- [Narrator] Tom Cartwrightis a self-employed inventor

who's always coming up withcreative ideas for products,

like the Antigua ceiling fan.

- There's leaves in myyard, and I saw a leaf,

and I sketched it and madeup the fan blade from that.

- [Narrator] But being an entrepreneur

hasn't always been easy.

There were times Tomcouldn't provide the basics

for his wife and children,

like when one of his foreignbusiness deals went bad.

- And the headline said, "BankSumma Loses US 600 Million,"

and I came back and kinda lost everything.

- We had one car, andpeople were helping us

put gas in our tank.

This is back in the day

when there was a lot offood stamps around, I guess.

People were giving ussome of their food stamps.

It was very, very humbling.

- [Narrator] Tom and Annastarted going to church.

- [Anna] You know, we bothagreed we needed help.

- I said, "Okay, I don't care

if I work in a gas station,God first, my family,

and then my job.

- [Narrator] The couplelearned that putting God first

included tithing 10%.

- So we began to tithe, believing that God

would multiply the seed that we would sow,

and shortly thereafter, Icame up with another invention

or product, and we had a good income.

- [Narrator] Tom'smedical hygiene invention

called Wash & Care waswidely used in hospitals

and became very profitable.

Through the years, as theCartwrights kept tithing,

the inventions and income kept coming.

At one point, some big name stores

bought into an affordablegame table Tom designed.

He and Anna took out asecond mortgage on their home

to finance production.

Then the market crashed,

and there was no way to pay back the loan.

- It was devastating. It was confusing.

- [Narrator] Tom's daughterAllison works with him.

She remembers having to layoff all their employees,

and how they had to put thecompany's future in God's hands.

- You really get to the barebones of what do you believe.

Are you gonna believe the word,

are you gonna have faith,

or are you gonna fallapart and go to pieces?

- You know, when the temptationwould come to not tithe

or not give, I would be like,

it would bring tearsto my eyes being like,

"I don't trust this world,

I don't trust how smartwe are, I don't trust.

I trust God."

- [Narrator] So despite uncertaintimes and multiple threats

of foreclosure, Tom andAnna never stopped tithing.

They believed in whatthey call tithing rights.

- Your barn will not be empty.

You know, your basket will be full.

Those kind of things.

Those are tithing rights.

- [Narrator] They evengave above their tithe

to help a couple from church.

- I was taking a showerone morning, and God said,

"I want you to pay offtheir second mortgage."

I talked to Anna, and we said, you know,

what you do for others,God will do for you.

- [Narrator] Shortly after they paid off

the other couple's loan,

their own financialsituation turned around.

Some valuable real estate

the Cartwrights had onthe market for years

was suddenly purchased by a cash buyer.

The company's excess inventoryof pool tables also sold.

The combined income made it possible,

the couple to pay offtheir second mortgage

and stay in their home.

- I can say with assurancethat when you tithe,

God always provides for you.

He multiplies that seed sown,

and that's a functional absolute.

- [Narrator] Today, Tom and Allison run

a coaching company for inventors.

The Cartwrights love toshare how tithing and giving

have affected their success.

- What people spend their money on

shows you what's truly in their heart,

and so number one, are you tithing?

Because if you're not tithing,

then that might be why you'rein a financial situation

or God is not opening doors.

- God doesn't twist your arm to do it,

but he has a lot of promises

and wonderful things foryou when you do tithe.

- It's like, do you want to trust yourself

for the rest of your life,

or do you want to lean on another source

that is the God of the universe?

When you just be obedient, youcannot outgive him, no way.

He will always outdo you,

and more than you can imagine.

(gentle music)