The Secret to a Secure Retirement

Retired Police Captain Pam Coats dedicated her life to public safety by serving twenty-seven years in Nevada Law Enforcement. This single mother of two served most of her career investigating sexual assault and child abuse crimes.

Captain Coats recalls: "I ran into a child victim that I had removed from a very bad situation. She was in a safe house, and I ran into her a year later. She came up and gave me a hug. That made it all worthwhile."

In 2010 Pam's Mom suffered a stroke, so she took over as her live-in caretaker.  

Pam says: "So I was home a lot. And to alleviate, I don't know, the boredom, I started shopping online. I was a shopping addict. That was my go-to when I was feeling down; when I was unhappy with the circumstances, I found myself not being able to have much of a social life. That was my social life. My sister from California would come over and give me a reprieve from taking care of my mother. My youngest daughter and I would typically go on little vacations. My mom would help pay for the travel expenses, but I would continue to shop even when I was on vacation and buy extravagant things for my daughter. So, those credit cards continued to maintain a high balance, and then I started using my credit cards to help offset some of my bills. That adds up."

She was promoted to Lieutenant with an increase in pay. Pam dialled back her spending to buy a home.  

Pam remembers: "And then when I realized that, okay, I could afford the home and the mortgage payments, then I continued with my spending. At least 40% of my check was going towards my credit cards. I was just barely scratching the surface, paying the interest. And I never prayed to God to ask for help because I didn't think I had a problem."

Around that time, Pam rededicated her life to Christ and started going back to church. She gave what little she had left in the offering.

Pam recalls: "I felt like I was letting God down by not-not tithing because I was now making a very good income. And I was consumed with guilt that I could not tithe, yet I could not stop spending."

Five years later, as she neared retirement, Pam calculated a budget based on her pension income versus her expenses. $20,000 in credit card debt left no margin in her budget.

Pam says: "I had a long conversation with God. And I said, 'God, 'I think this might be my chance to be able to tithe like I've wanted to do, like I know I needed to do. Please forgive me for my selfishness.' Because I was so selfish all those years to buy things for myself that I did not need when I could have been helping so many other people in need."

When Pam retired in August 2020, she paid off all her credit card debt with her deferred comp time fund. She started tithing as her first budget priority.  

Pam reports: "And He works miracles. He does. I never thought I would be out of debt, ever. I thought this would be something I would carry to my grave."

Now, credit debt-free and spending within her budget, Pam discovered even more ways to give to God's work. She found The 700 Club during the pandemic and joined as a 1000 club partner.

Pam states: "I love the stories of seeing people turn their lives from a life of crime to knowing Christ and making a difference and contributing to society. When I found out what CBN's all about and that they help people all over the world, I said, 'Oh my gosh, I want to help them.' I'm so blessed with having clean drinking water that we take for granted. I want to help someone that doesn't have clean drinking water. And so that's when I started regularly giving to CBN. I couldn't think of a better organization to give to. I just feel if you give and help the poor, that God will, in turn, richly bless you. That's what God wants us to do. He wants us to reach out and help others through this life. I feel that's our purpose."