Encourage someone today.

This has kinda become my social media mantra. As much as I’m putting this message out there to remind people to make an effort to be there for someone else, I am really reminding myself and putting myself on blast to make sure I stay accountable for my actions. This last 1-2 years (maybe more.. I’ve lost count…) has been a season of waiting, wondering, longing, dreaming, of so many things I can’t even begin to explain. For a while I kept myself in a selfish mindset- almost locking myself in and wondering WHY can’t these things come to pass for me. Why did I graduate college, still not know what direction I am “supposed” to take? Why can’t I just make things happen for myself and why am I waiting?! I would dread my work day and stay praying and wishing for this season to end.

But you know what that was doing for me?

It was creating a mindset revolved around ME *dangerous, unhealthy*.

“Why isn’t this working for ME?”

“Why do I have to do this?”

“Why can’t I have that, or why can’t I be like that?”

Oh girl, you need to stop thinking of yourself.

YOU

ARE

NOT

THE

POINT.

The Bible gives a clear command. Love of God and love of others. I wasn’t finding purpose in my every day because I was only thinking of myself in my everyday… full well knowing that is NOT what I am called to and WILL always leave me feeling empty.

Jesus Christ said Himself “ I came to serve and not to be served.”

Well friends, I am called to die to my flesh daily and to allow His spirit to work in me and transform me to look more like Jesus. I wasn’t allowing room for transformation by literally throwing myself a daily pity party.

Through God’s amazing amazing grace, He is leading me through the season of “Woe is Allison,” to “Wake Up Allison”.

“Wake up and see the opportunity to love and serve the people I have given you, in the circumstance I have given you. How are you stewarding this time and moment in life well? Is it to serve yourself? Or is it to serve people, ultimately serving Jesus?”

He planted a simple phrase in my heart, “Encourage someone today.” It can start there. It can start out that simple. I can choose to flip the scenario in my mind from “what can I do to make MY life better today, to what can I do to brighten up someone else’s day? Who needs encouragement? Instead of seeking to make my workday better, how can I make my co-workers day better?

Can I bring encouragement to someone through words, time, finances, gifts, simple acknowledgement?

I would start to pray every day, “God, who can I encourage today?”

And He has shown up in so many ways- ya’ll He is for real amazing.

When I take the time to ask Him who I can reach out to- He has not failed to bring someone’s name to my mind, or face on my feed, or even bring someone through the doors of my workplace. I know in my heart that He can use me to encourage, speak truth and light, and care for others. I do not do it perfectly, in fact, I fail daily and sometimes I even forget this message myself. But He always loves people perfectly. Because people matter so much to God. He sent is Son Jesus to die for my neighbor, for the person I follow on Instagram and like their image but never even bother to comment or reach out to. He died for them too, so there is really no excuse for me, I can get out there and be there for people. I don’t lack purpose because I have a desk job right now. God has given me plenty of opportunity to serve others and serve Him right where I’m at. That is everyday purpose friends.

MORAL OF THE QUOTE- flip your mindset. Live the command to love your neighbor- encourage someone each and every day. Whatever that needs to look like.

If you’ve read this far I’m pleading with you to stop. Stop and ask God to actually work on you. Ask Him where HE wants you to go, and not where you would rather be or are convincing yourself to go. He places people in your life and positions you in certain areas for a reason. Don’t overlook what He is calling you to do because you can’t get your eyes off of yourself. Just surrender & watch how He can transform you.

5 Bible Reading Tips

If you have never picked up a Bible before before or if reading it is confusing for you or if you want to read it more consistently, I wrote this with you in mind because I’ve been there too.

Maybe you’re not the girl that has the natural skill to sit down and doodle journal in your Bible for hours. Maybe you aren’t necessarily a reader and reading anything daily doesn’t excite you. I feel that so much! But God’s word isn’t just “anything” to read. It is such a crucial part of your relationship with Him (obvi bc it’s His Word!) The Bible itself says its living & active. We know it’s important!!

Still nothing about reading and studying comes naturally exciting to me. But I think it’s okay to talk about this. When I accepted Christ, I still wrestled with a lack of desire or care to read (because I don’t read anything… ever). But that’s a part of my flesh that I have to surrender to Him daily and ask for help. I don’t want “I don’t like to read,” to be an excuse to never pick up the Bible. How sad would that be if I never surrendered that part of me to God? I want to know Him more, so I need to open His word and learn from Him as a regular occurrence. I am not perfect at this… but He has led me to some wonderful people that have taught me and encouraged me to create Bible reading habits. I want so share these with you! I hope they help you to give up your excuses and dive in to His word. (Watch it change ya.)

