Aug7Written by:BlogForLadies
8/7/2011 5:53 PM 
Today is probably the best day of my life (since I came to the United States that is). I never knew I would see this day- well at least not so soon, but God has done it for me! Today marks the day when I became debt free!! Yes, you read that right! My school loan is paid off, my credit card debt is paid off and so is my car loan. Today, I made the last payment and paid off my car! All I can think of is- Ebenezer! This far, my God has brought me. Please let me take you back to the journey of my life, and let you in on why I am celebrating this milestone.
Seven years ago, a young woman landed from Africa, full of ambition and energy. My dreams were larger than life itself. See, most us had this illusion of what the American dream was like. We thought that once an individual set his or her foot to America, there was someone waiting to hand them dollars. Most of us thought that money flowed like the rivers in our motherland, and that life was easy. So most of us just dreamed of coming to America probably not even knowing what we wanted to do. For me, I came as an ambitious graduate student who wanted to acquire as much education as possible to enable me to change the world. Most of those dreams have died, but that would be a story for another day.
So I got here and went to school. Little did I know how hard life would turn out to be. In a country of bills, I soon discovered that nothing came free in America and the dreams I had, were just illusions. Reality hit hard when I was presented with international school fees bills at the end of each semester. I needed a car to take me to school and work. I needed to pay rent, electricity, insurance, the cell phone bill and other necessities, not to forget food and clothing. I soon realized that life was not going to be easy.
As life got tougher and tougher, at the counsel of friends, I got credit cards which made life seem easier as I only had to swipe a card and voila! I got whatever I wanted. Soon, I started getting clothes, eating out, buying groceries and acquiring many luxuries that I had been unable to afford before this “ blessing” of credit cards. Soon I was deep into credit card debt and I had no way of paying the balances. The late payments I made messed up my credit and my rates skyrocketed, but that was only the beginning of the dilemma. I still needed to pay my school fees and I was introduced to a bank that made getting loans as easy as ABC. I remember my first loan was for three thousand dollars, then six thousand dollars, then upon graduation, I treated myself to my “dream car”, a Toyota Rav 4. I thought life was just happening for me! I felt on top of the world! To cut the long story short, I was thirteen thousand dollars into debt, and if you think that is not a huge debt, try paying two hundred and fifty dollars each paycheck with an eight dollar an hour job. It is a real misery; I cannot even begin to explain how much I suffered for my folly.
One day, I realized how badly I had messed up my life and began to ask God to help me pay off all my debt. Sometimes, it looked impossible and useless to pray over it, but I kept on paying what I could and trusting God that one day, I would finish paying off the debt. Late last year, I finished paying off the school loan and believed God to help me finish paying off the remainder this year. I even fasted and prayed to God for help regarding this debt.
Today, I am glad to report that God made a way out of an event that I thought would destroy me. I got into a minor accident and the insurance paid me for the repair of my car. Luckily, I got a really nice deal at the repair shop, and the remaining amount paid off my car loan. God in his kindness did not let me walk the entire nine yards; he carried me through the last two miles. The remaining amount was big enough to keep me in debt a whole year, but God cancelled the debt for me. So today, I can only say, this far, my God you have brought me! I am debt free at last!!
As I ponder on the word of God, I realize how foolish I was to get into so much debt. I wanted to be like other people; to live a lie, convincing myself that I was okay yet I was not. I relied on human beings for counsel instead of asking God what provisions he had for me. I took loans instead of first asking my God to make a way for me. Yes, I relied on my own human understanding instead of trusting God with all my heart. Wow, I have truly grown from my experience and now, standing on the other side, I can only say that I can now see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. I thank God from the bottom of my heart for letting me see this beautiful day. The feeling of being debt free is priceless. Oh how I love it!
I would like to encourage all those reading this and who are into huge debt, that we have a father in heaven that loves and understands us. He knows where you are, even if you, like I did, got there because of your own foolishness or disobedience. Take time today to pray over your debt. Commit it to the Lord and ask him to lead you to that place where the only debt you will owe is that of loving others. It may seem as if you are all alone or that there is no help on the way, but trust me, God answers prayer and in his own time, he will show up and set you free.
I have learnt my lesson, and now, I want to follow God’s principles as far as managing finances is involved. I pray that God help me stay debt free so he can use me in a mighty way in his kingdom. I have seen the very hand of God on this day, and as I look at the journey I have made to this day, I can only say that my God carried me. Be blessed as you wait on the Lord.