Overwhelmed Already? What 3 Money Moves Set Your Year Up Right?

Hey, are you already feeling a little unfocused? It happens fast, doesn't it? You step into January with energy and suddenly you're staring at a list of goals that makes you want to take a nap.But here's the truth, friend. If everything is important, guess what? Nothing's important. You can't chase 20 priorities and expect peace. You just can't.So the real question today is simple. What will you prioritize in 2026? Because clarity creates confidence and. And confidence creates peace. Let's get clear on today's show. Hey, friend.Ralphie Step Jr. Here.Welcome to Financially Confident Christian, where every single day we learn how to walk through life and walk through money with wisdom, with peace, and with a heart anchored in God's truth. And my mission here is pretty simple.I want to help you break that cycle of financial shame and build steady habits rooted in faith, and become the kind of believer who handles money with clarity, with confidence, and with spiritual purpose. If you're new, hey, welcome home. And if you're returning, great to have you back. I'm grateful you came back.Yesterday we talked about releasing that leftover weight of 2025. We cleaned out that nasty fridge together, spiritually and financially. And today we're building direction for 2026.Because a new year doesn't need more overwhelm. It needs focus. And focus begins with priorities. A listener wrote in and said, ralph, I have goals everywhere.I've got savings goals and giving goals and debt goals. I feel like I'm pulled in 10 directions. And how do I pick the right priorities for this year, friend? That question hits home, doesn't it?Most people don't struggle because they don't care. They struggle because it's too much noise and not enough direction. Broken. You're just overwhelmed. You know the feeling.You start excited, hopeful, ready, great, brand new year. But you look at that long list of goals and suddenly your stomach tightens. Should I pay debt? Should I increase savings? Should I give more?Do I need to earn more? Should I invest? And before long, you're spinning and you're spinning instead of starting, friend. When everything matters, nothing gets mastered.Focus isn't about doing more. It's about choosing what matters the most. And research shows something fascinating.People who choose just three clear priorities make far more progress than people who try to juggle 10. I can't juggle to begin with, but just three priorities.When you do these, these three parties, they organize your mind, they reduce your overwhelm, they increase your follow through, and they create real momentum As I said a few days ago, your brain craves simplicity, your finances crave direction, and your heart. It craves peace. Clarity leads to action, and action leads to change.And for decades, I've walked people through the process of simplifying their financial goals. I'm really pretty good at it. And the breakthrough? It never comes from adding more pressure. It never works. It comes from narrowing the focus.And when people settle on three core priorities, everything shifts. Their peace returns, the stress drops, momentum grows, and confidence rises. God's never going to bless chaotic confusion.He blesses intentional direction. A listener told me recently, Ralph, I used to write a whole list of resolutions every January. And by February, I felt like a failure.And friend, you know how I feel about New Year's resolutions. I still hate them. And this story proves why I hate them. Last year, she tried something different. She picked just three parties.Here's where her three priorities. Pay down one debt, build a small emergency fund, and pray before purchases. Just three simple priorities.One year later, her debt was lower, her savings were higher, and her peace was real. Why? Because these three priorities kept her focused and faithful. Small focus, steady progress, and lasting change.So let me ask you, what will shape your year? What three priorities will guide your decisions in 2026? Let me guide you through how to find them.First thing, choose priorities that bring you peace, not pressure. Not every good goal is a God goal. Some goals look impressive on paper. Man, these look great.But they drain your peace, they overwhelm your schedule, and they leave you feeling behind before February even arrives. So gently ask yourself this. What would bring peace to my financial life this year? And peace looks different for every single person.Maybe for you, it's paying off one debt, that bill that stresses you every time you see it. Maybe it's building a savings cushion because last year's emergencies was wiped out.Maybe for you, it's consistent giving, because generosity brings you joy but inconsistently brings you guilt. Maybe it's stabilizing that spending because the Amazon boxes are arriving faster than your clarity.Maybe you need to increase your income because your current margin is so thin