I swallowed my pride and went to my dad for help

Cory Liebrum

Liebrum Family | Dallas TX

Ten dimes. I can still picture them stacked neatly on our kitchen table as my parents explained what an allowance was. A whole dollar! As a young boy, I had no idea I was about to receive my first lesson in stewardship. My parents laid it out clearly: if I did all my chores for the week, I would receive ten dimes every Saturday. If I didn’t, no dimes. The other condition? One of those dimes had to go with me to church the next day."But I get to keep the other nine?" I asked, wide-eyed. "What a deal!"

As I got older, allowances turned into part-time jobs, and the concept of tithing 10% of my paycheck was never difficult—it was just what I had always done. I still got to keep most of what I earned. But when real-life responsibilities hit, I found myself struggling financially for the first time. My paycheck didn’t stretch far enough, and I started wondering if that 10% could help me cover some of my growing expenses. So, I stopped tithing.

Unfortunately, my financial struggles only deepened. Bills piled up, and I felt completely overwhelmed. Finally, I swallowed my pride and went to my dad for help. He had always managed his finances wisely, and I had watched him do so with discipline over the years. Sitting at the kitchen table once again, we went through every bill and debt I had accumulated. He didn’t get angry. He didn’t lecture me. Instead, he pulled out his checkbook and started writing checks to clear my debts.

He rescued me that day—but not without a cost. He made it clear that I would pay him back, and together, we created a plan to do just that. It took me a few years, but I repaid every penny. The biggest condition he gave me? Tithing was no longer optional. I had to trust God with my finances. Since that day, I have lived credit card debt-free and have never missed an opportunity to tithe. My dad was still teaching me, even as an adult.

When I started thinking about My Dad Plan, I knew financial stewardship was something I wanted to pass down to my kids. But until then, I hadn’t been intentional about starting. Dad Academy gave me the structure to take all of the ideas, traditions, and lessons that had been floating around in my head and put them into action.

Following Dad Academy, we implemented an allowance system in our home—four dollars and four quarters (because, you know, inflation). I am grateful for a father who not only taught me as a child but continues to lead me as a man. And I am thankful for Dad Academy, which has helped me craft a plan to raise children with courage, competency, and confidence to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.