Monday's Blessing

Hebrews 12:2

"Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith (giving the first incentive for our belief) and is also its Finisher (bringing it to maturity and perfection)."

Are you in the middle of a personal project that is just taking forever to get there?  We are a society of lightening fast endings.  Everything needs to happen tomorrow, and today is an obstacle sitting in the way.  Sometimes our initiatives begin out of no where, so unexpected.  And before  you know it, the finish line is unfolding before our eyes.

Then there are other times we begin a personal endeavor and, well, we are weeks, months, years into making it a reality; and it's still slowly crawling along.  For me it's debt.  Ever since last summer things have been piling up.  Bills that is.  I went on a trip that was supposed to be paid for from my income tax return.  But a month into my trip, I was sent audit criteria.  Upon my return, I found out there was nothing that was GOING TO BE RETURNED.  Then the transmission on the car needed replacement.  From there it was all down hill, a new dryer, a portable air conditioner in the back room, and then just last week the main house air conditioner failed.  

All last year I was on the descent paying bills them off, then out of no where, an ascent began to ensue; and I am not where I expected to be financially.  My initial debt consolidation showed me coming out of the hole before June.  But, with all the unexpected household needs, I am still down in that hole with the possibility of reaching fresh air next summer.  That's a long way off!

Everything we undertake in life has a beginning and an end.  Typically we are excited as we begin a new proposition to make our live's better.  We're also happy when we cross the finish line of this achievement.  But, sometimes, between the beginning and the end, progress can slow to a crawl.  And, unfortunately, it is this middle where we face our greatest challenges, hurdles, roadblocks, obstacles, detours, and tests.  

You may be in that middle like me right now.  Maybe you are trying to pay off all those charges you incurred that were unexpected.  Maybe you're feeling a little defeated because your progress has slowed to all but a halt.  Or, maybe you're finishing a major project or paper that has been giving you some issues.  You could be training for a marathon or other competition that is just wearing you down. Maybe you are trying to adopt a child, begin a new job, and you just keep getting hit with roadblocks.  

What ever mayhem you find yourself in right now, determine at this moment to see it through to that checkered flag. 

Between our beginning and our endings we must develop the boldness and determination necessary to overcome the overwhelming circumstances we encounter in the middle.  The enemy wants us to setter for less than God's best for our lives and to stop short of receiving and enjoying everything God has for us.  The devil halts progress and pushes us to give up on ourselves and God.  God, on the other hand, wants the very best for us.  He wants us to finish the race, and even though we can't see it all the time, gives us the tools to do so.  He wants us to finish all those races set before us and finish them with joy (Heb. 12:1-2).  Don't give up!  You're almost there! 

This Week's Meditation:

Teach me to "keep plugging along."

Pray:

Help me to realize that giving up is not the answer.
Teach me to trust to keep pushing onward even when I feel defeat. 
Remind me that everything will fall into place.  

Meditate on this for several minutes a day. Allow various thoughts to come into your mind.  And realize God has you in his arms always

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Monday's Blessing
John 14:13-14

"What ever you ask in my name that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name I will do."

Some people go through life accepting anything that comes their way.  They have the tendency to be a pauper and never the foresight to be bold and collect what belongs to them.

Mephibosheth was the grandson of King Saul and the son of Jonathan.  Jonathan and David were best friends and had actually entered into a covenant relationship, similar to the ancient covenant of being "blood brothers."  At that time that meaning meant whatever one had, it belonged to the other.  Most importantly, in this relationship, if something were to happen to one of these two men, the other remaining brother would be obligated to care of the others' family.

King Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle on the same day.  When word got back to the palace, a servant grabbed Mephibosheth, Jonathan's younger son; picked him up, and fled the city.  In such a rush to get out of Jerusalem, the servant tripped and fell carrying the child.  Mephibosheth became crippled as a result.  The servant transported Jonathan's son all the way to a city called Lodebar, one of the most desolate, poverty-stricken cities in that region.  That is where Mephibosheth, grandson of the king, lived his entire life.  Here is a descendant of the king living in the worst conditions possible.  

David succeed Saul as king, and years later, long after Saul and Jonathan had passed away, David asked his staff, "Is there anyone left from the house of Saul that I could show kindness to for Jonathan's sake?"  After all that was part of the covenant of the blood brothers.  

David was informed that Jonathan had a son that was still alive, so he ordered that man to be brought to his palace.  When Mephibosheth arrived he was fearful.  After all, his grandfather had chased David throughout the country trying to kill him.  Now that Saul's family had been decimated and was no longer a thereat to David, Mephibosheth probably felt that David planned to execute him as well.  

Instead, David said to him, "Don't be afraid. I want to show kindness to you because of your father, Jonathan.  I am going to give you back all the land that once belonged to your grandfather, Saul. And from this day forward you will eat at my table as though you were one of my sons."  David treated Mephibosheth as royalty.  After all, he was the grandson of the King.  And David was in a covenant relationship with his father.  

