THRIVE THOUGHT
Why I Hated Budgets—Until One Sentence Changed My Life
When the USA competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, my wife and I were simultaneously in a private group working through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University for the very first time. I will gladly admit that for the first two weeks, I was skeptical of the content. However, I will never forget the singular moment that rocked my soul and forever transformed how my heart was wired toward money.
As a child, I grew up with parents who had physical envelopes, with cash inside (sometimes) for things like groceries, vacation, gas for their cars, and for fun things like eating out. I would ask my Dad weekly, after church, could we go to Dairy Queen for a Dilly bar? His answer never changed, “There’s no money in the envelope.”
When I became an adult, got married, had two kids, I refused to have a budget or envelopes because I had learned: there’s never money in there!
A couple of sessions into the Financial Peace University class, Dave Ramsey looked into the camera (and into my past) and said, “You’re the adult, you get to control what label goes on the outside of the envelope and how much money goes inside.”
This was it! This was what I needed to hear! As a kid, I hated budgets and envelopes, not because they were restrictive but because I had no control over them.
As an adult, I had all the control. From that moment on, our family has had a budget, a plan, and we plan to live on less than we make, so we can give away more than we did the previous year.
Are you ready to make 2026 a year where you take back control, live on less than you make, and give away more than you did last year? We want to help you do this with our next Financial Peace University class starting on February 12. Register here and find out about 100% graduation refund!
Brian Beall is one of the pastors at Pathway. He and his wife, Sheri, are leading their children to wisely manage their income, so that they can thrive as adults.
Learn more about Pathway's Thrive Financial Ministry.
Why I Hated Budgets—Until One Sentence Changed My Life
When the USA competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, my wife and I were simultaneously in a private group working through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University for the very first time. I will gladly admit that for the first two weeks, I was skeptical of the content. However, I will never forget the singular moment that rocked my soul and forever transformed how my heart was wired toward money.
As a child, I grew up with parents who had physical envelopes, with cash inside (sometimes) for things like groceries, vacation, gas for their cars, and for fun things like eating out. I would ask my Dad weekly, after church, could we go to Dairy Queen for a Dilly bar? His answer never changed, “There’s no money in the envelope.”
When I became an adult, got married, had two kids, I refused to have a budget or envelopes because I had learned: there’s never money in there!
A couple of sessions into the Financial Peace University class, Dave Ramsey looked into the camera (and into my past) and said, “You’re the adult, you get to control what label goes on the outside of the envelope and how much money goes inside.”
This was it! This was what I needed to hear! As a kid, I hated budgets and envelopes, not because they were restrictive but because I had no control over them.
As an adult, I had all the control. From that moment on, our family has had a budget, a plan, and we plan to live on less than we make, so we can give away more than we did the previous year.
Are you ready to make 2026 a year where you take back control, live on less than you make, and give away more than you did last year? We want to help you do this with our next Financial Peace University class starting on February 12. Register here and find out about 100% graduation refund!
Brian Beall is one of the pastors at Pathway. He and his wife, Sheri, are leading their children to wisely manage their income, so that they can thrive as adults.
Learn more about Pathway's Thrive Financial Ministry.
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