arts, children, fraternal organization, the symphony, museums, etc. The more you care about what they do, the more you’ll want to stay engaged and informed.

3. Good Financial Stewardship

Give to charities that spend the majority of their income on programming and lesser amounts on overhead costs like fundraising and administration. There is no hard or fast rule on how much is acceptable for overhead – it varies depending on the type of organization and where it is in its life cycle. For example, new organizations often spend more on fundraising and administration for the first few years because they’re just getting started. But a general rule of thumb for the best charities is to spend 80-90% on programming and just 10-20% on overhead (including staff salaries and fundraising costs).

Another factor to look at is how much the organization pays in salary to their CEO, which is what that “Think Before You Donate” hoax was getting after. But compensation is somewhat subjective because it all depends on the context like the CEO’s experience, the organization’s size, scope and budget, the cost of living in the community where the organization is located, etc.

4. Good Board Governance and Accountability

Give to charities that have an active, informed, and independent board. A good rule of thumb for the board is to have at least five members who are not employees of the organization or family members of the CEO. If the board is made up of several staff or family members, there is greater risk that they will not act independently or in the best interests of the organization. Also, look to see if they submit to an annual independent audit or review of their financial records.

Researching Charities

So how do you know if the charity you’re interested in supporting practices good financial stewardship and board governance? Should you really be giving them? Here’s how you find out.

1. Contact them for information.

Don’t be afraid to call and ask to speak to someone about the work they do, how much of their income goes to programming expenses, etc.

2. Research their website.

Many organizations are open and transparent about their financial and management practices and post their most recent financial audit report or IRS 990 form online for all to see. The audit report is a report of their finances and financial practices, which is conducted by an independent accounting firm.  The 990 form is an annual tax return that most tax-exempt organizations (excluding churches) are required to file with the IRS each year.

3. Check third-party sources.

It’s easier than ever to research charities online thanks to charity evaluator and accreditation sites like GuideStar, Charity Navigator, and the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). Each site offers an easy way to look-up your favorite charity to see if they’re listed and to learn about their governance, finances, programming focus, and more.

What are the best charities to donate to?  For me, they do work I believe in and am passionate about, are financially responsible, and open and transparent. What do you look for when deciding which charities to donate to? Leave a comment!

If you haven’t heard of Etsy, well basically is it a website that allows you to create a simple storefront to sell your crafts, homemade items, vintage items, or a lot more. It has exploded in growth over the last few years and many artists are finding it to be a great way to earn money from their creations.

I’ve been thinking about opening an Etsy.com store for a long time, and I finally did it – so glad I did. It wasn’t hard at all and I have to hand it to the developers at Etsy because the store setup process was about as smooth and simple as anything I have ever done online. Actually, now that I think about it, I found it less confusing than setting up a Facebook fan page. My only regret is not opening is sooner.

I’ve been creating designs for wooden rings and jewelry for awhile, and my husband and I decided to go ahead and start making them available for sale. This was a great chance to try Etsy and see how it would fit our needs – which it did perfectly.

If you have some cool products that you make and would like to start selling and earning money by reaching millions of potential customers, then opening an Etsy store might be a good choice for you too. Read on for a step by step tutorial on how I set up our Etsy store and a few secrets that will help you get more traffic and sales.

Opening an Etsy Store Step-by-Step

1. Create a Free Etsy Account

The first step is to create your free personal Etsy account. Your store will be en extension of this account. It will ask you for an email address and then send you an email verification email to make sure you do in fact own that email account.

To create your account, from the main page select “Register.”

Then enter the information to create your Etsy account.

Next, log into your email account to verify your email and your Etsy account will be official!

2. Create Your Store

The next step is to create your Etsy store from within your Etsy account. To do this, simply log into your new Etsy account and, once inside, click the button in the top left corner that says “Sell.”

On the next screen you can learn more about selling on Etsy and then click the button that says “Open An Etsy Shop.”

You will then be lead through a series of pages to help you enter the information about the products of your store.

3. Add Products to Your Store

Once you have entered your shop name you can then enter your first item to sell at your new store. Take time to fill out each section carefully and be sure to be accurate with the categories you choose and options you make available for each product.

Tip: When choosing a title and description for your products, be sure to consider what words potential customers would be searching for when looking for your product. Use those words in your title and description to help them more easily find your product.

Tip – When entering the keywords and material descriptions, try to imagine what a perspective customer would type into the search box if they were wanting to buy a product like yours. Use those words as keywords. This is a key to getting the most traffic to your shop and consequently making more sales too.

4. Choose Your Payment Options

Typically when selling online and using websites with ecommerce functionality, setting up the payment section is the most difficult and complex part. However, I was pleasantly surprised with Etsy. The payment options are streamlined and very simple. Just select what you want and enter your information, it’s incredibly easy.

