Episode 13: 10 Steps to Financial Freedom | Faithful Finance Workshop Part 3

Episode 13: 10 Steps to Financial Freedom | Faithful Finance Workshop Part 3

A Tuesday morning, a heart attack, and a wife who didn't have to worry about money in the middle of it. That's where this episode starts. This episode of the Faithful Finance podcast was recorded live at the Faithful Finance Workshop at Christ Chapel Bible Church in Fort Worth, Texas. Emily and Alison walk through her 10 practical steps to financial freedom — the meaty, implementable framework from her best-selling book, condensed into one live session. From finding the right financial counsel to building your cash reserve to getting your final affairs in order, this episode covers the full roadmap, all through the lens of preparation, not perfection. Emily pulls from 25+ years as a Chartered Financial Analyst to walk through real numbers, real benchmarks, and real talk — including the full story behind that Tuesday morning, and why being prepared meant she never had to worry about the financial side while focusing on what mattered most. What You'll Learn: ➡️ How to find a financial advisor you can actually trust — and the free tool to check their credentials ➡️ Why your budget isn't a noose — it's the roadmap that gives you freedom ➡️ How much you actually need in your cash reserve (the simple math behind it) ➡️ Why automating your savings is the single best practice you can adopt ➡️ How to build an investment plan for retirement, college, and the big dreams ➡️ Why not all debt is bad — and the simple rule of thumb for telling good debt from bad ➡️ What it really means to be properly insured (and the difference between disability and long-term care coverage) ➡️ Why giving generously is one of the best antidotes to financial anxiety ➡️ The most common reason people put off getting a will — and how to finally get it done ➡️ Why every family needs a "house is on fire" binder — and what to put in it Resources: Download Emily's free budget worksheet and life insurance needs worksheet at: https://faithfulfinance.com/resources Buy Emily's Book: Purchase Faithful Finance by Emily Stroud on her website: https://faithfulfinance.com/resources/ Support the Show: ✅ Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode ✍️ Leave a review and share your biggest takeaway 📲 Share this episode with someone who needs a shame-free place to start their financial journey Connect With Emily: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmilyGStroud [https://www.facebook.com/EmilyGStroud] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilygstroud [https://www.instagram.com/emilygstroud] Threads: https://www.threads.com/@emilygstroud [https://www.threads.com/@emilygstroud] YouTube: /@faithfulfinancepodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@faithfulfinancepodcast] Connect With Alison: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amgengelbach/ [https://www.instagram.com/amgengelbach/] Credits: A Faithful Finance production. Executive Producer: Emily Stroud Produced by Greatlight Creative: https://www.greatlightcreative.com [https://www.greatlightcreative.com] Emily G. Stroud, MBA, CFA is a Registered Representative. Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC to residents of: TX, UT, WV, NY, OK, PA, SC, TN, AR, AZ, GA, ID, IL, KY, MT, and NC. Investment Advisor Representative Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Cambridge and Stroud Financial Management, Inc. are not affiliated. Cambridge and Emily G. Stroud, LLC are also not affiliated. Check the background of this financial professional on FINRA's BrokerCheck: BrokerCheck.FINRA.org | www.FINRA.org | www.SIPC.org | Form CRS

Episode 12: What Are Your Money Beliefs Costing You? - Faithful Finance Workshop Part 2

