I was 24 when I felt the conviction to start tithing regularly. I can't explain it, really, but I think I just came the conclusion that if I loved God and His work the way I said I did, my bank account needed to start reflecting that. Since then, I have encountered some Christians who seem very tense about the concept of tithing. They say it's not for today or that you don't have to give it to the church. I'm not so sure.

I think those debates can get us off the real point, which is: What should be the priority of giving in a believer's life? Because I had read somewhere that twenty-somethings are some of the worst givers of all, I decided to do a little digging to try to discover what the Bible really says about giving and the consequences of failing to do so. Then I wrote an article about it.

Randy Alcorn has said:

The concepts behind the firstfruits — the ownership and worthiness of God and the servanthood and indebtedness of man — are as true today as they were in the Old Testament. And surely the gratitude of God's people should be far greater on this side of Calvary than the other!

I think behind the debate on tithing and giving to the church lies a heart problem. Sometimes ... deep down ... I want to keep my money for myself. Either because I trust in it too much or I buy into the deception that it is mine (rather than God's). Is it hard sometimes to watch that 10 percent disappear from each paycheck? Yes. But much is at stake.

There is an undeniable connection between the heart and the wallet. Matthew 6:21 says: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." If none of your money is going to the church, missions or humanitarian aid, the Bible makes it clear that your desires aren't in those places either. And that is the problem.

The Bible urges again and again to give generously, not out of obligation or to score points with God, but because, when you do, you will be truly blessed by the experience. God doesn't need our stuff, but He invites us to use our resources to be part of what He is doing. (Be sure to read the article to find out why it's titled "Giving My Dinosaurs.")

We don't invite many people over for dinner in the fall. If someone should "surprise" us and drop by, they are likely the ones who will be "surprised" -- and they may never come back!

Not many women could live with a man like me. And even fewer women would be willing to live frugally so that we can enjoy the "finer art" of rural existence. My wife, I'm convinced, is custom made for me. She's a Proverbs 31 woman, but so much more.

To give you some background, I left a low-stress, comfortable job to work in the very challenging and not-so-comfortable, high-stress battlefield of public policy. We were both reluctant to leave the security and comfort of my former job. But God was clearly moving in our hearts, and we knew God would win if this struggle turned into a wrestling match!

When God speaks, you listen. And the quicker you submit your will to His will and act in obedience, the sooner your mind and soul will be at peace. As for the future, take a deep breath, buckle up and take the next step in faith.

Fast forward to the present: We now have the privilege to work in ministry within the realm of public policy. I'd be lying if I said it's easy and comfortable. Hardly! But I'd also be negligent if I didn't tell you that there's great satisfaction living in His will.

God has always kept a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, cars running and food on the table. But the methods we employ to make ends meet and live on some acreage often require thrift, humility and lots of hard work.

This is why I say that my wife is a unique and very courageous person to adapt, endure and persevere with me (and our crazy life). What's amazing is that she remains my greatest advocate and my steadfast encouragement -- she never condemns me for not providing an "easier" life for her (aside from her dislike of raising chickens).

It's funny how God joins us with just the right person, isn't it? If God joined you two together, then your spouse is made just for you -- to mature, complement and complete you. And this will only become more apparent the longer you are married. Love is sacrificial, but also complementary. So much is required, and yet there is such an abundance to be gained.

Back to why you may not want to visit us in the fall ...

First off, we buy good, used cars, but they do have "character." Some might think, "I'd never drive that!" But, hey, they run pretty well.

Next you'll see a black mountain of coal near our driveway (we live in the country) along with black gloves and coal-carrying bins by the front door. We cut heating costs using a coal-burning stove in our basement. My tiny wife stokes the fire all day long in the fall and winter -- it's a hard, dirty job, but she doesn't complain.

And did I tell you she watches our neighbor's baby a few days per week (extra "fun" cash)? Our kids learn responsibility by collecting eggs from our chickens, so Jen can grind some wheat and make fresh bread. She's amazing!

Warning: This part's a little ugly if you're squeamish.

Our dining table is just large enough to hold the hind leg of an elk or deer, so that we can butcher our meat and freeze it for the coming year. Yes, I hunt deer and elk -- not for sport, but out of thrift and necessity -- so we can eat well and live in the country.

My wife and I butcher our own meat, because processing is expensive. Meat, blood, gloves, knives and freezer wrap adorn our fall table. (A slight frown, however, betrays Jen's fragile smile and exposes her dislike for butchering. But, she courageously "bucks" up and does it anyway.)

Still want to visit us in the fall?

We're a unique team, and only God could have known the wife I'd need. She's my perfect mate, and I thank the Lord bringing her -- and her alone -- to me in marriage.

We may wear slightly worn clothes (or from half-off sales), drive humble cars, have coal soot on our faces, make our own bread and pull elk or deer meat from our freezer to eat. This frugal lifestyle is not for everyone. But thrift works for us, and I'm glad my wife's in agreement, especially in the fall.

Times are tough, and we're all tightening our belts. Have you had similar experiences, trying to enjoy life but save money at the same time?

Logging your take home pay and tracking your spending is one of the most financially healthy exercises you can undertake. There's something peaceful about knowing how much money you have, where it goes and living within your means.

My wife and I have a pretty simple budget philosophy. We keep the receipts for every purchase we make during the month and input the totals as quickly as we can so we don't forget.

Here's what our speadsheet of expenses looks like:

• Tithe
• Offering
• Mortgage
• Insurance-Life/Car
• Power/Utility
• Phone/Internet
• Groceries
• Savings
• Fuel
• Medical needs
• Home needs
• Auto needs
• Clothes
• Eating out
• Entertainment
• Misc./Gifts

The top half expenses are usually set amounts; the bottom half are a bit more flexible. So there's wiggle room if I need more for fuel or the power bill or a benevolence gift. After the month is up, total expenses usually equals net income (there are occasions when dipping into savings are necessary).

Another healthy benefit from keeping a budget is that your receipts reveal what you value most. To my shame, I'm constantly amazed at how quickly I run out of money for clothes, eating out and entertainment.

Yesterday the office was closed for a snow storm and my husband had the day off, so we took the opportunity to work on our budget.

We created a budget a month ago, shortly after we returned from our honeymoon. But yesterday was the moment of truth to add up all our expenses for the month and see how we'd done. I was horrified to see we'd gone over budget by several hundred dollars in more than one category. As a single, I had a lot of discretionary income. I kept a budget but had little trouble staying within it. Not the case with our new combined financial plan.

After spending hours drudging through our online statements and recording and adding up every single expense from the past month, I can see why finances can become a stress point for couples. My husband sees that I spent $15 going to lunch with a girlfriend -- four times -- and $25 on my nails, and I see that he buys a morning snack each day. It could be easy to blame one another for blowing the budget. Thankfully, we went into our budget planning with lots of grace,  realizing it might take some time to break ourselves of our single spending habits.

And so yesterday was a good bonding time as we drank hot cocoa and strategized for where we might scrimp and save money and where we needed to increase our budget. We dreamed about the missionaries we would give to, how we would find money for Christmas gifts and get that new couch paid off. Though our first budget month wasn't exactly a stunning success, we forgave, made adjustments and recommitted to our plans to be debt free and live within our means. It ended up being three hours well-spent.