Recently during a budgeting class for [Financial Peace University](http://hobokengrace.com/berich/), we had moved into smaller discussion groups and I found myself sitting next to a bubbly young woman who tried to defend her personal budget choices.

She was planning a trip with some friends to the Comic-Con International event in San Diego. This involved a plane ticket, hotel reservations and a fabulous new costume that transformed her into her favorite animated character. She’d already attended the local New York Comic Con event — at a much lower cost. But the international event in San Diego was bigger and better, and she was determined to be there.

She told this story rather nervously, and a little defensively. Finally, she admitted that as a professional accountant, she should know better than to have such a frivolous expense in her life. When she finally stopped chattering about her obsession, she looked to me as the person sitting next to her, and with her eyes, begged me to tell my story and take the spotlight off her.

I paused for a moment and looked at her kindly. “It seems as if you are trying to make your choice to attend Comic-Con sound ridiculous,” I told her. “But what you don’t know is that you are sitting next to someone who spent all day yesterday, outdoors, enjoying the fabulous September weather, in a costume at the Renaissance Faire. And I don’t think that you nor I are ridiculous at all.”

The local Renaissance Faire in Tuxedo, New York, is just a daylong event, and a lot closer than San Diego, but that’s not the point. For over a decade, I’ve attended about three times each summer, in a variety of costumes – laced-up leather, in an authentic Oktoberfest outfit I purchased in Germany, or gypsy garb made up of various corsets, layered skirts, a mysterious shawl and jangling jewelry.

Why do I go? Because I love it. Because I love the world the Faire creates and the music that goes with it. Because I’ve made friends with some of the delightful artists and musicians who work the circuit, and introduced many of my friends to the Faire. Because I enjoy conversations with so many of the other patrons. Because it’s such a refreshing, earthy break from the fast-paced technological world we live in. Mostly, it’s because at the end of a day, I feel more myself at the Renaissance Faire than I do at any other time. And for that reason, and some others that I can’t explain, it will never drop out of my budget.

“Many people see a budget as something restrictive, something that binds them up and takes away all their choices and freedom,” Dave Ramsey writes in _The Complete Guide to Money._ “That’s a totally wrong view of a cash flow plan. Having a budget doesn’t mean you can’t order a pizza when you want one. It just means you have to have a plan for your money. If you like pizza that much, then put a “Pizza” line on your budget. It’s _your money_. I don’t care what you do with it; I just want you to do it on purpose!”

So yes, there is a “Renaissance Faire Line” in my budget. And I hope our costumed accountant now has a “Comic-Con” line in her budget as well. I will continue to go to the Faire and enjoy the music and free stage shows, soak up the atmosphere, chat with the other patrons in full festival apparel, limit my purchases to well considered souvenirs, grateful that this is part of what defines my summer season with a daylong event that I can drive to and back without paying for a hotel room. Seems like a bargain to me. Huzzah!

_Barbara is a member of the Writing Team. Want to learn more about FPU? [Click here](http://hobokengrace.com/berich/)._


Comic-Con in the Budget?

I always loved the expression “Break a Leg,” and being in the entertainment business, it was a good omen.

There are definitely hard times when pursuing a career in the arts. The concept of the “struggling artist” brings to mind a quote from _Crime and Punishment_: “The darker the night, the brighter the stars, the deeper the grief, the closer is God.” Trusting God, He will supply my needs.

I wrestled at times with being a performer or a writer, because I wondered if this was truly God’s desire for my life. But the passion to be involved and to follow my dreams was intense. I enjoyed red carpet events and being part of the action. I would light up like a Christmas tree when I got dressed and reported from film festivals such as the IFP Gotham Awards in New York City.

During that time, I developed a medical disorder that was causing my blood platelets to decrease. The hematologist called it “Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura.” ITP is a rare condition marked by a low number of blood cells produced in the bone marrow. A hematologist didn’t know the course of action yet, because there is no medical pathway to treat immediately. I was thrust into a “wait and see” scenario. The waiting game wreaked havoc, causing a great deal of fear and anxiety. And when you look healthy on the outside, people don’t understand your concerns.

The only things I knew were to pray and to perform. It took four years to finally get a bone marrow biopsy that confirmed Aplastic Anemia. There was “no pre-Leukemia,” as the doctor put it mildly in a voice message, but AA is a rollercoaster. If you think you have faith, one learns quite quickly that they need God.

I knew God would fight for me, but Aplastic Anemia is serious and can be fatal. The course of treatment is ATG, or Anti-thymocyte globulin, an infusion of horse or rabbit-derived antibodies. The therapy involves being injected with the ATG and waiting to see how your body responds to rebuild bone marrow over five days in the hospital.

Originally, I was fine with the treatment option, because that is the only treatment. However, I had a film festival coming up in Jersey City that I wanted to attend. But I was also scared and asked the doctor if I could do the film festival and then come into the hospital a week later. When I did my research on AA, I discovered that I was moderate AA, not severe. I prayed and discussed with my doctor if I could postpone treatment until I truly needed it. He didn’t agree, but said he would monitor my bloodwork every month in case there were drops in my counts. I thought I had beat my health crisis by discovering that I was moderate AA.

Every month, my counts went up 1,000, and according to the nurse that was good news. I cried every time the nurse called with my results. I wanted a quicker fix — a miracle. I didn’t want my counts to improve slowly every month, but they did. Medically speaking, blood platelets rebuilding on their own, without a blood transfusion, is quite a feat. Another hematologist called it “transient Aplastic Anemia.” I called it God’s healing. Luke 8:43-48 – “And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind Him, and touched the border of His garment: and immediately her issue of blood stopped.”

As I put the medical stuff behind me, I continued to work with no issues of fatigue from anemia or other problems. I felt good, and I was working in news and publicity for indie films. I kept working toward the prize to keep my mind off my blood counts. I felt as long as I still had a dream, I had to live and to get through this. God still had plans for me.

AA is an uphill battle. Along the way, I kept looking for a church. I grew up in church, but at one point, I stopped going. I still prayed, but I had no church to fellowship with others. A friend mentioned Hoboken Grace, where breakfast was served with coffee and bagels. What a genius idea, I thought — food and church. I made plans to find the church, but I never went. I even walked Washington Street on Sundays and saw the Hoboken Grace sign, but nothing motivated me back to church.

