We Tithed Our Way Into Homelessness (And God Used It)

Feb 20, 2026

Serena Ryan, who lived through eviction and a year in an RV, shares lessons on surrender, generosity, and reshaped priorities. Andy Ryan, who rebuilt finances after collapse, talks humility, restoration, and practical stewardship. They discuss tithing that preceded loss, relying on community, the sting of receiving help, and how surrender led to unexpected healing and new stability.

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ANECDOTE

Course, Tithing, And The Expectation Of A Miracle

Andy and Serena took a church financial course, committed to tithing, and expected immediate blessing.
Instead, their lack of budgeting and irregular income set them up for deeper financial trouble despite good intentions.

ANECDOTE

Slow Income Loss Led To Eviction

Income declined as Andy lost clients and they relied on family, church, and charities to survive.
By early 2024 they fell behind on rent and faced eviction despite months of prayer and help.

ANECDOTE

Eviction Day And The RV Year

On June 3 they received eviction papers and then accepted a friend's offer to live in an RV on their property.
The RV stay, meant for weeks, turned into a year of communal living and dependence on hosts.

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What if obedience doesn't lead to the breakthrough you expected? Andy and Serena Ryan did "the right things." They took a biblical money course. They committed to tithing. They tried to steward their finances faithfully. And then everything fell apart. They lost income. Fell behind on rent. Needed food pantries and church assistance. And eventually—after months of praying for a miracle—they packed up their family and moved into an RV in someone else's backyard. This episode isn't a prosperity story. It's a surrender story. In one of the most vulnerable conversations we've ever had on the podcast, Andy and Serena share how their financial collapse became the very thing God used to reshape their hearts, heal their marriage, humble their pride, and prepare them to steward money in a way they never could before. Their turnaround didn't come from a check in the mail. It came when they stopped clinging to how they thought life had to go—and released it to God. In this episode, we talk about:

Why radical generosity without clarity can still lead to chaos
The hidden danger of "YOLO money" and living paycheck-to-paycheck—even with faith
What it feels like to receive help when you've always been the helper
The difference between humility and humiliation
How to discern God's voice when everyone around you is saying something different
Why surrender often comes before provision—not after
How living with less brought more joy, peace, and community than they'd ever known
What changed when they finally stopped fighting God's plan and trusted His timing

Andy and Serena also share how God eventually restored stability—not instantly, not painlessly, but faithfully—and how they're now paying off debt, rebuilding their credit, and stewarding money with a completely new mindset. If you're walking through financial stress, uncertainty, or a season that doesn't look anything like what you prayed for, this conversation will remind you: rock bottom is not the end of your story. "Sometimes the things we look to for hope are the very things we need to release to God." Scripture referenced (NLT):

"If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones…" — Luke 16:10
"That is why we never give up… our present troubles are small and won't last very long." — 2 Corinthians 4:16–17

This episode is for encouragement and education—not individualized financial advice.

Watch this episode on our SeedTime Money Podcast YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/JIdhLJ68Eoo)!

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