Inspiring stories of Financial Freedom

10/8/2008

Dear Chuck and MoneyLife Team,

Thank you for being a voice of calmness and sanity in the midst of the ongoing economic earthquake now shaking our nation. The worst thing we can do at this time is to panic, hoard our resources, or pull out of our banks.

For most of 2008 I have been out of work and collecting unemployment insurance. But for the past two years I've been following the first few steps of the Crown Money Map, setting aside money for emergencies, getting out of debt and working with my collectors for past due bills. I've already had my own financial depression and am still standing.

Through it all I've paid off my medical bills, am catching up on my college loans, renting an affordable room in a nice neighborhood, using public transportation, and living below my means as best as I can.

In the process, God has blessed me with freelance Web design work, a monthly stipend as the Web master for my church, and in August I started a good-paying temporary position that is allowing me to tithe again--and it feels good to tithe! :)

God is not the author of confusion or fear, and it's the enemy that wants us to buckle under, panic, and turn away from the Lord at this critical time. Please continue to be a voice of biblical truth and sanity, as you seem to be the only one out there right now. My improving situation in the midst of all that's going on is a testimony to your valuable service.

Your brother in Christ,
Richard, CA
2 Cor. 1:3-5

10/8/2008

I have listened to WMBI for 22 years since we moved to this area from Missouri. I followed Larry Burkett and used several of his books to learn what God has to say about the money He entrusts to us. It was through his guidance that my husband and I decided to tithe 10% to our home church. We also have been able to give generously outside our church to missions and organizations we believe help people and use their money wisely.

God's promises are true! He has blessed us over and over again in material and spiritual ways. We live simply and find true contentment in whatever situation we are in. It has been rough at times and our faith has faltered, but God is faithful every day and continues to bless our efforts.

Carol, IL

10/9/2008

Twenty years ago, as a single woman and a new Christian, I heard Larry Burkett on the radio. My heart told me that what he taught was God's truth. I began to apply the principles: no more credit cards, cash only, live simply, save - and I worked to pay off the mortgage on my townhouse by sending extra each month.

Five years later, Al and I married, and I taught him Larry's principles, which he also adopted. We have lived simply, given faithfully to the Lord's work, saved for future needs. Today we find ourselves in the most uncertain financial times of our lives - but we live in a nice, modest home without a mortgage, drive nice used cars without payments, and have absolutely no debt. When we were unable to have children, God miraculously provided the money for us to adopt two children from Romania.

Today, while we feel the squeeze of inflation, we do not fear the future because of Larry's teaching which I heard 20 years ago. We are in the best financial position of anyone we know because we heard God's Word from Larry and followed it. Our thoughts turn daily toward how we can help others who have not heard or listened and now need help.

Mary, VA

10/10/2008

I was able to listen to part of your program today. I don't get to listen to it very often. But it confirmed what I decided (I'm sure God made the decision) to do on Wednesday (10/8): to pay off a small (less that $10,000) loan on my house.

Larry Burkett was and will always be a hero to me. In the 80s and 90s he influenced decisions my husband and I made that comforted him in his last days. He went home to be with the Lord in December 1997.

Caroline, GA

10/13/2008

Thank you so much!!!! I have been a consistent tither and giver for years but my finances were in shambles. I knew that God was "not a man that He should lie," so I prayed and asked the Lord why I was not prospering. I read financial book after book and still came away with nothing. I kept asking the Lord, "Why are these books starting at step 12? I need step zero!" As I got still before the Lord, I heard Him say, "Consider your ways" (ouch). So I decided to try out the Crown class at a chuch in my community (my church doesn't yet offer the class so rather than wait, I signed up).

I knew it was time and I was desperate for change. My credit and finances were in shambles for years, and I didn't want to continue in that mess. I attended the classes, and immediately the eyes of my understanding were enlightened to the Word of God in the practical sense of how He has structured His Kingdom and the management of finances. Wow! The course was challenging because the study of each Scripture each week confronted my lack of understanding and bad habits. Some weeks were excruciatingly painful but, by the grace of God, I was determined to get through the class and believed that the Lord would change me in the process.

Eight months after beginning the class I can scream HALLELUJAH from the top of my soul. It is nothing but God's Word, love, and teaching through the ministry of Crown Financial Ministries that I am a changed woman. I have savings for the first time in my life. I have started paying off bad debt that I was hiding from for 10 years. I have cut my expenses where possible and am continuing to look for ways to perpetually cut back. If not for God's Word and the vision He handed to the founders of Crown, I would still be tithing and giving but not seeing the blessings that come from not only tithing and giving, but from sound financial stewardship.

I am happily co-facilitating a class and am looking forward to continuing with the Crown family for years to come. My life has been radically revitalized, resuscitated, and transformed through understanding the plan of my Lord regarding financial stewardship.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you, Lord, thank you Crown, and thank you to the local Crown team who continue to be supportive and encouraging.

