Steen Financial Counseling, LLC

Are you ready to use cash yet???

2009-10-05T17:13:00.005-04:00

I just read an article posted on Clark Howard's website about how banks are now making more money on debit cards than on credit cards and I will say that I am completely appalled!!! The article talks about how banks play games and juggle your balances so that it benefits them in order to charge you overdraft fees. Branch Managers at Wells Fargo have their pay reduced for multiple credits for customers who call and complain and are given credits. THIS IS LUDICROUS!!!

I mean, how many more times do we have to prove why it is so much better for YOU if you change your habits and use CASH!!! It seems even if you are responsible and balance your check book daily and never spend more than you have in your account you are still not in control. Why cause yourself so much trouble. Just do what our grandparents always did and pay CASH for it!!!!!!

For the original article see the following link:

http://clarkhoward.com/liveweb/shownotes/2009/09/30/16762/

Can Financial Peace exist in America?

2009-09-07T11:52:00.005-04:00

I was reading an article in the Henry County Times from a columist who was asking the question "Can financial peace exist in Amerca?". That is a very good question. He was talking about how he and his wife had taken Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class and had learned so much about paying down one's debt, not using credit cards and sacrificing immediate gain in the interest of a secure future. The writer stated how he had seen so many families who were in need of FPU. Then he stated a very interesting statement that made me think. Maybe members of the US Congress should take Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University? He goes on to say that our political leaders have done little more than throw money at the financial problems of our nation, which have resulted in an ever-growing mountain of debt and financial turmoil. He comments that if this were a married couple or single struggling to see light at the end of a tunnel they would be told not to spend money they do not have and to exhibit more self-control. Then he asks, "Why should the response be any different for the government?"

That makes a lot of sense. Maybe we should host a new town hall event with Dave Ramsey where the people of the great nation of America evoke our rights as Americans and force politicians to take Financial Peace University and get on a zero based budget, where they spend every dime on paper on purpose before the month begins. Where they do not spend more money than we make and where we do not borrow money from other nations.

What do you think?

Then and only then can Financial Peace exist in America, on Capital Hill, today.

It doesn't matter how much we buy, there is always plenty more that I want

2009-08-18T14:32:00.005-04:00

A friend passed along a great article in christianitytoday.com about living in a material world. The article was about a young lady who thought she would be satisfied with "just a house". After getting married and getting "just a house" she started asking herself if she could be satisfied with "just any old house" and she quickly realized NO. The article goes on to say that she quickly realized that she was a person who was not easily satisfied. Her story says that desire started to take over her and she realized that "just any old house" was not going to satisfy her now or ever for that matter. She says "I'm very much a part of the never-enough world and then states chances are so are you". Are you?

Isn't that what has happened to us in society today? Materialism is preached so much it becomes who we are. If material things provide the answers to life's basic questions in your world like "what am I worth", "am I successful", "do I have peace of mind", this is a serious disconnect. Ask yourself right now "who says?" Who says that having material things make me successful? Who says that having peace of mind is when I have stuff?

I love what this article reminds us. That God did not create us to be materialistic. He created us to be relational beings. When we start replacing relationships with materials things we have a void. The void that we continue to trick ourselves into believing is missing more stuff. The fact is the void is we are missing relationships with people. The article quotes "There will never be enough material things to satisfy the longings of the human soul."

Don't get me wrong, God does not care if we have material things. He does however care when we replace the "love of stuff" with the love of others.

Here are some questions to ponder as the writer in the article suggests:

What do I expect out of life and where do those expectations come from? What is success and do I tend to measure it by outward trappings? How much of myself am I giving to my loved ones and how much am I relying on expensive gifts (for birthdays or Christmas, for example) to communicate love? What is the real source of the emptiness or drivenness I feel?

Living within your means

2009-07-24T11:07:00.003-04:00

I have talked to many people who feel being on a budget is like having a straight jacket on and someone telling them what they can and can not buy with their hard earned money. That is not the case at all. Living on zero based budget is merely a tool that helps you to live within your means.

Living within your means is defined by the financial experts as saving some of your paycheck each month and having no debt. The Federal Reserve did a survey of consumer finances in 2001, and the survey showed that about 14.5% of Americans consistently spend more money than they make. These people are in pretty big trouble. That is one of the reasons why we are in the situation we are in now as consumers and as a nation. 26.3% of Americans spend as much as they make or more. According to studies many Americans actually spend $1.22 for every $1.00 we make. That means we are going in to debt an average of 20% for every pay check we make.

If you can find a good financial advisor who will guide you through a zero based budget process, it is really not bad at all. It is merely spending every dime you make on paper on purpose before the month begins. A budget removes the fear of being in the middle of the month and not knowing how you will get to the end of the month. A budget helps a married couple communicate better. A budget will cover every possible expense that would occur in time, so you are not borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. A budget is merely spending what you make and no more!

If you are in fear right now of getting through the next month and have debt up to your eyeballs the best thing you can do for yourself, your family and our economy is to get on a zero based budget TODAY! It's not too late. You have to start WHERE you are, no matter how bad you think it may be.

Guilty as charged!

2009-07-17T21:36:00.004-04:00

Today I was reading weekly newsletter from my local senator and I came across something that shocked me. Now I am not sure why I would feel something from a Senator would NOT shock me, but in any case, I was really shocked this time. The government has decided that it is necessary to appoint a special commission called the "Financial Crisis Commission" that has until the end of next year to determine and examine the cause of our nations' financial crisis.

Now, I am not at all about pointing fingers, but I am shocked that it takes a committee of 10 men over 18 months to figure this one out. "What and who was the cause of our nation's financial crisis?".

Well, I am one person and I can tell everyone in a matter of 1 second without thinking twice about it and it costs tax payers nothing, that WE ARE ALL GUILTY! Yes, you, me and THEM. We all purchased things that we THOUGHT we needed to impress people we do not like with money we did not have. Including the United States government.

