From Broke to a Six-Figure Income
Michael’s dream was to bring home a six figure income. But in 2014, after losing his job, he was hoping for anything. unemployed and in debt, Michael didn’t know how he was going to support his family.
“The landlord needs the rent. He doesn't want to hear that you lost your job. He needs to hear about, I need the rent. Kids who are looking up to you. So in my mind, frustration, uh aggravation, depression, all those different – and then, of course, the feeling of failure,” said Michael.
Michael filed for unemployment… though he was a Christian and volunteered at his church, he wondered why god was putting him through this.
“So here I am, completely like just-just broken, nowhere to go, nowhere to turn, no money, and I'm starting like to really ask God like shouting at God. Angry at God. Like a little – like a little five-year-old spoiled kid. ‘Come on, God, what's going on,’ as opposed to being in – more introspective and just really looking – maybe there's something I'm doing wrong,” said Michael."
Michael decided to search the bible for answers...which he says he found in Malachi Chapter 3.
“He talks about you have robbed me of the tithes and offerings. Prove me now – and the King James says, ‘Prove me now herewith, sayeth the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive.’ I was like, ‘Let me get this straight.’ Me talking to God. ‘I don't have any money, we have debts. The landlord wants to kick me out. And you want me to give money away?’ In the New Living translation. It says, ‘Try it. Put me to the test,’” said Michael.
Michael tithed from his unemployment check. After a few weeks, he found a new sales job, working as a renovation consultant. the money started to come in slowly...but Michael was growing impatient.
“I'm like, alright, unemployment is almost about to run out. You said that you would open the windows of Heaven and pour me out a blessing that there is not room enough to receive it. I don't see any windows opening. And it got to the point where I was like, alright, I quit, I'm not doing this, and I quit. I’m not doing this,” said Michael.
Michael went back to the Bible. And while riding the bus, he came across Acts Chapter 5.
“I believe it was Peter speaking to Ananias and Sapphira and he said, "You have withheld your – you have withheld your-your-your money in violation of your promise. I felt embarrassed. I felt – I felt – I felt ashamed. I was like, “oh my gosh. I did promise Him that no matter what would happen, I would just continue to do this and not fall back to my old ways, and I fell back into my old ways,” said Michael.
Michael decided to remain consistent with his tithing…and soon, he started to see results. while the first year on the job he brought in less than 30,000, he had more than doubled that the next year.
“I think that if you can trust God with salvation and taking you to Heaven and healing you, I think you should be able to trust Him with your money. I think that He has plans for you that are greater and higher and wiser than you can ever think of. And I think that we oftentimes block ourselves from those plans, those purposes, those insights by not doing what He wants us to do,” said Michael.
Within five years of tithing…Michael crossed the six figure mark he had always dreamed about. Today, Michael is quick to tell people about the benefits of giving…in fact, he’s started a blog called “Tithehacker-dot-org. He says, without a doubt, that God is faithful to those that trust him.
“There is so much that God wants to give every single one of His children. It doesn't matter male, female, black, white, uh denomination. But at the end of the day, there is a level of obedience that is necessary for Him to do that, you know. So I think that if we would take Him at His Word, you know, and be faithful to what He is saying, He'll be faithful in doing what He promised,” said Michael.
