I have written about tithing a lot on here. We firmly believe in the tithe and I am so thankful that its one area where we have easily agreed. BUT you can still tithe and not be the best stewards of your finances. Rob and I noticed our spending was less than ideal over the summer so we decided to rein it back in. It's hard! We cut back several bills and severely cut our spending and it seems like things are REALLY really tight. I was worried about an outstanding check hitting our account this week. Just as I fretted and freaked and had a few tears, Rob reminded me that I AM NOT IN CONTROL. God HAS THIS. He is BIGGER than this. He WILL honor our tithes and offerings.
And bam, Rob checked the mail and there was a check that made up the difference for what we needed. Almost to the dot.
God is SO good. He won't ever leave us hanging.
Showing posts with label Tithing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tithing. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Open Windows
Open Windows
You know the saying...when God shuts a door, He opens a window.
I am sitting here feeling the breeze of open windows.
I fully admit worrying about paying our mortgage and making it work seriously sent me into panic mode. But for today, I feel the breeze of windows He is opening and I am at peace.
We will make it through, somehow, someway. I stopped the other day and thought two things.
1) As I laid in bed evaluating what things we would cut from the budget I never considered cutting out our tithes. THAT is a good thing. Because I don’t want to start to imagine the hole we would dig if we started being stingy with the money we are given on loan from our Father.
2) After I realized (1) I thought about how much money we tithe and what bills might be paid with that money instead. Nahhh...so not going down that road.
But the other night, my amazing friend Summer told me that Rob should work for the railroad. The funny thing is that she just called it the railroad. So when I relayed the story, I just called it the railroad too. Apparently if you have police or military experience you can provide security for the “railroad” and make a lot of money and get your babies covered at 100%! Summer works for an OBGYN, thus the baby coverage part of this story.
Now Rob and I laughed and then promptly googled “police and security railroad jobs” Ok, that is what HE googled...I googled “working for the railroad”
We didn’t find much on the railroad, not really our window. What we did do was open up JobsOK.com and start looking around. Did you know that those mall security guys get paid squat? You probably already knew that.
What I did notice was a listing from the Moore Police Department. Hiring. Now some of you may know that Rob is in school for a Police Science degree...so he skipped over it. After all he is still IN SCHOOL. But I made him go back. We opened it, no details. Please go to the City of Moore website. Tab Open, City of Moore. And we read that they are hiring, for several positions, that in order to interview you need to show up on Thursday, November 20th for a 1.5 mile run, a sprint, and a physical test. If you pass the physical test, you will pay $15 for the written test. Benefits, salary, college tuition reimbursement....etc. etc. etc, only 30 hours of college credit required. Guess who has over 30 hours of college credit?
The moral of the story? Maybe God shut a door for us so He could open this window, a job that Rob actually wants to do, allowing him to start his career, finish school, feel financially and personally satisfied....maybe.
I covet your prayers over this, a million times more than when you prayed for my job opportunity (you know when God slammed the door, Ouch) There is something about praying for my husband that makes me fervent in seeking Him.
So pray for Rob, as he prepares over the next week. And tests next Thursday. And puts himself out on the line for something he would really love. And for me too, as I sit in the breeze of an open window, remembering to remind myself to remember that God is ALWAYS faithful.
Always,
Jesi
You know the saying...when God shuts a door, He opens a window.
I am sitting here feeling the breeze of open windows.
I fully admit worrying about paying our mortgage and making it work seriously sent me into panic mode. But for today, I feel the breeze of windows He is opening and I am at peace.
We will make it through, somehow, someway. I stopped the other day and thought two things.
1) As I laid in bed evaluating what things we would cut from the budget I never considered cutting out our tithes. THAT is a good thing. Because I don’t want to start to imagine the hole we would dig if we started being stingy with the money we are given on loan from our Father.
2) After I realized (1) I thought about how much money we tithe and what bills might be paid with that money instead. Nahhh...so not going down that road.
But the other night, my amazing friend Summer told me that Rob should work for the railroad. The funny thing is that she just called it the railroad. So when I relayed the story, I just called it the railroad too. Apparently if you have police or military experience you can provide security for the “railroad” and make a lot of money and get your babies covered at 100%! Summer works for an OBGYN, thus the baby coverage part of this story.
Now Rob and I laughed and then promptly googled “police and security railroad jobs” Ok, that is what HE googled...I googled “working for the railroad”
We didn’t find much on the railroad, not really our window. What we did do was open up JobsOK.com and start looking around. Did you know that those mall security guys get paid squat? You probably already knew that.
