Inspiring stories of Financial Freedom

9/4/2008

Four years ago, I was blessed to be a student in a Crown Financial Ministries class at my church. At the time, I was thousands of dollars in debt, a horrible steward over my finances, and a hinderance to my husband and family.

In my first class, I cried and cried. I was so ashamed. Today, I have a good news story: "I owe no man nothing, but to love him as Christ loves the church!" My husband is very proud of me and I have been able to share these priniciples with my children.

God also granted me the blessing of becoming a Crown teacher, and I have been teaching faithfully for 3 years. Now, I am attending a new church in Sacramento and my pastor has given his permission to launch a Crown program. I am so excited! I get to give back what God has freely given to me! This course has been the gift that keeps on giving! I can't say enough about the benefits and blessings recieved through this eye- and heart-opening experience! Thank you!

Chyrell, CA

9/5/2008

I spoke with Crown in November of 2006 (on air). We were almost debt free (2 or 3 truck payments left), living in a mobile home, trying to decide if we should go in debt and buy a house to have equity. At the time you said that with our spending and savings background, you would not hesitate to tell us to go ahead and buy the house.

We paid off a truck loan and applied the payments to pre-paying our mortgage. The bank is very impressed. They say that, providing we continue as we are, we will pay off our house in 6 years and 8 months instead of 30 years.

We are on Stage 5 of the Crown Money Map, all within one and half years. Also we more than tithe the Lord's money. We help the poor in Haiti, and we assist here in the United States. Our trick is that we just don't buy what we don't need. We bought a house within our means. We don't live poorly; we just live contentedly and are richly blessed in this wonderful country of abundance. We are constantly keeping our focus on doing our best at following God's Word.

Julienne, ME

9/9/2008

Thank you for your program. My husband and I are homeowners, married for 17 years and blessed with two wonderful daughters, ages 15 and 12. We purchased our house one year after we were married.

Because of your program, my husband and I have been making extra payments towards the principal of the loan, and, we are happy to say that our house will be paid off in 2009! We are so excited and thank God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us. We are determined to not be in debt any more. We threw away all the credit cards and kept only one, VISA. Our car payments are gone, too!

Once the house payments are done, we will then concentrate on putting more money into our girls' college fund. Our house is about 99 years old and stills needs work. My husband and I have decided that any upcoming work done to the house will have to be paid in cash. We will just have to save money and go from there.

I thank God for your program. You guys are doing a great job in spreading God's work about not being in debt.

God bless,
Dora, CA

9/22/2008

Six and a half years ago, my husband left our marriage of 29 years. God has been so faithful over these years. I was able to go to graduate school and obtain my master's degree in speech pathology.

Six years ago I did not know if I would ever have $5 to my name. I contacted missionaries to whom I was sending support and told them I might not have money for them in the future. God allowed me to increase their support instead.

God gave me a house last year, and I am debt free except for a mortgage (which is paid down a lot already). When I signed the contract on the house, I was in a Crown class. I was hoping to not have to break a CD for the down payment. During the month from signing to close, God gave me enough extra income to have my down payment, without even taking money out of savings. GOD IS SO GOOD AND HAS BEEN SO FAITHFUL.

I believe He used the Crown class to help me be more prepared for my own future (at 54 years old). I hope to be able to retire at 62 and have my house paid for then. Thank you, Jesus, and thank you, Crown.

Blessings on your ministry.
Beverly , GA

9/23/2008

I heard Larry Burkett on the radio years ago and bought his book, Using Your Money Wisely. There was a chapter on being smart as a single. I was recently divorced after 33 years of marriage and quite alarmed.

In the book, Larry suggested buying a duplex, living on one side and renting out the other to help with payments. I had a triplex built. I llive in one unit and rent out the other two. The income from it helped me pay it off, and now I have a retirement income from it.
Praise the Lord!

Sally, AZ

9/25/2008

I am a widow of 4 years. I was married for 27 years. When my husband and I first married, we were very much in debt. We had his credit card, my credit card, our credit card, etc. We proceeded to get ourselves in major debt.

However, over the years, we began to apply God's principles to our financial lives. Then I started listening to Larry Burkett and realized God had an amazing plan for stewardship. Slowly over the years we got out of debt, owned our own cars, did not use a credit card unless we paid it off, and began saving money. We lived on my salary and saved his social security for any extras and traveling. But above all else, we tithed, gave to missions, and whatever else The Lord had us give to.

When my husband went home to be with The Lord in October 2005, the only debt was a used car with a 3-year loan. At the time, my salary and income dropped $1100.00 a month between lost social security and increased taxes for a single woman. However, I prayed that I would still be able to give at the same level my husband and I had been doing together.

I didn't think it was possible, but I have stood amazed as not only have I been able to give at that level, but have increased and become more generous as The Lord has asked. I paid the car off immediately. I have no debt. I rent an apartment. I have one credit card, which is paid off every month. I watch in awe as The Lord is so faithful.

I have listened to Howard Dayton and now Chuck Bentley on MoneyLife, and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that it works. God's principles are true, and He is faithful, especially when it seems like it can't work, but it does. I love your program, especially now. My house is in order. Thank you very much.

