• Subscribe
  • About Us
    • Partner With Us
    • Advertising Media
    • Video Submission Guidelines
    • Print and Web Submission Guidelines
  • DONATE
    • Sustaining Member Program
    • Hope for the Forgotten Prison Project
  • Login/Register
    • Login
    • Register
    • Lost my password
  • Contact Us
  • Store
Message Magazine -
  • Grow your faith
    • Daily Devotional
    • Future Cast
    • Myth Busters
    • The Experience
    • The Experience Study
  • Whole Life
    • Finance
    • Health
    • Relationships
  • Justice
  • Magazine
    • Archives
    • Editorials
  • What’s The Message
  • Podcasts
  • Vault
Articles, EditorialApril 28, 2016July 29, 2016

That Rainy Day Is Here

by Clarence E. Hodges, Ph.D.

Preparing for your next disaster

Into each life some rain must fall and for some, there are floods, even tsunamis. The impact of these events are worsened because of a lack of preparation for them.

A 2011 Time article by Brad Tuttle indicated that 64% of Americans didn’t have $1,000 in savings to cover emergencies or other unexpected expenses totaling that amount.   Have we improved since then? No, only 36% of Americans said they had those resources in savings accounts. “The rest would be forced to hit up friends, family, or loan operations for the money, get a cash advance on a credit card, disregard payments on monthly expenses, or pawn some of their stuff.”

According to the May 2016 issue of The Atlantic, the Federal Reserve Board’s most recent survey  gauging the financial status of  Americans asked participants how they would respond to a $400 emergency. “The answer: 47 percent of respondents said that either they would cover the expense by borrowing or selling something, or they would not be able to come up with the $400 at all.” It appears as though most Americans are not prepared for those rainy days much less those catastrophes that are coming with increasing frequency, intensity, and with wider-spread destruction.

We–you and I and our friends and relatives–need solutions to these problems of unpreparedness. Congress needs to give some thought to the needs of individuals who make up America and not just those who represent wealth and the accumulation thereof.

As an ambitious youth I embraced concepts advanced by motivational speakers and wealth creators. Some were very helpful for those who aspired to the highest levels of wealth possible. I shifted my goals to government, social service, and ministry because I thought–and still think–they are more rewarding in this life and the life to come. Regardless of the field or sector, however, good stewards seek financial solvency, want to provide for their families and to give to good causes that relieve suffering.

We need solutions to these problems of unpreparedness.

Brian Tracy is an internationally known entrepreneur and success expert. He is Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations. He shared his own moment of clarity as a way to  inspire others to achieve their goals faster:

“The turning point for me came when I realized that nothing happens by luck or by accident. Everything happens for a reason. People are successful and prosperous because they do certain things in a certain way. People are unhappy and frustrated because they neglected to do the things that successful people do.  . . . In your life, it is very much the same. The most important thing you do at the outset of your career, or at any time during your career, is to find out what the most successful people are doing in your chosen area and then do the same things, over and over again until you start to get the same results. It is no miracle, it is no accident, it is as predictable as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west.”

I suggest and urge people of faith to seek first the kingdom of God as other goals often follow on that train of faith, good works, integrity, and service to others. Here are some other tested recommendations to adopt if we would be prepared should financial disasters strike.

  1. Build a reputation in school, as a volunteer, and in your community as reliable, honest, respectful, and a hard worker.
  2. When you get a job, hold on. Do not be a job hopper unless there are really significant opportunities to do much better with a brighter future.
  3. Give something to charity regularly. Save something from every check. Avoid debt. Be known as thrifty and not a big spender.
  4. Do not rush into marriage or a big family. Do not rush into a big car or big house.
  5. Stay within a reasonable budget, saving for the rainy day.
  6. Seek counsel on wise investments and appropriate insurance coverage.
  7. Pray, prepare, and persevere.

You can as long as you think you can. Never give up on yourself or humanity.

 

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Related

Tags from the story
philanthropy, preparedness, rainy day fund, savings account, Stewardship, wealth
0
Facebook Twitter Pinterest
LinkedIn Email
Clarence E. Hodges, Ph.D.
Written By
Clarence E. Hodges, Ph.D.
More from Clarence E. Hodges, Ph.D.

Teaching The Value Of Lives

In the United States of America, there is a serious problem of...
Read More

You may also like

August 5, 2022

The Intimate Observer of Our Choices

October 11, 2019

Recovering From Overwhelming Grief

September 18, 2015

Good Home Training

Previous articleRecovery Principle: U-Turns Permitted
Next articleRecovery Principle: Powerlessness To Sin, But Powerful In Christ

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Products

  • Message Magazine - Subscription
    Rated 4.00 out of 5
    $19.95

Advertisements

Latest Posts

  • Wellness Wednesday: To B12 or Not B12 February 1, 2023
  • Money Monday: Financial Resolutions January 30, 2023
  • Latest Issue January 16, 2023
  • Big Lies and the Prescription against “Wokeness” January 7, 2023
  • The “Myth” of the Curse of Ham January 7, 2023

Archives

More Stories

Daily Devotional, Grow your faith, Media, Message Feature, Podcasts

#MessageDaily: Meekness in the Crucible

Featured Articles

African American woman taking vitamins and supplements at home in her kitchen
Articles

Wellness Wednesday: To B12 or Not B12

pink piggy bank floating, but underwater representing debt
Finance

Money Monday: Financial Resolutions

2022 November/December

Latest Issue

2022 November/December

Big Lies and the Prescription against “Wokeness”

2022 November/December

The “Myth” of the Curse of Ham

2022 November/December

Don’t Look Up

About The Magazine

Since 1934, the original Message Magazine has shared uplifting, Bible-based articles and information celebrating redemption, embracing relationship and promoting readiness.

    Latest Posts

    African American woman taking vitamins and supplements at home in her kitchen
    Articles

    Wellness Wednesday: To B12 or Not B12

    pink piggy bank floating, but underwater representing debt
    Finance

    Money Monday: Financial Resolutions

    2022 November/December

    Latest Issue

    Video

    MESSAGE in NYC

    LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH!

    We’d love to keep you updated with our latest articles and news. 😎

    We don’t spam! Read our [link]privacy policy[/link] for more info.

    Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

    © 2022 MESSAGE MAGAZINE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, TRANSMITTED, CACHED OR OTHERWISE USED, EXCEPT WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF MESSAGE MAGAZINE.
    Back to top