By the time my husband, Tyson, and I had showed up at the door of the RFL Ministry (Rock Financial Life), we were looking at a huge mountain in consumer debt, not including our mortgage. We had student loan debt, timeshare debt, motorcycle and car debt. We had been tithing for many years, but we had bought into the “we can afford it” lifestyle; the one the world tells you it is your right as a hard-working, gainfully employed person.  On paper we looked good with a near perfect credit score and believed that it was the key to that lifestyle. And so, with a high credit score in hand, we financed our way through life, believing we could afford the monthly payments for all the things we felt would bring us happiness.  

One morning at church, Pastor Miles had asked this question of the congregation: Where do you want to be in 5 years, and then in 10 years?  When we were truthful about the answer, we knew we couldn’t continue to live our lifestyle of debt. Six months later,  I was laid off unexpectedly, and with no savings, we couldn’t pay our bills for the first time. What’s amazing is that it took us getting to that point, nearly a quarter of a million dollars in debt, before we finally began to break—to feel the pressure…and the guilt…and the shame…and the fear that comes with standing before a slow-moving glacier like that. When there is debt, everything is at risk.  Your sanity, your relationships, your self-perception…

And so we attended our first RFL class expecting a list of do’s and don’ts and maybe even a few slaps on the wrist for financing everything in life.  But something amazing happened. The more the RFL philosophy began to roll out in front of us, the more hopeful we began to feel. Each of the principles, being derived from Scripture, presented God’s loving intention for us—not to constrain us or sink us into meager living, but to set us free from every way money can trap us, discourage us, and make us bow to its power.

Freedom. It was almost too much to wrap our minds around. Our bodies and spirits began to enliven with excitement that freedom from the pressures we felt could actually be ours. We couldn’t wait to begin. Especially because the RFL volunteers were cheering us on.

And so, we began to put into action, in baby steps, the RFL disciplines; God’s prescription for wise living that allowed us to see incremental results right away. It filled us with joy and peace, and a future apart from the shackles of money was slowly coming into view. Every day was so exciting—it was really happening! Our debt was actually coming down and we weren’t suffering at all—but actually enjoying the process. “What else can we do to obey God?” we excitedly asked each other.

Perhaps the most amazing thing of all was just how much our perception of “stuff” has transformed. Things we used to buy and give the keys to our happiness, no longer hold that allure. 

In just 64 months, we have paid off over $240,000 of debt even though I was laid off five times! We are living in accordance with God’s plan for wise stewardship and for that He has given us joy, security, a great marriage, and unbelievable blessings. It has actually been fun to watch God’s principles at work.  And now, it has come full circle. We now teach the RFL Classes: Everything about Money and Financial Peace University. Why should we have all the fun?

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Are you ready to get out of debt and be freed from money worries? Rock Financial Life is hosting new Financial Peace University classes starting in April at all five of the Rock Church Campuses. Click here to register!