The Investment of a Lifetime

One cold January day, Tim Tonge was climbing a ladder in the garage when the ladder fell out and he fell six feet onto the floor.

"The doctors told us he would not be normal," Cheryl says. "Walking he would have to have assistance. He would have a cane. He would be in a wheelchair. They gave us no hope whatsoever.

One doctor said outright, 'No, you will never walk again,'" Tim recalls.

Injuries disable more than 72,000 people in the United States each year, and the estimated annual cost of injuries is more than $224 billion for direct medical care, rehabilitation, lost wages and productivity. That's a 42 percent increase in the last decade. Not only do such catastrophes cause physical peril, but they can also lead to financial ruin, especially in households like Tim and Cheryl's.

"I have my own business," Tim explains, "and this kind of injury or an accident of any type that removes the owner can very easily put you out of business.

"Financially, we could have been ruined," notes Cheryl.

For the first time in their marriage, Cheryl had to take over Tim's business and the household expenses. She had no previous experience, but she did have help.

"It was really hard, but it flowed. God kept it going," says Cheryl.

In fact, God kept Cheryl going from the moment Tim was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.

"It was 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning, when no one is awake, and I wasn't going to call anybody. But, of course, The 700 Club is always there, so I called and prayed with a gal. She told me that, most importantly, he was going to be born again through this and that God was going to heal him. I went to the Internet [CBN.com] and started pulling up articles about miracles and healing."

Cheryl told Tim to call The 700 Club, and so Tim did.

"I called from the hospital a couple of times and asked for prayer to get me through and that God would come into my life. And then Craig has a chapel there and I started going there right away. I believe that I was born again right there."

Almost two months after the accident, Tim returned home in a wheelchair, and soon he learned something.

"I didn't know Cheryl had begun giving to The 700 Club prior to my injury," he admits.

"They had a telethon back in January, prior to the accident," Cheryl explains. "I thought, This is an awesome ministry. I get so much out of it; I am being fed; it is good seed. I love to tithe and I love to give. I thought, I will give $20 a month."

The minute Cheryl pledged that first $20, she felt God was telling her to give more.

"It was like God was prompting me to join the 1,000 Club: 'You can easily do that. I want you to join the 1,000 Club,'" Cheryl remembers. " 'Well, Lord, I can't do that. Let me start with $20.' And so I started with $20. When Tim was in the hospital, I prayed, 'You know, Lord, I am just going to sow this seed. I am going to be obedient. I know that You are going to bless this. I am not going to worry about it.' I had peace just knowing that I was being obedient to God. I had no idea how our bills were going to get paid. I had no idea if Tim was going to walk again."

"On Good Friday following my injury, I stood up and took a couple of steps," says Tim. "It worked and so I went for it. I climbed the whole flight of stairs."

"Tim walking, there is no other explanation but God," Cheryl says. "The orthopedic doctor was blown away that Tim was walking unassisted and basically like you and me."

Tim and Cheryl also received something they never expected. The previous year they had sold stock that was subject to Capital Gain's tax.

"I was expecting to pay $3,000 to $5,000. Instead I got $10,000 at the very moment we needed it," says a very thankful Tim. "That had never happened up to that point. It was beyond belief. That too is beyond belief."

"It was exactly what I pulled out of savings to keep us going," Cheryl says. "It was like a $10,000 return. It was so drastic. I sowed in $1,000 at that time. It was probably $84 times two, but I had committed to the $1,000. And 10-fold came back to me!"

Tim and Cheryl tithed on their tax return and then moved up to the 2,500 Club. They know you can't out-give God.

"Since the accident, I thank God I can walk every day, without fail every day," says Tim.

Says Cheryl, "I have tremendous peace financially. Ten years ago I started tithing, and I saw miraculous things happen."

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