Help, Thanks, Wow

One of my facebook friends put up a link to a charming little essay on saying grace before a meal, written by Anne Lamott. I really don’t know much about Anne Lamott except that she writes novels my wife enjoys. She has also just published a book on her faith entitled, “Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers.”

Counting Our Blessings

I was really challenged by the title of that book. Prayer was the essential component of the initial Silver Eagle Experiment. Somehow, as I have dug into the nuts and bolts of financial literacy, retirement planning, and investment fundamentals, I seem to have forgotten prayer. Perhaps this is because at times I find prayer difficult.

I think I should start with thanks. Sometimes I find it hard to be thankful, as I tend to dwell on what is wrong with my life rather than on the very many real blessings I have received from our good God. Worse, I tend to think that I have done it myself. Not true! I have been blessed with a good mind, a good German Protestant upbringing, good health for a man of my years, a stable 38 year marriage, a secure job with benefits, and many other blessings.

I certainly pray, “Help!” whenever I feel I am in need. Who doesn’t? I think that is OK. When we cry help, we are affirming our faith in a good and loving Father who, out of his great love, will run to help his children when they cry out in fear or need.

Like thanks, “Wow!” is certainly a word I should speak more often to our amazing God. There was a time in my life when I had a better understanding of worship. I guess the excesses I experienced in a certain church a long time ago made me suspicious of emotional manipulation by leaders with ulterior motives.

In trying to get a handle on worship, I stepped back and reflected on the deep truths of our faith. I was reminded of the famous passage found in Luke 10:

[25] And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? [26] He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
[27] And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
[28] And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

OK, let’s start with loving the Lord our God with my own human heart. I have experienced that emotion with others and I remember that on numerous occasions I have extended it to our Lord.

I just wanted to remind myself and my readers that prayer is an essential component in wise financial planning and management.

Here are the instructions from the original Silver Eagle Experiment the Lord started in my heart over five years ago.

When you touch the coin, or just think about it, ask the God who owns the silver and gold under a 1,000 mountains for wisdom and understanding concerning the management of money and the creation of wealth. If you ask God for wisdom, he will give it to you. I will keep the other coin and use it as a reminder to pray for you and for your intentions.

I would ask you to go one step further. Every day write down something God has revealed to you about money in this little notebook. It needs to be only one short sentence but write something every day. If it is a new fact, put a star next to that line in the notebook. If you discover that something you thought was true is in fact false, draw a line through that entry. If you take action on one of the facts, put a checkmark next to that line.

Let us try to remember to pray for one another not just for financial wisdom, but for every blessing that comes from our God.