No money to financial freedom
I grew up in a home with just my mom, grand-aunt and sibling, with no extra money to fund big dreams. Yet, by God’s grace, I completed an undergraduate degree, a master’s in England, and later a PhD in Canada. My undergraduate studies were funded by a loan (now fully paid off), but for my master’s and PhD—no loans. By God’s wisdom, I’ve lived debt-free for most of my life and now walk in financial freedom.
How? One word: God. Yes, my family and relatives helped along the way, but it was God who ultimately funded the dreams. He gave me knowledge on how to save and invest wisely, so much so that twenty years later I still benefit from investments made with my very first job. That’s how I know it was God—because what He builds, lasts.
While completing degrees was one part of the dream, I’ve come to realize those were just worldly dreams (God can use anything). Now the vision has grown bigger. Today, we are called to use our gifts, natural abilities, and talents for the Kingdom.
How Do We Use Our Gifts for the Kingdom?
We’ve been talking a lot about using our gifts for the Kingdom because, at the end of the day, everything we do should bring glory to God. Over the summer, we spent time reflecting on how our spiritual growth connects to our dreams. When we seek God first, He plants seeds in our hearts—visions, promises, or even small ideas that can grow into something bigger than ourselves.
But life happens; disruptions come. Our dreams test us. These disruptions often serve as pruning seasons, revealing whether the dream God planted is truly ours. If we still have the dream after the storm, then it is real.
How will we fund it?
We don’t have to look far to see the financial instability in our nation today. People are losing jobs, being uprooted, and rethinking what “work” should look like. Many are realizing they no longer want to be stuck in offices or tied down to bureaucratic systems. It can feel like the world is crumbling, but maybe—just maybe—this is an opportunity to think differently.
Are We Trapped in Old Mindsets?
Although I didn’t have family to take me on vacations abroad as a child, as soon as I started working in my twenties, I began traveling internationally for work. One of my very first trips was to Norway, where I met people from nearly every nation. The meetings were centered on genetically modified foods, agreements, and ratifications. But once I returned to the office, that was the end of it—nothing further came from those connections. The bureaucracy of the system often choked the fruit that could have grown from opportunities like that. Sometimes I wondered: was it all a waste?
Many of us who grew up in the Caribbean or other third-world countries were taught a very linear path:
- Go to school.
- Get a job.
- Work until 65.
- Retire.
- Then travel or enjoy life.
That sounds stable, but it’s a limited way of thinking. It boxes us into believing that our only worth is tied to our job title or the subject we studied and that we have to wait until retirement to enjoy life.
Romans 12:2 reminds us: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Financial freedom often starts with renewing how we think about work and income. As believers, we sometimes cling to Genesis 3:19—“By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread”—as if hardship and struggle are our permanent lot in life. But if we read the whole chapter, we see that this was part of the curse after the fall. Christ came to redeem us from the curse, which includes a redeemed relationship with our work.
That means work is still part of our lives, but it doesn’t have to be dull, mundane or feel like a waste. There is a specific calling for each of us, a unique assignment that uses our gifts, skills, abilities, personality, and even our life experiences. And we can travel while doing this work. Nothing is wasted except what God prunes away.
What Work Aligns With Our Calling?
I’ve always been someone who carries more than one assignment at a time, a natural multitasker. While pursuing my PhD, I was also studying the Bible and quietly sharing my faith in small groups behind the scenes. During my master’s studies, I worked with the elderly and the mentally challenged, often just by sitting and talking with them. What seemed simple at the time was actually cultivating something profound in me compassion, patience, and the ability to truly see people.
The work God calls us to may not look anything like our college degree. But it will always align with our core values.
For me, those values are kindness, forgiveness, compassion, family/community, and growth this aligns with ministry. And in the work context as a consultant, my values are faith, freedom, flexibility, and first class. Interestingly enough, Jesus modeled the same when He traveled freely, taught, and served without being tied to one place or system. Are we truly following Jesus?
So, if God has placed a dream inside of us, it’s not just about what we studied, it’s about who we are becoming.
Are we willing to let Him guide us into work that reflects our calling rather than just our credentials?
But How Do We Pay for the Dream?
This is the question that stops so many of us in our tracks: Where does the money come from?
When I began working as a young scientist, I quietly used my gifts of writing and speaking behind the scenes (I didn’t know this back then). At the same time, I saved diligently—setting aside money in different currencies: U.S. dollars, British pounds, and Canadian dollars. Deep down, I knew in my spirit that I was going somewhere. No one taught me this strategy; I simply received an idea and acted on it. Looking back, it’s no coincidence that I eventually studied in England, Canada, and now live in the U.S. Although God provides for the dreams, when challenges came as they always do I already had resources set aside.
Do we already have a job or we may need to get one? The money we make is not just for frivolous pleasures. We give back to God, we save, invest, pay our bills, and spend some on ourselves. So that when its time for the dream we have the resources. However, what usually happens is that God gives us more in addition to what we already have. But what are we building? Earthly things or that which have no eternal value?
If we do not already have a job. God has already given us gifts and abilities, and those gifts are meant to solve problems. Every business that exists today was created to solve a problem. And when we solve a problem, we create value. When we know our gifts and have a vision from God, we can make it anywhere.
Imagine a world where everyone operated in their God-given gifts, solving each other’s problems. What would that look like? For one, lack would disappear, because value would flow freely. Sounds like heaven on earth! Is there such a place?
The key to funding our dream isn’t always about landing a big investor or waiting for a miracle check in the mail. Sometimes it starts with creating a small business or something on the side that aligns with your gifts. Until God calls us fully. Whatever dream God gives us, He will provide. But are we ready? Are we growing spiritually and in our gifts, talents, and natural abilities?
Where Can We Find Support?
Just as scholarships exist for education, funding exists for small businesses. From grants to microloans, from faith-based organizations to community development programs, there are resources waiting to be tapped.
Even better, there are ready-made businesses and networks that share our values and allow us to grow without starting from scratch. We need to be discerning—aligning ourselves with people and opportunities that fit your God-given calling, not just the ones that promise fast money. Not just those who are toiling away for earthly things.
I’ve learned firsthand that when we step out with faith, God often meets us with provision in unexpected ways. The provision may not come all at once, but He provides enough for each step of the journey.
Final Thoughts: Are We Ready for Financial Freedom and the Resources to Pay for Our Dreams?
Financial freedom isn’t just about getting out of debt or earning more money. It’s about aligning our work, our relationships, and our resources with the calling God has placed on our lives.
The people we surround ourselves with matter. The way we think about work matters. The willingness to shift from old mindsets into Kingdom-minded stewardship matters.
God’s design for financial freedom is not rooted in endless striving but in faithful alignment—using the gifts He gave us to serve others, trusting Him for provision, and building in such a way that our dreams bring glory to His name.
So, the next time we ask yourself, “How will I ever fund this dream?”—remember: the seed is already inside of us. Our gifts make room for us, not our education, our gifts, Proverbs 18:16 NKJV.
What step will you take today toward financial freedom and funding your God-given dream?
If you would like more information, reach out [email protected]
With grace and growth,
Sanchia and team.
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