Your money habits tend to be rooted in your beliefs about money. This episode of the Faithful Finance podcast was recorded live at the Faithful Finance Workshop at Christ Chapel Bible Church in Fort Worth, Texas.  Emily and Alison walk through one of the most powerful exercises from the workshop: an honest self-assessment of the money beliefs driving your financial behavior — and a roadmap for replacing the unhealthy ones with something better. Emily pulls from 25+ years as a Chartered Financial Analyst to name what most people won't: avoidance isn't a neutral choice, it's making your anxiety worse. Whether you're lying awake at 3 AM over bills, arguing with your spouse about money, or telling yourself you'll get a will "someday" — this episode meets you exactly where you are, without judgment, and points you toward a healthier way forward. What You'll Learn: ➡️ Why avoidance is the one response that actually increases financial anxiety — not reduces it ➡️ How to do an honest self-assessment of your own money beliefs (without shame) ➡️ Why the budget isn't punishment — and how it's the thing that finally helps you sleep at night ➡️ What healthy money conversations with your spouse actually look like — and when to bring in a third party ➡️ Why your kids aren't the problem when it comes to entitlement — and what to do about it ➡️ The real reason most people don't have a will (hint: it's not the cost) ➡️ Why giving generously is one of the most powerful antidotes to financial anxiety — even when it doesn't make logical sense ➡️ How comparison is quietly keeping you stuck — and what to put first instead ➡️ Why getting your financial affairs in order is one of the most loving things you can do for your family ➡️ How freedom starts with understanding your own beliefs — and what to do with that once you do Resources: Download Emily's free budget worksheet and other practical tools at: https://faithfulfinance.com/resources Buy Emily's Book: Purchase Faithful Finance by Emily Stroud on her website: https://faithfulfinance.com/resources/ Support the Show: ✅ Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode ✍️ Leave a review and share your biggest takeaway 📲 Share this episode with someone who needs a shame-free place to start their financial journey Connect With Emily: Facebook: / emilygstroud Instagram: / emilygstroud Threads: https://www.threads.com/@emilygstroud YouTube: / @faithfulfinancepodcast Connect With Alison: Instagram: / amgengelbach Credits: A Faithful Finance production. Executive Producer: Emily Stroud Produced by Greatlight Creative: https://www.greatlightcreative.com Emily G. Stroud, MBA, CFA is a Registered Representative. Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC to residents of: TX, UT, WV, NY, OK, PA, SC, TN, AR, AZ, GA, ID, IL, KY, MT, and NC. Investment Advisor Representative Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Cambridge and Stroud Financial Management, Inc. are not affiliated. Cambridge and Emily G. Stroud, LLC are also not affiliated. Check the background of this financial professional on FINRA's BrokerCheck: BrokerCheck.FINRA.org | www.FINRA.org | www.SIPC.org | Form CRS

Episode 11: Money is Not Evil - Faithful Finance Workshop Part 1

What does money have to do with your faith? More than most churches are talking about — and that's exactly why Emily Stroud took the stage at Christ Chapel in Fort Worth to say the quiet part out loud. This episode of the Faithful Finance podcast was recorded live at the Faithful Finance Workshop at Christ Chapel Bible Church in Fort Worth, Texas. Emily opens with a bold reframe: managing money isn't just a financial issue — it's a spiritual one.  And if you've ever felt guilt, shame, or anxiety around your finances, this episode is the reset you didn't know you needed. Emily draws on 25+ years as a Chartered Financial Analyst to walk through the emotional roots of our money beliefs, why avoidance is a slippery slope, and what it actually means to steward your resources in a way that honors God — and blesses the people you love most. What You'll Learn: ➡️ Why this workshop isn't about getting rich fast — and what it actually is about ➡️ How money affects your spiritual life and discipleship, whether you realize it or not ➡️ Why nearly everyone — regardless of income — has an emotional issue tied to money ➡️ How your family of origin shaped your money beliefs and behaviors more than you think ➡️ Why your kids already know how you feel about money — and what legacy you're passing down ➡️ How to identify the core money myths that are keeping you stuck ➡️ Why "money is the root of all evil" is a misquote — and what the Bible actually says ➡️ The difference between loving money and stewarding it wisely ➡️ Why financial freedom and generosity go hand in hand ➡️ How to stop letting money manage you — and start managing it with intention and peace Resources: Download Emily's free budget worksheet and other practical tools at: https://faithfulfinance.com/resources Buy Emily's Book: Purchase Faithful Finance by Emily Stroud on her website: https://faithfulfinance.com/resources/ Support the Show: ✅ Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode ✍️ Leave a review and share your biggest takeaway 📲 Share this episode with someone who needs a shame-free place to start their financial journey Connect With Emily: Facebook:  / emilygstroud  Instagram:  / emilygstroud  Threads: https://www.threads.com/@emilygstroud YouTube:  / @faithfulfinancepodcast  Connect With Alison: Instagram:  / amgengelbach  Credits: A Faithful Finance production.  Executive Producer: Emily Stroud Produced by Greatlight Creative: https://www.greatlightcreative.com Emily G. Stroud, MBA, CFA is a Registered Representative. Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC to residents of: TX, UT, WV, NY, OK, PA, SC, TN, AR, AZ, GA, ID, IL, KY, MT, and NC. Investment Advisor Representative Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Cambridge and Stroud Financial Management, Inc. are not affiliated. Cambridge and Emily G. Stroud, LLC are also not affiliated. Check the background of this financial professional on FINRA's BrokerCheck: BrokerCheck.FINRA.org | www.FINRA.org | www.SIPC.org | Form CRS

