Heidi Bruder » finances http://hmbruder.com A wife, a mom and a follower of Jesus Christ Wed, 22 Apr 2009 02:54:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Total Money Makeover http://hmbruder.com/2008/10/29/total-money-makeover/ http://hmbruder.com/2008/10/29/total-money-makeover/#comments Thu, 30 Oct 2008 02:52:49 +0000 hmbruder http://hmbruder.com/?p=70 The date was January 2008. Mike and I were overwhelmed by our financial state. We were trying so hard to pay off debt, but never felt as though we were making any headway. I was discouraged and frustrated. Our friends, Skip and Carolyn had recently finished a class at their church called, Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey. God had been reminding me of this in various times and various ways for a number of weeks. One night in January, I took the plunge and ordered the book Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. This book is based on his Financial Peace University class.

Little did I know how this book was about to change my life. I’m excited to report that 10 months later, we have paid off $11,316.78 in debt! To God alone be the glory! We also cut up every single one of our credit cards and haven’t looked back (or even needed them for that matter!) We are not done yet. We still have a lot of debt to pay off…everything from car loans to student loans, but we are on our way to living debt free.

I can’t begin to express to you the freedom that has come along with this. I no longer feel enslaved to bills and finances. I’m no longer fearful about the future of our finances. Although getting out of debt had been our goal all along, we needed help knowing a “logical” way to pay off our debts and keep a budget.

In the past year, God has taught me a fundamental truth…He will always provide. Since going down to one income, I had come to trust the plastic in my wallet before even allowing God the opportunity to provide. I don’t think I really believed that He could or would provide for me in a practical, everyday sort of way. I’d read His promises in Scripture, but I didn’t apply them to my life. I had turned borrowing money into a god in my life instead of trusting the One who provides. I don’t think I really believed His promises like those in Philippians 4:19, “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” God has (and still is) having to change my mindset about needs vs. wants in life. He has faithfully provided for every one of our needs and always on time. God is faithful to everyone of His promises. He has (and continues) to provide in some very unusual and some miraculous ways.

]]> http://hmbruder.com/2008/10/29/total-money-makeover/feed/ 2 my God shall supply. http://hmbruder.com/2008/06/14/my-god-shall-supply/ http://hmbruder.com/2008/06/14/my-god-shall-supply/#comments Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:04:19 +0000 hmbruder http://hmbruder.com/?p=26 Here’s an amazing story. When I went to the mail box yesterday, there was an envelope addressed to “Mr. Michael and Heidi Bruder” with no return address. Instead of tossing it down on the counter to look at later, I paused to open it. Inside was a money order for the amount of $180!!!! No name, no envelope, no note…a total random act of kindness!

I don’t know who has blessed us in this way, but whoever you are, THANK YOU! You have blessed us in an amazing way this week as we had just received a monstrous health care bill the day before and money was going to be extremely tight to buy groceries. Thank you for blessing us and allowing the Lord to remind us that, “our God shall supply ALL our needs according to His riches in glory!” (Philiipians 4:19). I am humbled and so thankful. What an awesome God (and friends!) we have!

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