Tip 1:

Check the version you’re reading. You may not have even known there are different versions/translations of the Bible. A lot of people either don’t know or pay much attention to the version they are reading. So many people reach for the King James Version (which nothing is wrong with it), but it does read superrrrr old English and you don’t want the verbiage to be a stumbling block for you to start figuring out what reading the Bible is all about.

Here are my suggested versions:

-ESV, is a great translation. My church teaches out of this version and so do a lot of other churches!

-NIV, some think it’s a little easier to read than ESV. It’s a real popular version too.

-NLT, I’ve heard is more of a “paraphrase version”- but from what I understand, it is known to be one of the most accurate paraphrases. I have been loving reading this version along with ESV. It helps me understand some of the wording so much easier!!!

–MSG, is very paraphrased. So I would suggest for sure reading this version alongside of the ESV version if you’re having trouble understanding the text. Checking multiple translations helps me so much.

(Side note: A lot of people don’t know that the Bible was not originally written in English- so that’s why there are so many English translations to pick from.)

Tip 2:

Get the YouVersion Bible app. Let’s be real, you’re not going to get through your day without your phone. You can literally install the Bible on your phone so you can read it wherever. This app also has so many versions to read (see the tip above for the suggested versions). You can choose to let the app send you a daily notification of their “verse of the day”, it’s another bonus way to get some bible reading in! A HUGE perk is that it comes with the audio version, so if you’re really struggling to stay focused, you can try reading along with the audio version. Honesty moment- I am not a great reader, so sometimes this method really makes a difference in me understanding the text.

Tip 3:

Get a bible reading plan! Honestly this has been a HUGE game changer for me. I’m a Bible college graduate and I stillllll never followed a reading plan until THIS PAST JANUARY. If you’re the personality who never really comes up with your own plan, or you’re kind of a spontaneous person & not always intentional etc. YOU GOTTA DO THIS. There are so many plans out there to choose from. I selected one that will take me through the Bible in a year. The YouVersion app has plans you can select based off of certain topics. If you are a super reader there are plans on the app that help you read it all in less than a year- crazy!

Here are some bonus tips:

1.Try reading your Bible in the same spot everyday to stay consistent. A speaker at a women’s conference suggested this. She said to challenge yourself to show up in the same spot everyday and read your bible for at least 20 mins and watch the habit create itself. Loved this tip!

2.Annotate it! Dig in. We all have our own unique study habits and skills… so we should apply them to how we study the Bible. I know a lot of people like to journal through it as they read. Some even paint in their Bible to help meditate on what the text is saying. I seriously lack the drive and attention it takes to draw and doodle pretty pages as I study (I so wish I could be that cute). If YOU are that skilled, and if drawing and doodling helps you meditate on the word, and to listen and learn… then DO THE THING. Personally, I’m a big fan of annotating text as I read it. I circle, underline, star etc. The point is that whatever study method works for you, try it out in your Bible reading time!

3.Ask questions!!!! If you read something you don’t understand, try reading it in a different version, ask someone for help, or do some research. It takes more effort on our part but we miss out if we skim over text and just say “meh it’s too hard to understand.” Context is everrryyyyythinnnnngggg. So study, get some commentaries, ask your pastor, mentor, or trusted friends. Buy a study Bible! You aren’t alone in reading scripture and you aren’t the first person who ever found it difficult to understand or read consistently.

 Most importantly:

Ask God for help. Ask him to change the side of you that would rather do all of the things than sit and read. He knows you are human and that you always need his help! Ask for help!

When we come to God’s word, it’s such a beautiful honor to hear from Him. Read it knowing you are loved, and that He gave us His word so we can know Him. We don’t have to wonder what to do or who we are. It’s right there!! The beautiful message of the gospel is forever bound inside. It’s actively teaching us and drawing us closer to Him.

Ask for His help- then enjoy the process. It’s time to get to reading!

Have any questions? Reach out to me on instagram, I’d love to help you make this step of learning how to read the Bible.

You are loved,

Allison Miller

Rest.

