July 21, 2025 • 42 mins
On Faith & Finance Live with Rob West, it’s the continuation of our series on temperaments. We’re turning the tables a bit as Kathleen Edelman—who’s been our guide through this journey—takes the host seat to interview Rob West about the Yellow Temperament. They review all four colors and explore how our God-given wiring shapes the way we think, speak, listen, and make financial decisions. Then, Rob addresses your calls and questions. That’s Faith & Finance Live—where biblical wisdom meets today’s finances, weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.
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Episode Transcript
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S1 (00:16):
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit
dries up the bones. Proverbs 1722. I am Rob West.
As we wrap up our series on the temperaments and
how they affect our financial decisions, turning the tables a
bit today, Kathleen Edelman, who's been our guide through this journey,
is taking the host seat to interview me about the
(00:36):
yellow temperament. And then it's on to your calls and
questions at 800 525 7000. That's 800 525 7000. This
is faith in finance. Live. Biblical wisdom for your financial journey.
(00:57):
Kathleen Edelman is the author of I Said This. You
Heard that in the creator of a powerful video series
and workbook designed to help people understand how their temperament
shapes the way they communicate. Kathleen, I really appreciate you
taking the time to actually do this entire series with us.
S2 (01:13):
Oh, it's been great. It's been interesting fun, right? We
have to get all the temperaments in there, right? Right.
S1 (01:19):
Exactly right. And I'm thrilled you're going to take the
host role today. That's going to be a lot of fun.
So before we hand over the reins to you, I'd
love for you just to do what you've done for
the last three episodes. And that is give us a
quick overview of the four temperaments, perhaps for anyone just
joining us or needing a refresher.
S2 (01:36):
Okay, so temperaments date all the way back to Hippocrates. It's, um,
understanding how we're wired to think, speak and listen. Each
of the four temperaments speaks its own language. The red
choleric speaks the language of power and control. It's an
extrovert that's task oriented. The blue melancholic speaks the language
(01:56):
of perfection and order an introvert that's task oriented. The
green phlegmatic speaks the language of calm and harmony. An introvert,
believe it or not, that's people oriented. In The yellow,
sanguine speaks the language of people and fun. An extrovert
that's people oriented.
S1 (02:13):
And yours truly, right.
S2 (02:15):
And yours truly. The yellow temperament.
S1 (02:17):
That's exactly right. All right. Well, I guess this is
where we switch roles and you get to ask the questions.
So let's dive into what it means to be a yellow,
which is my temperament.
S2 (02:26):
So and I love this. So when you first took
my assessment and you found out what you were. Tell
me a little bit about what you thought about that.
S1 (02:34):
Yeah. I mean, I think honestly it made me laugh
a bit because it just nailed me. Julie, my wife
says I'm the how and he's the wow, which, you know,
perfectly captures me. Um, I think it made me a
little uncomfortable, but in the best way, because it showed
me I could grow. I realized why I love being
around people. You know, I'm always looking for the positive.
(02:55):
I'm the glass is half full kind of guy, and
I have a hard time slowing down, but I love
the fact that it gave me language to talk about
how I'm wired, not just with others, but even with
my own team and even my family. I think at
the end of the day, it gave me more self-awareness
and a level of grace just to appreciate how God
has uniquely wired me.
S2 (03:16):
Yeah, so most yellows, like you said, aren't surprised. You know,
you've heard your whole life. You're so much fun. You
have so much energy. You bring so much joy. You're
inspiring to others. You know, yellows thrive on that connection.
Laughter being liked. And I know, Rob, you wear your
heart on your sleeve. That's that's what yellows do. And
they often struggle to stay focused. They really struggle with interrupting.
(03:40):
But the temperament frameworks helps yellows understand their joy as
just one of their many strengths, just like you said,
and that their weaknesses are something they can manage. That's right.
They don't have to ignore them. So here's something I
want your listeners to know is tell us how the
yellow temperament shows up and how you handle money.
S1 (04:01):
Yeah. Well, as you know, yellows tend to be spontaneous.
So fun. Money isn't a category, it's a lifestyle. I
love using money to create experiences and memories. I love giving,
but sometimes I can find that I give more emotionally
instead of strategically. Yeah, so I've had to learn that
wisdom is a part of generosity. I've also had to
(04:23):
put systems in place. So automating savings, setting limits, using envelopes.
It was really why I was so excited about our
team building the Faith VI app, because I needed a
system to control money. Because again, I look at the
money through the lens of money as a tool, and
it's to be used to enjoy people and experiences and things.
(04:46):
And I can do that by saying, well, sure, we
can afford that without even checking the balance.
S2 (04:50):
Exactly. And so you let me just summarize. Like the
yellows often view money as a means of fun and connection,
you know, and they tend, just like you said, to
be generous. But they can be impulsive with their spending.
Planning and restrain makes them feel limited. So just a simple,
flexible budget with some accountability, with something to look forward to,
(05:13):
just like you said, on track without feeling that restriction.
S1 (05:18):
We're talking temperaments today, and I'm on the hot seat
as a yellow Kathleen Edelman is here and we've got
much more just around the corner. Don't go anywhere. Thanks
(05:41):
for joining us today on Faith and Finance Live. With
me today, my friend Kathleen Edelman. She's the author of
I Said This You Heard That and the creator of
the powerful video series and workbook designed to help people
understand how their temperament shapes the way they communicate and
really love others well. Right.
S2 (05:59):
Oh, absolutely. It changes every relationship.
S1 (06:02):
Yeah. We've been moving our way through each of the
temperaments represented by colors. There's the. The red choleric. There's
the blue melancholic. The green the phlegmatic. Today. The yellow,
the sanguine temperament. That's me. I love people and fun. Extroverted,
people oriented. I also love to use money as a
tool to enjoy, to have experiences and budgeting. Well, uh,
(06:25):
you might be surprised to know that's not my favorite thing. Uh,
as a money guy. Most people just assume I love budgets,
but my temperament would not have me to do that
for sure. And, you know, I think one of the
things I've come to appreciate is that, you know, financial
stewardship isn't boring. It's actually the foundation that allows us
(06:45):
to be more generous and glorify God in the process,
to use money the way God intended as a good gift,
but within the boundaries.
S2 (06:53):
Oh, and what I love about what you just said. Um,
I do not advocate putting people in boxes or labeling them.
And you are a perfect example. This yellow fun guy
that's in finance, you know, any temperament can do anything.
So being a yellow, how do you think that helps
(07:14):
or hinders good financial management?
S1 (07:16):
Yeah. Well I think it does both. It depends on
the day and whether Amazon is involved. But uh, you know,
it can hinder things. If I let my spontaneous, people
loving side drive all the decisions. I mean, a gift
for everyone I've ever met, right? But I think it
can also help. I mean, we're, as you know, optimistic.
(07:37):
That means us yellows believe that financial goals are possible.
We bring energy to what could otherwise feel like a grind. Oh, yeah. Um,
we're also highly relational, so we connect finances to purpose.
So I love helping people. I love giving. I love
making memories. If it's those things, I'm all in. I
guess what I've learned, though, is that I need structure
(07:59):
with joy baked in. Yeah, and I think that's the
secret sauce. If the plan feels lifeless, I'm going to bail.
But if I know leading to something that's ultimately going
to bring celebration or generosity or vision, I'm willing to
go on the journey.
S2 (08:14):
Yeah. You know, yellows bring that energy and optimism to
the table, you know, which makes them great motivators. But
they may avoid details or delay tough decisions, right. So
they benefit from using flexible planning tools. For example, like
you mentioned, the envelopes love it, especially if it's categorized. Hey,
we're going to get a dinner with friends is written
(08:37):
right on the front of the envelope. Right? Um, so
yellows are uniquely wired to live in the moment, so
long term goals can be almost abstract to them. So
framing financial wins in terms of freedom and And short
term wins will absolutely keep them engaged, right?
S1 (08:55):
Yeah. No doubt I see that in my life.
S2 (08:57):
So let's talk about the innate needs. Okay. Um, the
yellow's innate needs are approval being liked for who they
are without needing to change, acceptance, being invited or included attention.
Having your full focus, especially eye contact and affection, being
noticed or acknowledged. So when these are met, that yellow
(09:18):
is cheerful, connected, inspiring. They light up the room. They're
fun to be with unmet. They can use charm in
an unhealthy way. And we have to remember that a
weakness is a weakness, but a strength taken too far
can also become a weakness. So how do you feel
about that when you hear these? Do they sound familiar?
(09:38):
Can you relate? Do they resonate you in the financial world?
S1 (09:41):
Yeah, I mean, this totally hit home for me because
I thrive, as you said, on approval and acceptance. Not
in a shallow way, but in a tell me I
matter to you kind of way. Um, I light up
when I feel included and valued. So whether it's in
a conversation, a team, or just even being invited to lunch. Uh,
encouragement is like oxygen to a yellow. You know, you say,
(10:02):
I love how you bring joy into the room and
we'll be floating for days. So, you know, on the
flip side, if I feel ignored or dismissed, it hits hard.
