amazing story
Mike Krieg: Ex-Millionaire Finds True Riches
By Aaron Little
The 700 Club
CBN.com
– Millionaire home builder Mike Krieg had it all: the wealth, the toys and the respect of his peers. He lived to make money. It defined him – even, controlled him.
“I couldn’t let go of the direction I was headed, getting more money and more money, possessions and things,” Mike said.
By age 35, Mike had achieved his dream – to own a multi-million dollar custom home-building company. He put every ounce of energy into making more money, leaving little time for his family.
“I didn’t care that I wasn’t raising my kids,” Mike said. “I didn’t care that I wasn’t being a good husband, and in a short period of time, got divorced. I left my wife and children.”
Mike pushed ahead, but he couldn’t escape the guilt.
“It was painful to see what was happening to the children,” he said. “I couldn’t lie down at night and put my head on a pillow because that’s when I couldn’t hide.”
Mike soon remarried and moved his company from Colorado to Arizona in an attempt to run away from the pain he was causing himself and his children. But Mike couldn’t escape his feelings or the change that was about to happen.
“My projects started to fail. All my money was disappearing,” Mike said. “I couldn’t stop it. There was nothing I could do to save this company which I had built.”
For the first time, Mike was experiencing failure in his professional life.
“I got to thinking about my two kids in Colorado that I had left,” he said. “The movie, The Passion of the Christ, had just come out. The thought just struck me to take my kids to go see this movie; and I don’t know why. I drove up to Colorado from Arizona, took my kids to see this movie. It was the most incredible thing I’d ever seen in my life. I was sitting there with my two children, I think they were 10 and 12-years-old at the time, and they’re crying their eyes out, and they’re getting it. And I’m getting it, and I can’t believe it.”
Early the next morning, Mike started the 13 hour drive back to Arizona. He was about two hours into the trip and still reflecting on the movie when he lost control of his truck.
“I screamed out to God I didn’t want to die and I wanted to be a better husband to my wife and I wanted to be a better daddy to my kids. And all this happened in an instant. Everything turned white,” Mike said. “This was about a 60 mph head on crash with another truck. My wench action went through their windshield and up into their dash and these ladies - it was pretty awful. And I wasn’t hurt.”
Mike was taken to the hospital. Doctors found that he was uninjured.
“I was only in the hospital for an hour and a half. The other women were in the hospital - one for a week and one for almost a week,” Mike said. “And I get back down to Arizona, and nothing’s the same. I don’t care about my company anymore. I don’t care about the money. I don’t care about any of it. There’s something else in my mind and in my heart now: to live! And I have to get my heart and my head around it. I choose to. I want that. All I know is God saved my life, and I don’t care about anything else in my world right now.”
Mike committed his life to Christ. However, in the wake of the accident, his construction company folded. After a legal settlement with the crash victims, he was left with $3,000 to his name.
“We lost our home. My wife and I ended up living with her mother in a very undesirable part of Grand Junction, in a two-bedroom, one bath apartment,” Mike said. “I didn’t have a job. All I knew is that I wanted to serve the Lord. And my prayer was, ‘Lord, give me direction.’”
Mike says God directed him to take a new approach in the business of real estate.
“In the mornings I would pray,” he said. “I would pray that the Lord would give me wisdom and knowledge to serve others.”
Today, Mike has rediscovered financial success with his new company. He and his wife Connie have two young children and he remains close to his two children from his first marriage.
“I’m thankful that I know the Lord. I have peace. I have an enthusiasm for the next day and what the Lord’s going to work in my life and what he’ll have me do,” Mike said. “His arms are open and outstretched - all this time - for us.”
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