Over the past few days, I have been immersed in lots of numbers at work. Over 20,000 of them. I was checking the calculation for reinforcing for about 2 miles of retaining wall so I created a spreadsheet to input the parameters and get it to calculate the pounds of steel. There’s a lot of rebar in 2 miles of retaining walls!
A week ago, I got a call from Pastor Mike McDaniel asking if I can help him make a spreadsheet for Grace Point members. We went to Grace Point for about 5 years while living in Arkansas. We still call them our home church.
They are going through a sermon series as well as reading through the book Radical by David Platt. I haven’t read the book, but I will need to since I’ve heard it is more of the application of Crazy Love by Francis Chan which I loved. I have heard of Platt for a couple years now since he is a rising young evangelical leader and has an amazing passion for God’s Word and teaching it. I have listened to a few of his Secret Church sessions which are fours hours of lecture on a topic. Great deep listens.
The point of Radical is not seek after the American Dream, but after the things of God. That might require you to give up stuff that you cling on to like your comforts. If you make more than $34,000 a year you are in the top 5% of world of wealth. In the US, we consider if you make less than $22,000 poverty. We consider two cars, a HDTV, cell phones, internet, and air condition as the basics of life, while most of the world wants clean water and food to eat.
This past week, Pastor Mike challenged the church to three things:
- Eating Less. Living like they do in Africa. Just eat Beans & Rice. The ultimate Dave Ramsey meal! And to drink just water.
- Living on Less. Using the ABC Budget: Absolutes, Basics, and Comfort. It shows you what is a need and what is a want. It’s surprising how much of your expenses are a want/comfort and not a need.
- Ask God Your Next Step.
Kind of funny that I listened to the podcast yesterday and already this week, we have had Mexican rice & beans and Chicken & Rice so we have been doing that without realizing it!
The ABC Budget is what I helped Mike make. Radical ABC Budget is what a pdf file of it looks like. If you want an Excel file of it, contact me and I’ll send it to you or Email Grace Point. Also, I encourage you to listen to the podcast.
If you have questions about the ABC Budget or want other budgeting spreadsheets I’ve made, contact me. It is important to live on a budget.
Let’s dare to be Radical.
