Meet Sarah

I am blessed that I have had a great examples and teachers of financial stewardship my entire life, first, from my parents. Over the decades, I have watched them go from living paycheck to paycheck, to paying off debt, to eventually becoming debt free and building their wealth. But more valuable to me than seeing them hit financial milestones was learning the steps they took to get there. They were on a budget. They worked really hard (to not provide for their family was not an option). They saved (for everything- expenses, purchases, Christmas, and vacations). They spent (they purchased what they could afford, and made room in their budget for fun). And lastly, but always first for them- they gave, and they gave generously. They modeled their trust in God, and God proved His faithfulness every time.

When I was a senior in college, I took Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (FPU) course. Dave took a common sense and biblical approach to personal finances and simplified it in a way I could understand. Using the “7 Baby Steps”, Dave explained how you go from paying off debt to growing your wealth, all the while providing for your family and being generous along the way. Seven months after completing the course, I found myself living across the country, away from family, and taking on my first job out of college. I pulled out my notes from my FPU class for help as I created my first budget. I invested a great deal of time creating, tweaking, and refining that budget. But I stuck to it! I lived below my means so I could pay off my student loans and save up my emergency fund.

Three years later, I married my amazing husband. Marriage was wonderful, but it took us a bit to figure out how we would navigate our finances together. We both came into our marriage with strong perspectives on how to manage our money, and we both had a hard time bending to the other’s method. The reality, though, is that both of us had a lot to bring to the table, but we also needed to be willing to listen to and learn from the other. We eventually took FPU together at our church, which opened doors for better communication between us. We got on the same page, made compromises, and decided to commit to the process. Like my parents, we committed to honoring God with our finances, always giving first, and we also have seen His loving faithfulness every step of the way.

Stewardship is “the conducting, supervising, or managing of something, especially: the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Stewardship was modeled to me by my parents and a responsibility they did not take lightly. They realized everything they had been given were gifts from God, and they were the ones called to manage those things with great care. My husband and I now also take great care in stewarding well our marriage, our role as parents, and all of the things we have been given and worked for. So naturally, how we steward our finances is of utmost importance to us because it’s impacted by and affects all areas of our lives.

As your financial coach, it’s my goal to help you recognize all that you’ve been given and to steward those things well and with great care. Of course I’m talking about your finances, but more than that, I’m talking about who you are as an individual. You were created with gifts, talents, and abilities, and you have much to offer and give to those around you. I want you to get to a place where your finances aren’t hindering what you have to give, but may even enhance it. We will work together to look at where you are in your current financial state, we’ll dream about where you would like to be, and then I’ll help you create your realistic road map to get there. This is not the “get rich quick” model, but it is steady, it’s proven, and it is possible for you. Let’s get started! I look forward to working with you, and seeing you find financial freedom so you can live out who you were created to be.