We are GUILTY! GUILTY! GUILTY!

One thing I will agree with the Senator on is that "it is imperative that we get an objective evaluation to find out what went right, what went wrong and what we must do to prevent it from happening again," but to try and figure out who done it, well that case is CLOSED!!!

It's never too late to change your family tree

2009-05-15T10:49:00.009-04:00

Our church just completed our first Wednesday night Bible study with six lessons from Dave Ramsey's book set Life Lessons with Junior. It was a lot of fun. The children learned about work, spending, giving, saving, integrity and debt. The kids and even their parents had a great time. I want to encourage every parent to take time to teach your kids about money. It is never too early or late to teach them. Take a look at these staggering statistics:

19% of Americans between the ages of 18-24 declared bankruptcy in 2001.- USA Today, 2001. The fastest growing group of bankruptcy filers are those people who are 25 years of age or younger.- Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, 2002. Over 80% of undergraduates have at least one credit card and nearly 50% of college graduates carry four or more credit cards. According to the Department of Education, the average balance carried by these students is more than $3,000.- Senator Chris Dodd, CT. 68.1% of high school seniors surveyed failed a basic financial survey, up from 52.1% in 2001, and only 10% scored a "C" or better.-Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, Annual Summary, 2002. Nearly half of college-age adults (49%) said they believe they are more likely to become millionaires by starring in a reality TV series than by learning how to budget and save wisely (36%).-Visa USA, 2003. Persons entering college are offered an average of 8 credit cards in their FIRST WEEK of school.- Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, Annual Summary, 2002. 83% of adults are unaware of the resources available to help them teach children practical money skills.- Visa USA, 2003.

Dave says that your job as a parent is not just to keep your child happy - AMEN! It is tough love sometimes isn't it and saying the dreaded "NO" word to our children is done out of love. You're raising a future grown-up who needs to be able to deal with grown-up matters. If you teach little Timmy how to handle money responsibly, then grown-up Timmy will be better equipped for a richer life.

Pay just the minimum on your credit cards and build up savings - NOT!!!

2009-05-04T18:11:00.002-04:00

I know some of you have heard this, because some of you have asked me about it. Of course, you know me, I will always refer back to what Dave Ramsey says, but don’t just take it from me or Dave, see what the paid experts say on MSN Money. Putting yourself further into debt by borrowing fro your credit cards for your savings is a “STUPID” idea as Dave would recommend. Why? Even the Bible says “the rich rule over the poor and the borrower is SLAVE to the lender”. The reason why America is in such a mess today is because once the consumers started hurting financially the credit card companies tightened the hand cuffs on our lives and now we are screaming to be released from these chains. Why would you give the credit card companies back the key? It's time we break out of the bondage and handle our money the way God intended and then we can have true Financial Peace.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/CreditCardSmarts/why-suze-orman-is-wrong-again.aspx

The key to winning with your money in these trying economic times is to change your behavior and get on a budget. Handling money is 20% knowledge and 80% behavior. Following the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps as prescribed in Financial Peace University has been proven to win family after family, including my own. The Seven Baby Steps are attached herein.

Use the Baby Steps to get your finances in order and on track. Then pass them on to someone you know and help change their life!

$1,000 to start an Emergency Fund

Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball

3 to 6 months of expenses in savings

Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement

College funding for children

Pay off home early

Build wealth and give! Invest in mutual funds and real estate

"Believe what you know, not what you hear"

2009-04-13T15:45:00.004-04:00

I was reading Crosswalk devotion today written by Tracie Miles "Believe what you know, not what you hear" and I just had to add my own words into this as it applies to the handling of our finances.

There are over 800 scriptures in the Bible about finance. More scriptures than there are about love. Society and our culture today have completely rewritten the biblical standards of handling money. We have heard so much on the news, from Hollywood, by the credit card companies, even by Congress about handling money, which completely contradicts God's law and advice. Because we have all believed these to be trustworthy sources, we have all been misled and fallen for their traps.

In the same way, today's culture does an excellent job of sending us wrong information, misleading us about right and wrong, and convincing us that God's Word, His Truth, is not accurate and all to make a quick buck for themselves. Take tolerance, for example. The term "tolerance" seems to imply, by today's standards, that anything and everything about handling money is morally equivalent. Society tries to convince people that the truth is relative, open for interpretation, and apt to be changed if anyone wants it to be different.

The world is currently in a recession and we are all to blame, including the men running this country in the White House. Now more than ever, it is imperative that Christians stay keenly aware of whether or not we are believing what we know to be the truth, versus believing what we hear or see, especially when it comes to handling our finances. The Bible clearly states that God set moral laws about money for His people, and the outline of what is right and wrong is written with great clarity.

Example, the scripture 1st Timothy 6:10 "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." We have wandered from God's truth and now the world is in great grief. Knowing where we are now, do we continue to allow ourselves to be swayed by information that does not line up with God's Word? Do we follow the crowd, even when it is operating on inaccurate or even potentially dangerous information? Do we act on questionable truths, just because it seems that everyone else believes it to be true and that is what the Jones' are doing?

As believers, we have the incredible responsibility of being sure that we place what the Bible says about money over what well-intentioned (even trustworthy or respected) people may say. If we doubt that the Bible is the one absolute truth, what other source of truth are we looking to? The government, the credit card companies, your neighbor who is broke and busted? Please....take a look again. Are you tired of believing what you "hear" to be truth?

A few scriptures about what God says about handling your money:

Proverbs 22:7 "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender."
Romans 13:8 "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law."
Proverbs 21:20 "In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has."
Proverbs 13:11 "Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow."
Proverbs 17:18 "It's stupid to guarantee someone else's loan."

It is very simple. We are Americans need to get back to the God's written Word, the Truth about handling our money, beginning in our own household and we can then claim back this great nation as it once was.

Proverbs 10:22
"The blessings of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it."

Does your credit score define you?