Episode 10: How To Make An Estate Plan

If the thought of writing a will or setting up an estate plan keeps getting pushed to the bottom of your to-do list — this episode is the one that finally gets you to do something about it. In this episode of the Faithful Finance podcast, Emily Stroud and Alison Gengelbach wrap up the "10 Secrets" series with Secret #10: How to Create an Estate Plan. Emily makes the case that estate planning isn't morbid — it's one of the most loving, practical things you can do for the people you care about most. From wills and guardianship to powers of attorney, beneficiary designations, and trusts, Emily breaks down what you actually need, when to get professional help, and how to organize everything so your family isn't scrambling in the middle of grief. She also shares deeply personal stories about caring for her own parents — using financial and medical powers of attorney in real-time — that make this conversation feel urgent, not theoretical. She also walks through her legendary "house is on fire binder" and shares what Warren Buffett and Shaquille O'Neal have taught their kids about money, work ethic, and inheritance. What You'll Learn: ➡️ Why estate planning isn't just for the wealthy — and why it's one of the greatest gifts you can leave your family ➡️ What a will does (and doesn't) control — and why you absolutely need one if you have children ➡️ How to name a guardian for your kids and why separating the guardian from the trustee is often the wisest move ➡️ Why beneficiary designations on life insurance and retirement accounts override your will — and the costly mistake people make by never updating them ➡️ What a financial power of attorney and medical power of attorney are — and how Emily used both when caring for her parents ➡️ How to organize everything into one "house is on fire binder" your family can grab and go in any crisis ➡️ Why most people won't owe estate tax — but still need a thoughtful plan ➡️ What the unlimited marital deduction means and when estate tax actually becomes a concern ➡️ When a simple will and online forms are enough — and when you need an estate planning attorney, CPA, and financial advisor working together ➡️ How trusts let you "manage from the grave" — setting conditions that encourage work ethic, maturity, and wise stewardship ➡️ What Warren Buffett and Shaquille O'Neal's approaches to inheritance can teach the rest of us ➡️ How to think about funeral expenses and pre-planning so your family isn't scrambling financially on the hardest day Resources: Download Emily's free budget worksheet and other practical tools at: https://faithfulfinance.com/resources [https://faithfulfinance.com/resources/] Buy Emily's Book: Purchase Faithful Finance by Emily Stroud on her website: https://faithfulfinance.com/resources/ [https://faithfulfinance.com/resources/] Support the Show: ✅ Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode ✍️ Leave a review and share your biggest takeaway 📲 Share this episode with someone who keeps putting off their estate plan Connect With Emily: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmilyGStroud/ [https://www.facebook.com/EmilyGStroud/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilygstroud [https://www.instagram.com/emilygstroud]/ Threads: https://www.threads.com/@emilygstroud [https://www.threads.com/@emilygstroud] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@faithfulfinancepodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@faithfulfinancepodcast] Connect With Alison: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amgengelbach/ [https://www.instagram.com/amgengelbach/] Credits: A Faithful Finance production. Executive Producer: Emily Stroud Produced by Greatlight Creative: https://www.greatlightcreative.com [https://www.greatlightcreative.com] Emily G. Stroud, MBA, CFA is a Registered Representative. Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC to residents of: TX, UT, WV, NY, OK, PA, SC, TN, AR, AZ, GA, ID, IL, KY, MT, and NC. Investment Advisor Representative Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Cambridge and Stroud Financial Management, Inc. are not affiliated. Cambridge and Emily G. Stroud, LLC are also not affiliated. Check the background of this financial professional on FINRA's BrokerCheck: BrokerCheck.FINRA.org | www.FINRA.org | www.SIPC.org | Form CRS

