Sobriety, Stewardship, and Money - with Dino Biaggi

            Why should we talk about money in recovery? More specifically, how does it further a person's spiritual, mental, emotional, relational development to bring awareness and insight to finances?

            Further, what is Stewardship? And what can we learn about it from Lord of the Rings?

            Dino Biaggi is a self-identified fan about being deliberate about life. He is a husband, father, Christian man, and the Financial Literacy Manager at Birch Community Services, a Sustainable Families Program, in Portland, OR. He supports families pursuing fiscal and financial health. Paired with donated household items and food, his team at Birch aims to "Teach a person how to fish," and in this way support families in becoming the answers to their own challenges.

            Rhys and Dino talk about what financial health is, beyond merely having a good budgeting app. We talk about family vision, core values, and wise practices to keep in mind as we navigate 60-100 financial choices per day.

            Along the way, we muse on how one's relationships with work and money closely interact with our experiences of stress and trauma, and thus can eerily mirror a person's addictive, compulsive, and obsessive relationships with alcohol, drugs, and pornography. Turns out that our insecurities and inner narratives have a huge impact on what we do with our finances.

            Embedded in our conversation about finances, is a discussion about Stewardship - that notion of seeing one's self as entrusted with resources, and managing them well. We make overt references to Denethor, the Steward of Gondor, as a really BAD example of a Steward.

            Dino also points us to several Biblical passages, most notably the famous Gospel "Parable of the Talents," which offers a model of stewardship done well.

            We discern that financial health cannot be reduced to a simple checklist of Do's-and-Don't's, nor is it as simple as having a well-formatted budgeting form. And yet, Dino still offers a few bits of initial advice on how to begin becoming intentional about your finances and family values, in a practical way.

This podcast relies on the partnership of listeners - especially with dollars! Please visit www.patreon.com/outercircle to learn how to partner with the vision of this show!

Rhys Pasimio can be found through www.patreon.com/outercircle and on instagram at @newpattrencounseling and is always happy to dialogue with listeners bringing honest questions!

Dino Biaggi and Birch Community Services can be found at  - www.birchcommunitservices.org.

Dino references the following authors:

David L. Bach, author of the "Finish Rich" book series.

Beth Kobliner, author of "How to Make Your Kid a Money Genius, Even If You're Not."

Rhys further recommends the book, "For Love and Money: Exploring Sexual & Financial Betrayal in Relationship," by Debra L. Kaplan

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