I recently received this email from a woman who, as you’ll see, is in a financial mess. Read to the end and see my suggestions to her. Names and cities have been deleted to protect her privacy.
Dear Mr.Slaughter,
I know that not every idea is a God idea, but it is 3:00 am (city removed) time and I just thought if only my husband and I could reach out to someone who has walked where he and I must walk now that somehow God will be on the other end.
I’m 48 years old, and at least 140 pounds overweight. So that alone has added some health problems. Yet I’m strong enough to get employment. In Dec. of 2000, I was laid off from my job, which was fine with me, because I decided to be a housewife and stay at home Mom. In 2003 I received 2.1 million dollars from that job for my pension.
I know it was the Lord’s favor on my life that allowed my ex bosses to bless me so. We put the money in the firm xxxxx. In 2005 we decided to use some of the money to move from xxxxxx to xxxxxx. That’s when my sin began. Because I was not yet 59 and half, everytime I went into this account to take money, the next year I would have to go back to the account to get the tax money that also included a ten percent penalty.
Finally, in 2008 I took the last 1 million dollars and after giving my church xxxxx Church in xxxxxx, 104,000. in tithes,I began to pay every creditor I owed, without keeping anything to pay the IRS. I don’t know what I was thinking. I wasn’t thinking. Mr. Slaughter, my husband and I have repented for making bad debt. We have prayed, fasted, and are standing on HIS promises.
I’ve tried getting back into the workforce. You would think that my twenty years of working experience would help me. With nineteen years of payroll and accounting experience, I’ve been out of work for nine years and this job market isn’t helping matters.
Expenses added up to 900,000. dollars, We had built a new home and while paying mortgage on the new, the old home stood on the market for 18 months. We couldn’t afford two mortgages and the home in xxxxx was foreclosed on us. That ruined our credit. Then my husband was laid of from his job. Now we had to pay cobra for health insurance and with no money we began living off of credit cards.
Why am I writing to you?
So many times, I’ve heard your testimony on losing everything and to be totally honest with you, this is not the first time my husband and I have mishandled finances. In 1993 we had a bankruptcy. I know now we didn’t learn from that experience.
I am asking the LORD for one more chance. Please, if there is anything that you know that will help us keep our faith in God, that even though we have sinned HE is faithful to bring us through this.
Our tax lawyer told us, in so many words is that we shouldn’t be giving our tithe. He doesn’t know that our tithe is the only thing that has helped me not to lose my mind. Please Mr. Slaughter, I believe this was a God idea to write to you. In the name our Lord and savior JESUS CHRIST,
Your sister, NAME WITHHELD
My response:
I’m so sorry to hear about the situation you’re going through.
When I went through my crisis some years ago, we lost everything. Quite frankly, it ended up being one of the best things that ever happened to me. I didn’t have the money, the support or the strength to keep fighting.
When we run out of options, we have to know when to keep fighting and when to come to grips with the problem and let it go. There is absolutely no shame in saying I messed up as long as you learn and grow from it.
Faith is NOT holding onto a bad situation. Faith IS acknowledging that God can give me beauty for my ashes. I still make mistakes at times. Yet today, I am stronger, wiser and better. You see, every successful person has failed. And most, more than once.
Don’t be afraid to start over again if you have to. Sometimes, we just need to make a fresh start. Don’t fear laying your Isaac on the altar. God is able to restore everything that is lost and give more than you can ask or think. You already have the strength and courage to endure the pain of the process. You will learn to make wiser decisions. You will get through this.
Here are some resources that I highly recommend:
www.newlifedebtsolutions.com (free video and consultation with Damon Day in finding the right debt solutions for you)
www.prepaidlegal.com (very low cost legal advice- $15 to $20 per month)
www.hopeforthemarriage.net (in case this is bringing a strain on your marriage with relationship building expert, Dr. Lee Baucom)
www.alvinslaughter.drop3sizes.com (If you’re tired of the recession and want to offer a product that literally sells itself)
I pray that God will keep you strong, firm and steadfast.
You matter!
