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This spring, Momming with Grace Ministries partnered with Compass Financial Ministries to launch Making Ends Meet—a nine-lesson study on God’s truth about money. For many of our moms, it was their first encounter with biblical financial principles. They came carrying decades of financial struggle and the weight of living paycheck to paycheck.
The program is designed for those with little to no financial margin—often caught in cycles of high-interest loans, mounting debt, and the constant fear of not making the next payment. The content is biblically rich, covering everything from God’s ownership to spending plans, work, giving, saving, wills, and more.
👉The greatest growth often comes when we slow the pace, keep steps simple, and focus on one or two meaningful actions at a time.
What unfolded was more than a class—it became a safe place to wrestle with hard realities, discover God’s truth, and take small but significant steps toward freedom. From budgets to wills, tire repairs to savings accounts, seeds of stewardship were planted that, with time and God’s grace, will bear lasting fruit.
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“God owns it all, and we are just managers.”
⚖️ The Weight of Wills and Custody Decisions
One of the heaviest lessons in the study dealt with wills, trusts, and end-of-life matters. For many moms, the question wasn’t how to divide property—it was:
“Who would care for my children if something happened to me?”
Half the participants realized they would not choose the child’s father—either because of abuse, addiction, or absence. Many didn’t have a healthy enough relationship with their own parents to consider them as guardians.
The reality was sobering. Most weren’t stuck because they didn’t value a will, but because they couldn’t identify someone they truly trusted.
Facilitators learned the importance of walking closely with participants as they wrestle with the personal, relational, and spiritual weight of these decisions. We believe that if a completed will had been a built-in outcome of the course, more moms would have taken that courageous step.
🔧 A Lesson in Maintenance
Another memorable moment came during the lesson on maintenance. One mom admitted she had never prioritized upkeep for her home or vehicles.
Chris, our co-leader, shared about basic car care and offered to patch tires if anyone needed it. Three moms spoke up—each with something in their tire.
After group, we inspected the vehicles. Two had slow leaks. The third had a large bolt embedded in the tire, making it unsafe to drive.
Instead of fixing it for her, Chris guided the mom through replacing it with her spare—having her do the work while teaching her step-by-step.
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“She left not only with a safe vehicle but also with a new skill she can use for the rest of her life.”
Participant Highlights
From Loss to Stewardship (a personal story)
Gavin came into my life after his mom, Renee—my dear friend—passed away. I had promised to help protect his financial future, but God had a bigger plan. He wanted me to bring Gavin fully into my home and family.
Losing his mom meant he had to grow up fast. With that came a crash course in life skills, responsibility, and finances that he’d never been taught at home.
This spring, I invited Gavin—now 19—to join the Making Ends Meet study. I wasn’t sure how he’d respond since the group was mostly moms, but he said yes. From the very start, he leaned in and took more action than anyone else in the room.
Week by week, we worked on budgets, savings, and giving. By the end of the nine weeks, Gavin had:
Opened multiple high-yield savings accounts
Set up automatic transfers for essentials like insurance and a car replacement fund
And—most importantly—committed to giving 10% of his income to God’s Kingdom
Since then, Gavin has pursued a promotion at work and sought investment advice from a trusted mentor he met in the study.
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“When we understand God owns it all, it changes everything about how we manage what He has entrusted to us.”
Watching Gavin grow in both responsibility and faith has been one of the greatest joys of my life. He is living proof that God can redeem loss and raise up a faithful steward for His Kingdom.
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When Needs Are Hidden
She joined Making Ends Meet late in pregnancy—quiet, reserved, and working part-time at Target. Living with her disabled parents in her childhood home while her boyfriend lived separately, she had just begun attending Momming with Grace on Sundays, with him meeting her at church.
A mom dropped off some maternity clothes and baby items to her home and called with a concern. From the outside, the home looked rundown and in major disrepair. Around the same time, MWGM held a necessities drive. When offered cleaning supplies and personal hygiene items, she declined, saying she didn’t have a need.
On the surface, it seemed she was managing financially. In reality, there were hidden struggles. True poverty alleviation is more than meeting material needs—it begins with building trust, restoring dignity, and addressing broken relationships with God, self, others, and creation.
After the study ended, she welcomed a beautiful baby girl. Weeks later, she shared that she had moved in with her boyfriend and his parents, explaining:
“It was best for the baby… at my family’s house we have been without hot water for almost a year.”
Our hearts broke. In that moment, what mattered most was letting her know she was seen, valued, and loved—and that she was missed in group.
Today, she is back, showing up faithfully with her baby. She has walked a hard road, but God sees her, and we believe He will bless her obedience as we continue pointing her to Jesus.
Learning to Steward Well
In the middle of a divorce, one mom hoped to keep her home—but through creating a spending plan during the study, she realized it wasn’t affordable. Trusting God’s provision, she made the hard decision to move into a rented bedroom and step out of an abusive situation.
She also recognized that her current income alone would not meet her family’s needs. Determined to steward both her skills and resources, she:
Began substitute teaching
Continued her college courses
Started preparing for new opportunities ahead
Her journey shows that faithful stewardship often begins with hard, practical choices. A one-percent shift in behavior can, over the years, completely change the direction of a life. God is building new patterns, and the impact will ripple through her family for generations.
Fruit of the Study
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While the most significant impact will be seen over time, Making Ends Meet has already produced encouraging, tangible results:
A military spouse experienced a profound shift when she discovered God’s ownership principle and understood her role as manager.
Several participants opened savings accounts for annual expenses.
One participant began tithing for the first time.
Three created resumes; two secured jobs and one is actively interviewing.
“This study was not just about balancing budgets—it was about planting seeds of stewardship.”
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