This is a concept that I wrestle with often. Sometimes I slip into laziness and give myself too much unproductive rest, and sometimes I deprive myself rest from work/worry/stress/activities.

So what’s the healthy in between?

I think healthy rest can look so different for different people (obvi)

But the fact is that only Jesus can provide the same true BEST rest for each of us. His rest comforts our mind & soul and entire being.

When we try and take control in different areas of our life that really in the end we don’t have too much control in- we can get so drained. Drained because we are filled with fear of things not going our way, worry about the what if’s, and the weight of having to bear things on our own and doing it all ourselves.

It’s so entirely draining. This sermon clip from Matt Chandler completely hit me hard but in the best way-

“When I feel powerless I try power up my gifts and control a situation and almost always make it worse- and then I feel fear because of my powerlessness and instead of RESTING in the one with all the power- and the one that’s able, in the Son of God, Christ, the Sovereign King of everything, I will put the weight on me, and in anger and EXHAUSTION I will try to fight my way forward to my own shame and the hurt of everybody around me.”

Equal with God sermon- link below.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-village-church-sermons/id82014403?i=1000429180970

Rest comes by trusting God and surrendering your desire to control the ins and outs of everything in your life.

So as I’m reminding myself to surrender control to God and find rest, I’ll remind you of this too.

We weren’t meant to play the role of our own creator- to make everything happen for ourselves on our own timeline. We physically and mentally cannot bear doing everything for ourselves on our own. When we chase that- we will not find rest. Trust in the one who can and DOES hold everything together.

Rest in Jesus. Rest in His control and ability to do all things. Trust that He has a purpose and all things work together for good. God is good!! You CAN rest in his power & wisdom for your life. You don’t have to do it on your own. He is with you and fights for you. He has won, He is King. Life is good and will always turn out good because of Him.

Remember you are so loved,

-Allison

How to make Body Butter with 3 ingredients.

Do you love DIYS? Girl me too! There are many recipes out there for homemade whipped body butter! And while those have inspired me, I’ve modified my recipe to where I make my amazing homemade body butter with just 3 simple ingredients (coconut oil, 100% raw organic Shea butter, & essential oil.) It’s been a life saver to make my own body butter, save money, & not use any chemicals in the process. It’s a win y’all!! Especially because it leaves your skin moisturized, glowing while giving you support from the oils!

Here are step by step instructions for making homemade whipped body butter with 3 simple ingredients:

You probably already have one of the ingredients in your pantry- coconut oil! I chose virgin coconut oil. I love to have the one that is STILL coconut scented because it adds to the yummy scent you are going to want in your body butter! I love to get coconut oil in glass jars so that I can re use the jar for other DIYS! (This kind is from Target)

The second ingredient is Shea Butter. I’ve tried kinds from Whole Foods, but so far I prefer the texture that comes from this kind of Shea butter. It’s only $9 at Target! And the ingredients are pure- heck to the yes.

Step one:

Combine equal parts Shea butter & Coconut oil and melt on medium-low heat. I measured a cup & a half of each. (I used a double boiler but you can also melt without it, just lower the heat)

Stir together until completely melted

Combine + Melt

Step two:

Pour into a bowl & let completely cool. You MUST let it completely harden. If you are impatient like me- you can stick it into the fridge to speed it up!! (But don’t forget about it and go to sleep like I did-whoops!! Can you see the frost on the bowl???)

Step three:

Whip it!

I used my Kitchen Aid, but a hand mixer is just fine! Ideally, you want it to be room temperature before you whip it- it makes it 10X easier!

Whip it until it’s nice & fluffy!

Step four:

Add your essential oil!!

If you want to do multiple kinds, then separate out your body butter into containers- then add each oil. I start out adding at least 6-10 drops of my oil. Once I stir it together, I’ll smell test it to make sure I’m getting all the oil I want! Add extra drops if you need more oil, or add extra body butter if you think it’s too potent.

Step 5 (optional):

Decorate your jars! Give as gifts!

Here are the essential oils I prefer to add into my body butter:

Lavender- for days of stress or when I’m feeling anxious

JOY- for days when I’m wanting to keep up my happy mood!

Peace & Calming- wear before bed for restful sleep support!