Based on that alone, Mephibosheth knew he had rights.  He could have gone to the palace and said, "King David, I'm Jonathan's son.  I'm living in poverty down in Lodebar, and I know that I'm made for more than that.  I'm here to claim what belongs to be through my father's covenant relationship with you."

Instead he settled for mediocrity.  When David told him that hew was going to take care of him, the Bible says, "Mephibosheth bowed his head low and said, 'Who am I that you should notice such a dead dong like me?'" (2 Samuel 9:8).  This image states that Mephibosheth felt defeated, possibly a loser and an outcast.  Yes, he was the grandson of the king, but his inner view of himself kept him from receiving the privileges that rightfully belonged to him.  

Are you doing the same?  is your self-image contrary to the way god sees you that you are missing out on God's best?  God see you as a winner, but you may see yourself as a dead dog.  You need to replace those thoughts with a prosperous mind-set.  Be bold and claim what is yours.

This week's meditation:

Lord open my eyes.  I am determined to see.  
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​Monday's Blessing
Philippians 4:19

"My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

My mom grew up with that "poverty mentality". That's all she ever knew. She lived through the Great Depression and was a master on how to make "things last". I can still remember one of my first visits after securing my own home.  There on the kitchen desk lay an enormous mound of carefully torn paper.  "What is that for?" I asked.

"Well, I know you probably throw out envelopes you receive in the mail.  But, look here, if you take  your letter opener, you can open the entire envelope and reuse it for scratch paper."

As years rolled on, it was if she came to expect poverty.  Her conversation was often riddled with, "Well, maybe you're right I do get a few blessings, but usually they're just crumbs. I'm never going to have anything more that what I have here."

This type of mentality states that you may be doing God a favor by staying poor.  God was always trying to bless and increase my mother's well-being.  But those blessings always seemed to be looked at like life's leftover crumbs.  

Does God want his children to be scraping by on life? Of course not!  The Bible clearly shows that God takes pleasure in prospering his children.  As his children prosper spiritually, physically, materially, their increase brings God a sense of satisfaction that we can only imagine.

Think of this way, what if I brought over my two children to you and their clothes had holes, their hair was uncombed, they had no shoes, and particles of dirt displayed on their bare arms? What would you be thinking? "Wow, this woman doesn't seem to take good care of her children," you'd state. Indeed, my children's poverty would be a direct reflection on me as their mother.  

Then how can you maintain that humble poverty attitude with God?  After all, he is our Father. Today, start looking through eyes of faith, seeing yourself rising to new levels.  See yourself prospering, and keep that image in your heart and mind.  You may be living in poverty at the moment, but don't ever let poverty live in you.  

This week's meditation:

God, I know you have better things in store for me.  Your dream for me is greater than I can imagine.

Monday's Blessing
Judges 6:12

"The Lord is with you , O valiant warrior."

I receive so many requests for prayers from individuals who are undergoing financial hardship.  This of course includes being taunted by debt collectors.  Last week I spoke of how to deal with creditors when they first contact you.  This week offers advice if you happen to be sued.

It's nice to think when you default on a bill that it will be magically written off by larger companies. After all, who would want to attempt to take a small claims debt to court?  The expenses alone incurred from a party who may never be able to compensate seems ludicrous.  But, from time to time, small debt notes are bought out by larger firms who higher collection agencies that house lawyers in the back room.  These types of companies may stop at nothing to receive collateral. 

One avenue is to secure a court order. Judgments give debt collectors much stronger tools to collect the debt from you. Depending on your state’s laws, the creditor may be able to:

• Garnish your wages
• Place a lien against your property
• Move to freeze all or part of the funds in your bank account. 

If you're sued, you should respond to the lawsuit. You can respond personally or through an attorney, but you must do so by the date specified in the court papers. Debt attorney's are not ranked high on the Internet if you live in a smaller community.  Rather than pull your hair out, call your state bar for a recommendation,  or legal aid.  

In many states, lawyers who are suing you will provide notice of the suit to you by certified mail.
Warning: You won’t be able to stop the lawsuit by refusing to accept the letter or by refusing to sign the receipt that shows you got the letter. By doing these things you’ll essentially be ignoring the lawsuit.
If you ignore a court action, it's likely that a judgment will be entered against you for the amount the creditor or debt collector claims you owe. Often the court also will award additional fees against you to cover collections costs or fees for attorneys
When you answer the lawsuit, the debt collector will have to produce evidence that proves to the court you owe the debt.  Make sure you ask for this.

Warning: You also may lose the ability to dispute that you owe the debt if a court issues a judgment against you.
A judgment is a court order. Only the court can change it. It's very difficult to get a judgment changed or set aside once the case is over. You have a much better chance to fight a collection in court if you defend the case than if you wait until a judgment is entered against you.

If you have a job, you can expect that collectors will try to get a piece of your paycheck. To gain access to this money, they'll work with your employer, not you. In wage garnishment, a portion of your wages will be deducted directly from your paycheck.

