Fiancial Peace: It is more than just finances!

 

The year I graduated college I had over $27,000 in student loans and nearly $5,000 in shared debt with my husband. We were both working at the time and felt a bit overwhelmed with our finances. We were still new in our marriage and roles as parents and money was not something we knew how talk about. Really, we didn’t know much about money at all.

We knew about Dave Ramsey and had heard about his books but it wasn’t until January of 2010 that we decided to find a Financial Peace University class to attend together. As it turned out, a local church was offering it. Not being members of the church, we decided to attend one of the services before starting the class. So Sunday January 31^st our family attended church for the first time in 2 years. We signed up for the class, which actually started on Valentine’s Day. Not exactly romantic. As it turns out though it was the start of a love story. Something amazing happened. Because of Financial Peace University we went to church every Sunday for a year after that.

Financial Peace is a class that has changed our finances. It changed our marriage. It changed us. But it also changed our faith. It opened the door for us to become a part of a church. FPU provided us with a plan to real peace.

Dave Ramsey’s plan for financial peace is a blueprint that can help any family succeed. Married or unmarried, young or old, unemployed or working, no matter your income or debt level, it has the tools everyone needs. It changes your perspective, it pushes you to be accountable and it encourages you to chase dreams.

 

The following is a list of the 9 Lessons in FPU:

·  Super Saving

·  Relating With Money

·  Cash Flow Planning

·  Dumping Debt

·  Buyer Beware

·  The Role of Insurance

·  Retirement and College Planning

·  Real Estate and Mortgages

·  The Great Misunderstanding

From the list, it is clear that there is something in FPU for everyone. Each lesson teaches very important lessons.

The great thing though is that when you go through the class you get to participate in group discussions. Members are encouraged to share whatever they would like. No pressure, no budgets criticized, just discussion.  I usually get the most out of this part of the class. Because every family’s personal finances are different I can really learn a lot from everyone else in the group.

The couple that is saving for a big vacation or a house may have some tricks to teach me about saving money. The couple with grandchildren may have some insight to offer me about how to prepare for retirement. The single mom may have some advice on saving for college on a small budget. The family overwhelmed with medical bills may have suggestions I need to listen to about insurance.  Often times I find myself reevaluating my budget throughout the class and wondering what I could do different with our finances, what I could plan different.

Most importantly, the class encourages me to make changes that allow me to live different. You live like no one else so that later you can LIVE like no one else. It is about building wealth, not just so you can enjoy it yourself, but also so you can give wealth to others. Financial peace becomes something greater than just your own finances.

When whole churches build and give wealth like no one else, they change the entire way a community operates. When families make different choices together as a team it changes an entire family tree.

Brent and I took the class 4 years ago and have no regrets. We have taken the class twice and will now join the class as leaders for the 3^rd time at the end of this month. We are very close to being debt free and leading Financial Peace is our way of paying it forward. We really believe this class changes everything. Even if a single family attended we would be happy because that is how important to us. Financial Peace is something we want to share with everyone. It is a blessing we hope to share with all.

As this class begins I have three things to ask.

1) Would you consider attending? 

Financial Peace is better when everyone gets involved. I believe the more community involvement we have the stronger this program will be. Check out the class details online. Bonus: There is childcare and I will bring snacks. Can't beat that!

2) Also, would you consider sharing the class information with friends and family here in Cedar Rapids?

Would you invite them to attend with you? Maybe you can't attend or maybe you are not interested, but do you know someone who would enjoy this class?

Share the class details on Facebook. Share this blog post even. Direct them to Lovely Lane's website. Offer to attend the orientation on Monday March 10th with them if they are not sure if they want to attend. Maybe you have even taken the class before. Tell them your story. Help them feel welcome. You can even give them my email or cell phone number. I would happily answer any questions someone might have.

3) Last and most important, would you pray for us?