5. Add Your Billing Information

Next you can add your billing information which is used to pay your listing fees as well as the fees when an item is sold.

6. Publish Your Store

There is still more you can do if you wish, by adding information to your about page, shop policies, a pretty header image, and other details too. For the most part you though, you are ready for business. You can preview your shop to take a peek and see what it looks like now from the customer’s point of view.

When you like it and you are ready to make some money, just hit “Publish” and you are open for business!

Final Thoughts and Benefits of Opening an Etsy Store

Here are a few final thoughts about opening and running an Etsy store that I think might be helpful to you . . . .

Benefits of Etsy Shops

• Etsy shops be created in a matter of minutes with no computer coding required.
• No need to try to build traffic from search engines like you would have to on a normal self-hosted website.
• Etsy has a built-in stock management and order management interface – and it works great.
• Etsy also has built-in shipping integration with the USPS that makes printing your shipping labels as fast and easy as possible.
• Great community aspect helps to build connections and generate sales.

How Much Does Etsy Charge?

Lastly, you might be wondering how much it will cost to open a store. The great news is that the cost to open an Etsy shop is actually very low. Etsy doesn’t charge any membership fees, however there is a fee for listing each item of only $.20 for 4 months. In addition to this, they also take 3.5% of each sale you make. You also have to factor into this the additional cut that your payment processor will take. I set our store up to take credit cards and also PayPal. So in addition to the fees from Etsy, there will be more fees from the payment method the customer chooses. When it is all said and done, about 10% of the sale is going to cover the various fees.

So there are a few costs to consider, but nothing major. If you compare it to the costs of some other sites for selling online, as well as the costs of self-hosting a website with ecommerce capabilities, it is really very affordable and a unique alternative to selling on eBay.

Do you have an Etsy store or have shopped at one? What has your experience been like? Leave a comment!

I recently read an article on Dave Ramsey’s website that talked about how we apply filters to money, justify certain purchases, and kick ourselves about others. The author, Jon Acuff, shared a story about a friend who recently purchased an iPhone app for $0.99 – the typical price for an app. She played the game for about six weeks and then stopped.

Interestingly, she wasn’t very satisfied and felt that she wasted a dollar. She just lived through six weeks of entertainment for one dollar and she was disappointed! How many other things do we purchase for a dollar (pop, a cheeseburger, candy bars) and consume in 20 minutes? Somehow her filter raised her expectations to an unrealistic level.

The filter we usually apply to purchases is the “what” filter. “What” can I buy with this dollar that is seeming to burn a hole in my pocket. The danger of this filter is that we can forget why we’re purchasing something and feel that we just need to buy something. Before you purchase the next one dollar app or one hundred dollar phone, ask yourself “why” and make sure your expectations are in check.

Do you have a realistic view of the satisfaction you’ll receive from your next purchase?

I know, I know. That’s easier to type than apply – but the point is this: You’ll be more satisfied with your purchases if you ask “why am I buying this” instead of falling prey to the “what can I buy with this dollar” filter.

Are you finding yourself asking “what” more often than “why?” Leave a comment!

Since I was raised by a great mother, and since I am married to a wonderful wife and mom, Mother’s Day is special. I try to make it a day that stands out and shows honor to one who truly deserves it (cf. Romans 13:7) – and do moms ever deserve honor!

Just like any special day, though, Mother’s Day can throw us off a financial plan if we let it. I think that comes from a heart that truly wants to show respect and love, and that isn’t a bad thing. We want our wife or mom to know how much we appreciate her, so we go all out to buy a nice gift or have a wonderful meal…

…and then we realize how much we have spent, and it is far more than we could truly afford.

It may sound trite, but Mother’s Day is not about the size or expense of the day. It really is about the heart that wants to show honor and respect. So, here are some ways to do something very nice for mom, while still holding onto control of a small budget.

1. Find a great recipe and cook for her.

Now, I just lost a lot of readers, especially guys who don’t think they can boil water. But with the Internet, you really can cook, but it takes some planning if you are not used to doing it. Use Pinterest.com or a simple Google search for a dish she likes or even dishes like those served in restaurants she enjoys. Study that recipe (a few times!). You might even want to check YouTube. Often, there are video tutorials for how to cook certain things. And by making it yourself, you save a tremendous amount of money over going out to eat. (To help you out, if your wife loves Olive Garden, here are some recipes for their main dishes.)

2. Ask for flowers from friends with green thumbs.

It doesn’t matter if they come from a florist or from a neighbor’s garden, flowers truly touch a woman’s heart. You may have a friend who just enjoys growing flowers, and may even enjoy making arrangements. Why not ask for a little help with Mother’s Day? Often, they would be glad to help you show love to your spouse or mom!

