13 Weeks to Change a Life

For the next 13 weeks we are taking a journey...to change our finances...to change our marriages...to change our perspectives...to change our future...to change our lives.

Financial Peace University is a course about finances, of course. But it can affect every area of your life if you let it. Use it to its fullest. Join in, jump in...it will change your life.

Thirteen weeks is a long time. Thirteen weeks is not a long time. Thirteen weeks is enough time...

...to form a habit...to change your life.

Don't just take the course. Don't just show up. Read the book. Do the homework. Think about the concepts. Apply them to your life.

Practice. Try. Stumble. Get up. Practice. Try. Learn. Press on. Practice. Try. Do it. Do it for 13 weeks.

It's hard. It's not easy. But decide today to engage this process of learning and changing. Decide today which habits are holding you back or need to change. Maybe it's your spending. Maybe it's your communication with your spouse. Maybe it's your patience (think debt). Maybe it's your accountability. Maybe it's your giving. Maybe it's your attention (as in, paying more of it).

Change your habits and change your life. Thirteen weeks is enough time for that.

I don't know what you are facing but I hope in the next 13 weeks you do just that - FACE IT - and begin to take the steps necessary to change...your finances...your marriage...your perspectives...your future...your life.

If you don't read anything else today...

I ran across a couple of old posts in another blog that I wanted to pass on today. These are excellent in many respects and I wanted you to read them and apply them to your life.

http://www.leadingsmart.com/leadingsmart/2006/08/it_just_makes_c.html

http://www.leadingsmart.com/leadingsmart/2007/03/lets_give_1_mil.html

By the way - thanks for reading. I should post more often or in a predictable pattern...maybe I'll set that as a goal in the next few months...maybe! I appreciate your involvement in this blog by reading, considering, applying, and occasionally even commenting. I just wanted to say, THANKS!

...but David encouraged himself in the Lord.

I don't watch the news too much. I stay abreast of what is going on generally, but in case you haven't noticed, the media industry has gone nuts! It is less news and more hype. I don't have the stamina to take their emotional roller coaster ride. And my life is far less dramatic than their paradigm of the world, so I don't relate. To me, breath is a gift, and it just gets better from there! To navigate this life properly, I need to keep my faith strong. I need to keep my spirit in the right Kingdom.


...but David encouraged himself in the Lord.


I know a number of families facing hardships. Some have small businesses suffering from a weakened economy. Some have lost jobs needed to support their family. Some have financial issues or personal issues they are facing in their marriage, family, or health. It is the stuff of life on earth. They need to keep their faith strong. They need to keep their spirits in the right Kingdom.


...but David encouraged himself in the Lord.


Although unemployment is higher than last few years - and I know people in this category - it is still but a fraction of the employment rate, which is never directly reported. Through Financial Peace University and financial counseling, I connect with a lot of people who are struggling but have watched their financial life turn around, even in this economy. Most people I know are actually doing about the same or better than they have been in recent years. They are doing well. They need to keep their faith strong. They need to keep their spirits in the right Kingdom.


...but David encouraged himself in the Lord.


Let's look into 1 Samuel 30:1 - 6:


The order of this account could easily have been different. It could read, "David encouraged himself in the Lord, but David and his men heard some really bad news. All these terrible things happened and David's own men spoke of stoning him. So David was greatly distressed." Do you see how the parts of the story are the same, but the outcome is very different? That is the order in which we often go about digesting the "news" in our lives. A friend recently told me that a book he was reading noted that what comes after the "but" is where we really live our lives.


...but David encouraged himself in the Lord.


"I know God is my Provider, but this job market..." "I know God gives me peace, but did you hear..." "I know God heals, but the doctor said..." "I know God grants favor and success, but I'm the one who..." "I know that God appoints leaders and that the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, but this President..." Ouch! These sound all too familiar - and they are backwards!


...but David encouraged himself in the Lord.


