What follows is an excerpt from my new book, Starting Strong: Discovering the Good That Money Can Do in Your Marriage.

I’d like to introduce you to a financial framework that is so incredibly simple, so incredibly effective, so biblical, and so rare. If you will create a cash-flow plan around this framework, your financial life will work uncommonly well, and your marriage will benefit greatly.

The framework is based on two simple facts.

First, once you have some money, there are only so many things you can do with it. You can spend it, make debt payments with it, save it, invest it, or give it away. That’s it. Those are your five options.

Second, the way you prioritize those options will make all the difference when it comes to your financial success and marital happiness. All the difference!

The Pull of the Culture

One of the main reasons people struggle with money and a common reason they struggle in their marriages is that they prioritize the various uses of money in a way that’s harmful to both. Oftentimes they don’t even consciously choose their financial priorities. They just seem to find themselves swept along in a dangerous direction.

If our consumer culture could speak, it would say, “Great, you’re making $80,000 per year. Here’s what you can do with it. You can live in this neighborhood, drive this type of car, vacation here, go out to eat there, and buy this brand of clothing.”

Spending comes first, and when spending comes first, what comes next is debt—the too-big house payment, the car payment, the student-loan payment, the credit card payment, and more.

After all that spending and all those debt payments, if anything is left over, some money might be saved, some might be invested, and some might be given away. Usually, though, there isn’t much left over.

This way of prioritizing money explains why too many couples have too much stress and too little savings. Why they “can’t afford” to save, invest, or give. Why there never seems to be enough. And why the only solution that comes to mind is We need to make more money.

A Better Way

There’s a far better financial framework, a far better way to prioritize your use of money. It’s a way that leads to financial freedom and joy, keeps stress levels down and peace-of-mind levels up, and ensures that there is always enough.

If God would speak to us audibly, He would echo the words He has spoken in Scripture. I believe He would say something like this:

I’m entrusting you with $80,000 per year. That means you can join Me in the soul-satisfying adventure of meeting needs, changing lives, and even shaping eternities to this degree. You can set aside this much to build a reserve that will bring a wonderful sense of peace to your marriage. You can invest for the future goals I put on your hearts to this degree.

And then, with all the money that’s still available, you can live in this neighborhood, drive this type of car, vacation here, go out to eat there, and shop for clothing in these types of stores. Remember, I have richly provided you with everything for your enjoyment. I want money to be a blessing in your life. Oh, and remember, I paid a high price for you, so please, please do not enslave yourselves to creditors.

I’ll check in with you every now and then to see how things are going. As you follow My teachings in managing the resources I entrust you with, don’t be surprised if I entrust you with more: more to invest in My Kingdom work and more to use to provide for your family.

In this framework, giving, saving, and investing come first, which means there’s always enough for those priorities. Then you spend what remains on housing, transportation, clothing, vacations, and all the rest. Along the way, there are no debt payments other than a reasonable mortgage.

It’s an incredibly simple idea. And it’s simply incredible how effective it is.

Framing Your Future

The common cultural financial framework looks like this, starting with the top priority:

1. Spending

2. Making debt payments

3. Saving

4. Investing

5. Giving

It’s the framework of “foolish” people who build on the shifting sands of our consumer culture: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:26-27, emphasis added).

The uncommon, biblically informed financial framework looks like this:

1. Giving

2. Saving

3. Investing

4. Spending

5. Being cautious with debt

It’s the framework of “wise” people who build on the solid rock of God’s Word: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25, emphasis added).

The framework of the wise builder is simple, powerful, and rare. Be that uncommon couple who puts this biblically informed financial framework to use. It will make an incredible difference with your money and in your marriage.

If you know an engaged or newly married couple, consider buying them a copy of Starting Strong: Discovering the Good That Money Can Do in Your Marriage. It’ll help them get their marriage headed in a good, God-honoring financial direction.