What I did notice was a listing from the Moore Police Department. Hiring. Now some of you may know that Rob is in school for a Police Science degree...so he skipped over it. After all he is still IN SCHOOL. But I made him go back. We opened it, no details. Please go to the City of Moore website. Tab Open, City of Moore. And we read that they are hiring, for several positions, that in order to interview you need to show up on Thursday, November 20th for a 1.5 mile run, a sprint, and a physical test. If you pass the physical test, you will pay $15 for the written test. Benefits, salary, college tuition reimbursement....etc. etc. etc, only 30 hours of college credit required. Guess who has over 30 hours of college credit?
The moral of the story? Maybe God shut a door for us so He could open this window, a job that Rob actually wants to do, allowing him to start his career, finish school, feel financially and personally satisfied....maybe.
I covet your prayers over this, a million times more than when you prayed for my job opportunity (you know when God slammed the door, Ouch) There is something about praying for my husband that makes me fervent in seeking Him.
So pray for Rob, as he prepares over the next week. And tests next Thursday. And puts himself out on the line for something he would really love. And for me too, as I sit in the breeze of an open window, remembering to remind myself to remember that God is ALWAYS faithful.
Always,
Jesi
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Hanging On
Wow, I never knew how much I was hanging on to all things earthly until this little job scare entered our picture. It seems that I cannot stop being a stressful, obsessed freakazoid at the thought of drastically reworking our budget. I thought that I had given God control over our finances, after all we tithe, even when we are already on a tight budget, Rob and I have firmly believed in the power of tithing and things have always worked out for us.
We have been tremendously blessed in the area of finances. We have always had enough money to live prosperous American lives and go out to eat when we want to. So tightening up has been a lesson in what is truly important. Switching to an all cash budget, a la Dave Ramsey, has been scary and freeing at the same time. The first time I took my debit card out of my wallet I got a little nervous. After all, I am the anti cash girl. I never have Cash! Could I really make it on $25 spending money a week? Cash Only?
YES! To record, I still have $15 and some change and I get a new allowance on Friday so I am pretty proud of myself.
This morning, as I laid in bed, watching my husband snooze and feeling a warm little body in between us I started making it work in my head. Does it really matter if Max doesn't get to go to the absolute best daycare that is super close to our house? No, not really. There is a great daycare down the street from my work that is spoken really highly of, and it is much cheaper. Do I need the nice car with leather seats and a sunroof? Not really, I could always get a cheaper car, as long as it gets from A to B, isn't that the point anyways? Do we need 5 million movie channels? Definitely not? Do we ever use our home phone? Barely ever! Could I rearrange some things for a year or so, so that Rob can finish school? Definitely. Do I NEED a $25 pedicure? Do I NEED to eat out after church? Do I NEED expensive snack bars?
No, No, No. Evaluating what I could really do without, and seeing everything I would still have laying next to me in a warm bed, in a nice house, with a full pantry, food in my refrigerator and $15 and some change in my purse I realized that we can always make it. We will always make it, God will always provide for us. Even in the tough times, even when I do without the movie channels, the pedicure and the lunch out after church.
God is still God, today, yesterday and tomorrow and He will always be faithful. Always,
Jesi
" Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. " (Matthew 6:26)
We have been tremendously blessed in the area of finances. We have always had enough money to live prosperous American lives and go out to eat when we want to. So tightening up has been a lesson in what is truly important. Switching to an all cash budget, a la Dave Ramsey, has been scary and freeing at the same time. The first time I took my debit card out of my wallet I got a little nervous. After all, I am the anti cash girl. I never have Cash! Could I really make it on $25 spending money a week? Cash Only?
YES! To record, I still have $15 and some change and I get a new allowance on Friday so I am pretty proud of myself.
This morning, as I laid in bed, watching my husband snooze and feeling a warm little body in between us I started making it work in my head. Does it really matter if Max doesn't get to go to the absolute best daycare that is super close to our house? No, not really. There is a great daycare down the street from my work that is spoken really highly of, and it is much cheaper. Do I need the nice car with leather seats and a sunroof? Not really, I could always get a cheaper car, as long as it gets from A to B, isn't that the point anyways? Do we need 5 million movie channels? Definitely not? Do we ever use our home phone? Barely ever! Could I rearrange some things for a year or so, so that Rob can finish school? Definitely. Do I NEED a $25 pedicure? Do I NEED to eat out after church? Do I NEED expensive snack bars?
No, No, No. Evaluating what I could really do without, and seeing everything I would still have laying next to me in a warm bed, in a nice house, with a full pantry, food in my refrigerator and $15 and some change in my purse I realized that we can always make it. We will always make it, God will always provide for us. Even in the tough times, even when I do without the movie channels, the pedicure and the lunch out after church.