2009-04-08T21:24:00.004-04:00

I certainly hope NOT! I was reading some information on a website and an ad shows a good looking model asking this question. Then they ask "My credit score is______?". If you feel a good or bad credit score defines whether you are good or bad person, then you need some help and fast. Society has sold us such a pack of lies and so many of us feel that our credit score defines us. That is so backwards from the way God sees you. "Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." 1 Peter 3:4

If Christians today were to realize that God cares about what is on the inside and not about anything else, especially not your creidit score, we would not be in the situation we are in today in this economy.

Are we ever really going to wake up as a nation and see ourselves as God sees us before we have sold out our souls to the credit card companies?

Dave Ramsey Town Hall for Hope Meeting

2009-03-26T22:42:00.004-04:00

Tired of hearing the fear, doom and gloom that is filling the airwaves? Join Stockbridge Community Church and Dave Ramsey for a nationwide town hall meeting and discover what is happening with the economy, how we got there, and where we are going. Dave will answer your questions live throughout the event.

There is hope, but it takes work on our part. we must step up as a nation and refuse to be a participant in what is going on the economy right now.

Are you sick of the chains of bondage?

2009-03-19T08:19:00.002-04:00

I know that many of you have seen the news or even experienced your credit card companies increasing your interest rates, lower your credit limits and demanding you close your accounts. It is frustrating I know, but it is legal. All the more reason why you need to get out from under this type of control over your life.

I read an article on smartmoney.com that stated that credit card companies are doing this now, because they are in fear of the federal government's attempt to pass a law that does not allow them to increase interest rates unless you are behind 30 days. This is an attempt to increase their profits before this happens. These higher interest rate, higher minimum payments are going to push the middle class consumer to financial ruins.

I was at a conference this past week in a session where a guy was telling everyone how to get out of debt. Someone from the audience asked him if he agreed with Dave Ramsey that you should cut up all credit cards. He stated no. That he felt that if you were disciplined enough to not let your credit card spending get out of control that it was ok to have them.

Please hear me loud and clear. Even if you can control your spending and can handle your payments, will you be able to handle them now when the credit card companies are raising your interest rates and increasing your minimum payments? You are playing with fire. You are at the mercy of their bottom line profits. If they need more money they will take it from you anyway you can. It is legal and nothing any of us can do about it.

Break the Cycle

2009-02-20T22:09:00.003-05:00

Today I was honored to be asked to participate in Connecting Henry's "Break the Cycle" program and was privileged to meet some ladies who are taking the FIRST baby step into breaking the cycle in their lives and in their children's lives. It was a very humbling experience to be talking to people I did not know who, for most part, all had the same desire. They all had a desire to find financial peace in their lives. Many times during the day I had to hold back the tears because so many of these ladies felt that they had done something wrong and were feeling hopeless of how to get out of the mess that they had created for themselves. I just sat and watched as one young lady herself was holding back the tears all day. I could see clearly these were not tears of poverty, physical abuse, loneliness or even drug abuse. They were tears because she was in financial bondage and felt that there was no way out and she had no one to turn to.

One of the speakers at the event said two things that were very profound to me and I had to write them down to share them with all of you. She reminded these ladies that we must use our "mess" to be our "message" and we must use our "test" to be our "testimony". She also stated that we must train our thoughts to become our speech and train our speech to become our actions. Such true statements. Dave calls our mess, "stupid tax" and boy have I done my fair share of that. However, now, I am trying to take the "stupid tax or mess" of my life and turn it into a message of hope for these people and many more who will come through the Break the Cycle program and that I am able to reach in a Financial Peace class session. God certainly has tested me and my family this past year and now I have such a powerful testimony to share with others and a platform in which to share it. I try and speak financial peace into everyone I see, as much to help them, but to continue to help myself as well. It is when I am helping others where God makes me realize even more how we must break the cycle of generational poverty in our county, even if it is one person at a time.

One of the other speakers at the event said you must have "GOD" everyday in your life. Even though this man was a Godly man, this word was meant as an acronym to mean "Good Orderly Direction". Isn't that what God and the Bible are? Isn't that really what Dave is trying to teach us in the Financial Peace Program? The Bible is very practical good orderly direction. God talks about money over 800 times in the scripture, more than He does about love. The question I was left with as the session ended today, was, are these people going to take all of the good orderly direction that they had received today and use it to turn their thoughts into their speech and their speech into their actions and create their life message and testimony? That is my prayer...

Surrender

2009-02-17T08:59:00.003-05:00

Today's blog is taken from the words of Rick Warren's Purpose Drive Life Daily Devotion.

The most difficult thing for many people to surrender is their money. Many have thought, I want to live for God but I also want to earn enough money to live comfortably and retire someday. Retirement is not the goal of a surrendered life, because it competes with God for the primary attention of our lives. Jesus said, “You cannot serve both God and money,”

(Matthew 6:24 NIV)and “Wherever your treasure is, your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21 NIV). The supreme example of self-surrender is Jesus. The night before his crucifixion Jesus surrendered himself to God’s plan. He prayed, “Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine” (Mark 14:36 NLT). Jesus didn’t pray, “God, if you’re able to take away this pain, please do so.” He began by affirming that God can do anything! He prayed, “God, if it is in your best interest to remove this suffering, please do so. But if it fulfills your purpose, that’s what I want, too.” Genuine surrender says, “Father, if this problem, pain, sickness, or circumstance is needed to fulfill your purpose and glory in my life or in another’s life, please don’t take it away!”. This level of maturity doesn’t come easy.In Jesus’ case, he agonized so much over God’s plan that he sweat drops of blood. Surrender is hard work. In our case, it requires intense warfare against our self-centered nature.

I truly feel that society is suffering today financially, because God is wanting to get our attention and that many of us are in these financial problems and circumstances because God wants to change us, so that he can fulfill His purpose in our lives. The only way He can do this is for us to surrender in this area.

