What Time Is It? GAMETIME!!

Alright, so let the games BEGIN! Just a few moments ago we made the last payment on another loan. But this wasn't just any old loan. It was the one that forced us to change our ways and begin our Total Money Makeover.

From this point on we'll have an extra $500 each month that will go directly towards toppling our debt! That's $6000 per year! And it's going to drastically accelerate our efforts! And that's still not including the extra money coming in from the overtime I'm working and the hours from my wife's Part-time job! (You gotta love the Gazelle Intensity! lol)

But as wonderful as it feels to close out this account monetarily, it pales in comparison to how it feels to put this behind us emotionally. Alot of tears, fear, anger and frustration came about early in our marriage because of this account in particular. And we are so grateful to emerge on the other side of the situation standing firm! I feel we handled it well, but only because of the resources and people that God directed us to in the midst of a very trying time. Much of what we learned in those first months has served as an invaluable reminder of WHY WE NEED TO BE DEBT FREE AT ALL COSTS!

I'm thankful for all we've learned so far and all we've been able to accomplish. We've paid off over $35,000 in 13 months of doing this program! All while still giving a faithful and consistent Tithe and Offering. And all while continuing to pay our regular amounts towards our monthly bills and living expenses. And while continuing to sow into other friends and family spiritually, as well as financially. Even when gas was at $4/gallon, and while the rest of the country was going through the shell shock of watching lending institutions crumble and stock markets dip and dive more violently than we've ever seen. It has not always been easy or fun or exciting... but it's all been worth the climb.

This has truly been an amazing journey for us so far, and even though we're incredibly excited with what we've done today, it amounts to nearly nothing compared to how we will feel when we pay off that last bill and begin living like no one else... all because we chose to live like no one else early in our marriage.

We thank you for joining us in this journey,

@W







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We Shall Overcome...

I still can't quite articulate all of my thoughts and emotions at this time. They truly range from elation, to stoicism, to cautious optimism, and even to bittersweet sadness.

The hardest hitting thought that occurred to me last night was for the lives of my children. Their American experience will be distinctly different in a number of unique ways. First, they will be born into a family that holds no debt. That alone will place then into a different frame of life and opportunity than most of the people they interact with in their lifetime. They will already be a peculiar exception to 'the way of the world' because of this. But now, as of last night it has dawned on me that they will be born into a world where a black man sits at the head of their government. It will be ALL they have ever KNOWN to see a black man as the main person responsible for the care and guidance of our nation. It will be a regular thing for them... regular...


But at the same time I still contend with my feelings of cautious optimism because despite the hope infused in what I see on CNN, this world is still in the closing hours of it's history according to what my Bible tells me. Is this man the calm before the storms predicted in Revelation 13: 11-18, or is HE it? Time will tell, but as a Christian with the Blessed Hope of seeing the Lord return in my lifetime, I have to weigh every political figure that ascends to the world stage against the scriptures. And the more compelling and wondrous the figure appears to be, the more watchful and discerning I have to be! Read what Revelation 13:11-18 says:

Revelation 13:11-18 (King James Version)

11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Finally, with this amazing turn of events comes an uncontrollable sadness. Sadness for those who not only died, but those who were lynched, hung, castrated, murdered, raped, tarred-and-feathered, kidnapped, enslaved, tormented, assassinated and martyred in generations past, and never got to see this moment. Four years ago, NO ONE in this country had a viable hope that we would possibly EVER see a black man as president. At that time we could have probably envisioned one day having a person of Latino descent, but NEVER an African-American. There are still living among us a very large population of black adults who lived or were born into a time when they lived completely segregated existences. They lived through Clan rallies, and race riots, and all kinds of institutionalized evil.

As of yesterday, we now have the KEYS to that institution...

The other thing that saddened me was the overwhelming turnout of voters across this nation. People love turning out to vote, because it's their RIGHT. What on earth would it look like if the Kingdom of God ever decided to stand up and execute their RIGHT and responsibility to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Replace for just a moment the crowd gathered at Grant's Park in Chicago, with jubilant, white-robed saints professing their love of Christ.... and now do the same thing at every other high turnout campaign rally that we saw Obama hold. 90,000 showed up in Manassass... what if they were all born again, and had a knowledge and thirst for Jesus, the same way they thirsted for this historic change? Now I'm sure you can understand my sense of sadness...

So really what does this mean NOW on November 5th? Will black young men in every ghetto lay down his glock, and stop selling drugs? Will bloods and crips embrace each other? Will my credit score get better just because this man is in office and he's so much like me? Will the current stat that only 30% of men who graduate Detroit city high schools automatically jump to 100%? Will black men nationwide stop stepping on each other's Jordans?

NO.

We have not 'Overcome' because of what we saw last night. That is not the Finish Line, it is only the starting line of a brand new race to be run. Again I turn to the Word, where it is clearly identified for me, what will allow us to 'Overcome'...

Revelation 12:11 (King James Version)

11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

I am newly inspired to finish this race!

@W



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