The Ultimate Lifestyle Redesign

Welcome the relaunch of Imagine More. I’m very thankful you’re here.

Before we get started, there are a few people that deserve some extra-special kudos:

• Chelle Yarbrough, the uber-talented WordPress master and graphic designer that read my mind and made it happen;
• Holly Hoffman, my business partner and good friend that helped me find my voice and the courage to share;
• and last, but certainly not least, my husband, Rex, for sharing this journey with me and offering his unwavering support.

You all mean the world to me, and I appreciate your friendship and support more than you know.

Imagine.

You’re well-educated; you’ve been hard at work building your business for five years.  But it’s not working.  You have seventeen dollars in the bank and no available credit. You live in a cramped apartment with your husband and four kids.  You’re nearly half a million dollars in debt.  You’re stressed out and have several nagging health problems.  You just don’t understand.  You’re a good person. You work hard. Why is your world falling apart?

Fast forward three years later.

You have nearly six figures in the bank, your debt is shrinking rapidly, and you own interests in several companies.  You own a modest, but nicely remodeled home, and you work from there most of the time.  You are able to travel regularly and experience new things.  You tithe, actually you give well above a tithe.  You’re healthier than you’ve ever been, and you have outstanding relationships with your family.

Let’s pause there for a minute.  Reread that last paragraph. Then close your eyes and imagine living a life like that.  Your stress level comes down just reading it, right?

Now you’re thinking: Sounds great, but is it possible?

You bet it is. You just stepped inside my life.

And I want to share with you what I’ve experienced so that you can live the life of your dreams too. Over the last several years, I’ve learned that the best roadmap for redesigning our lives has existed for centuries. Through this blog, I’ll share what I’ve discovered about the practical applications of biblical principles and how to overcome today’s challenges.

Let’s start where the journey begins.

March 2006

The last few weeks have been very tumultuous.  My ex-husband and I aren’t agreeing on a schedule for my daughter.  My husband, Rex, and I are frustrated with each other, and the kids are tense.  I don’t feel well in general. I’m exhausted all the time, and the pain in my hands is back.  And then there’s the bills.  We never did a good job of consolidating our finances when we got married so we don’t know exactly where we stand, but we know we both have a lot of debt and very little cash in the bank.  Then one of my monthly clients called and said they were taking their accounting in-house and wouldn’t need our services any longer.  And now I’m wondering how much more I can take.  I’m really not sure where to turn.

Rex has another evening function to attend, and I remember that there’s a Wednesday night service at our church, Bay Area Fellowship, tonight.  I feel like going home and pulling the covers over my head, but something gets me and the youngest girls to church. I drop them off in the children’s area and head into the main service just as the band begins to play.  My emotions are very raw, and the songs seem to dig right to my soul.  Then Pastor Bil comes out. He never preaches on Wednesday nights, but you can see the focused look in his eyes.  He says that the offering tonight is going to be different.  Instead of giving money, he wants us to give whatever is filling the space between us and God, whatever we’re clinging to instead of putting our faith in Him.  They place the offering buckets on stage, and Pastor Bil tells us to stay and pray until we figure it out.

I look down at my pockets, wondering where to even begin. In my right front pocket, I have the keys to my Xterra. In my back pocket, I have my drivers license and my American Express card. That’s it.  My head and heart are racing. Fortunately, the band begins to play a slower song, and I start to settle down.  I close my eyes and pray.

Lord, what am I supposed to do here?  I believe in you, but I don’t know where to start.  Everything is a mess.  And I don’t have anything with me. What is it I’m supposed to give?  My car keys . . . my Xterra? That can’t be it. I owe more than it’s worth. . . . . . the American Express card? Ok, that would be different. Ok? I’m feeling like that is what I’m supposed to do. Is that it, God?

I sit down, and I’m at peace.  I can’t say I really understand, but I feel like I’m supposed to give the American Express card.  So I get up.  I walk to the stage. I drop it in the bucket. I head out to pick up the girls from children’s church.  As we’re walking out, my daughter says, “Mom, can we go by Taco Bell for dinner tonight?”

It stops me in my tracks.  “No, honey, not tonight,” I manage to reply as it hits me how much life is about to change.  I pay for everything with that card.  We pay for everything with that card.  As we get into the Xterra, I’m thankful it has plenty of gas.

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And that’s how it all began. Come back tomorrow to see how the next part of the story unfolds. Or make it easy, and just click here to subscribe.