Then it happened… I broke my foot. I was just walking to my car with my high heels when my ankle twisted, and I dropped to the ground. It was a small break but required a boot cast and crutches. While in Hoboken with my crutches, I’d walk to exercise. Walking toward Third Street, there was Hoboken Grace, bright and cheery with bagels and coffee waiting inside. When I stepped through the doors, I heard the music and was pleasantly surprised. When I sat inside, I slowly became comfortable with church again. I wept in the beginning, realizing how far I had drifted from God, and it broke my heart.

My loving Father was always there protecting me, and I had grown so accustomed to doing it on my own. It was time to keep God first in my life.

I have learned that God is still in control. There is nothing that God can’t do or fix. If He wants me healed, He will do it. I have seen along the way some tough challenges, but it is at my weakest moments that God is Almighty.

_“It really isn’t the strong who win, it’s the weak who find all their fountains in Him.” (Psalm 36:7-9)_


Break a Foot

I was chatting with a friend recently and apparently threw her for a loop when I brought up Christian meditation. “I thought meditation was that new age hippie stuff that The Beatles stole from India and made it all trendy,” she said. “What do you mean _Christian_ mediation?”

After we had a good chuckle, I told her she was right — meditation has become super trendy since the 1960s and ’70s, and more and more people are catching on, trying it as a way to deal with the stresses of everyday life. Even corporate America has hopped on that train.

So what is the difference between “traditional” mediation and Christian meditation? And how and why is it important?

The difference is in the intention — it is all about intention. If we are talking about meditation in the sense that most of us have come to think about it, one’s ultimate goal is to clear the mind and reach an emotionally calm state. It can help reduce stress, lessen anxiety and quiet that sometimes annoying voice in the back of our head- all good things. It can be a spiritual experience for you, but it doesn’t have to be.

_Christian meditation_ has a similar goal, but with the intention of fostering a deeper relationship with God. When we take time to be alone with God, we get to know Him better. It is not necessarily about learning anything new, although that may happen. It is about coming to know Christ, who He is in our lives, and how we are to pursue our lives through Him.

A few months ago, I went through the [Foundations](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/running-the-race/) class at Amplify and learned from Pastor Chris that we need to _intentionally_ encounter God _daily_ by setting aside quiet time to BE WITH HIM. The point is to spend time with Him in thought and prayer. This, my friends, often involves some meditation_._

Pastor Chris told us meditation involves constantly thinking on God’s word in order to discover how we can apply its truth in our own lives. Maybe you are wrestling with some scripture. Maybe you are trying to apply what you learned in service at your job or your marriage and you need some guidance. Or perhaps you are still trying to figure out who God is and how He is supposed to be a part of your life. Christian meditation is an act of coming to God intentionally to spend time with Him and learn what He is trying to tell us. He is always talking to us. We just have to listen.

So what is the difference between prayer and meditation? If I’m praying, isn’t that the same thing? These two actions are not entirely the same, but they are not mutually exclusive. In fact, there is bound to be a lot of crossover if you are really working through something that is on your heart.

“That sounds a lot like what I already do in my quiet time,” said my friend. BINGO! If you already set aside a specific time and space to connect with God to ask questions, pray, etc., you’re already engaging in this way.

When I sit in my quiet time, I always start with a prayer. The Lord knows I am seeking Him. It helps me to set my intention, eliminate distraction, focus in and listen to what God is trying to tell me about what I am asking Him. Am I good at it? No. But the more I practice, the better I get. And let me tell you, He ALWAYS has an answer.

_Alex is a member of the Writing Team._


Christian Meditation?


With Financial Peace University classes in full swing, the Writing Team interviewed Tiffany and Ryan about their own FPU experience. While the couple says they were at first hesitant about the course, it turned out to be one of the best things they ever did.

**Why did you decide to sign up for FPU?**

We were asked as dinner group leaders to take FPU in preparation for our upcoming series. One of us thought we didn’t really need it but thought it would be beneficial to be able to speak to it in case it came up in dinner group. One of us was reluctant to give up nine Thursday nights. We had heard that one thing FPU teaches you is to see money the way God sees money. Even though we righteously put ourselves into the “we don’t have money problems” category, this idea was ultimately intriguing enough to get us to sign up.

**What were some of your biggest takeaways from the class?**

For one thing, we realized we didn’t have all of this money stuff as together as we thought! We also learned we are 100 percent opposite on every aspect of our view of budgeting and organization! It started to make sense why we had never had a successful budget meeting during our first year and a half of marriage. FPU opened our eyes to view the budgeting process as a way for us to work together and love each other, rather than what was normally a guaranteed argument.

Secondly, we finally started to feel like we were winning with money by allocating every dollar with a monthly budget. We feared a formal budget would constrict us, but instead it gave us more freedom to enjoy the things we love without any guilt.

**What are some of the successes you’ve had since taking it?**

The first week after we were done with the class we wrote a check and paid off the rest of our student loans. It was terrifying to see our former “security blanket” leave our bank account. But the next month, when that debt line was gone from our budget, it was so freeing!

A few days ago we had an unexpected visit to the emergency room. A year ago we would have been dreading the hospital bill because of our high-deductible plan. Today, we didn’t even think twice about it!

**What advice would you give to others who are taking the class now?**

This was hands-down the best nine weeks we’ve ever spent and it changed our future. Don’t get us wrong — the first few months we fought _more_ about money than we ever have. It wasn’t easy to get on the same page, but the more we practiced, the better we got. FPU gave us a common language to talk about money and forced us to align our budget with our priorities, first of which is giving back to God. It is so refreshing to have this peace of mind that no matter what life throws at us, we have a financial plan prepared to handle it!

[Miss out on taking FPU? You can still sign up here.](http://hobokengrace.com/berich/)


The Best Nine Weeks We’ve Ever Spent

We spend a lot of time talking about 1Day, a day when we come together to complete as many projects as possible around town. It’s true that we serve for only a few hours, but the results last much longer. 

I had the privilege of leading TRUE Mentors a few years ago when 1Day volunteers helped with a project. A group of smiling people moved out the contents of an entire office and scrubbed everything down. Laughter filled the room as we cleaned and lifted. Friendships were formed and community blossomed. Sure, the office eventually got dirty again, but the project made a huge difference to our TRUE Mentors’ volunteers and families, who experienced the clean and organized space. The multiplication effect can’t be understated — the project freed up staff time so they could focus on their mission. 

This year, as we embark on our 8th annual 1Day, I want to encourage you to think about the long-term impact. We will be planting nearly 1,000 flowers and plants around Hoboken. Tens of thousands of people who walk these streets every day will see them. We are adding fresh paint to three classrooms at the Jubilee Center, which serves children in our community. Volunteers will also organize donations at local shelters before the winter months and scrub the kitchen at Lunchtime ministries. Those projects will impact people for months to come.

