So what do I know about managing money and avoiding debt? Well, I’ve been where you might
be, overwhelmed, stressed, and dealing with financial chaos. I didn’t just read about money
management. I learned it the hard way, through tough lessons and incremental wins.
I wasn’t born wealthy or taught how to handle money. I grew up in a single-parent household
where my parent did their best to provide the things I wanted. When income wasn’t enough, we
relied on credit cards. Now we didn’t live extravagantly by any means. However, living on credit
felt normal to me, so naturally, I carried the same habits into adulthood.

My husband and I made nearly every financial mistake imaginable. Between spending more than
we could afford and trying shortcuts to make money, we accumulated massive debt. Mortgages,
car loans, student loans, IRS back taxes, credit cards, major house repairs, and risky investments.
You name it, we had it. By the time we faced the truth, our combined debt had reached almost
seven figures.

Money problems affected every part of our lives. Arguments about money were frequent, the
stress wore us down, and our marriage was hurting because of it. Even as a believer, I hadn’t
realized that debt was not God’s plan for His children. Deuteronomy 28:12 (NKJV) says, “…
You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.” Plus, Proverbs 22:7 (NKJV) says, “…
The borrower is slave to the lender.” That’s exactly how we felt: trapped and enslaved to debt,
because we lacked wisdom and made poor choices.

Then one day we reached our breaking point and said enough! We didn’t want the next half of
our lives to be as financially miserable as the first. Together, we made a commitment to become
debt-free and started making different choices. It wasn’t easy and it didn’t happen overnight. We
learned to stop getting things right away, make short-term sacrifices, and stay committed even
when it was hard.

Today, I am happy to say that every single debt has been paid off and we are free. Our lives look
completely different now. Not only did our financial stress disappear, but our marriage grew
stronger. We experienced a sense of peace knowing we were working together toward a better
future.

I believe God wants us to live wisely and faithfully with the money and resources He gives us.
Real wealth usually looks unassuming and steady. It doesn’t scream “look at me.” Creating
financial stability requires knowledge, discipline, and time. Living modestly to build healthy
money habits isn’t a sign of poverty, it’s a mark of wisdom.

Now I help couples get on the same page financially and pull together instead of against each
other, while creating better habits. With real conversations, support, and faith, you can stop
feeling controlled by money issues, work better together as a couple, and experience the peace
that comes from handling money in a way that honors God.