#i usually save this kinda stuff for my Bible blog but...

[atwas-meme-ing]

You left some fucked up tags on that post about propaganda. You realize that post was by a jewish person living in Israel, right? If you were really concerned about propaganda, maybe question what you've been told in your church, cause believing that Israel needs to be destroyed for the antichrist to come is fucked up and probably about the most antisemitic thing you can believe besides being a straight up nazi.

Anon's talking about these tags:

If this is "antisemitic," so be it. God will judge me for that, they're HIS people, they belong to Him more than to anyone alive today. But. Revelation clearly states that the entire world WILL gather together against Israel at Armageddon. Why would that happen if the world doesn't hate Israel before then?

I don't know where anon is getting the idea that I said Israel will be destroyed, because, like... it won't? Israel can't be destroyed, God won't allow it, He promised Abraham they will have a heritage forever- in fact, Revelation speaks of 144,000 male Jewish virgins that have been sealed for God's purposes. Just what their role is in Revelation, we don't know yet.

What I did say is that the world will hate Israel. I also said that they will hate God and His people- not JUST Israel, not JUST Jews, but Christians as well, whether Jews or Gentiles.

Contrary to what anon seems to think, I DON'T WANT THIS. But it's gonna happen. Or... I should say, this is what we think is gonna happen. Revelation 16 says the Euphrates river will dry up so that even the "kings of the east" will gather at Armageddon, indicating that Armageddon is just to the west of the Euphrates (which Israel is). As for the location of Armageddon:

Now, then. Having said ALL this, I will also say: we're dealing with prophecy. No matter how much we study it, we don't know all the particulars. No one knows the future unless God divinely reveals it to them. He hasn't divinely revealed it to me, I'm just reading His word and some commentaries on it (eschatology having long been a fascination of mine).

WE COULD BE WRONG. Maybe Megiddo isn't Israel, maybe it's the last stronghold of Christianity, in a completely different part of the world. This is just what most people agree the Bible is saying.

Regardless of the location of Armageddon and whether it is about Israel, it is clear that Satan will gather every single human being that has not given their hearts to Jesus against the remaining few who have. The good news is that Jesus, Himself, will return, wipe out those who hate Him, and lock Satan up for a thousand years while His people reign over the Earth.

And Father, forgive me if I'm speaking ill of your people. You know that's not my intention. I'm simply trying to make sense of the lunacy in the world today. And warn people that your judgment is coming.

[galacticnova3]

Ok updating the pinned post because the old version… is old. Oop. Won’t repeat the stuff in my bio so I guess I’ll just… get into this.

•If you’re a terf, exclusionist, LGBTA+ phobic, think queer is a slur/not a valid identity, are racist/sexist, support p*dos/MAPs/proshippers/anti-antis, or are fatphobic, don’t interact. Also, block me. I hate you I am throwing so many rocks at your face and putting tacks in all of your shoes and changing all of your profile pictures everywhere to a picture of a clown because you’re a fucking joke

•I’m an adult, so if you’d prefer not to interact that’s no problem. Similarly if you don’t want me to interact with you, just let me know and I’ll respect that! In either case I would prefer it be mutual, as I don’t like the idea of only having one-sided interaction.

•Feel free to ask me questions whenever! Especially about headcanons or my own characters! Seriously, I love excuses to ramble about them and have trouble sharing otherwise. You can also ask about me and my opinions too, obviously, but I figure that’s not as likely. Please interact I still need enrichment

•Keep in mind that if an ask is super inappropriate(like actual nsfw) or gross, I probably won’t answer it. That being said I would really prefer not to get graphically sexual or otherwise unpleasant asks. There are better places to share that stuff and better people to share it with.

•If you need something tagged, let me know! However, I will not tag things as “q word” “q slur” or similar, because I see queer as an identity and not a slur, and will treat it as such. If you need it tagged for trigger reasons, I’d prefer a catch-all tag be suggested so that queer folks will not get the wrong idea or feel alienated. If you plan to argue with me about it, save us both some time and block me.

•I have multiple roleplay/ask blogs and they are all dead or dangling by a thread, said thread being an anon or two every few weeks. I’d love to revive them someday so if you are curious about them hit me up. I promise they are cool. One even has a canon url of the muse’s name, that’s worth something right? Pleas

•I support the (correct) use of tone tags! Though I don’t often use them on here beyond a small number in tags, I do on Discord, and I also know most of them.

•I have a Discord, by the way, but I’ll really only chat with folks I know.

•Free Palestine. Support for the current actions of Isreal is support for genocide. It will not be tolerated.

More specific/belief-based stuff under the cut. Not really necessary to read for average folks, but may be important to some. Kinda serious subjects.

•I am a Christian, but unlike some who call themselves that I’ve actually read the book. Tldr everyone is deserving of basic respect regardless of who they are, people aren’t inherently good or inherently evil, fuck capitalism, and choose peace until it isn’t an option. Also something something Jesus was a socialist feminist based on his actions and the conservatives who try to tell you otherwise have no idea what they’re actually talking about. Seriously I could go on about that for ages; don’t lump all Christians together with them, it’s not the fault of us decent folks that loud assholes call themselves the same thing despite being entirely different. That being said, while it rarely comes up, let me know if you want religious stuff like that tagged. At most I usually just reblog posts disproving the arguments of Bible thumpers and supporting the folks they try to use religion to justify their baseless hatred of.

•Related to the above, I don’t like when folks say Christians when they mean racists, homophobes, transphobes, etc. They’re not synonyms and that also lets members of those groups who aren’t Christian act like it doesn’t apply to them.

•I respect differing opinions on religion and am not the sort who forces it on others, but I expect my views to be respected in return. Basically I won’t be a dick to you if you don’t like religion, but don’t be a dick to me for being religious or a Christian.

•Kinning is cool, I do it, not going to elaborate beyond confirming this isn’t a joke.

•I do have several triggers and squicks, but don’t want to put them in the open for my own safety. If you really want to know, you can ask me in direct messages or in a non-anonymous ask.

•I do not want to be involved in discourse, please do not try to drag me into it. This can be anything from fandom stuff to issues between friend circles that don’t involve me to politics. I am here for a good time, I have already had my share of discourse that led to me getting death threats and anon hate over a fictional space clown, I don’t need any more.

