Grace in the Grit: How God Rewrote My Story

I learned my hardest financial lessons as a baby Christian on the streets of New York City.

While homeless and jobless in one of the most expensive cities, I learned to trust God for provision as I stayed with friends, hopped from one room rental to another, and believed God for my next meal.

It was a scary feeling not to have a home to go back to at the end of the night. I constantly felt like an inconvenience and never felt settled in one place. It truly pushed me to rely on God daily for peace and comfort.

Eventually God provided a job at one of the Airbnbs I rented. My official role was House Manager, but that was mostly a glorified title for cleaning lady.

**Before having my own room, I stayed in the basement of an Airbnb with a roommate. We both slept on air mattresses in this unfinished basement. This photo was taken on the day I moved out!**

Surprisingly, I enjoyed the cleaning job, and it was a sweet season that taught me how to work hard and be frugal (something that didn’t come naturally to me). While it didn’t seem like I had a lot, my needs were met and I was content in my relationship with Jesus.

That prepared me for the responsibilities of marriage too, which God blessed me with two years into the job.

While life was better, John and I started our marriage in a rocky financial situation (with a lot of debt). At one point, we nearly faced eviction and had a car repossessed.

I remember when I came home and the car was gone. My stomach dropped and I felt utterly helpless.

Together, we made the decision to be wiser stewards of our money and follow Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps. The Lord even gave me an opportunity to join the Ramsey Solutions team (a big level up from cleaning toilets if I do say so)!

Whether you’re going through hard times with your money, marriage, or faith, God wants to bring you hope and it begins with wisdom from His Word.

A verse from Hosea 4:6 tell us, my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.

That’s why on my podcast, The Jolie Harris Show, I equip you with practical, biblical advice to overcome these struggles and avoid the traps that held my husband and I back for years.

Learn more when you listen and subscribe below!