3. Let the kids make something.

I know, these are often cheesy gifts, but when done with love (and a little time), they can truly touch a mom’s heart. Think bigger than just a card with a hand print on it. Take some time to make something that will last a long time. Certain stores have kits to help you with very large projects, but many can be done with just a few dollars and a little time.

4. Just give her a “day off.”

Take care of everything for the day. Most of the time on Mother’s Day, I take care of all the cooking and cleaning up. She has told me many times that this means more to her than anything, because it gives her the time to just rest and enjoy her day (and, as a bonus, she doesn’t like waiting at restaurants, anyway). As a preacher, this means that Sunday is really busy, but with a little planning, I can pull it all off.

5. Remember your manners.

One of the best gifts you can give on Mother’s Day is simply the gift of wooing her and showing her true respect all over again. Treat her like royalty with your words and actions. Open doors again. If it’s cool outside, help her with her coat like you used to. Make her coffee and bring her a cup. You used to do those things and she misses them.

I am not suggesting that we need to be stingy on Mother’s Day, because moms deserve our love and admiration. By being creative, though, you can honor that special lady in your life without it harming your financial progress, even if you are on a small budget.

What are you going to get your mom for Mother’s Day? Leave a comment (only if you think she won’t read it)!

The total United States government debt – also known as the national debt – currently stands at about $16.8 trillion, but don’t lock into that number – it’s growing by roughly another $100 billion each month.

Considering that the total economic output for the entire country is running at about $15.6 trillion, we have to wonder where all of the money is coming from in order to fund a debt of that size. In truth, there is no one answer – it’s coming from all over the place. But below are the primary general sources and their sub-parts.

Owing Itself

The U.S. government holds more than $4.8 trillion of its own debt. The debt is held as the primary asset in various government sponsored trust funds. The largest of these is the Social Security Trust Fund, which represents more than $2.7 trillion.

The trust funds are created through payroll tax deductions that exceed the actual cost of running the program and are invested in the trust funds for future use. They are held in U.S. Treasury securities since these are deemed the safest of all investments. There has been an on-and-off debate about investing the funds in other investment vehicles, such as the stock market, but it’s been avoided on the grounds that it would make the U.S. government the largest investor in the stock market, creating distortions and other problems.

Temporarily, the fact that the U.S. government holds nearly one-third of it’s own debt is minimizing the negative impact of the sheer size of the debt. Interest paid on the government’s portion of the debt ends up in government sponsored trust funds. But the trust funds will need to pay out in the not-to-distant future, and when they do, the government will need to borrow even more money to cover the funds it disperses in benefits. Though the government’s portion of the debt is benign at the moment, it will convert to “real debt” soon enough. Think of it as debt with a delayed fuse.

Publicly Held Debt

Nearly $12 trillion dollars of the total national debt is held by “the public.” This is the number often reported in the media as the “national debt” though it represents only the public portion of the total. This part of the national debt is held by individuals, corporations, banks, pension plans and investment firms, foreign governments (we’ll get deeper into this later) or the Federal Reserve (we’ll camp out on this one in a bit too). It’s all the debt held by all sources other than the U.S. government itself.

Foreign Sources

As much as we in the U.S. may view the national debt as a national disgrace, foreign governments have no hesitation about holding our debt as part of their own national balance sheets. There are outstanding reasons for this too.

As the largest economy in the world – issuing the world’s “reserve currency” – foreign governments are anxious to hold their international reserves in U.S. dollars. The dollar is used to settle most transactions between world governments, and it represents the most common and liquid currency in the world, and thus the most desirable one to hold.

Our national debt is held in the form of U.S. Treasury securities, which are simply interest bearing dollars. Not only are foreign governments holding reserves of the most desirable currency in the world, but they’re also receiving interest income on it for their troubles. It’s not hard to see why they want to hold our debt.

According to the Treasury Department, as of January, 2013, the largest foreign countries holding U.S. national debt are:

1. China: $1,264.5 billion (or $1.264 trillion)
2. Japan: $1,115.2 billion (or – once again – $1.115 trillion)
3. Oil Exporters: $262.2 billion
4. Brazil: $253.4 billion
5. Caribbean Banking Centers: $236.9 billion
6. Taiwan: $196.6 billion
7. Switzerland: $192.7 billion
8. Russia: $162.9 billion
9. Luxembourg: $144.7 billion
10. Belgium: $143.5 billion

The Federal Reserve

The Federal Reserve is the largest holder of the U.S. national debt – apart from the U.S. government itself. It holds in excess of $1.8 trillion in Treasury securities.

To many Americans, the Federal Reserve (a.k.a., the “Fed”) is something of a mystery. We hear about it all the time, but that doesn’t mean that its function is well understood. In truth, the Fed has too many functions to cover here, but the most basic is that it’s the banker to the U.S. government, as well as the “lender of last resort” to both the government and the entire U.S. financial system.