Barbara, FL

9/27/2008

I first heard Larry Burkett on the radio while I served as a pizza delivery driver in 1981. His ideas sounded good, but a bit hard for me to fathom at that time, as I lived from paycheck to paycheck. His teaching about the "envelopes" made me sit up and listen, as I can remember my mom doing something very much like that when I was a kid. In fact, when I first got married, I did much the same thing. Then, later on, when I was on my own and earned my own income, I did the same thing but in a different way. Instead of paper envelopes, I used the share accounts I had online at my credit union. Larry was right: when there's no more in that account, you can't spend it.

I was active as a musician in the church since 1989 and heard much about tithing. While I tried to follow those principles, I found myself getting further into debt. I went through a divorce and that put me further into debt. I felt like I was on the bottom, looking up...and boy, was it a LONG way up!! Larry's teaching, though, continued going through my head.

After about 18 months, I found myself with a full-time, permanent job (with benefits), and a new townhouse apartment and, 6 months later, a nice USED car to replace the one that was running on prayer. PRAISE GOD! Five years later however, I was diagnosed with 2nd stage cancer. Thanks to people like Larry Burkett and David Jeremiah though, I felt God's peace in the midst of that storm. I went through the chemo, radiation, side effects, etc., but God was with me the whole way. During that time, I'd also had a couple of seizures, so I ended up being off work for almost 7 months. During much of that time, I got paid although I had nothing during the last 4-5 weeks.

Through it all, though, I tithed on anything I did get. And God was fantastic. Not only did He provide all my needs during that time, but He continued to grant me more. I ended up paying off my car 4 months earlier than I'd planned. Then when that was done, I used another one of Larry's suggestions: take that payment and roll it over onto another debt. By that time, I'd been able to take all my credit cards and consolidate them into one monthly payment, and I'd already been making double payments on that, so now I could make triple payments and put the rest of the car payment in a money market account and begin building up that contingency fund. As of May 7, 2008, I am DEBT FREE!!

Furthermore, the last several times I've needed anything for my car, I've paid in cash. When I needed something for the home last month, I paid in cash. Now, I am even able to do the one thing I always wanted to do: teach piano. And God has laid it on my heart not to charge. After all, He never charged me! In return, one person does my hair, another one helped me by providing transportation while I was unable to drive last summer, and a third is married to my Physical Therapist. I've also been blessed to work with a small children's choir in my church. Thank God for Crown and the radio program and for all the Biblical teaching!

Karilyn, PA

9/29/2008

My husband and I had listened to Money Matters for a long time. When we married, we had over $20,000 in school loans. We have been married six years and are completely debt free (at the ages of 33 and 28)!!

We paid off debt, gave generously, and trusted the Lord to provide for our needs. He has been so faithful to provide, and it has been wonderful to know that we are no longer enslaved by debt.

Thanks!

Laura, PA

9/30/2008

I went into our Crown Class kicking and screaming, thinking that we really did not need this class. But my husband wanted to go and I agreed. The many Scriptures that we learned opened my eyes to a different way of doing things, a better way--God's way, and helped me to realize that it all belongs to Him anyway.

Shortly after our class, we burned our mortgage in front of our church congregation as a testimony to what doing it God's way can do for your finances. Two years later we have reached the ultimate step on the Money Map: we are debt free!!! Not only are we debt free, but in the past two years, we have managed to save enough money to replace the downstairs carpet with new wood floors and the upstairs carpet with new carpet, all paid for with cash! We have also managed to save $15,000!!!

It all sounds wonderful and it is, but--and there is always that "but" isn't there?--as of today, my husband who is 59 has been laid off from his job at Kennedy Space Center. I believe with all my heart that God was preparing us for this very moment three years ago when we first took that Crown course. Without the teachings of Crown, we would not know what to do at this point in time. However, we do know. I just printed out copies of the budget pages and several of the other tools. We will sit down together (something we did not do in the past) and pray over how God would have us to handle His money at this point in our lives.

And we will rest assured that He is in control and equipping us for whatever lies ahead. To God be the glory! And thank you Crown Financial Ministries!

Linda, FL

9/30/2008

We started reducing our debt 2 years ago and in February of 2008, God told us to sell everything and come follow Him. We put our 6.25 acre farm up for sale and it sold in 10 days.

Another step of Faith was to begin a volunteer mission assignment at the Henderson Settlement in Frakes, KY. The Settlement serves the area meeting the basic needs of the Appalachian poor. Our needs are minimal and our debt will be paid off soon. We have learned to live within a small budget sponsored by our home church, Trinity United Methodist in Delphos, Ohio.

It seemed like before, no matter how much money we made, all we accumulated was more debt. Now being free of worldly things has opened for us a new freedom to serve Jesus Christ completely and fully each day. Thank you for your ministry and your guidance. We started out as you say, paying off our small debts one at a time. And God who is forever faithful has rewarded us immensely with His blessings and favor. To Him be the glory, honor, and praise.

Ellen and Buzz , OH

9/30/2008

My husband divorced me in 1999. I became a single, divorced mom of an infant without full-time employment. I was left with significant debt and little income. I began listening to Larry Burkett during the afternoon driving between my part-time jobs. Following the principles he so clearly articulated, I lived frugally on a cash basis and paid off over $60,000 in debt in about 6 years.

I am still living this way, a consistent saver without any debt. I praise God for your ministry, for Larry's foresight and faithfulness in being a watchman on the wall.

Rhea, MD