And it's not just about attention, it's about connection.
S2 (10:13):
Exactly.
S1 (10:14):
Um, so I see that in my life, too. And
I think an understanding about myself in this way has
helped me, really, to stop chasing those needs in unhealthy
ways and instead build relationships and rhythms where they're met
in life giving ways.
S2 (10:30):
Oh yeah, and the yellows, you know, money choices that
reflect their value, not just the moment. You know, this
helps gain attention for the yellows wisdom and not their impulsivity,
which can happen. Um, naming the innate needs helps them
pursue healthy connections. You know, yellow. shine brightest when their
(10:51):
joy isn't tied to spending but being fully seen. They
are right. So it helps others understand. Their desire to
bring joy isn't shallow. It's deeply wired in who they are.
S1 (11:06):
Oh yeah. I mean, I certainly see that.
S2 (11:08):
Yeah. So what happens, do you think, when you're in
a money conversation, you know, how would you say the
yellow temperament shows up for that?
S1 (11:15):
Yeah, I would say if the conversation is about dreams
or goals or generosity, I'm all in. Uh, you know,
I'll have ten ideas before we finish the sentence, but
if it turns into a spreadsheet review or a line
by line budget breakdown, I'm suddenly thinking about planning a
vacation in my head, you know? Um, you know, I
naturally want to keep things positive. So if there's tension
(11:37):
or conflict, my instinct is to smooth it over or
change the subject. Uh, on occasion. And sometimes, instead of
dealing with the issue, I've noticed, you know, I tend
to avoid hard money timing. Someone might feel disappointed in
me that fear of disapproval can get in the way.
But I've learned over time when I stay engaged and
(11:57):
bring my joy with structure to those money conversations, they
actually become powerful moments for unity and clarity and shared vision.
So I try to prepare ahead of time and remind
myself it's really ultimately about stewardship so that I'm present
and grounded.
S2 (12:13):
Well, you learned that skill of preparation because yellows aren't
necessarily wired for that. You know, yellows tend to lighten
the mood or change the subject. Just like you said,
when things get tense, they're great at vision casting and
being inspiring. Um, but they have a problem sometimes diving
into the details or especially follow through. So using their
(12:37):
strengths of energy and encouragement, um, can focus on that
shared goal. You said they thrive when the conversation is
framed Positively don't like things to feel hopeless. Just like
you said. So when you speak to a yellow, we
want to refrain from ever starting a conversation in the negative, right?
That's well said. So do you think the yellow temperament
(13:01):
affects how you interact with callers on your program?
S1 (13:05):
Oh, 100%. Yeah. I mean, it definitely shapes how I
show up on the show, and it's why I love
doing it every day. I mean, I'm a natural encourager.
So when someone calls in, my instinct is to make
them feel seen and heard and uplifted, especially if they're
anxious or overwhelmed. I want people to leave the conversation
with hope, not just answers.
S2 (13:26):
So would I hear you saying is you're really listening
to your caller? Have you felt like you could implement
the other temperaments? Like when you hear a caller, are
you being able to identify their temperament and speak their language?
S1 (13:39):
And that's why your book and workbook has been a
game changer for me, because now I listen differently to
how they're responding to me, and I'm starting to pick
up by the end of the call their temperament. And
now I can call you can.
S2 (13:51):
Speak their language.
S1 (13:52):
Yeah, I can color my answers through that.
S2 (13:54):
That's awesome.
S1 (13:55):
It's a.
S2 (13:55):
Game changer. I love the fact that you're already applying it.
S1 (13:58):
Well, it's been a game changer for me. Thank you, Kathleen,
for your work on this and for taking the time
to actually work through each of these temperaments together. It's
been fun. We're out of time today. That's Kathleen Edelman.
She's the author of the featured article on temperaments in
the latest issue of the Faithful Steward Magazine. If you'd
like to receive a copy each quarter, become a partner
(14:18):
when you go to Faith. Com. We're back with your
questions on any financial topic after this. Stay with us.
S3 (14:35):
The opinions offered during this program represent the personal or
professional opinions of the participants, given for informational purposes only.
Any information provided is not intended to replace advice from
a financial, medical, legal or other professional who understands your
specific situation.
S1 (14:58):
Hey, thanks for joining us today on Faith in Finance Live,
I'm Rob West. Well, that was a lot of fun.
Great to wrap up our series on temperament. You know,
here's why we did that deep dive into temperaments. Because
as we think about managing God's money, we realize how
we're wired by God. Our creator has a lot to
do with how we see, view and hold and handle money.
(15:20):
And our goal through this series was to help you
understand God's unique design of you, and how that can
cause you to perhaps, uh, make money decisions differently. The
goal is we want to help you have a healthy
relationship with money and then be able to others, you know,
(15:40):
in a way that's healthy. Also recognizing that others will
have different money temperaments. And so you understanding that. Well,
like I said, you know, I see money as a
tool to enjoy and to have a wonderful, you know,
celebration with family or a nice meal together to deepen
relationships or go on a, you know, that's not a
(16:00):
bad thing. Remember, part of why God gave us money
is for our delight to enjoy this good gift. You
know he's the author of it, but we have to
also do that within the confines of God's provision. And
so others who have more of a propensity towards saving
or kind of being a little bit more guarded in,
in adhering to the plan. Well, that's not a bad
(16:22):
thing either. And I think, you know, marriage specifically together
as husband and wife and more accurately reflect God's heart
by understanding and appreciating our differences, knowing how we're going
to approach it, which is in part colored by our temperament,
how our spouse is going to approach it, or with
our kids or friends and family, whatever it is. Hopefully
(16:43):
through this series you have a better understanding of why
you make the decision and how you can understand what
are my tendencies and what are the areas I need
to just be on my guard. Because if my tendency
is to not spend within my means according to a budget, well,
maybe I need to put some some guardrails in my
(17:03):
life to make sure I don't spend beyond what God
has provided. So that's been a lot of fun to
unpack this, by the way, if you want to go
a little bit deeper with Kathleen Edelman and perhaps take
the assessment and understand a bit more about how you
can apply it to your life, not only in your
money journey, but perhaps, uh, you know, even beyond that, um,
you can check out her website. Uh, you just go
(17:25):
to I you that's I said you heard Dot. Yes.
That's a web address. It doesn't have a.com on it.
It will take you right where you need to go.
All right. We're taking your calls and questions today at
800 525 Five 7000. That's 800. Five. Two. Five. 7000. Uh,
(17:46):
take your, uh, specific question and, uh, be able to
apply biblical wisdom. Choices you're making. So let's do that
right now. We're going to begin in Montana today. Uh, Kevin,
go right ahead.
S4 (17:59):
Yeah. Rob, this, um, I had a question about. I was, uh,
I was I listened to your program quite a bit,
so I heard you talk about Christian Community credit union.
Am I correct? And are you.
S1 (18:15):
Sure they've been a great partner.
S4 (18:16):
About. I've been thinking. About what? I don't know how
banking works. I don't know what API means. API means
I don't know how much money you get out of that.
I don't know, understand the whole process. And I've got
a I've got a sizable amount of money to put
in the bank and but I want trying to get
(18:40):
the most out of it as I can.
S1 (18:42):
Got it. Yeah. Um, so AP and AP are slightly different,
so Apr stands for annual percentage rate. You typically see
Apr when you're talking about loans, credit cards and mortgages.
It's the interest rate charged uh over a year without
taking compounding into account. AP annual percentage yield is usually
(19:08):
referred to when we're talking about savings accounts, CDs and
investment products. The reason is it reflects the actual return
or in the case of a loan, a cost. But
generally it's for the actual return. That includes compounding, because
often savings accounts will compound either daily or monthly, which
(19:31):
interest on the interest. So if you have a consistent
balance throughout the year and you get a 5% APY, well,
they're going to credit you 1/12 of 5% at the
end of the month if it's combating monthly. And now
the balance that you were carrying, plus the interest you
got for month one is now working for you. So
(19:52):
you've got a little bit more than the balance you
started with. That's going to earn interest on it for
month two. And so that compounding effect is reflected in
the API. So if you see a savings account that
says 5% APY that's reflecting, you know, the the amount
of interest you'll earn, including compounding over a 12 month period.
(20:15):
Now in terms of Christian Community Credit union, you're right.
They've been great partners of ours for a long time.
Here's what we're finding. More and more Christians want to
be with financial institutions that align with their values. And
so they want to do business with, let's say, mutual
funds or investments that are screened for Christian values or
(20:37):
in the case of their banking partner, they want to
know that the institution they have their deposit with or
their checking account with not only is is not supporting
causes that are misaligned, but also that even of every
dollar is going to find its way into a Christian
ministry that aligns with the heart of God in Scripture. Well,
that's Christian Community Credit Union. So what they're offering right
(20:59):
now at Faithful Banking is their harvest high yield savings.
