Finances
Debt-Free in Two Years
By Zsa Zsa Palagyi
The 700 Club
There are people in this world who are crying out to God for help this very minute. You can end hunger and thirst, bring medical and disaster supplies, provide jobs, and give hope to millions of hurting people. When you join, you help preach the Gospel in 147 countries and territories and 65 languages around the world. Do something that will last for eternity.
Partner Today
Find out more about how CBN partners are making a world of difference... |
| |
|
| |
CBN.com –“I
don’t stress out about our finances anymore,” says Mike
Richins. “I don’t stress about anything anymore really.”
Mike lives in Meeker, Colorado with his wife, Carma, and if you had
asked about his stress level a few years ago, you would have heard a
completely different story. He had lost his job as an oil drilling consultant
overseas. This left Mike and Carma 160,000 dollars in debt.
Our debt was outrageous,” remembers Mike. “I went for a
solid, almost a solid year without working at all.”
Carma says it was devastating. “You never knew where your next
dollar was coming from, or if you could eat,” she says.
It was definitely not the kind of lifestyle the Richins had grown accustomed
to. “We were spending our money on goodies,” says Mike.
“You know, all the nice things for me and my wife -- vehicles
and campers and property. And I had no way to pay for it.”
The bills kept coming and ultimately, the financial stress took a toll
on their marriage. “It got to where I wouldn’t speak to
my wife,” says Mike. “Our debt situation … that was
on me …it was killing me and it was tearing us apart.”
“I was left so out in the dark,” says Carma. “I had
nobody to talk to, nobody to visit with, it felt like I was alone in
the world.”
The couple considered divorce and bankruptcy. But, in the end, they
chose to do something else. “The turning point started one night
when I was watching The 700 Club,” says Mike. “And
it was on – and Pat was speaking on the Law of Reciprocity and
it was during a telethon. … God was telling me, hey, you want
things to change in your life? And it just kept coming to me and coming
to me, you know -- change, change.”
Mike made a decision to join The 700 Club and turn his focus
from himself to others in need. But just minutes after making the call,
Mike says, “This little thing hit me just like it’s in the
back of my head. It said, 'That ain’t enough!'” So the Richins
doubled their pledge!
Cama was shocked. “I’m thinking we don’t even have
the $20! Where are we going to get money to pay for that?” she
remembers. “And he says, 'let’s just do it' and I said,
‘we’re just going to do it.’ And I didn’t question
God. …I felt the Lord tugging at my heart in this situation and
so did he.”
Within three days, Mike landed a temporary job and soon Carma found
work as well. And even though it was challenging to make their 4,000
dollar a month loan payments, the couple increased their pledge once
again.
“A lot of people would call it crazy, but one thing that I learned
is faith in God. I think He had me to the point in my life where I had
to learn to be faithful to Him instead of the other things, the material
things that we have in life,” says Mike.
Both Mike and Carma say the decision to give to CBN has brought extraordinary
benefits. “Things started to turn around,” says Mike. “There
was always somebody that came up, gave us something, you know, a little
bit of money, or we’d open the mailbox and there would be a check
or something,” says Carma.
And to top it off, within seven months of his first pledge, Mike landed
the best job of his life, back in the oil and gas industry. “I
got this job where my income increased 10-fold, right off the bat,”
he says.
Trusting God and learning to give has re-focused the Richins’
priorities and turned their finances and their relationship around.
In fact, in just two years, the Richins payed off every penny of their
160,000 debt!
“What’s my advice? I’m a big fan of giving, so give,”
says Mike. “Do it. Just do it. Let God show you because God will.”
The Richins took a step of faith and God picked them up and carried
them all the way to tremendous blessing. God will pick you up and carry
you too! In the Christian life, blessing follows obedience! It’s
one of God’s great principles. Is God calling you to partner with
CBN? You’ll help feed hungry children, provide clean drinking
water for thousands, give medical care and minister the Gospel in 180
countries around the world. Join today and allow God to bless others
through you. Become
a CBN partner today!
CBN IS HERE FOR YOU!
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting?
Are you facing a difficult situation?
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
|