This Week's Blessing: Auto and Travel Reimbursements

SO FAR: $47.39
$84.42 Auto Reimbursement
$23.25 Travel Reimbursement
$10 lunch
$4.50 BOGO sale
$0.02 found money
=$122.19
10%=$12.22
+ $47.39
=$59.61

I'm not sure what to do with this money.  Should I give to missions or to humanitarian needs?  Ordinarily, I would give $50 to humanitarian and an additional $40 to mission.  Frankly, I'm really not sure I can continue giving at this rate.  I think I need to cut back by about $50 per month.  Ever since I started tithing on benefits, my giving has gone up to a very uncomfortable level.  I feel reeeeeally stretched right now. I think my current level of giving (based only on my paycheck) is somewhere between 12-14% to church; including charity, it's a couple percentage points higher.  I should have posted this earlier in the day, I need time to pray about this.

This Week's Blessing: Course Found

I finally found the course I need to take.  It's only a 1 credit course, I'll probably have to take it this fall or this spring.  I was also really thankful for the cool weather this month.  I hate the heat of summer.  Plus, I saved money on utilities as I didn't have to run the a/c or the fan.

So FAR: $36.89

$1.51 groceries

$100 car insurance

$3  water

$0.50 bagel

($30 phone? excluded for now)

=$105.01

10%=10.50

+$36.89

=$47.39

(will deduct cost of missions t-shirt and maybe supporting missionary from this)

This Week's Blessing: Tuition Reimbursement

I am so grateful that my job reimburses tuition.  The pay might suck but the benefits are great!  I'm also grateful for the cool weather this week, keeps my utility bills down.

I was convicted this week that I need to keep the amount I live on between $1000-1100.  That's the level where I start to feel anxiety about paying the bills and I start to pray more and I become thankful for little things like the weather.  At the rate I've been giving the last 2 months, it looks like I'll stay there whether I want to or not.

SO FAR: $17.24
$1 free water from work
$540 tuition reimbursement
$15 CPR training at work
$19.99 continuing education at work
$19.96 savd on utilities
$0.50 grocery sale
=$596.45
10%=$59.65
+ $17.24
=$76.89
-$35 World Vision
=$41.89
-$5 Show Hope bracelet (proceeds go to charity so I'll deduct 50%)
=$36.89

A Perpetual Crisis of Dependence

I found a quotation which encapsulates my formula.

God's will is that our lives should be in "a perpetual crisis of dependence on him."  We defeat his will in our lives when we lay up treasures on earth. 

The life of faith does not follow automatically when a person becomes a Christian.  It requires deliberate action on his part.  This is specially true in an affluent society.  The believer must put himself in a position where he is compelled to trust God...It is only as he gets rid of his reserves and other false supports that he can truly launch out into the deep. 

God pours out his choicest blessings on those who are anxious that nothing shall stick to their hands.  Individuals who value the rainy day fund above the present agony o the world will get no blessing from God. 

                                          --William MacDonald, True Discipleship

I have to get this book!

Formula for Experiencing God's Provision and God's Peace

So after giving beyond the tithe to charity for about a year, I finally get it.  I finally understand how a person can orchestrate his/her life to be able to experience God' provision.

1> Give to charity enough to feel the pinch.  (at least 10%, but whatever percentage will necessitate that you make some sacrifices)
2> Calculate your finances, realize you might not be able to pay all your bills b/c you gave so generously, panic.
3> Ask the Lord to provide, reminding Him of His promises, reminding Him that the reason your financial situation is precarious is not b/c you were wasteful, dumb, or negligent w/ your finances but b/c you made giving a priority in order to please Him.  Remind yourself that God has promised to provide.  Feel peace.
4> Go through steps 1-3 weekly.
5> Watch God provide, feel joy and peace, feel your faith increase, go back to step 1.  Repeat cycle often enough so that you can reach a point where you can skip step 2 panic straight into step 3 peace.

I still get into panic mode on a regular basis.  My finances are very, very tight right now.  All I can do is take a deep breath, remind myself of His promises, and push though.

This Week's Blessings

Today, I'm feeling a bit anxious about my finances.  My roommate moved out yesterday so I'l be paying more on bills.  I've also come to the conclusion that when it comes to benefits, I should give the tithe to my church not to charity.  It's the same amount every month so it's easy to calculate.  But lately my giving has risen from $400/monthly to $500+.  I look at my budget and I get very, very nervous because I'm not sure how I'll pay for everything.  Here's the breakdown

Monthly after-tax income:$1820
$400 church tithe
$100 charity
$100 savings
$40 missions
$450 rent
$191 student loans
$100 medical expenses
$150 utilities
$70 gas
$100 food
$119 toiletries, clothing, shoes, plane ticket, professional dues, etc.

Yikes.  My parents pay for my car insurance and phone bill but I've been thinking I should be financially independent and start paying for that too.  But then where is it supposed to come from?  I'm also choosing not to save for retirement at this time because I'm praying about whether that's something that pleases God. Anyways, I look at my budget and it doesn't add up.

On the other hand, if the reason why I don't have enough to live on is because I'm being faithful with God's money, why wouldn't He provide for me?

So those are the two poles I vacillate between.  For now,  I'm going to cut down on utilities as much as possible-- limit a/c, shower at the gym, only flush solid waste.  I might take the missions money out of my charity money.  I should be ok this month, since I'll have some extra income coming in.  Although I did want to put that money into savings.

Here's a look at my savings: $3,100
$2000 for a course I need for my license
$1000 emergency fund
$100 ($1100 more needed) for 2 courses I want to take this fall b/c it makes me happy

Let's move on to blessings.
SO FAR: $7.94
$4 free car wash
$20 DSW coupon
$4 free frozen yogurt
$5 grocery sale
$10 saved on gym
$50 saved on rent
($100 car ins?-not included for now)
($30 phone?-not included for now)
=$93
10%=$9.30
+$7.94
=$17.24