The Sisterhood · Real women. Real hope.

Two of the central issues driving the discourse in this year’s Presidential election are our country’s $16 trillion debt and a need for a balanced budget. As a reminder of what is at stake for our children and grandchildren’s children, we wanted to share with you the following letter written by Dana Matas to her newborn son. Penned a few years ago, just after the housing market crash, Dana explains why her son’s generation may not inherit the greatest country in the world should we not learn from our mistakes.  Dana encourages people in their faith and family through her website “Confessions of a Busy Mama.”

Dear Merick,

When I was growing up, my parents taught me that if you worked hard and played by the rules, you would someday enjoy the fruits of your labor as you saw fit to do. We called it “the American Dream.” For some people, the American Dream meant providing financial security for his or her family. For others it meant buying the most outrageously expensive car. And still for others, the American Dream meant giving every last penny you’ve earned to charity. See back then, the American Dream wasn’t about equal outcome; it was about equal opportunity and having the freedom to live your dreams as you saw fit.

It breaks my heart to know that during your lifetime, the “American Dream” has truly become just that—a dream. I can still remember the day that I realized you would be born into a country that no longer resembled the America I grew up believing in, an America that rewarded hard work and dedication. And all I can say is, “I’m sorry.”

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Lara O’Brien Sadowski is our guest writer today.  She is a southern gal who loves all things writing, speaking, her family, and Jesus.  Lara is a beautiful example of how the Lord has the power to bring purpose through our pain.  Through writing and speaking, Lara shares her experiences with others to help them through their trials and shows them how the Lord can break any stronghold in their life.  Visit her at The Journey of a Southern Gal.

I need to stop watching the news as much as I do. But sometimes I cannot help myself. I am a self-described “newshound,” and between the economy and the Middle East and that “little election” happening in November, I have had a non-stop deluge of important stories to fill my mind.

I would say that the economy is one of the single most important situations we are all facing today. Will I be laid off? Will my husband be laid off? What about our retirement? Will we have enough in his son’s college fund? Worrying has been a common denominator for me and my family, but one day I realized something I was leaving out of our economic equation. Or should I say someone? The Lord Jesus Christ. I was allowing worry to saturate me instead of taking my concerns to Him.

This down-turning economy affects everyone the same – including Christians. So I asked myself a very important question. As a Christian, how should I react to the economy? I knew that there had to be a better answer than worrying excessively over my family’s financial future. And there is. Trusting and planning.

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