Read through Psalms, or Paul's writings - all throughout the Bible for that matter - and you will see this order over and over. The blessing is never disconnected from God. The problem is stated, BUT God... Be careful not to get this reversed in your life, your beliefs, or even your speech. Your hope is in the Lord. Your faith comes by hearing His Word. "Provider" is not only a description of what He does, but who He is. And He is the giver of all good gifts. It's your choice how to respond.


...but [your name here] encouraged him/herself in the Lord.


Oh yes - and if you watch the news, make sure that you, like David, balance the news your hear with a healthy encouragement in the Lord!

How do you deal with disappointment and setbacks?

I recently got a phone call that dealt me an unexpected setback - to the tune of about $3,000. It affected my debt repayment schedule primarily, which has been a big focus of mine this year. Do I need to write that I was disappointed? I think we each face disappointment and setbacks on an occasional, if not regular basis. What to do? How to respond?


These are but a few thoughts on how to move through and move ahead anyway:


1) Guard your focus.


Don't spend inordinate amounts of time rehearsing the disappointment. It will kill your creativity and hope for life beyond. When you keep hope alive and look beyond the immediate obstacle, you rise above the obstacle that disappointed you and be able to see and chart a course to move ahead. My Pastor says, "You can't lay back in a setback." Well, you shouldn't anyway.


2) Adjust your plan.


This is why a plan is so important. If you have a plan there is action you can take against your disappointment. I am coordinating my third Financial Peace University class. We are working through Week 3 - Cash Flow Planning. It is foundational to the class, just like a plan is foundational to life. We are better able to navigate the waters of disappointment and setbacks if there is a plan. The setback can be addressed - adjust the plan to compensate. Now work the new plan. It makes it much smoother. With no plan, the setback causes chaos and debilitating disappointment. So if you don't have one, make one now!


3) Don't fret what you cannot change.


If we can get this one planted deep inside, our worry will diminish, peace will increase, and the disappointment will loose its power. Disappointment is tied to expectation and can be a powerful weapon against your future, your peace, and your success. It is why so much of our economy is tied to "consumer confidence." Especially at the start of difficult economic times, very little has fundamentally changed in people's lives. But as confidence wanes, people pull back, thus creating the very problem they fear. It's an interesting cycle. Don't let things out of your control rob you of peace, joy, and right-thinking.


4) Be thankful!


Motivational speaker, Bob Harrison, tells a story that has been a huge help to me when I am facing disappointment - and it relates back to #1. Years ago his marriage was in trouble and he was praying about his wife and complaining to God about the many ways she was falling short. God encouraged him to make a list of her good traits - the things he was thankful for - and pray through that list every morning instead of rehashing his disappointments. As he did that, over time, she changed...or maybe she didn't. Maybe the problem was in his focus on the disappointments and his lack of thankfulness. In reality, she did change in response to the change in his attitude toward and treatment of her. And it all grew out of his choice to be thankful for the good things. There marriage was saved and grew into the beautiful thing God wanted it to be.


Something is going well. If nothing else, you are still breathing. If nothing else, God is still God, whether you feel like He is or not. Find these things, write them down, and be thankful for them.


5) Pray.


Another thing my Pastor says is, "You can do much more than pray, but you can do no more until you have prayed." Remember that God has not promised only good things in your life, but He HAS promised to work ALL things - good and bad - together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. That is YOU - or it can be if you choose.


I'd love to read comments on things that help you overcome disappointment and setbacks.

Be All That You Can Be

Whether you are in the Army or not, the old tag line is a great one. With all the uncertainty in the market and layoffs expanding into more industries, a lot of people are getting antsy wondering what the future holds.

• Be the best employee in your organization so that of all the people, they want to keep you.

I have been using a "Getting Things Done" workflow model by David Allen to vastly improve my efficiency and effectiveness at work. Anyone who has come into my office in the last couple of weeks has noticed the change. Make sure your work product and ethic reflect that you are doing your work as unto God and not unto men (Colossians 3:23).

