Online Budget Tool

Here is an online budget tool that you may find useful. It's a good stareting point when thinking through a budget and how much should go each category in your budget based on your current income.

Check it out here.

God Our Provider

1 Timothy 6:6-10

What a great reminder that God is my (and your) provider. That all we have comes from Him. And for me there is tremendous contentment in claiming that truth. This scripture reminded me of another scripture:

Proverbs 30:7-9 (NIV)
"Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

I agree with Agur on this one! And for me, I can only have that kind of heart when I understand that nothing that I have is mine to start with. At the end of ownership is contentment - contentment starts when my ownership dies.

Dave Ramsey Interviews

Click here to launch the Dave Ramsey (Financial Peace University) interviews. We are grateful to Hope Presbyterian Church in Cordova, Tennessee for sharing these with us.

Budget Resources

Here are a few budgeting resources that may be useful to you. Check back tomorrow for a link to the interviews I mentioned yesterday.

Budget Worksheet
This can be useful to understand where you are currently at and/or to create a pro-active ongoing budget.

Monthly Cashflow Plan
This form can be used to help you pre-plan your monthly expenses.

Irregular Income Worksheet
This form can be used to help those who have commission-based incomes manage their expenses.

Note: All of these forms are from Financial Peace University (www.daveramsey.com/fpu/home)

Matthew 11:1-6

Let's not be deceived - God is still at work in our midst and He is still in control. During tough times it is easy to come to the point of thinking that God doesn't care or that He isn't powerful enough to affect our world and our lives. It is critical that during the tough times that we draw close to God through His Word and through prayer.

Please be in prayer for your church and you church family during these times of economic uncertainty. There are several people among us that have been laid off and are struggling to make ends meet. Be praying for them.

Uganda Slideshow

In case you missed the "Experience Uganda OneLife Time" last Friday, you can check out the slideshow video that Carolyn Griebe put together. Thanks to Carolyn for sharing her OneLife with us.

800lb. Gorilla #3: Economic Fear

The Think It Through for this week can be found here. Remember to check back during the week for additional resources that can help you in navigating uncertain economic times.

3 Myths that we can buy into:

1. Wealth creates security
2. More leads to happiness
3. We own anything

6 Points of Action:

1. Stay connected to God's Word (see sample plans)
2. Assess where you are currently at financially
3. Create a plan (budget)
4. Communicate and talk
5. Continue to work hard
6. Simplify
   

Faithwalker Teachings

The teachings from the Faithwalkers conference have been posted here. I personally wasn't able to go nor have I listened to any of these yet, but I hear form others that there were a lot of really great teachings. We hope you are blessed by what you find.

Reminder: Experience Uganda "OneLifeTime"

Just a reminder the Experience Uganda "Onelife Time" will be this Friday evening from 7:00 - 8:30 pm at the OneLife Center. It is always encouraging to see how God is working all over the world. Come and see what He is up to in Uganda, Africa.

800 lb Gorilla: Doubt, Dreams, Dropout

The Think It Through for this week can be found by clicking here.

Day Seven Church Blog Moved

For the past several months Day Seven and Summitview have been sharing this blog. However, because different weekend messages are being taught at the two churches, sharing a single blog that is "message focused" really doesn't work any more. This blog will continue to host Think It Through for Summitview and the new Day Seven Church Think It Through blog has moved and can be found at http://day7-thinkitthrough.blogspot.com.

New Series at Summitview

We will be starting a new series this week at Summitview. Invite a friend to come along with you as we kick of the new year together.

New Day Seven Series

We will be starting a new series at Day Seven this week called "Ready, Set, Go!" Invite someone to come along as we kick off a new year together.

Happy New Year!

May God richly bless you in this new year! We are looking forward to what God will do in us and through us (all of us) in the coming year.