"Although not all states allow wage garnishment, this is typically the first thing that collectors are going to try since it's the most dependable way for them to get paid," says Gerri Detweiler, co-author of "Debt Collection Answers: How to Use Debt Collection Laws to Protect Your Rights." At most, collectors can take 25 percent of disposable earnings after Social Security and taxes.

If debt collectors discover that you have a checking account or savings account, they can serve the bank with a bank levy, and you'll receive notice that the bank has frozen funds on your account, says Labrador. A bank levy is when a bank account is frozen so you cannot access it while creditors take the funds that are owed to them."Then you'll have 21 days to tell them why it's not the lender's money. Otherwise, it will be pulled from your account to satisfy the judgment," she says.
With an attachment, collectors can take some types of personal property, such as your car or house, to sell to pay off your debt. But there are a number of restrictions that govern attachments. They usually can't take your car if it's the only one you have, and they can't take the home that you live in. But they can take second homes, second cars and other valuable property such as boats or land, says Detweiler.

Either way, when you are served take time and consult an attorney in your state to learn more about your rights if you are sued on a debt. Some attorneys may also offer free services, or charge a reduced fee. You may wish to find an attorney who has experience in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and debt collection issues. 

Remember God sees you as a champion.  You may not be able to embrace that concept at the moment, but this doesn't change God's view one bit.  You may feel unqualified, insecure, or overwhelmed by it all - but pray for wisdom and see yourself as a victor!

Monday's Blessing
Matthew 9:29

"The Lord touched their eyes, saying, "It shall be done to you according to your faith."

Nothing is more unnerving then being harassed by a debt collection agency.  It's a noose that forever tightens making you cringe when you look at your alternatives.  The gullies of life are not paved comfortably and at some point along the way you'll probably be facing some sort of financial strife.  

For some reason when that first mailed letter is open, we'd like to magically think it will be written off especially if it is a small debt. Sometimes, though, these small collections can be sold to larger legal corporations trying to find an advantage to increase that original request in the way of attorney fees, court costs, and interest.  Of course, once you open a letter from a legal debt collector who contains a law firm, you're in a whole new ball park.  

This type of legal representation firm knows each line of an already instituted law system to use as their leverage that you don't.  After all, they outright purchased the debt for an initial sum that they are forced to make revenue on.  This revenue will come out of just one mistake on your part.

With a prayerful heart, through the eyes of faith, there are a few things you can do.  First take a moment and sit quietly speaking to the Lord.  Open your heart and mind to that inner voice you hear.  There are often incidents that may have been swept under the rug and forgotten.  God will help reawaken these thoughts to help you.  Second, don't despair, place it right at God's feet. Don't allow an unlawful law firm to take advantage of you, making you panic.  There are things you can put in place right now at this moment.  

When dealing with debt collectors, you have plenty of rights, thanks to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Here are six things to know when a third-party debt collector contacts you.

1. Get the information in writing. Within five days of contacting you, a collector must send you a written notice telling you the amount of money you owe, the name of the creditor and what action to take if you believe you don't owe the money, according to the debt collection act.
2. If you don't believe you owe the money, dispute the debt in writing. If you send the collection agency a letter within 30 days of receiving the written notice stating you do not owe money, a debt collector cannot contact you. Make sure you keep a copy of the letter as part of a paper trail on your debt, says Gerri Detweiler, the Sarasota, Fla.-based co-author of "Debt Collection Answers: How to Use Debt Collection Laws to Protect Your Rights." Furthermore, make sure you send your response certified mail. 
3. Keep records of phone calls and messages. Keep a file with notes from phone conversations and copies of all written correspondence to and from the collector. Write down the day and time of every collection call, the collection agency's name, the amount it says you owe and a summary of the conversation, Detweiler says. "That paper trail could be essential if it turns out the debt collector breaks the law," says Detweiler. 
4. Debt collectors have many restrictions. When it comes to collection calls, the debt collection act says there is a lot collectors cannot say or do.  See FTC practicing act above.
5. Say little and stand firm. If a debt collector calls keep the conversation as short as possible. And stay focused and calm, no matter what a debt collector may say. "Stick with the facts," Detweiler says. "Be a broken record."
6. Don't be afraid to negotiate. Times are tight and debt collectors are looking for whatever payments they can get. There is a good chance you can work out a deal to pay less than the full amount. "Start right out of the gate offering 10 percent to 15 percent of what they say you owe," Ulzheimer says. "Then, probably settle somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 percent to 50 percent." Detweiler says before you pay, be sure to get details of the deal sent to you in writing. Once you've gotten written confirmation of the agreement, you can send your payment. Be sure to pay with a cashier's check rather than a personal check.
   
   Remember, when we close our eyes, and open up God's shield to protect us, we will see great things.  Be a big dreamer, see those initial litigation plans drying up, believe the grace of God has your back.  Don't make little plans.  Take a few minutes each day to envision this case being closed.  Envision yourself out of debt.  Envision rising to better financial recovery in the future.  If you establish this picture in your heart and mind, God can begin to bring it to pass in your life. ​