When you first got married, how were your finances? I don't know many couples who start off strong,

but I want to say I was exceptionally weak when it came to our finances. I was just coming off a time

as a missionary, and I was making 500 bucks a month at that time.

I started in Christian radio, and it was a pretty modest amount.

And the house payments, that we bought a house together, the house payments ended up chewing up about half of my pay.

So we were, $20 was a big deal. There was one year we did not have a

Christmas tree because we couldn't afford to buy one. And some kids in the college group that

we were working with noticed that a car dealer was giving out free trees. And so by the time they

got there, it was like two Charlie Brown trees. And they literally wound them together

and brought it over. Brian was so kind to do that. And forgiveness, please, for not remembering your

sidekick's name. But Brian came over and gave us this treat. It was meaningful. It was wonderful.

memorable as well

we were dirt poor I'm John Fuller along with Greg Smalley and his wife Aaron who

left at my financial struggles they lead the marriage team here and I'm joking of course

Greg I'm guessing you and Aaron could relate a little bit to what I was saying yeah

when you started off yeah we when we married, I was in graduate school.

Aaron was working as a nurse, but I mean, I would say that we didn't have a whole lot of money.

As a matter of fact, someone stole two Christmas trees out of our front yard and wound them together and gave them to someone.

Hey, wait a minute.

I didn't know.

I was no part of that.

But, you know, the good news, though, is that I didn't have debt from undergrad.

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