David Allen's workflow model, along with Steven Covey's calendar management method have been very useful to me. But like my Pastor says about workout equipment, whether you have an eliptical machine, treadmill, weight bench, or the Total Gym, they all work and any one of them will help you IF you use it! As it relates to your work, find what helps you most and USE IT.

• Maximize your value by playing to your strengths.

Pastor Andy Stanley writes about this in his book. The Next Generation Leader. We have a tendency to spend a lot of time and energy building up and compensating for our weaknesses, while giving little time to improving our strengths. This leaves us mediocre in the weaker areas, and moderate in our strengths. Put it together and you get one work - OK. Okay employees are less valuable than strong employees. Where you add the most value in your organization is where you are the strongest.

Most people have certain responsibilities at work that they don't like as well or at which they are less proficient. Complete that work at your best but don't spend all your energy trying to grow an area with little potential. Again, the idea is to become so strong in your strengths that your employer frees you up from your weaknesses in order to maximize the value you produce. It may seem idealistic, but move this way. You may find yourself becoming more bold, more secure, and more valued.

• Don't retreat.

Sometimes you have done all you can do and bad things happen anyway. In Ephesians 6:13 (NIV) Paul said,

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.


There are times when you have done everything you can do, and all that is left is to stay standing. No ground may be gained today, but "stand your ground" and do all you can so that "after you have done everything," you may be able to stand.

Don't miss the way to do this - put on the whole armor of God, even before the day of evil comes. Be ready in advance.

• Trust in the Lord.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) says,

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding; In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

God is big enough to make a crooked path straight. Another translation says, "He will direct your paths." Spend more time putting your trust in the Lord than worrying about the path. This verse makes clear that He will take care of the path you take, IF you fulfill the first part of the verse.

Another verse to reference is Romans 12:2. It is my verse for 2009...I'll say more about this in #4 below.

• And as always, when uncertain times come, you can increase your peace and build a safety net by following some good financial advice:

1) Get out of debt


2) Build and/or maintain a solid 3-6 months savings fund


3) Diversify your investments, including some international funds


4) And this should really be #1 - Trust in the Lord.

Back to Romans 12:2 - while so many people are stressed about the future of their job or retirement plan, we who trust in the Lord live in a different Kingdom, and we need to remind ourselves of that.

In the Kingdom of God, His Name is "Provider." His Name is "Peace."...So don't let your thinking be "conformed to this world" but be "transformed by the renewing of your mind". There should be a dramatic difference in how we who trust in the Name of the Lord approach troubled times.

Be all that you can be. Carry the Kingdom of God inside of you. Bring it into your home, your church, your work, your social sphere... May "Your Kindgom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."

There Are Always Options

So it's Thanksgiving Day and my family is driving to Wichita to celebrate the holiday. We are getting close to my parents' home when I hear a clatter under the hood. I pull over thinking something has come unclipped and needs to be reattached, but no, it is the serpentine belt coming apart. The outer two edges are flopping wildly, slashing at vacuum hoses, etc., under the hood. Doesn't look good, but at least it didn't break!

We made it to my parents' home. My brother-in-law came out to pick up our family (he has a minivan, too!) to take us to the place of our Thanksgiving celebration (not feeling so festive at the moment). He loaned us his van after taking his family home so we could get back to my parents' and return for a visit the next day. Instead of visiting my sister, my dad, my brother, and I worked on the van, replacing what seemed like everything on the passenger side of the motor (including the water pump for you Dave Ramsey fans). Total cost: $140 and a lot of inconvenience on a holiday weekend.

The advice I want to pass on today is simple, but we often bypass it in the stress or emotion of the moment.

Consider your options

But what do I know about repairing a car? It is so cold and this is a special weekend. I should spend it with family, not repairing the car. Again, consider your options.

