How to Prosper in Difficult Times
Married in 1969, my husband and I had three young children and lived from paycheck to paycheck on less than $1000 a month. As young adults we had drifted away from our Christian heritage. Our family was headed for disaster before we reversed our life and pointed our feet in the direction of prosperity and abundant living
Celebrating 52 years of marriage, I marvel at the financial blessing and abundant life we enjoy and want to share the secret we discovered of how to prosper and create an abundant life.
Our finances were under a curse.
In 1982, my husband and I, newly baptized in the Holy Spirit, found our way to Christ for the Nations Institute summer session. Freda Lindsay, co-founder of Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas, instructed new students at CFNI on giving tithes and offerings. Mrs. Lindsay taught on how to prosper and lift the curse from one’s finances by tithing. In Malachi 3:8-9 scripture says,
“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me….” Her teaching was a revelation to us.
In Malachi God said to put Him to the test about this scripture.
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”
Though Dennis was unemployed at the time, and I had only a modest teaching salary, we committed to tithing a tenth to the Lord.
Malachi 3:10
By mid-summer we had fallen in love with the vision at CFNI. We decided to return to Colorado in the Fall, sell our home and possessions, and get to Dallas as soon as possible to begin full-time studies and preparation for the ministry. Anticipating the sale of our house, we made our first pledge of $1000 that summer. God immediately responded by doubling our income! The new superintendent of the school district where I taught, called and hired Dennis over the phone as an art teacher that Fall! Now we had two teaching incomes to provide for our family.
Promises of Abundant Life Fulfilled
Two years later in God’s perfect timing, our house sold. This income permitted us to pursue our hearts’ desire, and in 1985, we were blessed and returned with our three children to Dallas and enrolled at CFNI. Meanwhile, we had made two more pledges; and God blessed us abundantly! While Dennis took courses at CFNI and the children attended Life Christian school, I found a job at Southern Methodist University. One of the job benefits was a tuition waiver for employees; so, I enrolled in a Master’s program at SMU for the next two years. Consider—at that point, there were five of us attending private schools on the salaries of 1 ½ jobs!
Business Supplied to Prosper
In our second year we pledged for a Native Church and for a Bible school in Jamaica. God blessed us again. This time we found ourselves encouraged to begin our own sign business. The sign business was portable and would create an abundant income to support our family for the next 20 years.
As our two years were coming to an end, Dennis felt a pull on his heart to go on the CFNI summer outreach to Israel. God again opened up the windows of heaven and poured out His blessing. We had $20 to contribute to the needed funds of $2000 for the outreach. By summer God poured out His blessing and all the funds needed for the trip were supplied. That’s a 100 fold increase to what we could contribute.
What Next?
Courses ended and diplomas granted to Dennis from CFNI and to me from SMU, our hearts questioned, “What next, Lord?” And with His abundant blessing, He proved that if you give to the poor, you lend to God and that He is a debtor to no man.
God gave us back the house we sold to follow Him. The buyer was unable to sell the house in a depressed real estate market and desired a larger home. He wanted to return the house that we had owner-financed. In answer to prayer God led us beautifully through the Ezekiel 36:11,”….and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings; and you shall know that I am the Lord.” So, we journeyed back to the area where we are well-known and began ministering to friends, family, and neighbors.
Abundantly, Exceedingly, More than Enough
You can’t out give God! This testimony only acknowledges a fraction of the financial blessings He has poured out on us. The miracles He performed in the restoration of our marriage; the deliverance from drugs, alcohol and nicotine, the physical healings, and a renewed call to the ministry are other testimonies for another time.
Break the financial curse from your life and watch God prove Himself on your behalf and open up the windows of heaven to pour out blessings on your family.
Enjoy more insights into God’s plan and provision for you. I wrote a book focusing on the words of Jesus. What does Jesus say about our lives? Click on the link to order it from Amazon and be blessed.
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