God promises to give strength, whatever the financial situation…
“I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.”
Philippians 4:12-13 (NLT)
Article By Kevin L. DeWitt
The idea of “enough.” It’s one of the most important concepts in our lives. Often we want more than we have now. I have been guilty of it most of my life. I still am … however I am working on it.
More money, more toys, better furniture, a bigger/better house, more or better cars, more clothes, more success …
And what happens when we get more? Mostly we aren’t satisfied. There are ads for new cars (“we’ll even make your payment if you lose your job”!), new computers, new cell phones, new clothes. There are entire television channels dedicated to selling you more stuff or to making you think what you have is not good enough. It’s impossible to satisfy that hunger for more, because our culture is not satisfied with what we have. We are wired to want more.
Ask yourself how much is enough. How much do you need in order to be satisfied? I suggest that the answer is that most of us (including me) already have enough … possibly more than enough.
So … what does “enough” mean? Read More »
Article by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits
Confession time: I’m a cheapskate. Some would say frugal, which sounds much more positive, but in reality I can be a real cheapskate.
I am fairly frugal (though not always), but sometimes I take it too far: I have T-shirts with holes in them, I never buy new clothes, we’re shopping for a new couch because our current one has holes in it, and I ran my current pair of running shoes until the soles fell off.
However, I have gradually learned to be frugal in many ways that I would recommend to others. I don’t think you should have holes in your couch, and you should definitely replace your running shoes more often than I do, but there are many ways to cut back on spending and live a more frugal lifestyle. Read More »
Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Jennifer Snelling
“Why not allow yourself something small to remind you from time to time of who you are on the inside, what is important to you, or who cares for you?”
I received a small angel keychain in some junk mail as an incentive to send more money to a charitable organization. The keychain wasn’t worth anything, but it was attractive.
At the time I was dealing with a lot of negativity at work and had heard that adding a personal touch to the work environment can lift spirits, so I hung the angel keychain on a bulletin board in the back of the office. My coworkers and I often congregate there get work done away from the prying eyes of our customers. I can’t tell you how many times I spied that little angel while under stress and immediately felt better. Read More »
Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Marie Monroe
A few years ago I found myself in dire financial straits. Overwhelmed by some abrupt changes in my family’s income, more debt and greater responsibility came my way. Not only did the pool of money dwindle, but so did my emotional strength.
I was fearful of not being able to manage and I struggled for some months to find a balance in my affairs as well as in my mind and emotions.
Not knowing what else to do to regain my composure, I began to approach my finances as I did many other aspects of my life - through spirituality and footwork. So I worked whatever extra hours or side jobs I could without exhausting myself. I cleaned house, turning some serious clutter into cash. I looked for ways to lower interest rates. I consolidated some debts so monthly payments would be smaller…
I also began to work on my mind and my emotions. I was so fearful and unhappy; I had to change! I looked for ways to feel better about my debt, ways to feel better about sitting down to look at the stack of bills or writing the checks. I began to look for hope … Read More »