Surrendering your control over your money means:

· Following God’s lead without knowing where he’s sending you;
· Waiting for God’s timing without knowing when it will come;
· Expecting a miracle without knowing how God will provide;
· Trusting God’s purpose without understanding the circumstances.

We must remember one thing. When we approach money with a clinched fist, no more money can get in. It is only when we release the strong hold or open our fist and surrender it back to God, is when God can truly bless us and perform a miracle in our lives with our finances.

Is your fist or your heart open or closed to God when it

comes to your finances?

"Help us through our cash crisis"

2009-02-12T20:29:00.006-05:00

Today, I was sitting in a waiting room while Makalee was taking a dance class and picked up Red Book magazine, August 2008. I was just thumbing through it and came across an article titled "Help us through our cash crisis". I started reading it and it really got my attention as it was talking about how you should track your spending and start a budget. Well, you know with me being the nerd of the household and being a total geek about FPU, that was all I needed to read to keep me focused on what they would recommend next. The writer stated that the couple that the story featured "are like lots of Americans - good people, who got in over their heads". Then, in steps a financial advisor who was there to give them a money makeover and was offering her expensive wisdom. She states that this couple "feared money management and that this fear has led to poor decisions and has kept the couple from tackling their fear and their debt in order to get back on track." OK, so I agreed with these comments and read on, right up until I get to the point where the financial advisor actually says "if you tithe less for just a few months, you can pay off one of your credit cards." If any of you know me, from then on out, I could not read any more as my mind was going off and asking how could a financial advisor really say that. Then I realized well one who was not a Christian could say it easily.

Stockbridge Community Church just started our 5th Financial Peace class this past Sunday and we had 50 individuals there. Their first homework assignment is to actually put down their expenditures on paper in a budget. I am certain that some of these families once they actually write it down will realize that there is not enough money at the end of the month, just like this couple did and they will begin to panic and try to determine how to make the number balance out with nothing in the red and where they needed to cut back. I would just like to strongly caution all of you class members to stop and think about what expenses you will cut out and how they will really affect your life. Let's start with a simple list of extra items in the budget for this couple:

Cable $150.00 (wow, you have all the channels)

Dining Out $300.00 (loving those Friday night steak dinners aren't we)

Gym $80.00 (that you never attend)

Tithes $400.00 (not even a real tithe and 10% of their income)

Starbucks $ 50.00 (or should we call it $5Bucks)

Groceries $800.00 (holy cow, I guess they eat at home well also)

2nd mortgage $92.00 (that was used to pay off credit card debt that that recharged)

I know this sounds harsh and I really do not need mean to beat anyone up, but I know that at one point in my own life I could raise my hand and say hey that looks like my own budget.

So now is the time when you have your budget committee meeting with your spouse or accountability partner and you must then decide what you must cut out of our expenses to have a zero balanced budget. I will admit that I have recently actually had someone come to me and ask me the question "if I could not tithe for a while, we could make it, what do you suggest?"

I responded like this. This is really a decision between you and God and that Dave says that if he can just get people to give something it is better than most. I can tell you that statistically only 5% of Americans give a true tithe, a tenth of their income. Of the others that give an "offering", on average these evangelical Christians give less than 3% of their income. So Dave says if you give anything at all when you start this program, it is better than most give.

This is what I can tell you from a true experience in my own life. I have found that when I give back what does not belong to me anyway, I ALWAYS seem to be able to make ends meet at the end of the month. Sure, I have to cut out drinking tea when I eat out. For my family that is $20.00 a pop, because we have 6 children. I also had to cut my cable bill down to nothing, but hey, I have now have time to read and write this blog. I have read more books the last several months than I have my entire life. I have to use the cash envelopes to track my grocery spending and it is not always easy, but otherwise, I too, would spend $800.00 per month. I love a good Starbucks coffee and I will admit that I struggle with that one, so I made sure that my blow money is used up every week in that area.

The point I am trying to make here is that when you start managing your money the way God intended it to be managed, you will not have to cut out or back your "tithe" to God. God will always provide for you what you need. I will leave you with a few Bible verses and let you make your own decision about what you will cut back in order to have a balanced budget when you are ready to do your budget.

Psalms 24:1 "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof" - how can we even think that it is ours to decide how much we will give back to God anyway?

Malachi 3:10 "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it" - what HUGE blessings are you willing to give up in order to get a balanced budget? I bet this is not a guarantee the credit card companies can make when you pay them their full amount due each month?

Stuff by George Carlin

2009-02-05T07:58:00.005-05:00

Last night Jamie and I were watching TV and on GBP they were doing a dedication to George Carlin. Now, I am not at all a George Carlin fan, but Jamie made me sit there and endure the TV show. He started doing his comedy act about "stuff" and it reminded me of what we learned in FPU about having "stuffitus". George looks at it like this:

The whole meaning of life is trying to find a place to put your stuff. Really? at least that is what society wants you to think, isn't it?

If we didn't have so much stuff we wouldn't need a house. That is a good point. We could become a missionary and not worry about leaving our stuff behind...hmmm.

Your house is a place to keep your stuff, so you can go out and get more stuff. How many times have you just gone shopping just to get more stuff you did not need, to impress people you did not like, with money you did not have?

Sometimes you got to get a bigger house to hold all of your stuff. Why, because you have TOO MUCH stuff. I wonder statistically how many people in America have more house than they can afford, just to store all of their stuff?

Sometimes you even have to store your stuff. There is a whole industry based on keeping an eye on your stuff. Now that is where it gets to be a really big addiction and why Dave calls it "stuffitus".

We think to ourselves when we go to other people's house and see their stuff "what an awful stuff it is". And, this is when greed steps in and we start coveting our neighbor with what stuff they have. Did you even stop to realize that this is one of the ten commandments, thou shalt not covet their neighbor?"

Sometimes we've got more places than we've got stuff, so we have to go out and buy more stuff. And this causes debt up to our eyes balls my friends.

