Written by Jacqueline Johnson
Dr. Jessica Clements was born and raised in a small town in South Georgia. Although she was raised in a nuclear family setting, limited income from her mother’s and father’s jobs made life challenging. There were times when Jessica and her siblings ate, but her parents didn’t. Despite the struggles, Jessica witnessed a lifestyle far removed from her own experience at school—other children having the luxury of a packed lunch or being dropped off at school in a nice car. This made her aspire for more than the one she grew up in. Jessica knew poverty would not be a part of the future she envisioned and so she started doing what she was told would take her closer to the lifestyle she desired—go to college and get a degree.
“…she found out that her husband was living a double life, and she filed for divorce after five years of marriage.”
After attending college for a year, Jessica met her ex-husband, got married, and moved from Georgia to Louisiana, where her husband was a pastor. They lived with his mother for several years as they struggled financially, trying to have a better life. She continued her studies, working towards a degree in finance, and tried to figure out what the Lord wanted her to do. After a few years, they became involved in a financial opportunity that increased their income, but also led to sudden growth in their church and changes in her husband’s behaviors. He became abusive, and she struggled with the decision of whether to stay or leave based on how she understood scripture at the time, she had no real reason to leave. She felt God would have to provide her with a way out or she would stay because she loved her husband. The abuse continued until she finally left and moved to Texas with only her clothes in trash bags and her car. Jessica continued with her business and became very successful as a single woman. A short while after, she found out that her husband was living a double life, and she filed for divorce after five years of marriage.
After my divorce, I continued running my business and was successful as a single woman. I earned six figures, lived in a nice apartment, had two vehicles, and life was great. But things took a turn for the worse when I found out that my ex-husband was involved in illegal activities that implicated me as well. I had no choice but to turn myself in and was charged with 20 felonies, including racketeering and conspiracy, which carried a maximum sentence of 75 years in prison.
Fortunately, my lawyer knew the judge personally and I was able to get bail. I lost everything during the four to five years of court appearances and had to move in with a friend from church. I graduated with a finance degree during this time but was unable to use it due to the legal issues hanging over my head. Despite working for minimum wage at Nordstrom’s logistics department, I managed to rebuild my life.
One day, I received a message from God telling me to apply to a particular bank. Though I was hesitant, I applied and eventually got a job as an underwriter. I then received another message from God telling me to buy a house and a car. Just as I was getting used to my new life, I had to go back to court to be sentenced. Though 90 of the charges were dropped, I still had to take one charge, which meant I would be on probation and had to pay restitution of approximately 40 percent of the total loss to the individuals, allegedly 3 million dollars.
After overcoming this challenging experience, I found myself in a difficult financial situation. Fortunately, I had a stable job with good benefits and a supportive work environment. Despite this, I knew my boss would never pay me enough to live the lifestyle I desired. As a result, I began considering alternative options. This is what led me to discover day trading.
