Abrahams Wallet

Giving is one of the great blessings God bestows upon His sons. According to Hebrews 2:10, God is in the process of “bringing many sons to glory”… that wonderful process (which concludes with our being entrusted with the Father’s business, a la the Psalm 2-based affirmation of Jesus when He was baptized) trains us in awesome Kingdom skills. But WHERE are we to put that giving dough? To what should we be giving? Here we go....

As America begins to reopen after the COVID shutdown, we're asking the question, "just how much of the many changes we've put in place over the recent weeks should we undo now that we're seeing the beginnings of a return to 'normal' life?" In this episode Steven and Mark discuss fear, how to maintain healthy rhythms that you've discovered during the quarantine, and the notion that we steward those just like we would steward financial gains.

Giving isn’t some random, meaningless “good deed” that you do casually and it just goes into God’s Great Big Penny Jar In The Sky which we hope He remembers 100 years from now. It really matters. And it matters NOW. In this BlogPod episode, Steven brings you an ice cold six pack of points to back that strong assertion up!

It's not every day that you wake up to an extra grand or two in your bank account (thanks Uncle Sam!). In this pod we give you our thoughts on how to make the most of it. For those who haven't read or listened to our Slush Budgeting thoughts, you can click here to read about the framework we discuss in this episode: https://abrahamswallet.com/2018/04/11/a-framework-for-your-slush-budgeting-202/ For those who want to create a financial plan during the quarantine, book a call right here: https://www.outpostadvisors.net/schedule-a-call

Heard of The Tiger King? Of course you have. You’re probably like me and have that steady IV drip of Hollywood coming straight into your family room. To be real clear – we don’t think you should watch this garbage – it’s just that I’m sure you’re well aware of its prevalence right now in the zeitgeist. In need of some triviality recently, I listened to a podcast with one of these Tiger King fellers on it. You’ll never believe this, but I actually heard something kind of pithy come out of this guy’s mouth, about the human capacity for managing problems.  It got me thinking, and I’ve concluded there’s (at least) one big lesson that can be learned from the outrageous dumdums over at The Tiger King...

My friend Mark Douglass from The Viceroy Project sent me this book by Amor Townes a few months back about how to live well whilst under house arrest. Given the current state of the world, we thought it would make for good listening as you seek to make your homes places of order and peace during the quarantine. Check out the link below for more from The Viceroy Project: Link: The Viceroy Project

In this episode Mark and Steven discuss how choosing hope and optimism (which you're commanded to do anyways) will transform your work, your finances and your home life in a time when the rest of the world seems to be panicking and choosing the opposite emotions.

What does it look like to lead your family during a quarantine? In this episode we walk through specific tactics that you can use in each of the 5 capitals: spiritual, relational, physical, intellectual and financial.

In our second emergency podcast of the past 4 days, we're coming to you with some tips on how to navigate your likely and unplanned transition from not-homeschooler to homeschool family. Steven has been at this for a while and has some great tips to share from what has worked in his family!

We had to do it guys - instead of waiting until next Wednesday, we wanted to provide some financial insights into what is happening right now and then give you some actionable tips. Whether you have millions of dollars invested or nothing, we've got some steps that you can take to shore up your family's strength in an uncertain time like this one.

In this podcast, Steven sat down with his parents, who have been through multiple life-changing financial disasters, and talked with them about how they responded. You WILL be better equipped to trust the LORD and deal with unexpected bad news after listening to this episode!

This week we have a chat between Mark Douglass and Steven Manuel on Terrence Malik's film, A Hidden Life. We have so few examples right now of men who truly stand up for right even when they are standing all alone. Heck, most folks who wish to stand up for something can pretty quickly assemble a few hundred like minded standers on Twitter or something. But a movie recently came out that gave us a fantasic example of what it looks like to be willing to play the oppositional role, while submitting wholeheartedly to Jesus. Before you blast into this episode, first go watch the trailer if you've not seen this movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJXmdY4lVR0 And after you enjoy this episode, head over to The Viceroy Project for more good stuff from Mark Douglass and his crew.

We are just closing the books on an annual family tradition in which we spend as little money as possible through the month of February. LoDoFeb, as it’s been dubbed, is our rhythm of intentionally saying no. (And, heck, it can be yours, too. Matter of fact, we recommend it. You can have LoDoMar or LoDoNov for all I care, but you’re going to have to deal with more than 28 days of it if you do. Sorry.) As with any form of asceticism, I’m always a bit relieved when it’s over (because I can get back to my indulgent, freewheeling lifestyle), but while I’m inside it, I’m always thinking about it and reflective of its benefits.

A quick BlogPod this week in which Mark will kick you some good books that were read in the past year or so, and also encourage you to get into a habit of reading things that don't appear on your computer screen. For those interested, find links to the books right here: The Household and War For the Cosmos, by C.R. Wiley Gospel Patrons, by John Rinehart Endurance, by Alfred Lansing The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell Into Africa, by Martin Dugard I am a Field, by Jeff Davenport

What does it mean to be a multigenerational team on mission? Jeremy Pryor, author of Family Revision, joins Steven to talk about his own fatherhood journey, how our culture has created a counter-narrative to the Biblical ideal of fatherhood and how you can start realigning your own family rhythms and goals with a classical understanding of family. This is one of the best episodes we've had - learn more about what Jeremy is up to at https://familyteams.com/.

I can make you hundreds of dollars in one month by telling you what to NOT do.  You will end that month having eaten well, having fun, and at more peace than when you started.  Don’t think I can?  I can.

Do you remember the good ol’ days when a man who wanted to wander with his nether sexual parts had to leave his abode, physically walk into a seedy part of town, enter a building known by everyone to be a house of ill repute, and THEN and ONLY THEN dive into the dark arts? No? I don’t either… But up until recently (let’s say the past 80 years or so, out of the millennia of human existence), there were effectively NO options for having your illicit fancies tickled (or tickling your fancy… or whatever you call that thing) that didn’t require you to at least risk public exposure. Those days are gone, and we are going to talk about the implications for your household. Read up here: https://abrahamswallet.com/2018/09/26/smartphones-and-porn/

Mark and Steven want YOU to join us for Lo Do Feb - the month in which we suck in our financial waistbelts and see just how little we can spend. Whether you use the proceeds to enjoy a little family generosity or to kill off some toxic debts, the month will be good for you. Check out some of the blog posts here, here and here.

Steven and Mark sit down to chat through a couple of articles that we wrote on technology and the value of sometimes being bored. As we're trying a new format here, we'd love your feedback. You'll notice that we had a technical issue mid-pod that forced Steven to the phone lines, but we think you'll get good stuff none the less. Please let us know what you think! Articles we discuss: Alright, let's talk about smartphones And: Give Boredom a Chance

We made boys! Kinda how you felt when you sat down for the 32nd session of Netflixing and finally finished The Irishman, we're at the end of our insurance series. In this double whammy, we discuss disability insurance, umbrella policies and provide you with the cautionary tale of Arsenio the Alpaca. Don't be like Arsenio - finish strong and tune in for our parting shot on insurance.