Amen to most of this right? At least until you have had a change about the way you think about money. If you truly hear what Dave tries to say in the weekly sessions of Financial Peace, you will understand that society has sold us such a pack of lies about how having stuff gives us power, control, prestige and fame. Then add having to pay someone for that stuff which we must have right now, just makes us "normal". Well, most people do think that, but once you really start to understand that God is very clear when he says that you will either love God or money and you can not love both, is when you really start to understand that "stuff" is not all that important any more. I want to be "weird" and try and change the way our community thinks about stuff. Stuff is OK, as long as stuff does not consume your life to the point where a comedian such as George Carlin has to write a script about it and sells millions, because it is true.

Transformed from the inside out

2009-01-31T08:23:00.005-05:00

Music lyrics really speak to me and it is so funny how I am always looking at how things in life relate to Financial Peace. Our church praise band has started learning a new song. The title is "From the Inside Out". The chorus of this song begins "My heart and my soul, I give you control, consume me from the inside out Lord...". The road to financial peace is a journey. It is not easy and takes a great deal of discipline on our part. For most of my life, I allowed society to control the way I thought about money and having stuff. The real success of reaching true financial peace is to understand that this world, money and all stuff is God's and that if you can release control to God in these areas and allow God to change the way you think about money from the inside out, that you will truly have financial peace. A couple in our church will be screaming, "We are debt free" by March of this year. They began FPU in February of 2008 and had the average debt of most Americans. People may ask how did they do it? The answer is very simple. I have seen such an incredible change from the inside out in this couple. Having stuff is no longer what life is about to them. They have given all control of their money to God and God is rewarding them for that. One of the verses of the song says "YOUR WILL above all else, My PURPOSE remains, the art of loosing MYSELF, in bringing you praise". Are you ready to let God's WILL shine from the inside out and loose yourself and find your true purpose in life? When you do this, it brings true financial peace.

Criminalize Usury

2009-01-19T17:26:00.002-05:00

You are probably asking yourself, what is usury? I would have asked the same thing had I not read an article that was given to me from a member of our congregation. The article was titled "A suggestion for correcting the economy" written by Joel Hilliker and was published January 2009 in The Philadelphia Trumpet. The definition of usury in the Webster dictionary is the lending of money with an interest charge for its use ; especially : the lending of money at exorbitant interest rates3: an unconscionable or exorbitant rate or amount of interest ; specifically : interest in excess of a legal rate charged to a borrower for the use of money.

Can you now say AMEN to the concept of criminalizing usury? The article says a great deal, but a few things it said is evidence that we must learn to live without credit and credit cards as not only does this make us slave to the lender, but also it is in direct violation of what God said is the right thing to do. In Deuteronomy 23:19 God actually forbids us from charging interest - "Do not charge your brother interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest." In Nehemiah 5 the entire story is about how God specifically condemns charging even 1 percent interest.

So why do I tell you all this and how will it help correct the economy. The writer of this article must have hooked up with Dave at some time, because he writes that the availability of easy credit teaches self-indulgence and financial irresponsibility. He goes on to say that it puts people in debt, which is a form of slavery, and leads to financial ruin. He suggests that if we criminalize usury it would teach the value of financial discipline, patience, self control and hard work and in the long run would increase individual and family wealth. The writer goes on to say that interest always tends to take money from the poor and give it to the rich. NO wonder why the banks buildings are so much more larger than our own!!! In a Bible-based economy, loans are actually a form of welfare, given to benefit the poor, not the rich.

How could that be you may ask yourself. Well, think about the interest you would have paid on $150,000 house over a 30 year period. Almost half, $150,000. If you were not charged interest, I bet you could find a way to invest that $150,000 of interested charged and I know that would change the financial status of your household. I know it would mine.

This article suggests that we need to start focusing more on God's laws, because had we have done this all along it would have prevented this financial meltdown. In God's abundant government people would buy only what they need, when they can afford it, and when they have the cash to pay for it. This prescription would solve the problem, because it comes from the greatest economist who ever lived. God designed a perfect economic system and all we would have to do in order to make it work is to follow His law.

What an economy and a wonderful world that would be. We would strive just like they did in the times of the Bible. This blog title just makes me shake my head and ask, wow, is it possible for that to happen? YES!!! We can make that happen one family at a time through Financial Peace University. I am on board, are you?

Loses his own soul - continued

2009-01-16T08:09:00.003-05:00

God is truly amazing to me. This morning I was reading my Purpose Drive Life devotion and guess what verse the speaker referenced? Mark 8:36 NKJV - “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” To be honest when I wrote the blog yesterday, I knew these were words to a song, but did not know that they were a Bible verse. I mean, before I was walking with God daily, I would have thought oh wow what a coincidence. But now, I know that there is no such thing. God is trying very hard during this unstable economy through many voices to get this message across to all of us. The speaker goes on to say "our objective-in-Jesus is to rid ourselves of any gods we’ve fashioned from our own hands and to serve the one true God". What God are you serving today? Is it money? Are you losing your soul to it? I just want to remind you that it is never too late. It is possible to take control of your money and not let it control you. Are you ready to make a change? Then it takes faith in God and the principles of Financial Peace to do so. Come join the crusade. It is not just about taking back control of our money, it's about taking back control of our lives and no longer serving at the altar of money.

Gain the whole world and lose my soul

2009-01-15T14:53:00.002-05:00

There is a new song out by Toby Mack on 104.7 The Fish, called "Lose My Soul". I am not much for rap music, but I love the words to this song. When I hear this song, I think about how what he says applies to money and what it takes to have financial peace.

"I don't want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul......Lord forgive us when we get consumed by the things of this world, that fight for our love, and our passion...."

God's Word has over 800 scriptures on finance in the Bible. God knew that this subject was going to be a struggle for us, which is why he talks about it so much. Financial Peace is not about not having stuff. It is about not letting stuff have you. It is about remembering what the scripture says in Matthew 6:24. It is your choice, God's free will, to decide whether you will serve God or money...you cannot serve both God and Money.