It's a high interest rate of 5% APY. So that'd
be over 12 months, 5% on it. And that's balances
up to $5,000. And you would just use the word
promo code Faith fi and there's $100 bonus they'll add
to it. So that's what APY is. Yes, Sisiku has
(21:23):
been a great partner. And to learn more, go to
Faith banking now. Kevin, I want to see if you
have any specific questions on all of that. Um, so
you stay on the line. You and I'll talk a
bit more off the air during this break. A lot
more questions coming up. Plus perhaps yours. Five. Two. Five. 7000.
We'll be right back. Thanks for joining us today on
(21:53):
Faith and Finance Live here on Moody Radio. I'm Rob
West helping you see God is your ultimate treasure and
money a tool to accomplish God's purposes. Coming up in
our final segment today, Bob Dole stops by. We'll get
Bob's update on the markets as we begin the trading
week the first day of the week. Well, we close
the S&P 500, its first close above 6300, a new
(22:16):
all time high, the Nasdaq also hitting another record today
ahead of big tech earnings. So the Mag seven starting
to report this week. Some of it after the bell
today and throughout the week. So we'll find out what
the biggest technologies in the nation and in the world frankly,
are doing with regard to earnings. Bob will preview that
for us and tell us what else is moving the
(22:38):
market and the economy. This week, Bob Dole, coming up
in our next segment, let's head right back to the phones.
We got some great questions coming up. Charitable distributions with
Carol Daniel wants to talk about digital currencies. But first Naples,
Florida is where Terry.
S5 (22:54):
Hi. Thank you very much for taking my call. Sure. Um,
I have I own my house outright, and, uh, I've
been hearing a lot about home title protections that that's
a wise thing to do. Do you feel that how
much jeopardy is the title of my home in at
this point, would you think?
S1 (23:11):
Yeah. You know, that can give peace of mind, but
it's not something I generally recommend. So what does it do? Well,
title protection essentially claims to monitor public records to alert
you if someone tries to transfer or tamper with. So
it's intended to try to help you detect the fraud early. Um,
(23:33):
what it doesn't do, it doesn't prevent the fraud or
legally stop someone from filing a fake deed. Because remember,
if they're doing that, it's fraud and it's not title insurance,
so it won't cover financial losses or legal fees if
fraud occurs. Um, you know, is there high risk of this?
There really isn't. And frankly, kind of like other credit
(23:57):
monitoring services, you can generally do it yourself. Um, so
you've got a couple of options. You know, more and more,
the county county recorder's offices are providing a free alert system, um,
either for you just to go in and check it periodically,
online free, or many of them are adding where you
(24:17):
can be alerted if there's any kind of change. And
that would not be going through a third party that
you would have to pay. You'd do that directly with
your county records office. At the end of the day,
if somebody filed a fake deed and then took out
a loan against your property, uh, Um, claiming that they
owned it with the fake deed, and then they got
the money and didn't pay it back. And then somebody
(24:39):
notified you they were foreclosing on the property. Well, you'd
have to go to court and it would not go
through because it was all done fraudulently. That's illegal. Um,
what this is trying to do is to help you
spot that before it happens. It's very uncommon, though, and
just given the potential resource, which is fairly low, that
(25:01):
it's just an unnecessary added expense for you. If you're
looking for peace of mind here, the first thing I
would do is call your county and just say what's
out there? Do you all have a way that I
could be alerted if there's any change? If so, great.
Take advantage of it. Second option is you could just
monitor it periodically, just, you know, set a reminder to
check it a few times a year. Uh, apart from that,
(25:24):
if if you had the money in your budget and
it just gave you added peace of mind to know
that somebody was monitoring that for you, well, that's where
this could come in. But I just want to make
sure you understand what it does and more importantly, what
it doesn't do. Does that make sense?
S5 (25:38):
Yes, it really does. And you're telling me to go
to the county records office?
S1 (25:42):
Yes. Or more.
S5 (25:44):
About.
S1 (25:44):
It? You could. Yeah. Are you comfortable using the internet?
S5 (25:48):
Yes.
S1 (25:49):
Okay. Yeah. So that would be the easiest place to go. Is,
is just go to your, your county, uh, you know,
deed website and just see if they have any kind
of automated alerts. You could stop by there and just
ask that question face to face. But I'd probably just
start with their website. You most certainly would be able
to log in and just see the title and see
(26:10):
how it's, uh, you know, the, you know, whose name
it's in and it would be yours. And then you
could check that periodically. The question is, do they have
an alert system? And again, more and more of these
counties are putting that in place.
S5 (26:24):
Okay. That's that's good information. Thank you very much I
think I'll check that out.
S1 (26:29):
Awesome. Thank you Terry.
S5 (26:30):
Spend extra money when you don't need to.
S1 (26:32):
So I think that's the big idea for me. Yes, ma'am.
I'd love for you to keep that hard earned money
and put that to better use. Terry, thanks for your call.
Call any time to Indiana. Hi, Daniel. Go ahead.
S6 (26:44):
Hi. Yes, my major concern, I just there's several people
that are getting involved in digital currencies and with what,
Donald Trump just signing it into law. I just was wondering,
how is it? Is it is it pliable for a
Christian to do it? I mean, is this is this
going to follow along with God's teachings because, I mean,
(27:05):
digital currency or whatever universal currency that the Antichrist will
end up taking ownership of is going to happen regardless.
And we should welcome it as Christians because we know
the father is coming. Yeah. Yeah. Um.
S1 (27:22):
Well, I certainly appreciate the question, Daniel. Here's my take
on it. I mean, first of all, we have to
just recognize what has been done and what has not
been done. So there there is no central bank digital
currency that has been put in place or is being discussed,
where essentially we would replace the current dollar with a
digital dollar that every transaction would now run through the Treasury.
(27:46):
They would have visibility and perhaps controls over how and
when money is spent. That is not on the table.
President Trump has been very outspoken that he's against that.
It would take an act of Congress because coinage comes
from Congress anyway. And there's a lot of people who
have big concerns, and I think rightly so, over a
(28:06):
central bank digital currency. So that's not even being discussed.
What we're talking about is crypto, which is, you know, basically,
you know, something that I think is here to stay.
It's essentially based on blockchain. And Bitcoin is the oldest
and most recognizable name in the crypto space. And so,
(28:28):
you know, I think for the first decade or so
of Bitcoin's life, you know, many users hoped it would
become an independent currency that people could buy and sell
outside the normal government money system. And that view is
mostly dead at this point. And it's been replaced view,
which is essentially that Bitcoin, like gold, is a store
(28:51):
of value that can protect a person's purchasing power against
the constant debasement of government currencies. And I know it
may sound crazy to call an asset that routinely, you know,
goes up or down in value by more than 50%
a store of value, but it does have scarcity built
into its DNA. There's a strict limit of 21 million
(29:13):
bitcoins that will ever be produced. And that scarcity gives
it the appeal to investors that are watching the continual
debasement of fiat currencies, not only here in the US by,
you know, creating more money in the money supply, but
global governments and central banks, you know, across the world.
And so today's Bitcoin investors like it for a lot
(29:35):
of the same reasons that older generations liked gold. It's
a separate asset class that can resist debasement and hold
its value, while other forms of money become less valuable
over time. Now, you mentioned or alluded to maybe the
kind of the mark of the beast and what we
read about in revelation. And what I would say is
(29:56):
this is not that in my view, there is no
allegiance to an Antichrist system, there is no worship, there
is no economic control that prevents buying and selling without
the mark. Uh, you know, Bitcoin is just a decentralized, uh, voluntary.
No one's forced to use it. Transparent transactions are recorded
(30:16):
on public blockchain. They're private, but traceable. So it's unlike
a government issued digital currency. It actually resists central control
and promotes financial freedom. now. I'll pick it up on
the other side of this with a few more thoughts.
Thanks for your call. We'll be right back. Well, here
(30:39):
in our final segment today, in just a moment, we'll
check in with Bob Dole new LP and the Nasdaq.
Today we'll find out what's moving the markets and get
Bob's take on the economy. Before we do that, though,
just before the break, we were talking to Daniel, and
Daniel was just asking about the speculation that digital currencies
could pave the way for end times control, Bitcoin and
(31:02):
other central currencies. And what we were talking about is,
first of all, that the central bank digital currency is
not on the table right now. President Trump it there's
many in Congress against it. And I think for good reason.
Bitcoin really completely different a neutral tool that can be
used for good or ill, just like any technology and
(31:24):
really is ultimately the The antithesis of something that would
cause control because it's decentralized, not controlled by any government. Voluntary.
No one forced to use it. Transparent. Although private. Uh,
but still traceable. The reason some Christians are concerned, as
we read revelation uh, in discerning these times is it's digital.
