The Phone Call That Revealed God’s Rescue Plan

Rosalie Stevenson loves to tell people why she named her thriving Texas-based realty company “Rose above Realty”.  

“I just rose above a lot,” she explains.  She tears up and continues, “I just had a picture-perfect life that, behind the scenes, I was just falling apart.”

A lot of Rosalie’s stress was from guilt.  She’d convinced her husband Alan that they should purchase a large building in their town’s historic district.  It turned out to be a financial nightmare.

“We eventually had to board it up, she says.  “We couldn’t raise enough to fix it.  People were breaking in, stealing the copper wire, stealing whatever they could out of the building.”

The building’s mortgage still had to be paid.  Rosalie’s dental hygienist income covered that, until she developed bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and had to retire.  Now, the building became even more of an albatross. Soon, Rosalie fell into depression.

She confesses, “It came to a point where I couldn’t sleep at night.  I started drinking.  Just drinking wine every day.”

During these times, Rosalie often watched The 700 Club.

“I would turn on CBN 700 Club, and that would give me comfort,” Rosalie shares.

She was at her lowest when she received a call from a businessman looking to rent space in her building.  Although she couldn’t help him, he told her he had a message for her.

She recounts what he said, “‘God is telling me to tell you right now whatever you are going through whatever you are going through, whatever you have been through, He wants you to know that He loves you, and that He understands.’”

The conversation encouraged Rosalie to get closer to Christ. She studied the Bible, stopped drinking, and started feeling better.  She also continued to watch The 700 Club.  She specifically remembers something she saw that helped change her mind set on money.

“There was a story of a lady and her husband,” Rosalie explains.  “She was going through hard times, and she started giving and how she just really gave with a joyful heart and how her life began to change.”

Rosalie says that she wanted a transformation like that in her own life, so she started giving to CBN.

“And so I thought to myself, not just the giving part, but just, ‘I want my life to change’, so I went on to my app, and just said, ‘I can give.’”  I set up just a small amount because I knew that we're supposed to give, and I have given. But a part of me said, ‘Okay, I'm gonna – I-I'm just gonna test.’”

Around the same time, she was compelled to finish some real estate classes she’d previously started. She got licensed and her new career took off.

She exclaims, “The phone just started ringing, people started calling.  I mean I was closing deals.”

Soon, “Rose above Realty” was born.  Rosalie’s income quickly skyrocketed, and the whole family joined the business.  They were doing so well that now they could afford the commercial building payments, but wanted to get out from underneath it.  

She says, “I'd still pray, ‘Lord, just remove it from me.’”

The Stevensons continued giving and eventually sold the commercial building, after sitting empty for 9 years.

“God sent me a buyer for it,” Rosalie says.  “It's just like the Holy Spirit went through me, said, ‘I-I told you.’”

She believes that things changed in her life because she decided to trust God with her giving.

“I can’t wait to give,” she proclaims.  “When you tithe and you trust God, it’s just a peace of mind. I don’t worry about money.”  

Rosalie has advice for anyone who wants to rise above any financial obstacles in their lives.

“When you think you don’t have it, try, give it,” she suggests.  Rosalie concludes, “God will provide.  And it just starts with that mustard seed of faith.  God will come through.”

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