Can Do

Concerns about the economy and America’s dependence on debt have increased the rise in the number of Debt Support Groups. [NBC’s Today Show 6/28/08]

The premise is that a group of people are privy to the past spending habits of each member and the amount of debt being carried from month to month. Private stuff!

I agree that we need to be mindful of ‘where’ our finances go and maintain control over it instead of it controlling us. I heard Dave Ramsey say, “Stop the bleed.” As a nurse, that made complete sense to me. Pressure must be applied to stop bleeding, so in order for The Stephens’ to bring our spending in line with our income, we needed to apply a ‘tourniquet’! [and fast!]

Building wealth was never a driving force in my life…not in choosing my career or my life-long mate. Rather they were both callings within my life! I felt very sure at the age of 15 that I was to prepare to become a nurse. At that time I did not know another nurse and had no idea of what to do or where to go, but God placed strategic people and opportunities in my life to provide guidance. I was confidant that if I approached life as a ministry, God would provide for my needs. [Psalms 128] It definitely was not about money. My first professional contract as a full-time Medical-Surgical RN at an area hospital included an annual income of $7500. [Whoo-Hoo! Not bad for 1973!]

And my life-long mate – well, let me just say that we are celebrating our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary this August! I began dating Joe during the last semester of my junior year in high school, so we literally grew up together. Our love of God, sports, water and laughter meshed us. Thankfully, God protected us as our four-and-a-half year relationship changed from best friends to marriage partners!

Back to Debt Support Groups: Perhaps some of you have participated in similar groups, whether through your church, your neighborhood or your friends. What are your thoughts?