Since that stuff was kinda heavy, if you read this far, here are some pictures of my cat Trail Mix

I would kill for her

[purplesurveys]

671

So my school is indefinitely shifting to online classes starting this week and we aren’t having class again until April because of the coronavirus. Wild times.  Do you watch really old tv shows or movies from the 1970’s or earlier? Not shows, but movies. Gab introduced me to the Golden Age of Hollywood, and it’s really how we became close friends in the first place. It started with Breakfast at Tiffany’s, then Gone with the Wind, then Mildred Pierce, Waterloo Bridge...then it just kinda snowballed from there. I am a fan of a certain old show, but it ran from the mid-1980s to the early 90s – Perfect Strangers. Who’s your celebrity crush(es)? My top 3 would be Kristen Stewart, Hayley Williams, and Beyonce. I don’t like leaving any one of them out haha. What do you think of fake people? Sometimes you gotta do it, dude. Sometimes it’s not about being fake, it’s being polite and civil. What I do have a problem with is being two-faced with people who genuinely see you as a trusted friend. Whats a song you absolutely hate? I can’t fucking stand Demi Lovato’s new ballad, the one that starts off with “I tried to talk to my piano...” I also can’t stand most Halsey songs because of her voice. Ever been to a rave? Nah. I’ve always preferred parties, but I’m not opposed to trying out a rave at least just once. 

Are you afraid to name the person you talk the most shit about? Lmao not at all, but only because this Tumblr is private anyway. Patrice. I’d be a little more hesitant if this had a bit of an audience, though. Are you a jealous person? Not really jealous. I’d say envious is more fitting for me. Who do you text the most out of your friends? My girlfriend, def. I message everyone the equal amount on Messenger though because it’s where everyone is. Song playing right now? I don’t feel like listening to music right now. I do have Gabie on video call though, so some sounds on her end serve as background noise at the moment. Has anyone ever mistaken you for someone else? A few times. The weirdest interaction was when a masseuse for my mom came over one evening – and she’s supposed to be a psychic or recognize the supernatural or whatever – and she asked me if I was currently pregnant. Are you really interested in the lives of celebrities like Miley Cyrus?
 I’m not invested but if I come across an article, I’d take a few minutes to read. I wouldn’t voluntarily go to gossip websites or buy celebrity magazines though. What would you do if you saw a complete stranger dealing drugs in public?
 Probably wouldn’t do anything as I don’t wanna be entangled in shady businesses like that. If you don’t have to be up by a certain time, do you like to sleep in as late as possible?
 Sleeping in sounds wonderful, but my body generally doesn’t allow me to. I’m usually fully awake by 8 or 9. What did you buy the last time you went clothes shopping?
 I got two of the same Filipiniana-inspired tops but in different colors, one yellow and one black. How many books do you think you read in a month?
 Zero. Not really a secret on this blog anymore but I don’t read much, ha. How often do you play video games? What are some of your favourites?
 Uhhhh not a lot. I never did get the hang of video games so you will only ever see me playing easy and kiddie ones lmao, like Mario Kart. I tried playing Resident Evil on my own once, couldn’t get through the literal first and easiest mission because I kept dying. Anyway, my favorite may have to be GTA San Andreas - lots of memories with that baby, even though I did always just watch my cousins and dad do all the video gaming. What are a few things that get on your nerves when it comes to Facebook (or your social networking site of choice)?
 Boomers sharing pubmats with awful layout/graphics, boomers sharing daily Bible verses, and boomers being stubborn about fake news. Do you keep a hand-written journal or diary?
 I used to. But Tumblr’s served as my diary for the last seven or so years now, too. What are three things you’ve started to like lately? BOJACK HORSEMAN, the Cold Brew Malt drink from Starbucks Reserve, and the electric fan we have in the living room that I’ve always found to be too loud and too cold/strong – now that the weather’s beginning to feel warm again, that fan’s been a damn blessing. What was the last reason for having butterflies in your stomach?
 Gab requested we video-call tonight because we haven’t seen each other in a while due to the virus outbreak – I hate hate hate video calls and never do them even with her, but because she asked and because she genuinely wanted to, I said yes. If you live with your parents, do you spend a lot of time with them? If you don’t, how often do you go home to visit them?
 I live with them. I don’t really spend time with them as I like having my own space. Having them under the same roof is enough for me. Do you need a lot of space in relationships, or are you happy to spend a lot of time with your SO?
 I can be pretty clingy so I tend to be the latter, but I’ll also want my space sometimes. What was the last thing you cooked from scratch? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha Have you ever won anything from those games in arcades?
 We’ve hit the jackpot in some arcade games that awarded us the maximum number of tickets those games can give, but afaik we’ve never spent our saved points on big prizes. We just like to keep accumulating the points haha. When was the last time you went out to a fair?
 First day of February. Came back for my high school’s fair. How far is the nearest zoo or wildlife park from your house? Do you go often?
 I’d say the nearest ‘zoo’ is the eco-park in my school. It’s up a mountain but it’s a pretty quick drive, only takes about 15-20 minutes to get there. And nah dude, I haven’t been there since high school. What are you wearing at the moment? Is it for any particular reason? A tank and a pair of shorts. Do you have anything interesting planned over the next few days?
 Ugh no. This virus is making us stay home for THE NEXT MONTH. Hoping I don’t go crazy. What do you do when you can’t get to sleep?
 I watch something on YouTube or Netflix, or I browse Reddit. Super effective. Are you a morning person? Or does it take you a long time to wake up properly? Am a morning person. I was kinda forced to be ever since I was 4, considering I lived relatively far from my school which meant that the school bus always had to pick me up way earlier than the other kids. In the 14 years I spent in my alma mater I had to wake up at 5 AM every single day, which can easily explain why I’ve never been able to properly sleep in. How old is your oldest living relative?
 I’m pretty sure I still have a living paternal great-grandparent. Not sure about their age, though. Are either one of your parents retired? If not, what do they do for a living?
 My mom is a confidential secretary at a hotel. My dad is an executive sous chef. Do you buy a lot of DVD’s, or do you tend to just watch everything online for free?
 We used to buy DVDs; we had multiple racks back then. But time is obviously a-changing so I watch everything online now, either through Netflix or through sites that illegally stream movies haha. Could you happily spend the day in your pajamas? Or do you prefer to be out and about doing things?
 I’d rather be out and do stuff. Spending the day at home doing nothing can be pretty daunting and claustrophobic. When was the last time you were in a hospital, and what was the reason?
 2010, when I had to be admitted for a low platelet count. Does everyone in your household own their own computer? My mom and brother don’t have one. Do you find that your feet get unusually hot at night sometimes? No, this has never happened to me before.

[ijuanainspire]

Daily Grind

So you wanna be a law student huh? Whether you’re that philanthropic person who wants to give justice to the poor or you’re that straight A- student who wants to prove more or a victim of your parents’ obsession or profession, then WELCOME! Or better yet, GOODBYE. 

Law school means saying good bye to lot of things such as your weekly night out or that Saturday night drinking spree with barkadas. Law school means less (or none at all) chill nights and saying hello to tons (literally) of readings and case digests. 

It is a war. And it is ferocious. It will take your time, your life and will need a lot of dedication. But do not fear because every drop of sweat, blood and tears will be worth it and is worth it once you conquer this profession. 

