SET FREE

Where Great Ideas Come From

By Dory Nissen
The 700 Club

“Our bills were more than our income,” says JT Williams. “We actually sat down together and figured what we needed and what the potential income was. And it didn’t match up.”

No one asks for a financial train wreck. But that’s just what JT and Diane Williams got. They thought opening a brand new restaurant would be the perfect way to start their marriage. They borrowed money, and lots of it. But the restaurant failed, the doors closed, and the Williams’ had a whopping 90 thousand dollars to pay back. JT began working 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week as a security guard with overtime. The money was barely enough.

“I was scared, I was sad. I was worried,” confided Diane. “I was not sure what the future would bring. We had a lot of debt; it was just a scary time for us.”

But Diane’s outlook was about to take a dramatic change. She started watching The 700 Club, and it taught her that no problem was too great for a big God. Diane prayed to receive Jesus Christ.

“The joy for me came from knowing I had someone to turn to. The Lord was there and He’d listen to me, and I had someone to talk to,” says Diane. “Even though it was a big problem and a lot of money, it didn’t feel overwhelming anymore.”

Diane continued to watch her new favorite TV show and quickly learned a valuable lesson, the Law of Reciprocity.

“I learned that you can’t out give the Lord,” says Diane. “Even though, on paper, we were not making it, the more I gave, the more money seemed to appear.

“In the back of my mind I started feeling that we were getting blessed. I started putting two and two together and started to realize that, maybe, the giving that we were doing was the reason why we were getting blessed -- He was taking care of us.”

It wasn’t long before JT also accepted Jesus Christ. He was grateful to God for changing his heart, but had no idea God was about to change his financial situation too. Diane decided to sell a concession stand trailer left over from the restaurant business to pay off some debt. The trailer sold immediately and more people wanted one. So Diane decided to start an Internet business.

“It started building and we got a lot of calls,” explains Diane. “We started designing the kitchens in the trailers. And hence came Custom Concessions, where we customize our trailers.”

JT quit his security guard position and the Williams’ opened an office and a warehouse. In three years they sold 65 trailers and landed a lucrative NASCAR contract. And the most exciting part of all? The Williams’ paid off every penny of their 90 thousand dollar debt. They were so excited about their new debt free status, they joined the chairman’s circle.

“You can track the sales in the first six months, and then in 2003, and then last year in ’04, it’s increased steadily just as our giving has increased,” says JT.

JT and Diane love to track where they’ve sold their trailers. To them it’s a reminder of how faithful God has been and how far He’s seen them through.

“When you give money, when you have no money, and put your faith in the Lord, He’s going to take care of you. What He did (for us) was awesome,” says Diane.

JT and Diane’s story is a tremendous testimony to God’s faithfulness. The Williams were faithful and obedient to give to God’s work, and He was faithful to meet their needs and set them free from their financial worries. He wants to set you free too!

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