Broken spirit – Blah!

The economy seems to be spiraling down and the housing market seems hardest hit. All of those people who think that no one really cares about whether or not they are alive or dead need only miss a house payment to understand that there are people out there who “really care” if they are alive or dead or not. I say that in jest, but sometimes it seems that the entire world is against us and we are the bug and they are the windshield.

Personally I think financial pressure ranks right up at the top as one of the most stressful pressures that can be applied. Perhaps only a serious health concern outweighs it in being more stressful, but financial pressure is tough. Statistics indicate that financial pressure is the leading cause of divorce. And in this economy, there are plenty of people who are stressed out.

I can relate because I have been there and done that. One of the first companies that I founded had a tremendous amount of money embezzled from it and I ended up on the verge of bankruptcy. Literally for years every day I would go into work and spend a major portion of my time on the phone with angry creditors who were hopping mad and angrily threatening to sue me. One day I angrily growled back at one of them. “You can’t get blood out of a turnip!” He retorted, “No but I can darn sure get the turnip!” It seems that they had all of the answers and delighted in turning the screws to me.

And so it went day in and day out for seven years; tough times indeed, but very educational. I not only survived those difficult times, but ultimately I thrived. How did I do it? I refused to give up. I prayed to God, I worked, I persevered, and ultimately I was successful. My spirit was tested but never broken. Ultimately I learned that there is far more to life than material possessions and now I consider that experience one of the most valuable experiences I have ever been through. It really taught me how to manage money and budget and was my MBA education.

Mentally I determined early on that I would give it my best shot and if it did not work out this go around then I would not quit but apply lessons learned and try again. Fortunately I did not have to take that route, and I escaped bankruptcy and repaid every dime of the money that I owed and rebuilt the company even beyond its former level.

During that time I was never sued primarily I believe because I never refused to talk to a creditor. When they called I got on the phone with them and explained my situation. I told them that I could not pay them everything that I owed at that particular moment, but I would pay a portion of it as I worked through my dilemma. I reminded them that if they sued me that they would only get pennies on the dollar, (if that), because I would be forced to take bankruptcy. One week I might pay $5 and the next $5,000, but I did try to pay every creditor something and as long as they were receiving something and saw that I was trying to work with them, they worked with me.

It was nasty and I hated it, but it worked. They howled and growled and moaned about it, but in the end, some money sounded better than no money and they cut me enough slack and afforded me time to work my way out of it. I told them I was a victim of a crime and not a deadbeat and I utterly refused to pay interest or penalties and demanded that they refinance practically every debt or face not getting anything. It worked.

I relate this experience because it should give you hope that whatever battles you are fighting can be won if you persevere are resourceful and straight-forward. I learned to work and not to worry. Worry tears down and work builds up. If at first you do not succeed, then try again, (unless you are sky diving). “Lessons learned” the hard way are lessons that will make you strong for a lifetime. There will always be a next time provided you do not give up and maintain faith that God will see you through every battle as He teaches you His ever so valuable lessons of life

Proverbs 18:14
The spirit of a man will sustain
him in sickness,
But who can bear a broken
spirit?