Trusting God With His Money

Adam & Allison Kring’s Story

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Money wasn’t on the Krings minds when they got married.

For most couples, it rarely is. Newlyweds are supposed to be carefree, lighthearted, and soaking in every priceless moment at the start of their journey together, not thinking about finances.

Adam and Allison knew about each other’s student loans and credit cards— the basics nearly every American family lugs around after college and into adulthood. But neither of them had a clear understanding of their financial situation.

Money was the part of their marriage that would come to haunt them more than they could have anticipated.

“It wasn’t something either of us really cared about,” Adam says. “It just wasn’t important to us, and we lived like it wasn’t.”

Heading South

When they moved to South Carolina for Adam’s job, Allison had trouble finding one at first. Yet the Krings kept spending as if nothing had changed, unconcerned about their dwindling funds.

Swiping plastic was the easy way to survive. Then the credit cards maxed out, and only a few dollars remained in their bank account.

Like millions of Americans, the Krings had grown accustomed to a lifestyle they couldn’t afford. When they hit the wall, it stole their happiness and their peace.

“I remember that day feeling absolutely hopeless, like there was no way out,” Allison recalls.

That kind of hopelessness isn’t unreasonable when you consider the facts: they were a month behind in their bills and $74,000 in debt. Select any cliché for debt—a monkey on their backs, an ominous cloud following them around, or a ball and chain—and they felt it.

There was no quick fix, no simple solution, no number crunching that would make it all better.

A Switch in Strategy

Amid their poor choices, their doubts, and their debts, there was one conviction the Krings wouldn’t compromise on: Tithing.

“Even as we struggled to find the money to pay for groceries or pay for gas just to get to work, we knew that 10 percent of what God was giving us was going back to Him,” Adam says.

The Krings knew they needed to get help, so they met with a financial counselor at NewSpring Church who showed them simple ways to start tackling their debt and get it under control.

They started a budget. They stopped using credit cards. They switched to a cash-only system. Progress didn’t happen overnight, or even in a couple weeks or months. It was a long, demanding process. But eventually, they eliminated the credit card debt and regained a sense of control.

The Process of a Payoff

Not long after, God provided Allison with an incredible job she loved.

“He continued to absolutely blow our minds with His faithfulness,” Allison says.

At times, it seemed like they wouldn’t be able to make it, and they would have to put something on a credit card. But each time, someone would slip them some cash or Adam would be offered a freelance project to bring in additional income. Someone even gave them a new car.

“God honored our faithfulness and willingness to put Him first,” Allison says. “Time and time again, God showed up for us in huge ways.”

It took financial distress to help the Krings realize they had to honor God, not only with their tithe, but with everything He provides.  

“God promises to bless us when we tithe,” Adam says. “And for us, one of the ways He blessed us was allowing us to see how undisciplined we had become with the other 90 percent of our income.”

The couple’s financial crisis not only allowed them to evaluate and correct their debt problem, but it gave them the financial margin to be more generous—a lesson that continues to challenge their spirits and their bank account in a good way.

“When you realize in your heart that everything you have belongs to Him, that’s really when He’ll pour out the blessing in your life in ways you can’t even imagine,” Adam says.