Giving in hard times

Ready for Retirement?

By Robert Hull, The 700 Club

Will and Linda Poston were looking forward to a comfortable retirement. Will sold his heating and air conditioning business and Linda retired from her work as an interior decorator.

"After I sold my business, I was going to be able to go sailing, ride horses, which I love and be able to have a lot of down time," Will said.

Those dreams changed when Will learned the people who bought his business were suing him for $5 million over 23 alleged violations of the sales contract. Suddenly, the Postons faced the possibility of losing everything they owned.

"We would definitely have to sell our home and use that as our retirement, because we lost our retirement," Will said.

For the next three years, Will fought to defend himself in court. His legal fees were $350,000.

"I remember calling him," said their daughter, Andrea. "I said, 'what’s going on?' and he said, 'I’m just trying to figure out how I'm going to pay the mortgage this month, it’s due tomorrow and I don’t have the money.' I just sensed his sadness, that he was so down and he was so tired."

In the midst of this devastating financial setback, the Postons faced a difficult choice. Prior to their financial crisis, they were faithful and generous givers, to their church and to CBN.

"When the finances get tight, that’s when the enemy comes at you and says, 'but you can’t afford to give.' We just set in our minds that we were going to [give] no matter what," Linda said.

Ultimately, the Postons won every count of the lawsuit, but their retirement money was gone.

"I told him up front that my prayer is by the time you are 65, that you will be restored and you will have everything that you would’ve had, had these people not brought all this hardship against you," Andrea said.

Andrea’s prayer for her father was answered late one night while on a family vacation. Their grandson got seasick after a rough day sailing and threw up on an expensive mattress at the resort, ruining the mattress.

"I was laying in the bed and I was laying there and it just hit me, these people need mattress covers to protect their mattress," Andrea said. "I’m going to sell it to them."

The next day Andrea asked her father to help get her business idea started.

"I thought about it for a few seconds and thought, 'oh, it probably won’t last but two or three months - so sure I’ll help you with it,'" Will said.

Those few months turned into a few years. Now Mattress Safe is flourishing with one of the best mattress protectors on the market. Annual sales exceed $3 million.

"It's been so remarkable to see the harvest that has come forth," Andrea said. "It's been exciting to see Mom and Dad, you know, the faithfulness that is even in my dad and my mother towards God - that they always were faithful to God. They were faithful to God. They tithed; they never gave up."

"I feel very, very confidently that God has brought us back into a new realm of opportunity for business," Will said, "that we can then use that business to give as abundantly as He has so blessed us."

Blessings they want to pass along to others. The Postons began giving to CBN through their business at the Founder’s level and they continue to give from their personal income as well.

"We became Founders members and it was like, immediately that month, we just saw a radical increase in our business," Andrea said. "It just started multiplying incrementally."

"I’ve done everything that I’ve done in my life to honor Him," Will said. "I feel like one of the ways to honor Him is to give back to other ministries so He can do for others through those who have a lot more capacity than I have to do on an individual basis. But we know if you give to God’s works then God will bless you; and in all of the things you do that we give Him glory by giving to His works."

Being obedient to God's truth made an incredible difference for Will, Linda and their daughter, Andrea. They made themselves available for God's love to flow through them to others, and they are reaping a blessing themselves as well. Join them in partnering with CBN. You will make a difference in lives around the world, through medical missions, food and clothing programs, humanitarian outreaches and so much -- all in the name of Jesus. Please join today.

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