Finding Joy Through Suffering: A Christian Perspective

Endure for Greater

I think we should all pay back what we owe. The process of repayment is difficult and invokes suffering. While in the middle of challenging times, it helps to think of the goals you hope to accomplish. For example, Jesus knew he would suffer, how he would suffer, and what he was set to achieve through suffering. Looking to something greater than ourselves to obtain greater is what Christ did and serves as our example as explained in Hebrews 12:2.

Our Issues Today

Christ took things a step further by rejecting Satan’s temptations in the wilderness as found in Matthew 4:1-11. The temptations Christ overcame are no different from what we encounter today:

Desire to satisfy ourselves without relying on God.
A longing to prove ourselves worthy of association with others.
Urge to yield power at the cost of legitimate authority.

Sacrifice = Pain

Luke 9:22-24 illustrates Jesus knew the sacrifice he faced for a brighter future. Jesus had a crew of 12 which consisted of his best friends, with one ultimately betraying him. With that said, life’s challenges are difficult to do alone; but it is our faith in Him to see us through the difficult times of life that we see the Lord’s power revealed. I am a testimony of the Lord’s power to lift you out of despair and replace your sorrows in the midst of ongoing troubles with joy.

What Joy Means to Me

Having joy in the Lord does not mean everything will work out fine. My student loans did not just miraculously pay themselves, but I found myself enjoying the process in knowing one day my loan balance would be zero. My joy in Christ did not make times of unemployment, or being passed over for promotions less painful. The joy I have in Christ is a reminder that life gets so much better if I yield life’s outcomes to my creator. I have no regrets for the way things turned out in my life.

Past, Present, and Future

If you regret you are looking back, when you worry you are looking forward. If you aren’t careful, the regret of yesterday and the worry about tomorrow will squeeze you so tightly you won’t have a today.

That’s all for now, until next time everyone. Stay strong! Fight on and have No Debt But Love, peace and blessings!

👜Surviving Unemployment: Strategies for New Graduates👨🏻‍🎓

Posted by No Debt But Love

Recent college graduates are expressing ongoing frustrations in attempts to secure jobs.

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/job-market-report-college-student-graduates-ai-trump-tariffs-rcna221693

To make matters worse, student loan collections started May 5^th. This comes after the initial pause of student loan repayment which resumed October 2023 after Covid-19 payment extensions expired.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/student-loan-collections-restart-explained-rcna204494

🏛️Student Loan Collections Vs Repayment🤌

So, what’s the difference between collections and repayment?

Debt collection occurs after a borrower fails to make payments after a certain time as agreed, also known in business terms as default. The creditor-in this case the student loan company may attempt to recover the amount owed or involve a third party known as a debt collector or a collection agency.

Debt repayment is the process of the debtor-the person(s) who borrowed money, paying back what is owed to the creditor. Creditor is the person(s) or business to whom money is owed. Debt repayment involves a payback schedule, also known as the amortization schedule. Amortization schedule(s) give the amount, dates of repayment, and number of periods required to repay debt.

⏰Hard Times Won’t Last, Tough People Do🤕

I remember graduating from college in 2008 and not being able to find work. I immediately made the decision to return for a master’s degree. I won’t revisit the entire story, but if you care to know the backstory, check out the following blog posts below.

The American Dream: $85,308.07 In The Hole

Why? -$27,281.44 Paid, $58,026.63 Till Pay Off

Trust me, I have plenty of other blog posts. Feel free to go down the rabbit hole by clicking on older links 😊. The Lord got me through the years that followed battling unemployment. I felt like a failure and my message to anyone who can’t find work is…

🧗🏼‍♀️Things will get better if you don’t give up🧗🏼‍♀️

I don’t know what it is like for you right now in 2025, but I remember the feeling of hopelessness in 2008. Misery regardless of the date and time is a horrible experience and we all just want to get out of it. Here is how I survived a recession with student loan debt.

Consider moving back home with family. I know, I know… no one wants to move back home with family but count yourself blessed if this is an option. Your family wants what’s best for you. Remember no family is perfect but take the help you can get while it’s available.
Connect with people you trust. Let the people that love know how you feel. Many times, people don’t know the pain we are going through, so we cannot assume people can readily understand our experiences. Communicate with your loved ones; and pray for discernment on who best to talk to about struggles.
Just find a job. Yes, any job for the meantime will do because you still need to eat. By providing your most basic needs, you’d be surprised how eventually others will feel compassion for you. The help may not come quickly, but in working you are helping yourself, and to help yourself is to love yourself. While I worked as a cashier after college, the blessing came in the form of improving my ability to small talk.

