Debt Is Dumb

I foresee 2009 being one of the best years of my life.

As I stand here looking at this year, the thing that strikes me about what is about to happen is one solitary word.

Discipline
Discipline is a good thing. In fact, it is a wonderful thing. I am not talking about punishment, but discipline.  You know, discipline:

Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement.

So what specific character or pattern of behavior do I want to train? It’s actually going to be a lot. I’ll focus on fleshing out some of the plans over the next couple of weeks.

To begin with, I am going to focus on debt.

Theologically, debt says that I want now what God has not seen fit to give me yet. It God’s sovereignity and places my own wisdom above His wisdom. It says that I know better what I need than God does. Ultimately, debt gratifies my flesh and denies the Spirit.

Maybe you disagree. That’s fine if you do.

The rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender. — Proverbs 22:7

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. — Romans 13:8

Rather go to bed supperless than rise in debt. — Benjamin Franklin

What I plan on doing this year is to live as frugally as possible, and put as much money as possible into debt elimination. I am going to be following Dave Ramsey’s plan.

1. $1,000 to start an Emergency Fund
2. Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball
3. 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings
4. Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement
5. College funding for children
6. Pay off home early
7. Build wealth and give!
   Invest in mutual funds and real estate

I’ve been fully aware of him for around three years. I used his strategies to eliminate around $10,000 during the first two years. Then 2008 came.

I bought a used truck in February, but the payments on that have substantially slowed me down. I have had dental work done (root canal, and two crowns), my dog was hit by a car which cost me around $500, and some other minor “emergencies” have come and gone. Plus I have spent about just as much money as I make. So it’s time to get this all under control.

This is the first part of my discipline adventure!

What If You Actually Talk Like A Normal Person?

Hey brother. I went to the, amen, I went to the grocery store, hallelujah, the other day brother. The first thing I did, amen, was to pray one of the sisters working there to find me a shopping cart. Amen? And lemme tell you, she was a tremendous blessing. She told me, hallelujah, to go over to the area where all of the other people were getting their baskets.

Now I didn’t want to go back out, amen, because it was kind of cold outside. But God gave me the strength to press on and go. It was awesome to see all of the people out there giving and receiving the baskets. I felt the presence and unity so strong there, amen, but I knew there was much labor yet to be accomplished. Amen?

After I had braved the cold, praise God, it was preordained that I would find myself on the seventh aisle. As I stood my ground, The Enemy overtook me and I had a tremendous fight with temptation. Right there on the seventh aisle. Amen? The struggle was between the bread of life and the bread of death. But what can I say, I live in this miserable flesh! Amen? Praise God that He has forgiven me despite my continue disobedience.

Another way to tell this story would be:

I bought some Twinkies yesterday at the grocery store.

Think about the words you say when you pray and when you talk to others. Are they normal, or are they “churchy” words?

Rock Your World

I am expecting 2009 to be one of the most influential years of my life. I am ready to have my world rocked. Listen to this excerpt from the Dave Ramsey Show podcast.

While Dave Ramsey is a financial expert, this “rant” applies to far more than money. It could very well be the best 13 minutes you spend in December!