Blessings Came from Honoring God

Joanne and Robert Stephens were married just shy of 61 years, before his death in 2019.
 
“It's something I never planned on, something I never expected,” Joanne said. “But when it came I knew it was a gift from the Lord. It was a beautiful marriage. We knew God had a plan and that was very exciting.”
 
For most of their marriage, Joanne ran their household and handled their finances while Robert built a successful career as a geophysicist in the oil industry.
 
“I love traveling, just like my husband did. Seeing the beauty of the world,” she said.

They both grew up in church and Joanne wanted to know more about her Christian faith. In the 1970s, she began watching “The 700 Club,” a show she still watches today.
 
“It seemed to answer the questions that I had about faith in general, and then my faith in particular,” she said. “I wanted to know who He was. And I think that's what Pat taught me, was how to know who God is. And how to be comfortable talking to Him and depending on Him.”
 
“I would turn on The 700 Club and there would be somebody talking about what was on my mind, you know. My answer was always there, you know, like almost instantly.”
 
In 1980, Joanne took the next step and became a CBN partner. She also began tithing regularly.
 
“It was something I wasn't doing and I felt, from the Lord, that I was supposed to,” she said. “I just wrote a check and sent it in. My husband got a promotion shortly after I tithed. And finally started getting the overseas assignments and his job was very quickly improved.”
 
Because of the favor Robert received at work, the Stephens family spent time living in Australia and New Guinea. They also enjoyed traveling to several other countries.
 
By the time Robert retired, his salary had doubled. They knew the blessings were coming from God and they gave Him the credit.
 
“Everything He's done has made such a big change in my life, in our lives,” Joanne said. “My kids are believers. I don't think they would have been if we hadn't had the experiences that we had. And I shared everything that the Lord told me, showed me, with my kids.”
 
The Stephens saw how God blessed their family through faith and giving. Even after Robert passed away, tithing and giving is something Joanne continues to do.
 
“So many people in the world are hurting so badly and The 700 Club is always the first one on the scene when there's a disaster, when there's help needed,” she said.
 
“God is – He's always been my protector, but I know that He's even more now that my husband's gone,” Joanne said. “No reason not to come to the Lord and know Him in a personal relationship. You can’t ask for more than that. If you’ve got the Lord you’ve got all you need.”