Testimonies
Inspiring stories of Financial Freedom
I completed my training as a Crown Money Map Coach in early 2005. As part of the training, my husband and I started to live by a budget in January 2005. We didn't realize just how ugly our financial health was until going through the training. We had approximately $60,000 in debt, and the last debt payment (my husband's student loan) was cleared Nov. 19, 2008. We owe no man anything but love. Thank you for helping us learn God's way of handling money. During this time my husband worked full time as high school teacher and I worked part time as a pharmacist. When we began, we had a one-year-old daughter and later had another daughter. The Lord is faithful!!! Hallelujah! Charmalyn, FL
My dad has been a Crown Money Map Coach for years and has taught me Biblical money management principles ever since I can remember. Recently I got married, and my husband over the years had accumulated about $25,000 of debt, much of which he forgot about since he's in the Army and has deployed to Iraq twice. So in a day, I inherited quite a bit of debt. We have been working with my dad to set up our family budget in order to pay off our debts. I've been trying to teach my husband some of the same principles that my dad has taught me over the years. Most recently we've been going through Larry Burkett's Money in Marriage books. We've also set our goals on Crown's Money Map. Over the past year, we've been able to pay off $15,000 of that debt!! In one way or another, God has provided the money to help us do this: Army re-enlistment bonuses, selling our truck that we still owed money on within 2 days of listing it for sale, providing odd jobs for extra income, learning ways to cut grocery shopping costs, etc. It's been amazing to see how God has been working, and we can't wait to see what else He can do as we continue to follow what He wants us to do. Sarah, TX
I was once debt free but lost my job and had to start all over again, selling our home and relocating my family many times. I was diagnosed with a learning disability, but now I can control it, and I have a great job. The Lord has helped me get these things under control. The Holy Spirit has given me wisdom and empowered me. I have now paid off $25,000 of the $30,000 debt I had since May 2008.
I am currently participating in a Crown Bible study in Wheaton, MD. I came to get a handle on my finances and to establish a budget. The Scriptures to memorize each week, the Scriptures to look up and ponder each week, and filling out the forms to establish a budget and planning have been helpful. My finances are no longer out of control, I am in control. I have been debt free for several years with no intention of applying for a credit card. My credit won't allow it anyway. I used to listen to Crown on WAVA but I no2 listen to the Podcast each day. Thank you for making such helpful tools available, to help people like me become responsible. I'm grateful. Update after the study: I was out of control of my time and finances. Since listening to the broadcast and finishing up the Crown Bible study, I have been applying the Scriptures. I now do what is important with my time and choose what not to do. I enjoy keeping track of my expenditures and paying for what is absolutely essential. It's nice to be able to say "no" when I have need of it. I choose how to spend my time and finances with the Holy Spirit leading me. I used to wonder what freedom was. My Bible study leader said through budgeting I would feel like I was getting a bonus/raise. As I watch what I spend my money on and how I spend my time, when I do what's necessary, it's fun to do as planned; it's liberating. Thank you. Judith, MD
In 2005, a lady gave a testimony in our church of how the Lord was telling her to pay off all her debts except the debt of love. I remember saying:"Well, Lord, You did not tell me that." The very next day, I opened my Bible to read something else and that Scripture seemed to jump out from the page. I did what I thought I should do. I closed all my credit cards and vowed to pay off all my debts. I forgot to do two things: ask the Lord's guidance and discuss it with my husband. Therefore, it wasn't surprising that two years later, I found myself with new credit cards and old and new debts. In mid 2007, after years of marital strife, my husband and I separated. That left me with all the credit card debts and some other household bills, which were all in my name, that we had either been late on or accummulated quite a balance with. God is faithful. He provided for me and my son through our church and in ways only He can do. In Jan 2008, I attended a Crown one-day seminar in another church in the neighborhood. Taking what I learned from that, I sought the Lord's help in how to apply it. I was determined to follow what I learned. Of course, as I've experienced, when