Thinking about the long-term effect is something we do regularly in life, but it can be difficult to imagine the outcome of something so far into the future. A few things come to mind, such as when I started working out again after a long hiatus. It takes time for our bodies to respond. Perhaps it brings to mind some of the principles you’re learning from Financial Peace University. Lastly, it makes me think of my rhythms. I still struggle to find rhythms when I am tired or life is busy. However, I know the consistency and patience is worth the extra effort. 

If you are thinking about participating in 1Day, I encourage you to sign up. If you already signed up, I encourage you to invite a friend. Won’t it be cool to re-visit your project in a month or two and be reminded of the impact that you had in a just a few hours of time? 

Don’t miss this opportunity to impact our city.

[Sign Up Here](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1day-hoboken-registration-48345154659?aff=HGEmailList)

_James is the Outreach Director at Hoboken Grace._


The Lasting Effect of 1Day


There are few things I don’t like talking about, but money is definitely one of them. Whether it’s how to split a dinner bill, people asking if I started a 401(k), or even the mention of extravagant travels…it all makes me cringe. I don’t know how to handle it. Or, at least, I didn’t.

I grew up in a loving household, but any talk about money always started a fight. Always. Add to that the bullhorn of society shouting that churches only want your money, and you’ve got years of wiring that made me tiptoe around the topic. So, yes, talk of Financial Peace University made me cringe, too. Why take it? I have a handle on my finances, I’m doing fine, and I don’t have anyone depending on me financially. But, here’s the deal: That’s incredibly selfish. (Hear the emphasis on me?) I’m ok — I don’t need help. That may be true, but what about everyone around me? What about everything my money could be doing for others?

As a single person living in a city I never thought I could live in, there’s been a ton of sacrifice to get here — on my part and from others. My parents took on jobs that would pay the bills, and they worked overtime while also taking on debt to give us the childhood they wanted us to have. My sisters and many friends gave to a mission trip that would change my life. Countless others have given their time, advice and yes, money, to pay for things when I couldn’t, to open doors to internships and experiences that have led to a life I am so grateful for. Let us not forget what sacrifice originally makes all of that possible. So, how can I let the sacrifice and generosity stop at me? Because I’m okay?

The truth is, I don’t want to be okay. I want to be a part of changing more lives. I want to give. I want to do what so many have done for me. And to do that, I’ve got to talk about money. As Dave Ramsey puts it, I don’t want to work hard my whole life just to say at the end of it, “Where’d all the money go?” I want to know that every dollar went to good use.

I don’t want to spend my life fighting about money.

I want to fight for something greater.

_Melanie is the Communications Director at Hoboken Grace._

_Join a Financial Peace University group [here](http://berichhoboken.com)._


I Don’t Want To Fight About Money

Nate and Alyssa were unsure what they’d take away from Financial Peace University — if anything. A civil engineer by trade, Nate is a numbers guy who for years meticulously updated a financial spreadsheet. Alyssa, meanwhile, had studied financial planning and previously worked in wealth management.  
  
The couple also doubted they could do more to reduce the substantial debt of nearly $300,000 they’d acquired from student loans and credit cards, including the cost of their recent wedding. But they committed to taking the course with an open mind, embracing its lessons and seeing what happened.  
  
Ten months later, Nate and Alyssa say their life has drastically changed. They’ve paid off over $60,000, increased their giving substantially and started several thriving businesses. What’s more, they say the class provided the best foundation for their marriage that they could have asked for.  
  
“It’s the best thing we’ve ever done for each other, for ourselves and for our future,” said Alyssa.  
  
Nate and Alyssa started their marriage on different wavelengths when it came to budgeting and spending. The class taught them to speak the same language, they say. It gave them equal footing and provided a sense that they’re on the same team. Now, they dedicate one night a month to talk about schedules, budgets, goals, and other aspects of their relationship.  
  
But the couple also attribute much of their success to God’s timing and the work they’ve put into their FPU journey.  
  
“Every single step of it has been God in a really crazy way,” said Alyssa. “I mean a really mind-boggling way.”

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/HGFPUShoot-2018-MSM_9568.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/HGFPUShoot-2018-MSM%5F9568.jpg)After Alyssa left the financial industry last year, the couple launched a home renovation business, an aerial photo/video drone company, an event planning/rental business and a jewelry business. Choosing the uncertainty of income that came from several entrepreneurial endeavors, rather than a steady paycheck, required a huge leap of faith. But their businesses quickly grew through word of mouth, including referrals through people they knew from church.   
  
“God just kept showing up in every step,” Alyssa said.  
  
This became even more apparent once the couple decided to increase their giving. While Nate and Alyssa came into their marriage with different perspectives on the importance of tithing, during the class they decided to start giving back 10 percent off the top. Through prayer, Nate says, he realized it was God’s money they were managing, not theirs. And in addition, he wanted to experience God at work in their lives through their finances. If they couldn’t live on 90 percent on their income with Him, Nate says, how could they live on 100 percent without Him?  
  
“It has been the most incredible thing,” said Alyssa. “We’ve increased giving, but we also have somehow managed to increase our debt payoff at a substantial rate.”

The couple say they’ve implemented a plan to maximize their debt payoff. They’re working harder than ever and they haven’t paid for anything on credit since FPU — something they couldn’t have imagined just a year ago. 

Paying with a debit card or cash instead of credit is one of FPU’s primary strategies for paying off debt. For Nate, who had spent his adult life accumulating credit cards to build his credit score, this was particularly difficult to embrace.

“I measured my value and my wealth based on how many accounts I had open, how much credit limit I had, how high my score was and my ability to borrow,” he said.

More than 40 open accounts and 80 credit cards were displayed in a large binder, one that Alyssa jokingly suggested cutting in half during class. But the more she thought about it, the more she envisioned something that could encourage them as they pursued a debt-free life.

