Setting Your First Finish Line with Cody Hobelmann | FaithFi
April 24, 2026
Setting Your First Finish Line with Cody Hobelmann
Faith & Finance with Rob West
“Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth.” — Deuteronomy 8:17–18
How much money is enough? It’s a question that quietly shapes many of our financial decisions, yet few people ever stop to answer it.
On today’s episode of Faith and Finance, we were joined by Cody Hobelmann, a Certified Financial Planner® (CFP), Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA), and co-founder of Finish Line Pledge, to explore a practical and deeply biblical framework for answering that question.
“Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth.” — Deuteronomy 8:17–18
How much money is enough? It’s a question that quietly shapes many of our financial decisions, yet few people ever stop to answer it.
Why Prosperity Can Be a Greater Test Than Hardship
In Deuteronomy 8, Moses addressed the people of Israel as they stood on the edge of the Promised Land after 40 years in the wilderness. They had endured hunger, uncertainty, and hardship. But Moses warned them that their greater challenge would come after entering abundance.
Would they remember the Lord as their provider, or would they begin to believe their wealth came from their own strength?
That warning remains relevant today. In one of the most prosperous cultures in history, it is easy to drift into self-reliance, entitlement, or endless accumulation. Prosperity can subtly shift our trust away from God unless we intentionally resist it.
Cody explained that when people ask, “How much should I give?” or “How much should I keep?” they often fall into one of five common approaches:
1. Spontaneous Giving. Giving in the moment, with little prior planning.
2. Giving Goals. Choosing a target dollar amount to give during the year.
3. Percentage Giving. Giving a fixed percentage of income.
4. Incremental Percentage Giving. Increasing the percentage you give over time as income grows.
5. Financial Finish Line. Rather than beginning with how much to give, this approach starts by deciding how much to keep for personal lifestyle spending—and then directing the rest toward Kingdom purposes.
That final model flips the normal mindset upside down. Instead of expanding lifestyle every time income rises, it sets boundaries around consumption and creates margin for generosity.
What Is a Financial Finish Line?
A financial finish line is a predetermined cap on how much you will spend on your own lifestyle. Once your needs and responsibilities are covered, any additional resources can be used to bless others, support ministry, and advance God’s work.
Cody suggested thinking about finances in four broad categories:
Personal Spending – Current lifestyle expenses such as housing, transportation, food, and clothing
Taxes – Required obligations
Planning for the Future – Saving for upcoming needs, purchases, or retirement
Kingdom Building – Giving and other outward-focused uses of money that serve others
The key focus is often personal spending because lifestyle choices tend to determine whether increased income becomes a tool for generosity or simply fuels more consumption.
Three Practical Ways to Set Your First Finish Line
There is no universal number for everyone, but Cody shared three common ways people can begin.
1. Maintenance Spending Finish Line
This means locking in your current standard of living.
If your present lifestyle spending is healthy and appropriate, you choose not to automatically increase it as your income grows. This can guard against lifestyle creep and free future increases in income for other purposes.
2. Benchmark Spending Finish Line
This method uses outside data or planning tools to help determine a reasonable level of spending.
Instead of relying only on personal feelings, you compare your lifestyle to objective benchmarks to help guide wise decisions.
3. Prioritization Spending Finish Line
This approach starts with your current budget and evaluates each category through the lens of values. Ask questions like:
Does this spending reflect what matters most?
Is this helping or distracting me spiritually?
What could be reduced to make room for greater purpose?
As you trim what is unnecessary, your spending becomes more intentional and aligned with your calling.
Setting a finish line can feel like a major decision, especially at first. But it does not need to be permanent or perfect.
Cody encouraged listeners to try a finish line for three or six months. Many people discover that once they place healthy limits on their lifestyle, they experience greater freedom, clarity, and joy in generosity.
That is why it is called your first finish line. It can be adjusted over time as life circumstances change.
Is This Only for the Wealthy?
Not at all. Cody shared that he set his first finish line at age 26 while his wife was in school, and they were far from what many would consider financially established.
The principle is not about reaching a certain net worth before applying it. It is about learning to define “enough” now. If enough is never defined, it can remain forever out of reach.
A financial finish line is more than a budgeting strategy. It is a spiritual exercise in contentment, trust, and surrender.
It invites us to ask not merely, “How much can I accumulate?” but “How much do I really need—and what might God want to do with the rest?”
That question has the power to reshape both our finances and our hearts.
A Resource to Help You Define Enough
If you’ve ever wrestled with how much money is enough, FaithFi has created a new workbook-style resource called the FaithFi Field Guide that answers the question: How Much Money Is Enough? This Field Guide is designed to help you think through that question both spiritually and practically.
On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:
I’m about to start annuity payments and want to give directly to charity from the annuity. If I don’t exceed the standard deduction, is there still any tax benefit?
My husband and I are in our early 60s, debt-light, mortgage-free, and have assets in precious metals and property, but no life insurance. Do we really need a small policy if we have no dependents?
Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.
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