So how to gear up for this battle? Here are some of the materials I personally use and recommend if you have finally decided to commit yourself to the realms of law school. 

1. Codals

A lot of people have judged me while I’m inside a public utility vehicle while I was reading or carrying with me my codals. They literally look like the Bible and if people around you are unaware of what they are, they will think you’re weird reading a Bible inside a jeepney or LRT. But nevermind them since these babies will save your ass once inside lawschool. These are the codified laws and they come in either the regular size about the size of a regular notebook or the mini versions which I prefer since they are more portable and easy to handle. 

So where to buy them? They are available in your local National Bookstore or you can go to Rex Bookstore as it is the best place to go grab them. But beware, these precious babies are kinda costly but definitely a good investment. A codal can range from Php 600.00 to Php 1,000.00 or even more depends on the subject. Don’t confuse yourself with a codal and a reviewer or annotated book. A codal contains purely the law. A reviewer or annotated book contains explanations from different professors or justices. Sometimes, it depends upon your professor whom he prefers so I advice not to buy annotated books until you meet your profs. < 3

Into online shopping? Rex has a website and they deliver! Check out the link : https://www.rexestore.com/2-law?id_category=2&n=637

2. Pens, Highlighters

Aside from reading a lot, writing is another staple in law school. So invest wisely on a good sign pen. Most law schools adhere to sign pens/fountain pen only policy during their exams meaning you can only use those kind of pens when answering your exams, so better invest in a comfortable and good pen as early as your first day on law school. Good penmanship is a must and sometimes help (some professors will credit for good penmanship). So if you have crappy handwriting, better buy a writing book where you can practice your hand writing. Professors won’t bother reading your answers if you have bad handwriting. 

I personally use a Pilot Hi-Tecpoint V5 or V7 in Black, Red and Blue. I use Black solely for exam purposes while the Red pen is dedicated to my notes and reminders. Using a bright color helps me to retain things in my mind better. I use the Blue pen to write either the date or topic in my papers or reviewers, it keeps me organize and helps me to recall. A pen costs about Php 45.00 to Php 50.00 depends on the store selling them. Some of my classmates use G-tech but I tend to misplace a lot of those pricey things. 

My favorite highlighter is the Stabilo Pastel Yellow or the Sharpie also in Yellow. They cost about Php 35.00 to Php 45.00 each. I have them in different shades: A Neon Pink for titles of cases, the Yellow for important facts or doctrines, a Neon Yellow for super important lines in cases, a Pastel Pink for the names and details of the persons in the case and a lot more colors coz why not right? :D

Recently, Stabilo released new highlighters which come in slimmer versions also in pastel shades. Although, I still prefer using the traditional ones. Invest wisely on your pens and coloring materials as they will help you adjust into comfort once classes start. 

3. Pen capsule/ Pencil case

When you have become a highlighter and pen hoarder, you will definitely need a container for them. In law school, most students prefer using Pen Capsules. They are that cylindrical looking pencil case which can stand on its own, which allows you to just pick your pen upright and voila! Although it is not a requirement in law school, it is a preferred must have. 

I bought my pen capsule in SM Department store, in their Stationery section. It was really cheap, only Php 99.00 and comes in two colors, Pink and Gray. However, when I tried to buy again, they sold out and eversince, they haven’t restocked (that was way in 2016 and still checking out until 2019). FILED is another shop which sells pen capsules. I’m not sure if they are the pioneer in selling but if they are, credits to them. However FILED pen capsules are kinda costly if you ask me. A regular one costs around Php 300.00 or more. I once gifted a FILED pen cap to a friend and it cost nearly Php 500.00 but it was really pretty! It was in pink and had embroidery. The quality is mighty fine, worth the price. Although if compared side by side with the one I bought in SM, the FILED pen cap appears to be slimmer and limited in space. But it is definitely a pretty pencil case. 

Check out the FILED website, they do delivery! https://filed.com.ph/collections/pens-pen-cases

(Disclaimer: I do not own this photo. Grabbed from the page of FILED. So this is the Pen Capsule I gifted for my friend, the Pink one. Pretty aye?) 

4. Bag 

When you are carrying a lot of stuff (codals, pencaps, reviewers etc.), you will definitely need a good bag! Whether it is a back pack or typical go to bag, it doesn’t matter if its a Gucci or Nike, if everything fits, and it’s sturdy, go for it. 

It was a struggle for me to find a good bag, especially my laptop is kinda bulky. But lo and behold online shopping, I finally found the back pack for me.

So I found my back pack in Lazada, it costs only Php 599.00 during the time I purchased it. I was obsessed with it, the size and appearance is just on pointe. Check out the link to see the specifications and other details: https://www.lazada.com.ph/products/pr-miole-v3-classic-leather-backpack-i277598963-s414923985.html?fbclid=IwAR3IluPEaHtDaxRmJQ3rjaFJJkEAodfwHGscbxZGaxQm5_V64gtbvJUPBLQ

6. Laptop 

You will definitely need this. So as early as now invest in a sturdy one! One that has tons of memory because you will use it all! And if possible, buy a laptop that is lightweight. It is an agony to carry around your books and materials and on top of that, a laptop that weighs around 2kg or more. If you have the cash to splurge on a quality and lightweight laptop, just do it. I tell you, it is worth it. 

But of course this is just a personal suggestions and not a law school requirement. If you can’t afford to buy a lightweight laptop, better learn how to manage your stuff in your bag so you won’t burden yourself with all the weight of carrying a heavy bag. 

What laptop to choose? I prefer the iCore series or just ask your local tech guy what laptop can withstand tons of office work and browsing at the same time. That will do the trick. If you want to run DOTA in your laptop, better buy one in the iCore series with a videocard in it. Thank me later! 

So there you goooo.... you may notice, I didn’t put any notebooks or papers. The reason is, we are all different when it comes to studying. I don’t usually use notebooks since all my notes are written in my cases. Yellow papers are a must though, but just pack some for yourself or you’ll end up supplying the whole class. Trust me on this. 

Law school is hard, worth it, crazy and really hard so you’ll really have to love it and learn how to balance your life around it. But that will be for another blog so stay tuned!! I hope this helps!! <3

xxx D.

[n1ghtcrwler]

@katekyo-bitch-reborn asked:

So. I work part time at a convenience store and gas station, I close on Saturday and Sunday nights. If you're not familiar, one of the things taught in a number of evangelism classes/conferences/etc. is how to just kinda quickly offer the gospel to strangers while you're out, usually like cashiers and waitstaff and stuff. The first step there is to find out if the person knows Christ already. But since some number of people understand it as "yes I'm going to Heaven, because I'm a good person / I go to church / everyone will be saved eventually /etc.," which is not what scripture teaches is how one gets saved (only through faithful submission to Christ), if you're gonna do that you kinda have to push past a simple 'yes.'

