how cool is God?

the answer?
pretty dang cool.
let me tell you one of a million reasons why.
Dan and I are facilitating a Financial Peace University class at our church starting Jan 29th. It is a biblically based 13 weeks class designed to help people understand the forces behind their financial stress, create a budget they can follow, set goals they can achieve, and make things right financially, spiritually and emotionally. We feel a passion to do this because over the past three years our lives have been changed by the grace of God in His leading us to a similar class and seeing us through the process of righting our financial ship. Three years ago: over $83,000 in debt. Today: debt free except for our mortgage. Without a doubt it was a God thing.
In an effort to promote this upcoming class to the community, Dan sent a press release to two local papers hoping for free publicity. A couple weeks went by and we didn't hear or see anything so figured they had passed. Then, early last week, a reporter from the Saginaw News called Dan. She told him she had received his press release but wondered if he could put her in contact with someone who had been personally effected by the principles taught in this class. HOW COOL IS THAT?

Dan started telling her our story and that led to her interviewing me also by phone that afternoon and sending a photographer to our house the next evening to shoot a pic for the paper. The photographer was a nice young guy from Florida interning in the area. He took our pic for the paper but also posted it on has blog with a short synopsis of the story. Check it out at

http://ocantilli.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/you-have-to-be-able-to-help-yourself-before-you-can-help-anyone-else/
We still aren't sure when the article will run in the Saginaw News but will keep checking and let everyone know ASAP. We're praying it is in there soon since our class starts the 29th and we'd love to draw in some community people through the article.
God is so cool that we asked for a press release and He gave us a full blown article as a platform to connect to people about how aligning our finances with God principles kept us from bankruptcy.
We could be bankrupt; in fact, we should be bankrupt, but in addition to being cool, he is outrageously merciful to His children and we will never the same.
As your week gets started, take a minute to reflect on the downright cool things God does for you.
Be Blessed, stay warm, praise God.