Part 1- Getting Out Of Debt

Dear Sisters,
I have received so many letters since I wrote about my parent's finances a few weeks ago. I have been praying for years that my brothers and sisters in Christ would get out of debt. Debt is slavery. It forces us to live in a way that is not good for us. The Bible is full of admonition about not getting into debt and about getting out of it.
"Give everyone what you owe him: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue." Romans 13:7
"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law." Romans 13:7
All the letters that I received wanted to pay back their debt. I am so glad. How the LORD will honor this obedience to His Word. It will not be easy, but so profitable later on. I am going to share with you the "nuts and bolts" of how I helped my parents pay back their debt and put money into their savings, as so many of you have asked me to. It is my heart's desire to help you the way the LORD has directed us over the years. This letter is for those of you who wrote that you were terribly in debt and wanted so much to get out of it. I am pouring my heartfelt advice out to you.
"Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline, but he who regards reproof will be honored." Proverbs 13:18
"He who neglects discipline despises himself, but he who listens to reproof acquires understanding." Proverbs 15:32
First and foremost, we must repent. Yes, there must be a turning point in our lives. We must repent of the way we've handled God's money. I can't tell you how many times I must repent and turn from something that is destructive to my family, rather than edifying. Spending too much money than what we've earned is destructive to our family. We must turn from this kind of living and repent.
"Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it than a house full of feasting with strife." Proverbs 17:1
The next is to put God first in our finances. It is often called a tithe or a gift. I love what the LORD calls it in Deuteronomy 26:13. He calls it "the sacred portion." I like to call it the "cream." I remember when we began to give to the LORD from the firstfruits of our income. Guess what? We couldn't afford to do this! It was very scary each month. I have never had to lean more on Him than when we began to tithe and give. Ah, a good place to be! Now I know that we cannot afford not to tithe and give. It has become a great joy for us. As His Word so truthfully says:
"Honor the LORD from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce; so that your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine." Proverbs 3:9-10
When we separated "the cream" from our income, what was left was the milk. Just what we really needed to live on. For I was quick to learn that God loves to multiply small amounts for His glory. He can do so much with so little. And what is wonderful is that our family is richer for it in the creativity and thankfulness department. I am convinced that my family is more grateful and more creative from living on less than if we had lived on more. We have had the privilege of seeing God work miracles in our finances and in our family life that I had never dreamed possible.
"The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty." Proverbs 21:5
Tighter finances have moved us to do many things creatively with our income. This is also what I shared with my parents in helping them to change their spending and saving habits. Every little bit counts. Every little, little bit. It's all those "little bits" that add up and cost so much. So if we can save in those areas, we can pay off our debt little by little while learning along the way to do so much more than we ever thought possible with what is left. Here are some of those "little bits" and how we save on each of them:

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