medium_5857375238 (1)When a police officer phoned me at dawn and told me my mom died, a bible verse pierced my heart.

God spoke priorities that morning in my kitchen. He talked money. 

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 1 Timothy 6:7, NIV

My mom loved to spoil me with the things she lacked growing up. She spoiled herself too. Shoes and clothes, some with price tags attached, spilled from her bedroom closet. Never-used kitchen gadgets overflowed drawers. She filled up with stuff love. Still. . .

I praise our God of hope that by the Holy Spirit, she became a believer in her last days. 

Financial Frenzy

My internet friend Carrie Stone was the first person I met who had a home foreclosure and career upheaval.

You can listen to her story of fear and foreclosure and more on this replay of my online radio talk show. Click this link.  You may check out her book Defeating Fear here.

Then many For Sale signs poked lawns throughout  my town. Friends lost their jobs. Husbands too. Teens hunted for fast-food work and few found it.

My husband switched careers. I found extra work to make ends meet. In the midst of the craziness, I’ve remembered the Bible verse I heard in my heart the day my mom died: We take no stuff to heaven. Stuff is stuff of next-to-no value.

My worth, your worth, isn’t determined by a back account balance or possessions. God determines your worth: YOU ARE ONE IN A MILLION.

Do you believe that you have amazing worth? What or who determines your worth?

What Financial Crisis Feels Like

Financial loss plays a huge part in emotional and spiritual life of a woman and her family. It can bring on feelings of anger, fear, and despair as well loss of self-confidence.

Second-guessing your decisions and actions suck up your energy and time, and spiral to more anger, fear and despair. “If only I had . . .” becomes a sick mantra.

On top of this, women and couples tend to keep money problems to themselves, compounding their shame. They fear what others will say. Sadly, some friends and family say highly painful things, like:

You should have known better.

You were irresponsible with money as a child. This prove you haven’t learned.

What did you do to lose your job?

How to Help Someone in Financial Crisis

3 things to do.

1. Listen attentively and do not judge. Consider asking, “How are you doing with this?”

2. If God have given you the ability to help financially, consider buying a week of groceries or paying a bill for the family in crisis. Ask your small group or Sunday school to help too.

3. Pray with your friend about God’s faithfulness and care. Great scriptures are Matthew 6:25-26, Isaiah 41:10, and Philippians 4:18,19.

3 things to avoid.

1. Hurtful responses are things like, “Didn’t you check out the history of the investment?” and “It could be worse” and “Look on the bright side.”

2. Make yourself available to support but do not take on their problem and try to  solve it.

3. Don’t give unwanted financial advice. Rather, point her to church and community resources.

Ultimately, choose to trust Jesus. Say, “I will trust you, Jesus” when you feel discouraged or overwhelmed. God knows what you are going through and he has wonderful plans for all of his precious children.

Did you know that any crisis, including financial loss and unemployment, brings on emotional, physical, and spiritual turmoil? As a certified biblical counselor who has help thousands women — especially through meetings on Skype and Google Hangout — I’d love to point your to hope too.

COUNSELING: Check out my counseling page to learn more.

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