> [](https://www.facebook.com/nate.comstock.73/videos/10100927065165837/)
> 
> Who needs 41 open credit accounts?! Really… for the almighty “I Love Debt” FICO score? We finally posted the video of the Dream Fund box we made from the scraps. Every card was opened for improving our credit score, chasing some bonus offer, covering “emergencies”, using 90 days same-as-cash (0% offers) and living without a detailed budget. Simplifying life to 1 debit card and cash for purchases and has been incredibly freeing!
> 
> Posted by [Nathan Comstock](https://www.facebook.com/nate.comstock.73) on Sunday, April 29, 2018

After cutting up dozens of credit cards, Nate and Alyssa used the remnants to create a dream-fund box. They fill it not with money, but notes detailing their dreams for the future — life after debt: “One day, we would love to do this…” “We want to be able to treat someone to that…” “We’d love to be able to do this for our church…”  
  
“Sooner or later, when we get out of debt, we’ll be able to open that box and pick something once a month and do it fully,” said Alyssa.  
  
It’s a box that illustrates not only how far they’ve come, but also where they’re going. Alyssa says she long ago accepted that they’d be paying off student loans for the rest of their lives. But now, after FPU, they have a solid plan in place – and it’s working! They have a realistic goal of paying off everything in less than two years. They can picture the day they’ll be debt-free and they know exactly how they’ll embrace the life of freedom God intended for them.  
  
“What this class did for us was so much bigger than money,” said Alyssa. “It was so much bigger than helping us squeeze our budget. I can’t imagine starting out our marriage any other way.”  

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/HGFPUShoot-2018-MSM_9550.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/HGFPUShoot-2018-MSM%5F9550.jpg)

_Financial Peace University groups have begun, but it’s not too late to join! Sign up for a group [here](http://berichhoboken.com). We can’t wait to see what story God is waiting to unfold in your life._


The Best Thing We Ever Did

In this ever-growing, ever-changing city, an annual event has taken root. For the past seven years, hundreds of people have come together in the name of community and love for a citywide day of service. Last year, local parks, businesses, schools and nonprofit organizations all felt the love as 400 volunteers banded together to create the largest 1Day ever!

Hoboken Grace will launch its eighth annual 1Day event on September 29th. Volunteers will pick from over 30 community service projects, from park cleanups to painting projects and small repairs in community centers. 

The Hoboken Housing Authority is one of the many organizations we’ll be serving again this year. What began as assistance with garbage cleanup has evolved into several small-scale projects helping the housing authority staff further their efforts to keep six housing communities continuing to feel like home for those who live there. 

“These projects make a huge difference in the appearance and upkeep of HHA properties. Words simply cannot express how much the efforts are appreciated,” said Rich Goddin, Director of Maintenance for the Hoboken Housing Authority. 

Last year’s volunteers also helped the Hoboken Evangelical Free Church with several projects, including painting a stairway, putting up drywall and building a garbage shed. “The team was great and super helpful,” said Pastor Dave Haney. “We were so blessed by the day.” 

Coming together in community is one of the most important things we can do to share God’s love and become part of something bigger than ourselves. While we can always volunteer at projects on our own time, it’s when we come together that God’s love is undeniably evident. When we work together, our individual efforts are elevated on a grand scale. What might seem like only a few hours of time to us can make a world of difference to those on the receiving end of that contribution.

You’ve heard people say “it takes a village” and “charity begins at home.” We are that village and Hoboken is our home. We are so excited to see how this year’s 1Day will turn out. 

_To be a part of helping make Hoboken better in just one day, [register here](http://1dayhoboken.com)._

We can’t wait to see you there!


A Community Impact

When Dan and Rebecca started talking about paying off their debt, they expected it would take at least five years. Instead, they paid off everything — nearly $110,000 — in three years.

“It was totally God, in different ways,” said Rebecca.

Those “different ways” start with the fact that Dan and Rebecca were looking at houses when they enrolled in Financial Peace University. They were a few years into their marriage, and buying a house seemed like the next natural step — “The American dream,” said Dan.

But as they committed to following the FPU program for nine weeks, they started rethinking that decision.

“One thing — the big thing — that Dave Ramsey preaches is that you shouldn’t be in any kind of debt,” said Rebecca. “And when we were at that point, we had student loans, we had some credit cards … we just had debt, and it was not good. And if we had gone down that road, we would have been in debt the rest of our lives.”

The class forced the couple to ask themselves whether buying a house was more of a need or a want. They started thinking about long-term goals, says Rebecca, and talking about what they actually wanted.

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/HGFPUShoot-2018-MSM_9636.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/HGFPUShoot-2018-MSM%5F9636.jpg)“That’s where we set that goal for ourselves \[of getting out of debt\],” she said.

So they made a budget and committed to going all in, pinching every penny to make it happen.

But in the midst of that, God placed it on their hearts to open their home to Chloe, a student they’d met on a mission trip to North Korea who needed a host family in the NYC area. Having someone live with them for 10 months — and providing a bed, meals and everything else she’d need — was definitely not in their budget.

“I was really freaking out,” said Rebecca. “And this is where Dan was like, we need to give God a chance to show up.”

Throughout those 10 months, friends and family stepped up time and again. People donated furniture for Chloe’s room, and money for a new bed. The parents of a friend started sending checks to help with other expenses. Month after month, Dan, Rebecca and Chloe had everything they needed. And somehow, the budget always worked out.

“It was insane,” Rebecca said. “Down to the penny.”

“There was a literal penny,” Dan added. “We were paying at our laundromat in change. That week, we had all our other expenses paid off and we forgot we had to pick up our laundry. It was the final expense to keep our budget in line, and literally, we had a penny in our pocket to finish paying everything.”

When they’d made the decision to host Chloe, Dan and Rebecca accepted that their goal of getting out of debt would likely be postponed. But around the same time Chloe’s stay ended, they realized they could be debt-free if they put all of their savings toward what was left. And with that, they paid off their last student loan — the last of the nearly $110,000 they’d spent three years paying off.

“We had nothing, but we were free and we were so happy,” Rebecca said. “We were so happy.”

A few years later, that feeling of freedom hasn’t worn off. Earlier this year, Dan and Rebecca each started side businesses involving two of their passions — music and photography. Being debt-free has allowed them to invest money into both businesses, to get them off the ground. And several weeks ago, Dan took a job at a startup, an exciting opportunity that might have seemed too risky a few years ago.

What’s more, they’re rebuilding their savings and have a long-term vision for giving. They say they’re building a foundation that will eventually allow them to “give like crazy.”

“I would say the biggest thing right now is … having doors that are open to us that we can talk about what it looks like to give, in different ways, that weren’t open to us before,” said Dan.

For those just starting their FPU journey, the couple recommends committing fully to the program for the full nine weeks — following a budget, identifying weak spending habits, paying in cash. Another thing that proved crucial, they say, is learning to discern a need from a want — even if that means realizing your two-bedroom apartment is perfectly fine in the midst of a house hunt.

