Phase 1 Complete!!!

Well, I haven't been in touch lately. And for that, I apologize. A lot has been going on (not that this is unusual for 2011) First of all, I come to you from a recliner, where I have made a home this past week. I am having some health challenges with my lower back. They are not new challenges, but they are back in a more fierce way than ever before. I am thankful that I met my insurance deductible early this year and because of that, I was okay with getting an MRI and whatever other tests they wanted to give me. After 3 times of my back "going out" in the past 3 years, I figured it was time to find out what was going on. It looks as if there are 2 discs that are not doing so well in my lower lumbar. This is not an old age thing, not an active injury thing - this is an injury you find in people like me - who sit for a living. That's what I do. The most active part of me is my arms and hands. That's about it. :) The better my career has gone, the worse I've let my health go. So, it's on me really. I am finally sick and fed up with. Something about knowing that 35 is around the corner... wow, that's just too old to not try to get all of this fixed up NOW. So please stand with me in faith that I am HEALED (1 Peter 2:24), God will fix all my wounds (Jeremiah 30:2) and I will be like new in no time!!!

Now, how about some praise reports?!!! :)

Today, I had my kind neighbor Jen drive me to run some errands today. My back was hurting, but I had a very important thing on my calendar for today and I was not going to miss it. I needed to go to the bank. I had a couple deposits to make and one big withdrawal - as scheduled. I took out $1100 in cash and put it in an envelope and paid off our last final "small" debt. Between medical bills and credit lines and little "past dues" here and there... all our "small" debts were equal to a rather large debt. Tonight marked the last one!!! In the past 4 months, we have paid off $8200 in debt!!!! WOO-HOO!!!! AND we had another $8500 in debt cancelled for us!!!! I wrote a couple blogs ago about our credit card settlement that took off $3000 and the state-wide student loan thing that removed $2500 off my student loan balance. Then a couple weeks later, Dustin's grandma wanted to do something for us with some of the money pop left her and so she paid of Dustin's student loan!!! So, that is $16,700 of debt GONE in just 4 months!!!!

As you read this, I beg of you THREE things:

1. Don't get caught up in the numbers: If you don't have a lot of debt and it seems crazy to you that we have so much, try not to judge. We all make mistakes in different ways. I'm just so glad we have LEARNED from them! :)
   
2. Don't get caught up in the numbers: If you have a debt that you feel like you will never pay off and you see that we did that much in just 4 months... Don't be disappointed. God will do it for you too!!! I used to be YOU! I was YOU! I was watching friends with big breakthroughs and amazing stories of faith and debt cancellations. And I couldn't understand it. What was I doing wrong?! It's not that you are doing anything wrong! In my case... I had not yet fully learned to trust God (thus the reason I kept falling back on credit to get me out of pinches) LISTEN TO ME: If God can do it for us, HE WILL DO IT FOR YOU!!! You have to be open to His miracles!!! I am SO thankful that He is doing all these cool things behind the scenes for us because He is reminding me that it's not just me. It's not just because of this corporate job. It's not just because of my talents. It's not just because of Dustin's job. GOD is doing exceedingly above what we can do!!! Which brings me to #3...
   
3. NOW - LOOK AT THE NUMBERS!!! We paid off $8200, BUT GOD took care of $8500!!! HE BEAT US!!! :) We did our best and He did better!!! Proof that God will meet and exceed you! It reminds me of parents who tell their kids "I'll match whatever you save for your car" We have done our part in learning our lessons and applying them to our lives (see my 3-step plan HERE) and God has more than matched us!!! HOW AWESOME is that!!!

So now the Reschs enter into "Phase 2" & "Phase 3". We are now paying off our 2 remaining personal credit cards. That is Phase 3 (but we are sowing into it now). Phase 2 is to save the rest of our first 1/2 of a down payment for our house!!! That's right!!! HOW EXCITING! Now we are in a phase where we get to save for a long-awaited dream!!! WOO-HOO! As we continue on Phase 2 & Phase 3, believe with us for more amazing testimonies. We are living a life that we wish to one day bless others with!!! 

I couldn't wait to share with you! If I were able to do it, I'd do a happy dance and post it. Honestly, I'm doing a half-way one in my recliner right now. I can't help it! What is more exciting than paying off debt?!! Oh... perhaps buying a house!!! I'll have to let you know! God is AMAZING! It still doesn't make sense to me, which is why I have to continue to trust Him. Looking at the numbers, we are way ahead of where we SHOULD be. But that's why we stand in faith!

