As the year winds down, most of us feel the crunch of holiday travel, family gatherings, and a calendar that fills up faster than we expect. But this season also offers something incredibly valuable: a natural pause. A moment to look back, look ahead, and make sure our financial lives still reflect the things—and the people—we care about most. To help us think through this year-end reset, we sat down with Cole Pearson, President of Investment Solutions at OneAscent , a family of companies committed to helping believers invest in alignment with biblical values. Cole shares practical, hope-filled steps to set your finances on a firm footing as you head into a new year. Start With What Matters Most: Your Values Before crunching numbers or updating accounts, Cole suggests beginning with the why behind your financial decisions. “As the year winds down,” he says, “it’s the perfect time to pause and make sure our financial life still reflects our actual life—our goals and values.” This is the heart of wise stewardship. Money isn’t the goal; it’s a tool. And when our tools aren’t aligned with what matters most, our decisions can drift. Cole encourages families to sit down—whether with a spouse, children, or even a financial advisor—and ask a simple but powerful question: “What is most important for us to reflect through our financial life?” These conversations reconnect us with the things God has entrusted to us: people, opportunities, relationships, and resources. When your values are clear, your financial decisions begin to tell a consistent story. The Three Lenses for a Year-End Checkup To help families gain clarity, OneAscent uses three helpful “lenses” that offer a holistic view of stewardship. Each one enables you to assess where you are and where God may be inviting you to grow. 1. Perspectives: How You Think and Feel About Money Every financial decision begins with a mindset. Do you naturally want to give? Save? Spend? Invest? None of these instincts is wrong—money is simply a tool. But understanding how God has wired you helps you use that tool intentionally rather than reactively. 2. Priorities: What Matters Most to Your Family Once your perspectives are clear, it’s time to identify your priorities. Is this season about legacy? Providing stability for your family? Creating margin for relationships? Leaning more fully into generosity? “When you know your top priorities,” Cole says, “you can give every dollar a job. It brings focus and direction to your plan.” 3. Milestones: What’s Changing in Your Life? The end of the year is a great time to reflect on transitions: A new job A retirement A new child or grandchild A loss in the family A health change Life transitions always put money in motion. Recognizing them early allows you to adjust your financial plan before drifting off course. Together, perspectives, priorities, and milestones provide a complete picture of your financial health—and help ensure your plans align with your values. Preparing for the Year Ahead Through Intentional Generosity For many families, generosity naturally comes up during year-end reflections. The holidays remind us that giving is both worship and witness—an expression of God’s grace through us. Cole encourages families to approach generosity as intentionally as investing. “Whether you’re investing or giving,” he says, “we think of both as investing God’s resources. We want all of it moving in the same direction—reflecting the same values.” Talking about generosity as a family: Fosters un
