$OW UP

What Does it Mean to $ow?

As a Pastor and Financial Consultant, I naturally look at the borders between debt and prosperity from both sides of the coin. As a believer, my first question to someone who is struggling financially is, “Do you tithe?” As a coach, my next question is off the beaten path of spirituality, meaning it’s more practical, and it is, “Do you save?” Saving a percentage of your income every month is the second level of sowing; that (of course) is outside of your normal tithing routine. But there’s a practice that we often overlook, neglect or frown upon when the discussion turns spiritual, and that is … sowing! And no, sowing is not the same as tithing! Look at it this way:

• Tithing is like paying taxes spiritually; it’s mandated giving. And while God doesn’t need our money, the overall goal of tithing is so that we, as humans, don’t fall into the trap of making money our God. All the same, it’s similar to saving money; it draws the interest of God and allows us to store up treasures for ourselves in Heaven. Of course, these treasures aren’t natural, but they are treasures nonetheless!
• Sowing, on the other hand, is like withdrawing from your Heavenly account so that you can do for others what God has done, is doing and will do for you! And it’s still a spiritual principle (whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap), which means that you are essentially establishing another account for yourself … in the Earth’s realm! This allows you to have a cup (container) to catch the overflow of Heaven whenever God decides to open Heaven’s windows and pour out blessings!

Needless to say, many believers don’t tithe (at least, consistently) and most believers rarely (if ever) sow. This is because many in the church don’t truly understand why sowing is needed, and when lack partners with fear and chases them into debt, the whole concept of sowing (to them) becomes offensive within itself. And while this is understandable, it does not nullify God’s Word!

What is the $ow Up Movement?

Debt, lack and the fear of losing it all traumatized me at one point in my life. I was thankful for caller I.D., as it allowed me to avoid the pestering calls that I received from debt collectors. I wanted to repay them, but I couldn’t. And listening to some strange man or woman yelling at me about a debt I owed only made my anxiety worse. So, like most people, I faithfully looked at my caller identification before I answered a call, and if I didn’t recognize the number, I’d send the person to voicemail. But eventually, my diligence in tithing and sowing began to pay off. You see, the seeds you sow are just that … seeds! And seeds, once sown, need time (and attention) to grow, but once they start peeking through the ground, we all begin to let out a collective sigh of relief. And what’s better is the moment when our seeds mature and began to bear fruit of their own, and within the bellies of those fruits are more seeds. What do we do with those seeds? We sow them!

Nowadays, I can see many of the seeds I’ve sown! As you may know, I am currently launching a new school in Atlanta called Atlanta Smart Academy, and don’t get me wrong, ASA is a seed within itself! It allows me to sow back into the lives of others through education! God has blessed me beyond my wildest imaginations, and this is just the beginning. This is why I’ve created the Sow Up Movement!

The SUM or Sow Up Movement is not designed to help you overcome debt (you read that right); it is designed to help you overcome the fear of giving! If I can help you to get past your fear of giving, debt will naturally fall away. Through SUM, you’ll be able to take a financial assessment. I’ll review your assessment and help you to build a financial plan that will bring debt to its needs by bringing the fear of giving to its knees!