So, I sometimes get people who come into work and ask me something to find out if I'm saved. If I know Jesus, if I know where I'll go when I die, last night it was asking if I know Romans 8:28. Now the answer to that last one is actually no. I tend to memorize scripture in chunks and can never remember where the verse divisions are. Can I explain Romans 8 from memory? Probably. Could I tell you which part specifically is verse 28 without opening my Bible? Not a chance. But it's a popular verse and part of an evangelism method called The Romans Road (which I don't use), so a lot of people who do this assume that a Christian will have that specific verse memorized by itself. So I got asked about that verse, at like 45 minutes before close while I have a third of the floor mopped and the bucket sitting out, and explained that I don't memorize in verses but rather in chunks. So she pushes in and asks if I know how one is saved. So I answer her, and she pushes to confirm, and then starts asking me about my church, and meanwhile I'm answering the phone and trying to wait on another customer and I know if I don't get that floor mopped before close I'll have to finish it after close as well as all my other pre-close work and I really like to get out on time on Saturday nights because I am working at my church either preaching or running sound or playing bass or teaching a class (this summer it was on evangelism) almost every single Sunday which means I always need to be there early.

And I get it. I know what she's been taught about evangelism, I have taken and taught these classes. I respect what she's doing. I know how important it is. I do tend to try to read the room and encourage others to do the same, but hey. And I love talking about this stuff, my one coworker and I spent two hours discussing Biblical inerrancy one night! My computer was still open exporting the freshly-edited video of the evangelistic Christmas service my church did the night before that I wrote, and had a half-finished post for my theology blog still open from when I was poking at it a half hour or so earlier. A lot of my time is spent on this subject, and I'll chat all day with customers about Christ. I was not upset that she's trying to offer me Christ. But it gets awkward when I can't do my job, and especially when I really really need to, and I'm never sure how to explain that without being rude.

It's always kinda awkward when people try to evangelize me at work because it's like "Yes, I know Christ and that salvation is by faith alone, and yes I respect what you're doing and I understand why you have all these follow up questions, but I need you to understand I'm trying to mop the floor so I can go home because I'm very tired and have church in the morning and I can't do that while you're doing this"

[emcon-imagines]

Hey Em, hope you're doing well 💛 thanks so much for all the aos fics!!!

🎶 song requests - send me song recommendations and I’ll send some back The pretty reckless only love can save me now!! Marina venus fly trap. Marina numb. Kylie Minogue dance floor darling. Barbara Streisand windmills of your mind. Twenty one pilots ode to sleep. Aly and AJ attack. Judy Garland San Francisco. 🎼

call in - rant, tell a story, talk about a crush

I'm over tired and anxious atm and got a little irritated by the double standards of a post that went along the lines of my religion and faith is inherently homophobic and just bad in general this kinda stuff has the tendency to annoy me because it's literally the exact opposite because if someone truly tries to follow my religion they literally believe that God is present in every single person because he made us in his image (even people who do really terrible things like murder etc) and that the purpose of life is to look out for each other so that we may meet again and share a Kingdom of peace together and I'm literally a lesbian! sorry for the rant but it just annoys me that some people in one group are like you can't be here because lesbian...and the other group who is self acclaimed to be more loving and accepting are like you can't be here either because you love God and try to practice your beliefs like honestly what the heck!? And then I got a shady message from some creep on this, went onto his blog to block and made the terrible mistake of scrolling down his blog a bit to suss out wether I should report him or not and all I succeeded in doing was further upsetting myself

Anyway apologies for spewing my garbage here, also from that question list how many pairs of shoes do you own? 👡

Ok your music taste seems to perfectly intersect with mine and I added like a ton of your recommendations to my current listening playlist. Here are a few songs I recommend!!

mars - YUNGBLUD

Disco Man - Remi Wolf

Feed The Birds / The Place Where Lost Things Go - Evynne Hollens

Claudia Lewis - M83

Found My Friends - Hayley Kiyoko

Put On Your Sunday Clothes - from “Hello Dolly!”

In regards to your call in, I can totally feel for you, as someone else who was also raised religious and is part of the queer community. I don’t think you could have summarized my own thoughts any better and how I ended up reconciling my beliefs with my sexuality. 

It’s a super cliché verse but Psalm 139:14 is 100% a place that I found validation and reconciliation, and though I am not trans myself, I think a lot about a quote by Daniel M. Lavery in his book “Something That May Shock and Discredit You” in which he writes:

“As my friend Julian puts it, only half winkingly: “God blessed me by making me transsexual for the same reason God made wheat but not bread and fruit but not wine, so that humanity might share in the act of creation.”

It’s so bananas to me that people took Jesus’ preaching of “hey we should be nice to each other :)” and turned it into fuel for bigotry, because you’re right! I also think a lot about the second commandment about taking the Lord’s name in vain, and how people interpret that as “you can’t say things like ‘oh my God’“ where I really think it’s more about twisting faith and the Lord’s word to speak hate or ideals that go directly against the actual thesis of the Bible.

Personally, I think the concept of a faith is dope, but institutions are often corrupt and political and goes against what it all stands for. It’s a shame that something like that can be used as a weapon against entire communities (not just the queer community, but also in Christianity’s role in colonialism). I think of my friends’ faiths, friends who are Jewish or Muslim or Hindu, and there’s something so intrinsically beautiful about them all, Christianity included. I just wish people dropped the idea of “preaching” and instead used faith to guide themselves how to live (which is to say, at the end of the day, don’t be a dick to people)

Also finally ugh I’m sorry you had to come across that guy.

And finally finally-- I own seven pairs of shoes I think! I just counted on my hands lol. I just got rid of a bunch because I go for function more than anything else and usually in black because black goes with everything hahaha

800 followers fireside chat! | feat. questions from here as well!

[heliosfinance]

“You do not have to worship money to want to have control over it.”

This probably comes off strange right after our post on hiring escorts Friday, but what can I say – we’re an equal opportunity blog here :) And truth be told, this stuff is much more aligned with my own views and lifestyle, despite it not being as sexy (quite literally!).

I got this email from another reader of our site – we’ll call her “Gloria” – and loved how many nuggets were jam packed in this puppy… Thought I’d share it and then break it down afterwards.

Here’s Gloria:

I was inspired to go on your site today after hearing my pastor preach yesterday about the bible stating in many places that God does not want us to be in debt. That debt is foolish.

This pastor talked about how he was smart and invested his money into retirement funds early on in his 20’s even though he made little money and it is now worth a lot now that he is in his 50’s. He said the bible mentions specifically, not hints at, that we are dumber than ants about money and should plan ahead. He said he met with many couples and counseled them on managing money more responsibly usually at a point of financial crisis. Also, said there are people nearing retirement with little to nothing saved.

