Not What I Designed: The Story of an Extreme Heart Makeover

When the final box was loaded into the U-Haul truck, Becky turned and took one last look at the Seattle home that was supposed to be hers forever. A charming welcome plaque hung on the front door. Beyond that, the granite-topped island where her grandchildren loved to gather. Time to face the hard realities: Foreclosure. Bankruptcy. And possibly, homelessness.

This sixty-year-old interior designer, a pastor’s wife, felt embarrassed.

“This is not a situation I ever pictured we would be in as w...