# Faith & Finance - Faithfully Stewarding a Surplus with Rachel McDonough

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bridge-austin-7101862/faith-finance-faithfully-stewarding-a-surplus-with-rachel-mcdonough
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bridge-austin-7101862/faith-finance-faithfully-stewarding-a-surplus-with-rachel-mcdonough.md
Podcast: [The Bridge Austin](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bridge-austin-7101862)
Published: 2026-07-17T07:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.faithfi.com/
Audio file: https://go.godcaster.fm/act/e/63/443006/57676510317/https%253A%252F%252Fafp-942750-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com%252F1ba978bd-6e35-4ce5-ae83-3c657bfaae8e%252Fepisodes%252F126e594b-5d38-4cac-94ea-85d175fe4655%252Faudio%252F128%252Fdefault.mp3%253Faid%253Drss_feed%2526awCollectionId%253D1ba978bd-6e35-4ce5-ae83-3c657bfaae8e%2526awEpisodeId%253D126e594b-5d38-4cac-94ea-85d175fe4655%2526feed%253Dp9U_e2b7
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-bridge-austin-7101862/episodes/faith-finance-faithfully-stewarding-a-surplus-with-rachel-mcdonough
Duration seconds: 1497

## Resource

When God entrusts us with more than we need, the question is not simply “How can we preserve it?” or “How can we grow it?” The deeper question is, “What is this surplus for?” That question moves stewardship beyond spreadsheets, tax strategies, and investment performance. It takes us into matters of the heart, family, calling, and purpose. And for many families, that is where stewardship becomes both more challenging and more meaningful. Rachel McDonough, a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA®) , Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), and author of The River and the Garden: A Story of Faithfully Stewarding Surplus , joined the show today to explore how Christians can think more deeply about stewarding wealth, especially when they have been entrusted with more than they need for provision. Why Tell a Stewardship Story? Rachel has spent more than 20 years crafting financial plans. So when her publisher first suggested she write fiction about stewardship, she was surprised. After all, much of the financial world is built around practical tools, frameworks, and step-by-step guidance. But Rachel came to see that a story can reach places a spreadsheet cannot. That matters because real families do not fit neatly into formulas. They bring different perspectives, fears, desires, wounds, and hopes to the table. And when money is involved, especially significant money, those relational dynamics often come to the surface. That is part of what makes The River and the Garden unique. It is not a technical manual. It is a parable about wealth, family, faith, and the purposes of God. The River, the Garden, and the Craig Family The novel follows three generations of the Craig family. Maddie, the grandmother and matriarch, has come into a surplus after the sale of a family business. Her son Roge…

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