In this episode of the Steward Lab Podcast, hosts James and Amberlee Rich discuss the significance of setting boundaries to invite freedom and rest into our lives. They share personal experiences and strategies for implementing a weekly Sabbath to cultivate rest, reduce busyness, and foster stronger family connections. The conversation underscores the importance of creating margin in our schedules to savor slow moments, confront societal expectations of constant productivity, and reframe our identities beyond our to-do lists. Tune in to explore how practicing Sabbath can positively impact your time management, personal well-being, and relationship with God.

00:00 Introduction to Boundaries and Freedom

00:09 Welcome to the Steward Lab Podcast

01:07 Recap and Today's Topic: Sabbath

01:42 The Concept of Unhurried Life

02:18 The Problem with Busyness

03:45 Creating Margin for Slow Moments

04:23 The Value of Boredom and Stillness

05:00 Intentional Family Time

11:03 The Importance of Saying No

12:16 Implementing Sabbath in Daily Life

16:18 Benefits of Practicing Sabbath

18:34 Weekly Rest and Family Connection

24:01 Reframing Identity Through Rest

26:59 Experiment: Finding Weekly Rest

28:15 Conclusion and Next Steps

James and Amberlee share their transformative journey from a dream session in a hot tub to paying off their house and the freedom it brought them. They discuss how this financial milestone allowed them to start their own business, serve in missions, and live a lifestyle aligned with their values and goals. The episode offers valuable insights into financial planning, teamwork, and incorporating faith into decision-making. Listeners are encouraged to sit down, dream about their ideal life, and take actionable steps towards achieving it.

00:05 Welcome to the Steward Lab Podcast

00:27 The Hot Tub Dream Session

01:51 Paying Off Our House

02:27 Missions Trips and Serving as a Family

03:33 The Importance of Paying Off the House

04:17 Starting Our Own Business

05:03 Living a Different Lifestyle

06:37 The Debt Dump Challenge

07:25 Should Everyone Pay Off Their House?

07:56 God's Guidance in Financial Decisions

12:14 Experiment: Dreaming Your Ideal Life

13:23 Conclusion and Call to Action

In this episode of the Steward Lab Podcast, hosts James and Amberlee Rich discuss the critical importance of having an emergency fund. They share personal stories about financial emergencies they have faced and how they managed them using their defense strategy of sinking funds and an emergency fund. The episode delves into what constitutes an emergency fund, how much you should save, and strategies to ensure your emergency fund is both accessible and protected. The discussion includes biblical references, particularly the story of Joseph in Egypt, highlighting the importance of prudent financial planning. The episode ends with an experimental task encouraging listeners to establish or reassess their emergency funds.

Resources:

Steward Lab Online Coaching Community: https://stewardlab.com/ (Remember, Craft Your Christmas is now included with your Steward Lab subscription)

Free Q&A Call for One-on-One Coaching: https://richlivingcoaching.com/meet

00:00 Introduction to Emergency Funds

00:10 Welcome to the Steward Lab Podcast

00:32 A Series of Unfortunate Events

01:48 Draining the Savings Buckets

02:33 Tapping into the Emergency Fund

03:57 The Importance of a Two-Part Defense Strategy

05:12 Biblical Perspective on Emergency Funds

06:29 The Reality of Financial Emergencies

06:57 Protecting Your Emergency Fund

11:13 The Freedom an Emergency Fund Provides

13:39 Determining Your Emergency Fund Amount

16:25 Practical Tips for Managing Your Emergency Fund

19:37 Weekly Experiment: Setting Up Your Emergency Fund

20:55 Final Thoughts and Encouragement