Jennifer Cunningham, Ada, OK

My husband, Kevin, and I are small-town, small business owners in Oklahoma. He’s an optometrist and I’m a stay-at-home mom to two teenage boys, Weston and Brian.

In 2016 our circumstances changed and we had to quickly find a healthcare cost solution. At first we felt helpless because it seemed there were no viable options. We’d heard of health cost sharing ministries but were hesitant to take the leap of faith into unfamiliar territory.

Friends of ours who were also small business owners encouraged us to check out CHM. They had done a lot of research before joining. Their experience with the ministry caused them to rave about CHM.

We signed up for the Gold program*—albeit nervously—in Jan. 2017.

I’ve been hypoglycemic my entire life, but close to the time we joined CHM I began experiencing amplified symptoms that I knew needed a doctor’s attention. It was particularly worrisome because I didn’t know whether CHM would help if this new development was deemed part of a pre-existing condition.

The staff member I spoke with assured me that I could be a CHM member regardless of my health history, but that for this particular situation I’d need to submit my medical records—which is sometimes necessary if there are questions about whether a condition is pre-existing.

To my utter surprise and amazement, I soon learned that my medical bills would be eligible for sharing under CHM’s Gold schedule program for pre-existing conditions. In other words, I’d have assistance of up to $15,000 in my first year of membership—and any expenses exceeding that amount could appear in the monthly newsletter’s Prayer Page, which lists medical needs from pre-existing conditions and is funded by members’ voluntary donations.

Armed with this information, I felt confident moving forward with treatment to diagnose my mysterious condition.

When I received my first check from CHM it felt like a miracle from heaven, especially in the midst of all the uncertainty about my diagnosis and about how to pay for the testing I needed. In total, CHM members shared $15,000 through the Gold schedule and $7,435 via the Prayer Page. I was also able to obtain medical bill discounts of 40 percent or more without difficulty from nearly all of my healthcare providers.

Every time I called the ministry I felt a sense of peace and confidence that Kevin and I had made the right decision about our healthcare. The CHM staff is professional and friendly, and even the “hold” worship music is enjoyable! I always ended the call feeling blessed.

Today I still don’t have all the answers about my condition, though thankfully doctors have ruled out a few of the more unsettling possibilities. I have learned that often situations in our lives don’t have a quick “fix.” Sometimes God allows long periods of waiting and frustration to teach His children to seek Him constantly as our source of peace and provision.

Kevin and I now recommend CHM to other small business owners because we want to give them hope about their healthcare. Two families we referred have already signed up. We’re humbled and honored to spread the good news of CHM to anyone who will listen!

*Editor’s note: CHM strongly recommends the Gold program for members with pre-existing conditions. More information about CHM’s pre-existing conditions programs can be found in Guidelines Z and AA at chministries.org/guidelines.