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North America July 2025 Field Report
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From Reckless Spending to Responsible Stewardship: CCT and GTP
I grew up in a poor family with very limited resources. We often had to share and make the most of what little we had. In Filipino, we call this “pagtitipid,” which means using resources wisely and carefully to avoid waste. This environment taught me early on to find creative ways to support both my education and my family.
While studying in college, I worked part-time. Life felt overwhelming at times, especially with three of us in school and our parents unable to provide for all our needs. I remember one moment vividly when I could not afford a calculator and had to borrow one from engineering students just to get through a class.
Managing money became a daily struggle. Whenever I had some extra cash, I often spent it on wants rather than needs. Even after landing a high-paying job after graduation, I struggled to save because I usually spent more than I earned.
In hindsight, my spending habits reflected poor stewardship, not a lack of income. I have come to understand that my problem lay in how I managed the resources God had entrusted to me. Thankfully, God is faithful, and in His time, He rescued me.
Sharmaine among the participants of the Faith and Finances course
On 19 April 2024, things began to shift. I joined the Faith and Finances course offered by GTP through the Jehovah Jireh Credit Cooperative, in partnership with the CCT Training and Development Institute. During the webinar, Dr. Gary G. Hoag (GTP President & CEO) taught that budgeting serves as a tool to live within one’s means and to honor God through wise resource management.
He referenced the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25. That story challenged me. The two faithful servants showed they knew the Master by using Master’s resources according to His wishes, while the third, who misunderstood the Master’s character, buried what he received.
When Dr. Gary asked whether our financial choices reflect a true knowledge and submission to the Master, I felt a deep conviction. I had not lived within my means, nor had I shown faithfulness with what God provided. The course pointed the way to life and freedom, and I determined with all my heart to walk in obedience.
Sharmaine sharing her story with the CCT cohort on May 2025
The content of the course transformed my view of money and applying it has changed my life. I now understand that nothing I own truly belongs to me. God owns everything and calls me to manage His resources wisely. I had not acted as a faithful steward. But since taking this course, I am walking the way of faithfulness and finding so much joy!
The ten smart spending habits taught during the course struck a chord. I discovered that I had been acting foolishly. I had not keep track of my expenses. I threw away receipts. I merely guessed my monthly spending. These careless habits created financial stress.
Now, I track where every peso goes. I finally grasp what Dr. Gary meant: living within our means helps prevent financial problems before they start. What I once considered as always striving for more, I now discern as materialism or even greed. This course taught me contentment. I no longer chase more for the sake of having more.
I want others to learn God’s teachings on financial stewardship and experience this same transformation. I plan to share what I learned with the college students at Visions of Hope. Many of them receive an allowance. They need to know that financial freedom begins with honoring God.
The participants of the April 2025 replication of Stations of Generosity
I also plan to integrate these lessons from Faith and Finances into our discipleship program, so more people understand that how we manage money reflects our worship and obedience. I hope to see other CCT staff who joined the course become wise and responsible stewards. I pray that many of them will break free from debt and experience peace.
This course reminded me that God’s grace, poured out generously, truly is enough. Giving back to God is not just a duty. It is worship. It declares that God owns everything and that I trust Him with all He has placed in my hands.
