DP November Session: November 13th, 2016

 [contact-form][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Website’ type=’url’/][contact-field label=’Comment’ type=’textarea’ required=’1’/][/contact-form] Have you ever done something you wish you said “NO!” to? Have people taken your kindness for weakness? What lessons have you learned from letting things go too far? We will discuss these questions and more at our next in-person session.

Location:  Grace Refuge Chapel, 10711 W. Outer Drive, Detroit, MI  48223

Time:  2:30pm until 4:30pm.  Light Refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP by commenting or replying “Going” to this post/email, so that we can have an accurate count for refreshments. This is real talk, as always! See you soon, ~ Nicole

Christmas in July 

Yesterday my calendar read “153 Days until Christmas”.   I’m passing this along so that you’re not caught unaware like I used to be.  I cannot tell you how many years we went into debt over Christmas spending – and I hate debt. When I look back though, it really came down to being unprepared.  Christmas comes at the end of December every year, yet I would be thrown off when it arrived. I had some money saved, but every year it wouldn’t be enough.  Then I would scramble and try to exchange money from our November and December budgets to try and make up for what I was spending.  After the money ran out, I just started using my credit card.  Come March, I was still paying off the balance from December… Continue reading “Christmas in July “ →

Would You Like To Save 10% on Your Purchase?

It’s so funny, I started writing this post and the next day I was in Target. All I was buying was a pack of pens, and the cashier (I’m not knocking her – she was just doing her job) asked me if I’d like to save 10% on my purchase. I politely said, “No, Thank You”. But I was thinking to myself, first of all, why do I need for you to run my credit in order to save 59 cents on some pens? (the pack of pens was only $5.99).  Secondly, the minute I get really busy and pay the bill a day late (don’t act like you haven’t done it), I get slapped with a $25 late fee. So much for saving money! Let’s take it a step further, though, and pretend the bill was $100. Then I would save $10, right?  It’s still not worth it, because the interest rates on store credit cards can be up to 28% – that’s almost $28 – and again, don’t mess around and have even one late pay… Continue reading “Would You Like To Save 10% on Your Purchase?” →

He’s Not Worth It – Yet

He’s not worth it yet – and we’re not even talking about sex. We’re talking about your time, your energy, and especially your money. This really applies to all start-up relationships, but especially for potential long-term love relationships.  Don’t give new people the same benefits as you would friends that you’ve known for years.  They haven’t earned it yet, and you are worth more.  Give people time to prove they’re worth your time – instead of just assuming they are.
Let’s talk about opposite-sex relationships.  So you just met him last month (or re-connected last month, because you were in the same class 5 years ago, so you’ve really “known him” for over 5 years – stop it).  You’ve talked on the phone for a few weeks and you’ve gone out a couple times.  This is the time that gets dangerous for many women.  I’ve worked with many women who have lost five years of their lives because they weren’t cautious during the first 5 months.
Signs you may need to Sloooow Down:
  • You’re canceling appointments to be with him.
  • You’re planning to leave your cousin’s wedding early to meet him someplace.
  • You’ve told him all your family’s business – twice.
  • You step out of meetings at work (or even church!) to take his call – instead of just sending it to voicemail.
  • You let him visit with your kids around.
  • You’re buying him gifts, or worse yet – loaning him money.
  • You bring him to family or work functions.
  • You let him visit and your best friends/close family members don’t have his information.  Better safe than sorry.
  • You don’t know his middle name.
  • You haven’t verified his employment (oh, yes I did!).

Ok, so after you’ve talked a good while, gone out on a few dates, and he’s proven himself to be respectful – not just to you, but to the waitress, the lady at the drive thru, AND his mother – he may be worth it.  AFTER you see he has purpose in his life, he may be worth it.  AFTER he’s proven that he makes his money legally (don’t let me find out you both got pulled over and you didn’t know…), he may be worth it.  AFTER you’ve seen that your religious beliefs are in alignment, he may be worth it.  AFTER he’s met your other basic qualifications of a good man, THEN he may be worth your time, energy, and maybe a little extra effort. YOU are worth taking the time to find out.