Guilty as charged!

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

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!!!

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"

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?

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

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?

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.