Who do you know that could help? My brother-in-law was willing to help with a ride and a temporary vehicle. My dad and brother were willing to help with the repairs (both time and expertise). All I had to do was lay down some pride and frustration to allow for the blessing of their generous gift. More than likely you know someone who could help. You just have to ask. Whatever happened to neighbors and friends helping each other? Don't let the spirit of giving lapse. Look for opportunities to help others and ask for help when you need it.

What must be done and what can wait? I am often tempted to do things that are unnecessary for convenience. "While I'm at it, I might as well..." Thankfully, I don't use credit cards. Back in those days, I would have not only rationalized the repairs to the van, but probably a new set of tires as well! While a new set of tires might be nice, and even needed in the near future, they were not necessary to fix the problem at hand. So, if they weren't in the plan for the month, they should wait. Especially when facing something unexpected, stick to the necessary. Times of crisis are not the best to make decisions - especially financial ones.

What can you really afford? You can afford whatever you can fit into your budget for the month! But isn't this what an emergency fund is for? Yes - and no. I could have coughed up several hundred dollars that Friday to have a shop do the work. It would have been well within the $1,000 baby emergency fund we have in the bank. It was VERY tempting. Don't use the emergency fund unless you have an emergency - and almost nothing is really an emergency. If everything is an emergency, you won't have an emergency fund left when a real emergency comes along! Try, if at all possible, to find it in your budget.

What are you willing to do to win? Stay focussed on the goal. Remember, there are times when we "live like no one else so later, we can live like no one else." Even though it was in my emergency fund, I am closer to my goal of being debt-free because I didn't spend the money on labor. It took some effort, some discomfort, and inconvenience, but in the end it was worth it. I got to spend some great time with my dad and brother, fixed the van, and was actually able to budget the repair into my December budget rather than tapping the emergency fund. Remember, it's your behavior that leads you to win.

This post is not to toot my own horn, but to give a real-life example of how it is done. I run into people all the time who have lots of excuses why they are not getting traction financially. They "don't have a choice." They refuse to consider their options.

You may have to take your car to the shop because you truly cannot do the repair yourself and don't know anyone who can help. That's okay IF you truly have no options. It may not even be your car that is the concern. But whatever you are facing, always consider your options.

Make exploring and utilizing the options you have a habit. If you are willing to do a little extra work, suffer a little inconvenience, and allow some people in your life the opportunity to help, you will find there are many different ways - many options - to solve the problem you are facing, whether it is financial or otherwise.

Getting a job (part 2)

Earlier I wrote about my friend who had lost his job but lost no time in finding several very realistic prospects. I believe one reason he was able to capitalize on those prospects was that he had guarded his good name. Today's post discusses another reason he is going to win.

2) The proactive approach always wins. He began his search the day he lost his previous job. He looked at all job options rather than limiting his search to a narrow industry or job type. He didn't sulk or take a break, but he took care of the important business right away. He got the unemployment insurance claim process started so that if he needed it, it would be ready. He sent out resumes, searched online job postings, and networked with everyone he knew. He and his wife addressed the personal finance side of the situation. What's more, they had already prepared for the eventuality of an emergency occurring. He sought counsel.

I often talk to people who are looking for jobs. They send out resumes in a shotgun blast and wait for callbacks. It's not going to happen for them. They don't get interviews. Don't think I'm minimizing the difficulty of finding a job, especially in a tough economy. But people are being hired every day. It might as well be you.

a) Prepare for emergencies (they will happen). Because he had prepared (had an emergency fund), the stress of losing a job was somewhat diminished and my friend had the emotional and financial capital to take some time to make a good transition.

b) When you're knocked down, get back up. Don't sit and sulk for two weeks before you engage in the process. You were planning to go to work tomorrow before losing your job, so go to work tomorrow looking for a job instead.

c) Keep seeking until you find. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again! Follow up. Call again. Learn to distinguish yourself. You have only a few moments to make an impression, so be ready. Unending persistence will pay off. Read The Go-Getter by Peter B. Kyne. It's an old book that will teach you how to be one!

d) Do whatever it takes. Lay down your pride and even your dreams for a while. If you still aren't finding what you need, secure temporary work to survive. There are jobs out there. They may not be in your chosen field and they may not be appealing long term, but when you face a crisis (like losing your job) and you aren't prepared, you don't have time to wait for the perfect opportunity.