God is still God, today, yesterday and tomorrow and He will always be faithful. Always,
Jesi
" Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. " (Matthew 6:26)
Monday, November 10, 2008
The Storms never stop
Sometimes it becomes easy to find your identity in a season. I fully admit that I found a certain identity in myself as I survived our last deployment. I clung more closely to the life of a military wife, a military mommy because that is what I was living. Day in and day out, I breathed it, wrote it, cried it, barely survived it, praised through it, prayed my face off and made it through.
So when our deployment ended I knew that my mindset would change. That I would make an unconscious shift back to just living day by day. Working, breathing, living. I wrote about it last time. And this weekend, sitting in church I was reminded that I love my God. Love Him more than anything else.
But even in the seasons of joy, the storms are never stopped. There is someone out there, unworthy of my words, who seeks to kill and destroy us. To scare us into a submission that causes us to run, to flee from our God. He uses the challenges of life, of the economy, of our world to frighten us into a fearful mindset where we are ravaged by the storms.
It's storming in Oklahoma. The wind is whipping through the trees, the rain is pouring down and the water is rising. The storm is taking over the beauty of fall. And I feel every second of it in my soul. Even when we are still in celebration mode, when I can still look over at Rob, in awe that he is still here, the storms are starting to rage. Rob was SUPPOSED to have a 10 month military order that put him working at the armory. And making near the same amount of money. And we found out last week that it is gone. No longer available. Over before it started.
So where does that leave us? In the start of a small storm, praying, tithing and BELIEVING that God will provide. I debated even sharing it with anyone, wanting to stand so strong in my faith that I would just wait for the praise report and then tell everyone around us how good our God is. But I decided that being on the receiving end of your prayers *again* was not such a bad thing.
I admit, my heart was getting battered by the start of this storm. My creativity and brain spinning the surge much farther than it has even gone. And I was stopped firmly in the midst of my meltdown by first my husband, who assured me that everything would work out, and my God, who reminded me that He was still here, today, tomorrow, always the same, always protecting me, always looking out for us, always spinning the universe in perfect working order and that HE could handle this storm just fine.
So pray for us please. Before the storm takes over my mindset again, and I find myself sitting in the rain.
Always,
Jesi
So when our deployment ended I knew that my mindset would change. That I would make an unconscious shift back to just living day by day. Working, breathing, living. I wrote about it last time. And this weekend, sitting in church I was reminded that I love my God. Love Him more than anything else.
But even in the seasons of joy, the storms are never stopped. There is someone out there, unworthy of my words, who seeks to kill and destroy us. To scare us into a submission that causes us to run, to flee from our God. He uses the challenges of life, of the economy, of our world to frighten us into a fearful mindset where we are ravaged by the storms.
It's storming in Oklahoma. The wind is whipping through the trees, the rain is pouring down and the water is rising. The storm is taking over the beauty of fall. And I feel every second of it in my soul. Even when we are still in celebration mode, when I can still look over at Rob, in awe that he is still here, the storms are starting to rage. Rob was SUPPOSED to have a 10 month military order that put him working at the armory. And making near the same amount of money. And we found out last week that it is gone. No longer available. Over before it started.
So where does that leave us? In the start of a small storm, praying, tithing and BELIEVING that God will provide. I debated even sharing it with anyone, wanting to stand so strong in my faith that I would just wait for the praise report and then tell everyone around us how good our God is. But I decided that being on the receiving end of your prayers *again* was not such a bad thing.
I admit, my heart was getting battered by the start of this storm. My creativity and brain spinning the surge much farther than it has even gone. And I was stopped firmly in the midst of my meltdown by first my husband, who assured me that everything would work out, and my God, who reminded me that He was still here, today, tomorrow, always the same, always protecting me, always looking out for us, always spinning the universe in perfect working order and that HE could handle this storm just fine.
So pray for us please. Before the storm takes over my mindset again, and I find myself sitting in the rain.
Always,
Jesi
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Dave Ramsey Update!
Well we are on our way, our grand total of debt paid off is over $4000! YAY! We love the prospect of living debt free and it has motivated us to be more fiscally responsible to be more financially free and prosperous in the future!
I am on week two of Cash Spending and the Envelope system for our basic expenses and I love it. It is so nice not having to worry about what is going through the bank, balancing the accounts over and over again because of the mindless debits we all make. I think about my purchases more and I see a tangible reminder when I pay with cash. When I bought my muffin and coffee this morning and had to pull out a $5 and a $1 I stopped and thought, WOW! REALLY $6 for coffee and a muffin! YIKES! Guess I will be buying muffins in bulk from Sams and using my pretty red coffee maker on some Folgers.
