Delores Liesner
Activating Faith in everyday life
Before you buy the ticket, know the ultimate destination.
Doesn’t that just describe to a “T” the spontaneous, emotional decisions that got so much of the world in debt or overweight!
I know I’ve been there.
A couple of days ago I thought man, I’m halfway through the first month of living without credit – how am I going to last a whole year. But, we will. Each day brings
little decisions that have to be rethought from the former automatic, ‘get out the plastic’ reaction.
I loved the title quote – from a study in Proverbs and am determined to follow the suggestion and examine the ultimate destination before every financial decision. Although finances are what Proverbs is talking in this instance, it is set in the middle of a discussion about purity and encourages us to stay in the Word so we won’t commit spiritual adultery. Now there is a destination I’ve seldom thought about when making spontaneous decisions. Asking how this purchase, this decision, could affect my relationship with the Lord and where the ultimate destination this decision would take me should surely slow down my reflexes to jump into things and regret it later.
As a couple we already have a plan to discuss any decision over a set amount, because without those parameters the ultimate destination is at the least a disagreement, at worst a long-term struggle to undo a hasty decision. We’ve learned that the hard way, and so decided not to ‘jump into’ the out-of-our-budget dance lessons.
As often happens, God blessed that decision and our “revised ticket” came via email today – an announcement of local dance lessons that we could afford. and recommended by someone we trust. We’ve signed up and will start Feb. 2 – just enough time to recover from the other little ticket I shouldn’t have bought….
But that’s another story.
Luke 14:28 “Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it?
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Be the Miracle! – with journaling pages
Delores Liesner: Author
American Christian Fiction Writers Association
Delores Liesner 
I remember when we first decided to build our home. Oh, the challenges we would face. We were scared! We did not feel confident that not only would the house get built, but could we afford all the hidden cost that came with it. Mortgage?(which doubled from our rent), Gas and Electric (which doubled), Insurance, (which doubled), property taxes (which tripled; more acreage). Then came all the BIG boy toys…bigger lawnmower and snow blower, extra garage to put them in, etc. Up until the point of making the big leap of faith in a new financial world, we had made pretty good financial decisions together. So, we jumped in the car on a Sunday afternoon and went scouting some land for our new house to be built. We began trusting the Lord to confirm that we would be responsible in our adventure of securing a new home out in the country. We have opened and shared our home with family and many friends along the way. Today, I can say we made a good decision and still trust in our Lord, to help us be financially responsible. IJN
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