(31:48):
And revelation speaks of a system restricting commerce. This is
not that, but it feels new and unfamiliar, which can
evoke fear. And I think, you know, that's where we
need to understand what it is and what it's not.
And that's perhaps a big idea here. You know, before
we move into the markets, Bob Dole with us. Bob,
your thoughts on that?
S7 (32:11):
Nailed it. Um, great explanation. It's, uh, unproven to a
lot of people. It's, uh, a black cloud or a
white cloud to a lot of people, but those that
are in it, uh, really are passionate about it. I
don't know about you, but I'm coming up the learning curve.
Slowly but surely. And I think it won't overtake everything.
(32:31):
But it will have a place.
S1 (32:33):
Yeah, I think that's well said, Bob. I mean, you know,
a lot of folks have operated on the premise. If
you can't explain, it don't really fits in that category
for many. And yet it's becoming more and more mainstream
in large part due to the, the regulatory environment. The
first Pro-crypto president and now institutional dollars with the ETFs.
(32:53):
If we were to look at this almost like digital
gold would, perhaps a portion if you're willing to take
on the volatility, a portion of your gold allocation into crypto,
would that be perhaps a way to think about it?
S7 (33:08):
I certainly see those parallels. Another important parallel is like
the amount of gold is fixed, the amount of Bitcoin
is fixed as well, and that protects the price from
inflation and other things. Those two that alone will help
gold and Bitcoin and crypto more in general to hold
(33:29):
its value, albeit volatile.
S1 (33:31):
Uh, no doubt about that. Well, Bob, obviously, uh, new
all time S&P above 6300 for the first time at
the close. The Nasdaq all of this ahead of big
tech earnings. What's moving the markets.
S7 (33:43):
Earnings in particular. Uh as you know we had a
bit of a sell off into the close and lost
a lot of the gains today. But in general over
the last bunch of days the market's been up because
earnings are coming through pretty good. And the outlook company
managements are giving in their calls is generally supportive.
S1 (34:00):
Rob yeah it does continue to take us back though
when we talk about earnings to the PE ratios that
we're seeing right now, I know that was a part
of your commentary this week.
S7 (34:11):
Yes, exactly. P e ratio 24 times that. That's up there.
It's nosebleed territory as I say. And now expensive valuations
does not mean you have to sell in. The market's
going down. It just gives you a sense of the
risk reward. As you know, long term PE average. Over
the last 30 years, Rob has been 17 times. We're
(34:32):
at 24. That's a pretty big gap.
S1 (34:34):
Yeah. There's no doubt about that, Bob. What about the
labor market? I know that's been kind of front and
center as of late.
S7 (34:40):
Yeah. We need to watch labor market carefully because out
of health in the labor market comes patterns for consumption.
And consumption tends to drive the economy. And right now
we're looking at a labor market that's, you know, some
some okay news related to the fact there are new okay.
News in the number of jobs is is is dropping
(35:03):
and the the mix is not great. Uh, too many
government health care and education jobs, not enough kind of
private sector manufacturing, cyclical jobs.
S1 (35:15):
Hmm. Yeah. Interesting. Something to keep an eye on, for sure, Bob. Um,
do we get a rate cut this month, do you think?
S7 (35:22):
I think the probability of that is pretty close to zero. Um,
the fact that we saw in the CPI and PPI
last week, the beginning of some of the tariff inflation,
I think will cause the fed to say we're not ready.
Too many unknowns in my view. September is the earliest.
S1 (35:39):
Bob. Last question. You know, when it comes to overlaying values,
Christian values on a portfolio, what does that look like
for you as you evaluate companies not only looking at
their sales and earnings and all the other litany of factors,
but really looking at how do they align with the
values of Christians, how does that play into your selection?
S7 (36:00):
When we look at a company's revenues, where do they
have their business? And it's in things that, uh, harm
or maim people, we just won't own it. Uh, but
we exclude a fewer companies than many of our sister
companies do. Um, but then beyond that, the companies that
don't get screened out, uh, we have a strict values criteria.
(36:23):
If you don't score well there, you're not going to
make it in the portfolio. So trying as best we
can and an objective way to line up people's um,
investments with their with their values and their faith.
S1 (36:35):
Yeah. And doing a great job at it. Bob, we
always appreciate your time.
S7 (36:38):
All the best.
S1 (36:39):
All right. That's Bob Dole. He's CEO and CIO at
Crossmark Global Investments. You can learn more at Crossmark global.com.
All right. Before we round out the broadcast today, Carol
has been waiting patiently there in Saint Louis. Carol, go
right ahead.
S8 (36:53):
Yes. Um, I have a question about qualified Qcds qualified distributions. Yes, ma'am. And, um,
does the distribution count on my income taxes when I.
When it's donated? No.
S1 (37:10):
It does not. No. So it reduces your IRA balance,
keeps your income lower because it's not added to or
or you might say another way, it won't raise your
adjusted gross income. Um, so it allows you to take
money out. So the money went in pre-tax, and any
time you take a withdrawal, the withdrawal gets added to
(37:32):
your adjusted gross income, which means you pay tax on it,
which also raises the ability to have Irma, the income
related monthly adjustment for Medicare. But in the case of
a QCD, when it goes straight from the IRA to
a qualified charity, a 500 and 1C3, you don't get
the deduction, but the amount coming out is not added
to your taxable, which is great because now it went
(37:54):
in tax free. It's coming out tax free. It never
has tax paid on it. And it satisfies your required
minimum if you have one.
S8 (38:03):
Okay. Um I think you answered the question indirectly but
so it doesn't a QCD does not qualify as a deduction.
That's correct. I take out. Okay. So if I take
out 10,000 I can't deduct it from my income taxes.
S1 (38:20):
That's exactly right, because that would be, in a sense,
be double dipping. So, you know, you're you're you put
it in tax free, you're taking it out tax free.
So that's the benefit is you don't have to add
it to your taxable income, but they do not allow
you to not only not add it and then deduct it.
That would be kind of getting credit twice.
S8 (38:40):
So I was kind of hoping.
S1 (38:42):
Yeah I mean you might as well ask right. I
love it.
S8 (38:49):
I love your show and God bless you. You've been
really a gift to me, I appreciate it.
S1 (38:55):
Oh, I appreciate that so much, Carol. May the Lord
bless you. Hey, stay on the line. I want to
send you a copy of our magazine, Faithful steward. I
think you'll enjoy it. And I appreciate you being a
great caller today. And you've been very patient as well.
Lord bless you, Carol. Well, we covered a lot of
ground today, folks. I'll tell you. You know, as we
think about our role in managing God's money, it's a
(39:15):
really high calling and we want to help you get
it right. It's not that you're going to make all
the right decisions. Not and haven't. We've all made mistakes.
But our goal with this, you know, once we surrender
our lives to Jesus, then it's about stewardship. And there's
a lot that we're stewards over and are stewards of
God's Word, but we're also stewards of God's money because
it all belongs to him. He created it, and I
(39:37):
think he created it as a good gift for our
delight and enjoyment, to use, to enjoy with one another,
to deepen relationships through celebration, to give it away like
we just talked to Carol about, to invest it like
Bob Dole was talking about in companies that are providing
goods and services, uh, to, you know, create human flourishing.
(40:00):
And that's a part of God's design. Here's where the
problem comes in. The problem is when all of a
sudden it becomes the end game. You know, it's no
longer a means to an end, a tool, but instead
it becomes the object of our affection. And that's really
known as an idol. And we see that not only
in our lives on a daily basis, but we see
it in God's Word. The Israelites, you know, the hardest
(40:22):
test they were going to face as they were entering
into the Promised Land was abundance was prosperity because it
can it can distract us from who brought the gift
in the first place. We start doing and in our power.
And that's just not what God's Word says. It's him
that gives us the power that to create wealth, it
(40:42):
comes from God alone. Everything we have is from him.
And so when we put everything in its proper place
and God is our ultimate treasure and money, a gift
from God on loan to us, from him to is
then that responsibility. We have to be a faithful steward,
and faithfulness is long obedience in the same direction as
(41:04):
we read in the classic. And when we do that, well,
now we have the opportunity to enjoy the fruit of
of our labor and God's provision. But that's our heart
for you. Each day on this program is that we'd
be able to provide some encouragement to that end, and
then we know that you're going to have those questions
that come up along the way. And what we want
to do is help you answer those questions in light
(41:26):
of biblical wisdom. Now, if you love the program, you
listen regularly. One of the ways you could help us
is by becoming a faithful partner. Partners support the ministry
at $35 a month or more. And as a listener
supported ministry, that's critical because we don't do what we
do every day without that. And so if you want
to learn how to become a partner, just go to faith. Com.
(41:51):
You'll see there on that site that when you become
a partner you'll get four issues of our magazine Faithful Steward.