When we choose society's way of doing things in life, we get consumed by the things of this world. This causes tension within ourselves and the devil starts taking over your soul. I do not know about you, but having things and gaining society's world view of what is important is not worth it to me to loose my soul in eternity.

Where is your "free will" headed? Are you choosing the path of loosing your soul?

Discontentment

2008-12-30T08:41:00.003-05:00

This morning as I was reading The Purpose Driven Life daily devotional that I receive and I thought this needed to be shared with everyone. Discontentment is probably the number one thing that gets most of us in BIG trouble with our finances. As Rick Warren states, "there is nothing wrong with wanting to look nice, or to have nice things, or to try to better your life and the lives of those you love. Discontentment, wrapped within the proper perspective, is one thing God uses to move us in a new, healthy direction."

However, he also reminds us that "discontentment becomes unhealthy when your desire to acquire becomes the focus of your life and your possessions. In fact, at that point, your possessions begin to possess you and your discontentment becomes a short leash that controls you and actually holds you back from experiencing the abundant life God created you to enjoy.

The apostle Paul, who was blessed with great privileges, but also beaten and stripped of everything he had, taught that true contentment must be learned: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:12 NIV).

He goes on to say that God gives us strength to be content. This is an important spiritual truth to learn because if wealth, good looks, and a star-quality spouse brought us lasting contentment, then Hollywood would be filled with some of the most content and happy people on earth."

I think I very important thing we need to ask ourselves and think about for 2009....“Why is it in your closet?” Honestly how many items in your closet were bought because you just had to have the latest trend or because you felt just a teeny, tiny bit jealous about the way your co-worker always wears the latest styles at the office? Are there things in your closet you bought because you were bored with your wardrobe, or because the scent of discontent filled the air as you shuffled between hangers?

Credit card rates infuriate many - CNN

2008-12-18T08:30:00.002-05:00

Have you seen the headline on charter.net from CNN? The heading reads "Credit card rates infuriate many". Funny huh? I was just forewarning everyone blogs ago about it is coming. They article states "They have this provision that says they can raise the rate -- any time, any reason...credit card companies get away with whatever they want, as long at they put their desires into the fine print." Law makers are stuck at this point with no where to turn to change the laws, or so that is the excuse they use, because they have been receiving donations in their campaign from the financial sector. They say their hands are tied - yea right!!!!! They are serving money and not the American people's best interest.

If my blogs, Dave Ramsey or anyone else is who on board with the Financial Peace principles can not get you to change the way you think about credit cards, maybe this will.

The Federal Reserve is expected to vote on its own, new rules regarding credit cards, rules in the works for four years that could clamp down on rate-jacking. Personally I do not understand why it has taken four years. Maybe the Federal Reserve is sponsored by Citibank as well??? Whatever is passed, it is said, these charges probably would not take effect until 2010. Are you ready to tell them no more and cut up all of your credit cards? Maybe let them loose their buildings like some of us have lost your homes due to this bondage?

"QBQ! The Question Behind the Question"

2008-12-15T08:20:00.005-05:00

I have been reading a book the QBQ by John G. Miller. The book is about what you should really ask yourself to eliminate blame, complaining, and procrastination. However, as I was reading the last chapter it hit me how this could be used in FPU. Most of the book is to teach us about personal accountability, "my mess, my responsibility." I do not at all want to beat anyone up, but most of us will admit that the reason why we are in debt bondage is because of our own choices. The book teaches us that we must be asking the "QBQ" in order to start disciplining our thoughts and making better choices. You are to ask questions that begin with "what" or "how", contain "I" and focus on action. So the FPU QBQ should be something like this:

"What can I do to set better financial boundaries and just say NO"?....answer.....a BUDGET!!!
"How can I communicate better with my spouse about our finances"?....answer....a BUDGET!!!

This is the way you should approach the current financial crisis that you are in. Do not lay blame elsewhere. You should take personal accountability for the problem and find a resolution. In a nutshell the success of FPU is about getting on a budget and having a plan for your money. Are you willing to do that and stop blaming everyone else? If so, then have a budget committe meeting this weekend with your spouse. It will truly set you free.

Made in His image

2008-12-10T06:28:00.005-05:00

One of our FPU graduates sent me an email this week. He is in Kuwait serving our country and said that he was talking to someone who asked why the church always asks for money. He shot right back at them at with one of the principles you learn from FPU about tithing. Dave often asked that question himself when he became a new believer and after reading Genesis where it states that we are "made in His image", he felt he had the answer. God gave his only son. If we are made in His image and God gave all, then He expects us to be a giver. I will quote what Dave teaches about this issue.

"Each time we give, it makes us less selfish. Less selfish people always prosper over those who don't. Cynical people think the church wants us to give because God needs our money. Now that's funny! God needing our money? Wow! The church doesn't need our money neither. The church needs sold-out believers that are walking under the spirit and wisdom of HIS word and giving is just the by-product of that. Giving is similar to God giving his only son but of course on a much smaller scale. Giving is a mechanical act that represents God's gift to us. So, giving a tithe to the church is an unselfish act to represent God's gift to us and reflects that we are a Christian, which means "Christ-like".

The Garden of Eden

2008-12-08T09:23:00.002-05:00

I was doing my Bible study this morning in Genesis and in the daily sanctuary portion of my Bible I was reading about Eve. While I was reading this, it hit me that Eve was tempted by Satan in the Garden of Eden by questioning her contentment. Satan shifted Eve's focus from all that God had done and given to her to the one thing He had withheld. That just struck me as being exactly what FPU is all about. Society today has shifted our focus from what we do have and our true needs to what we do not have. This has caused the financial mess this country and many families are in today. We can not seem to be content with where we are and with what we have. I can honestly say that my life has changed since FPU. I am not at all going to continue to allow society through Satan to remind me of what I do not have or what the "Jone's" have. I am very content with what I have and where I am and that is true Financial Peace.

