By Angie Kleven

Nearly six years ago, I experienced a tremendous financial loss. A business I had poured years of time, money, and heart into collapsed—suddenly and without warning. Overnight, not a single penny was coming in. At the time, all three of my children were under the age of eight, and I was still adjusting to life as a single parent with all the upheaval that brings.

The fear and anxiety were overwhelming. If not for my children, I may have stopped functioning altogether. All I could do was cry, worry, pace—and then, finally, place my trust in the Lord and move forward with as much faith as I could muster. I had no idea how things would work out. I only knew I needed them to.

Eventually, a new kind of normal settled in. My ex-husband found work with another firm, and I began working from home as a self-employed medical transcriptionist. It wasn’t easy, and we still lived hand-to-mouth—but it was steady. It was dependable. Or so I thought.

Then, the economy took another turn. My ex-husband was unexpectedly laid off, and within weeks, 90% of my transcription clients transitioned to electronic records. Once again, my income vanished.

But this time, I was different—because I had learned how to think.

Yes, fear and panic crept in again. But this time, I consciously rejected them. I chose to shift my thoughts upward, beyond my circumstances. I made the decision to view this as an opportunity, not a crisis. I couldn’t control what was happening around me, but I could control what happened within me.

I retreated into the only place I had power: my mind.

I spent hours visualizing the outcome I wanted. I sat down with a pen and a sheet of paper and wrote down every idea I could think of for how to earn a living from home—something that would allow me to care for and homeschool my children. Some ideas felt ridiculous. Some bordered on impossible. But as the page filled up, I began to feel hope. Real, tangible hope. I started to believe there was a solution hidden inside me, and that I had the ability to bring it to life.

Weeks passed. I kept writing, thinking, praying, visualizing. I poured my energy into gratitude—for the unseen answer I knew was coming. Eventually, I realized I hadn’t even thought about our lack of money in quite some time.

Then one morning, I woke up and the answer was just… there. Like it had always been. It was clear, simple, and powerful. The more I turned it over in my mind, the more certain I became: this wasn’t just a good idea—it was true inspiration. It was my path forward.

Once the vision was clear, I got to work. I trained as a mentor. I built meaningful relationships that continue to bless me both personally and professionally. I received excellent coaching that helped me lay a strong foundation. The right people and resources showed up as I needed them, and the business took off—almost overnight.

It took more than six years to cultivate the right mental and emotional soil. But once the seed was planted, it grew strong, fast, and abundantly—providing not only for our needs, but also for many of our wants.

If we had never run out of money—twice—I might never have learned the lessons I needed or had the chance to see them work.

What once felt like one of my greatest hardships became one of my greatest blessings.