Each year you'll get all of our studies and devotionals
and access to the Faith app. Faith, Faith and finance
is a partnership between Moody Radio and Faith five Lisa, Omar,
Rihanna and Jim serving us today. We'll see you next time.
(42:12):
Bye bye.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit
dries up the bones. Proverbs 1722. I am Rob West.
As we wrap up our series on the temperaments and
how they affect our financial decisions, turning the tables a
bit today, Kathleen Edelman, who's been our guide through this journey,
is taking the host seat to interview me about the
(00:36):
yellow temperament. And then it's on to your calls and
questions at 800 525 7000. That's 800 525 7000. This
is faith in finance. Live. Biblical wisdom for your financial journey.
(00:57):
Kathleen Edelman is the author of I Said This. You
Heard that in the creator of a powerful video series
and workbook designed to help people understand how their temperament
shapes the way they communicate. Kathleen, I really appreciate you
taking the time to actually do this entire series with us.
S2 (01:13):
Oh, it's been great. It's been interesting fun, right? We
have to get all the temperaments in there, right? Right.
S1 (01:19):
Exactly right. And I'm thrilled you're going to take the
host role today. That's going to be a lot of fun.
So before we hand over the reins to you, I'd
love for you just to do what you've done for
the last three episodes. And that is give us a
quick overview of the four temperaments, perhaps for anyone just
joining us or needing a refresher.
S2 (01:36):
Okay, so temperaments date all the way back to Hippocrates. It's, um,
understanding how we're wired to think, speak and listen. Each
of the four temperaments speaks its own language. The red
choleric speaks the language of power and control. It's an
extrovert that's task oriented. The blue melancholic speaks the language
(01:56):
of perfection and order an introvert that's task oriented. The
green phlegmatic speaks the language of calm and harmony. An introvert,
believe it or not, that's people oriented. In The yellow,
sanguine speaks the language of people and fun. An extrovert
that's people oriented.
S1 (02:13):
And yours truly, right.
S2 (02:15):
And yours truly. The yellow temperament.
S1 (02:17):
That's exactly right. All right. Well, I guess this is
where we switch roles and you get to ask the questions.
So let's dive into what it means to be a yellow,
which is my temperament.
S2 (02:26):
So and I love this. So when you first took
my assessment and you found out what you were. Tell
me a little bit about what you thought about that.
S1 (02:34):
Yeah. I mean, I think honestly it made me laugh
a bit because it just nailed me. Julie, my wife
says I'm the how and he's the wow, which, you know,
perfectly captures me. Um, I think it made me a
little uncomfortable, but in the best way, because it showed
me I could grow. I realized why I love being
around people. You know, I'm always looking for the positive.
(02:55):
I'm the glass is half full kind of guy, and
I have a hard time slowing down, but I love
the fact that it gave me language to talk about
how I'm wired, not just with others, but even with
my own team and even my family. I think at
the end of the day, it gave me more self-awareness
and a level of grace just to appreciate how God
has uniquely wired me.
S2 (03:16):
Yeah, so most yellows, like you said, aren't surprised. You know,
you've heard your whole life. You're so much fun. You
have so much energy. You bring so much joy. You're
inspiring to others. You know, yellows thrive on that connection.
Laughter being liked. And I know, Rob, you wear your
heart on your sleeve. That's that's what yellows do. And
they often struggle to stay focused. They really struggle with interrupting.
(03:40):
But the temperament frameworks helps yellows understand their joy as
just one of their many strengths, just like you said,
and that their weaknesses are something they can manage. That's right.
They don't have to ignore them. So here's something I
want your listeners to know is tell us how the
yellow temperament shows up and how you handle money.
S1 (04:01):
Yeah. Well, as you know, yellows tend to be spontaneous.
So fun. Money isn't a category, it's a lifestyle. I
love using money to create experiences and memories. I love giving,
but sometimes I can find that I give more emotionally
instead of strategically. Yeah, so I've had to learn that
wisdom is a part of generosity. I've also had to
(04:23):
put systems in place. So automating savings, setting limits, using envelopes.
It was really why I was so excited about our
team building the Faith VI app, because I needed a
system to control money. Because again, I look at the
money through the lens of money as a tool, and
it's to be used to enjoy people and experiences and things.
(04:46):
And I can do that by saying, well, sure, we
can afford that without even checking the balance.
S2 (04:50):
Exactly. And so you let me just summarize. Like the
yellows often view money as a means of fun and connection,
you know, and they tend, just like you said, to
be generous. But they can be impulsive with their spending.
Planning and restrain makes them feel limited. So just a simple,
flexible budget with some accountability, with something to look forward to,
(05:13):
just like you said, on track without feeling that restriction.
S1 (05:18):
We're talking temperaments today, and I'm on the hot seat
as a yellow Kathleen Edelman is here and we've got
much more just around the corner. Don't go anywhere. Thanks
(05:41):
for joining us today on Faith and Finance Live. With
me today, my friend Kathleen Edelman. She's the author of
I Said This You Heard That and the creator of
the powerful video series and workbook designed to help people
understand how their temperament shapes the way they communicate and
really love others well. Right.
S2 (05:59):
Oh, absolutely. It changes every relationship.
S1 (06:02):
Yeah. We've been moving our way through each of the
temperaments represented by colors. There's the. The red choleric. There's
the blue melancholic. The green the phlegmatic. Today. The yellow,
the sanguine temperament. That's me. I love people and fun. Extroverted,
people oriented. I also love to use money as a
tool to enjoy, to have experiences and budgeting. Well, uh,
(06:25):
you might be surprised to know that's not my favorite thing. Uh,
as a money guy. Most people just assume I love budgets,
but my temperament would not have me to do that
for sure. And, you know, I think one of the
things I've come to appreciate is that, you know, financial
stewardship isn't boring. It's actually the foundation that allows us
(06:45):
to be more generous and glorify God in the process,
to use money the way God intended as a good gift,
but within the boundaries.
S2 (06:53):
Oh, and what I love about what you just said. Um,
I do not advocate putting people in boxes or labeling them.
And you are a perfect example. This yellow fun guy
that's in finance, you know, any temperament can do anything.
So being a yellow, how do you think that helps
(07:14):
or hinders good financial management?
S1 (07:16):
Yeah. Well I think it does both. It depends on
the day and whether Amazon is involved. But uh, you know,
it can hinder things. If I let my spontaneous, people
loving side drive all the decisions. I mean, a gift
for everyone I've ever met, right? But I think it
can also help. I mean, we're, as you know, optimistic.
(07:37):
That means us yellows believe that financial goals are possible.
We bring energy to what could otherwise feel like a grind. Oh, yeah. Um,
we're also highly relational, so we connect finances to purpose.
So I love helping people. I love giving. I love
making memories. If it's those things, I'm all in. I
guess what I've learned, though, is that I need structure
(07:59):
with joy baked in. Yeah, and I think that's the
secret sauce. If the plan feels lifeless, I'm going to bail.
But if I know leading to something that's ultimately going
to bring celebration or generosity or vision, I'm willing to
go on the journey.
S2 (08:14):
Yeah. You know, yellows bring that energy and optimism to
the table, you know, which makes them great motivators. But
they may avoid details or delay tough decisions, right. So
they benefit from using flexible planning tools. For example, like
you mentioned, the envelopes love it, especially if it's categorized. Hey,
we're going to get a dinner with friends is written
(08:37):
right on the front of the envelope. Right? Um, so
yellows are uniquely wired to live in the moment, so
long term goals can be almost abstract to them. So
framing financial wins in terms of freedom and And short
term wins will absolutely keep them engaged, right?
S1 (08:55):
Yeah. No doubt I see that in my life.
S2 (08:57):
So let's talk about the innate needs. Okay. Um, the
yellow's innate needs are approval being liked for who they
are without needing to change, acceptance, being invited or included attention.
Having your full focus, especially eye contact and affection, being
noticed or acknowledged. So when these are met, that yellow
(09:18):
is cheerful, connected, inspiring. They light up the room. They're
fun to be with unmet. They can use charm in
an unhealthy way. And we have to remember that a
weakness is a weakness, but a strength taken too far
can also become a weakness. So how do you feel
about that when you hear these? Do they sound familiar?
(09:38):
Can you relate? Do they resonate you in the financial world?
S1 (09:41):
Yeah, I mean, this totally hit home for me because
I thrive, as you said, on approval and acceptance. Not
in a shallow way, but in a tell me I
matter to you kind of way. Um, I light up
when I feel included and valued. So whether it's in
a conversation, a team, or just even being invited to lunch. Uh,
encouragement is like oxygen to a yellow. You know, you say,
(10:02):
I love how you bring joy into the room and
we'll be floating for days. So, you know, on the
flip side, if I feel ignored or dismissed, it hits hard.
And it's not just about attention, it's about connection.
S2 (10:13):
Exactly.