These two posts are not an exhaustive list of what to do if you lose your job, but represent my initial observations after talking to my friend about his situation.

Getting a job (part 1)

I received a phone call from a friend recently who had lost his job. It was all very sudden and he was asking if I had any advice on how to proceed without getting into a big mess. I asked him a few questions and found that he was doing everything just right. He already had several interviews scheduled and was working several other job leads. He and his wife had reviewed their budget and knew exactly how much income they needed to replace to keep all the bills paid. They had some emergency savings that could carry them for a short time. I really had nothing to add except some encouragement.

I was particularly interested in the fact that he had several interviews while others I have spoken to have had none. How did he do this? And in "this economy?"

1) Guard your good name. Understand that your decisions today affect your tomorrow. Some of the job openings my friend applied for had many other candidates who were disqualified during the background check investigation phase of the process. His good name served him well. This point is easily overlooked, especially while we are young, but consider it carefully when you interact with others, both in your job and outside your employment. You never know when someone you meet might be sitting across a desk from you or have the option of sending you a customer.

a) Treat customers well. My wife and I recently stayed at a bed-and-breakfast that has outstanding service. We made it a point to tell the owners how impressed we were with the evening innkeeper. They said they had hired her from a store in which they often shopped. Their satisfaction as customers led them to think of her when they needed a new employee. And if you ever want some time away in Kansas City within walking distance of the Country Club Plaza, we highly recommend the Southmoreland (http://www.southmoreland.com/) for your stay.

b) Treat vendors well. Again, you never know when you might be knocking on their door to apply for a job. I have found that treating others well, even when you are a customer pays off. I have easily resolved potentially tough situations by remaining calm and extending grace, even when the "customer service" was lousy. I have done this regularly with vendors with whom others rarely reach a resolution (e.g., mobile phone providers). It doesn't always happen, but often. Have you ever taught your kids about the Golden Rule? Why, as adults, do we forget the simple lessons in life?

c) Be careful not to burn bridges when you leave employment. Leaving on bad terms may have future consequence. It may lead to a bad reference or take your freedom to apply for a future position in that company. The Bible says that as far as it depends on you, live at peace with all people. And as an aside, remember that God knows you lost your job. If you truly believe He has a plan for your destiny and you trust Him, you can walk in peace even when you lose your job. To gain some insight on this point, study the life of Joseph (starting in Genesis 37).

Another recent example of how the past interacts unexpectedly with the present is a business that recently got a very beneficial lease contract. The lessee was referred to them by a person who had an association with them many years ago. Many years prior, the business had no idea the relationship would lead to a referral in the future, but when you understand that your decisions today affect your future in unforeseen ways, you will tend to guard your good name by treating people well and parting on good terms.

"Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold." -Proverbs 22:1 (NLT)

I'll stop for today. Next week I'll discuss the next reason I think my friend has been so successful finding great job opportunities.

On taxes, the wealthy, and spreading it all around

Join me, if you will, on a little anecdotal jaunt... On second thought, let me warn you that you may not want to. This could be painful or even maddening to you. Ok, if you aren't up to reading the tough stuff, just skip to the end.

There has been a lot of talk in the news lately about these implicitly selfish wealthy people and the weak middle class. Now I fit firmly within the middle class category, so nothing I write is from pure self-interest. But I have been thinking...

Most people by now surely have heard that the top 1% of taxpayers pay around 35% of all federal income taxes; the top 5% pay around 55% of the whole; the top 10% pay around 66%; and the top 25% pay around 84%. No matter on what the latest or most precise percentages are because the general idea is clear, and this post is all about general rules. They do, after all, become general rules because they generally are the rule.

There is no reason in the United States today that everyone cannot be a millionaire. Well, there is a reason, but I'll get to that later. The formula is very simple.