Where does the Fed get its money from? It creates it out of thin air. Think of the banker in Monopoly – they always have money even when no one else does. You’d have to have an unlimited money supply to be the banker to the largest government in the world, and lender of last resort to the largest economy in the world. This is also what is meant when it is said that the government “prints money” – the Fed creates the money, then lends it to the federal government, who then issues interest bearing Treasury securities to the Federal Reserve. The government gets to spend the cash from the Fed, while the Fed holds the Treasury securities on its balance sheet as an asset.

You Can Lend the Government Money Too!

You can also become a lender to the federal government by buying and holding Treasury securities yourself. You already do this if you own or ever have owned any U.S. Savings Bonds. But you can invest money in larger denominations through the Treasury Department’s Treasury Direct program website.

There are a number of advantages to holding Treasury securities rather than other types of investments. They are the safest investments available, they don’t require FDIC insurance (no limit on the amount you have on deposit) and you can buy them in denominations of as little as $1,000.

Then you too can become one of the sources America borrows money from!

What are your thoughts on where America borrows money from? Based on the information in this post, what are your thoughts in general on America’s national debt? Leave a comment!

If you are like me, you probably don’t think of Jesus as one who did a lot of money management. After all, the Bible says very little about Jesus personally doing much buying and selling. But, both directly and indirectly, the Bible gives us some great clues about Jesus’ money management. In this article, we will investigate both how Jesus managed money and how he expects us to manage money.

How did Jesus manage money?

He knew how to earn money.

Jesus worked as a carpenter before he began his years of ministry. How do I know? Those in his hometown scoffed at his teachings, asking, “‘Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?’ And they took offense at him.” – Mark 6:3 NIV

He seemingly carried no money.

When the Pharisees asked Jesus about paying taxes to Caesar, he had to borrow a coin in order to ask them whose image was on it. See Matthew 22:17-22.

He paid taxes.

We don’t have an account of Jesus paying his taxes, but, in the same passage listed above, he told the Pharisees to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. If Jesus had any taxes to pay, we can be sure he did.

He allowed one of his followers (Judas) to manage his (and the disciples’) money.

We don’t know why Jesus made this arrangement, especially with a thief. Some speculate that Jesus was intentional about being the antithesis of the Pharisees, who equated godliness with riches. Others say that Jesus simply didn’t want to allow his ministry to be burdened with the mundane tasks of buying and selling. See John 13:29 and John 12:4-6.

How does Jesus expect us to manage our money?

Budgeting is important.

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? – Luke 14:28 NIV

When Jesus posed this question, it was primarily challenging would-be followers to count the cost of discipleship before deciding to follow him. However, we aren’t making a huge leap in logic to make the application of setting a budget in order to know what you can and can’t afford.

Hoarding is bad.

Jesus told a parable about the rich man whose life ambition was to accumulate so much wealth that he could spend his life relaxing, eating, drinking and being merry (See Luke 12:16-21). This man, in Jesus’ words, was a fool – not because he was planning for retirement, but because he did so without planning for his life after he died. Jesus concludes the parable with, “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (NIV) It seems that Jesus had no issue with storing up some earthly wealth as long as one maintains a rich relationship with God in the process.

Saving (of the right kind) is good.

Jesus admonished his followers to store up treasures in heaven (See Matthew 6:19-20), explaining that anything we save strictly for this world is susceptible to damage or thievery, while heavenly treasures are 100% safe and will yield eternal dividends. What qualifies as a heavenly treasure? Anything which has eternal consequences, such as sharing the gospel, prayer, or using one’s spiritual gifts – and financial gifts – to further God’s kingdom.

Giving is good.

Jesus wants his followers to focus more on giving than receiving (Acts 20:35). Why? Because he knows most of us – perhaps all of us – are self-centered people who need the discipline of giving to force us to take our eyes off of ourselves and onto others. Besides, our Heavenly Father is a giver (he gave his only son – see John 3:16), so we become more like our Father when we become givers.

We should love God more than money.

Jesus pulls no punches in stating: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” –Matthew 6:24 NIV.

Why does Jesus pit God against money? Why not God versus alcohol or God versus career? Could it be that Jesus understands that money represents a materialistic lifestyle which will consume our lives unless we intentionally decide to make God our highest priority? A good self quiz: which occupies more of your time, thought and efforts: God or money?

Jesus never said that money itself is evil, but, because he was fully aware of the addictive power money can have, he gave clear parameters for managing it. When we serve God with all of our hearts, our money will be our servant. However, if we give money a higher priority than God, it will become our master. The choice is ours.

What other money management principles can we learn from Jesus? Leave a comment!