“We can’t recommend the program enough,” said Dan. “It’s going to stretch you in ways you haven’t been stretched before.”

_FPU launches at the end of March – start your joinery to Financial Freedom!_ [Register today.](https://hobokengrace.churchcenter.com/groups)

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/HGFPUShoot-2018-MSM_9692.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/HGFPUShoot-2018-MSM%5F9692.jpg)


Finding Financial Freedom

At Hoboken Grace, we kicked off the summer with a series to do just that. “[Celebrating Summer](http://hobokengrace.com/series/celebrating-summer/)” asked what it would look like if this summer could be your best summer yet. What if you could come to the end and look back at something to celebrate? We explored different ways to do that, from various growth tools to embracing rest, music and community.

With Labor Day marking summer’s (unofficial) end earlier this week, we thought it was time we looked back at the summer we had at Hoboken Grace and reflect on all that there is to celebrate.

Here are a few of the many highlights.

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/IMG_9605.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/IMG%5F9605.jpg)

## **Grace Kids expanded!**

As Grace Kids continues to grow, we expanded to the entire fourth floor at 301 Garden. That change nearly _doubles_ our capacity for kids rooms. (If you’ve been away all summer, don’t worry — there are elevators to get your family there!)

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/Screen-Shot-2018-09-06-at-4.56.50-PM.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/Screen-Shot-2018-09-06-at-4.56.50-PM.jpg)

## **New staff members**

Our staff expanded this summer! While James settled into his new role as Outreach Director, Melanie was brought on as Communications Director and Kasey was hired to oversee production and facilities. In addition, Whitney came on as an office administrative assistant who mainly focuses on Grace Kids.

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/40615883_2089688997721815_6725883764372668416_o.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/40615883%5F2089688997721815%5F6725883764372668416%5Fo.jpg)

## **30 events**

From Fitness & Fro-Yo to Mambo Monday, we held over 30 events between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That included plenty of events at the pier and elsewhere.

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/P1870519.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/P1870519.jpg)

## **More than 10,000 items donated**

Our Summer Collection was a huge success, thanks to you! We donated 10,591 items to help stock the shelves of three of our local partners: In Jesus Name Charities, Lunchtime Ministries and the Hoboken Shelter. That included enough cutlery for 2,850 meals, 413 rolls of toilet paper, 65 lbs of coffee, 85 lbs of sugar, 85 cartons of Enfamil and 620 juice boxes.

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/DSC_7054.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/09/DSC%5F7054.jpg)

## **14 baptisms!**

We watched 14 people take the step of baptism this summer, making a public declaration of their faith in front of friends, family and our church family.

So here’s to fall! From Financial Peace University to 1Day and a handful of other events, there’s so much to look forward to!


A Summer to Celebrate

In the next two weeks we have 88 dinner groups starting throughout our community. We know it can be a little scary to join a group for the first time, and we know how easy it is to find an excuse to miss out on this, but there’s too much to gain! Check out 5 reasons why you don’t want the excuses or the fear to win out on this one.

#### **1\. Dinner is planned**

With summer coming to an end and a new season beginning, it is nice to know that you have one less dinner to plan each week. Dinner Groups meet weekly, share a meal together and open conversations that lead to spiritual growth. Each group does dinner in their own way. Some groups order in, some take turns cooking, others do potlucks or go out. When you sign up, the leader will let you know how they organize dinner.

#### **2\. No long-term commitment needed**

The majority of our Dinner Groups run all year long. This fall is a perfect time to try out a new group because it’s only **_7 weeks long_**! This is a great opportunity to form new relationships with others who are also trying this out for the first time. Be assured, you are not the only one who is new.

#### **3\. Consistent encouragement**

Whether it’s spending daily time with God, serving the community, being baptized, or another milestone, Dinner Group members support each other to take that next step. We are all at different points in our journey. Taking a step of faith can be intimidating, but you don’t have to take that step alone. You will have people rooting for you as you move forward and people who have your back when you fear you might fail. Dinner Group gives you a front-row seat to watch the faith of others in action. Your faith will grow as you see Him at work in the group.

#### **4\. It is a chance to be real for once**

We are always going through life trying to fit in. A lot of the time that means we have to “fake it ’til we make it.” Dinner Groups are a place where you can let your guard down and be authentic. And in this upcoming series, we are walking through the questions that are at the heart of every one of us — what is my purpose? Was I made for more? Do I matter? These are questions that we all ask ourselves, and being a part of a dinner group shows us that we are all dealing with similar struggles and similar questions. It helps to know that others are facing the same difficulties, or have already walked through them.

#### **5\. Find family in Hoboken**

The strongest families are forged by sharing a meal around a table. People have traveled from near and far to call Hoboken home. As a result, Hoboken Grace is made up of people from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life. It’s around these tables that you will establish and deepen relationships with people God has uniquely made and placed in your life. Your Dinner Group will grow together — enduring trials and making memories, just like a family.

We saved you a seat. Will you join us this fall?

_To learn more about starting or joining a group,_ _[ visit here](http://hobokengrace.com/dinnergroups/#join)._


5 Reasons Why A Dinner Group Is Worth Joining


_There are two sides to every story. Here Nick and Erika share what taking Financial Peace University as a married couple meant to them._

**Erika’s story**

I graduated from college with a communications degree, shaky job prospects, and some vague knowledge of the principles of Financial Peace University. My church wasn’t running FPU at the time, but I did seek out a wise, financially responsible young couple to help coach me in the right direction. I learned enough to start a high yield savings account, opened a credit card only for emergencies, and never carried a balance. As I entered adulthood, I had a decent foundation of financial principles, but there was definitely room for improvement in my financial life. I wasn’t totally irresponsible, but I wasn’t “winning” with my money, either.

In our pursuit of financial freedom, as newlyweds in our mid-twenties, my husband Nick and I made some [big sacrifices in our living situation](https://www.marriedinmilesquarecity.com/newlywed-finances-choose-your-nest/) and worked together to aggressively pay down school debt and became debt free within a year! Over the next five years, we saved up an emergency fund, but through multiple life challenges, including paying many unexpected healthcare costs and taxes, we always seemed to have to dip into that hard-earned E-fund and then work to rebuild it again. Sometimes it felt like we were treading water, unable to move forward.