Like I said, I have been thinking. What makes rich people rich, middle class people middle class, and the "underprivileged" poor? In general terms, the same reason everyone is not a millionaire. Follow with me...

When wealthy people make lots and lots of money, what do they do with it? Let's see...they buy nice homes (except for Warren Buffet), they buy expensive cars (except for Sam Walton), they buy other stuff, they invest, they save, and they give. I notice their names on university buildings, hospitals, and church wings (for those churches that put names on wings). No, it seems the wealthy spread their wealth voluntarily to accomplish a number of charitable purposes. So why does the government need to get involved? And anyone in nonprofit work knows how most organizations are able to do extraordinary things because of the extraordinary generosity of a few, to whom much was given. Interesting.

So I'm curious, would raising taxes on the wealthy beyond the great amount they already pay be an attempt to shift those dollars away from charity to the government? Would the government be better at determining how to use those dollars for social good than the donors who actually earned the money? I am envisioning foreign countries I have visited. They have a "strong" middle class that relies on government to do and build everything. There are no names on hospitals or other "institutional" buildings. The wealthy are those in the government bureaucracy or with close ties and they don't do much charitable giving except with public money. Government is strong. Charity is weak. Okay, so that was admittedly a rant. But it's my blog and you had fair warning.

What about the middle class? What might we do with a raise, a bonus, or a tax refund check? Move toward becoming wealthy? WE PAY OFF DEBT, right? Now that is a great answer. But it begs the question, where did the debt come from? The answer to that question can often be found in another question. Why does the middle class stay the middle class over long stretches of time? Ouch. We stretched on the home purchase, filled it with nice furniture, kept up on the latest gadgetry, and entered the process of either leasing or making perpetual car payments. Middle class neighborhood are filled with all the stuff of wealthy neighborhoods but lack one fundamental similarity - the money to pay for it all. We have no savings, our giving is pathetic, and investing is out of the question.

This one could be touchy. The "underprivileged"? I have seen many people face insurmountable odds, but make wise choices, and press through to thrive. These were most often uneducated and certainly underprivileged folks. For example, most of our immigrant populations. And the Jewish communities that have faced persecution and discrimination that have thrived with little intervention. I recently heard of a local country club that opened up membership to Jews within the last 7 - 10 years. Astounding. Anyway, so what keeps poor people poor over long periods of time? And I could ask along with that, who has seen the greatest success in actually combating poverty in the United States - government or charity (so should we raise taxes or incentivize wealth and charitable giving)? When poor people receive a windfall, they rarely know exactly where it went, but certainly it is gone. It might go to the retail shopping outlet, a car dealership, or any number of places. I would venture to say it never goes to charitable giving, saving, or investing.

Poverty is a curse. The way to fight it is to get people out from under the curse, not to throw money at them. Studies have shown that if the world's wealth were evenly distributed, disparities would return within 6 years I believe. As the old proverb says, "A fool and his money are soon parted."

Thank you for letting me get all that off my chest. I feel better now.

Now for the reason everyone in America today is not a millionaire...

Yes, if you have read many of my posts you might have guessed it - BEHAVIOR - and that starts with you, not the government (not even the president).

So let me give you a little formula for success that I may have previously shared.

Give.
Save.
Then spend.

Or, as financial expert Ron Blue testified before Congress, "Live on less than you make. Then save and invest the difference over a long period of time."

You can do it. It is up to you. When your behavior follows these steps, mathematics takes over and abundance is automatically created. No matter who is president and no matter what the tax rates become, following these principles will naturally lead to wealth and success. And what do you do then (besides pay more taxes)? As Dave Ramsey says, "Once you have lived like no one else, you can live like no one else and you can give like no one else."