it feels like you're balancing on a tightrope. Maybe you need to invest consistently, not aggressively, just faithfully.Or maybe for you, it's about getting organized, turning those piles of receipts and unanswered emails into order. And confidence. You got to let that peace, not pressure, direct the priority. Okay, once you make that list, I want you to choose only three.Three is a powerful number. Three is sustainable. Three honors your energy. Instead of exhausting it you don't need 20 goals. You don't need some color coded chart.Those are beautiful. You don't need something that looks like a corporate dashboard. You just need three categories that quietly shape your year.Here's an example of three. I got these from a couple listeners. Here's the three. Pay off your credit card, build a cushion and control eating out.Another person said, I want to increase my income, I want to tithe consistently and I want to automate savings. Another person said, I want to simplify my bills, I want to track my spending and I want to reduce stressful purchases.Your three parties will guide your habits, they'll guide your spending, they'll guide your decisions, they'll guide your boundaries. And hey, they'll guide your directions. Three simplifies, three strengthens and three settles your heart.But then I want you to write them down and put them where you'll see them. Because without visibility, priorities fade. You don't forget them intentionally. Life just gets loud.So put your top three priorities where they where they interrupt you every day. Here's a great example. Maybe on your bathroom mirror, where you brush your teeth. Or maybe put them on your fridge, right next to that grocery list.Maybe you're one of those people that's got a planner, but put it on the page you open every single morning. Maybe for you, put it on your phone wallpaper, because you check that 400 times a day, right?Or maybe taped inside your prayer chair, your Bible or your journal. Wherever your eyes go, your actions are going to follow where your heart looks, your habits grow.And then let every financial decision flow through those priorities. Every single one of them. Every purchase, every yes, every no, every I'll think about it.All of it becomes easier when your priorities do the deciding. It's this simple filter question. Does this support one of my three priorities? Here's some great examples.Someone invites you on a trip, but your priority is paying off debt. The no becomes holy then. Or maybe you want to buy that new gadget, but your priority is saving the savings. Clarity protects your peace.Maybe you've got an opportunity to earn extra income. It shows up for you. And your priority is increasing income. That yes becomes joyful. I got to do this.Or maybe you're tempted to eat out again, but your priority is stabilizing spending. Your boundary becomes easier to honor. And when the answer is no, that decision becomes clearer.Those priorities don't restrict your life, they protect your peace. Let's get to our Bible verse comes to us From Matthew, chapter 6, verse 33.But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. When God is first, everything else finds its place. Priorities become clearer, decisions become simpler, and direction becomes peaceful.How about we pray together? Lord, thank you right now for clarity and direction. Help me seek you first. Align my priorities with your purpose.Give me focus, give me courage, give me discipline for this new year. Lead my steps, settle my mind and strengthen my heart. And I ask this in Jesus name, Amen. Okay, here's your action step for today.I want you to write down your top three money priorities for 2026. And then here's the deal. Place them somewhere you're going to see them every day. We talked about this.Your phone, the fridge, your desk, the journal, the bathroom mirror. Wherever your eyes go, that's where your habits are going to follow. And where your habits go, that's where your year is going to follow.Let me share something Someone wrote after joining our community. I didn't realize how lonely my financial journey had become until I joined this group.The daily prompts give me clarity, the conversations give me courage and the prayers carry me through those hard days. I couldn't believe it was free. A community with real people and no pressure. I'm growing again, I'm healing again. And I feel supported.Friend, that same support is waiting for you over to community. Come join us at financiallyconfidentchristian.com/join again.That's financiallyconfidentchristian.com/join friend, your new year doesn't need more pressure. It just needs some purpose. So set those priorities with God centered. Clarity and your path will follow. You can do this.You're not behind, you're not alone. And God is already ahead of you. Preparing the way out there today. And be financially confident Christian. I know you can do this.Stay financially savvy and God bless you and I'll see you on tomorrow's show.