I only use one brand of essential oil & can stand by their quality. Here’s some more info on Essential oils and how you can get them wholesale:

https://allisonthinksoutloud.wordpress.com/2019/04/29/the-best-way-to-start-using-essential-oils

3 ingredient whipped body butter recipe:

*prep time 10-15 mins, cool time 1-2 hours, whip time 2 mins*

1. Combine equal parts coconut oil & Shea butter. (Usually 1cup – 1.5 cups of each is good)

2. Melt completely together on medium- low heat.

3. Wait for the mixture to cool COMPLETELY. (Cool in fridge to speed up)

4. Check that mixture is completely hardened & room temp (thaw from fridge if necessary)

5. WHIP IT- with hand mixer or kitchen aid. Until nice & fluffy!

6. Add in essential oils. If only one essential oil for the whole mixture- start out with 20 drops. If you want multiple flavors out of the mixture, separate base into jars then add essential oils to each. Try 10 drops and mix in.

7. Once you have your body butter to essential oil ratio figured out- you’re all done!! Keep sealed with a lid and it will stay fresh for a looooonggg time!

*remember, a little goes a long way! It is alllll oil after all!*

Here’s some tips on body butter use ideas:

Enjoy!

Remember,

You are loved so much by Him!

– Allison Miller

Have any questions? Connect with me over on Instagram! (@allisonnmillerrr)

The Best way to Start using Essential Oils.

Ever wonder how you can start using essential oils? Everyone is a beginner at using essential oils at some point & you can’t start learning now. And no, most of us are NOT aroma therapists. We are just people who want to reap the benefits of essential oils! There is so much hype around these bottles of plant juice, so how do you know where to start or what kind of essential oils to use? It can be made easy if you use the right brand. Here is some basic information on how to get started using essential oils and why you want to use them!

Let me explain….

Essential oils have changed the way I view my health, both mentally and physically (I’ll give you a hint, your mental and physical health is worthy of THE BEST support.)
Before essential oils, I didn’t care what I exposed myself too. I never read ingredients. I was battling stress & high blood pressure. I didn’t know that what we put into our bodies can effect us just as much as what we eat.
With essential oils, my husband and I have seen success in skin support, sleep support, stress management, seasonal support, immune support, & home care (just to name a few). Not only do I have a new understanding of wellness, I have been supported, encouraged, educated, & empowered the oils & the community I gained with them.
I took a chance on some oils 2 years ago without knowing much about them & have not looked back since. Essential oils have only enhanced my well being & let me have allllll of the life hacks and DIY’s a girl could ever ask for. I LOVE THEM!!!
They’ve provided a way for me to SAVE money & kick toxins out of my home and body. It’s so good, I have to share this with everyone!

But “WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL OILS???”

“Okay, so how do I use them? Do I have to change my routines?”

Not really….

“What do Oils do for me?”

“Can I just benefit from one?”

Sure! But the more you use essential oils, the more your body responds to them. Essential oils blended together can be quite the powerhouse and offer you some mega support. Like most things, there is power in numbers. You WANT multiple essential oils in your life. Different kinds can benefit you in different ways.

They also have some amazing history, they were used in ancient times for beauty & medicine (many countries still use them for these purposes today.. look it up!)

“Okay so, how do I know what kinds to get?”

I’m not gonna lie, on some foods I WILL just get the “Great Value”… but for essential oils…

QUALITY IS EVERYTHING. If you want to see benefits, you must get quality.

I only use Young Living Essential oils. I heard countless testimonies and success stories with their oils. I personally can stand by their quality, brand, and mission.

Their oils are the most organic & ethical you can get! They are THE leader of essential oils. The REAL deal.

Read about their Seed to Seal policy here-

http://www.seedtoseal.com/

Since there is no regulation on essential oils, other companies cut corners to save money. For example- add sweetner, floral water, synthetics.

Young Living has open farms- you can go see Seed to Seal in person and witness them cutting ZERO corners. Their oils ARE 100% pure.

They make it SUPER SIMPLE- to start.

I started using essential oils with a Young Living Starter Kit.

The starter kit includes the following oils:

Peppermint

Lemon

Thieves

Lavender

DiGize

Citrus Fresh

Valor

Raven

Panaway

Stress Away

Frankincense

Peace & Calming

The Starter Kit also includes:

A beautiful diffuser so you can benefit from your oils by inhaling (also freshens the air)

A sample of Thieves household cleaner (all chemical free & makes 2 spray bottles)

A sample of Ninxia

A thieves hand sanitizer (chemical free baby)

+ Wholesale prices on any future orders

+ BUT you are never obligated to order again, you can take the kit and leave.

