Faithfully Stewarding a Surplus with Rachel McDonough

When God entrusts us with more than we need, the question is not simply “How can we preserve it?” or “How can we grow it?” The deeper question is, “What is this surplus for?” That question moves stewardship beyond spreadsheets, tax strategies, and investment performance. It takes us into matters of the heart, family, calling, and purpose. And for many families, that is where stewardship becomes both more challenging and more meaningful. Rachel McDonough, a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA®), Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), and author of The River and the Garden: A Story of Faithfully Stewarding Surplus, joined the show today to explore how Christians can think more deeply about stewarding wealth, especially when they have been entrusted with more than they need for provision. Why Tell a Stewardship Story? Rachel has spent more than 20 years crafting financial plans. So when her publisher first suggested she write fiction about stewardship, she was surprised. After all, much of the financial world is built around practical tools, frameworks, and step-by-step guidance. But Rachel came to see that a story can reach places a spreadsheet cannot. That matters because real families do not fit neatly into formulas. They bring different perspectives, fears, desires, wounds, and hopes to the table. And when money is involved, especially significant money, those relational dynamics often come to the surface. That is part of what makes The River and the Garden unique. It is not a technical manual. It is a parable about wealth, family, faith, and the purposes of God. The River, the Garden, and the Craig Family The novel follows three generations of the Craig family. Maddie, the grandmother and matriarch, has come into a surplus after the sale of a family business. Her son Roger is analytical, driven, and accustomed to solving problems through strategy and optimization. Willow, Maddie’s granddaughter, is a young artist who wants little to do with money, numbers, or spreadsheets. Together, they begin a journey that takes them through overlooked neighborhoods in Dallas and even to Rwanda as they explore investment and giving opportunities. Along the way, they wrestle with a central question: What does it look like to steward a surplus faithfully? The imagery of the book is simple but powerful. The river represents capital. The garden represents what we choose to water, cultivate, and grow. That image reframes the way we think about money. Capital is not neutral. It does not merely sit still in an account. It flows somewhere. It waters something. And the faithful steward must ask whether those resources are flowing toward purposes that honor God and serve others. When Capital Becomes Stagnant One of the most striking scenes in the book comes through one of Willow’s dreams. In it, she sees dark, stagnant pools of water—a picture of capital left unattended. Rachel says that the image should unsettle thoughtful Christians for at least two reasons. First, capital never truly stands still. We may think of it as simply “sitting” in an investment account, but it is always connected to something. It may be funding businesses, industries, practices, or systems that either contribute to human flourishing or diminish it. Second, surplus wealth needs a purpose. Investing for provision is good and right. Families should plan wisely, save diligently, and seek to provide for their needs. But when a family has more than enough for provision, the conversation should expand. What is the surplus for? Rachel describes surplus as “fuel”—an accelerant for the vision and calling God has placed before a family. That does not mean being careless or impulsive. It means prayerfully assigning purpose to resources rather than allowing them to drift without intention. Provision, Impact, and Prayerful Tension Rachel shared that she and her husband have wrestled personally with this tension between provision and impact. In some cases, they have chosen to invest a portion of their non-retirement savings in redemptive businesses that seek to address serious needs, including a company working toward cancer treatment that could serve not only affluent patients but also people in the Global South. Those choices were not haphazard. They were made through prayer, analysis, planning, and mutual agreement as husband and wife. That is an important distinction. Faithful stewardship is not the same as recklessness. Trusting God does not mean ignoring wisdom. Rather, it means recognizing that the resources God entrusts to us may have purposes beyond our own security. A Book for Those Asking, “What Is This For?” Rachel says The River and the Garden is especially for those who have been entrusted with more than they need and are asking what faithful stewardship looks like now. That may include someone who has received an inheritance, sold a business, accumulated significant assets, or reached a point where the resources exceed what is needed for ordinary provision. For those families, new opportunities may open up in both giving and investing. Many people are familiar with stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and traditional charitable giving. But when surplus is truly available, there may be opportunities to support redemptive businesses, private investments, community development, global work, or other efforts that are not always on a family’s radar. Surplus wealth can easily become a source of pride, fear, or conflict. But rightly understood, it can become a tool for joining in the good work God is doing in the world. Aligning Head and Heart At the emotional center of the story is the relationship between Roger and Willow. Roger represents technical mastery. He is confident in spreadsheets, strategies, and optimization. Willow represents relational insight and imagination. She sees the human cost of wealth and longs for transformation, but she initially wants nothing to do with financial conversations. Their journey shows the importance of bringing head and heart together. Faithful stewardship requires wisdom, planning, and diligence. But it also requires love, humility, discernment, and imagination. If we only optimize, we may miss the people and purposes God is inviting us to see. If we only dream, we may neglect the responsibility that comes with stewardship. Near the end of the story, Maddie reflects on the windfall that came from the sale of the business her husband built. She recognizes that the family may have worked too hard and sacrificed too much along the way. She cannot recover the time that was lost, but she can still ask that the money count for something. Many families cannot rewrite the past. They cannot undo every sacrifice, repair every regret, or reclaim every missed moment. But by God’s grace, they can still ask what faithfulness looks like today. On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions: I’m 65 and have an annuity worth about $28,000. I’m considering taking monthly withdrawals from it. Is that a wise option? I’ve been a member of my church for 10 years and have always tithed from my salary. Lately, I’m struggling with some of the church’s spending decisions, including music-related purchases and the shift in support from a women’s shelter to library reading programs. How should I think about continuing to tithe when I disagree with how some of the money is being used? Resources Mentioned: Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner) Garden Audit Assessment The River and the Garden: A Story of Faithfully Stewarding Surplus by Rachel McDonough Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA) FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.