Debt-Free in my Heart

The day after our family made the decision to begin our Total Money Makeover, God blessed us in a miraculous way. I was on the phone with my youngest sister, Jaime, telling her about our radical decision to follow Dave’s plan and the ramifications it would have on my growing dream to open a fitness studio from my home. I had a collection of free-weights, a stability ball, a smith machine & bench, a barbell and a step, but if I wanted to have clients, I felt I needed at least one good cardio machine.

Shawn and I had debated about whether it would be better to buy a treadmill or an elliptical trainer. We live near a scenic trail so I was leaning towards the elliptical as an alternative to walking or jogging. Jaime listened patiently as I explained all these details. My lament was that we wouldn’t be getting either. In fact, my plans would proceed in a slow and limited way because we were using all our extra money to pay off debt and had eliminated all sources of credit. Starting a new business can be an expensive venture and I estimated that it would cost at least a thousand dollars for a quality piece of equipment.

Jaime interrupted me at that point and asked me to explain what an elliptical was and as I described it to her she got really excited. Apparently, a couple that attended her mentor’s group had recently offered Jaime an elliptical that they were trying to find an appreciative home for. They were looking for someone who would use it regularly and not as a clothes hanger! Jaime wasn’t interested and turned it down. Hello? Why didn’t she think of me before? She told me that she would call her friend right away to see if it was still available and within minutes I was told that the machine was ours for the taking. That wonderful couple was clearing out belongings in an effort to move to another part of the country and they also blessed me with a bar and some weight-plates. I was taken back and hyper with excitement.

Just when I had resigned myself to the limitations of our new financial decision, God had removed a huge obstacle from my path. The joy I felt at this provision was beyond any joy I had felt when making a significant purchase on credit. There was no second guessing, guilt, or burden of monthly payments. Instead, I was experiencing pure elation and joy at having a need met by a loving, heavenly father who knows us and wants to bless us.

I was encouraged in our decision. My husband laughed at me later when I told him that even though we had a long, tedious road of debt repayment in front of us....I felt debt-free in my heart. Yes, the bills were still there and the financial circumstances may be slow to change, but inside I was free and experiencing peace. It was only a matter of time before debt freedom would become a reality.

Isn’t it funny how this reflects our salvation experience? Sinners come to Christ and He wipes away years of sin through the power of his suffering on the cross and the glory of His resurrection. All we need to do is accept His gift, make a decision to follow His plan and we get to experience this awesome, life-changing reality of becoming “Debt-Free in Our Heart”. Yes, sometimes the result of our pasts are still affecting us, the circumstances of life are slow to change and we even mess up now and then, but it is only a matter of time before God’s work is perfected in us! Amen!