Financial Lessons from a High School Economics Teacher
As an economics teacher at a public high school in Iowa, Kevin Huss has opportunities to talk with students about financial literacy every semester.
“We evaluate places and trends with money, as well as different options on how and where to place their financial resources,” Kevin said. “One of the things that I tend to do is to seek to include what I do with my personal finances.”
From Finance to Faith
As an investor with CDF Capital and someone who believes God calls us to be generous, Kevin finds that these discussions put him in a unique position to segue from finance to faith. By talking about his own financial decisions, he gets to share why he puts his money where he does. Kevin demonstrates that financial choices are more than math problems—they are expressions of what matters to us.
“This helps to set an example of giving, as well as sharing my life's story—and ultimately sharing that I don't think things just happen but there is someone helping to guide my life,” Kevin explained. “It is rewarding to share my story with the students that I work with each semester.”
“The most important element to share with students is the blessing that giving can and does bring to their lives.”—Kevin
It can be hard to help kids understand intrinsic financial motivations if the conversation is rooted in abstractions. Framing the conversation around his own life allows Kevin to provide tangible examples of how his values shape his choices, and why those choices lead to valuable outcomes.
“I think the most important element to share with students and my own kids is the act of giving and the blessing that giving can and does bring to their lives,” Kevin said.
“Many students at school today tend to be inward focused, which can be a difficult mindset to break through. Sharing your story is one way to break down the barriers.”
From Faith to Finance
“Everything belongs to God,” Kevin noted. “We are only allowed a short time to utilize His blessings in our lives.” While he may not be able to express this explicitly in school, Kevin tries to bring this perspective into every major financial decision he and his family make.
That’s why when his church—Indianola Church of Christ—talked about CDF Capital, Kevin and his wife became investors.
“Our church was looking at a loan from CDF Capital, and it required a certain percentage of the church family to be a part of the process. So we decided to jump in and be a part of this effort,” Kevin said. “We have never looked back.“
That is not to say that they have never considered other options. As thoughtful stewards of what God has given them, Kevin and his wife have discussed the best way to maximize God’s resources. For them, it always comes back to their values and the impact of their financial investments.
“We discussed briefly about making a change with our funds to something that would return a higher interest rate,” Kevin said. “But we feel that this ministry opportunity is important to God's Kingdom work. We want to continue participating in God's Kingdom work throughout our nation and the world.”
God Can Use Anyone
At CDF Capital, we’re committed to helping Christians steward their resources well so that churches grow. When you put your resources into CDF Capital, your investment grows—and so do churches across the country. With every new investor, the legacy continues.
