“…this is my story…”

Like most people I grew up with little to no knowledge about personal finance and how to win with money. As a college student in my early 20’s that lack of knowledge showed up in a big way in the form of debt, no savings, no budget, and no real financial plans for the future. From briefly being on public assistance (nice way of saying welfare) to working 3 jobs at the same time to buy books and pay rent I took the concept of being a broke college student to super saiyan levels.

My First Big Financial Mistake

All that suddenly changed in 2001 when I came into a large lump sum of money. So what do you think a broke college student from the south side of Chicago with absolutely no idea how to handle money does when they get a check for a sum in the six figures? You don’t need to be an old gypsy woman with a crystal ball to figure this one out. I made it rain and spent money on everything and everyone, except a savings account. Over the course of the next few years I squandered what should have been a huge financial blessing. Once it was all gone, I racked up more debt and went back to living pay check to pay check.

Spiritual & Financial Awaking

Life went on as normal after that (amazing how quickly being broke becomes normal). Some years passed and one of my family members went through an emotional and mental breakdown.

Due to lack of financial resources my family had to rely on public aid programs and Medicare to get assistance for them. The medical facilities where we were trying to get help were horrible but without proper resources it was the best we could do. That’s when it struck me, if I had been a better steward of the financial resources God had given me years before, then I would have had more than enough to help. From that moment, I was determined to learn everything I could about personal finance to make sure neither I or anyone else I loved would be without financial resources ever again. I devoured every book on the subject I could get my hands on, talked to every expert I could find and took various jobs working in the financial services industry from banker, to financial planner to broker-dealer firm manager.

(Click on the following link for more info on my professional background)

I eventually became introduced to other faith based financial ministries and started teaching and volunteering for them. I was shocked to learn that the Bible had so much to say on the subject of stewardship and financial matters. It made me think maybe other people struggling with finances were unaware that the Bible could help them get not only spiritually free but financially free also.

Why I Started Free to Serve

I used the principles I learned on my journey to pay off over $40,000 of debt in a couple of years build my emergency savings, start investing and launch two bsuineeses. In 2008, God started working on my heart and planted the idea of starting an organization where I could share what I had learned over the years about faith and finances but do so in a way that put finding your life’s purpose at the forefront. I wanted to not only teach people principles for building and managing wealth but also why they were building the wealth in the first place. Ultimately in 2010 Free to Serve was born. My personal financial journey is far from over. There’s still more to learn, more to do and more people to help. No matter where you are in your financial journey I invite you to join me. The road to financial freedom isn’t easy but it certainly is worth it.

“…Financial Freedom Gods Way…”

Key Scripture:

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Philosophy:

In order to change how we handle money we must change our behavior. In order to change our behavior we must change our hearts. In order to change our hearts we must submit to a force greater than ourselves (Jesus Christ). I believe the road to financial freedom can be summed up in three steps.

“Find Your Purpose – Transform Your Finances – Live For God”

Find Your Purpose:

Why are you here? What were you created to do? I have discovered that when a person knows their individual God given purpose they are more motivated to accomplish goals, have more clarity, and are better equipped to remove distractions from their life. Understanding your purpose and knowing who you are in God’s eyes is the key to changing your attitudes and behavior regarding money.

Transform Your Finances:

We transform our finances by redefining (for ourselves) what financial success looks like. We focus on eliminating debt, living within our means, learning to create wealth with our talents and giving generously. Once you understand your purpose, you must align your thoughts, giving, spending and even how you earn money so that it’s a reflection of God’s vision for your life.

Live for God:

As stewards we have been entrusted with management over God’s resources. Once you have discovered your purpose and transformed your finances the next step is to align God’s resources with His plan for your life and the lives of others. It is by doing this that we truly live for God.

What to Expect From Training With Me:

I believe in a different version of financial freedom. For me financial freedom starts with learning stewardship. Contrary to what you may have heard stewardship is more than just how much you give. It’s how you give, earn, spend, and save. In short, it’s how you live! I offer a variety of training’s on how to manage money and grow generational wealth from a Bible based perspective. I know attaining financial freedom isn’t easy, but you if let me, I promise to walk with you every step of the way.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy your journey and I look forward to helping you become Free to Serve.