Seminar provides guide to financial well-being
September 24, 2013
HOUSTON — Newly married with five stepchildren to support, mounting debt from medical expenses, no job and nowhere to call home, Thomas Zordani said his life at one time couldn't have been more chaotic.
It was amid this chaos in a supermarket one day, when Zordani picked up a greeting card with the Bible verse from Jeremiah 33:3, "Call out to me, and I will teach you great things beyond your knowledge." It was a call, Zordani said, to trust in God to help him.
Fast forward 20 years, and Zordani has paid off his debts, is a home owner, still married to the same woman, making a living and deeply involved in the Church and his faith. He came to this state of stability and wellbeing by following the Biblical principles of fiscal responsibility.
Now Zordani is on a mission through his Faith Finances ministry to help others manage their finances in an effort to bolster their relationships and have enough money left to tithe.
"I feel compelled to share the message that God has for people regarding stewardship of finances," said Zordani, who lives in Littleton, Colo. "The Bible demonstrates every financial issue, and what I teach is grounded in Scripture."
Teresita Johnson, associate director of the Archdiocese's Family Life Ministry, which is sponsoring the event, said the advice Zordani has to offer is invaluable for those like her who conduct marriage preparation classes and for couples starting out together.
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Faith Finances Seminar
Thomas Zordani is coming to Houston to conduct his “Faith Finances” seminar, a step-by-step approach to personal financial stewardship guided by principles in the Scriptures. Sponsored by the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston’s Family Life Ministry, the event is from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Oct. 12 in the auditorium at St. Dominic Center, 2403 Holcombe Blvd. The event, which is open to the public and includes lunch, is free, but a donation is requested. To RSVP and for more information, contact Teresita Johnson, associate director of the Family Life Ministry, at 713-741-8776 or tjohnson@archgh.org. Zordani’s book “Faith Finances” also will be on sale. |
Johnson cited studies by leading social scientists who found that financial issues is one of the leading causes of marriage breakdown and commonly cited as a reason for not contributing to church capital campaigns or tithing.
"Often we find people don't quite have a grasp on their expenses and where their money is going," Johnson said. "A lot of the time we are working with engaged couples who are dealing with wedding issues, and it's a high stress topic."
Johnson said the problem often starts with parents who don't talk to their children about managing money.
As a consequence, she said the children grow up lacking an understanding of their finances. In turn, those children come to marriage preparation classes as couples unprepared financially. Johnson said they help couples reevaluate how they spend their money and figure out a budget.
"Ultimately, the idea is to get people thinking about the gifts God gives us and open up the horizon," Johnson said. "Hopefully as a fruit of that horizon they will become more generous to charity, and the Church is part of that."
By delving into the Bible, Zordani came up with his own financial strategies to live by.
After hitting rock bottom, he went on to have a successful career in sales. He paid off his debts. He and his wife bought a house, and they adopted three more children.
Though he suffered a setback when he lost his job in 2009, Zordani was undeterred. He established his Faith Finances ministry and wrote a book by the same name in an effort to share his knowledge and experiences.
Of his seminar, Zordani said strugglers will find hope and learn about ways to tackle their financial problems, and those who aren't struggling will learn a lot about faith and better management of their finances.