the weight of debt.

Did you know that debt isn't normal? Or at least it shouldn't be. It's not supposed to be.

A quick stat search finds that; "The average American household carries $137,063 in debt, according to the Federal Reserve's latest numbers. Yet the U.S. Census Bureau reports that the median household income was just $59,039 last year, suggesting that many Americans are living beyond their means". And check this out: "Americans may soon have as much credit card debt as they did during the Great Recession. The average U.S. household owes $16,061 in credit card debt, up from 10% from $14,546 from 2006, according to an analysis released by personal finance company NerdWallet". 

Debt has become the norm, but it's not supposed to be. 

Life is hard and messy and sometimes debt needs to happen. Sometimes it just is. There is zero judgement from me to you  if you carry debt. Lord knows we are there. But here's why I believe we should fight against debt with everything we've got...

... the borrower is the slave of the lender
- Proverbs 22:7

This verse is 1000% true, and I absolutely believe that if you don't feel that way about your debt, you've chosen to put your head in the sand. Whether you choose to admit it or not, debt is a weight in your life.  Debt holds you back, you are a slave to your debt. It's absolutely true.

Here's our situation; we have zero credit card debt. We have one car payment and one hefty student loan. And we have a mortgage. We are NOT living paycheck to paycheck, we ARE investing in retirement, we DO have other investments and savings, and we are slowly chipping away at our debt. If we did nothing else, we would have our debt paid off in 3 years. 

But 3 years is too long for us.  It's a weight we want gone now. And, as you know, we are taking drastic steps to make that happen. We want to live in freedom, and we want to steward our resources well; for the glory of God and the furthering of His Kingdom.

We've grown so much in our understanding of  how debt can effect you. It seriously is a weight around the neck, and it can effect marriages, quality of life, financial security, health, and financial futures. 

A couple of weeks ago at church I had a woman come ask me curiously about why we were selling our home. When I excitedly told her we were staying locally, downsizing, and choosing to rent instead, I SERIOUSLY wish you could've seen her face. She contorted her face and gave me a "huh?" look. She looked absolutely baffled, and I don't blame her. 

​The choice we are making (and feel very much led to make AND led to share with you), isn't normal. Downsizing, selling and choosing to rent instead - that isn't "the American dream". BUT it is a wise move for us, it is moving us from a place of scarcity to a place of abundance. It is moving us from a place of slavery to a place of freedom. And if we can give even ONE person courage to go against the grain in order to set themselves up in a positive place financially for the future, that's why we share. That's why I lay this out here before the world to see. 

Slavery to debt is miserable, all-consuming, and weighty. It's not meant to be. 

Don't just follow culture. Don't just do what the Joneses next door are doing. Do what you feel led to. Do what you feel the Lord has prompted you to do.  Maybe the Lord won't ask you to sell your house and downsize like He's asked us to do, and that's fine. But I wonder...have you ever asked Him, "are we stewarding what You've given us well, Lord?"

It has taken years for God to move us to this place, to this perspective. Those who know me know that our debt weighs on me {like WEIGHS on me}, but it took time for Him to bring us to this place. It took years for Him to bring both of us to this place. It took years for Him to bring us to a willingness to lay down the "American dream" for a new dream of financial independence and freedom. In fact, the transformation has been quite amazing; we now would claim that our debt that been one of the greatest gifts we have been given. It has shifted our priorities in ways that never would've happened had we not been carrying this weight. We are now so ready and excited to go and give and serve in ways we wouldn't have done before. He's used this to catapult us in a whole new exciting direction!

I can't wait for the day in the very near future when we write that last big check and say goodbye to our debt. I can't wait to crack open that special bottle of wine we've been saving for a special occasion; surely that night will call for it! 

I recognize that not everyone will have the ability to drastically change their situation overnight like we are choosing to do. I recognize that sometimes one spouse is on board and the other is not. I recognize that it often feels like the biggest mountain to climb. I recognize that getting debt free isn't glamorous and it's often very messy.  But I want to encourage you with everything in me to KEEP GOING! Do what you can with what you have. Work for it, fight for it, pray over it - often. 

A few years ago I started boldly praying "Lord, please make us debt free by 2020". I had NO IDEA how He was going to do that, the walls of debt seemed too high and too impossible. But here He is, in one fell swoop, knocking down those walls just like He did in Jericho. Nothing is impossible for our God. Keep pursuing to bring Him glory with all He gives you, and keep boldly ask Him to knock down the walls and make it all happen. I am cheering you on, friend, cheering you on with all  I've got. 

If you are debt free {and worked hard to get there}, what encouragement would you give to someone on this journey??? 
​