The Choice is Yours

A couple years ago, when I started to pursue a career in financial coaching, I thought I knew exactly what God had planned for me.

I thought that was the moment He revealed the trajectory of my life. I was excited. I was feeling refreshed, and my eyes were opened. There was no doubt in my mind that I’d just received everything I needed. Funny thing is, I still didn’t have a clue…

See, when I realized I had a passion to help others with their personal finances, I was thankful to discover my purpose. But in my journey to start learning more about money through training and professional courses, God showed me that I’d been wrong about something my entire life.

Nothing I have is mine. I learned this during the first Compass financial discipleship study I’d ever taken. It wasn’t what I’d signed up for, but I’m glad that bit of truth is what I got.

I’d been a believer since I was 7, and that was the first time I learned “my” money and possessions actually belonged to Him.

So, I made a choice at that point: to be free to serve Him.

Before taking that study back in 2020, the only reason I ever dreamt of having no debt or job to report to was so that I would have the freedom to do what I want, go where I want, when I want. Now, that is still an option, but the freedom to do what God wants me to do, go where He wants me to go, when He wants me to is so much better… Because I know the reward is greater than anything I could imagine for myself.

When we’re about His business, He’ll see that our business is more than taken care of. That’s just who our God is.

Melody is the founder of financial coaching business Centsible Finance LLC, which publishes the free e-letter Making Cents. She earned a bachelor’s in public relations from the University of Florida in 2014, and a master’s in global strategic communications from Florida International University in 2017; but she discovered her passion in personal finance and writing, as well as a closer relationship with the Lord, after joining a Compass—Finances God’s Way study in 2020. She now also volunteers as a financial coach for MoneyWise, serves as a member on the Compass Florida board, is the editor for the Compass blog, and a facilitator and trainer for financial discipleship studies. Melody and her husband, Nate, live in South Florida.