But he did not mention any positive, inspiring, or encouraging financial nuggets. He said the lowest income parishioners tithe 3% and most wealthy tithe less than 1%. He wants to start a mission to raise the amount they tithe.

After listening carefully for even one positive note, but not hearing any, I immediately tried to speak to him personally. However, he brushed me off indicating that his sermon was not meant to be a financial class. I asked my husband what his impression on this sermon was, but he felt good about it because the day before I had updated him on our healthy financial status, which was much higher than he expected since we are still in debt but pay ourselves first by investing into our retirement accounts regardless of our debt.

I decided today to prove the pastor wrong and to give parishioners hope. I want them to know that financial independence or financial security is reachable at most any age, and to teach them that money does not have to be a scary topic, not something to avoid, and it is certainly never too late to start saving, buying less, being more frugal and aware of money so we do not act “dumb as ants”.

I am spreading the word about your website and its many, many resources and links to help people feel in control, positive, and better about the entire topic. Additionally, I am an adult basic education instructor helping those on welfare (transitional assistance/SNAP/cash benefits/food stamps) or who have dropped out of school due to many reasons like unplanned pregnancies, and my goal is to educate them as well.

There is no need to be poor forever or just because your family is poor going generations back, or because they just assume they are not the chosen ones.

Personal finance blogs, articles, podcasts, etc. are not just for the rich wanting to get richer or the greedy who just want more for themselves. You do not have to worship money to want to have control over it. For me personally, it’s actually lots of fun when you get to watch it grow by making only small changes that you don’t even think about.

Preach, girl!

So much good stuff here, let’s break it down…

“You do not have to worship money to want to have control over it.”

That’s exactly right. It’s only the devil if you worship it! And news flash – billions of dollars float around the world feeding the hungry or clothing the poor and eradicating diseases all around us. All things that very much cost money.

(Kinda reminds me of this email we got a while back too: “I Used to Be an Anti-Money Anarchist” ;))

“God does not want us to be in debt… debt is foolish.”

YES!  Anytime you’re a slave to something it’s not good. Especially when it’s our own foolish choices that brought us there. But unlike other issues in life, this one we usually have control of! Which means there’s not only hope, but also a finish line out there in the future for us – so long as we up our game and go after it. It’s one thing to be in debt, and a whole other to be in debt and do nothing about it!

“This pastor talked about how he was smart and invested his money into retirement funds early on in his 20’s even though he made little money, and it is now worth a lot now that he is in his 50’s.”

The power of compounding, baby! Those little beans turn into bean stalks years later. Remember the story of the doubling penny?? Tricks the layfolk every time!

This is also what “money working for you” means vs you always working for money. Once you invest it, it becomes your own little employee hustling away every hour of the day! Here’s an example of what that looks like from that article I just linked to above:

“Last month I spent 0 hours on my investments and made a whopping $32,687.28. In one month. For doing absolutely nothing. That equates to 3,268 hours of mowing lawns, 653 weekends of working at a restaurant, 218 weeks working at the college bookstore, 65 weeks at my first full-time job, 33 weeks after I climbed up the ladder, and 22 weeks when I first became self-employed.”

It’s so amazing it’s scary. (And remember, it works in the opposite direction as well with debt! Yet another reason it sucks to carry it around – every day it’s compounding against us :()

“We are dumber than ants about money and should plan ahead. He said he met with many couples and counseled them on managing money more responsibly usually at a point of financial crisis.”

Unfortunately that’s when most of us have that epiphany, isn’t it? When we’re smack in the middle of all the doo doo around us? On the plus side it finally gets us to DO SOMETHING about it, but obviously the sooner we can care about this stuff the better. And you certainly don’t have to be a nerd about it either like some of us are :) You just have to squirrel away the nuts when the financial times are good so you’re all prepared for when the winter hits! Nothing’s ever permanent!

“I decided today to prove the pastor wrong and to give parishioners hope. I want them to know that financial independence or financial security is reachable at most any age, and to teach them that money does not have to be a scary topic, not something to avoid, and it is certainly never too late to start saving, buying less, being more frugal and aware of money.”

YES YES YES!!! That’s one of the things I hate about going to church sometimes – being killed with guilt and fear without much recourse of hope or action. You gotta hit us with both sides so we actually *do something about it* or what’s the point? Shock us with reality, that’s fine, but then come back and tell us we can change, please.

But what a reminder of why personal finance blogs are flourishing these days. There’s a reason there’s now over 1,100 of them out there – they offer encouragement! And hope, action items, tricks, tips, stories, love, happiness, reality, plans, and numbers. All of which combine to make one tasty financial pie that our family can feast on forever and ever, amen.

Money does not have to be scary or hard to figure out. And it is most definitely not something to avoid. God does not want us to be a slave to debt. He wants us to be secure. (Or “poor,” depending on what passage you read, haha, but certainly not in debt! ;))

“There is no need to be poor forever or just because your family is poor going generations back, or because they just assume they are not the chosen ones.”

Probably my favorite line of the entire email. Most of us have *choice* in our lives. Not everyone, but most of us (and especially those with an internet connection reading this). Every day we choose where to spend our money, where to spend our time, and where to spend our energy. Those who do it well trend up in the Game of Life, and those who don’t fall further behind.

But every day is a chance to start over again and work our way towards the life we really dream about. It’s not easy, and takes gobs of time and self-control, but it is possible. There is no need to be poor forever if you don’t want to be.

“I am an adult basic education instructor helping those on welfare (transitional assistance/SNAP/cash benefits/food stamps) or who have dropped out of school due to many reasons like unplanned pregnancies, and my goal is to educate them as well.”

God bless you, Gloria – and thanks for sharing your note with us today and allowing me to post it up! We need more people like you spreading around the financial faith :)

If you ever start your own blog, please let us know so we can help pass it around for you. You’d join the 32 other Christian financial bloggers using it as a vessel to amplify the good word and would love it.

To all my other financial friends reading this – keep working your way out of ant dumbness! We can all build hills together for the greater of our communities!

“You do not have to worship money to want to have control over it.” published first on http://ift.tt/2ljLF4B

[fesahaawit]

God does not want us to be in debt.

This probably comes off strange right after our post on hiring escorts Friday, but what can I say – we’re an equal opportunity blog here :) And truth be told, this stuff is much more aligned with my own views and lifestyle, despite it not being as sexy (quite literally!).

I got this email from another reader of our site – we’ll call her “Gloria” – and loved how many nuggets were jam packed in this puppy… Thought I’d share it and then break it down afterwards.

Here’s Gloria:

I was inspired to go on your site today after hearing my pastor preach yesterday about the bible stating in many places that God does not want us to be in debt. That debt is foolish.

