Money As a Tool

Growing up, I never saw money as anything more than a way to get what I wanted. It was simple: you trade dollars for things—snacks, toys, maybe even a new pair of shoes. That was the extent of my understanding.

Then I met Diane Hang.

Diane believed in my voice. She saw something in my storytelling and writing and made me the editor for Paj Ntaub Voice for a few volumes. But more than that, she was a financial advisor who introduced me to a concept that changed how I would think about money forever: money creates options.

At the time, I didn’t fully understand the weight of that truth. But it stayed with me. Over the years, I began to see it unfold in real life. Money, when handled with wisdom, gives you the freedom to pivot, to build, to dream. It gives you the ability to lay a sturdy foundation for your children and shape a vision for the future. It doesn’t buy happiness, but it offers margin—and in that margin is space to breathe, to give, to grow.

Because when people have options, the worries of life feel lighter. But when options are limited, the burdens feel endless.

So now I ask myself often: With what I have—however little or much—how can I expand my options to create more opportunities, not just for myself, but for others?

My heart’s desire is to be a blessing. I want to give more. I want to support missionaries and ministries that are changing lives. I want to live like someone who has nothing to lose, because truly, everything I have—and everything I give—is stored up in Heaven for His Kingdom’s glory.