How to Stop Losing Sleep Over Finances

Within months of meeting Steve, Janet knew she’d met her match.  Steve was almost everything on her wish list.  He loved God, owned his own business, and liked nice things.

Janet says, “You know, we loved to golf.  We loved to go away.  We loved to go out to eat.”

So the two married and didn’t think twice about their financial situation or what their lifestyle might cost them.

“I just met the love of my life,” Janet proclaims.  “I wasn’t going to put the brakes on my life.”

But not too long after the honeymoon, money became a big issue in the marriage.

Steve says, “That’s when she started asking questions about, ‘Well what is this bill?  How much do you owe?’”

Steve had credit card bills and owed back taxes from before marriage.  He was also $3000 short on payroll.  Janet wasn’t used to living in debt to support her lifestyle.

Janet explains, “I paid my bills.  I paid my credit card bills.  Everything was always on time.”

“I had quite a few years of haphazard living, no financial principles whatsoever,” confesses Steve.

Unable to live the way they wanted to on their combined income, the Steve and Janet were soon $60,000 in debt.

Janet admits, “I was feeling very out of control with the finances and there was nights I couldn’t sleep.  It was bothersome and it was very hard because my husband and I didn’t communicate that well when it came to finances.”

Steve explains, “It was more just me shutting down or getting to a place of avoidance.”

Janet prayed and also convinced Steve to finally see an accountant.

She says “It was at the point where something, you know, something had to be done.  I was just like, ‘We can’t be living this way.’”

Steve adds, “It was a place of vulnerability for me to say, ‘Okay, no longer will I hide behind the pride of I’ll fix whatever’s wrong.’”

The accountant gave the couple a financial plan that included debt reduction, practical business management, and even though they were tithing at church, advised them to start giving even more to see how God would respond.

Steve utters, “Did it make sense?  Probably not to most.  But it made sense to me to the point where I could fully commit and know the Lord wouldn’t fail me.”

Soon Steve was given a $75,000 roofing contract, out of the blue.  Janet started getting consistent raises and promotions.  The two were also blessed in other ways.

Janet says, “We had a couple that paid our mortgage one month.”

Steve shares, “The more we increased in our giving, the more abundance of God’s provision.”

“It was beautiful to be able to see things like that happen knowing that God had our backs when He had our hearts,” says Janet.

Steve and Janet paid off their $60,000 debt while they increased what they gave at church each year and became CBN partners.  They encourage others to stop living in debt and give instead.

Janet says, “You know, walk in faith, not in fear, and I believe you’ll be able to see the glory of God in your life.”

Steve concludes, “Tithing and giving may not be the first thing on your radar when you’re in debt, but as Christians we need to believe and rely on the biblical principles God has set forth for us.  Test Him on this with the right heart and with an expecting heart.”