Faith

Remember my dilemma a couple of weeks ago when I had about $212 to send to the debt snowball when my car started acting up?  We were in a pickle about what to do with the money: rebuild the emergency fund (since we had to pull $400 out for car repairs) or send it to the credit card. Because we were undecided, that money sat in our checking account until the next pay rolled around. Ultimately, mostly because Aaron's next paycheck was missing OT pay, we had to use that money just to cover bills. I was a little down about it. Not just because of the specifics, but because it got me thinking, "What if I had sent that money to the debt snowball?  How would I have made ends meet with the smaller paycheck?" Well, Aaron and I discussed it a lot and we weren't seeing eye to eye at all. I was suggesting starting a second savings account 'just in case' we didn't plan well and/or had another small paycheck. That wasn't sitting too well with Aaron, but I was thinking that it's because he's so easy going. I tend to think up tragedies while he sees everything as no big deal. (I could write a whole post about how he is the perfect man for me because he keeps me so balanced!) :)

So, after praying about it, I got my answer this past Sunday. During his message, Pastor Ken was talking about faith. He put a chair on stage and said that many people think they're showing faith if they say, "I believe this chair will hold me."  He then said that was all wrong. He said, "You're not showing faith until you actually SIT in the chair!" Now, he wasn't talking about finances at all, but the Holy Spirit immediately showed me that I was missing that piece from my financial dilemma. I need to sit in the chair by sending the debt snowball payment without worrying about the next paycheck. I need to put my faith in the Lord, not in 'horses and chariots'.  Psalm 20:7 "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."

Our next paycheck comes next Wednesday, January 15th. After my calculations, we will zero out our checking account and send the snowball payment, without worry, and without fear. Thanks Pastor Ken for the great message and reminder. (George Michael's song "You Gotta Have Faith" just popped into my head. LOL!)