She's a Jersey girl, full of faith and drawing determination from the love of her 12-year-old daughter.
And it's those traits that help Jaime Johnston steer through the storms of life, and find a symbol of hope.
She drove away from Sacred Heart Church last month with Madison, who's equally resilient, having just received a blessing from Father George Corrigan after crying to him about being homeless and jobless.
On the drive, she spotted a huge rainbow, illuminating a crucifix.
"I was just blown away," Johnston said.
Now a different display of God's love fuels Johnston's faith. Love In The Name of Christ, better known as Love, INC., has embraced the Johnstons and started working to put them on a path to improvement.
The upstart nonprofit, which will hold a fundraising breakfast Tuesday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Tuesday at The Portico, 1001 N Florida Ave., that helps local churches and church volunteers serve vetted, qualified people in need.
Johnston's road to Tampa, however, is littered with harrowing tails. She's not used to asking for help, but she needed it.Despite earning certifications in the health field, including medical billing, she found herself in a losing situation in a suburb outside of Trenton, N.J. So, like so many, she sought better fortunes with her 12-year-old daughter in Florida.
They landed in Fort Lauderdale, but a spate of bad landlords, cheap motels and rental scams seem to follow. She wondered if she could find a good place to live, a good job and a good school for her daughter. The struggles continued and she found herself trying to hold on while sliding on the slippery slope of homelessness.
"It was a living nightmare," Johnston said.-"I've been through things in my life. This isn't the first time I've dealt with craziness. My car was packed, my trunk was packed, my backseat was packed up to the roof."
Spinning in a whirlwind of frustration, she followed the guidance of a Groupon for a Tampa hotel -- a clear sign of desperation -- booked a room for two nights and went west to find promise. In that overstuffed car, they drove across Florida on one of those narrow two-lane highways us natives try to avoid, and plowed through a thunderstorm to get here.
Because of the rain, it took nine hours.
In the days that followed, she landed a place thanks to the kindness of a renter, and now her daughter is enrolled in an A-rated school. The job search continues, but now her perseverance appears to be paying off. Feeling blessed, she Googled Catholic churches near me and founder her way into Sacred Heart, the venerable cathedral in downtown Tampa. She waited after the mass to talk to-"Father George."
"I didn't want to fall apart, but I had been holding everything in," Johnston said.-"He didn't know me, I didn't know him, I walked up to him, I introduced myself and I told him my story and I burst into tears.
"It was like full waterworks."
Corrigan blessed Johnston and eventually connected her with Love, INC. and co-founder Michael Doyle, who calls himself the nonprofit's-"vision carrier." Doyle went to work coordinating services provided by different member churches and helping them access resources for basic needs such as food and clothing -- all while moving them towards longer term solutions.
At the same time, Doyle lent positive affirmations, complementing Johnston on her remarkable drive and appreciating her qualifications, which includes a host of medical certifications and includes being bilingual. He's hopeful she can soon land a position befitting her resume.
Through it all, Johnston has kept her faith, in part because Doyle is determined to put God on display in Tampa.
"For someone willing to help themselves who just needs a little bit of help, I think it's so loving, genuine," Johnston said.-"Where I come from, you don't get this kind of caring. When I came in, it was incredible. He made me feel amazing.
"I felt the love."
To learn more about Love, INC., visit loveinctampa.org.
That's all I'm saying.