S1 (10:14):
Um, so I see that in my life, too. And
I think an understanding about myself in this way has
helped me, really, to stop chasing those needs in unhealthy
ways and instead build relationships and rhythms where they're met
in life giving ways.
S2 (10:30):
Oh yeah, and the yellows, you know, money choices that
reflect their value, not just the moment. You know, this
helps gain attention for the yellows wisdom and not their impulsivity,
which can happen. Um, naming the innate needs helps them
pursue healthy connections. You know, yellow. shine brightest when their
(10:51):
joy isn't tied to spending but being fully seen. They
are right. So it helps others understand. Their desire to
bring joy isn't shallow. It's deeply wired in who they are.
S1 (11:06):
Oh yeah. I mean, I certainly see that.
S2 (11:08):
Yeah. So what happens, do you think, when you're in
a money conversation, you know, how would you say the
yellow temperament shows up for that?
S1 (11:15):
Yeah, I would say if the conversation is about dreams
or goals or generosity, I'm all in. Uh, you know,
I'll have ten ideas before we finish the sentence, but
if it turns into a spreadsheet review or a line
by line budget breakdown, I'm suddenly thinking about planning a
vacation in my head, you know? Um, you know, I
naturally want to keep things positive. So if there's tension
(11:37):
or conflict, my instinct is to smooth it over or
change the subject. Uh, on occasion. And sometimes, instead of
dealing with the issue, I've noticed, you know, I tend
to avoid hard money timing. Someone might feel disappointed in
me that fear of disapproval can get in the way.
But I've learned over time when I stay engaged and
(11:57):
bring my joy with structure to those money conversations, they
actually become powerful moments for unity and clarity and shared vision.
So I try to prepare ahead of time and remind
myself it's really ultimately about stewardship so that I'm present
and grounded.
S2 (12:13):
Well, you learned that skill of preparation because yellows aren't
necessarily wired for that. You know, yellows tend to lighten
the mood or change the subject. Just like you said,
when things get tense, they're great at vision casting and
being inspiring. Um, but they have a problem sometimes diving
into the details or especially follow through. So using their
(12:37):
strengths of energy and encouragement, um, can focus on that
shared goal. You said they thrive when the conversation is
framed Positively don't like things to feel hopeless. Just like
you said. So when you speak to a yellow, we
want to refrain from ever starting a conversation in the negative, right?
That's well said. So do you think the yellow temperament
(13:01):
affects how you interact with callers on your program?
S1 (13:05):
Oh, 100%. Yeah. I mean, it definitely shapes how I
show up on the show, and it's why I love
doing it every day. I mean, I'm a natural encourager.
So when someone calls in, my instinct is to make
them feel seen and heard and uplifted, especially if they're
anxious or overwhelmed. I want people to leave the conversation
with hope, not just answers.
S2 (13:26):
So would I hear you saying is you're really listening
to your caller? Have you felt like you could implement
the other temperaments? Like when you hear a caller, are
you being able to identify their temperament and speak their language?
S1 (13:39):
And that's why your book and workbook has been a
game changer for me, because now I listen differently to
how they're responding to me, and I'm starting to pick
up by the end of the call their temperament. And
now I can call you can.
S2 (13:51):
Speak their language.
S1 (13:52):
Yeah, I can color my answers through that.
S2 (13:54):
That's awesome.
S1 (13:55):
It's a.
S2 (13:55):
Game changer. I love the fact that you're already applying it.
S1 (13:58):
Well, it's been a game changer for me. Thank you, Kathleen,
for your work on this and for taking the time
to actually work through each of these temperaments together. It's
been fun. We're out of time today. That's Kathleen Edelman.
She's the author of the featured article on temperaments in
the latest issue of the Faithful Steward Magazine. If you'd
like to receive a copy each quarter, become a partner
(14:18):
when you go to Faith. Com. We're back with your
questions on any financial topic after this. Stay with us.
S3 (14:35):
The opinions offered during this program represent the personal or
professional opinions of the participants, given for informational purposes only.
Any information provided is not intended to replace advice from
a financial, medical, legal or other professional who understands your
specific situation.
S1 (14:58):
Hey, thanks for joining us today on Faith in Finance Live,
I'm Rob West. Well, that was a lot of fun.
Great to wrap up our series on temperament. You know,
here's why we did that deep dive into temperaments. Because
as we think about managing God's money, we realize how
we're wired by God. Our creator has a lot to
do with how we see, view and hold and handle money.
(15:20):
And our goal through this series was to help you
understand God's unique design of you, and how that can
cause you to perhaps, uh, make money decisions differently. The
goal is we want to help you have a healthy
relationship with money and then be able to others, you know,
(15:40):
in a way that's healthy. Also recognizing that others will
have different money temperaments. And so you understanding that. Well,
like I said, you know, I see money as a
tool to enjoy and to have a wonderful, you know,
celebration with family or a nice meal together to deepen
relationships or go on a, you know, that's not a
(16:00):
bad thing. Remember, part of why God gave us money
is for our delight to enjoy this good gift. You
know he's the author of it, but we have to
also do that within the confines of God's provision. And
so others who have more of a propensity towards saving
or kind of being a little bit more guarded in,
in adhering to the plan. Well, that's not a bad
(16:22):
thing either. And I think, you know, marriage specifically together
as husband and wife and more accurately reflect God's heart
by understanding and appreciating our differences, knowing how we're going
to approach it, which is in part colored by our temperament,
how our spouse is going to approach it, or with
our kids or friends and family, whatever it is. Hopefully
(16:43):
through this series you have a better understanding of why
you make the decision and how you can understand what
are my tendencies and what are the areas I need
to just be on my guard. Because if my tendency
is to not spend within my means according to a budget, well,
maybe I need to put some some guardrails in my
(17:03):
life to make sure I don't spend beyond what God
has provided. So that's been a lot of fun to
unpack this, by the way, if you want to go
a little bit deeper with Kathleen Edelman and perhaps take
the assessment and understand a bit more about how you
can apply it to your life, not only in your
money journey, but perhaps, uh, you know, even beyond that, um,
you can check out her website. Uh, you just go
(17:25):
to I you that's I said you heard Dot. Yes.
That's a web address. It doesn't have a.com on it.
It will take you right where you need to go.
All right. We're taking your calls and questions today at
800 525 Five 7000. That's 800. Five. Two. Five. 7000. Uh,
(17:46):
take your, uh, specific question and, uh, be able to
apply biblical wisdom. Choices you're making. So let's do that
right now. We're going to begin in Montana today. Uh, Kevin,
go right ahead.
S4 (17:59):
Yeah. Rob, this, um, I had a question about. I was, uh,
I was I listened to your program quite a bit,
so I heard you talk about Christian Community credit union.
Am I correct? And are you.
S1 (18:15):
Sure they've been a great partner.
S4 (18:16):
About. I've been thinking. About what? I don't know how
banking works. I don't know what API means. API means
I don't know how much money you get out of that.
I don't know, understand the whole process. And I've got
a I've got a sizable amount of money to put
in the bank and but I want trying to get
(18:40):
the most out of it as I can.
S1 (18:42):
Got it. Yeah. Um, so AP and AP are slightly different,
so Apr stands for annual percentage rate. You typically see
Apr when you're talking about loans, credit cards and mortgages.
It's the interest rate charged uh over a year without
taking compounding into account. AP annual percentage yield is usually
(19:08):
referred to when we're talking about savings accounts, CDs and
investment products. The reason is it reflects the actual return
or in the case of a loan, a cost. But
generally it's for the actual return. That includes compounding, because
often savings accounts will compound either daily or monthly, which
(19:31):
interest on the interest. So if you have a consistent
balance throughout the year and you get a 5% APY, well,
they're going to credit you 1/12 of 5% at the
end of the month if it's combating monthly. And now
the balance that you were carrying, plus the interest you
got for month one is now working for you. So
(19:52):
you've got a little bit more than the balance you
started with. That's going to earn interest on it for
month two. And so that compounding effect is reflected in
the API. So if you see a savings account that
says 5% APY that's reflecting, you know, the the amount
of interest you'll earn, including compounding over a 12 month period.
(20:15):
Now in terms of Christian Community Credit union, you're right.
They've been great partners of ours for a long time.
Here's what we're finding. More and more Christians want to
be with financial institutions that align with their values. And
so they want to do business with, let's say, mutual
funds or investments that are screened for Christian values or
(20:37):
in the case of their banking partner, they want to
know that the institution they have their deposit with or
their checking account with not only is is not supporting
causes that are misaligned, but also that even of every
dollar is going to find its way into a Christian
ministry that aligns with the heart of God in Scripture. Well,
that's Christian Community Credit Union. So what they're offering right
(20:59):
now at Faithful Banking is their harvest high yield savings.