That’s it for this post! Until next time everyone… Stay strong💪, fight on🥊💥🥊, and have No Debt But Love❤️. Peace and blessings!✌

It’s Been A While

Posted by No Debt But Love

👋Hello Again👋

It’s been three years to be exact since the last blog post. I’ve had a lot of time to sit and reflect on life as I’ve encountered many defeats, but I remain undefeated. A prevailing thought I’ve had recently is thar Christ is far less concerned about what you are doing in the world, and more concerned about how you are becoming more like Him by how you live in the world. The truth is I’ve been learning to adjust to life in a rural area. It’s been frustrating at times dealing with slower internet speeds than the big city. My cellphone service is unreliable and at times I’ve felt invisible.

𓇢𓆸Battle With Loneliness 🍂

Making friends has been difficult the 5 years since my family and I have moved from the DFW area. However, I read Galatians 5 and am reminded I am free from the burdens of the opinions others have of me. It is important to acknowledge that not everyone will cheer you along your journey in Christ. There will be envy and attempts at sabotage, even from family and those you considered to be friends. It’s also humbling to note that there have been times when I haven’t been a loving friend or supportive to my own family.

For those I’ve hurt, I ask for forgiveness.

🍓Fruit of the Spirit🍊

Through these challenging seasons, the Lord is growing in us spiritual fruit as found in verses 22 & 23 of Galatians 5. Love for my wife grows despite arguments. Joy is present while I continue home renovations. Peace was there after a car accident. Kindness was extended to the rude insurance claims adjuster😂. Faithfulness to the covenant made to my wife. Patience is on display while helping the kids with homework. Goodness in going the extra mile when I don’t have more to give. Gentleness in how a respond to others in relation to how I view myself. It is not about me thinking more or less of myself in comparison to others, it’s thinking about myself less, and Christ more. Self-control is ongoing as I learn to not be so easily annoyed. The Apostle Paul, after asking the Lord to remove a physical ailment, wrote the Lord’s reply: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).

I will trust the Lord as he has never let me down. Until next time everyone… Stay strong💪, fight on🥊💥🥊, and have No Debt But Love❤️. Peace and blessings!✌

🙏🏾And Forgive Us Our Debts…🙏🏾

Posted by No Debt But Love

We Know Not What We Do…

Student loan debt and forgiveness remains a controversial issue as U.S. President Joe Biden orders up to $20,000 in debt cancellation for Pell Grant recipients. Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students based on financial need. Unlike student loans, grants do not have to be repaid.

I received the Pell Grant in college. While the grant helped me tremendously, I still accumulated $85,308.17 in federal student loans. Just like the Pell Grant money I received, the federal student loans were awarded me based on displayed financial need. Something to note, prior to President Joe Biden’s announcement, federal student loans had to be paid in full or be forgiven after 25 years of repayment.

Citizens around the country are upset by this loan forgiveness and some are happy. I can understand both sides. I’ve paid my student loan debt and will not have any debt cancellation. But how did we get here in the first place?

Locked Up and Won’t Let Me Out…

Three years ago, countries around the globe shutdown due to Covid. Not many people were able to work during this time unless an occupation was considered “essential”. What a term to use to determine who earns a living and who doesn’t huh?

Millions of people lost their jobs as businesses either paused operations or shut down permanently. The U.S. government introduced the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to assist small businesses and major corporations in keeping staff employed during the pandemic.

Onward to Greener Pastures…

News reports soon swirled about growing discontentment with work conditions, compounded from stress of the global pandemic. Workers nationwide grew tired in their frustration of incessant threats of job loss due to Covid. This pent-up frustration led to The Great Resignation. In response, employers have since offered hybrid and remote work options in attempt to attract/retain skilled workers.

As heavy job losses mounted, the U.S. government sent stimulus checks to individuals as part of the American Rescue Plan. Unless your occupation was considered “essential” (first responder: police officer, fireman, teacher, healthcare worker) you were out of work. This was not an easy pill to swallow for recent college graduates as hiring freezes took effect.

So how do I feel about student loan forgiveness?

I guess you’ll have to read between the lines. Until next everyone… Stay Strong! 💪 Fight On! 🥊 And have No Debt But Love.

Peace and Blessings!