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Getting Out Of Debt - What Is God's Plan For Our Finances?
These days it seems like nearly everyone is in debt and / or talks about getting out of debt. It's almost like debt has become an accepted way of life. But if you are a Christ follower, you know deep in your heart that debt is not God's plan for your finances.

"The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender."
Proverbs 22:7 ESV

Think about the second part of that Psalm for a minute "the borrower is the slave of the lender." Most of us who have debt really do feel enslaved to paying it off and getting out of debt. Whether we have student loans, credit card debt, or owe on our favorite store credit cards, those monthly payments hold us in bondage.

The good news is, there is a way out and a way forward.

Sure, there are tons of books, articles and blogs on this topic. And there are financial courses available to help you walk through the journey of getting out of debt. But what if we want more than just to become debt free? What if we want to know what God's purpose is for our money?

"God has either already planted or wants to plant an adventurous dream inside each of us dreams to have an impact and to change the world! But, in order to see these God-sized dreams accomplished, we must REALIGN our lives with God's way of doing things. God s original purpose for our money is to know Him and make Him known!" - Josh Lawson, author of REALIGN

So first, we have to start with where our beliefs about money began to form. Believe it or not, they start when we are very young. Once we identify how some of our money-related beliefs even began, our thinking then needs to undergo a transformation based on the Word of God.

Whether your situation is...
  • living paycheck to paycheck
  • buried under massive student loan debt
  • due to job loss or reduction
  • because of unexpected life change
  • or any other reason under the sun
... it's time to go on a money adventure. It doesn't matter how much money you have or don't have right now. Or how much debt you might have. You just need to have a desire to realign your finances based on God's plan for your money. Getting debt free is great, but realigning ALL of your finances - past, present and future - is the only way to lasting, fulfilling financial peace and having the ability to be generous.

In REALIGN: Finding God's Purpose For Your Money, husband and wife team Josh and Jenny Lawson, take you on a life changing adventure. They grab you by the hand and help you address your financial issues starting from the inside out. You'll learn to...
  • put God in His rightful place where we are living for His Kingdom and not our own 
  • recognize the need for God s leadership and daily input in our financial decisions
  • deal with your whole self, not just your finances
  • live more simply and say no to materialism, greed and gluttony 
  • look at the foundational issues and sins that cause poor financial decisions 
  • live open-handed and be willing to give everything away

Imagine a year from now, not only seeing some real progress in whatever your debt goals are, but also understanding why you think what you think about money and how it impacts all financial decisions. Then taking it all a step further and learning how to manage your money God's way.

Anyone in any financial sitation can benefit from REALIGN. Afterall, you're learning God's plan and purpose for your money!

Josh and Jenny Lawson REALIGN Your Finances

Realigning Finances: Begin With the End in Mind

Overwhelmed by Christmas shopping? This time of year it’s tempting to succumb to the stress of finances, especially when credit card debt seems normal and even unavoidable. Yet what if there was another way to look at your finances this season?

Josh Lawson, author of REALIGN, offers personal experience and advice for those seeking a Kingdom perspective on money and finances, especially for those under financial stress. “Everyone has a story, and if we peel back the surface-level problems of debt, anxiety, and money fights, we’d realize there is more brokenness than we would like to admit or probably even realize,” offers Josh.

Financial brokenness is much more common than many of us believe, which means none of us are alone. Come January many families will wake up wondering how their credit card bill got so high, wishing they would have thought through their spending choices the month before. Although Christmas encourages a spirit of giving, unfortunately, it oftentimes also encourages of culture of debt.

In the introduction of his book, Josh references a principle in Stephen R. Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, encouraging readers to “start with the end in mind.” This is a simple strategy, yet has been incredibly effective in helping young adults, singles, and couples learn to manage their finances. It begins with “asking ourselves where we want to end up and then aligning our lives and behaviors to get us there,” Josh explains. “Every day of our lives we are taking steps, whether knowingly or unknowingly, in a particular direction. The question then becomes which direction are we going?”

This Christmas season resolve to start with the end in mind. Where do you want to be financially come January 1st? Which direction are you going to go this season? Once you identify this, start working backwards to determine your shopping and gift budget for the month (or next year).

If you are looking for financial help, try reading Josh’s book or attending one of the REALIGN classes. Many people have been challenged and transformed through Josh’s teaching, including Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV’s Fixer Upper, Robert Herber, author of The Partying God, and Todd Harper, President of Generous Giving. REALIGN is available on our website or through Amazon.
An Interview with Chip and Joanna Gaines

Chip and Joanna Gaines found themselves in a hard situation a few years back wondering what do you do when dreams die and you just can’t make ends meet? When the economy took a nosedive in 2008, many people suffered, especially those in the housing industry. Chip remembers feeling as if they were in a “real bonafide pickle” after recently purchasing a development property in Waco and closing Joanna’s little shop on Bosque. Recently, in an interview with Chip and Joanna Gaines at Antioch Community Church, Chip recalls sitting in the back of a service hearing Jimmy Seibert invite the congregation to come forward with whatever needs they had.

“I sat in the backrow and I felt completely overwhelmed by our circumstances,” explains Chip. “I told God in a very transparent but very honest way, I’m not goin’ up front because I’m not going to waste anybody else’s money… and I don’t think there’s enough money to solve our issues even if I do go up front.”

Several weeks later Chip and Joanna were invited to meet with some friends from their community at church at the property to pray and discuss their options. Toward the end of their time together, the couple handed Chip and Jo a check - an amount that made Chip Gaines’ knees shake.

“I almost fainted,” recalls Chip. “I knew that God had heard my plea. He let me know right then, if you need anything else, let me know. What else can I do for you? All you gotta do is ask.” After the initial shock, the couple explained they had already imagined if Chip and Jo weren’t able to pay them back. “I remember feeling overwhelming gratitude that I felt not only for them, but… community… and if we weren’t walking with these people, if we weren’t calling out to God in a real practical way, who knows if we would have missed that opportunity of a lifetime to see God in action.”

In the years after receiving this generous gift, Chip and Joanna worked hard to manage their business, create sustainable systems and get both their personal and business expenses back on track. Looking back, Chip and Joanna recommend the book REALIGN by Josh Lawson as a practical and helpful tool for managing and mastering your finances.

“If you are looking at your financial house and realizing that it needs major help or even a minor repair, then we highly encourage you to attend REALIGN and DO WHAT IT SAYS,” says Chip. You won’t regret it.”

To purchase the book or discover more information about the REALIGN classes, visit our website and the REALIGN website! And if you missed the interview with Pastor Jimmy Seibert and the Gainses, visit the Antioch website.