From going homeless to being able to have her own home…this is a journey of a mom of faith who believed and walked through the fire. She is now debt free and is able to provide for her two children and live with a ‘kingdom mindset’.
Change can be difficult but a change that includes uncertainty and the possibility of being homeless with two children is unimaginable. Why did she leave? For her children and her safety and sanity.
Penny LeClair left a very destructive marriage with her two children feeling depressed, full of fear, angry, broke and…was homeless. She went from living in a three-bedroom two-bath home, with two cars, hot tub, and camper kind of life to living in a 9X10 room in her parents’ house.
With only clothes and a set of bunk beds for her children Penny had no money and worked only 12 hours part-time to support her children and herself.
What does it take to switch things around?
According to National Alliance, to End Homelessness:
Domestic violence is the immediate cause of homelessness for many women. Survivors of domestic violence are often isolated from support networks and financial resources by their abusers, which puts them at risk of becoming homeless. As a result, they may lack steady income, employment history, credit history, and landlord references. They also often suffer from anxiety, panic disorder, major depression, and substance abuse.
What makes Penny different from the statistics?
Before Penny left her home, the spirit of fear was lying and tormenting her. She felt unworthy, useless and that she would never amount to anything. Fear was taking a hold of her life.
Until one day being led by the Holy Spirit…
She started reading, confessing and meditating on scriptures that the Holy Spirit had prompted her to print out. Penny used the Word of God to fight the spirit of fear. She started confessing who she is in Christ. The Word of God caused her to believe and had the courage to leave her home and venture into the new.
I asked Penny to describe what a faith-filled life looks like and to describe fear.
She said:
A faith filled life is… knowing and believing what God’s word says is true with confidence and then acting on it.
Fear is something I have dealt with most of my life.
Fear is the root to every problem a person can have.
Fear is a spirit that brings torment and the only antidote is to allow God to perfect us in his love through the truth of His Word.
When we know that God loves us with every fiber of our being fear cannot step foot in our lives. (1 John 4:18)
Is it always perfect?
NO, but I finally have recognized when the torment of stress, anxiety, depression, sickness and lack are at my door, I have allowed the spirit of fear to come in through my thoughts and I have forgotten how much God loves me.
Does she still struggle with the lack of faith?
I do not believe I lack faith. What I believe happens is that I have not strengthened myself in an area with full confidence in God’s Word. This leaves me to have unbelief and faith mixed, making me a double-minded person and the Bible says such a person is unstable in all their ways.
The antidote for a double-minded person is to strengthen their faith daily in the Word of God. Faith comes by hearing of the Word of God, and building confidence in the Word of God instead of Satan’s lies. Penny told a story of the father of the boy who was demon possessed in Mark 9 who said I believe, but Lord help me with my unbelief.
Do you struggle with unbelief?
Penny spent two years trying to find a place for her children and herself. It seemed hopeless. She was told she needed to get help from welfare. During that period of her life she was spending time renewing her mind – declaring “who she is in Christ and about her finances”.
The Word of God changed her mind and life. Going on welfare was not the answer to her problems and she refused to give in or give up. Instead she chose to believe in the Word of God and follow the lead of the Holy Spirit.
One day while praying, during her homeless situation Penny was led by the Holy Spirit to place an ad in the newspaper looking for a house to rent. The Lord specifically had her wrote everything down – what she wanted and needed in the house. Including the furnishing, kitchen appliances and the amount needed to pay for everything in a month.
At that time she had nothing but $1,000. Would that be enough to pay for the deposit and her list of things? God in his unique ways prompted Penny to give half of the only money she had to a mission trip at her local church.
She faced a huge battle. What if she didn’t have enough money to pay her rent and purchase everything in the list? Until God spoke, “Really, Penny? Are you going to get a house and everything you need with that $1,000?”
Penny realized $1,000 was not going to pay for all her needs and she had to believe in God’s provision. She finally gave in and gave half of the money away.
She said:
We need to ask God for his grace to help us with unbelief, we are not perfect beings, but Jesus is and has completed it all for us.
One week after the placement of the ad, she received a call from her current landlord. He said, “I wasn’t going to rent this house, but I saw your ad!” (God’s favor!) Long story short, they made arrangements for her to see the place, she gave him the deposit and the place was hers.
A month later she received more favors when the landlord remodeled the bathroom, put in all new windows and carpets. She moved into a home on a little over an acre of land surrounded by woods, pine trees and enough room for her children to run and play, exactly what she had written down.
The good news is when she took a step of faith, God opened doors and more doors where opened when she obeyed and relied on his strength and provision.
Imagine this: the day after she paid the deposit, Penny received a promotion at work!
She had more favor!
Now her job gave her the provision to pay her monthly bills with some leftover. She was given everything she needed. Her new home is even better than the old. After five months of sleeping on a fold out couch in her living room, a friend she had not seen for 20 years heard about her situation and gave her a pillow top bed.
Penny recalled:
When I needed something I would go out to the garage or attic and I would find what I needed. God knew everything I would need before I did. Did I do it in perfection, no, but Jesus did. I just kept my eyes, and heart on what His Word said and it happened.
God continues to bless Penny and her two children. After three years of living in her rented home she listed the following blessings:
● I have seen God supply my needs over and over
● We have never gone without, even when it looked like we would.
● He never let us down.
● I am now debt free by using God’s principles on debt cancellation
● And have been given the opportunity by my landlord to purchase my home with him holding the mortgage.
Praise God for his favor, grace and provision. At the midst of chaos and confusion Penny found Young Living Essential Oils. Today her business with Young Living provides another source of income for her and her family.
I asked Penny to give us tips on how to live a life of faith instead of fear. Here are 8 tips:
1. When fear tries to rear its ugly head, boldly cast it out until you have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
2. Use the Word of God meditating and confessing the truth submitting yourself to God first, resisting the devil, so that HE HAS TO FLEE! In other words, come into agreement with God’s Word over Satan’s lies and when that happens, powerful things happen.
3. Renew your mind to God’s word in the areas you are lacking, meditate on those scriptures until they become a revelation to you.
4. Learn the principles of reaping and sowing, tithing and giving
5. Get into a good Bible faith teaching church
6. Find one person who believes as you do and pray in agreement for what you are needing
7. Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and build your confidence in God’s Word DAILY knowing it will not return void.
8. He is truly the source of everything we need!
Penny has gone from homeless to a homeowner. She is passionate about equipping, encouraging and helping others transform in spirit, soul and body. Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1) Are you struggling with fear? Connect with Penny today and be blessed by her article on Powerful FREQUENCY Combination for Healing.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.