This past winter, Nick came home one day not long after our son was born and said, “I think we should take FPU next semester.” Nick wanted to be prepared for the fall when all the Dinner Groups walked through the Be Rich series together. I had heard so many other FPU success stories and I knew the material was going to be great, but I was worried about diving into a complete remodel of our finances in the midst of an already ongoing remodel of our lives as new parents! Being squarely in the “fourth trimester” and still experiencing the overwhelm of having a newborn just a few months old, at first, I thought he was crazy. Could we really leave the house every week for nine weeks in a row when we were sleep deprived and living with the ever-shifting demands of a tiny baby?

However, I knew the reality of lack of focused financial momentum over the last few years, and I was halfway through my maternity leave and getting ready to head back to work full time. We were about to experience yet another shift in our new dynamic and season of life, so I knew starting from the beginning of it with a secure financial future was definitely the wisest choice. We got babysitters lined up and actually left the house together without the baby at least once a week, which ended up being a nice change of pace!

In FPU, Dave Ramsey talks about the fact that in every relationship, there tends to be a “nerd” and a “free spirit.” I consider myself maybe a rarer hybrid: the nerdy free spirit. I tend to see rules more as guidelines, but I don’t want to necessarily go so far out of the boundaries that I’ll face imminent danger. Though neither one of us was individually out of control with our spending, the best thing about taking the FPU course together was that it gave us common materials, language, and a community to lean on. We were able to clarify together what “Baby Step” we were truly on in the pursuit of total financial freedom, and make better informed decisions about what we should focus on next.

Hearing the stories of the other people in the group was just as valuable as the formal course material itself. It was inspiring to hear the goals they were setting and changes others were starting to make in their lives. In our group, we had young and more mature singles, newlyweds, couples who had been married for a while, and new parents like us. Each person brought a new challenge or perspective to the discussion and we were able to support and cheer each other on as we began to chase after our new goals with “gazelle intensity.”

While I never would have planned it this way, deciding to take FPU soon after we expanded our family was a great decision for us. Had we had the foresight, we would encourage any kid who is working through high school, any college student, or any newlyweds to take the official course sooner than later. It’s not enough to know the principles in theory, you have to create a plan and take actionable steps towards achieving those goals. Investing those nine weeks now, in what is hopefully still the first third of our lives, will have positive exponential impact on the financial futures of not only ourselves, but our children, our faith community, and the world around us.

**_Financial Peace University groups start September 9th. Sign up at [BeRichHoboken.com](http://berichhoboken.com)_**

_Read Nick’s side of the story [here](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/28325/)._

_Erika is a Dinner Groups Coach and writer of all things, including her blog,[ Married in Mile Square City.](http://www.marriedinmilesquarecity.com/)_


Becoming A Family With Financial Peace — Erika’s Story


_There are two sides to every story. Here Nick and Erika share what taking Financial Peace University as a married couple meant to them._

**Nick’s story**

With a Bachelor’s degree in Finance, the last thing I thought I needed was to take another finance course. I had spent more than enough time in college sitting in class calculating bonds and compounding interest that I felt excused from ever having to take a personal finance class. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

At work I do a lot of budgets, spreadsheets, reviewing the past to help make better decisions as we move forward, so the last thing I wanted to do was come home and do more of the same. I underestimated how much it meant to my wife Erika. While I was comfortable with my “good enough” budget that existed in my head, in reality, that was of no help to Erika.

The “good enough” budget led to a lot of repeated phrases such as: “Eh, we’ll be alright. We’re gonna be fine. We deserve a nice vacation. We’ll just pay it off next month.” Perhaps you’ve found yourself saying the same kinds of things. What I was too stubborn to see was that this attitude was actually weakening our partnership in marriage. Doing budgets and spreadsheets came so naturally to me that I underestimated how easy it was to make her feel loved and cared for by something that came so naturally to me.

Built on biblical principles, Financial Peace Univerity not just human theory. Learning these principles has affected other areas of my life, too. There’s something surprising that happens when you allow these principles to affect your wallet. It also starts to affect your heart. It’s no wonder that Jesus says in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

I learned that budgets don’t just have to be about money. Because of the principals, I put to work in FPU, I’ve also learned how to budget my time better. Just like money, time has it’s limits. You’d better have a plan for every minute of it. FPU teaches you to have a plan for every dollar. If you can learn how much money you can spend on eating out, you can easily transfer that to how much time you can afford to watch television on a daily or weekly basis.

If you don’t have a plan, you’ll easily be sucked into binge-watching the next merely average show on Netflix instead of investing your time in your children or improving your community. Having a budget really makes you take a step back and evaluate how important something really is in your life. If I only get 7 hours a week to turn on the television do I really want to spend 3 of it watching a midseason hockey game with 45 minutes worth of commercials? Or is there a wiser way to spend that time? Is that trashy reality show even worth 20 minutes? It forces you to consider everything you’ve been given.

Budgets aren’t restricting. They are freeing. We need to dispel the myth that a budget is restricting. I can’t tell you how much of a relief it is to my wife and I knowing what we can and can’t buy during the month because we budgeted ahead of time for it. It was exhausting to constantly check in on purchases, asking each other for permission or “can we afford it?”

I’m so glad FPU has had a major impact on my marriage, but I wish I would have taken it sooner in life, well before I ever got married or even went to college. In the months that have followed since taking it, I’ve been so impressed by how it’s influenced my life and drawn me closer to God in the process.

The FPU course is nine weeks. That’s a good bit of time, but it’s time you’ll be spending making sure you’re doing better than “good enough.” Jump in a group, learn, and encourage others in this exciting process. If we can talk about finances within our faith community, there are no limits on where we can go next. Don’t be like me, wishing you’d learned this stuff sooner. Jump in today!

Read Erika’s side of the story [here](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/becoming-family-financial-peace/).

**_Financial Peace University groups start September 9th. Sign up at [BeRichHoboken.com](http://berichhoboken.com)_**

_Nick serves as the Dinner Groups Director at Hoboken Grace._


When &#8220;Good Enough&#8221; Wasn’t Good Enough

A couple months ago I was in a season of pure, unrelenting hustle. We were a few weeks out from Easter and we were in the middle of a massive undertaking – a brand-new set for the stage. After a few set-backs (pun intended), we were finally moving along, working to reach our goal of unveiling it by the Good Friday services. Every night during the weeks leading up to Easter, I’d head to 301 Garden to work on it with a small group of committed team members. Some nights we were gluing bricks, some nights painting, drilling, assembling massive structural pieces, staining wood – there was no shortage of random tasks we were chipping away at.

