Doug Demery

Ownership or Stewardship

I started my business in 1996 and I believed I owned it. Until 2004, I was working the business and doing other work besides to keep it going. I felt I was responsible to keep it going. I believed the owner is responsible for all the bills and upkeep of the business. I felt that I could not take any days off and felt driven just to keep it going. I nearly lost the business because I owned it.

Then in 2004, after I learned about the principles of living in the Kingdom of God, I gave my business to the Lord. The Bible says that GOD owns everything and that we are stewards of what He has given us. So instead of being the owner, I became a steward. I still had to do the work but I didn’t have the worry that I had before because GOD owned everything. He is responsible for it and promises to supply all our needs. He will prosper my business to make money to help further His kingdom here on earth. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that we are not supposed to work. It does say that if we do not work, we do not eat. My wife and I have come to understand that He owns all that we have – business or personal. Whatever we have belongs to GOD, we are just the stewards of it, which means that we have to take care of it.

In 2006, God increased my business when I was offered a contract with a large international company. Then in 2009, I received an award from that company for “excellence of service” which was a huge encouragement. I realized that by treating my customers as God would have me treat them was what the award was all about. It was God’s way of showing me He was pleased with my work and the way I conducted my business.

Lori Chynoweth

After receiving news of yet another medical problem, of which I’ve had many times before, I know I couldn’t keep going this way. Every 8 months to a year I would hear the same thing over again. Doctors would do a temporary fix. I realized I needed God’s help to finally take care of this problem. I’m so thankful I’m closer to the Lord now more than any of these times before, and so I started praying. I prayed and prayed that the Lord would take this sickness once & for all and throw it away. I prayed he’d work through my doctors to see I needed this dealt with now! Everyone around me -  friends, family, church family etc. prayed for results. I’ve never believed anything more in my life “that all was taken care of”.  God was showing me prayers were answered and he took my worries away. Nothing less than a miracle. I prayed for action, it was taken. I prayed for good health, it was received. I prayed for my cyst to be gone, it was taken away. It miraculously shrank before it was taken. I prayed for quick results, 5 days later was my surgery. God fulfilled all of my wishes, not just part. I have so much to be thankful for and it all starts with a belief in God & His word. Thank you Lord!