A weekly newsletter curated by Rev. Rayce J. Lamb, CFEI ®
Hey Reader, Let's talk ice cream. In 1984, President Ronald Regan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of July as National Ice Cream Day. In his proclamation, Regan made two claims I found particularly interesting: "Ice cream is a nutritious and wholesome food, enjoyed by over ninety percent of the people in the United States." "The ice cream industry generates approximately $3.5 billion in annual sales and provides jobs for thousands of citizens." I'm not here to...
Hey Reader, Meet Rupert - an adorable rescue Husky mix who I am currently fostering through a local rescue here in Winston-Salem called AARF. My partner and I rescued Rupert and his sister at a construction site where they had been abandoned with a single bowl of water. Trapped behind a wall of construction fencing, by the time we found them they were in pretty rough shape - matted, malnourished, and thirsty. The sad part? Rupert's story isn't uncommon. By the end of 2023, animal shelters...
Hey Reader, Earlier this week, I finished the last episode of Franklin on Apple TV. The series recounts the story of Benjamin Franklin's secret mission to France to secure the support of the French against the British Empire. During the final moments of the last episode (don't worry - not a spoiler), Franklin is in conversation with a young French aristocrat traveling to America to start anew after being disowned by his family. Seeking the wisdom of Franklin, the young aristocrat asks,...
Hey Reader, Ah - the first presidential debate of the season is upon us. Tonight President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will take the debate stage in Atlanta at 9:00 pm EST for a historic event. It will be the first time a president and former president have ever debated. It will also showcase two historic nominees - President Biden who is now the oldest President in history and former President Trump who is the only president to be criminally convicted. The sad thing? These...
Hey Reader, My bet is that you know Dave Ramsey - the popular financial expert who is known for his tough love and belief that if you follow his seven "Baby Steps" you can climb your way out of debt and build wealth. If you are unfamiliar with his Baby Steps here they are: Save $1000 for a starter emergency fund. Pay off all your debt (except your mortgage) using the debt snowball method. Save 3-6 months of expenses in a fully funded emergency fund. Invest 15% of your household income in...
Hey Reader, Today, I turned thirty-three. As I celebrate what my clergy friends call my "Jesus Year Birthday," I can't help but reflect on my past year of living. For me, 32 felt like the first year I really adult-ed and what I mean by that is despite all that happened in the last year, it had a normalcy to it. Sure, some of that was intentional - like establishing a easy financial maintenance routine by automating my Roth IRA contributions, automating my giving to church, and automating my...
Hey Reader, This week I had the privilege of welcoming Rev. Dr. Angela Yarber, the author of Queering the American Dream, to the Faithonomics Podcast. Our conversation centered around her experience traversing the American landscape with her Queer Family in a small camper named Freya as she wrestled with her faith, her understanding of vocation, and the loss of her brother to addiction. For Angela and her family, the American Dream looked different. Instead of buying a home, they bought a...