This post is a little late. By a little, I mean nearly 2 years. We reached our goal May 2018. I remember the day so well, it was late when we made the call. The last payment to my student loan company. I don’t recall the exact amount but I do remember the glorious feeling when she said “Congratulations you have paid off your student loan!”. It was amazing. Our long journey, completed, one month before I turned 31. I was officially debt free by 30.
So why didn’t I post? Why didn’t I scream it from the rooftops? We had a lot going on at the time. My dad was diagnosed with cancer the same month. At the time, it was hard to understand that just when things should have been easier, we were faced with this terrifying news. He underwent treatments over the next year and was soon in “remission”. Even though that year was hard on him, and me, we made it through. I am thankful that because of our journey I was able to focus solely on him and didn’t have to fear missing work, or a payment. I learned that being out of debt didn’t mean you were free from trials. It simply made those times less stressful.
We have went through many trials since then. In fact, 2019 proved to be a tough year for us all. I honestly feel that now that we are “financially stable”, God has placed new areas of my life in the spotlight, showing me things I need to work on. I am a planner by nature and God’s plan and my plan didn’t match up. The plan every second and every dollar Emily, was thrown into a whirl wind of unpredictability and adventure. I am still paddling here in the seas of precariousness, but I am learning to lean on him with every wave. He got us here, and he has a plan for what’s next. Bring on 2020!