BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

HOW TO USE THEIR FAITH. JOIN US IN TEACHING BELIEVERS 1 4 : B V O V PARTNER WITH KCM. 2010, the worst seemed to be over, and I took a job in Pennsylvania. However, the housing market hadn't recovered. We had quite a bit of equity in our former home, but it stayed on the market for two years unsold. We made rental payments in Pennsylvania and mortgage payments on our previous house. By the time it finally sold, we didn't make a penny off of it. "In time, the company I worked for asked me to do some things that just weren't right. I was told either to do what they asked or resign. At the time I was interviewing with another company that wanted to hire me. I agreed to take their job and resigned. The new company experienced some financial problems and told me they could no longer afford to hire me. "I had a growing family and wasn't picky. I would work anywhere; I just needed a job. For nine months, I applied for jobs every day. I was even called in for interviews, but doors just kept closing in my face. A friend from church let me work for his company as an independent contractor doing painting work. "A year later, I was offered a job making more money than I'd ever made in my life. Although it was two hours away and we couldn't afford to move, I took the job and commuted every day. I was given a list of things they wanted me to accomplish. I worked hard, doing everything they asked with excellence. They were thrilled with my work and what I'd accomplished. I was ready for a new list, but I'd basically worked myself out of a job. They had nothing else for me to do. The Power of Attitude "By this time, I was getting fed up. I was a tither and didn't see God helping me. I developed a bad attitude, complaining to Him about my situation. One year turned into another and then another. The same types of things kept happening. The ugly truth is that I became bitter. There were things I wanted to do for my wife and children. For instance, we'd never had a vacation. I said, 'Look God, if You're not going to fix the problem, then I don't want to talk to You.'" In 2017, the Millers hit bottom. They were behind on bills. Keith got sick. Lynette got sick. Some of the children got sick. They couldn't pay their rent. The landlord worked with them for a couple of months, but then they were evicted. They were homeless, or would have been had some friends not let them move in with them. Keith was broken. On the floor weeping, he said, "God, I repent for my horrible attitude. For my lack of faith and all the doubt. I surrender to You. I trust You." In lovingkindness, the Lord whispered to Keith, It's all going to be all right. Someone they'd called about a rental house returned their call. "I heard you were interested in this house," he said. "I've got to clean it up and get it ready to rent, but I'd be happy to show it to you." "Before you do, I need to tell you our financial situation," Lynette said. "No, you don't have to do that. I know people have hard times. I'm willing to give you a chance." Four weeks later, they moved into the house. Although Keith had a job, they were still overwhelmed with debt and debt collectors. Lessons Learned "When I repented and asked God to show me where I'd missed it, I learned some things," Keith explains. "The first thing He taught me was that God loves a cheerful giver. I hadn't been. I'd been faithful to tithe, but I gave my tithes with the same sense of obligation that I paid my bills. That was the first thing to change. "The next thing the Lord showed me was that while we'd been faithful to give a tithe of our income, we didn't give offerings. I knew we had to correct that, even though I didn't know where the money would come from." Lynette had $4 in her pocket that she was going to use to buy milk for the baby. She and Keith both believed that God wanted them to sow that amount into Kenneth Copeland Ministries. "Lord, I know You love me, but You're asking me to give away the money I need to buy the baby's milk. I don't know if I can do it. Not to mention, that's a really embarrassing offering." God continued to urge her to give the money. KCM.ORG /PARTNERNOW

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