This pastor talked about how he was smart and invested his money into retirement funds early on in his 20’s even though he made little money and it is now worth a lot now that he is in his 50’s. He said the bible mentions specifically, not hints at, that we are dumber than ants about money and should plan ahead. He said he met with many couples and counseled them on managing money more responsibly usually at a point of financial crisis. Also, said there are people nearing retirement with little to nothing saved.

But he did not mention any positive, inspiring, or encouraging financial nuggets. He said the lowest income parishioners tithe 3% and most wealthy tithe less than 1%. He wants to start a mission to raise the amount they tithe.

After listening carefully for even one positive note, but not hearing any, I immediately tried to speak to him personally. However, he brushed me off indicating that his sermon was not meant to be a financial class. I asked my husband what his impression on this sermon was, but he felt good about it because the day before I had updated him on our healthy financial status, which was much higher than he expected since we are still in debt but pay ourselves first by investing into our retirement accounts regardless of our debt.

I decided today to prove the pastor wrong and to give parishioners hope. I want them to know that financial independence or financial security is reachable at most any age, and to teach them that money does not have to be a scary topic, not something to avoid, and it is certainly never too late to start saving, buying less, being more frugal and aware of money so we do not act “dumb as ants”.

I am spreading the word about your website and its many, many resources and links to help people feel in control, positive, and better about the entire topic. Additionally, I am an adult basic education instructor helping those on welfare (transitional assistance/SNAP/cash benefits/food stamps) or who have dropped out of school due to many reasons like unplanned pregnancies, and my goal is to educate them as well.

There is no need to be poor forever or just because your family is poor going generations back, or because they just assume they are not the chosen ones.

Personal finance blogs, articles, podcasts, etc. are not just for the rich wanting to get richer or the greedy who just want more for themselves. You do not have to worship money to want to have control over it. For me personally, it’s actually lots of fun when you get to watch it grow by making only small changes that you don’t even think about.

Preach, girl!

So much good stuff here, let’s break it down…

“You do not have to worship money to want to have control over it.”

That’s exactly right. It’s only the devil if you worship it! And news flash – billions of dollars float around the world feeding the hungry or clothing the poor and eradicating diseases all around us. All things that very much cost money.

(Kinda reminds me of this email we got a while back too: “I Used to Be an Anti-Money Anarchist” ;))

“God does not want us to be in debt… debt is foolish.”

YES!  Anytime you’re a slave to something it’s not good. Especially when it’s our own foolish choices that brought us there. But unlike other issues in life, this one we usually have control of! Which means there’s not only hope, but also a finish line out there in the future for us – so long as we up our game and go after it. It’s one thing to be in debt, and a whole other to be in debt and do nothing about it!

“This pastor talked about how he was smart and invested his money into retirement funds early on in his 20’s even though he made little money, and it is now worth a lot now that he is in his 50’s.”

The power of compounding, baby! Those little beans turn into bean stalks years later. Remember the story of the doubling penny?? Tricks the layfolk every time!

This is also what “money working for you” means vs you always working for money. Once you invest it, it becomes your own little employee hustling away every hour of the day! Here’s an example of what that looks like from that article I just linked to above:

“Last month I spent 0 hours on my investments and made a whopping $32,687.28. In one month. For doing absolutely nothing. That equates to 3,268 hours of mowing lawns, 653 weekends of working at a restaurant, 218 weeks working at the college bookstore, 65 weeks at my first full-time job, 33 weeks after I climbed up the ladder, and 22 weeks when I first became self-employed.”

It’s so amazing it’s scary. (And remember, it works in the opposite direction as well with debt! Yet another reason it sucks to carry it around – every day it’s compounding against us :()

“We are dumber than ants about money and should plan ahead. He said he met with many couples and counseled them on managing money more responsibly usually at a point of financial crisis.”

Unfortunately that’s when most of us have that epiphany, isn’t it? When we’re smack in he middle of all the doo doo around us? On the plus side it finally gets us to DO SOMETHING about it, but obviously the sooner we can care about this stuff the better. And you certainly don’t have to be a nerd about it either like some of us are :) You just have to squirrel away the nuts when the financial times are good so you’re all prepared for when the winter hits! Nothing’s ever permanent!

“I decided today to prove the pastor wrong and to give parishioners hope. I want them to know that financial independence or financial security is reachable at most any age, and to teach them that money does not have to be a scary topic, not something to avoid, and it is certainly never too late to start saving, buying less, being more frugal and aware of money.”

YES YES YES!!! That’s one of the things I hate about going to church sometimes – being killed with guilt and fear without much recourse of hope or action. You gotta hit us with both sides so we actually *do something about it* or what’s the point? Shock us with reality, that’s fine, but then come back and tell us we can change, please.

But what a reminder of why personal finance blogs are flourishing these days. There’s a reason there’s now over 1,100 of them out there – they offer encouragement! And hope, action items, tricks, tips, stories, love, happiness, reality, plans, and numbers. All of which combine to make one tasty financial pie that our family can feast on forever and ever, amen.

Money does not have to be scary or hard to figure out. And it is most definitely not something to avoid. God does not want us to be a slave to debt. He wants us to be secure. (Or “poor,” depending on what passage you read, haha, but certainly not in debt! ;))

“There is no need to be poor forever or just because your family is poor going generations back, or because they just assume they are not the chosen ones.”

Probably my favorite line of the entire email. Most of us have *choice* in our lives. Not everyone, but most of us (and especially those with internet connection reading this). Every day we choose where to spend our money, where to spend our time, and where to spend our energy. Those who do it well trend up in the Game of Life, and those who don’t fall further behind.

But every day is a chance to start over again and work our way towards the life we really dream about. It’s not easy, and takes gobs of time and self-control, but it is possible. There is no need to be poor forever if you don’t want to be.

“I am an adult basic education instructor helping those on welfare (transitional assistance/SNAP/cash benefits/food stamps) or who have dropped out of school due to many reasons like unplanned pregnancies, and my goal is to educate them as well.”

God bless you, Gloria – and thanks for sharing your note with us today and allowing me to post it up! We need more people like you spreading around the financial faith :)

If you ever start your own blog, please let us know so we can help pass it around for you. You’d join the 32 other Christian financial bloggers using it as a vessel to amplify the good word and would love it.

To all my other financial friends reading this – keep working your way out of ant dumbness! We can all build hills together for the greater of our communities!

God does not want us to be in debt. posted first on http://ift.tt/2lnwIdQ

[heliosfinance]

“You do not have to worship money to want to have control over it.”

This probably comes off strange right after our post on hiring escorts Friday, but what can I say – we’re an equal opportunity blog here :) And truth be told, this stuff is much more aligned with my own views and lifestyle, despite it not being as sexy (quite literally!).

I got this email from another reader of our site – we’ll call her “Gloria” – and loved how many nuggets were jam packed in this puppy… Thought I’d share it and then break it down afterwards.

