The Woman I Call Mom

I've watched my niece, Jamie Thompson Wood, grow from being my sons' childhood playmate to an incredible woman of God. She's a God-fearing young woman worthy of praise (Proverbs 31:30b). I know this transformation doesn't just happen. In Jamie's case, her parents played a huge part in her development.

I asked Jamie to share this Mother's Day tribute (Proverbs 31:28a) to her mom, Janice Thompson - an UPGRADE Partner who writes about finances. I know Jamie's brother David would echo the same kind of love and respect for their mother, but I want you to hear Jamie's heart.

She wrote ...

When I think of my mom, I think of:

• heart-to-heart talks over hot tea,
• kneeling down together by my bed each night growing up to read Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost For His Highest,
• a silly song that when played over the radio instantly connects us across the miles and time zones,
• crawling into her bed late at night as a teenager to share details, details, details after returning from a date, and
• a woman who singlehandedly embodies the picture of wisdom, intentionality, and a life lived in faithful obedience to God. 

Mom is a woman on a God-ordained mission with an unparalleled tenacity to live into the fullness of what God has for her. 

She has modeled for me what it looks like to hear from God and then follow His leading. 

She taught me though her life what it looks like to: love your spouse well, put your family first, plan for the future, see money as a tool and not a master, and balance the many hats a woman wears with grace and strength.

To many, she’s a sought after business professional, to others she’s a confidante and a source of wise counsel, and to yet others, she’s a friend. 

But I am one of two on this entire earth who get the high privilege of calling her "Mom." 

I pray God gives me the strength and faithfulness to walk in a way that honors her model and maybe someday, I will hear someone say, “You remind me of your mom.” 

That will be a very good day.

If you are a woman, you are likely a "mom" to someone, by parenting or by influence. Are you living worthy of a tribute? Your daughter (or spiritual daughter) is watching your life. May God encourage all of us "Moms" to be careful as we shape young lives.

Jamie Wood was born into a Pastor’s family and desires to disciple women for Christ. She has served as a conference planner for Anne Graham Lotz at AnGeL Ministries, as the Women’s Spiritual Life Director at San Diego Christian College, and on staff in the Women’s Ministry Department of Shadow Mountain Community Church. She has traveled to 36 countries and loves teaching others how to study and apply God's Word. Jamie, her husband Jeff and their baby son, David, live in San Diego.

'Financial Language' - Are You an 'Idealist'?

Janice Thompson has already shared four of the six "Financial Languages." Today, she discusses The Idealist. Are you this woman? Do you need a financial UPGRADE?

Janice begins with a story:

"Kathryn and her husband came to see me just preceding her retirement," Janice wrote. "Here was a couple who, because of substantial individual incomes, had lived life large with many privileges and amenities."

Sounds like my (Dawn's) entire financial dream—before God got my heart and gave me a desire to "live large" for Him!

Janice continues ....

From outside appearances, they had all the desires of their hearts. They were used to trips, nice cars and dining out. Kathryn was vivacious and engaging; she love to spend, love to laugh, and loved others.

But Kathryn's weakness for spending and her inability to deny herself impulsive pleasures would bring on the worry that inevitably comes with such patterns. She would seek financial guidance, but then ignore it and become overwhelmed.

Another couple, Cynthia and her husband, also lived life large until they were suddenly confronted with a terminal illness.

They came to my office and immediately began to work on their estate plan; but when the disease went into remission, the urgency gave way to celebration, and completion of their plans was moved to the back burner. When the disease returned with a vengeance, we found ourselves scrambling to make arrangements with the attorney to complete plans before Cynthia's husband passed away.

Talk about stress in the midst of pain!

Cynthia wound up paying a high emotional as well as a financial price for this delay. Her husband had clearly been motivated by his desire to take good care of his precious wife and spare her vivacious spirit the mundane side of finances, but the steep learning curve she now faced was both painful and frightening.

The fact that there was no longer someone else "to take care of it" thrust this reluctant widow into a financial world entirely foreign to her.

Hannah [1 Samuel 1] was a woman with a mindset of what her ideal life looked like. In Hannah's day, a woman's sole security relied upon having a son to take care of her in her old age. She prayed, "God, bless me with a son and I'll give him completely to you" [1 Samuel 1:11]. God ultimately blesses Hannah and grants her the desire of her heart—a son whom she names Samuel.

Hannah doesn't stop there. She follows through on her promise ... her ideal life included a level of commitment to personal responsibility. She weaned Samuel at around the age of three and, in fulfillment of her promise, gave him over to the Lord to serve in the Tabernacle.

Does this sound like you?

I used to tell my children growing up, "With increased privileges come increased responsibility." "To whom much is given, of him shall much be required" (Luke 12:48 AMP).

If you are one of those who enjoys the blessing of someone else in your life "taking care of it," I want to encourage you to realize the sense of responsibility for the privilege you enjoy.

