We are debt FREE!
We waited so long for this moment. We got serious about being debt free after we knew the Lord was leading us to Kenya, which gave us a deadline. It became a desire for us. We had the goal to have our debt paid off before we start living off of support salary. It wasn't easy. We were newlyweds and wanted to play. Fun road-trips, exciting dates, yummy restaurants, and lots more were at our finger tips. Why pay off debt when you can take a weekend getaway to the beach? Deep down inside, we knew if we paid it off, then we could do so much more. Now, there were times when we got our tax return back and wanted to use that money for a fun vacation (we obviously like to travel :) but knew we needed to use it to pay off a loan or credit card. It was hard.
Then we got pregnant. Having a baby always makes it easier to pay off debt right?! Ha, no. Thankfully, we were blessed by so many with diapers, wipes, formula, and everything our baby girl would need for the first several months. The Lord was gracious during this time. We became a one-income family, meaning we lived even tighter. Luckily, when you have a new baby, you don't really do anything extra anyways.
We had to trust the Lord a lot during this season. There were times we did not think we would be able to pay it all off in time. More hospital bills would show up or something unexpected would happen. I found encouragement as I read in Matthew 6:25-26, "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air! They do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Jesus said He would provide for us. He said we would be taken care of just like He cares for the birds of the air. When I look back on the past two years, I can see those moments when Jesus showed up. When I quite my job, Mark and I were a little worried about caring for ourselves and our new baby. Little did I know, the Lord had brought a business into my path the year before that grew faster than I realized. It helped to supplement what I was making working part-time. The Lord provided.
In Romans 13:7-8 we read, "Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law." We see in scripture that we are to be debt free. The only debt we are to continually have is to love one another.
I believe it honors the Lord when we strive to pay off our debt. "The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives," (Psalms 37:21). When we are free of debt, it allows us to freely and graciously give more. We can share our blessings and be a blessing to others. If you are feeling overwhelmed with debt or have been trying to be debt free, I want to encourage you to keep going. The Lord sees you. He sees the desire you have and I promise if you continue on, He will provide what you need. May we be content in Him, may He receive all the glory, and may we not be bound by the chains of debt.
In Romans 13:7-8 we read, "Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law." We see in scripture that we are to be debt free. The only debt we are to continually have is to love one another.
I believe it honors the Lord when we strive to pay off our debt. "The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives," (Psalms 37:21). When we are free of debt, it allows us to freely and graciously give more. We can share our blessings and be a blessing to others. If you are feeling overwhelmed with debt or have been trying to be debt free, I want to encourage you to keep going. The Lord sees you. He sees the desire you have and I promise if you continue on, He will provide what you need. May we be content in Him, may He receive all the glory, and may we not be bound by the chains of debt.
