$30,000 In Debt… Now, Debt-Free!

Jackie’s story begins with a promise she made to God decades ago. She and her husband had a strong income and tithing was non-negotiable.

“God had shown me pretty firmly that if I would give to him what was his, he would make sure I always had enough,” says Jackie.

In 1997 her marriage ended, and later that same year she lost both of her parents. She started coping through retail therapy.

Jackie recalls, “I might feel down and so I would get in the car and go to the department store and I might buy clothing or something for the house and that would make me feel good for a little bit. I would do that whenever I didn't want to cope with life.”

She maxed out multiple credit cards. One month at a time, the hole deepened.

“I was not only using the credit line, but also incurring then the charges for each coverage,” she says.

She sold her house and moved to Oregon. The sale helped. She paid off $15,000 in credit card debt, but it didn’t solve everything. Even with a higher paying job, her spending habits followed her; so did depression.

“I was like a hamster on a wheel,” Jackie says. “You start going so, so much to cope with what's going on. You don't stop and think about what's going on. So, I would do whatever I had to do, but never did anything to resolve the issue.”

In fact, she added to her monthly expenses purchasing a new car. Within two years, she was another $30,000 in debt.

“I was doing my taxes and realized I'm in trouble,” she says.

Though Jackie was making a good income, she was unable to pay down her debts.

“Truly I was mortified that I had put myself in this position because I had thought of myself as a responsible person,” says Jackie.  “And here this was so irresponsible of me. And so I was, I was ashamed and I, I didn't tell anybody.”

She prayed for wisdom and faithfully continued tithing to her church.

“I needed help, and I was certainly too ashamed to ask anybody person for help, but I went to God for help,” she says.

Jackie decided that to gain control of her finances she needed a strict budget and began using a spreadsheet she says was inspired by God.

“I felt like God helped me put that spreadsheet together and that was the first step of seeing where the money was going and where it had to be re diverted,” says Jackie.
She also changed her spending habits and purchased a home instead of renting. That decision saved her more than $500 a month. Jackie believed God was telling her to take a ministry position, even though it payed less money.

Jackie says, “What was my priority? And my priority was ultimately ministry, even though I still was working to get out of debt.”

Almost immediately, Jackie began receiving anonymous love offerings through her church. In only 10 months, she was able to pay off a credit card. And in just five years, she had payed off her car and house.

“I do believe that God honored my commitment to stay true to him and to his word,” says Jackie. “It’s what God did and how he enlightened me, how he shared ideas with me to help me get out of debt. And then he provided the funds to help me get out of debt as well.”

Today Jackie continues living debt free and is a CBN partner.

“What I love about CBN is, the way they cover the news.  Today we have so little we can trust. I also really appreciate Operation Blessing,” says Jackie. “I would say if you're afraid to tithe, go ahead and do it and let God show you how faithful he is.”
 

“Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.” Will you partner with CBN and help plant generously around the world? Your generous giving brings hope to the hopeless and the truth of God’s Word to millions around the world through our humanitarian efforts. Become a CBN partner today and share the love of Christ.