I applaud men who take a proactive approach by ensuring that their wives, mothers or daughters are connected with the financial dynamics that will impact them and their future ... an established support network.

While you might be quite content to be left out of the financial loop, I encourage you to take the time to get some basic education. Grasping fundamental financial principles will be much easier on you if you take the time now—before you have to—to secure a basic working knowledge of your financial situation.

It grieves me to see women who chose to stay ignorant when a slightly more proactive approach could have made such a difference.

"Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise" (Proverbs 19:20).

Are you embracing your financial future? Do you know the fundamental financial principles? Is there something yet you need to learn?

Janice Thompson is the founder and president of Strategic Financial Solutions, Inc., a comprehensive wealth management firm focused on biblically-based financial solutions. Janice is a Certified Financial Planner®, Certified Life Stewardship Advisor™, and serves on the Board of Directors of Kingdom Advisors. She has two married children and one grandson. She and her husband Tom live in San Diego.

Note: Material adapted from the book, Managing Your Money Maze by Janice Thompson (Revive Our Hearts, 2009). Photo: adapted Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

'Financial Language' - Are You an 'Avoider'?

Janice Thompson’s six “Financial Languages” help me understand how women relate differently to money matters.  In this, her fourth post on the topic, she describes "The Avoider" approach, beginning with this quote by a famous business consultant:

“What you have to do and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it is another matter.” – Peter Drucker

That’s true of women in many arenas – marriage, parenting, ministry, housework and yes, finances. Janice shares a story to illustrate how avoiding financial decisions can be foolish

She continues …

Megan came to see me in the fall of 2002. I can still remember the day we met. She was beautiful, talented and well-educated. But what struck me so deeply that day was that I would be invited into the heart of a woman devastated by the recent loss of her husband. Megan’s husband had paid the ultimate price with his life in service to our country, leaving a wife alone with just three months to go until the birth of their first child.

Here was a woman who had it all. In one tragic moment, she was stripped of everything that gave her significance and security. She was now facing the frightening prospect of having to navigate the complex world of financial matters on her own.

Because Megan’s husband had always taken care of things for her, she was overwhelmed by decisions and, at times, even paralyzed by small financial events. Her initial response was to try to bury her head in the sand, thus avoiding her new reality.

I don’t think I have wept more with anyone than I did in those first few months working with this dear woman. To say she was confused and terrified by the financial decisions she was facing would be an understatement. She could easily have filled her life with distractions to assuage the grief, but instead she purposefully determined to let God make her better.

Megan chose to be victorious, not a victim.

She is now a wise, savvy, and confident woman … Megan could easily have responded to life’s curve ball by being a Martha – filling her life with activity and things that masked the void rather than focusing on the important priorities that could fill the void—like sitting at Jesus’ feet [Luke 10:38-42]. Whether Martha was simply distracted by too much to do or just operating in her comfort zone, it is clear that Martha entertained a seed of the victim mentality.

Victims have a choice: they can either avoid their new reality and become bitter, or by God’s grace they can take the appropriate steps to become better.

Does this sound like you? Do you find yourself so overwhelmed by the responsibilities of life that worry consumes you? Do you feel as though you are spiraling downward in a vortex of confusion? Are you overwhelmed and intimidated by financial matters, and do you lack confidence to make wise decisions?

If so, take heart from Megan’s story.

Don’t bury your head in the sand. Seek wise advice.

Find non-threatening ways to become financially educated.

Don’t be embarrassed by the fact that you have a lot of questions. The only “stupid” question is the one you are too intimidated to ask.

You can’t avoid reality forever, so surround yourself with wise counsel that will encourage you not only to listen, but to take appropriate action at the appropriate time. As you do, you will begin to develop confidence in your decisions.

Read this scripture thoughtfully: “... God gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding. He’s a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well, a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere. He keeps his eye on all who live honestly, and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones” (Proverbs 2:6-8, The Message).

Is your financial language avoidance? Which of the bulleted points will you act on today?

Janice Thompson is founder and president of Strategic Financial Solutions, Inc., a comprehensive wealth management firm focused on biblically-wise financial solutions. Janice is a Certified Financial Planner® and serves on the Kingdom Advisors Board of Directors. She has two married children and just welcomed her first grandchild to the family.  She and her husband, Tom, live in San Diego.

Note: Material adapted from the book, Managing Your Money Maze by Janice Thompson (Revive Our Hearts, 2009).

Photo in Text: Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net – adapted.

'Financial Language' - Are You a 'Partner'?

Janice Thompson says there are six Financial Languages that describe how women deal with money matters. In this, her third post on the topic, she describes "The Partner" approach, beginning with this quote by an unknown author:

"Working together, ordinary people can perform extraordinary feats. They can push things that come into their hands a little higher up, a little further on toward the heights of excellence."

The scriptures tell us "two are better than one" (Ecclesiastes 4:9). It's good advice for anyone, but partnering over financial decisions comes naturally for some women.