Here’s Gloria:

I was inspired to go on your site today after hearing my pastor preach yesterday about the bible stating in many places that God does not want us to be in debt. That debt is foolish.

This pastor talked about how he was smart and invested his money into retirement funds early on in his 20’s even though he made little money and it is now worth a lot now that he is in his 50’s. He said the bible mentions specifically, not hints at, that we are dumber than ants about money and should plan ahead. He said he met with many couples and counseled them on managing money more responsibly usually at a point of financial crisis. Also, said there are people nearing retirement with little to nothing saved.

But he did not mention any positive, inspiring, or encouraging financial nuggets. He said the lowest income parishioners tithe 3% and most wealthy tithe less than 1%. He wants to start a mission to raise the amount they tithe.

After listening carefully for even one positive note, but not hearing any, I immediately tried to speak to him personally. However, he brushed me off indicating that his sermon was not meant to be a financial class. I asked my husband what his impression on this sermon was, but he felt good about it because the day before I had updated him on our healthy financial status, which was much higher than he expected since we are still in debt but pay ourselves first by investing into our retirement accounts regardless of our debt.

I decided today to prove the pastor wrong and to give parishioners hope. I want them to know that financial independence or financial security is reachable at most any age, and to teach them that money does not have to be a scary topic, not something to avoid, and it is certainly never too late to start saving, buying less, being more frugal and aware of money so we do not act “dumb as ants”.

I am spreading the word about your website and its many, many resources and links to help people feel in control, positive, and better about the entire topic. Additionally, I am an adult basic education instructor helping those on welfare (transitional assistance/SNAP/cash benefits/food stamps) or who have dropped out of school due to many reasons like unplanned pregnancies, and my goal is to educate them as well.

There is no need to be poor forever or just because your family is poor going generations back, or because they just assume they are not the chosen ones.

Personal finance blogs, articles, podcasts, etc. are not just for the rich wanting to get richer or the greedy who just want more for themselves. You do not have to worship money to want to have control over it. For me personally, it’s actually lots of fun when you get to watch it grow by making only small changes that you don’t even think about.

Preach, girl!

So much good stuff here, let’s break it down…

“You do not have to worship money to want to have control over it.”

That’s exactly right. It’s only the devil if you worship it! And news flash – billions of dollars float around the world feeding the hungry or clothing the poor and eradicating diseases all around us. All things that very much cost money.

(Kinda reminds me of this email we got a while back too: “I Used to Be an Anti-Money Anarchist” ;))

“God does not want us to be in debt… debt is foolish.”

YES!  Anytime you’re a slave to something it’s not good. Especially when it’s our own foolish choices that brought us there. But unlike other issues in life, this one we usually have control of! Which means there’s not only hope, but also a finish line out there in the future for us – so long as we up our game and go after it. It’s one thing to be in debt, and a whole other to be in debt and do nothing about it!

“This pastor talked about how he was smart and invested his money into retirement funds early on in his 20’s even though he made little money, and it is now worth a lot now that he is in his 50’s.”

The power of compounding, baby! Those little beans turn into bean stalks years later. Remember the story of the doubling penny?? Tricks the layfolk every time!

This is also what “money working for you” means vs you always working for money. Once you invest it, it becomes your own little employee hustling away every hour of the day! Here’s an example of what that looks like from that article I just linked to above:

“Last month I spent 0 hours on my investments and made a whopping $32,687.28. In one month. For doing absolutely nothing. That equates to 3,268 hours of mowing lawns, 653 weekends of working at a restaurant, 218 weeks working at the college bookstore, 65 weeks at my first full-time job, 33 weeks after I climbed up the ladder, and 22 weeks when I first became self-employed.”

It’s so amazing it’s scary. (And remember, it works in the opposite direction as well with debt! Yet another reason it sucks to carry it around – every day it’s compounding against us :()

“We are dumber than ants about money and should plan ahead. He said he met with many couples and counseled them on managing money more responsibly usually at a point of financial crisis.”

Unfortunately that’s when most of us have that epiphany, isn’t it? When we’re smack in the middle of all the doo doo around us? On the plus side it finally gets us to DO SOMETHING about it, but obviously the sooner we can care about this stuff the better. And you certainly don’t have to be a nerd about it either like some of us are :) You just have to squirrel away the nuts when the financial times are good so you’re all prepared for when the winter hits! Nothing’s ever permanent!

“I decided today to prove the pastor wrong and to give parishioners hope. I want them to know that financial independence or financial security is reachable at most any age, and to teach them that money does not have to be a scary topic, not something to avoid, and it is certainly never too late to start saving, buying less, being more frugal and aware of money.”

YES YES YES!!! That’s one of the things I hate about going to church sometimes – being killed with guilt and fear without much recourse of hope or action. You gotta hit us with both sides so we actually *do something about it* or what’s the point? Shock us with reality, that’s fine, but then come back and tell us we can change, please.

But what a reminder of why personal finance blogs are flourishing these days. There’s a reason there’s now over 1,100 of them out there – they offer encouragement! And hope, action items, tricks, tips, stories, love, happiness, reality, plans, and numbers. All of which combine to make one tasty financial pie that our family can feast on forever and ever, amen.

Money does not have to be scary or hard to figure out. And it is most definitely not something to avoid. God does not want us to be a slave to debt. He wants us to be secure. (Or “poor,” depending on what passage you read, haha, but certainly not in debt! ;))

“There is no need to be poor forever or just because your family is poor going generations back, or because they just assume they are not the chosen ones.”

Probably my favorite line of the entire email. Most of us have *choice* in our lives. Not everyone, but most of us (and especially those with an internet connection reading this). Every day we choose where to spend our money, where to spend our time, and where to spend our energy. Those who do it well trend up in the Game of Life, and those who don’t fall further behind.

But every day is a chance to start over again and work our way towards the life we really dream about. It’s not easy, and takes gobs of time and self-control, but it is possible. There is no need to be poor forever if you don’t want to be.

“I am an adult basic education instructor helping those on welfare (transitional assistance/SNAP/cash benefits/food stamps) or who have dropped out of school due to many reasons like unplanned pregnancies, and my goal is to educate them as well.”

God bless you, Gloria – and thanks for sharing your note with us today and allowing me to post it up! We need more people like you spreading around the financial faith :)

If you ever start your own blog, please let us know so we can help pass it around for you. You’d join the 32 other Christian financial bloggers using it as a vessel to amplify the good word and would love it.

To all my other financial friends reading this – keep working your way out of ant dumbness! We can all build hills together for the greater of our communities!

“You do not have to worship money to want to have control over it.” published first on http://ift.tt/2ljLF4B

[heliosfinance]

God does not want us to be in debt.

This probably comes off strange right after our post on hiring escorts Friday, but what can I say – we’re an equal opportunity blog here :) And truth be told, this stuff is much more aligned with my own views and lifestyle, despite it not being as sexy (quite literally!).

