“Render therefore to all their dues.” — Romans 13:7
Lesson
What You Will Learn
- List and organize your financial obligations
- Understand options for payment plans and modifications
- Know where to find free legal and financial help
Lesson Notes
Know What You Owe
Many people leave incarceration with court costs, fines, restitution, supervision fees, and child support. Not knowing the total creates fear. Make a list: who you owe, how much, the minimum payment, the due date, and the consequence of missing it.
Prioritize
Obligations tied to your freedom or legal status (supervision fees, court-ordered payments, child support) usually come right after the Four Walls. Missing them can lead to warrants, license suspension, or violations.
Ask About Options
Many courts and agencies offer payment plans, fee waivers, or reduced payments based on ability to pay. Child support orders can sometimes be modified if income changed. Ask early, in writing, and keep copies of everything. (This course is not legal advice; talk to a legal-aid attorney about your situation.)
Where to Get Help
Legal-aid organizations, public defenders, re-entry programs, and child support agency offices can explain your options at no cost. Keep a folder of every receipt and letter.
Key Terms
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Restitution | Money ordered to repay a victim |
| Payment plan | An agreement to pay over time |
| Modification | A legal change to an order, such as child support |
| Legal aid | Free legal help for people with low income |
In-Class Activities
Obligation Organizer
Fill in the organizer with the sample obligations (or your own, privately): who, total, monthly minimum, due date, consequence of missing.
Request Letter
Draft a short, respectful letter asking a court clerk about a payment plan for $1,200 in court costs.
Assignment: My Obligations Plan
Privately list your known obligations (or use the sample if you prefer).
- Put them in priority order.
- Identify one you will ask about a payment plan or modification.
- Name one free resource you will contact.
Graded with the Module Assignment Rubric.
Reflection Journal
Romans 13:7 tells us to pay what we owe. How do you feel about the debts and obligations connected to your past? What would it look like to face them with responsibility instead of fear?
Prayer focus: Ask God for courage to face what you owe and for wisdom and favor as you seek solutions.
Weekly Reading & Devotions
Facing What You Owe
Court costs, fines, restitution, supervision fees, child support: many women leave incarceration with obligations that feel impossible. Not knowing the total can create paralyzing fear. Facing the numbers, as hard as it is, is where freedom begins.
Start with a list: who you owe, the total, the minimum payment, the due date, and what happens if you miss it. Put it in priority order. Obligations tied to your freedom and legal status usually come right after the Four Walls, because missing them can lead to warrants, license suspension, or violations.
Ask about options early and in writing. Many courts and agencies offer payment plans, reduced payments, or fee waivers based on ability to pay. Child support orders can sometimes be modified when income changes. Keep a copy of every letter and receipt.
You do not have to figure this out alone. Legal-aid organizations, public defenders, re-entry programs, and child support offices can explain your options at no cost. This course is not legal advice; they can help with your specific situation.
Paying what you owe is part of integrity and restoration. It is also a heavy load. Bring it to God, bring it to people who can help, and take one step at a time.
Think About It
- How do you feel when you think about what you owe? ______________________
- Which obligation will you ask about first? ______________________
- Who can help you understand your options? ______________________
Daily Devotions for Week 5
Render to All Their Dues
Render therefore to all their dues.— Romans 13:7 (KJV)
Paying what we owe is part of living with integrity. It can also be part of making things right.
Reflect: What obligation do you want to face with integrity?
Pray: Lord, help me pay what I owe faithfully.
Do: Write down every obligation you know of.
Cast Your Burden
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.— Psalm 55:22 (KJV)
Financial obligations can feel crushing. God invites you to hand the weight to Him. He will sustain you as you take each step.
Reflect: What burden do you need to cast on God today?
Pray: Lord, I cast this burden on You.
Do: Pray specifically about one obligation.
Ask, Seek, Knock
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.— Matthew 7:7 (KJV)
Asking for a payment plan or help is not weakness. Scripture encourages us to ask, seek, and knock.
Reflect: What help do you need to ask for?
Pray: Lord, give me courage to ask for help.
Do: Draft a request letter for a payment plan.
A Very Present Help
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.— Psalm 46:1 (KJV)
In the middle of trouble, God is present, not distant. He is your refuge today.
Reflect: Where do you need God's present help?
Pray: Lord, be my refuge and strength.
Do: Read Psalm 46 slowly.
Restitution and Restoration
Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.— Luke 19:8 (KJV)
Zacchaeus responded to Jesus by making things right. Restitution can be part of healing: for victims, communities, and ourselves.
Reflect: What does making things right mean for you?
Pray: Lord, show me how to make things right.
Do: Reflect on one way you can contribute to restoration.
Module Quiz
- 1.
Restitution is:
- 2.
If you can't afford a court payment, the best first step is to:
- 3.
Where can you get free legal guidance about obligations?
- 4.
Missing supervision fees or court-ordered payments can have legal consequences.
- 5.
Name three things to record for each obligation.