Don't wait on government. And don't worry too much about government (but DO get informed, think it through on your own - don't just listen to campaign rhetoric - and VOTE!). I could go on for hours, but I'll stop. Let me leave you with this verse that stretches out over this whole discussion-

"11Your power is great, and your glory is seen everywhere in heaven and on earth. You are king of the entire world, 12and you rule with strength and power. You make people rich and powerful and famous. 13We thank you, our God, and praise you. 14But why should we be happy that we have given you these gifts? They belong to you, and we have only given back what is already yours." 1 Chronicles 29:11 - 14 (Contemporary English Version)

Read it in several versions to let the truth get planted deep within you. And remember what my Dad told me right about this time of year in 1992: "That's why we put our trust in God instead of men." Wise words.

I don't get out much

Last weekend, my wife and I had some time away. We stayed at a bed and breakfast on the Plaza, ate out, and shopped. It was a fun and refreshing weekend.

One thing we noticed was the lack of quality service at most of the stores in which we shopped. No smiles. No greeting. No expression at checkout.

Now admittedly, I don't get out much, so maybe this has become the norm. But back in the day when I frequented retail shops more often, I usually got friendlier service. Our innkeepers were excellent. Waiters and waitresses were great, but most of the retail service was lousy at best. Some of the people made no acknowledgement at all that we were present.

"So what is the point," you might ask. I reflected and prayed about this from a couple of angles that I wanted to pass on today.

How to respond to poor service:

Smile. Be kind. Be generous. Be gracious. Bring light into their day. You just never know what they are facing. (You could add many more things here)

How to give good service to others:

Smile. Be kind. Be generous. Be gracious. Bring light into their day. You just never know what they are facing. (You could add many more things here)

Yes, I'm aware the two answers are identical. No, it was not a copy-and-paste error. The two answers should be the same.

Treat others as you wish to be treated - no matter how they treat you and no matter the other circumstances you are facing. Wikipedia calls it the Ethic of Reciprocity. Others call it the Golden Rule. I call it the Word of God (see Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31). Jesus said, "This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets."

Join me in considering how you are treating others in your life this week.

Seek Wisdom in Troubled Times

These days, it is easy to get lazy in our thinking. No longer do we watch the news for news, we now watch for analysis. In fact, many entire shows are devoted to analysis of and commentary on the "news." Yes, the analysts abound and we hardly know how to think for ourselves.

If you are careful in your choice of analysts, you will arrive at good conclusions most of the time. But if not...

Now I firmly believe in evaluating writers, analysts, bloggers, etc., and finding a choice few that you really feel represent your approach, viewpoint, and ethic, but don't leave the thinking to them. Don't allow your inquiry to stop there. Don't get lazy. Do your own research. Consider your "advisors." Reach your own conclusions.

Keep learning. Keep reading. Keep thinking! And don't forget to inquire of the Lord as your Chief Advisor. The Bible says He gives wisdom freely to those who ask.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." - James 1:5 (NIV)

It takes wisdom to navigate this world with it's abundance of information so readily available.

As you hear about all the turmoil, remember, the news media is owned almost exclusively by corporate giants interested primarily in profits, not news. They report what sells in the way it sells ("If it bleeds, it leads."). Don't let them tell you what you "need" to know.

One of the results of living in God's Kingdom and seeking His wisdom should be peace (Romans 14:17). And you'll not likely find that in the media, in the analysts' reports, or in the commentary. But if you'll learn, read, think, and seek God's Kingdom first, you might catch a different view of world and financial events. You might find wisdom.

"For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold." - Proverbs 3:14

The article link below is not from a Christian viewpoint necessarily, but is one I found interesting and wanted to pass along for your review as you read, learn, and think for yourself - and perhaps wonder whether civilization as we know it is about to come to an end. Note the date it was originally published. The world didn't end then either.

Economic Chronicles: The Money Mirage

Click here http://www.aier.org/research/commentaries/158-the-money-mirage-an-introduction for original article.

Our journey

We are coordinating our second Financial Peace University at Antioch starting August 23. I was thinking back over some of our journey and thought it might encourage someone who finds themselves along the way...

