‘‘I wanted to put my whole effort into it,” Smith said. ‘‘The market was good, so I said ‘I’ll refinance until the business gets settled in ...’ Then ... the market changed and I couldn’t refinance any more. The bottom fell out.”

With no operating capital for her business and a lack of steady income, repeat refinancing resulted in a $3,100 monthly mortgage. Foreclosure came in March 2006. She also filed for bankruptcy that month, beginning nearly two years of legal wrangling to keep her home.

Smith challenged the sale of her home while still living in it. She filed stays, motions and objections to keep her house, while also dealing with mounting financial obstacles, such as the repossession of her car, and bouts of depression.

On April 4, reality set in with an eviction notice on her door. ‘‘I thought ‘this is real now,’” Smith said. That’s when she relied on faith. ‘‘Faith was all I’ve ever had,” she said.

She reached out to friends and to The Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs in Frederick which helped her avoid homelessness. She also found a rental unit in Thurmont.

Smith takes personal responsibility for her troubles, saying she got caught up in the offer of easy money to get her business going. She advises others to get help early and to stay strong in the face of adversity.