Here it is, the day I sent my book to press. I’ve been looking forward to it and working up to it for months and what’s this? A prepayment is due? For all that anticipation, I coulda/shoulda/woulda planned better so I could lay down that money without blinking an eye. Instead, I had a merry Christmas and let the purse strings dangle throughout the season. The consequence: My choice is to either charge that prepayment or clean out my savings. I didn’t want to do either. I was sick to my stomach about the whole thing, particularly in light of the fact that I’m 15 days away from being able to pay that printing bill outright. But the job can’t wait 15 days more, it’s already 15 days overdue.
So I wrote out the check from savings, sealed it in the envelop and trudged around the house preparing myself to go to the post office to send off the security standing between me and an emergency. The easier thing to do would have been to charge it, but God has revealed to me that incurring debt for this venture is not His will. “Give it all you’ve got, but no more than you’ve actually got.”
Tax season is coming up and I’m going to owe. Between that, the rest of this printing job and just plain living, I can see that it will be some time before I can return that money to savings. Realizing this sent my shoulders to drooping. My precious savings, gone. And will I have the discipline to build it back?
I was again, so discouraged. So I asked God for some encouragement. Father, let me know I’m doing the right thing. I could put the printing off for two more weeks and miss some crucial dates for the book. Should I do that instead? At least I had clarity that I was making the right decision to not charge the printing bill.
Just before I walked out the door to take the payment to the post office, I checked my email. “Great news from Sheridan” said the subject line. My account rep was pleased to let me know that accounting had just approved me for net 30 day terms. I don’t have to send a prepayment! I have 30 days after completion of the job to pay the bill.
With a “whoop, whoop!” I pried open the envelop and took out my savings check and tore it up. The King of all the riches in glory worked out a payment plan to enable me to Just Say No to credit cards and keep my savings in its place. Thanks, Heavenly Father
This makes me super happy for you! I hate being in a position where the bank account is drained for something you just have to pay!
You are a very smart person!