When was the last time you imagined yourself wearing a coat of chainmail, wielding a sword and shield, and setting out on your noble steed through a dense forest to slay a dragon?
If it’s been awhile, you may want to consider tapping into your imagination and reaching for your trusty blade. According to statistics, a large percentage of American families are at the mercy of a foe as dangerous to their homes as any fire-breathing dragon in folklore.
It’s called “debt.”
Why the imagery of a dragon? Because just like that mythical creature, debt can wreak havoc in a family. Debt can destroy your marriage. It can decide for you whether or not you can send your kids to college. It can decide when – or if – you and your spouse can retire. It can decide for you whether or not you’ll be able to reach out to others in need.
Most of us would probably agree that eliminating debt is an open door to financial freedom. So why do so many of us spend our money in a manner that conflicts with that goal?
Maybe a better way to phrase the question is, “What are we trying to satisfy in our hearts and our souls that we feel compelled to spend more money than we’re bringing in?”
You see, debt is often an issue of contentment. We aren’t satisfied with the gifts and resources God has given us, so we take matters into our own hands to obtain more.
Or maybe we lack the patience to wait on God’s timing. So instead of saving up to buy some item, we jump feet first into debt, so we can have what we want right now.
Many of us are drowning in credit card debt because we’re buying things we can’t afford.
For others of us, living beyond our means is a day-to-day slide into debt.
That’s how it was for Brian and Cherie Lowe, who were buried under their financial decisions to the tune of $127,000.
That amount may be sensational, but their debt story isn’t. They didn’t dig such a big hole for themselves by going on crazy vacations, buying expensive electronic equipment, shoes in every color, or luxury cars.
As Cherie says, after all of that money, “We had nothing fun to show for it.”
There were no photos of them sky diving. There were no name brand clothes in the closet. They literally nickeled and dimed their way into that much debt. In addition to car and school loans, they spent every extra penny they made. As a consequence, they had no money in savings for emergencies. If one of the kids got sick or a vehicle broke down, they had to pay by credit card. Or if they ran short for groceries, they’d pay for that with plastic as well.
Slowly and gradually, the dragon was taking over their lives.
So how did Brian and Cherie slay the monster overshadowing them? They’ll share how they did it on our broadcast today and tomorrow. Even better, they’ll share plenty of practical and helpful tips you can use to cut costs, save money, cast a vision for being debt free, and slay your own debt dragon.
I hope you’ll join us on your local radio station, or tune in online or via our free, downloadable mobile phone app.
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