When I completed my formal education, Carrie and I had been married almost two years and had about $60,000 in debt. We should have been terrified (our debt was about twice our income at that moment), but I actually rationalized that it wasn't too bad. I had bought into the "good debt, bad debt" myth and the "car debt is inevitable - at least early on" myth. Since "good debt" (student loans) and "normal" debt (cars) made up most of our debt load, I actually thought our overall debt load to be reasonable at our stage in life. And Carrie trusted me with our money.

Over the next couple of years I got a job, Carrie quit hers to stay home with our new family, we changed cars, bought a house, and lived a bunch of life. During this time our debt load varied slightly, but we were basically in the same place, only we now had a house that needed a complete remodel. Now that's a great place for a young broke family!

About this time we went through Crown Financial Ministries' small group study and started getting serious about our money. We began to make some adjustments, but with all of life that happens while starting a family and the busyness, we still weren't giving it enough focus or intensity. Debt at this time was probably around $50,000 (without the house) and we were trying to get the debt related to our remodel paid off.

Let me break here to ask a question. Why had we not gained more traction? There are lots of answers that I find are common to about everyone who is struggling:

• We had not broken the cycle of debt. We were still using credit cards while trying to pay them off.


• We were not both intimately involved in our family's finances.


• We were not in complete unity on the level of sacrifice we should make to get ahead.


• We were not using a monthly spending plan.


• We were still reacting to circumstances rather than living our financial life on purpose. We weren't being intentional enough.


• We were not exercising the hard work, discipline, and diligence needed to win with money.

What really got me motivated was watching my kids grow up and realizing just how short time really is. The 4th baby was coming. School was going to start in a couple of years for our oldest. Teenage years were soon to follow. Cars would have to be purchased and insured. The roof would need to be replaced, along with the furnace and air conditioner - not to mention retirement and college savings (for which TIME invested is one of the determinants to success).

And since our kids were born so close together, once the first hits any stage in life, the others follow, like, immediately. In other words, most of my saving for each stage in life had to take place before our first reached that stage.

Carrie has always been an amazing wife and she got behind me on reaching the goals for our future. She became especially motivated during the Financial Peace University class we coordinated.

So, things had to change. How did we get into debt? Not paying attention. Dave Ramsey says, "You can stumble into debt in our culture but you will never stumble out." How did we get out? Focused intensity. It's the only way.

New rules:

• We make a written spending plan (budget) every month, spending every dollar on paper on purpose before the month begins.


• We communicate regularly about our money, making changes to the budget as necessary. Spending all the money on paper requires us to find offsets anytime there is an additional expense we had not accounted for. And Carrie is very involved in this process.


• We use cash everywhere possible to hold ourselves accountable to our spending plan, make wiser spending decisions, and negotiate bargains.


• We don't use credit cards at all.


• We pray about this regularly.

What else?

• We saved $1,000 in the bank as a starter emergency fund.


• We began paying off our debts smallest to largest with a vengeance.


• We picked up extra work to advance the cause.


• We got very diligent about our finances.


• We held off on some wants that sometimes felt like needs.

That was just under one year ago. Today, we have about $11,000 in student loans to go. Everything else is GONE FOREVER. By the end of next year we will be debt-free (except our home), have an emergency fund of 3 - 6 months expenses, and will have cash-flowed a 10-year anniversary resort stay in Cancun.

We are on our way to Financial Peace! Two years of hard work to change our future. Well worth it! And let me assure you of one thing - WE ARE NEVER GOING BACK!

It's a given for me but let me be very clear - To God be all the praise, honor, and glory. We are applying His principles, His truth, and trusting in His provision. We are given strength by His Spirit and are encouraged by His people. He is the Lord of our lives.

I do quite a bit of financial counseling and I have yet to see a situation beyond two years of hard work and sacrifice from being cleaned up. The only question is whether the family is willing to pay the price.

If you are tired of living with the financial stress ... if you work too hard and make too much money to be this broke, please contact me or join a Financial Peace University class near you. This will change your life!