No Time: No Money

porah, sxc.hu

My wife and I have made a lot of changes to our lives in the past few years. This pattern of change was kicked off when we had our first child, who now is almost four years old. We have decided that it is best for us to raise our children as much as possible rather than taking them to day care, so we struggle as a single income family in order to be the primary influence in the lives of our children. We now have a second child and still are in agreement that this is the best way to honor God through our family. Consider how much time is really spent with your children if both parents work. They have little hope of coming to know Christ through us if they spend more time away from us than with us. An understanding of Christ is the most valuable and important thing you can give your children.

Financially, we wish to remove ourselves from all debt. We have been successful in the area of small debts like the credit cards and even the car payments. We made a choice to drive less desirable, but still safe vehicles, in exchange for not having car payments. This was originally an effort to be able to pay our bills, but we began to see the fruit of the bibles teaching that you are a slave to your debts. How can I serve God if he calls me out of my home and I am not able to leave it because my master is my debt? It’s an unfortunate reality that most can only purchase a house by becoming a slave to debt. This is an area we are not yet free from and most likely will not be for a very long time; however that is not a reason to ignore it. We have reduced the term of our mortgage and remain aware of any way we can reduce that debt so as to become free from it. I would encourage others to make these same decisions, even if you think that you can afford the car payment, house payment, boat payment, etc.

Where it is fantastic that our children get to see their mother most of the time, it is important that they see their father as well, and even more important that the father have time for the mother. My situation is not unlike others, 55 hour work week, surrounded by the “have to” of life and there is little time left for family. This is not always a matter of priorities, at least not for me in my situation. I have removed the majority of personal pleasures of life and focus primarily on the pleasurable things which my family enjoys to do together. I am careful only to enter into service which I feel I am directly called to. Many people do ministry strictly based on the fact that there is a need without considering the repercussions. The fact is this: God may call your family to struggle, but he will not call a man or a woman to destroy his family life. Weigh your service against the burden against your family and against your spiritual gifts. When the ministry passes these tests, then make a decision on need before stepping into that spot. I have personally removed myself from certain ministries in order to make time to fulfill God’s calling in my life for ministry. Still time is scarce. To me, it seems the best option is to remove myself from the slavery of the commute and the slavery of Corporate America. If God is willing, then I aim to be self employed and work from my own home. This situation seems ideal in order to meet all my time constraints.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. So the decisions that have been made for my family and ministry have been made of His wisdom. My challenge to others who struggle in these areas is to make changes based solely off of the Word of God, void of all selfish desire and to have faith that when you are in accordance with the will of God then you will find peace and will glorify God through your decisions.