3 Decisions That Improved My Financial Life
Do you want to improve your financial life for the better? Have you been having financial struggles and you want your situation to improve? Let me share with you 3 decisions I’ve made recently that really improved and changed my financial life for the better.
My Personal Financial Crisis
Last year, 2017, was a difficult year for me financially. We were blessed to be able to buy our own condo, the year before. But we didn’t really planned for it, so it took a toll on us financially. I incurred debts. I took loans back to back until my monthly salary all but went to monthly payments with very little left for bills, food and personal needs.
I knew I had to find a way to earn extra income fast but I couldn’t find any that I can do part time after my day job for just a few hours. I thought of using my motorcycle for hire, picking up paying passengers (we call it “habal-habal” driving) on my way to and from work and on my off days. My sisters scoffed at the idea, telling me to stop thinking nonsense because it’s dangerous to do especially for a woman like me.
But my bills and my debts were mounting and I can feel panic rising in my gut every time I think about it.
Then I stumbled upon this verse during one of my devotional time:
Moses answered, “Don’t be afraid! Stand your ground, and you will see what the LORD will do to save you today; you will never see these Egyptians again. The LORD will fight for you, and there is no need for you to do anything.”
Exodus 14:13-14 GNBDK
I took that as my banner verse when it comes to fighting panic every time I think of my financial problems.
Decide to be Thankful
Reflecting on this verse, I made my first decision:
I will give Thanks to God, no matter what.
I couldn’t see a way out of my financial pit but God will fight for me and I don’t have to do anything.
So I will give Thanks.
I started thanking God for whatever. When I sleep at night, I thank Him before drifting off. When I wake up in the morning, before I even open my eyes, I thank Him. Every time thoughts of my debts, or bills that I have to pay come up, I thank Him. When I felt the bile of panic arising in my gut, I thank Him.
“Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord” became my mantra, a continuous loop of thoughts conscientiously repeated over and over in my mind every waking moment.
And then I lost a wallet that contained several thousands of money entrusted to me for safe-keeping. Dropped it from my jacket pocket while riding. What?! I couldn’t believe it. I drove back to where I came from several times hoping to find it, trembling with dread. I didn’t find it.
I fell into depression. I knew I was depressed because my body bogs down when I’m depressed. I still went to work but I’m just so tired and I fell asleep many times sitting on the toilet bowl at the CR. I went home bone tired and I’d drop on my bed and sleep. Then two days after it happened I was called to attend a seminar at work. Called “Spirituality in the workplace”. The topic then was Rejoice. It spoke to me, waking me up. I was called to rejoice even when bad things I didn’t understand happened to me. I cried my heart out. And then I restarted my battle of thankfulness against this financial oppression, taking up the same banner verse.
Decide to Take Action
Then my sister decided to install an unlimited WiFi connection at the condo. So she can talk with her seaman husband who’s at sea and my nephew could enjoy unlimited YouTube.
At first, I used the WiFi to watch movies online. And then I stumbled on an ad in Facebook about teaching ESL online. It pays per hour and can be done part time.
I made my second decision. I decided to take action.
I applied for the job. I failed. And then I started browsing an online job site. I saw several listings for writers. Writing is something I’m good at and I love to do. So I applied to several postings. More than a hundred, I think. I picked up 1 or 2 paid writing jobs getting paid $20 each for two 400-word health articles. Not bad. And then I got hired for a freelance job paraphrasing articles, just changing words with synonyms so that the meaning is still the same. They pay $3/hr of work. But they just send assignments twice and then nothing happened.
I was looking for something sustainable. That will really be a source of regular additional income done part-time. I continued applying, sending out resumes every night. Still nothing happened.
Decide to Surrender
I got tired of feeling sad when no one replied to my emails, of feeling crappy when I get rejected on interviews after interviews.
So I made my third decision: I decided to surrender to God.
