A Widow Discovers God’s Wonderful Plan

Christine Baker is living debt free and loving it. This retiree will tell you she’s found the key to financial well-being. It starts with being generous.

“It makes you feel good to give,” said Christine. ”I found it to be really fun and like, oh why, why don't more people do this? And I think it brings blessings to me, like I get peace of mind.”

Back in 2001, it was a different story. A military wife and mother, Christine was on her own after her husband of 32 years died. She had very little savings to live on and military survivor benefits of $700 a month didn’t cover the $1500 mortgage payment.

“I thought I'd have to sell my house. I thought I'd have to move. So, it was desperate,” said Christine. 

To make the situation even worse, there was other debt as well and she didn’t have a job. 

“I prayed a lot and I called The 700 Club lots of times there for prayer, and I had a little book I'd write things down, answer to prayers. It was just amazing how things worked out.”

She applied at a big box store and got a job as a food demonstrator. Once she started making money, there was something she wanted to do that wasn’t done when her husband was alive.

Christine said, “I knew tithing was the right thing to do. I saw my grandmother, amazing what my grandmother lived on, and my mother. My mother was really good at it and the Lord just really blessed her.”

Immediately Christine tithed to her church after she received her first pay check. It wasn’t easy at first. “I had to lean on the Lord and He just didn't let me down,” she said. She advanced at work. “I'd get favor and blessing at work,” Christine said. “I did get raises. I did get raises because I did pretty well.” 

It wasn’t long until she found out her husband had a small life insurance policy which helped refinance the mortgage. Again, she saw God’s faithfulness. “He helped me. It’s amazing how He helped me get through things.”

During that time, Christine was watching The 700 Club. “They'd teach you about giving and how you give out of the first. You give because you want to, not because you think you're going to get something back. But you do get things back,” said Christine.

As Christine increased her giving she became a member of The 700 Club.

She said, “It was just natural. They do such good things. I mean, I can't go and be a missionary. I can't go and do those things, but I can help. I can help do that.”

“I like the show because the way the gospel is delivered,” said Christine. “I love the testimonies, the healings, people, you know, emotional healings, physical healings, delivered out of difficult situations. Yeah, I just love that part. You have the news, the world news and how it relates.”

She sold her home and bought another with cash. Today, Christine lives debt free. She has done very well with her finances because she knows being generous is the key.

“I’m not rich, but I'm comfortable and I don't take a lot of credit for it, it's the Lord.”