Send us some happy thoughts. We would love to have your blessing as we lead this class. Even if you don't attend our church and live far away we would love to have your support. Prayer is powerful and we appreciate the love and support for all of our friends and family.

God Bless & Thank you! 

Jessica 

Unwritten

This is my prayer rock. I made it last year for a bible study group. We were asked to write down a word that best described our faith and to write it on the prayer rock. I thought and I thought and I really couldn't decide what best suited me. Every word I could think of didn't really describe my journey and what I felt in my heart.

As I held my rock cupped in my hands I was reminded of how throughout life we pick up rocks along the way. We carry burdens that weigh us down. Some rocks are regret, guilt, or shame. Others are mistakes we can't forgive ourselves for. Some are even feelings we carry with us when others throw their own rocks at us. Some are the size of pebbles and others are boulders. These rocks are all the trials we face in life great or small. Sometimes we beat ourselves up with these rocks. We carry them around and they weigh us down. It is hard to go places carrying rocks. They slow us down and hold us back.

But rocks are not permanent. Wind and water erode rocks and carry them away. Fire melts rock down to ashes. To dust.

Faith is kind of like that too. Jesus came into this world and loved us so much that he carried our burdens for us. He carried a cross, suffered greatly, and died for us. He even forgave us. After he died his disciples laid him in a tomb and sealed it with a huge boulder. It really isn't a mistake I think that when he rose from the dead that this rock was moved. His love for us is greater than any rock. Any obstacle. His love is greater than the burdens in our life.

Jesus taught us something incredibly powerful. Love is the greatest of all. His example teaches Christians everywhere that we are called to carry the burdens of others. This is the most powerful act of love that we can give. It means sometimes making choices outside of what we know from the Bible. It means sometimes using our hearts and not just our heads. It means doing the right thing even when it hurts. It means putting our own rocks down and picking up the rocks of our neighbors. It is following Jesus even when we don't know what the rest of our story is.

That is what faith is. Living out an unwritten story. It is trust. It is accepting all of the unknown and walking ahead. It is not easy. It is a journey we choose every day.

What this simple exercise made me realize is so much of my faith is still a blank canvas. My story is yet to unfold and is not finished. My faith is unwritten. It is unwritten because I have a choice. I have a choice to let God write my story.

God has written a story in all of our hearts. We are all called to love and serve one another. When we choose love, our story can be a wonderful part of God's creation. We follow Jesus and live the Gospel. WE become the story about God's love. Our story can be saying yes to God and letting him into our hearts. One day at a time.

I do still have a few rocks I carry. But what I am finding is that every day on this journey those rocks seem a lot smaller. These trials of this life will not hold me down. They will not break me. My prayer rock is a daily reminder of that.

I could choose to write my own story. Or I can choose to let my story to be unfinished. At first glance, it looks unwritten. However, I think it is the beginning of something more.

Our Family's 40 Day Challenge

Tomorrow is the first day of Lent for many Christians around the globe. To most people it brings up a mental image of ash crosses on foreheads, fish frys, and pancake dinners.

Growing up in a Catholic church we were encouraged as kids to give up something for 40 days. This was a simple way to eliminate perhaps a small vice we would be better without. It was also a means of honoring the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us all when he died on the cross.

There are of course many different ways to reflect on our faith during Lent. There are prayer calendars with a different thing to pray for every week. I especially love this one from the United Methodist Church. There are gratitude journals like here at Momastery. There are 40 days of service challenges and mission projects to focus on acting out teachings of the bibles. Some people sacrifice and give up something for Lent. Many use Lent as a time of confession and repentance. 

Ultimately though, Lent is a time for personal growth and reflection.

As a challenge to myself I will be blogging through Lent this year.

