How is your financial situation? Is debt weighing you down? Do you find it difficult to make ends meet month to month? 

When my husband and I got married in 1998, we lived in a 1-bedroom apartment, had nothing in savings, and owed around $25,000 in debt. Trevor was a teacher, and I worked for a ministry, so our incomes were far from extravagant. I hated being in that much debt; it felt like a heavy stone was hanging around my neck.

After the wedding, we immediately went to work on a budget, based only on Trevor’s income, and we used my income to pay down the debt. We “snowballed” our debts, by paying extra to eliminate the smallest one first, then rolling that payment into the next one, and so on. With this plan, we were able to pay off our debt completely within about 14 months.

Many years have passed since we made our last debt payment, so the excitement has faded, but I remember feeling such peace. At that point, we still had a long way to go on our financial journey, but knowing that we no longer were indebted to anyone was such an amazing place to be. 

During the time that we were paying off our debt, God called us to commit never to take on debt again….for anything. That meant that if we ever hoped to own a home, we would have to save up and pay cash for it. Seems like a daunting mission, right? But yet, I had a strong sense of peace that God would help us do what He called us to do. Nothing is impossible with God.

To make a very long story short, over the next almost five years, we saved, toiled, cried, sweated, bled, and sacrificed to build our home debt free. If you’d like to read the whole story, click here to check out our book called Debt-Free Living in a Debt-Filled World. 

Life Focus TV interviewed us about our financial story. I hope you’ll watch the program entitled “Dealing with Debt” at this link (our segment starts at around 9 minutes in). It’s also airing on various stations nationwide, such as PBS, TBN, and NRB Network, so check for it there as well.

If you’re struggling with debt, I want to encourage you. Nothing is too big for God. As you commit your finances to Him and submit to His authority, He will give you wisdom, guide you, and provide for your needs. The financial mess in which Trevor and I found ourselves was of our own making, but God didn’t hold it against us. He was merciful and led us out of bondage and into freedom. It wasn’t an easy process, mind you. We worked hard and sacrificed, but the long-term benefits far outweigh any discomfort that we experienced.

My prayer for you is that you will find your path to financial freedom. It is worth it. I promise!

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”  Galatians 5:1