How can we manage overwhelming debt in a way that honors God? Cherie Lowe, the “Queen of Free”, has some helpful advice. Her book is .
Cherie and her husband married with every intention of “happily ever after”, but…
“We were not paying attention to our finances.”
Slowly, Cherie and her husband took out loans for a car, applied for credit cards, and their debt reached six figures. When they finally saw on paper how much debt was in their name, the result was shocking.
“I can remember being scared to death. I had no idea how much we owed.”
In about four years, Cherie and Brian paid off over $127,000.
Here are some things Cherie suggests when starting your debt-free journey:
• Be patient with your spouse. It might take time for you two to get on the same page about your debt and form a plan to get rid of it.
• Paying off debt will always involve sacrifice. Decide what you will go without and commit to your long-term goal.
• Start paying off the smallest loan you have. When that is gone, roll those payments into the next largest loan.
• Sort through your things and look for books and possessions that can be sold. If you haven’t used it or read it in a year, consider selling it to someone who needs it.
• Tithing is meant to be a joy.
• Set aside a fund that is only for blessing others. “The generosity part is more fun than anything else.”
Cherie shares what she’s learned:
“We serve a God who can keep the planets spinning – He can obviously handle how much you owe. He loves you. He doesn’t care about your debt, He cares about you.”
Key Scriptures: 1 Peter 3:8-12