Sounds crazy right? Yes, it sure is. But I think it will be a great goal to aspire to. Some of the topics I will cover are:

Unwritten

Why I Go to Church

Our Financial Peace Story

Putting God First

Words for a Purpose

Relationships are Important

Parenting Survival Mode

Moms Are Not the Same

It Takes a Village

Empowering Youth

Garden Friends

The 5:1 Rule

Let it Go

When Kids Make Church Hard

Walking the Second Mile

Who is God

The Under Served

A Passion Story

Worrying

Grace—Beautiful Grace

So my friends, I am inviting you to join me this Lent. I hope to inspire and encourage and share a few stories along the way and maybe just a bit of my own faith journey. I hope you will enjoy Our Family's 40 Day Challenge.

Blessings,

Jessica  

Emmanuel Is A Gift For Every Day

I have a million and one things to do today but I can't help it, I had to write out what I am feeling right now. Here we are, getting ready to travel for the holidays. I should be meticulously going over my to do list and packing and wrapping and plenty more. However, I just need to write some things out. I am filled with joy and I just can't keep it to myself.

Today, I helped my husband file a grant application for my children's school. He works for a company that every year offers grants to employees that volunteer locally in schools of up to $3000 for schools. Last year we helped a Cedar Rapids school receive funds for iPads and after school enrichment programs. This year we are applying for a grant for the Mount Vernon Elementary School. The funds will go towards new library books that the school is in great need of replacing. We will find out in February if the grant is approved but I am just so excited that we are in a position that we can help bless our community. It could be the book lover in me but giving $3000 in books really feels like Christmas!

It isn't just what is happening in our own home. This week I have been constantly reminded of all the blessings that God gives to us. We celebrated Oliver's 5th birthday yesterday but it is more than just that. I see blessings filling up the hearts of family and friend around me. I see reasons for joy everywhere.

My Facebook feed keeps lighting up with people sharing about carolers singing at their doorstep and strangers doing random acts of kindness. It is friends sharing how they donated to Toys for Tots. It is a group of moms helping another mom that needs help this Christmas. It is a picture of the Angel Tree at our church literally overflowing with Christmas gifts for children here in our city. These are just "small" things that have such a big impact on our communities.  When we give even the smallest of gifts, we give something more.

Earlier this month a friend shared that her adoption of two children from Ghana is going through. They have been on this journey to adopt for quite a long time. They have been through their fair share of challenges with many ups and downs. However, their hearts kept calling them to keep going forward. This week the visas for their children were finally approved. Even more of a blessing, they will fly home just two days before Christmas. It is the story of a real Christmas miracle. What a blessing to witness this miracle. Two children now have a loving home, all because they opened their hearts to God.

For over a year another friend has been battling lead in her home. Her son has lead poisoning and it has been a struggle for their family to manage. This fall their youngest child was also diagnosed with high lead levels. It was a blow to their family. However, with the support of friends they were able to push through and get some resources for her family. Friends and family and people from both Cedar Rapids and around the world have been pooling together through Lead Safe America Foundation to help. They now have enough funds for their family move into a temporary residence. Their family has been a blessing to hundreds of families here in Cedar Rapids. I love that our community is giving back to them when they need the love and support the most. I love that our community is selflessly supporting each other when we need each other. This is love.

So often we get busy during this season of the year. So often our lives stay too busy all year long. So often good news gets drowned out by all the bad things in life. These prove to me that good things still happen.

The reason for the season is not presents. The reason is Christ came to us many years ago as God's gift to us. God came to be with us. Emmanuel. God is with us. To witness these acts of giving and be a part of it, it gives me something more. It is life changing. It is transforming. To experience this is a real Christmas blessing.

These things are so encouraging to me. The empower me. They show me that the spirit of God is with us. That God is present in our lives. God is alive when we give to others. These are gifts of peace, joy, hope and the greatest gift of all: LOVE.

Christmas can be every day, because every day is an opportunity to give. Christmas is not December 25th. Christmas is forever. Every day is Christmas.

Give Peace.
Share Joy.
Be Hope.
Most of all, LOVE.

Every day. All the time. Forever.