The Testimony

This week in particular God has blessed me with overflow and I wouldn’t be where I am today without Unison. Can I share my testimony with you guys?

Leaving Corporate Sales to Pursue Wise Living Solutions: A Journey of Faith and Planning

This story starts in June of last year when I officially left my corporate sales job. This was a big decision for me to make, but God spoke to me and assured me that this was the right thing to do. Up until this point, Wise Living Solutions was just a side hustle. I had a business relationship at the time that was going great where we would close 1 to 2 deals a month. I had it all planned out. I was going to make this amount of money. I was going to make these types of investments. I was going to take these types of trips. One thing I learned here is that it’s okay to have your own plans, but at the end of the day it’s God’s plan that prevails. Proverbs 19:21 says there are “many plans in a man’s heart, but it is the lord’s purpose that will stand.” 

Unexpected Setbacks in My Entrepreneurial Journey

I say all of that to say nothing happened how I planned it. I really only actually planned for things to go well, but let me get into what actually happened. The day I leave my job, I have 6 months of expenses and 3 deals under contract that are expected to be nice payouts. I’m thinking I am coming into this entrepreneur thing like it's a piece of cake. I take half of my money and pay 3 months up on my mortgage so that I am paid up until September, so with the deals I had pending and the 3 other months of expenses, I felt like I was in a great spot. I was wrong. All of the pending deals fell through and the business relationship that was once going really well fell through as well. Evidently this business partner cut me out of those deals and completely stopped communicating with me like we didn’t know each other. This hurt me a lot and I was emotional about it for a while because I looked up to them and they were aware of what I was going through financially. I felt like they left me for dead. 

Another thing I learned that hard way is that no matter what is going on in your life, tomorrow is still going to come. Whether that is with you, without you, or if you’re happy or sad. This is the point where September rolls around and I no longer have any money and I miss my first mortgage payment.

Finding Community and Support Through Church During a Personal Storm

 At this time in my life, the only sense of community I had was Unison, but mind you, I had only started going to church here for a few months at that point  and I was newer to Grand Rapids, so I didn't have many outlets that I felt comfortable sharing what I had going on in my life. I was going to bible study consistently at this time and at the end of the night the floor is usually open for prayer requests. I said “guys I am about to go through a storm. I don’t know how long it’s going to last. I do see this storm changing me for the better and once I come out of it I will be overflowed with blessings. Please pray for my mind and my ability to weather the storm.”

Finding Support in a Financial Crisis: A Story of Community and Help

This storm turned into 6 months without any income, All my credit cards were maxed out, and I was several months behind on my mortgage. I wasn’t sure where to go but I knew I needed help but honestly I didn't know who or even how to ask for help. One day in one of our staff meetings, I shared that I was in a time of crisis. Pastor Chase pulled me to the side after the meeting, put his hand on my shoulder, and said to me “you may be new here, but you are a member of this family and we will help you in a time of need. Let me know what it is you need and we will figure it out.”

Struggling with Overdue Mortgage and Debt, Seeking Relief to Regain Financial Stability

At this time, I was 3 months behind on my mortgage and it seemed like I had bill collectors calling me every hour. I was in way over my head. I’m looking at everything I have on my plate and thinking this is a lot of money to ask from someone. So I say to myself man If I could just get one month taken care of, it would put me in a place to start digging myself out of this hole.

So I submit my request as my mortgage payment, my important bills for the month and $350 dollars for business marketing, gas and food. I never told anyone about this but sister Tiana came to the church to write the check for $350 dollars for me. She wrote the number $350 in the small box on the check but  in the part where you have to write out the amount she wrote three hundred but forgot the “and fifty”. So I get to the bank and the teller is like hey I can only cash it for what it's written for or you can let them know and get another check. I was like man I need that $50 dollars but I also need this money like yesterday. So I was like let’s just cash it. 

From Financially Struggling to Financial Stability: How a $180 Investment Led to Financial Success

I actually found the receipt while I was cleaning my car this week. I deposited $120 dollars for gas and food and the remaining went towards marketing. That $180 dollars from Unison led to me getting two deals in December that allowed me to get my mortgage caught back up. I used some of that money to invest in more marketing and then closed more deals to get to where I am today. Today where I stand in front of you, I am six months ahead on my mortgage. Tell me my God ain’t good! 

The Testimony

Wise Wednesday