It wasn’t until one of my teammates stepped back on one of those late nights and said something that made me realize how very weird this must seem to most people. It was about midnight and almost everyone else was about to leave. I, however, wanted to stay to work on tweaking a projector that wasn’t behaving (something I would end up spending more hours doing than I’d care to admit). This teammate turned to me and said, “You are pushing HARD.” Without much hesitation I looked at him and said, “Yup.”

In that moment, there were two things wrapped up in his statement:

**Was this worth it?** It’s an understandable question when you see someone working so hard – is it worth less sleep just to get a projector working right? Are you sure it matters that much? Isn’t this a little crazy?

The thing was, it WAS a little crazy. But for good reason.

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/08/IMG_0469.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/08/IMG%5F0469.jpg)

As a church, everything we do reflects how we feel and think about God. With the set, we wanted to go big with what we put on the stage, showing people how important God is to us. Furthermore, we wanted to get the details right. We wanted the exposed brick to remind people of being at home in Hoboken – it’s something that’s so representative of our homes here. We wanted there to be a warm, wood element that was inviting. And the screens – we wanted to draw people into a space where they could be free of distraction and open to what God would say to them throughout a service. Getting all those details and more right was the kind of attention to detail God deserves us to give to His mission.

The other piece was this:

**I was straight-up hustling.** I was giving everything I had to see this through. Following God doesn’t always make sense and it certainly can bring you to places you would have never come up with on your own (like building a picture frame the size of my apartment). But if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s this: At the end of the day I might be physically exhausted, and the next steps might still be running through my head, but I’ll know that I gave everything I had that day for Christ and for people to know Him. What could be more fulfilling than that?

In order for all those things to happen with the set, we had to push hard to get it done. But in the back of my mind, even though I was pointing a remote at a projector trying to get it to do what I wanted at 1 in the morning, I was also thinking about the person who’s coming to church for the first time in a long time, or maybe ever. By paying this much attention to detail, we’re helping communicate how great our God is and just how much He loves people.

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/08/IMG_0485.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/08/IMG%5F0485.jpg)

Now all of this is just foolishness if we’re not actually following God in it. In our part of the world, hustle is often just expected of you, or even idolized — in your job, in your family, in how you approach life. We are a high-achieving, fast-paced people, and it can be easy to get caught up in the hustle for the sake of the hustle. There are three things I believe God calls us to remember in this:

**1). Do it in COMMUNITY.** There’s no way I would have actually been able to keep a healthy tab on my hustle if I didn’t have people reminding me to rest up, eat healthy and spend time with God. I had a community of friends, teammates and mentors who each spoke loving truth to me in so many ways during that season. I wasn’t always successful at doing that on my own, but them pulling me back lovingly was a huge factor in my ability to continue to hustle.

**2). Remember the WHY.** Part of that truth my community was speaking to me was reminding me _why_ we were doing this. Remembering the truth of what God has done for us by going to the cross, which allows us to come to Him and worship Him in so many ways. The WHY of my hustle was never far away, and it was important to keep that in my own face, so to speak.

**3). Pay attention to the WHEN.** Before we began the more rigorous part of our set building schedule, there was a lot of hurry up and wait. Waiting on details to be worked out, waiting for test builds to see if things worked, waiting for all sorts of things. In a lot of ways, that time was more difficult than the actual building. We wanted to get going, but knew it wasn’t time. There was even a hot second where we honestly asked God if we should wait another year to make this happen. But we prayed through it, and when the time came we jumped in with Him, ready to sweat and get ‘er done.

Hustle doesn’t have to be a bad thing and it doesn’t have to be an over-glorified thing either. How is God calling you to approach it in your life? Maybe he’s calling you to shift where your hustle is, maybe he’s calling you to get off your bum! Whatever it is for you, remember to do it WITH Him.

_Dana is the Arts Director at Hoboken Grace._

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/08/Sunday_08-05-2018-10.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/08/Sunday%5F08-05-2018-10.jpg)


The Art of Hustle

_Last Sunday, before services began, the dozens of people serving that morning gathered for a 9 a.m. Team Huddle. The gathering started out as it usually does, with teams sharing celebrations from the past week. A_ _nd then Anthony called Stephanie to the stage, announcing he was going to do something “a little bit different.” That set in motion a proposal from Stephanie’s boyfriend, Jeff, who shares below why it was so fitting that they got engaged at Hoboken Grace._

I wanted to propose to Stephanie at Hoboken Grace because it has had such a tremendous impact on both of our lives. Stephanie has been a regular attender and has served in Grace Kids since the beginning of the church over a decade ago. I started attending shortly after moving into the area seven years ago, and quickly connected with a dinner group and began serving on the Production Team. It wasn’t long before our paths crossed through mutual friends and during events at Hoboken Grace.

We were friends for several years before we started to date. When we started dating the first time, our hearts weren’t in the same place and the timing just wasn’t right, so things fizzled out. We both moved on and began casually dating other people but remained friends. God continued working in both our lives to get us to a more mature and compatible place.

Our romance was rekindled about a year ago at a friend’s wedding (someone we know through Hoboken Grace!), and we started dating again shortly thereafter. When mutual friends found out, they were as excited as we were — this was very reaffirming for us. The depth of our love has continued to grow through the biblical values and teachings that we’ve learned at Hoboken Grace and applied in our relationship. We owe everything to the Hoboken Grace community and the invaluable work God has done here!

> [](https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKnorr/videos/10102927316057195/)
> 
> She said, "Yes!" #Jeffanie #LuckyMan with Stephanie Ann and Anthony Reimer
> 
> Posted by [Jeff Knorr](https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKnorr) on Sunday, August 12, 2018


She Said Yes!

I remember when I was working full time in the performing arts, I got the name and cell phone number of a pretty famous person. I thought it was awesome just to have it in my phone. We were working on a project together, we became friends and, as friends do, we exchanged numbers. After the project finished, we stayed in touch briefly and about a year later we ran into one another on the street. We exchanged pleasantries and said we should grab dinner sometime. We pulled out our phones and realized we both already had each other’s number. My famous friend said, “Why don’t you use it?!” He was half-joking, of course, but it got me thinking. Prayer is like having God’s personal cell phone number. It’s a direct line to THE most famous person who ever lived, Jesus. And just like my friend who elbowed me into using his number, God is doing the same thing to us. He WANTS us to communicate with Him.

**“But I don’t like talking on the phone.”**

That’s okay. You can text God, too. I love writing out my prayers to Him. I keep a journal on my desk at the office and one on my nightstand. Sometimes I’d rather write out my thoughts and prayers to Him than speak them outloud anyway. It gives me a history of my messages to Him. I can go back and see how God used a situation or see how He answered a previous prayer.