Here are a few ideas of the things you can make with a Young Living Stater Kit:

I SAVE MONEY with this kit!

If you order your kit through my referral link below, you have the option of being added into my personal Facebook groups and 1 on 1 support from me while you learn to use your essential oils!

Here is the link to order your starter kit! It’s seriously so simple. (Ps. I recommend the dessert mist diffuser 😍)

https://www.youngliving.com/vo/…

Instructions:
+press continue on the first page
+continue again with my name
+select your diffuser (Desert Mist is a personal fav)
+enter your info

Wait for it to arrive &
+ get added into our groups for some more education & support (if you would like!)

 

Here’s a homemade whipped body butter recipe using essential oils!

https://allisonthinksoutloud.wordpress.com/2019/04/29/how-to-make-body-butter-with-3-ingredients/

Have any questions?

Connect with me over on instagram @allisonnmillerrr.

Remember,

you are so loved by Him!

Allison

5 Worship songs to listen to when you’re feeling down.

Do you ever just get in those moods? Nothing seems to be going right, you’re upset for a number of reasons. You know you need to breathe and take a moment.

Slowing down and connecting with God through worship is an amazing way to calm your spirit and trust God with what is going on with your day.

Here are my 5 go to worship songs that help me relax and feel close to the Lord:

1. Good Grace by Hillsong United

2. Raise a Hallelujah by Bethel

3. Living Hope by Phil Wickham

4. Peace be Still by Lauren Daigle

5. Tremble by Mosaic MSC

Check out my blog about Bible truths to remember when you are feeling down.

https://allisonthinksoutloud.wordpress.com/2019/04/05/truths-to-stay-strong-when-you-are-feeling-down/

I’d love to connect with you! I’m over on Instagram @allisonnmillerrr

Thanks for hanging!

You’re so loved by Him,

Allison

How your mindset can minimize your wardrobe.

I’ll probably never be girl who ALWAYS stays on top of the latest fashion trends but I’m becoming more and more okay with it. And if you’re the girl who’s thing is fashion & shopping- THEN YOU GO GIRL.

Both types of girls are beautttifulllll- regardless of your fashion choices & how full your closet is.

My husband and I saved to pay off our student loans for 3 years and only bought clothes that were NECESSARY. (Winter coat, ripped jean replacements, etc)

In the beginning, I knew we needed to stay committed to our budget so that we can meet our financial goals- but I was being tugged into keeping up with everyone else because that’s what girls do right?

We shop.

We compare.

We “have to” keep up.

Thankfully,

My husband is amazing and was supportive when I needed to get new clothes & things here and there to “keep up”.

But you know what?

It never really made me feel more content.

It’s silly to think that “keeping up”, and focusing on what we can keep consuming will make us content.

Through lots of prayer, God has shifted my focus to have gratitude for what I have. To be minimalistic in what I choose to consume. There are certain things I value and will invest in (hello my essential oils & fancy coffee), because they make me happy.

& because I know my worth is in Christ & not in anything this world wants to tell me I need to measure up.

I’m not saying I’ll never buy trendy clothes. But I am saying that it’s freeing to know that I don’t need them for worth…or to “keep up.”

I’ve had my eye on some articles of clothing I will buy, but it’s not from an outburst of emotion.

It’s from a place of contentment and thankfulness for what I already have and that I can be mindful of the new clothes I choose to purchase.

And to know that they don’t define me & I can live happily in the same clothes for the rest of my life if it came to that.

So ladies,

Keep being you.

You don’t have to compare and compete.

You’re beautiful just the way you are, with your own set of gifts & characteristics.

Keep embracing who God made you to be. Which is unique to YOU.

If you liked this blog I would appreciate a follow!

Here’s my blog about self confidence & how I’ve overcome self doubt https://allisonthinksoutloud.wordpress.com/2019/02/11/3-things-to-remind-yourself-of-when-you-lack-self-confidence/

Connect with me more on my Instagram @allisonnmillerrr

You have so much worth friends!

Love,

Allison

3 Bible truths to stay strong when you are feeling down.

I don’t know what’s been going on in your life lately & what struggles your week has brought, or what yesterday was like for you. Maybe you’re tired, you’re anxious, your sad, beat down, worn out. Trying to measure up, but you just can’t.