I got this email from another reader of our site – we’ll call her “Gloria” – and loved how many nuggets were jam packed in this puppy… Thought I’d share it and then break it down afterwards.

Here’s Gloria:

I was inspired to go on your site today after hearing my pastor preach yesterday about the bible stating in many places that God does not want us to be in debt. That debt is foolish.

This pastor talked about how he was smart and invested his money into retirement funds early on in his 20’s even though he made little money and it is now worth a lot now that he is in his 50’s. He said the bible mentions specifically, not hints at, that we are dumber than ants about money and should plan ahead. He said he met with many couples and counseled them on managing money more responsibly usually at a point of financial crisis. Also, said there are people nearing retirement with little to nothing saved.

But he did not mention any positive, inspiring, or encouraging financial nuggets. He said the lowest income parishioners tithe 3% and most wealthy tithe less than 1%. He wants to start a mission to raise the amount they tithe.

After listening carefully for even one positive note, but not hearing any, I immediately tried to speak to him personally. However, he brushed me off indicating that his sermon was not meant to be a financial class. I asked my husband what his impression on this sermon was, but he felt good about it because the day before I had updated him on our healthy financial status, which was much higher than he expected since we are still in debt but pay ourselves first by investing into our retirement accounts regardless of our debt.

I decided today to prove the pastor wrong and to give parishioners hope. I want them to know that financial independence or financial security is reachable at most any age, and to teach them that money does not have to be a scary topic, not something to avoid, and it is certainly never too late to start saving, buying less, being more frugal and aware of money so we do not act “dumb as ants”.

I am spreading the word about your website and its many, many resources and links to help people feel in control, positive, and better about the entire topic. Additionally, I am an adult basic education instructor helping those on welfare (transitional assistance/SNAP/cash benefits/food stamps) or who have dropped out of school due to many reasons like unplanned pregnancies, and my goal is to educate them as well.

There is no need to be poor forever or just because your family is poor going generations back, or because they just assume they are not the chosen ones.

Personal finance blogs, articles, podcasts, etc. are not just for the rich wanting to get richer or the greedy who just want more for themselves. You do not have to worship money to want to have control over it. For me personally, it’s actually lots of fun when you get to watch it grow by making only small changes that you don’t even think about.

Preach, girl!

So much good stuff here, let’s break it down…

“You do not have to worship money to want to have control over it.”

That’s exactly right. It’s only the devil if you worship it! And news flash – billions of dollars float around the world feeding the hungry or clothing the poor and eradicating diseases all around us. All things that very much cost money.

(Kinda reminds me of this email we got a while back too: “I Used to Be an Anti-Money Anarchist” ;))

“God does not want us to be in debt… debt is foolish.”

YES!  Anytime you’re a slave to something it’s not good. Especially when it’s our own foolish choices that brought us there. But unlike other issues in life, this one we usually have control of! Which means there’s not only hope, but also a finish line out there in the future for us – so long as we up our game and go after it. It’s one thing to be in debt, and a whole other to be in debt and do nothing about it!

“This pastor talked about how he was smart and invested his money into retirement funds early on in his 20’s even though he made little money, and it is now worth a lot now that he is in his 50’s.”

The power of compounding, baby! Those little beans turn into bean stalks years later. Remember the story of the doubling penny?? Tricks the layfolk every time!

This is also what “money working for you” means vs you always working for money. Once you invest it, it becomes your own little employee hustling away every hour of the day! Here’s an example of what that looks like from that article I just linked to above:

“Last month I spent 0 hours on my investments and made a whopping $32,687.28. In one month. For doing absolutely nothing. That equates to 3,268 hours of mowing lawns, 653 weekends of working at a restaurant, 218 weeks working at the college bookstore, 65 weeks at my first full-time job, 33 weeks after I climbed up the ladder, and 22 weeks when I first became self-employed.”

It’s so amazing it’s scary. (And remember, it works in the opposite direction as well with debt! Yet another reason it sucks to carry it around – every day it’s compounding against us :()

“We are dumber than ants about money and should plan ahead. He said he met with many couples and counseled them on managing money more responsibly usually at a point of financial crisis.”

Unfortunately that’s when most of us have that epiphany, isn’t it? When we’re smack in he middle of all the doo doo around us? On the plus side it finally gets us to DO SOMETHING about it, but obviously the sooner we can care about this stuff the better. And you certainly don’t have to be a nerd about it either like some of us are :) You just have to squirrel away the nuts when the financial times are good so you’re all prepared for when the winter hits! Nothing’s ever permanent!

“I decided today to prove the pastor wrong and to give parishioners hope. I want them to know that financial independence or financial security is reachable at most any age, and to teach them that money does not have to be a scary topic, not something to avoid, and it is certainly never too late to start saving, buying less, being more frugal and aware of money.”

YES YES YES!!! That’s one of the things I hate about going to church sometimes – being killed with guilt and fear without much recourse of hope or action. You gotta hit us with both sides so we actually *do something about it* or what’s the point? Shock us with reality, that’s fine, but then come back and tell us we can change, please.

But what a reminder of why personal finance blogs are flourishing these days. There’s a reason there’s now over 1,100 of them out there – they offer encouragement! And hope, action items, tricks, tips, stories, love, happiness, reality, plans, and numbers. All of which combine to make one tasty financial pie that our family can feast on forever and ever, amen.

Money does not have to be scary or hard to figure out. And it is most definitely not something to avoid. God does not want us to be a slave to debt. He wants us to be secure. (Or “poor,” depending on what passage you read, haha, but certainly not in debt! ;))

“There is no need to be poor forever or just because your family is poor going generations back, or because they just assume they are not the chosen ones.”

Probably my favorite line of the entire email. Most of us have *choice* in our lives. Not everyone, but most of us (and especially those with internet connection reading this). Every day we choose where to spend our money, where to spend our time, and where to spend our energy. Those who do it well trend up in the Game of Life, and those who don’t fall further behind.

But every day is a chance to start over again and work our way towards the life we really dream about. It’s not easy, and takes gobs of time and self-control, but it is possible. There is no need to be poor forever if you don’t want to be.

“I am an adult basic education instructor helping those on welfare (transitional assistance/SNAP/cash benefits/food stamps) or who have dropped out of school due to many reasons like unplanned pregnancies, and my goal is to educate them as well.”

God bless you, Gloria – and thanks for sharing your note with us today and allowing me to post it up! We need more people like you spreading around the financial faith :)

If you ever start your own blog, please let us know so we can help pass it around for you. You’d join the 32 other Christian financial bloggers using it as a vessel to amplify the good word and would love it.

To all my other financial friends reading this – keep working your way out of ant dumbness! We can all build hills together for the greater of our communities!

God does not want us to be in debt. published first on http://ift.tt/2ljLF4B