Twas the month before Christmas

2008-12-02T14:19:00.003-05:00

This poem is the very reason we must stop loving "stuff" and money if not for anything else, but to keep the real meaning of Christmas in Christmas. Stop and ask yourself for one minute if you really do consider that Jesus was born on this day in Bethlehem while you are scurrying through the stores finding that next gift.

Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,

Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.
See the PC Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS , not Happy Holiday !

SCC Operation Bicycle

2008-11-30T19:01:00.003-05:00

Our church has done something so incredible in these financial troubled times. Pastor Jeff challenged us to make a sacrifice during the November month in our own households in order to help less fortunate families this Christmas. We set a BHAG, "Big Hairy Audacious Goal" of raising $10,000 to give 200 needy children bicycles in our Henry County Community and we DID IT! We even had $9800.00 with one more week to go. That is such an amazing testimony to how our SCC families are trusting God in their finances. That is truly what Financial Peace is all about. Knowing that it is all God's money and when we treat His money the way He expects us to treat it, we will receive all His many blessings. I am so honored to be a part of what this church is going to do in for the Kingdom of God when we are all DEBT FREE!

Focused Intensity

2008-11-27T19:45:00.004-05:00

I have a question that I would like for you all to ponder? What could the People of God do for the Kingdom of God if we were debt free? WOW! That is a question that many of you say is impossible. However, we believe that is not true. Stockbridge Community Church is on a mission to create Momentum in the body of Christ to becoming debt free. Dave Ramsey has a formula for this momentum process. It is "Focused Intensity over time, multiplied by God equals unstoppable momentum". We are setting out to create the vision of building a debt free kingdom in our church and throughout our community. It will not happen overnight. It is our goal to do it one family at a time. Please come and join us on this crusade.

Cash Flow

2008-11-24T10:57:00.002-05:00

Did you know that 70% of all consumers live paycheck to paycheck, meaning they run out of money before the end of the month. This is a very high statistic. This means that 7 out of 10 of us are worrying about what would happen if we missed one pay check or had a major unexpected event in a month's time. What a ball and chain we carry around each month.

$.22 per dollar over spent in each household

2008-11-22T20:44:00.006-05:00

I was at the Momentum Conference this week with Dave Ramseys's team. We had a very intense two days of understanding why it is so important for families and the church to be debt free. Dave's team shared that the average family spends $1.22 of every $1.00 they make. If you are the typical family with an average household income of $40,000 per year that equates to an "overspending" of $8800.00 per year. When I put the pen to this, it just really made my stomach turn and opened my eyes to how important it is that we teach every family possible about being debt free through Financial Peace University. I am on a mission with Dave and I hope all are ready to join me. I will no longer allow my family to be held in the bondage of debt and tie my hands to being able to do more for the kingdom of God!

Foreclosure: How to avoid it (or find a good deal)

2008-11-18T18:38:00.000-05:00

Jamie and I use USAA Federal Credit Union. They often have very good topics on their website that coincide with Dave’s teachings in Financial Peace University. Please take some time to read this. If you are not in jeopardy of loosing your house, you likely know someone who is. We need to spread the news about the principles you are learning in this class. As Sara Palin reminded us this past week in the VP debate, we need to take responsibility for our finances. We also need to ensure that we are not living beyond our means. Take some time and evaluate how much money you are actually spending on your “housing” budget items. If you are exceeding 25% you have too much house for your income and you need to do something to change that. Do not expect immediate results. It did not take anyone of us overnight to get in these financial situations and you will not get out of them overnight either.

Foreclosure: How to avoid it (or Find a Good Deal) Posted: 09/09/2008

The mortgage crisis. Tumbling home values. This one-two punch has backed lenders and borrowers into an uncomfortable corner. Economists predict that 2.5 million American homeowners could lose their homes to foreclosure in 2008, and the victims come from all income brackets.

Struggling with Mortgage Payments? In a recent survey conducted by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, 10% of respondents report being late or missing a mortgage payment in the last year. Tough times prompt tough questions: Can you afford to stay? Can you afford to sell? Here are a few tips to avoid the financial and emotional damage of losing your home:

Know your core homeownership costs. Do you have too much money tied up in your house? Most personal finance experts say your mortgage should not exceed 25% of your take-home pay. Add taxes, insurance and association dues, plus maintenance and repair costs, and you may be surprised at how much you have committed to your home.

Put your mortgage under the microscope. Homeowners with adjustable rate and interest-only loans are at greatest risk. Ask your lender about converting your loan to a fixed-rate mortgage. If they balk, shop around. But remember, banks are nervous about mortgages these days, too. Even if your credit score is favorable, don't expect a great rate. You're not shopping rates, you're looking for a way to keep your mortgage from soaring to unaffordable levels.

How low can you go? In popular neighborhoods where houses sold in a matter of days just a year or two ago, houses now sit on the market for months. If you're in a market where home values have declined and you're selling your home, expect buyers to demand deep price cuts.

Think twice about borrowing. A home equity, consolidation or personal line of credit loan might get you current on bills if money's tight, but it's a temporary fix that will leave you with one more debt, adding to any financial strain you already have.

Prioritize your spending. If you're the slightest bit uneasy, or if you've got big life events on the horizon — marriage, children, job change — get a handle on your finances. Separate the needs from the wants and build a cash reserve.

If you can't keep up, get help. Ignoring collectors won't stop a foreclosure. The foreclosure process is expensive for lenders, so they usually want to help. The sooner you call your mortgage company, the better your options will be.

Nobody can predict when the market will stabilize. "None of us knows what the future holds," says Gail Cunningham, spokeswoman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. Cunningham adds that using unconventional or less-than-legitimate methods to get out from under a crushing house payment isn't wise in the long term.

For those who suspect they're in trouble, Cunningham recommends meeting with a certified housing counselor or professional financial adviser to review options. "Consumers may only see one way out, a way that looks appealing at the moment, but the counselor can help them think long term."

You FIX You!