Leave that in yesterday friend.

1. Today is a new day & his mercies are new.

Gods mercies are new every morning. You don’t have to carry whatever brought you down yesterday into today.

 

Hand it over to the Lord- he’s not looking down at you holding you to whatever is making you feel “off”, whatever is making you stumble.

2. He removes our transgressions from us. (Thank you Jesus)

Why do we feel the need to carry on with our baggage and wear it like a badge some days??

We can actually let it roll off our shoulders and leave it behind.

 

Run forward this day, ask God to show you how to be intentional about making it a great day.

 

Trust that there’s new mercy and that His grace is always lavished upon you & those who trust in Christ Jesus, He has truly removed your baggage as far as the east is from the west.

3. YOU ARE SO LOVED. NO EVENT OR BAD DAY CAN STOP THAT.

Start your day reminding yourself you are LOVED, and your bad yesterday doesn’t mean you aren’t loved and it doesn’t have to drag you down today.

Thank the Lord for new mercies, second chances, and new days of life.

If this blog was helpful please follow!

You can also read my thoughts about dealing with a lack of self confidence and believing who you are in Christ.

https://allisonthinksoutloud.wordpress.com/2019/02/11/3-things-to-remind-yourself-of-when-you-lack-self-confidence/

As always, I’d love to help you in whatever way I can. I’m always available to connect on Instagram @allisonnmillerrr.

You are loved more than you can ask your imagine by Jesus,

Allison

4 tips on how to pay off your student loans.

** pictured above is the “congrats” screen when we made our final student loan payment whooooop whoooop**

We get asked all the time about our budget, about WHY we are worried so much about paying off our loans. (Linking our story at the bottom). First of all, the reason I am the way I am in this life is because of Jesus, I can’t deny the fact that I truly believe God called us to honor him with our finances!He is always faithful and always our help. He placed a lot of support & smart people in our lives to teach us ways to budget and grind. We took lots of advice and came up with a plan that worked for our family.

Here are 4 things we did that helped us pay off our student loans:

1. We set a weekly budget and we stuck to it.

(We were taught to cover everything we we’d need to spend money on in our weekly budget. Food, bills, toiletries, gas, tithing!!) YES, some weeks it was super hard to stay on budget. But we had to find a way to make ends meet without sacrificing paying towards our loans and NEVER compromising on tithing. We fought to stay on track with our budget as much as we could.. even if it meant eating oatmeal or peanut butter sandwiches for lunches. And if it meant we can’t always go grab a bite to eat with friends.

* pro tip- invite friends over to eat instead*

2. We paid MORE than the minimum payment each month towards our loans.

Some weeks we would save $5 on gas so we put that extra money towards loans to make MORE than the minimum payment.

Some weeks we would save on food, or get an extra pay check on those 5 week months…..

any extra you have, pay something MORE than the minimum. It will help soooo much more than you can imagine.

3. We didn’t over treat ourselves. (You can treat yourself more when you’re debt free)

This one we’ve gotten a lot of heat over. No one wants to be told they can’t have something when it comes to their money. And I’m not saying NEVER SHOP FOR YOURSELF, ya girl loves $6 lattes!!!

But I am saying you are capable of putting the breaks on your shopping for the sake of your goals if you REALLY want to make them happen. We still bought clothes… but only what was necessary. And I think that was key for us-

having a necessity over want mindset, helped us get closer to our goals.

4. We evaluated our progress towards our goal each week.

My husband is the hero of this one. He sat down each Friday to look at our budget, make our loan payments, and evaluate what we needed to do to stay on track for the next week.

If he didn’t do this we would literally have no clue if our budget was even helping us reach our goals. Evaluating where we were at each week motivated us to keep going. It let us know that we were making progress. Every week we would look at the estimated date that our loans would be paid off, and we were challenged to make the date closer and closer.

Everyone’s situation looks different. But with effort, you could say “no” to paying of your student loans over the course of 10 years or longer. (Which is what they set up for you post graduation with the minimum payback plan)

If we could pay off our student loans, ANYONE can.

Read our story about why we wanted to pay off our loans in 3 years https://allisonthinksoutloud.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/paying-back-our-student-loans-in-3-years/

Have questions? Let’s connect! The best way right now to ask questions is through Instagram. See you over there!

