Go, grab a cup of coffee! I feel led to share my testimony.
It was at age 7 that God started teaching me about giving and helping others with money. My GA (Girl’s In Action) leader told us a story about missionaries that needed financial help. I returned the next meeting and insisted that my leader take my entire piggy bank to help the missionaries. (I still have a trophy for GA of the year, first grade.) During Middle School, I fell in love with a green Saturn that my dad was given to drive for the weekend from work. My parents could not afford it so I prayed that God would give my dad that Saturn. The next week his company ended up giving him that car. Why is that story so important? Years later, that same car (and angels) saved my dad’s life during a wreck where he jumped a fence post and flipped three times. My parents taught me that God always heard the prayers of a child. At the same time, I learned that God could do huge things when we pray.
In school I loved math and felt called to become a math teacher. As soon as I had my first child, I decided to stay at home with him. I tutored out of my home and started using coupons. The math part of couponing made a lot of sense to me and I felt that it was a fun game to get groceries for free! I’ll never forget the first time my Albertsons grocery store had a triple coupons special and I came home with $230 in groceries for $34. My husband was amazed and God showed me that being a good steward was a gift He had given me.
I began to teach other moms how to use coupons and found great joy in helping others save money. I realized that helping other moms was something I really wanted to do, so I started a website, The Bargain Shopper Lady - a nickname I had been given from a few good friends. A friend of mine who works at our local Today Newspaper asked me to write a few articles for them. I was thrilled and wrote two articles. She included my email address and website and told readers to email me if they liked what they read. I was so blessed and encouraged by their replies. I then felt led to write an online coupon class that is currently being tested by a group of test moms.
I attended a Joy of Connecting Network meeting and a young lady sitting next to me said, “You need to make your web site a blog. Blogs are the new thing to reach out to moms!” Leaving the meeting with the great advise of a wise new friend, my blog came into being.
I have been very encouraged by my friends- my first bargain fan and friend, Amanda and one of my very close friends Lizla. In the beginning, they were the only people who posted on my blog! I was so thrilled have two comments, that I kept on writing! As I wrote, you began sharing through comments, instances when you saved money and it truely blessed my heart! Thanks for all your encouragement ladies!
Here is why this amazing contest ~

is divine intervention, ya’ll!
I taught a coupon class last night and to prepare for it, I printed out my online class. I was sharing with my mom before I left that I had so much more to share beyond the online class to help other moms become a good steward. I wanted to open a way for other moms, so they can save money and possibly stay at home with their children, if that is their hearts desire but cannot financially do so. I told my mom yesterday that I felt led to continue working on my book. The book shares with moms ways God has taught me about being a good steward by using coupons, being frugal and mystery shopping! I know God can use what He has taught me to make the stay at home dream possible for other moms.
I currently have an outline and thirty typed pages that are written for my book. I have saved one seventh of the money to publish a book so far. After taking a Crown Financial Class, I know God wants me to save the money I need to publish my book and any workshops I will attend first, instead of borrowing it. That is why this conference scholarship would bless my socks off! I would need it in order to get to go!
It would thrill my heart if I won this contest and I pray that the right person wins! So what are you waiting for? God may want you to enter! Head on over to Lysa TerKeurst’s blog to check out this contest yourself! You could learn how to speak, write, blog, lead or influence others for Christ with the wonderful ladies at The Proverbs 31 Ministries.