The High Price of the High Life
CBN.com - A recent trip to the Cincinnati zoo brought smiles to the faces of Christian and Colleen Bunse and their 4 children. But a few years ago, things weren’t so pleasant at home.
The Bunses had been struggling with their finances for years. They didn’t know how to do a budget, they routinely spent more than they earned, and bought nearly everything on credit.
“I thought that if we used credit cards, that we would be okay,” Christian said. “That as long as I could buy something and I could make the minimum payments, that we’d be alright.”
Christian has spent his entire career working in the packaged food business. He started out as a sales rep and eventually became a marketing executive, representing some of the biggest brands in the business, and spending money they didn’t have to impress his clients never seemed to be an issue.
“A lot of it was image. People came to my house that we entertained for my work. So I had this nice house that we couldn’t afford and then we had to have nice furniture that we couldn’t afford,” Christian said.
At any given time during their marriage, the Bunse’s carried a lot of consumer debt, and that led to a lot of conflicts over money.
“When bills would come in and they would be past due bills, and the phone calls would come into the house, I would automatically get upset with Christian,” Colleen said. “I would automatically get angry with him, thinking it was his responsibility.”
But in the months after they both prayed to receive Jesus as Savior, Christian and Colleen began to learn more about how to manage their finances and about giving.
“I realized watching The 700 Club that I couldn’t outgive God,” Christian said.
So Christian and Colleen decided to make a pledge to CBN.
Then a few months later Christian was watching the program.
“It was during telethon and God prompted me to start praying. I just knew that I had to give $10,000,” Christian said.
Keep in mind that the Bunses still had more than $20,000 in credit card debt, plus they had an unpaid student loan from a master’s degree that Christian had just finished. But they made the pledge anyway.
Within two months of making that decision Christian got a $2500 bonus at work. He and Colleen agreed to send it off to CBN.
A few months after that, Christian received another check from work, dividends from some stock that his company had given to him. The check was for $80,000 which allowed them to pay off all of their debts!
“I didn’t realize the power of our obedience. And all of a sudden this test, where we took a step of faith, it actually paid off. And so I was amazed at what God could do,” Christian said.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal."
(NKJV)
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