Paying back our student loans in 3 years.

Paying off our student loans was a goal we set as fiancés dreaming of our future. We’ve always shared similar goals:

⁃ yes one day we want kids

⁃ yes one day we want a home

⁃ yes Cole wants his dream truck

⁃ yes one day I want dream trips

But we also knew we were graduating with the heavy chunk of student debt.

If you’re a graduate, then you know that after your grace period, you start owing a monthly “minimum” payment towards your loans.

I don’t know what it’s like for most people, but for us, if we only ever paid our minimum payment towards our loans, it would take 10 years to pay back & it would have accrued a whole lottaaaa interest.

I’m no genius when it comes to this kind of thing, but I did know that all of our other dreams we had set for ourselves would always be limited by the weight of student loans if we didn’t pay back the debt we owed BEFORE chasing new things.

So we decided to say “NO THANKSSSS BYEEEE” to the 10 year plan and paid our student loans back in 3 years. You’re welcome myfedloans.org

We owe allllllllllllll of the credit for this accomplishment to God & our church. Our pastor is the author of “the ABC’s of Financial Freedom” (linking at the bottom), and the principles laid out in that book (along with the Bible) has been the guideline for our finances. We are so thankful. Without them, we literally would have not been taught that we need to honor God with our finances and we would have never had the community we needed to cheer us on through it. Thank you to the entire Cameron family for leading the way and teaching us that we can live a debt free life too.

Our “debt free” story is nothing fancy. Literally if Cole & I could make it happen, ANYONE CAN.

When we got married I brought literally 60 something cents (CENTS) into the marriage. I worked 30 or less hours a week making $8 an hour. Cole was working construction at the time, had a weekend job preaching & was still a full time student when we started owing on my loans. And we made nothing spectacular. Literally we had just average paying hourly jobs in the beginning.

We DID NOT- stop paying our tithe.

We DID NOT- panic and use credit cards to cover us when we didn’t know how else the budget was going to work.

God really really really provided for us in those “how are we making it?” kind of ways.

(We did this whole photo session with my shirt buttoned wrong but I can’t even deny that it’s so typical of me lol)

I know some of the way we saved & what we did to get here seems extreme for a lot of people (linking our debt free plan at the bottom).

We heard over and over:

“You are being extreme, you need to treat yourselves, you deserve to splurge.”

“Please don’t spend your Christmas gift money from us on your loans.”

“Go take a vacation you deserve it!”

And those who said that had THE BEST, intentions and THANK you for thinking so kindly that we deserve those things. We believe we do too…. but when the time is right for us. Only Cole & I truly know what God has pressed on our hearts to do. So we didn’t waiver from the goals we set.

I think it’s the first time in my life I set a really hard goal and stuck with it and didn’t give up when it got REALLY HARD. It doesn’t even feel real. God is so good.

It wouldn’t have been possible without my better half Cole. He was the most driven, motivated, encouraging through it all. He prayed, thought, even agonized over making sure the family budget was on the right track for our goals. He was patient with me when I questioned if these sacrifices would be worth it. He managed to make a way in our budget to still treat me & thank me for being on track with our goals. He was so faithful to what he felt God was calling us to accomplish and refused to back down. Love you so much Cole!

Now it’s time for “money May”

(Cole has named the month we get to celebrate & treat ourselves loolllzz)

Then we are back on the budget to save for our future home!!

If you have debt, YOU can pay it back too. Don’t settle for a life bound to credit cards & loans.

Work on paying back the debt that you have.

Say “NO THANKS BYEEEE” to the 10 year plan.

You are capable of more than the minimum payment if you work hard & hand it over to God.

Here is the link to the book I talked about that taught us soooooo much:

https://m.barnesandnoble.com/p/the-abcs-of-financial-freedom-barry-l-cameron/1015513080/2660642000790?st=PLA&sid=BNB_ADL+Marketplace+Generic+New+Books+-+Mobile+Medium&sourceId=PLAGoNA&dpid=tdtve346c&2sid=Google_m&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIl63KjKCv4QIVAb7ACh3R7QNBEAQYASABEgJxMvD_BwE

Here is the link to my blog about the practical things we did to stay on track:

https://allisonthinksoutloud.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/4-tips-on-how-to-pay-off-your-student-loans/