I’ve been thinking a lot lately about financial freedom. Most likely it’s because I’m in the process of writing and setting up an eBook on How to Become Financially Free.
I wonder to myself, “What makes a person financially free? What makes a person rich or poor? What is the clear-cut definition of being financially free?”
It doesn’t seem there’s an answer. To one person, being financially free means to have more money than their bills, yet to another, it’s making $60,000/year. To that single mom, it’s just keeping a roof over her head and food in her kids tummies. Others describe financial freedom as a way of life, something you do, rather than somewhere you get to.
What is your definition of financial freedom? Although there is no right or wrong answer, I can tell you this…much of it seems to come down to the choices we make in life. I doubt anyone that knew the details of my money affairs would think that I’m not financially free. I live a very comfortable life and I do it well on what the world calls poverty level, $18k/year.
This week I spent $260 on salt. The best salt in the world might i add. I didn’t consult my checkbook, in fact I didn’t even look to see if i have the money; I already know I do. To me, that is financial freedom.
With that said, I’ve also seen some of the most dire situations. I’ve been homeless. I’ve had nothing to my name but $5 in my pocket.
How is it that I can come out of a situation like that, and end up 5 years later where I am now?
First, you must know that it is God. I can do absolutely nothing without Him and part of me believes that the reason He allows me to do so well is to prove His power and goodness to the world. Showing the world that impossible is only impossible WITHOUT HIM.
Secondly, it’s about choices. The choices that we habitually make every single day.
In my life I chose to make huge sacrifices.
When my husband came to me, 12 years into our marriage and basically said, “Give up God or I’m gone,” I made the CHOICE to say no. I chose to follow God.
When I was in the homeless shelter, I chose not to stay there. I chose to take a chance and make my life better.
In the divorce, when I stood before the judge and he said, “Get a job outside the home or there’s a good chance you’ll forfeit all rights to tens of thousands of dollars you have coming to you in this divorce,” I CHOSE to say no.
I chose to work from home. I sold on eBay. I sold essential oils, and now I run this very successful blog and still have good residual income from my essential oil brand.
There were a lot of stumbling blocks in my way from where I started to where I am today. There were a lot of CHOICES. What if I had chosen not to blog? Chosen not to try essential oils, chosen not to learn how to sell on eBay? What if I would have chosen to believe everyone in my life who said, and I quote, “You can’t possibly stay at home as a single mom. Stop fooling yourself and get a job.”
I chose not to listen. I chose to follow my heart, my gut, and what I felt God was leading me to do. I chose to be still and listen to Him, rather than man. To have faith when things looked impossible. To trust Him completely and fully at His Word.
Was I scared? Yes. Did I have doubts? Absolutely. But I didn’t let it stop me.
Let me ask you a question….if you are unhappy with how your life is, how your financial picture is, can you look back and see the choices that you’ve made? Maybe you decided to believe the world and not believe in yourself. Maybe you took the safe route and never got ahead.
Perhaps you chose to buy that fancy car when an average car could suit you just fine, or that $300,000 house when the $200,000 houses were a better deal and wouldn’t strap you financially so much.
Listen, I’m not here to beat you up. I’m here to encourage you and inspire you. But the truth is, that if we don’t take a good look at our past, we can’t learn and grow from it. We will continue to make the same mistakes over and over and over again, through different circumstances.
Today, you have a choice. You can stay where you are at, you can throw in the towel and give up on life, on yourself, on your marriage, your kids, family, and your money situation OR….you can CHOSE to make it different.
I’m not taking away God’s sovereignty at all, but what I AM saying is that many of the things in our life that happen, we have a choice and the outcome of our lives depend drastically on those choices.
I CHOSE to marry a man at the age of 19 to get away from an abusive situation. 14 years I paid for that choice….even after he left, I paid for that choice. My CHILDREN paid for my choice! I’m a single mom right now because I didn’t give my life to Christ sooner in life, rather than later. If I had of given my life to God sooner, I would have never married him. Not saying I don’t have two beautiful kids out of it or that God didn’t use our marriage for His glory and my good to teach me lessons, but that, given the chance, I would have been saved and married a saved man, plain and simple.
Don’t make those same mistakes I did…CHOSE a different life. Chose something different. Take chances. If you and your husband agree that you should be a stay at home mom and you are afraid of taking a chance, afraid of not making it financially, afraid that you’ll give up the fun in your life, take that chance. Chose to be different.
Listen, you have no idea where you will end up, the moment you CHOOSE to make your dreams come true…the moment you take a chance and go after them. No one else will ever make your dreams come true. If you’re waiting for that to happen, you’ll wait forever. YOU have the power to make them happen.
Sadly, more often than not, our own worst enemies…is yourself. DO NOT get in your OWN way! Do NOT trip over your own feet. Because I guarantee you, that unless you are completely intentional about your life, you will be tossed to and fro with every wave. Stand firm my friend, stand firm and go after what you want in life. It’s okay to be afraid, but don’t let it stop you from creating what you want! Don’t always sit on the sidelines in the game of life when you could be out there living it!
