Inspiring stories of Financial Freedom

10/7/2010

I was laid off from my plumbing job in January 2009. I had 4 children, including a 6-month-old baby, and a house payment. Thanks to God for Crown's teaching to have 3 months' expenses saved and $1000 in the emergency fund. I knew we had money put away and that I was going to be receiveing unemployment, so I immediately began planning to start my own plumbing business.

Through many miracles and much hard work, we are now back up to 3 months' expenses saved and $1000 for emergencies. The business has been doing well, making enough to pay our bills and continue to save, even with my wife staying home and homeschooling the kids. We recently had our family van break down for good after 226,000 miles, and we were able to buy a newer van with 52,000 miles and a 5-year warranty on the new engine, which has 0 miles on it!

God has proven to be our Provider through it all. Whether He gives us money and things or not, we are very blessed to see His hand working in our lives. Thank you for your ministry.

Joe, MN

10/12/2010

My income is too low to get deductions. I have been using the envelope budgeting system, by taking old envelopes and writing the category on them and the amount left in them. One is called Miscellaneous so I don't borrow from other categories to fund that.

Before I started using the envelope system, I only charged expenses to my credit card if I already had the money to pay for it in the checking account. Using the envelopes gave me a plan that has helped me put money aside for insurances and for giving emergency money for my two out-of-work kids in their fifties. They are doing better now. My daughter took a job making half of her former salary and advised a fellow worker to save for an emergency instead of buying a new wide screen TV. My Social Security check comes tomorrow, and I still have $140 in cash and basic money in four envelope accounts.

If I buy extra items on sale that I know I will use, I don't run out and have to pay full price. I also get food and/or non-food item(s) to give away. The Lord has blessed me so much that I can even give more than a tithe. I like to give via the mail. It keeps my P.O. carrier in business delivering all those "tax deduction receipts."

Anonymous, MI

10/12/2010

My wife and I were deeply in debt when we were married. I had already signed up with a debt management company to pay off my high limit credit cards when we made a decision to focus on the repayment of all our debt. Several years later, our church offered a Crown Financial class for the first time. We wanted to take this course to learn what God says about debt in its full form.

Just two weeks into the course we paid off our last credit card and gave God all the glory. The turning point for us was the exercise with the Quit Claim Deed. We had not looked at God's possessions with this perspective before. It was such a simple concept, but it makes all the difference in how we set our goals. Now that we were on a track that leads to true financial freedom, we were able to pay off other debts, start an emergency fund, and give more to the local church. There were many instances where God made something happen that allowed us to accelerate the payoff of a given debt. As a matter of fact, we paid off our car before that class was completed. Thank you, Lord!

I was so inspired by what God had done in our lives that I wanted to help others also. When the time came for more classes to be taught, one of the pastors of my church asked me to be the co-leader of one of the new groups. Since then, I have led four more groups. Praise God! Last year I ordered the course for the Money Map Coaches, and I completed it in August. My pastor signed off on the study, and I was ready to help others in a one-on-one situation. God is making a difference in the lives of many people through your ministry. Thank you for following God's call and having an impact on hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

David, CO

10/18/2010

In the early 1980s I attended a Larry Burkett/Christian Financial Concepts Seminar at a church in my neighborhood. At that time I committed to tithing to the Lord. I was recently divorced and was free to make this decision. However, I found it impossible at that time to budget. I asked the Lord to assist me in determining how I was to spend the other 90% of my income. He certainly did His job.

I re-married and continued to tithe. Fifteen years later I found myself single again....owning nothing, but thankfully without debt. I was self employed, 60 years old, and had little to no retirement. A friend suggested I enroll in a Crown class (prior to the merging of Crown and Larry Burkett's ministry). God was saying to me, "You are a big girl now. I have taken care of you for about 20 years now...it's your turn to do your part."

Now, 13 years later, due to the Lord's provision and my "found" direction through Crown Financial Ministries, I own my own home free and clear, own a car free and clear, and am retired with a modest but adequate income to last me until I return "home" or the Lord returns. I have great concerns about the future of the US economy and its effect on my "retirement" funds, but I have great peace that He does not change and that I can live by His principles and have no worries that I will be able to adjust as well as thrive!

Praise Him and praise the patient leadership from Crown. I have been an avid volunteer as small group leader, budget counselor (Money Map Coach), and prayer supporter since my first introduction to Crown. Keep up the good work.

Saundra, AZ

10/29/2010

I just want to say "Praise the Lord for Crown!!!" I paid off another credit card today. Since doing the Biblical Financial study last fall, God has enabled us to pay of 81% of our debt (not including our mortgage). We are thrilled! God has been so faithful in 1 year's time!!!

Amber and Jason, IL