Get Involved with Compass Catholic
In a prior post, I mentioned some challenges my husband and I faced when it came to discussing finances. We overcame some hurdles and eventually found our way into a Compass Bible Study. That was five years ago, and we’ve been involved on some level with this ministry ever since.
Signing up for the Bible study didn’t mean we were on Easy Street, however. In fact, during the nine weeks of the Bible study, all of the couples in our group encountered various obstacles geared at preventing each of us from earning our certificates of completion. One week our host family had an issue with their air conditioning–not a cheap repair and certainly not one that can be put off in the middle of July, especially in Arizona. Another week it was our air conditioner that went on the fritz and it happened on the day of our meeting. Since someone had to be home to meet the repairman, we weren’t able to attend the meeting as a couple–the recommended way to get the most from it. These are just a couple of “snags” we hit along the way, but there were many and none of us was immune.
If we have enough negative experiences pile up on us, we have a tendency to give up and walk away feeling like we failed somehow. For example, our host family had just saved up their $1,000.00 Emergency Fund when their air conditioner went out. While it was a blessing that they had the cash on hand to pay for the repairs rather than using a credit card, they still felt a little defeated by having to go back to square one. But since our small group was meeting regularly, they had the support of the rest of us to encourage them to continue on the path. Eventually, they completed the Bible study and we all “graduated” together. They also succeeded in building up that Emergency Fund again as well as paying off credit cards and working their way along the Money Map.
While Compass Catholic Ministries has many resources for us to utilize, I believe the best way to stay on track and stay focused on the road map is to stay involved in the ministry in some capacity. If you don’t have Compass Catholic at your parish, I encourage you to inquire about getting it started. If you are already blessed to have it in your parish, please look into facilitating the Bible Study or becoming a Money Coach.
Staying involved with Compass Catholic keeps us immersed in the Word of God. We will be less likely to revert to old habits or listen to the little guy with the horns on his head, holding a pitchfork, who sits on our shoulder whenever we have a tough decision to make and encourages us to throw in the towel. Usually he’s the one telling us things like, “You should go for it,” or “You deserve it,” when we clearly don’t have the money or it would otherwise sabotage our goals along the Money Map.
It is also important to stay in touch with the people from your small group and encourage one another after the excitement of finishing the Bible study or seminar has died down a bit. When complacency sets in, it’s just another way to lose our focus and veer off the path. With continued exposure to the tools and teachings of this ministry, you and your family will be on your way to financial freedom God’s Way.
“A man is a fool to trust himself. But those who use God’s wisdom are safe.” ~Prov. 28:26
