The Journey to


Financial Peace How Financial Peace University changed one family’s life


BY SHAWN MORGAN


Financial peace: Two words that don’t seem to go together in a world enslaved by an attitude of “spend now, pay later.” We were part of that culture until a wakeup call would send us on a healing journey, where those two words would become a directive bound together by the word of God and spiritual principles.


In January 2015, I received notice that my company was having a layoff/reorg and the notifications of our place in (or out) of the organization would be issued in October.


As I drove home that evening, the reality and fear of the situation set in: With no emergency fund and $98,000 in consumer debt, how would I be able to take care of my family? I came home and talked to my wife, Chris, about the situation. A friend had told her about Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover the year before, and she suggested I look into it. Te next day I bought the audiobook and began the journey that would dramatically change not only our financial position but also our spiritual walk.


“Te borrower is slave to the lender,” “It won’t happen until you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired,” “You can’t out- earn stupid”—with every word, I thought, “Tat’s me!”


Te following week, Chris and I sat down and created our first budget in 11 years of marriage and started to work the plan. Slowly but surely the debt started working its way down, but little did I realize that the change happening was much deeper than simply the numbers.


In April 2015, Chris and I decided to get an extra boost by going to a Financial Peace University class.


Something happened during those nine weeks. I started to hear the true message: “It’s all God’s, and I’m here to steward


Te Morgan family (from left): Shawn, Cooper, Chris, and Mackenzie


God’s resources.” Tat starts with getting intentional about our finances, but the resulting margin enables us to give! Where there is no margin, there is no ministry.


After prayer and discussion, Chris and I decided to start to tithe for the first time in our lives.


Today we have paid off $74,000 in 18 months, and our family will be debt-free in 24 months. We have built a margin so that the most important financial activity in our budget— giving first fruits—can be prioritized before anything else. Our outlook on stewardship—“managing God’s resources in God’s way for God’s glory”—has set into place a future for my family that I could not have possibly imagined.


All this started with a wakeup call and Financial Peace U.


NEXT FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY STARTS JANUARY 18


More than 1 million families have attended Financial Peace University nationwide, paying off an average of $5,300 in debt and saving $2,700 in just the first 90 days.


The nine-week program uses a video and print curriculum to spur group discussion. Classes will be held in Fellowship Hall Wednesday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. beginning January 18 and ending March 15. A limited number of course kits can be purchased for $77.50 at the church office at (contact Mike Drake or Kelsey Doney) or online for $109 plus shipping.


For more information, please contact Shawn Morgan at 610-291-4844 or call the church office at 610-395-3781. A preview called “Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University—Class Preview” is available on YouTube.


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