HELP FOR OVERSPENDERS
Jeanie Stevens:
Debt Ends Charmed Life
CBN.com
– "I had become what everybody thought I should do, be, or
have. And I did it through credit cards," says Jeanie Stevens of Riverside,
California.
By 1997 Jeanie was $65,000 in debt—not including her mortgage.
Says Jeanie, "I bought into everything the media told me I needed to
have: cars, jewelry, trips, fancy clothes, toys for my children, furniture,
and appliances. I had a washing machine that cost $1,200."
Unfortunately, Jeanie didn’t realize the impact of her spending
until it was too late.
"We mortgaged our future for the moment. I gave up my tomorrow for
pleasure today. I gave up security for tomorrow for 'stuff' today."
Overspending had more immediate ramifications, too.
"Debt caused a huge strain," she says. "I was married at the time,
and I’m sure that was largely part of the reason our marriage broke
up. We lived a false lifestyle."
But God began to use Jeanie's circumstances to get her attention. As
Jeanie rededicated her life to Christ, she began to learn about something
else: giving.
"I started studying the Bible. I started learning about tithing and
giving and supporting God’s people," she says.
Her first act of faith was a $20 gift to her church.
"I only had $40 in my checking account," Jeanie explains,
"and I had a gas and electric bill, and I had fuel
to put in my car. Later that same day I went to the
post office, and there was a check for $100 that was
totally unexpected."
The truth of the principle was taking hold. Since
that time, Jeanie has been obedient to give, and she
has seen God provide.
"God opened doors and provided a job where I was
making a base salary of $125,000," she says. "It was
a $50,000 increase over the previous job that I had."
Instead of spending, Jeanie decided to do what her
heart urged her to do.
"God says we should lend and not borrow, so rather
than take more vacations and buy more clothes, I spent
that taking care of my mother who was handicapped
and paying off debt," says Jeanie. "Every bit of extra
cash that I had I would put toward paying off that
debt."
Today Jeanie has a small TV production company that
teaches people what to look for in a new home. The
program’s ratings have been so good that one
company is negotiating with her to take the program
to the entire U.S. market. That could generate hundreds
of thousands of dollars.
"God has provided absolutely everything that I have
needed," she says. "I believe it is through the faithfulness
of my regular tithing and my contributions to His
work."
Meanwhile, Jeanie has just about paid off all of
her $65,000 debt. She humbly offers this advice to
those who struggle as she did.
"Anyone who is being seduced by debt, by credit cards—any
way that they are mortgaging their future—they
need to run," she counsels. "They need to turn and
run the other way. The only way out of that situation
is through giving. It’s the only way out."
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