However when it is budgeted and written in black and white it makes tithing so much easier. I love our church, because you can give online! (Ok I love our church for way more than the online tithing but you know what I'm saying) If you know me you know I only pay for things online. The only thing I use checks for is daycare and if they took Debit Cards I wouldn't need checks at all! So anyways, I loved tithing online this month. It was super easy and gratifying as always. I love to remember what we say after tithes and offering each Sunday, Thank you Lord for meeting all of my financial needs that I may have more than enough to give unto the kingdom of God and promote the gospel of Jesus Christ! Hallelujah!
Wishing you all financial blessings!
Jess
I am on week two of Cash Spending and the Envelope system for our basic expenses and I love it. It is so nice not having to worry about what is going through the bank, balancing the accounts over and over again because of the mindless debits we all make. I think about my purchases more and I see a tangible reminder when I pay with cash. When I bought my muffin and coffee this morning and had to pull out a $5 and a $1 I stopped and thought, WOW! REALLY $6 for coffee and a muffin! YIKES! Guess I will be buying muffins in bulk from Sams and using my pretty red coffee maker on some Folgers.
However when it is budgeted and written in black and white it makes tithing so much easier. I love our church, because you can give online! (Ok I love our church for way more than the online tithing but you know what I'm saying) If you know me you know I only pay for things online. The only thing I use checks for is daycare and if they took Debit Cards I wouldn't need checks at all! So anyways, I loved tithing online this month. It was super easy and gratifying as always. I love to remember what we say after tithes and offering each Sunday, Thank you Lord for meeting all of my financial needs that I may have more than enough to give unto the kingdom of God and promote the gospel of Jesus Christ! Hallelujah!
Wishing you all financial blessings!
Jess
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Debt Free and Fabulous
Yes ladies and gentlemen, that is the goal...
I am sure that many of you have heard of Dave Ramsey and his money plans like Financial Peace University and The Total Money Makeover...well Rob and I have bitten the bullet and decided to go forth with this awesome plan.
Essentially Dave talks about living a life FREE OF DEBT. Yes, DEBT FREE AND FABULOUS as I like to refer to it. Rob and I have been very blessed financially for a young married couple. But are we truly being stewards of our money? Do we tithe every single month? Are we 100% completely honest about money? Do we waste money on useless items while procrastinating on the things that are truly important? I wish I could say no to all of these questions but unfortunately I cannot.
So when Rob shared with me that the ARMY was forcing them to take classes on money management from this Christian guy, I pounced! Dave Ramsey? Financial Peace University? Yes, he said...that is the one! We talked through it, I bought the book, Rob will continue to take a class every Friday in that sandy school called Iraq and we jumped in with both feet.
I spent hours poring over Excel spreadsheets, writing down details, all of our bills, and all of our debt. I even looked up all the customer service numbers and got the exact balances on our credit cards and our cars and our student loans...even our mortgage. Gulp.
And then I started to follow Dave's words. I wrote out our debt snowball (more info on http://www.daveramsey.com/) and looked at it with new eyes. I toiled away, planning out each month until our debts became ZERO (except our house, we are following the baby steps of Dave and the house is last).
It was September 2011...if we follow this plan we will completely debt free except for our home by September 2011!!!! Only 3.5 years and we could sigh relief every month when we only have to pay our mortgage, childcare and utilities. WOW!
If we apply extra things like our tax return and my bonuses from work we would be done even sooner! So we took the first step, I stowed away my lust for Pergo floors in my living room and used our tax stimulus check to pay off bills. And you know what? It felt awesome! Rob has decided that if he wants a motorcycle that we will save up for it and pay cash.
Not only will this improve our financial future but it will improve our marriage and our communication. Working together on a common goal enriches any relationship but especially that of husband and wife. The sense of accomplishment by sticking with a plan will only build confidence in one another.
I look forward to keeping you updated on our progress. As of today we have already paid off almost $2000 in debts. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we enter this new journey together for the betterment of our family and our future!
Always
Jess and Rob
I am sure that many of you have heard of Dave Ramsey and his money plans like Financial Peace University and The Total Money Makeover...well Rob and I have bitten the bullet and decided to go forth with this awesome plan.
Essentially Dave talks about living a life FREE OF DEBT. Yes, DEBT FREE AND FABULOUS as I like to refer to it. Rob and I have been very blessed financially for a young married couple. But are we truly being stewards of our money? Do we tithe every single month? Are we 100% completely honest about money? Do we waste money on useless items while procrastinating on the things that are truly important? I wish I could say no to all of these questions but unfortunately I cannot.
