Steps to a Paid Off Mortgage

Colin and Lori Ireton struggled financially more than most young couples. They often had to choose between feeding themselves or paying the utility bills.

“There were several times when I had to go to public assistance to say, ‘I need assistance to pay my electric bill, because they’re going to shut it off,’” Lori says.

Colin adds, “It was pretty humiliating to have to go to the store and have food stamps, because you feel like everybody is looking at you. Hardly anybody else has food stamps. You kinda feel like you’re standing out and that maybe you can’t provide for yourself.”

But Colin was about to learn a principle from his Bible that would change the way he looked at money. He learned about tithing.

“It was strange, because we didn’t really have anything,” Colin says. “So to go from being on welfare to now, to give 10 percent of what you have was definitely a whole paradigm shift. I was so excited about God that I just wanted to do whatever He said to do and hold to the belief that He would keep His promises.”

Colin told Lori that they needed to start giving 10 percent of their already scarce income.

“I just said, ‘OK, whatever God says to do. Whatever we need to be doing, we need to do.’ He said that if we tithe and we give, He’ll take care of our needs. We had a lot of needs.”

Then Colin prayed about a new career. The next day, God answered that prayer when Colin was asked to paint a house. Surprisingly, he loved it!

“I couldn’t believe I was getting paid for it,” he exclaims. “I thought, ‘I’d do this for free.’ I didn’t realize it was a job. That lead to me started my own painting business.”

Soon, the business expanded from painting to home improvements. Colin and Lori began to realize that God was honoring their commitment to tithe.

“God took us in steps, first by teaching us about tithing and giving,” Colin says. “Then He showed us His faithfulness in that. Then we started learning about finances, managing money and trusting Him for more. That led to us purchasing a house and figuring out ways that we could save money to pay off the mortgage early. He began blessing our business.”

The income from Colin’s business was so astounding that the Iretons decided to pay off all their debts including their mortgage. They cut up their credit cards and put in place financial principles they had learned. In just three and a half years, they were debt free: no car payments, no credit card debt, no mortgage. They were financially free.

Lori says, “To be debt free was awesome. It was great. It was a freeing feeling. A burden was lifted off our shoulders.”

“It was a feeling that we never felt, because we had never lived without debt,” Colin says. “Many people don’t know that feeling. It was literally like the Bible says, ‘The borrower is a slave to the lender.’ It felt free.”

In the past year, Colin and Lori began supporting CBN as members of The 700 Club.

“I love the show, and we tape it every day,” Colin says. “We watch it when I get home from work. I see giving as investing for eternity. I see The 700 Club as a diversified investment. The 700 Club [is] everywhere. I told my kids that today we’re missionaries to the whole world, and we’re sitting in our living room. It’s been great to be part of The 700 Club.”

Colin and Lori saw the rewards of applying the Law of Reciprocity -- "Give and it shall be given to you" -- by giving to CBN. Here is your chance to give to the Lord and see your dollars bring truth to hurting people, feed and clothe needy children, keep The 700 Club Prayer Counseling Center phone lines operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and provide medical care to those who need a tangible touch of God's love. Become a CBN pa