5 Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas It’s a four-word catchphrase seen on magnets, bumper stickers and December blog posts, denouncing our cultural emphasis on consumerism: Keep Christ in Christmas. It’s easy to say, but how do we put it into action? And how do we do so without self-righteously condemning anything that has to […]
6 Ways to Simplify Your Financial Life If dealing with your finances feels like a chore, it may be time to simplify. Here are six suggestions you can use today. Hopefully they’ll help you spend less time thinking about money and more time doing the things you love. Auto pay everything Aside from attacking our […]
Don’t Miss This Forgotten Christmas Gift A few years ago, my husband and I moved to Charlotte, North Carolina and started attending Mecklenburg Community Church. It was there that we first heard about a concept that, frankly, I was a little embarrassed hadn’t occurred to us a long time ago. The idea is simple enough: […]
Don’t Fall into the Home Improvement Trap Remember when the only home improvement show on prime time TV starred Tim Allen and had almost nothing to do with actual home repairs? Now home improvement shows are everywhere—Extreme Home Makeover, Love It or List It and Curb Appeal are a few of the dozens of reality […]
5 Things I Do Before Buying Anything When it’s time to go shopping—whether you’re walking into a store or surfing the web—you want to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible. And locking in a great deal comes down to more than just “sale” signs. Below are five things I’ve learned to do before […]
Sometimes my prayers sound like a heavenly To Do List for God. I fill in different names and circumstances depending on the day. Oh, God, please heal _________ from _________. Comfort _________, who is struggling with _________. Keep _________ safe while he travels. Show my skeptical friend, _________ that you love her. Forgive me for […]
Christmas shopping stresses me out. I can think of about 20 reasons why, but I’ll just give you my top five: Big family, small budget, mall crowds, time crunch, and what I like to call “gift perfectionism”—the unhealthy need to track down the perfect gift for each person on my list, from my husband to […]
I’ve heard it said that there’s a difference between “simple” and “easy.” The steps to getting and staying out of debt are simple, but they’re not easy. If they were, everyone would be debt free. Here’s another truth about financial freedom: it takes more than willpower. Maybe you’re struggling to get (or stay) on […]