Episode: 9 How to Save for College

If paying for college feels like a mountain you're not sure you can climb — or one you haven't started climbing yet — this episode is exactly for you. In this episode of the Faithful Finance podcast, Emily Stroud and Alison Gengelbach dive into Secret #9: How to Save for College, Emily brings both professional wisdom and personal experience to this conversation — she's currently navigating college with her own daughter — and breaks down how to think about college savings strategically, faithfully, and without the fear. From 529 plans to scholarship strategy, from managing your kids' expectations to making sure retirement doesn't take a back seat, Emily makes one of the biggest financial decisions of your life feel a whole lot more approachable. She also shares the full story of how her daughter ended up at the University of Kentucky — and why turning down a near-full ride to a smaller school was actually the right call. What You'll Learn: ➡️ Why education is "the great equalizer" — and how the "teach them to fish" principle applies to college planning ➡️ Why retirement savings must come before college savings — and the one thing you can't get a loan for ➡️ How to have the college money conversation with your kids early (and why managing expectations is a gift, not a letdown) ➡️ What a 529 plan is, how it works, and why it's one of the best tax-advantaged tools available for education savings ➡️ The new 529 rules that let you use funds for private K–12 tuition (up to $10,000/year) ➡️ What to do if your child doesn't use all their 529 funds — including the new option to roll up to $35,000 into a Roth IRA ➡️ How to calculate how much you actually need to save using savingforcollege.com ➡️ Why "the first letter isn't the final offer" — and how everything in the college admissions process is negotiable ➡️ How to give your kids "skin in the game" through scholarships, part-time work, and ownership over their own future ➡️ Why AP classes in high school can shave semesters (and serious money) off your college bill ➡️ How to evaluate colleges like a business decision — weighing cost, major fit, logistics, and scholarship potential ➡️ Why there's no single right path — trade school, community college, conservatories, and the military are all valid options ➡️ Why starting to save at birth is the ideal — and what to do if you're starting later Resources: Download Emily's free budget worksheet and other practical tools at: https://faithfulfinance.com/resources Buy Emily's Book: Purchase Faithful Finance by Emily Stroud on her website: https://faithfulfinance.com/resources/ Support the Show: ✅ Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode ✍️ Leave a review and share your biggest takeaway 📲 Share this episode with someone who's feeling overwhelmed about paying for college Connect With Emily: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmilyGStroud/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilygstroud/ Threads: https://www.threads.com/@emilygstroud YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@faithfulfinancepodcast Connect With Alison: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amgengelbach/ Credits: A Faithful Finance production. Executive Producer: Emily Stroud Produced by Greatlight Creative: https://www.greatlightcreative.com Emily G. Stroud, MBA, CFA is a Registered Representative. Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC to residents of: TX, UT, WV, NY, OK, PA, SC, TN, AR, AZ, GA, ID, IL, KY, MT, and NC. Investment Advisor Representative Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Cambridge and Stroud Financial Management, Inc. are not affiliated. Cambridge and Emily G. Stroud, LLC are also not affiliated. Check the background of this financial professional on FINRA's BrokerCheck: BrokerCheck.FINRA.org | www.FINRA.org | www.SIPC.org | Form CRS