Janice continues ...

We have the privilege of observing a woman of the Bible whose partnership with her husband impacted our world.

Take a little trip with me back to 52 A.D. when the Roman emperor, Claudius, evicted al the Jews from the city of Rome. According to the Roman historian, Seutonis, the Jews were persecuting their Christian neighbors and causing considerable disturbance in the city. All Jews, regardless of their guilt or innocence in the matter, were uprooted from their homes and banished from Rome.

This included a Jew named Aquila and his faithful wife, Priscilla.

From the accounts we are given (Acts 18, 1 Corinthians 16, Romans 16, 2 Timothy 4), they were a highly-regarded, model couple.

Priscilla not only worked with her husband, but she ministered with him - they are always mentioned together in the biblical accounts. Priscilla was obviously very much a part of this dynamic team.

Some fruitful outcomes developed from this collaborative effort with her husband. Paul commended them for the work they did to help the disciple Apollos, who became a dynamic leader in the church. And not to be forgotten are the contributions they made to church doctrine through Paul. God used them to impact Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament, gave us the major doctrines, and wrote the General and Pastoral Epistles.

This was a partnership that made an impression on people!

Does this sound like you? If you are "The Partner," you thrive on being a team player. You are cooperative and trusting. You prefer not to be the primary decision-maker, but you value making decisions - doing life - with someone you trust.

Whether it is with a spouse, a business partner, a friend or an adviser, you know how to make an important contribution to the collaborative dynamic and it is easy to recognize the synergy you bring.

You love to be included in the details, exercise your intelligence, and contribute to a cause. That is where you shine!

"Two are better than one," the Bible says, "because they have a good (more satisfying) reward for their labor" (Ecclesiastes 4:9, Amplified).

Is your financial language partnership? Who is your partner in financial matters, and how do you contribute to this collaboration?

Janice Thompson is the founder and president of Strategic Financial Solutions, Inc., a comprehensive wealth management firm focused on biblically-based financial solutions. Janice is a Certified Financial Planner®, Certified Life Stewardship Advisor™, and serves on the Board of Directors of Kingdom Advisors. She has two married children with one grandchild on the way. She and her husband Tom live in San Diego.

Note: Material adapted from the book, Managing Your Money Maze by Janice Thompson (Revive Our Hearts, 2009).

Graphic in Text: Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

'Financial Language' - Are You a 'Thinker'?

In her first post about Financial Language, Janice Thompson, wrote about the woman whose "financial language" is expressed as The Driver. This post describes the woman whose financial language is "The Thinker."

"The Thinker's goal is to understand her financial situation," Janice said.

That makes sense to me. If we don't understand our financial situation, how will we move forward? We can't even apply wisdom principles until we "get" where we are regarding our bills, debts and investments. The Thinker takes time for critical study before making decisions.

Janice continues ...

To illustrate this point - William A. Ward wrote, "Before you speak, listen. Before you write, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you invest, investigate. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try. Before you retire, save. Before you die, give."

Consider the biblical story of Esther. When called upon to make hard choices, Esther made them based upon the character she developed growing up. She was willing to suffer the consequences that came as a result of the decisions she was making.

This young woman was wise beyond her years as she sought the counsel of her cousin Mordecai.

She was willing to be used by God and knew how to ask good questions and analyze potential options and outcomes without reacting impulsively.

God was working in Esther for His time and His tasks. God had raised Esther from an orphan to royalty "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14). She fasted, prayed and waited until the time was right to reveal her petition. God delighted to work through her step of faith.

Does this sound like you? Friends or family would probably never describe you as impulsive. Like Esther, you like to ask a lot of good questions. (I guess I would too, if my future and that of my people was at stake!)

You like to have all the facts laid out before you so you can thoroughly examine and analyze your decisions.

Since you are not naturally inclined to make impulsive decisions, you may need some accountability or motivation to ensure you act on the best possible directives with what you know.

A word of caution: to try to know absolutely everything about every dynamic might become a frustrating pursuit of endless detours, so ask well thought-out questions, analyze the data you collect, and take appropriate time to review your solutions.

Then make decisions that move you forward with your goals while allowing you the flexibility to edit the plans as more information becomes available.

The Bible encourages us, "Grow a wise heart - you'll do yourself a favor; keep a clear head - you'll find a good life" (Proverbs 19:8, The Message).

Are you a financial "Thinker"? Where do you go - who do you consult - for your financial decisions?

Janice Thompson is the founder and president of Strategic Financial Solutions, Inc., a comprehensive wealth management firm focused on biblically-based financial solutions. Janice is a Certified Financial Planner®, Certified Life Stewardship Advisor™, and serves on the Board of Directors of Kingdom Advisors. She has two married children with one grandchild on the way. She and her husband Tom live in San Diego.

Note: Material adapted from the book, Managing Your Money Maze by Janice Thompson (Revive Our Hearts, 2009).

Photo in text: Courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.