**“I don’t know what to say.”**

When we look into the scriptures, we can see examples of how others prayed. Peter, who was a fisherman when He first met Jesus, tells us, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” See what Peter did there? He spoke the way he would know how to talk. He was a fisherman, so he says to “cast” all your anxiety on God. Peter is encouraging us to talk to God the way we talk to our friends and family, and to use language we already know. Love baseball like me? “Pitch” all your worries to God. Are you into lifting weights? “Heave” all your cares onto Him. Good at playing darts? “Throw” all your fears in God’s direction. You don’t need to worry about how you say it, the important thing is that you say it.

**“Does God hear me, though?”**

Absolutely. We’re taught in the Psalms that when we call to God (see, there’s that calling thing again), He hears your voice (Psalm 55:16-17). “Know that He is listening.” He has promised that we will never get a busy signal and that our prayers never go straight to voicemail. He hears them the moment we dial him. He doesn’t swipe to ignore. He doesn’t pick up His phone, see who it is and then pretend He didn’t. God always picks up.

**“How can I start?”**

Right now. There’s no better way than to take a few moments at your desk, on the train, in your car and talk to the Creator of the Universe. You don’t need to be in a particular building to do so. You don’t even need to be in a particular body position. You simply have to start talking, or, if you don’t want to say it outloud, start thinking! God hears your thoughts, too. The Apostle Paul encourages us that even when we don’t know the words to say, God knows what we need (Romans 8:26). So just bring it to Him.

**“What if I’d like someone to be praying for me?”**

You can email the prayer team at [prayer@hobokengrace.com](mailto:prayer@hobokengrace.com) or, each Sunday, we ask people to fill out their Connection Card, so we can be praying for our church family. The reason we ask you to fill one out is because it’s impossible to know and to remember everyone who comes in our doors on a Sunday morning. It’s impossible to know who’s watching on Livestream from afar. However, we recognize that all of us are in this together, and one of the things we are called to do is pray for one another.


Prayer ― Your Direct Line to God

This fall, 1,000 people will be taking the journey through [Financial Peace University](http://hobokengrace.com/berich/) at Hoboken Grace. The nine-week course has already helped countless people take charge of their finances and live a life of financial freedom. So what are some of the most important lessons from FPU? We asked five people that very question.

### Becky

I think there’s this myth that you have to be a numbers person, or you have to be an accountant, or you have to be someone who works on Wall Street to really take ownership of your budget. … The takeaway from day one was that anyone can take control of their budget. You don’t have to be an expert.

### Andy

FPU was great for me because it laid out a formula to accomplish financial freedom. It wasn’t an abstract set of ideals. Instead, it provided a comprehensive list of steps toward peace of mind.

The debt snowball, a simple yet empowering method of paying off debt, was my favorite and most influential aspect of the course. I highly recommend FPU for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of financial responsibility, as well as a plan to achieve the peace and independence that comes with properly handling your hard earned money.

### Jim & Lyla

You have to talk about the issues of where you want to spend your money. So as a couple, it forced us to really talk about, well, I do enjoy this. And you have to take all the judgment off the table. So, he might like cars, and, I might like clothes. And he might think that my spending money on clothes isn’t important, but because he loves me and wants me to be happy, and vice versa, I want him to be happy, we were able to talk about those things very openly and very frankly. So that was really helpful.

### Jeff

FPU really helped me to invest the time and effort into reining in my personal finances. By applying the biblical principles outlined in the class, I’ve become a better steward, and I have been able to live more generously and with less stress. I’m a strong believer in the program and have joined the Hoboken Grace Financial Impact Team to help others gain control over their finances too.

### Enrico

The most important thing I learned in FPU is that I’m not alone — there is hope, and everyone needs to face their own battles as they search for their financial peace. Secondly, everything doesn’t happen overnight. Patience, accountability, and full determination are key ingredients in this journey. Third, always use the 80/20 rule, which says that breaking a bad habit is 80 percent behavior and 20 percent head knowledge. Lastly, use the power of automation and use technology to your advantage. You will know what I’m talking about when you join Financial Peace University.

[ Register for FPU today!](http://hobokengrace.com/berich/) 


Five Things We Learned From FPU

For most of my life, I’ve been afraid of commitment — afraid of falling short and disappointing other people. After walking into Hoboken Grace for the first time in 2012, that included my relationship with God. Not committing to a relationship with Him seemed like a better option than letting Him down.

What drew me to Hoboken Grace in the first place was a granola bar. Someone handed it to me, along with a card about the church, shortly after I moved here. Looking to meet new people — and curious why Christians were so friendly — I decided to give it a try. Little did I know I would end up crying during the worship songs. The lyrics spoke to my heart and overwhelmed me with comfort and warmth. They made me feel loved and less alone.

That feeling only grew as I joined a dinner group and started serving. While I still wasn’t looking for a long-term commitment, I offered to serve in Grace Kids one Sunday when someone in my dinner group needed help. It’d only be one time anyway, I thought. I enjoyed it so much that I’ve been serving in Baby Steps ever since. Over the years, God changed my heart from being a proud volunteer to a joyful servant.

For the most part, though, I’ve insisted on taking my own baby steps toward God, without any commitment. I was especially hesitant about taking the step of baptism, because I didn’t think I would ever be able to live up to God’s standard. Without declaring my faith as a Christian by taking that step, I thought, I wouldn’t need to worry about disappointing Him.

The truth is, I will never be able to live up to God’s standard. My salvation comes from Jesus’ love and what He did on the cross for me. I’ve already been living in His grace. There’s nothing more I want now than to declare that I’m His and that this is for His glory, not mine.

When I leaned back into the water last Sunday, I completely surrendered myself in God’s grace, knowing His love for me will never change. I’m forgiven, and with His love, I don’t need to be afraid of failing.

_Alicia wants to thank the Hoboken Grace community, especially her dinner group, for their support as she took the step of baptism. Without you, she says, I wouldn’t have found my faith and my way back to God._


A Commitment Worth Declaring

Blog

A Diverse, Growing, Contemporary, Community Church in Hoboken

Everything we do revolves around our mission of helping people find their way back to God. Our goal is to demonstrate who God really is and to let others know that God wants a relationship with each and every one of us.

https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/b_rgb:ffffff,c_lpad,h_720,w_1280/v1709609543/Web-Icon-01-favicon_da4fdo.png