It's a high interest rate of 5% APY. So that'd
be over 12 months, 5% on it. And that's balances
up to $5,000. And you would just use the word
promo code Faith fi and there's $100 bonus they'll add
to it. So that's what APY is. Yes, Sisiku has
(21:23):
been a great partner. And to learn more, go to
Faith banking now. Kevin, I want to see if you
have any specific questions on all of that. Um, so
you stay on the line. You and I'll talk a
bit more off the air during this break. A lot
more questions coming up. Plus perhaps yours. Five. Two. Five. 7000.
We'll be right back. Thanks for joining us today on
(21:53):
Faith and Finance Live here on Moody Radio. I'm Rob
West helping you see God is your ultimate treasure and
money a tool to accomplish God's purposes. Coming up in
our final segment today, Bob Dole stops by. We'll get
Bob's update on the markets as we begin the trading
week the first day of the week. Well, we close
the S&P 500, its first close above 6300, a new
(22:16):
all time high, the Nasdaq also hitting another record today
ahead of big tech earnings. So the Mag seven starting
to report this week. Some of it after the bell
today and throughout the week. So we'll find out what
the biggest technologies in the nation and in the world frankly,
are doing with regard to earnings. Bob will preview that
for us and tell us what else is moving the
(22:38):
market and the economy. This week, Bob Dole, coming up
in our next segment, let's head right back to the phones.
We got some great questions coming up. Charitable distributions with
Carol Daniel wants to talk about digital currencies. But first Naples,
Florida is where Terry.
S5 (22:54):
Hi. Thank you very much for taking my call. Sure. Um,
I have I own my house outright, and, uh, I've
been hearing a lot about home title protections that that's
a wise thing to do. Do you feel that how
much jeopardy is the title of my home in at
this point, would you think?
S1 (23:11):
Yeah. You know, that can give peace of mind, but
it's not something I generally recommend. So what does it do? Well,
title protection essentially claims to monitor public records to alert
you if someone tries to transfer or tamper with. So
it's intended to try to help you detect the fraud early. Um,
(23:33):
what it doesn't do, it doesn't prevent the fraud or
legally stop someone from filing a fake deed. Because remember,
if they're doing that, it's fraud and it's not title insurance,
so it won't cover financial losses or legal fees if
fraud occurs. Um, you know, is there high risk of this?
There really isn't. And frankly, kind of like other credit
(23:57):
monitoring services, you can generally do it yourself. Um, so
you've got a couple of options. You know, more and more,
the county county recorder's offices are providing a free alert system, um,
either for you just to go in and check it periodically,
online free, or many of them are adding where you
(24:17):
can be alerted if there's any kind of change. And
that would not be going through a third party that
you would have to pay. You'd do that directly with
your county records office. At the end of the day,
if somebody filed a fake deed and then took out
a loan against your property, uh, Um, claiming that they
owned it with the fake deed, and then they got
the money and didn't pay it back. And then somebody
(24:39):
notified you they were foreclosing on the property. Well, you'd
have to go to court and it would not go
through because it was all done fraudulently. That's illegal. Um,
what this is trying to do is to help you
spot that before it happens. It's very uncommon, though, and
just given the potential resource, which is fairly low, that
(25:01):
it's just an unnecessary added expense for you. If you're
looking for peace of mind here, the first thing I
would do is call your county and just say what's
out there? Do you all have a way that I
could be alerted if there's any change? If so, great.
Take advantage of it. Second option is you could just
monitor it periodically, just, you know, set a reminder to
check it a few times a year. Uh, apart from that,
(25:24):
if if you had the money in your budget and
it just gave you added peace of mind to know
that somebody was monitoring that for you, well, that's where
this could come in. But I just want to make
sure you understand what it does and more importantly, what
it doesn't do. Does that make sense?
S5 (25:38):
Yes, it really does. And you're telling me to go
to the county records office?
S1 (25:42):
Yes. Or more.
S5 (25:44):
About.
S1 (25:44):
It? You could. Yeah. Are you comfortable using the internet?
S5 (25:48):
Yes.
S1 (25:49):
Okay. Yeah. So that would be the easiest place to go. Is,
is just go to your, your county, uh, you know,
deed website and just see if they have any kind
of automated alerts. You could stop by there and just
ask that question face to face. But I'd probably just
start with their website. You most certainly would be able
to log in and just see the title and see
(26:10):
how it's, uh, you know, the, you know, whose name
it's in and it would be yours. And then you
could check that periodically. The question is, do they have
an alert system? And again, more and more of these
counties are putting that in place.
S5 (26:24):
Okay. That's that's good information. Thank you very much I
think I'll check that out.
S1 (26:29):
Awesome. Thank you Terry.
S5 (26:30):
Spend extra money when you don't need to.
S1 (26:32):
So I think that's the big idea for me. Yes, ma'am.
I'd love for you to keep that hard earned money
and put that to better use. Terry, thanks for your call.
Call any time to Indiana. Hi, Daniel. Go ahead.
S6 (26:44):
Hi. Yes, my major concern, I just there's several people
that are getting involved in digital currencies and with what,
Donald Trump just signing it into law. I just was wondering,
how is it? Is it is it pliable for a
Christian to do it? I mean, is this is this
going to follow along with God's teachings because, I mean,
(27:05):
digital currency or whatever universal currency that the Antichrist will
end up taking ownership of is going to happen regardless.
And we should welcome it as Christians because we know
the father is coming. Yeah. Yeah. Um.
S1 (27:22):
Well, I certainly appreciate the question, Daniel. Here's my take
on it. I mean, first of all, we have to
just recognize what has been done and what has not
been done. So there there is no central bank digital
currency that has been put in place or is being discussed,
where essentially we would replace the current dollar with a
digital dollar that every transaction would now run through the Treasury.
(27:46):
They would have visibility and perhaps controls over how and
when money is spent. That is not on the table.
President Trump has been very outspoken that he's against that.
It would take an act of Congress because coinage comes
from Congress anyway. And there's a lot of people who
have big concerns, and I think rightly so, over a
(28:06):
central bank digital currency. So that's not even being discussed.
What we're talking about is crypto, which is, you know, basically,
you know, something that I think is here to stay.
It's essentially based on blockchain. And Bitcoin is the oldest
and most recognizable name in the crypto space. And so,
(28:28):
you know, I think for the first decade or so
of Bitcoin's life, you know, many users hoped it would
become an independent currency that people could buy and sell
outside the normal government money system. And that view is
mostly dead at this point. And it's been replaced view,
which is essentially that Bitcoin, like gold, is a store
(28:51):
of value that can protect a person's purchasing power against
the constant debasement of government currencies. And I know it
may sound crazy to call an asset that routinely, you know,
goes up or down in value by more than 50%
a store of value, but it does have scarcity built
into its DNA. There's a strict limit of 21 million
(29:13):
bitcoins that will ever be produced. And that scarcity gives
it the appeal to investors that are watching the continual
debasement of fiat currencies, not only here in the US by,
you know, creating more money in the money supply, but
global governments and central banks, you know, across the world.
And so today's Bitcoin investors like it for a lot
(29:35):
of the same reasons that older generations liked gold. It's
a separate asset class that can resist debasement and hold
its value, while other forms of money become less valuable
over time. Now, you mentioned or alluded to maybe the
kind of the mark of the beast and what we
read about in revelation. And what I would say is
(29:56):
this is not that in my view, there is no
allegiance to an Antichrist system, there is no worship, there
is no economic control that prevents buying and selling without
the mark. Uh, you know, Bitcoin is just a decentralized, uh, voluntary.
No one's forced to use it. Transparent transactions are recorded
(30:16):
on public blockchain. They're private, but traceable. So it's unlike
a government issued digital currency. It actually resists central control
and promotes financial freedom. now. I'll pick it up on
the other side of this with a few more thoughts.
Thanks for your call. We'll be right back. Well, here
(30:39):
in our final segment today, in just a moment, we'll
check in with Bob Dole new LP and the Nasdaq.
Today we'll find out what's moving the markets and get
Bob's take on the economy. Before we do that, though,
just before the break, we were talking to Daniel, and
Daniel was just asking about the speculation that digital currencies
could pave the way for end times control, Bitcoin and
(31:02):
other central currencies. And what we were talking about is,
first of all, that the central bank digital currency is
not on the table right now. President Trump it there's
many in Congress against it. And I think for good reason.
Bitcoin really completely different a neutral tool that can be
used for good or ill, just like any technology and
(31:24):
really is ultimately the The antithesis of something that would
cause control because it's decentralized, not controlled by any government. Voluntary.
No one forced to use it. Transparent. Although private. Uh,
but still traceable. The reason some Christians are concerned, as
we read revelation uh, in discerning these times is it's digital.
(31:48):
And revelation speaks of a system restricting commerce. This is
not that, but it feels new and unfamiliar, which can
evoke fear. And I think, you know, that's where we
need to understand what it is and what it's not.