My soul is jumping in ways it has never experienced because of the new liberty I am experiencing from being set free from the bonds of darkened understanding and horrible financial management prior to taking the course.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

Kimberly, NC

10/14/2008

As I was leaving today to take my 92-year-old mother for a flu shot, I heard the beginning of your program. When I got home, Iwent to your Web site and listened. Praise the Lord! Just the advise I was looking for.

As a recent widow at 73-years-old and a caregiver, I seem to be always wondering what to do next in this mess this economy is in. Your advice today was so practical and helpful. God Bless you; you are doing a great work for him.

Yours in Christ,
LaVerna

10/17/2008

In the early 90s, I began to hear Larry on the radio talking about being free from financial bondage. What an eye opener for me. I told my husband that we needed to work on getting out of debt and paying cash instead of using credit cards. We began slowly to chip away and to pay down the mortgage we had. Little did we know that the time was coming that he would be seriously hurt and our funds limited.

We went for approximately 16 months with only my part-time job of $210 weekly. But, God had provided the plan through Crown to prepare us for this time. We were out of debt except for our small mortgage and were even able to still tithe on a regular basis. Our pastor asked how in the world we managed, and we just had to give God the glory and praise the teachings of Larry and the whole team.

Now I am the church Financial Treasurer, and I try to keep the things I learned and use them to keep us out of bondage. We are a very small church, but able to be nearly debt free. I regret that I didn't tell Larry a big thank you before he went on to be with the Lord. But, I will tell him when I see him in glory. Keep up the good work and may God bless the ministry.

Barbara, SC

10/17/2008

I recently have begun the forty day fasting and prayer this week as requested via Chuck Bentley's radio show that I listen to in the evenings after dinner and during my work day. The (financial) information is as helpful to me as participating in this time of "fasting and praying" for our coutnry and for our economy! I look forward to what God will do in us as His people in this time of change!

Diane, SC

10/18/2008

God has used Crown's biblical financial teachings to remind me of what He has said so clearly in His Word about how to live. I have found the spreadsheet to help my wife and I keep better track of God's money. Thank you.

Adrian, OR

10/20/2008

I've been encouraged by your teaching on our local station. My husband and I always had the conviction that a wife's mission in life centers in the home and local community. So we have remained a one-income family for over 20 years.

John makes $50,000 a year. We live in expensive California and have twin 17-year-olds who have been homeschooled their entire lives (a large expense in itself). Because of serious illness in my husband years ago, lasting several years, what meager savings we had early on was devoured. We had to become very frugal, but often fell into using the credit card. It was mostly used for basics rather than luxuries, but it still added up. We were not trusting God with the wage He set up for us.

Over time, john and I got on the same page concerning finances and found there were always areas we could cut back on. We have tithed regularly for years; it is the first check we write from each paycheck, even when things are tight. It all belongs to Him anyway! This year has been filled with major expences: 2 major appliances, car trouble, unexpected medical. You name it, we got hit with it! On top of all that, in central California, all of us who live on farms and depend on a usually high yield to feed our family have been faced with a devasting year due to more and more recurring weather changes. So, off to the market to fork out more money to feed ourselves.

I keep reading the Hymn of Habakkuk and remember that God is always faithful, whether I'm in abundance or lack. He always carries us through. Well, we were tempted to put these major expenses on credit, but chose to take our time and not get any of these things taken care of until we had enough money to pay in full. Several items were bought with special deals where, if you pay the item off within 3 months, there is no interest, like paying all at once. We scrimped and saved and went without and paid everything in full! It was hard but well worth it. Aside from a monthly $960 mortgage, our debt is $700 and going down each month.

Faith in God and His principles have been our goal. MoneyLife has been a VERY important encouragement to hang in there each day. Thank you for speaking truth at such a critical time in America! I love you guys.

In Christ Jesus,
Cindy, CA

10/30/2008

One year ago we heard one of your broadcasts about starting an orphans ministry in your church, and God began to stir our hearts towards orphans and adoption. We purchased the recommended book, "How to Start an Orphans Ministry in Your Church," and began to pray about how God could use us. After much prayer, we approached our pastor about starting this kind of ministry in our church.

It has been an amazing year. Not only have we started an orphans ministry, but we also applied to adopt a baby from Ethiopia. We were very convicted to not go into debt for this adoption, but the costs can seem overwhelming in a year of such economic uncertainties. As we continued to pray we knew that our God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and He was going to take care of the cost. We just needed to be faithful to what He was calling us to do.

Praise the Lord, we are now waiting to be matched with a baby and almost all the money has come in. God is so good. He wants to bless us as we follow and obey Him. Thank you for your work on behalf of orphans, and for your encouragement to not get into debt. 2008 is not going to be remembered by us as a year of financial fear and uncertainty...but as a year of miracles.

Thank you,
Dave and Kristen, OR