DEBT BUSTER

They Said No to Bankruptcy

By Dory Nissen
700 Club Producer

Money, money, money, and lots of it. Want a picture of prosperity? Look at Orin and Janette Baertsch, owners of a top selling tiling company in southern California.

"We were probably considered the largest tile company in San Diego," said Orin Baertsch. "We had 140 employees. We were doing four to five thousand dollars a month in billing, and it didn't look like there would be any end to the heyday."

And with the heyday came the high life. Black tie affairs among San Diegos elite and elaborate vacations were the norm. Janette and Orin didnt think twice about charging up those credit cards. After all there was plenty of money rolling in. And since the Baertschs were Christians, they gave God the credit for their success and made sure they gave 10 percent of their income to their church.

But in 1990 a recession hit the nation. Businesses that had prospered failed. Suddenly, the huge amount of debt that seemed so easy to swallow was now choking Janette and Orin.

"The money had been depleted and construction work was really down," explains Orin. "I remember that there were times when we would get calls from the bank and they would say, 'You need to pay this loan, and you need to do this and that.' Right at that time, that was a really dark moment."

Bankruptcy was the only way out. Their attorney prepared the papers. But Orin began to feel like God was telling him that bankruptcy was not the answer.

"At that time, Orin said we couldn't do this," remembers Janette. "We started praying, and nowhere in Scripture could we find anything about bankruptcy."

"I didn't want to put people through that," Orin continues. "I felt like it would be cheating, although it was legal."

Orin told Janette he had contacted their creditors to explain their dilemma. They agreed to work with the Baertschs on a payback plan if they would sell their house and give the bank every penny of equity as a starting point for payoff. They did.

A large chunk of what little income they had was going to the loan, and they had only one way of paying for daily expenses. Credit cards! As the business debt crept down, their personal debt grew.

Then the Baertschs got a wake-up call when they attended a seminar on finances at a Christian marriage conference.

"When we went to the seminar, it was like the light bulb went off," says Janette. "And I said, You'll never be able to pay this because all you will ever be able to pay is minimum payments. The interest that's accumulating on the card exceeds what you are able to pay."

Janette felt the Lord was telling them that charging with no means to pay, was sin.

"One of the main things was to go humbly before God and ask for forgiveness and to make sure He was involved in all our decisions," says an emotional Janette.

The Baertschs cut up their credit cards and began to pay off personal debt in addition to their business loan.

And the Baertschs did something that might not seem practical. Although they had always been tithers, they decided to give offerings.

"We had prayed and asked God, Where do you want us to give?" explains Orin.

That answer was to give to a ministry with a message consistent with what they were receiving at their church. Orin and Janette began sending 20 dollars a month to The 700 Club.

"God was stirring in our hearts more," remembers Orin. "We knew we needed to be involved in The 700 Club in a larger way."

And something amazing began to happen at their tiling company.

"As we gave, God just supernaturally blessed the business," exclaims Orin. "It grew and grew and grew, and every year we would commit to more and more and more."

And the bills were getting paid!

"I'd have the last payment and I'd run to his office and say, Here it is. It's getting paid!" says Janette. "It was exciting."

Janette and Orin are now debt free! It took them seven years. But prayer and persistence paid off. They've donated enough to their church to build two teen centers and they are now members of CBN's Chairman Circle! And rest assured, the Baertschs are committed to keeping God first in every decision they make.

"This is where the Lord has brought us. This is what God has done in our lives," says Orin. "We have this because of the Lord."

Orin and Janette were obedient to God's leading, giving to His work in spite of their need, and God blessed them in a mighty way — just as He wants to bless each of us. Join The 700 Club and be a part of what God is doing around the world. For 65 cents a day - $20 a month - you will help broadcast a message of hope through The 700 Club, as well as minister medical and humanitarian aid to those who are in desperate need. Please join today!

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