**SEC17 WK:#4: The effects of economic hardships on families**

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Hardship is a very terrible or difficult situation that is full of oppression and deprivation. On the other hand, economic hardship is a difficulty caused by having few resources and too little money.

While growing up, my mom would always tell me that one day I would become a woman and I would have to live my life, run my home, and fix my future. I didn't understand it until it played out that "yes, it's time!"

On various occasions, I have witnessed families lose everything they had due to financial stability. I have seen families sell their babies just to keep up with the economy. Hardship could come in different forms, but when it comes, we are sure that it has truly arrived.

Living with my family was a luxury for me because I had all I ever wanted, but when it was time to live my life, I sensed that the time my mother had predicted had finally come. My first year as a spinster, I spent it at my family house. The second year was when I told myself, "It's time to move out; you are an adult."

I moved to a different state, further from my family base. I rented an apartment, opened a business, and started life. I thought it was all a bed of roses for me, but I never knew I was starting the real journey. When I was in my family house, I would go to work so early and return in the evening to meet a freshly cooked meal. I would eat without stress.

My first week at my new apartment, I ate junk food because I didn't have the time to prepare meals. I just arrived, so I was all fresh and shiny. My business was moving so well, and life was good until the day my workers decided to leave without my notice.

Things began to change shape. My business began to crumble, my customers began to leave, money stopped flowing, and I began to feel the heat. Each time I went to church, I would be told that "God is testing my faith," and I wondered when this test would be over because everything was failing.

Was it actually a test of faith? Or have I failed in life? It got to the point that I would stay all day and night without anything to eat. My business location was always flooded, and the flood would find its way into my office to destroy some furniture and other items for me.

The business that was supposed to be yielding income became a bag of expenses. I had to put my savings into my business to get it to work, but all to no avail. You agree with me that when a man does not feed well, he doesn't think straight. This was my case.

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At this time, my rent for the house and for the business space was about to expire, and I needed to fund them to keep me surviving. I opened a business that should yield returns so that I can have enough to send home, but it wasn't coming.

From home, I kept receiving calls for money, but I kept giving excuses. It wasn't easy on me, but I couldn't share my experience with any members of my family. Everyone I ran to for help at that time cared less to help me; it was as though my world was coming to an end.

I tarried in that city looking for what to eat, money for transportation to work, and someone to send home. My mom began to wonder what was happening to me since I no longer sent money home for their upkeep, until she decided to pay a visit.

The day my mom arrived, I allowed myself to pour down the long-saved tears in my eyes. She wondered what had happened, but she kept telling me to calm down and talk to her. My mom visited my house, but I didn't have anything to give her to eat. She had to give me some money to cook food in my house. I was so ashamed of myself at that time.

I had responsibilities that I couldn't perform. I was left alone to sink into this test of faith. My friends were nowhere to be found; they all left me, and I was left alone on a lonely road. I traveled back home after some trials to kick back, but nothing was working.

I had to sell off the remains of my business items after the flood destroyed them. I went back home just to cool off my head and get an idea of what to do next. It was truly a test of faith.

After some months, ideas on what to do, where to go, and how to go began to come, and today, I would say, they have been carried out. Not 100%, but at least 50%. I don't know if there is anyone without a hardship story; we all have had one terrible story or another in our lives, but thank God for where we are today!

During this time, I learned so many lessons that have made me stand my ground today.

• Stay in my prayer closet and remain there.

• Be focused, forward, and fresh. (These FFF helped me to actualize my dream.).

• Be bold enough to take bolder steps.

• Never discuss my plan with anyone. I plan alone, and I execute alone.

• Always be dedicated to getting a result out of a set goal.

As far as we are still in the world, hardship is inevitable but for the children of light, hardship is evitable.

I invite @nancy0 @pandora2010