Is God Greater than the Economy?

Steve and Janice Zimmerman know from experience that when it comes to finances, life can turn on a dime. “Our income went from possibly, about $150,000 down to maybe $40,000,” says Steve. Steve is an independent remodeling contractor and a board member of a local bank. In the summer of 2008, the bank eliminated dividend payments for board members, and the construction industry dried up as well. “It’s just like everything shut down,” remembers Steve. “The phone quit ringing. The jobs quit coming in. I didn’t get calls for anything. So we were hit really hard.” In addition to tithing to their local church, the Zimmermans had also pledged $10,000 to CBN that year. But with six children -- three of them in college -- Steve didn’t see how they could do it. “I wanted to hunker down,” says Steve. “That was my first impression, was to hunker down, to pull in, to turn off the lights, to quit eating so much, whatever it took.” But Janice knew they had to keep their word. “I would just say, ‘Steve, we made a pledge for $10,000. We have to follow through with it. And I knew it was just a matter of time until he finally was able to relinquish it to the Lord and say, ‘ok.’” Steve and Janice knew the family would have to make sacrifices in many areas. “Our spending changed dramatically. I started clipping even more coupons. I’d look for all the sales and shop for the sales, for the food and clothing---everything,” says Janice. Eventually, Steve got on board with Janice. “I just sort of abandoned everything at that point and said, ‘Yeah, let’s just go for it.’ Let’s just give where we said we were going to give and see where God is going to make up the difference,” says Steve. Then, in early 2009, Steve got a call from Terry, his former business partner. “Twenty years ago, we had worked together, for several years. He called me up and said, ‘Steve, I don’t have any employees anymore. Things have really changed, but I need help. I’ve got jobs. Let’s work together again.’” Within weeks, Steve and Terry were back in business together. “The phones started ringing again. And they were not just little jobs. They were big jobs. And they were with great people. And they’re still flowing in.” The Zimmermans’ experience reinforced what Janice believed about God’s faithfulness. “I knew he would always come through. I did not have any doubt. We wanted to increase our faith, to believe for even more miracles in our lives.” And it’s helped Steve to look at giving a little differently, too. “This has been a faith boost for me, to not be in the ‘hunker-down’ mode, and to say ‘God is bigger,’ and to not just say it, but then to trust that it can come out of nothing,” says Steve. “He creates out of nothing, so he can bring finances out of nothing.” Your gift to CBN can bring hope, help and the kove of Jesus to people in desperate need. Please join with us and make a life-changing difference in the world today.