So when Rob shared with me that the ARMY was forcing them to take classes on money management from this Christian guy, I pounced! Dave Ramsey? Financial Peace University? Yes, he said...that is the one! We talked through it, I bought the book, Rob will continue to take a class every Friday in that sandy school called Iraq and we jumped in with both feet.
I spent hours poring over Excel spreadsheets, writing down details, all of our bills, and all of our debt. I even looked up all the customer service numbers and got the exact balances on our credit cards and our cars and our student loans...even our mortgage. Gulp.
And then I started to follow Dave's words. I wrote out our debt snowball (more info on http://www.daveramsey.com/) and looked at it with new eyes. I toiled away, planning out each month until our debts became ZERO (except our house, we are following the baby steps of Dave and the house is last).
It was September 2011...if we follow this plan we will completely debt free except for our home by September 2011!!!! Only 3.5 years and we could sigh relief every month when we only have to pay our mortgage, childcare and utilities. WOW!
If we apply extra things like our tax return and my bonuses from work we would be done even sooner! So we took the first step, I stowed away my lust for Pergo floors in my living room and used our tax stimulus check to pay off bills. And you know what? It felt awesome! Rob has decided that if he wants a motorcycle that we will save up for it and pay cash.
Not only will this improve our financial future but it will improve our marriage and our communication. Working together on a common goal enriches any relationship but especially that of husband and wife. The sense of accomplishment by sticking with a plan will only build confidence in one another.
I look forward to keeping you updated on our progress. As of today we have already paid off almost $2000 in debts. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we enter this new journey together for the betterment of our family and our future!
Always
Jess and Rob
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Blessings!
God is good.
Rob and I have always believed in tithing, we try hard to give 10% of our income to the church as our tithe and although there are times when we struggle for the most part we have been immensly blessed in the area of finances. And things always seem to work out when we are tithing. Last night it happened again.
We are recovering from my 3 months of working without pay and things are tighter now than usual, add Edmond daycare and things are really tight. Sunday, I tithed the full 10% of our checks, knowing that would leave us short right now but just praying faithfully that God would meet our needs as He always has before. Last night I started worrying about getting all the bills paid, would we have enough, would bills be late. I stopped and said out of loud what we say in church every Sunday during the offering.
As we bring our tithes and offerings unto the Lord we are believing for
Jobs and Better Jobs
Raises and Bonuses
Benefits
Sales and Commissions
Growth in Business
Estates and Inheritances
Rebates and RETURNS
Checks in the mail
Finding money
Bills paid off, Bills decreased
Blessing and Increase
Thank you Lord for meeting all of my financial needs that I may have more than enough to give into the kingdom of God and promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen!
What a reminder of what is possible with God. Within the hour our tax guy called. We are getting a substantial return within the next week!
If you have never tithed or sometimes struggle with it or you struggle financially, give tithing a try. When we recognize that ALL of our money really belongs to Him and He only asks for 10% of it we are truly blessed and our cup runneth over.
I will be putting new videos up today of Max! Love to all
Jess and Max
Rob and I have always believed in tithing, we try hard to give 10% of our income to the church as our tithe and although there are times when we struggle for the most part we have been immensly blessed in the area of finances. And things always seem to work out when we are tithing. Last night it happened again.
We are recovering from my 3 months of working without pay and things are tighter now than usual, add Edmond daycare and things are really tight. Sunday, I tithed the full 10% of our checks, knowing that would leave us short right now but just praying faithfully that God would meet our needs as He always has before. Last night I started worrying about getting all the bills paid, would we have enough, would bills be late. I stopped and said out of loud what we say in church every Sunday during the offering.
As we bring our tithes and offerings unto the Lord we are believing for
Jobs and Better Jobs
Raises and Bonuses
Benefits
Sales and Commissions
Growth in Business
Estates and Inheritances
Rebates and RETURNS
Checks in the mail
Finding money
Bills paid off, Bills decreased
Blessing and Increase
Thank you Lord for meeting all of my financial needs that I may have more than enough to give into the kingdom of God and promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen!
What a reminder of what is possible with God. Within the hour our tax guy called. We are getting a substantial return within the next week!
If you have never tithed or sometimes struggle with it or you struggle financially, give tithing a try. When we recognize that ALL of our money really belongs to Him and He only asks for 10% of it we are truly blessed and our cup runneth over.
I will be putting new videos up today of Max! Love to all
Jess and Max
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