2008-11-18T18:32:00.000-05:00

I know this is harsh, but sometimes the truth hurts. This is Dave’s stance on the issues with the economy. Remember having real financial peace is about changing the way you think about money, “things” and not trying to keep up with “The “Jones”. Remember you can not serve both God and Money!

YOU Fix You:

By and large, 70% to 90% of you wanted something to be done to calm the economy, but you didn't want $700 billion in new debt to bail out Wall Street. The stock market has had record declines since then. What's going on?

You need to remember that you need to take control of your life.

It's disturbing that people in government totally disregard what their constituents tell them to do. It's disturbing that the market goes down and the media panics about this. It's disturbing that greedy banks made horrible, high-interest loans to people who couldn't afford to repay, and broke people signed up for the loan and cried when they couldn't afford it - like someone did something to them. It's disturbing that arrogant people in Washington ignore their constituents and takes huge strides toward socialism.

All of these things are disturbing, but none will cause this great nation to cease to function. None of these things are the seeds to the beginning of the end. You're okay. We're going to be fine.
But the most disturbing thing is some people's reactions.

Don't react based on fear or panic. Another negative reaction is that you are looking to Washington to fix your problems. Why would you do that? They have never fixed your problems, and you want Obama or McCain to fix things. That's ridiculous; there has never been a president who can fix your problems. They always say they can and they never can.
At what point did Bill Clinton fix any of your problems? At what point did he cause you to prosper? At what point did George Bush end your career or cause you to prosper? When did Ronald Reagan fix your problems?

When you look to Washington to solve your problems, we've got the seeds to destroy this country. It's time for YOU to change YOUR life.

There was a sweet 43-year-old lady making $15,000 a year who called me asking what Congress was going to do to help her. My answer to her was "Nothing. It's not their job. It's your job to read a book or take a class to get better so you can make more. Why have you accepted this as your lot in life? Why are you sitting around waiting on Congress or president to fix your life?"

It's not Washington's job to fix what's going on with you. If you are waiting on Washington to change something, you've got a long freakin' wait! It is YOUR job to take care of you. Don't sit around and watch TV and panic and think you can't do anything. I've made and lost money, and every bit of that had to do with me being smart and diligent or stupid.

Quit blaming Congress or looking to them to fix you. YOU have to fix you! When you wait on the government to fix your life and wait for money to be taken from others and given to you, that's a spirit of envy, and it's wrong. The only system that works is capitalism functioning under moral restraint.

Per Dave we need to "Get some moral restraint, become a capitalist, and go be somebody! "

Credit Card Minimum Payments and Interest increases - Beware!!

2008-11-18T18:26:00.000-05:00

Consumer debt in the U.S. -- including credit cards and auto loans, but not mortgages -- hit a record high $1.98 trillion in October, according to the Federal Reserve. That's about $18,700 per household. The primary cause of bankruptcy is unmanageable credit card debt. Bankruptcy filings are up 30% for the twelve month period ending March 31, 2008 and Georgia is in the top 5 states. With the other scary things going on in the economy right now, the credit card companies are taking notice and are doing something to protect their liabilities.

As the availability of credit tightens nationally, the next hit could be the limit on your credit card. That’s especially possible if you tend to carry a high balance that’s close to the credit limit, pay only the minimum on your balances, make late payments or have a low-to-moderate credit rating, say consumer experts. So, it’s even more important than ever to pay off your credit card debts. In the terms and conditions of just about every credit card, it says that an issuer has the right to change the rate at any time for any reason as market conditions warrant. We all know that market conditions’ stink right now. The market is very rough, so it is happening and those who are using credit cards or even working to get them paid off in the debt snowball with Financial Peace, you are going to get hit and may not even realize it and it’s LEGAL for them to do it.

How many people look at every single thing that’s put into their credit card statement? Even if you make your credit card payments on time, the credit card bank can raise your interest rate automatically if you're late on payments elsewhere -- such as on another credit card or on a phone, car, or house payment -- or simply because the bank feels you have taken on too much debt. This practice is called the "universal default" clause and increasingly is becoming a standard clause in credit card agreements. According to credit card executives, the logic behind universal default is that the bank is not being unreasonable in raising rates when it has reason to believe that the risk of being repaid by the customer has increased.

If, like many Americans, you've been incurring credit card debt based on being able to afford the monthly minimum payment rather than whether your income and expenses can support the purchase of a particular item, you may be in trouble. For years, low monthly minimum credit card payments have encouraged us to spend more than we really can afford. Now it's time to pay the piper. Some national banks will soon be increasing minimum monthly credit card payments so they are closer to 4% rather than the current average of around 2%. Some major banks have already increased the minimum payments and others are about to follow suit. If you're the average American, with $10,000 in credit card debt, your minimum monthly payments are probably currently around $200 (2% of your balance). Under the new guidelines, sometime this year, your minimum payments may go up to as much as 4% of your balance, or $400 on a $10,000 credit card balance. If that's the case, will you be able to come up with the additional $200?

Fortune confirms that people have seen their interest rates skyrocket for no reason. The magazine profiled a man named John who had a card that went from 7% to 26% even though nothing changed with his financial standing. Bank of America, Citibank and Capital One are among the issuers who are jacking up rates in the face of a "continually changing business environment" -- which simply means "they’re doing it because they can." The Federal Reserve says that 37% of issuers have increased rates. And, Business Week reports that the dollars at risk with people who may not pay is greater in the credit market than in the mortgage market.
This is a consumer awareness warning that if you still have credit card debt that you need to be paying close attention to your statements and any other mail you get from them. They are not making these increases very visible, because they do not want you to shop around and change credit cards to get a better interest rate.

The only smart move is to pay your debt down or pay it off. If you are not sure how to do that, then you need the Financial Peace Program! We will start another program February 22 at Stockbridge Community Church. If you have already been through FPU and are working on your Debt Snowball, I strongly encourage you to get gazelle intense about getting your credit card debt paid in full!