Defeating Debt

In November of 2007, Travis and I read a book that changed the course of our lives.  When Dave Ramsey's bestseller The Total Money Makeover made us realize that--get this--debt doesn't have to be a way of life, we immediately began changing our financial behaviors and started our journey to becoming debt-free.

We are now just over three years into that journey, and the destination is finally in sight.  I wouldn't say that we've followed all of Dave's advice exactly to a T--and we haven't been as consistently "gazelle intense" (to use Dave's lingo) as many of Dave's most successful "students"--but with a little common sense and a lot of resolve, we have kept the vision and are on our way to finally becoming financially free.  ("The borrower is the slave of the lender" (Proverbs 22:7b, ESV).)

Our spending behaviors have certainly played a role in the progress we've made; but most of our success I chalk up to my hard-working husband and the job God has blessed him (us) with.  I never cease giving thanks to God for placing Travis in a position that provides well for our family of six and that doesn't necessitate a supplemental income from me or a second job for him.  Through this job, God has supplied not only all of our physical and material needs but also our ability to defeat debt; and, for that I am extremely thankful.

Travis is scheduled to have his annual review today.  As we look back over the past year of his career and ahead to the next, we recognize that every good thing that we have--including Travis' job, his ability to work, and his ability to succeed--is from God (James 1:17).  How thankful we are that He is faithful to supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19).  May our trust always be not in a job but in Him "with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow" (James 1:17)!

And, in a couple months, when we expect to be screaming, "WE'RE DEBT FREEEEEEEE!!!", we will recongize that it is only because of Him whom we serve.

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