The Cushion

Peru 2024

“Trust in יהוה with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
- Mishlĕ (Proverbs) 3: 5-6

The thing about money is, most of us don’t think about it until we have to.

When life is calm and business is steady, financial clarity can feel like a luxury. Something for later. Something we’ll get around to. But then a moment comes when later becomes now, and you either have what you need, or you don’t.

I remember standing in the Lima airport with my daughter. We were early, standing in line, only to be told the flight had closed. Just like that. No negotiation, no exception. We weren’t getting on.

In an instant, I had to decide: how do I cover this?

A new flight. A place to stay. Unplanned expenses stacked without warning.

But what I remember most about that moment was the peace I felt—not because the situation wasn’t stressful, but because I had prepared for it. I had a cushion. A buffer. A layer of quiet protection that didn’t just come from money, but from intention.

I used to think bookkeeping was just for tax season.

But then I realized: it’s not about spreadsheets, it’s about awareness. It’s about knowing what you have, so you can move with clarity. So you’re not shaken when the winds come.

When I began tracking everything, first in my personal life, then in business, I stopped feeling like money was disappearing. I stopped guessing. I stopped overspending. I started choosing.

Every time you track what comes in and what goes out, you build trust with your business, your future, your calling.

You prepare, not out of fear, but out of faith.

You say: I’m ready to honor what I’ve been given.

Because every dollar is more than a transaction. It’s a reflection of what you value. It’s a seed for what you’re building.

There’s no formula. No perfect tool. Just presence.

Start small. Pay attention. Keep a record.

Not to obsess but to steward. Not to control but to trust more fully.

And when the unexpected comes, and it will come, you’ll feel something surprising beneath you: a cushion you quietly created. A whisper of provision. A place to land.

Reflection: What would it look like to prepare—not just your money, but your heart—for what you can’t yet see?

Shalom, everyone!