Links to Older Blog Posts Regarding Money, Spending, and Stewardship

I now have the ability to post updates to the blog on Facebook, so some of you who are here may be new to my blog, .  If so, I hope that some of you have found your way here...from there.

The following is a list of older articles in a series that I wrote during 2010, about how we use our money and about stewardship in general.

If this is a topic that is new to you, I hope that you will find this to be useful information.  If this topic is one that is important to you, I hope that you will find something that encourages you to continue to be a faithful steward of what you have been given, in whatever way God leads you to save for YOUR family.  Whatever the case, I hope that these articles cause you to think about your money, and whether or not you are honoring God, who is the one who has provided you with it, with your use of it.  The articles are all listed here according to the articles original title.  Just click on the title and it should link you directly to each article.

Shopping In Thrift and Consignment Stores posted January 9, 2010

10 Reasons Why You Should Tithe posted January 11, 2010

Crown Financial Ministries Money Forms and Helps posted January 12, 2010

Some of My Favorite Millionaire Quotes posted January 14, 2010
More...Millionaire Mindset also posted on January 14, 2010

Disciplined Finances posted January 18, 2010

Never Asked to Borrow a Penny Since (teach your children about borrowing $) posted January 21, 2010

Couponing, Is It Really Worth It? posted January 25, 2010

Coupon Shopping Trip Update...  posted January 26, 2010

Coupon Trip #2  posted February 2, 2010

My Current Read(s) posted February 4, 2010

I pray that these old posts will have something in that is helpful, useful, thought provoking for you.  If so, please post a comment.  I always want to hear your thoughts.

Abiding in His abundant provision,
Lori

Disciplined Finances

Disciplined financial living leads to peace in your life.

That's the truth, whether you believe it or not, whether you want to do it or not, whether you even care to have peace in your life. Financial chaos brings some of the worst discomfort, frustration, fear, and anxiety into your life you will ever experience.
I know, I've lived it.

So here is the question I pose to you to ponder today...

Are you willing to be disciplined in the area of your

finances and spending in order to have peace in your life, for you and for your family?

Now consider:

Hebrews 12:11

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.

Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

You see PEACE is a fruit of the Spirit. It is one of the ways that others, the lost, see the image of Christ in our lives. Can other's see peace in your life that glorifies Christ, or do they see distress, anguish, financial dishonesty when it benefits you, or just plain financial fear?

I remember vividly the fear I felt as the year 2000 approached. Dozens of people got rich as they created fear in the masses about "Y2K". Perhaps you remember where you were and how you felt. For months I worried about not having the money to stockpile food, food I was being convinced (by Christians pedaling fear) I was going to need. I didn't have the money to put away cash that we "might need" because the World's computers were all going to crash leaving the financial institutions paralyzed. All I could do was wash out milk jugs and store up water.

We were not financially strapped, we were financially wound up tighter than a spring. I had been home 3 years with Anna, we had 2 older vehicles which were constantly in need of repair and we had racked up a good deal of credit card debt repairing them. We'd sold our former residence, a mobile home with a little property we had gotten at a good price from family. We were building our current home, using the money from our sale, and a small inheritance amount, to fund it. My Christian friends were just as worried as the lost. We were doing everything we could to work our way out of debt while still having me at home full-time with our daughter. It was not a time of peace for us, but Todd was working day and night (literally) doing all he could to dig us out, and I was at home doing my part - saving money, scrimping, and doing all I knew to do financially.

Finally, as the "Y2K Crisis" was at it's height, I just couldn't stand the pressure anymore, and finally I did what I should have done all along. I quit listening to everyone else, and began to pray and read the Word.

The Lord led me to this verse:

"I have been young and now I am old,yet I have not seen the

righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."

Psalm 37:25

Perhaps that is encouragement for you today. That's the great thing about the Word. What meant so much to me that day in 1999, can also mean so much to you today in 2010.

Be sure to check out the quote in Interesting Facts and Quotes (up top and on the left). Today's quote really says ALOT in very few words!!!

Abiding in His Sovereign Grace for every day,
Lori