Love to you all! Thanks for your prayers! Will post a praise report on my back very soon!!! :)

Financial Scriptures: Words to stand on!

Hey friends! Well, it's been a whirlwind of a week preparing for the new job. I have received several messages from many of you requesting the financial scriptures. I plan on going through my favorites and what they mean to me and how I stood on them and how they have come to reality in our lives (not just thru this new job, but in many areas!)

I also want to talk to you about FEAR, as I believe that fear is the greatest defeater any of us will ever know. If you stand on these scriptures, you have to make sure it's in faith and not in fear. Don't feel condemned by that (that can lead to a downhill spiral). When I started standing on these for finances and on the healing scriptures for my health - it was often in fear. Most of my life was controlled by fear. It's truly the Devil's greatest weapon - and it's all smoke & mirrors. Here is a great story Joyce Meyer shares (in my own words)

There was a village where children played freely. There was a mountain nearby and the children told ghost stories of the monster on top of the mountain. Some children attempted to climb the mountain, but as they climbed, they would hear this roar coming from above. One by one, they would turn around and come back down as quick as they could. Then one day, a boy looked up and said "I will get to the top!" He and his friends started out. As they climbed higher, the roars got louder. One by one, every boy turned around except for the one. He trembled as he took each step, nearing the top. When he finally reached the top, he saw a small animal about a foot off the ground, about 5 lbs, cute & furry. The boy was shocked "Are YOU what was making all that noise?!" The animal opened it's mouth and only a squeak came out. That's what fear is! It's an idea, a roar from a defeated enemy! It's his last hope to keep us from our destiny!!! Climb that mountain and no matter what happens, KEEP CLIMBING! You may tremble, but keep going - knowing it is never as bad as your mind tells you. KEEP CLIMBING!! You have an over comer inside of you!!! And if you feel fear, it's okay - DO IT AFRAID!!! And then the fear will fade! I will talk more about this in future posts, but for now...

Here are the financial scriptures you can start standing on TODAY! I encourage you to quote them and MEDITATE on them. Quote them several times, close your eyes and say them, absorbing each word. Eventually, you will memorize them - not just in your mind, but in your heart! And THAT is when things will begin to change! I also encourage you to do this EVERY day!!! Challenge yourself, make it a priority!!! If it's a priority to have a breakthrough, work on it! Be sure to quote the passage as well - that is what gives us power - quoting where the promises are in the Bible.

***ALSO, KEY*** Replace generic "your", "their" words with "My" Make the promise FOR YOU. For example, in #10, I say "And my God shall supply all MY need..." This makes it personal promises just for YOU! Of course, all the verses ARE for you, but it helps build the faith in your heart. :)

I will be back soon to blog about specific scriptures! Love you guys! I pray the last one (#22) over you!!! ENDURE!!!

1. Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. - 3 John 2
2. I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. - Psalm 37:25
3. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. - Psalm 34:10
4. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. - Psalm 23:1
5. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:
   ³ “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.
   ⁴ “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.
   ⁵ “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
   ⁶ “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
   ⁷ “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.
   ⁸ “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you..- Deuteronomy 28:2-8 
6. And the LORD will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you. ¹² The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. ¹³ And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. - Deuteronomy 28:11-13
7. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. - Luke 6:38
8. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “ If I will not open for you the windows of heaven, And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. ¹¹ “ And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the LORD of hosts; ¹² And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the LORD of hosts. - Malachi 3:10-12
9. “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. - Matthew 6:31-33
10. And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus - Philippians 4:19
11. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. - Joshua 1:8
12. Thus saith the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD your God which teaches you to profit, and leads you by the way you should go. - Isaiah 48:17
13. And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. - Deuteronomy 8:18
14. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. - Proverbs 3:5-10
15. Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the LORD charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed. - 1 Chronicles 22:13
16. ¹ Blessed is the man
             Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
             Nor stands in the path of sinners,
             Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
     ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
             And in His law he meditates day and night.
     ³ He shall be like a tree
             Planted by the rivers of water,
             That brings forth its fruit in its season,
             Whose leaf also shall not wither;
             And whatever he does shall prosper. - Psalm 1:1-3
17. Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established. - Proverbs 16:3
18. Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established;
    ⁴ By knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches. - Proverbs 24:3-4
19. If they obey and serve Him, They shall spend their days in prosperity,
    And their years in pleasures. - Job 36:11
20. Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. - Colossians 4:1
21. not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; - Romans 12:11
22. ³⁵ Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. ³⁶ For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: - Hebrews 10:35-36