And that's perhaps a big idea here. You know, before
we move into the markets, Bob Dole with us. Bob,
your thoughts on that?
S7 (32:11):
Nailed it. Um, great explanation. It's, uh, unproven to a
lot of people. It's, uh, a black cloud or a
white cloud to a lot of people, but those that
are in it, uh, really are passionate about it. I
don't know about you, but I'm coming up the learning curve.
Slowly but surely. And I think it won't overtake everything.
(32:31):
But it will have a place.
S1 (32:33):
Yeah, I think that's well said, Bob. I mean, you know,
a lot of folks have operated on the premise. If
you can't explain, it don't really fits in that category
for many. And yet it's becoming more and more mainstream
in large part due to the, the regulatory environment. The
first Pro-crypto president and now institutional dollars with the ETFs.
(32:53):
If we were to look at this almost like digital
gold would, perhaps a portion if you're willing to take
on the volatility, a portion of your gold allocation into crypto,
would that be perhaps a way to think about it?
S7 (33:08):
I certainly see those parallels. Another important parallel is like
the amount of gold is fixed, the amount of Bitcoin
is fixed as well, and that protects the price from
inflation and other things. Those two that alone will help
gold and Bitcoin and crypto more in general to hold
(33:29):
its value, albeit volatile.
S1 (33:31):
Uh, no doubt about that. Well, Bob, obviously, uh, new
all time S&P above 6300 for the first time at
the close. The Nasdaq all of this ahead of big
tech earnings. What's moving the markets.
S7 (33:43):
Earnings in particular. Uh as you know we had a
bit of a sell off into the close and lost
a lot of the gains today. But in general over
the last bunch of days the market's been up because
earnings are coming through pretty good. And the outlook company
managements are giving in their calls is generally supportive.
S1 (34:00):
Rob yeah it does continue to take us back though
when we talk about earnings to the PE ratios that
we're seeing right now, I know that was a part
of your commentary this week.
S7 (34:11):
Yes, exactly. P e ratio 24 times that. That's up there.
It's nosebleed territory as I say. And now expensive valuations
does not mean you have to sell in. The market's
going down. It just gives you a sense of the
risk reward. As you know, long term PE average. Over
the last 30 years, Rob has been 17 times. We're
(34:32):
at 24. That's a pretty big gap.
S1 (34:34):
Yeah. There's no doubt about that, Bob. What about the
labor market? I know that's been kind of front and
center as of late.
S7 (34:40):
Yeah. We need to watch labor market carefully because out
of health in the labor market comes patterns for consumption.
And consumption tends to drive the economy. And right now
we're looking at a labor market that's, you know, some
some okay news related to the fact there are new okay.
News in the number of jobs is is is dropping
(35:03):
and the the mix is not great. Uh, too many
government health care and education jobs, not enough kind of
private sector manufacturing, cyclical jobs.
S1 (35:15):
Hmm. Yeah. Interesting. Something to keep an eye on, for sure, Bob. Um,
do we get a rate cut this month, do you think?
S7 (35:22):
I think the probability of that is pretty close to zero. Um,
the fact that we saw in the CPI and PPI
last week, the beginning of some of the tariff inflation,
I think will cause the fed to say we're not ready.
Too many unknowns in my view. September is the earliest.
S1 (35:39):
Bob. Last question. You know, when it comes to overlaying values,
Christian values on a portfolio, what does that look like
for you as you evaluate companies not only looking at
their sales and earnings and all the other litany of factors,
but really looking at how do they align with the
values of Christians, how does that play into your selection?
S7 (36:00):
When we look at a company's revenues, where do they
have their business? And it's in things that, uh, harm
or maim people, we just won't own it. Uh, but
we exclude a fewer companies than many of our sister
companies do. Um, but then beyond that, the companies that
don't get screened out, uh, we have a strict values criteria.
(36:23):
If you don't score well there, you're not going to
make it in the portfolio. So trying as best we
can and an objective way to line up people's um,
investments with their with their values and their faith.
S1 (36:35):
Yeah. And doing a great job at it. Bob, we
always appreciate your time.
S7 (36:38):
All the best.
S1 (36:39):
All right. That's Bob Dole. He's CEO and CIO at
Crossmark Global Investments. You can learn more at Crossmark global.com.
All right. Before we round out the broadcast today, Carol
has been waiting patiently there in Saint Louis. Carol, go
right ahead.
S8 (36:53):
Yes. Um, I have a question about qualified Qcds qualified distributions. Yes, ma'am. And, um,
does the distribution count on my income taxes when I.
When it's donated? No.
S1 (37:10):
It does not. No. So it reduces your IRA balance,
keeps your income lower because it's not added to or
or you might say another way, it won't raise your
adjusted gross income. Um, so it allows you to take
money out. So the money went in pre-tax, and any
time you take a withdrawal, the withdrawal gets added to
(37:32):
your adjusted gross income, which means you pay tax on it,
which also raises the ability to have Irma, the income
related monthly adjustment for Medicare. But in the case of
a QCD, when it goes straight from the IRA to
a qualified charity, a 500 and 1C3, you don't get
the deduction, but the amount coming out is not added
to your taxable, which is great because now it went
(37:54):
in tax free. It's coming out tax free. It never
has tax paid on it. And it satisfies your required
minimum if you have one.
S8 (38:03):
Okay. Um I think you answered the question indirectly but
so it doesn't a QCD does not qualify as a deduction.
That's correct. I take out. Okay. So if I take
out 10,000 I can't deduct it from my income taxes.
S1 (38:20):
That's exactly right, because that would be, in a sense,
be double dipping. So, you know, you're you're you put
it in tax free, you're taking it out tax free.
So that's the benefit is you don't have to add
it to your taxable income, but they do not allow
you to not only not add it and then deduct it.
That would be kind of getting credit twice.
S8 (38:40):
So I was kind of hoping.
S1 (38:42):
Yeah I mean you might as well ask right. I
love it.
S8 (38:49):
I love your show and God bless you. You've been
really a gift to me, I appreciate it.
S1 (38:55):
Oh, I appreciate that so much, Carol. May the Lord
bless you. Hey, stay on the line. I want to
send you a copy of our magazine, Faithful steward. I
think you'll enjoy it. And I appreciate you being a
great caller today. And you've been very patient as well.
Lord bless you, Carol. Well, we covered a lot of
ground today, folks. I'll tell you. You know, as we
think about our role in managing God's money, it's a
(39:15):
really high calling and we want to help you get
it right. It's not that you're going to make all
the right decisions. Not and haven't. We've all made mistakes.
But our goal with this, you know, once we surrender
our lives to Jesus, then it's about stewardship. And there's
a lot that we're stewards over and are stewards of
God's Word, but we're also stewards of God's money because
it all belongs to him. He created it, and I
(39:37):
think he created it as a good gift for our
delight and enjoyment, to use, to enjoy with one another,
to deepen relationships through celebration, to give it away like
we just talked to Carol about, to invest it like
Bob Dole was talking about in companies that are providing
goods and services, uh, to, you know, create human flourishing.
(40:00):
And that's a part of God's design. Here's where the
problem comes in. The problem is when all of a
sudden it becomes the end game. You know, it's no
longer a means to an end, a tool, but instead
it becomes the object of our affection. And that's really
known as an idol. And we see that not only
in our lives on a daily basis, but we see
it in God's Word. The Israelites, you know, the hardest
(40:22):
test they were going to face as they were entering
into the Promised Land was abundance was prosperity because it
can it can distract us from who brought the gift
in the first place. We start doing and in our power.
And that's just not what God's Word says. It's him
that gives us the power that to create wealth, it
(40:42):
comes from God alone. Everything we have is from him.
And so when we put everything in its proper place
and God is our ultimate treasure and money, a gift
from God on loan to us, from him to is
then that responsibility. We have to be a faithful steward,
and faithfulness is long obedience in the same direction as
(41:04):
we read in the classic. And when we do that, well,
now we have the opportunity to enjoy the fruit of
of our labor and God's provision. But that's our heart
for you. Each day on this program is that we'd
be able to provide some encouragement to that end, and
then we know that you're going to have those questions
that come up along the way. And what we want
to do is help you answer those questions in light
(41:26):
of biblical wisdom. Now, if you love the program, you
listen regularly. One of the ways you could help us
is by becoming a faithful partner. Partners support the ministry
at $35 a month or more. And as a listener
supported ministry, that's critical because we don't do what we
do every day without that. And so if you want
to learn how to become a partner, just go to faith. Com.
(41:51):
You'll see there on that site that when you become
a partner you'll get four issues of our magazine Faithful Steward.
Each year you'll get all of our studies and devotionals
and access to the Faith app. Faith, Faith and finance
is a partnership between Moody Radio and Faith five Lisa, Omar,
Rihanna and Jim serving us today. We'll see you next time.
(42:12):
Bye bye.
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