Cleaving To One Another in Financial Turmoil

Once you become married to one another it is important that you realize that you marry into each others financial lives as well. Debt that you carried becomes your spouses debt and vice versa. Everything becomes "ours" whether it is good or bad. You must work through this together as one.

Make it a priority to come together in agreement on how the debt will be handled and paid off as one. You will have to sacrafice which leads to obedience to God. Proverbs 22:7 says, " The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." Therefore, it is imperative that you strive to pay off all debt. You should be a servant to God not a creditor.

Have a meeting where you can come up with a systematic plan of getting rid of the debt so that you do not have to be a servant. Learn how to pay for things with cash rather than credit. I know that there are some things such as your house that you most likely can not pay with cash, but the general rule should be to use cash only.

The Bible says in Matthew 6:33,"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you." This can not and will not happen unless you seek God first. So be sure to pray over you financial situation and invite the Holy Spirit to lead you over your finances.

God can not "add unto you" until he first knows that you are a good steward over what he has already given to you.

Dealing With Long Distance

Not everyone is blessed with being in the same house with our spouse every day or most days. Unfortunately there are many times when each spouse is forced to be in different time zones, whether it is due to military, careers, children or what ever else.

This does not mean that your marriage has to suffer. The two of you can still maintain a strong and healthy marriage even if it does require some extra work. In the beginning, we were forced to be on opposite coasts. Here is what we did to make sure we were still kept close. If you are put in this situation follow some of these guidelines to at least help.
1. Continue to make time for each other. Whether it is on the phone, or our favorite the webcam. Let your spouse know that you are still willing to sacrafice time on their behalf.

2. Continue to share in all major decisions. Do not cut out each other when making decisions in regards to children, finances, careers etc.

3. Stay spiritually, emotionally, and mentally connected with each other.

4. Make it a point to visit each other taking turns of who does the traveling.

This can be difficult, but you have to trust God to give you the strength to get through this period in your marriage.