I want to do what the Lord wants, all hell breaks loose. Literally, the forces of darkness will be against me. I got sick and was unable to work. We had no food in the house, no money to buy it or to pay bills. Even if I had the money to buy food, I was too sick to go to the store. When I got well, I didn't know how we were going to deal with the effects of all that missed income. What the enemy meant for evil, God meant for good. Because of our separation, I was able to file head of household, which meant I got an unexpected tax refund since I had my wages withheld at the higher married rate. Also, due to the turmoil prior to our separation, I wasn't able to file my 2006 taxes. When I did, due to other circumstances, I also got a refund. I used them to pay off most of my credit card balances. I struggled with that because I wanted to pay ALL of them. But I wanted to apply what I learned from the seminar. I knew that unless I let the Holy Spirit change my heart, I would be back in the same situation. Amazingly, the Lord opened the door for me to be involved in a Road to Financial Freedom study where we delved deeper into God's principles on finances. That helped me complete Destination 1 of the Money Map and work diligently on Destination 2. I have made mistakes but God is good at getting me back on track. Within less than a year, I am down to one credit card (with no interest as long as I pay it off by Sept. 09). My car is almost paid off. There is food in the house. Bills are paid on time, every time. We even eat out now and I go shopping without guilt. All this as a single parent raising a child with special needs on one income and no child support or government assistance. Funny thing is, the more I follow the guidelines I learned from the seminar, the radio show, the Bible study and the resources on the Web site, the freer I become. I am not completely debt free yet but compared to where we were last year, we are so much better. So much so that, frankly, I don't feel the crunch that most people are feeling. THAT is a blessing from the Lord! Florence, CA
I just went through the Crown study, and I can not wait to get started managing my finances God's way. I am so near the end of 2008, and I am off to a new start in 2009. I plan to be debt free within the next 5 years. Donna, NC
I listened to Larry Burkett in 1984 and purchased the tape series, Operating a Business by the Book. I went to Georgia to a for class and have shared the tapes with many people over the years. It was a blessing. I used the CareerDirect Assessment for my son and for several people. I am now purchasing a book for my grandson who is about to enter college in a year. The ministry has been a blessing to me. Thank you. Mark, PA
I want to thank you for your ministry. It has made a huge difference in my life. In August of 2007, the Lord started convicting me about getting my finances in order. I'm 36 and single, and while I made good money, I had credit card debt and a school loan. Jeanie, TX
About 10 years ago, I happened to hear Larry Burkett on Money Matters through our local Christian radio station. I so appreciated his common sense and biblical approach to money management. My husband and I had recently bought a house that really stretched our budget. We also had some credit card debt, and we bought our cars with trade ins, and then made payments for years. Sarah, MD
In October 2006, one year after my father passed away and my husband left me, I found myself at 47 starting all over again. I had been living with my son and just purchased a home when 9 months later I was fired for no reason. I was devastated. God is faithful. I had visited a local church once, 6 months prior, and they continued to send me newsletters. They had a Crown program coming up for only the cost of book. I spent the money that i really honestly didnt have; it was my grocery money. Somehow during that time of no job and barely making enough to cover my monthly bills, not counting gas or food, I not only paid off 2 credit cards, went to school for free, became an STNA worker now in a state facility, and I am now a Crown Money Map coach. WOW! Brenda, OH
I became debt free in 1994 due to the teachings of Larry Burkett. I came to Guatemala as a missionary in 1996, not knowing what I was going to do. In 2000 I started a primary school for children with disabilities in a Mayan village. I now have 13 employees. I am the legal representative. I can face the uncertaintaty of 2009 encouraged by Crown precepts. Listening is like comfort food to me. Judy, Guatemala
Hi! I am a disabled vet from the Air Force. I am a Chaplain who has flown around the world a few times preaching God's Word and teaching and helping others. I have used Crown's materials often. I use them in my own life! I thank you for your teaching. God bless you all!
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