To let Him pick for me the jobs He wants me to have. I still continued thanking Him, still continued taking action, sending out my resume, but now I’m letting go and letting God. I stop getting sad when no one replied to my emails or when my application was rejected after interviews which usually makes me feel like crap. I just trust God to know what’s best for me and to choose for me.
The Results
You know what happened? I started applying intensively around October with not much results. But on Dec 29, just before the year ended, I got an offer for a full-time, part-time job that pays $400 a month! That’s more or less 20k in pesos, depending on the dollar exchange. Not bad for an additional income, right?
I said full-time, part-time job because they initially offered me a full-time position. I shared with them that I have a day job but I’m willing to work with them after. They came back to me that they’re still willing to take me on full-time even with my other job as long as I can finish their assignments in the time frame they want..usually within 24 hours. And the work? Remember my freelance job paraphrasing articles using synonyms? That’s the one. They said they were impressed with my work on the first two assignments they gave me so they decided to take me on full-time.
Financial Blessing and Rewards
So I’ve been working with them for about 3 months now. I started at the beginning of the year… what a blessing for the new year!
When the Lord chooses for you, it’s just perfect!
I’ve downloaded the Google doc app on my smartphone so I do all my work there rephrasing articles and we share a Google drive folder to work on assignments, also on my phone. As long as I have WiFi connection, I can do it practically anywhere with really flexible hours. I work when I’m at my sister’s at dinnertime, I can work while watching tv, while playing with my nephew in between when I take small breaks. I can work while doing laundry when I finally go home. I also have weekends off, I think, because they don’t send me assignments even when I do ask for them. How cool is that?
So now I have my regular day job for security and my side hustle for added income! Amazing, huh?
I’ve renewed my loan from a cooperative I’m a member of to pay for most debts I have and to pay for the money I lost. Now the salary I have from my day job pays for that loan as well as half of the condo amortization (which i share with my sister). But now I have the additional income to pay for the monthly bills and my personal needs. I even have extra to give and to save!
The Lord is good! Indeed my banner verse came true for me:
Moses answered, “Don’t be afraid! Stand your ground, and you will see what the LORD will do to save you today; you will never see these Egyptians again. The LORD will fight for you, and there is no need for you to do anything.”
Exodus 14:13-14 GNBDK
Paying It Forward
If you are a worker from the Philippines, have marketable online skills like writing, virtual assistant skills, digital marketing, etc., and you are looking for online jobs, try browsing the job posts at www.onlinejobs.ph.
That’s where I found most of my work. I’m happy to pass that information to you. It’s free to apply. Just register, create your online profile there and viola! You can now apply to numerous job postings.
For those of you from anywhere in the world looking for regular freelance online jobs, try applying at the Freeeup marketplace. You need to be interviewed and need to take a test to be accepted but it’s really worth it to apply. I did. That’s where I get most of my additional freelance jobs these days. Just apply at the Freeeup Marketplace. Mention my name, Anna Lovella Velasquez, in the interview process. This will expedite your interview process since they prefer referrals.
If you are a business owner/online entrepreneur looking for workers like me to work online with..writers, digital marketers, virtual assistants.. web designers.. visit the Freeeup Marketplace and you’ll find tons of highly qualified workers already screened for you, me included. You just have to choose.
In Financial Struggles
So are you in a tight financial situation that you can’t see a way out of?
Take courage!
The Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He’ll do for you what He did with the Israelites when they were trapped between the Red Sea and their enemies, the Egyptians. He can also do for you what He did for me.
Like me, you just might have to make 3 decisions to help you improve your financial life and change it for the better:
- Decide to be thankful, conscientiously.
- Decide to act, consistently.
- Decide to surrender, completely.
The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”
Exodus 14:14 NLT
Are you ready to decide?
In a financial struggle:
- Decide to be thankful
- Decide to take action
- Decide to surrender
Dear Lord,
Thank You for changing my financial situation for the better! Help me always to act according to Your inspiration and trust You completely for the results. Amen.
This is it for now.
To our Health, Wealth, and Victory, GODSPEED!
