Align Wealth With Values Through Faith-Based Legacy Planning

There’s a story Buffy Ruthardt shared that still gives me chills.

She and her husband Darren were on a drive, just processing life and legacy—wondering aloud what it might look like for their children to live in their inheritance while they were still alive. Not just financially, but spiritually, relationally, and generationally.

It was a bold idea.

But they didn’t know how to do it. No roadmap. No clarity. No strategy to get there. And then… they heard a Facebook ad for Seven Generations Legacy®.

That was the nudge.

They followed that moment of divine appointment to begin faith-based legacy planning, and today, their family is operating with a whole new level of clarity, unity, and purpose.

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“We were doing our best… but we had no tracks to run on.”

I’ll never forget this moment.

Buffy and Darren sat across from me on Zoom, eyes bright with conviction, reflecting on their journey. They’d built a beautiful life—decades of hard work, provision, blessing. But as they looked at their children, now adults, they knew something deeper was stirring.

“We had direction,” Buffy said, “but no map.”

That’s when they found the Seven Generations Legacy® Coaching Program. And everything changed.

They weren’t just searching for a way to preserve wealth. They were on a mission to steward something sacred: their faith, their values, and the legacy they knew God had placed in their hands for generations to come.

Faith-Based Legacy Planning in Action

When we talk about faith-based legacy planning, we’re not just talking about trust documents or estate strategies. We’re talking about shaping the kind of family culture that lasts beyond your lifetime.

That’s what Darren and Buffy came looking for—and that’s what they built.

They had wealth. They had faith. They had a vision.

What they needed was a mechanism.

At The Money Advantage™, we don’t talk about inheritance the way the world does. This isn’t about how much you leave—it’s about what you leave in the people you love.

If you’ve ever thought…

• “I’ve built something valuable—but how do I pass it on with meaning?”
• “Our kids aren’t quite ready… but I want to guide them.”
• “We have the assets, but not the structure. Where do we start?”

…then you’re not alone. And this story is for you.

In this episode of The Money Advantage™ Podcast, we unpack their full journey—from feeling stuck with disjointed entities and unspoken hopes… to confidently stewarding their family’s meaning, mechanism, and money with purpose.

We’ll walk you through Darren and Buffy’s real-life experience using the Seven Generations Legacy® process, including:

• Why they felt stuck, even after decades of success
• How they aligned their faith, finances, and family
• The power of creating meaning and mechanism—not just money
• What happened after they hosted their first Family Legacy Summit

This isn’t theory. This is transformation.

If you’ve ever wondered how to truly align your values with your wealth—or how to pass on something deeper than money—this story is for you.

From Disconnected Assets to a Unified Legacy Vision

Darren and Buffy didn’t come to Seven Generations Legacy empty-handed.

They had two decades of successful business ownership, investments, and assets. But what they didn’t have was an integrated plan—or a way to ensure it wouldn’t all unravel when passed to the next generation.

They weren’t falling apart. They were faithful, successful, deeply intentional people. But like many high-capacity couples, they sensed the weight of stewardship without a roadmap.

The vision was clear. The how was not.

Their words?

“We didn’t want to just turn it over to our children and not teach them how to care for it and steward it.”

They had a vision, but no tracks to run on. The first step in faith-based legacy planning was aligning their wealth with their why.

And that meant starting with meaning.

The Meaning: Writing Down the Culture That Was Already There

One of the most powerful moments in their process was realizing—God had already written their family’s culture into their hearts.

They just hadn’t articulated it yet.

Through the Seven Generations Legacy framework, they began identifying their family values, clarifying their vision, and drafting love letters and a family guidance system that captured their heart and faith in written form.

As Buffy said:

“We realized how transformed we’d already been. The Lord had already done this for us—we just needed to write it down.”

What started as a discovery turned into deep affirmation. They wrote their Family Guidance System, drafted love letters, captured their beliefs, and realized that legacy wasn’t something to create from scratch. It was already alive inside them—it just needed to be written down.

Scripture came alive. Vision crystallized. And suddenly, the Ruthardts were speaking to their children with renewed clarity, confidence, and unity.

They weren’t just passing on assets. They were passing on identity.

The Mechanism: Getting the Legal and Structural House in Order

Meaning is critical. But without a structure—a mechanism—legacy becomes just a hope.

This is where the real clarity clicked for Darren and Buffy.

With our team’s help, they:

• Restructured outdated business entities
• Created a custom trust structure that fit their values
• Drafted guidance documents that aligned with their faith and family vision
• Put in place a system that could carry more abundance, not just preserve what they had

This wasn’t just about legal compliance. It was about clarity and peace.

“It felt like our house was in order,” Buffy said. “And that brought peace.”

Their favorite part? The mechanism. Because it didn’t just organize their financial life—it brought their entire household into alignment.

They now have structures that support stewardship, create clear roles, and honor the vision they’re passing on.

The Money: From Siloed Accounts to Stewardship Strategy

The money conversation came last—but not because it’s least important.

In fact, it’s vital.

But for Darren and Buffy, the money only made sense once the meaning and mechanism were clear. Then, they could allocate resources in a way that aligned with their values.

Darren put it simply:

“If you don’t take time to do this… you won’t.”

They had the resources. But they didn’t want wealth to pass down without wisdom. They knew their children needed to understand how to steward what they’d built—and why it mattered.

Through the Seven Generations Legacy framework, they brought their adult children into the conversation. They held their first Family Summit. They invited vulnerability. And by the end of the day?

“No one wanted it to end,” Buffy said.

They weren’t handing over money. They were handing over mission.

From family summits to charitable vision, they’re now leveraging their wealth to support health, unity, and purpose—in their children’s lives and in their community.

The Fruit of Faith-Based Legacy Planning: Family Meetings, Health Goals, and a Future Podcast

The real results?

They aren’t just financial.

Darren and Buffy now lead regular family meetings with their adult children. They’ve aligned around shared health goals. And they’re launching a podcast called Roadmap to Renewal to help other families do the same.

Buffy calls it “generational health transfer”—not just wealth or wisdom, but full integration of spirit, soul, and body.

Their family is now on a mission.

But they didn’t start there.  They started with a step.

Clarity. Support. Vision. And a team walking with them every step of the way.

What It Really Means to Align Wealth with Values

What Darren and Buffy show us is this:

Legacy isn’t what you leave behind. It’s what you build now with your family.

They didn’t just create a set of documents. They created a living system that reinforces their values, blesses their children, and prepares them to be wise stewards.

They built with eternity in mind—and with strategy that works.

Their story is proof that faith-based legacy planning isn’t just possible—it’s powerful.

It’s the bridge between financial success and generational impact.

Want to Build Your Own Legacy?

Buffy said it best:

“We had abundance… but no tracks to run on.”

Now, they’re building tracks—ones their family can follow for generations.

If you’re in a place where you’ve built success but lack direction…
If you’re craving clarity for your family’s future…
If you want a legacy that outlives your lifetime…

You are not alone.

The Seven Generations Legacy process was designed for you.

Because success alone isn’t enough. Your legacy needs meaning, mechanism, and money—aligned, integrated, and passed on with purpose.

You don’t need to have it all figured out.

But you do need to take the first step.

Book A Strategy Call

If you’re ready to dive deeper into creating generational wealth, start with my book, Seven Generations Legacy. It’s packed with actionable insights and strategies to help you build a strong foundation for your family’s future. Once you’ve explored the principles, let’s take the next step together. You can book a call with me at Seven Generations Legacy®, where we’ll work to create a personalized plan tailored to your family’s unique goals and vision. Let’s start building your legacy today!