I'd been thinking yesterday, about how crazily I'm managing my finances right now. I have this idea stuck in my head that when I buy my house, I'll instantaneously be sucked into this vortex of poverty, scarcity, and struggle. My mind keeps saying "SPEND NOW, WHILE YOU CAN!!!!" (Don't worry, my most extravigant purchase up to this point has been $17.95 for two gameboy games.) I don't believe that abundance can be for me. Despite seeing other people enjoying abundance, despite the Bible's promises of an abundant life, and despite all other positive things... I have this mental glitch that everything financial is supposed to be this horrible struggle.
As a matter of fact, I used to believe that about ALL parts of life. Men always beat you or just walk out on you, friends always stab you in the back, cars always die, plants always wither, and so on and so forth. But now I've overcome my doubts about men (and not only because I'm aware that they DO have to sleep sometime, or that "revenge is sweet, it tastes like chocolate"... no, I actually just don't think life sucks that bad.) and friends, and cars... although I DO still seem to have a "black thumb" when it comes to plants *sad sigh* But that's probably because they require you to actually give them water more than once a month! lol
Anyway, I'm digressing again.
I really want to learn to trust, in all areas of my life, but especially in the area of my finances. I hold onto them SO tightly, and with so much fear, that I think I become a self-fulfilling prophesy. "I will never claw my way out of poverty" I have got to trust that God cares about my finances as much as he does for other things. And I've got to be wise about my finances... figure out what I have, and what it's going to, and what I owe... and I've got to keep learning about first time home-buying and mortgages, and finally take the plunge and buy the house.
Do any of you know any good sites with budgeting on them?
In other, way cool news... speaking of trust... this morning, I had my clothes all out to wear, and somehow in the process of time, I lost the pair of underwear I wanted to wear. I was really annoyed, because those were my way cool SuperWoman underwear, that I was really in the mood for today! So I prayed... and immediately found them!!!!!!! \o/ If I can trust God with my undergarments... surely I can trust him with my dollars, ykwim?
I am still blown away that God cared about my SuperWoman undies. Such a small thing, but it made my day!!!!!
5 comments:
I have no advice on budgeting because we are constantly struggling.
I would like to know where on earth you purchased Wonder Woman undies?
I loved Cameron Diaz's in Charlie's Angels, I wish I could find some cute ones like that.
Jana, the best money you can spend right now is on a book by Dave Ramsey titled "The Total Money Makeover". He also has several other books, the other good one is "Financial Peace Revisited". He is a Christian who was a millionaire, went bankrupt, began to do things differently and teaching others the same and now he is a millionaire again. He has a web site, www.daveramsey.com. His 13 week Financial Peace University at our local church saved my marriage. That was almost 6 years ago. We have paid off approximately $20,000 in debt in that time. If you click on the link on the side of his page, you can see if any churches in the area are offering the class. It's around $150, but it is totally worth it. I would also highly recommend that if there is even a remote possibility that you and James will be getting married this year that the two of you take the class together. It will put you on such a better path in this area when you do tie the knot.
Hi. I'm a Jana B. too, from Jana's Journal and Sketchblog. Have you read any of Suze Orman's books? They have been very helpful to me in getting my financial life in order. Her latest is about women and money. She deals with the reasons behind that kind of scarcity thinking and fears and beliefs we'll end up without any.
"If I can trust God with my undergarments...surely I can trust him with my dollars, ykwim?" Indeed. ;)
yeah - what marilyn said! i think God cares about our happiness, specific forms of which are immaterial. keep trusting!
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