A Stone of Remembrance
8/25/20265 min read
Olivia Mae came into the world in the summer of 2021. The hospital stay was lonely since it was still during COVID and visitors were not allowed. We got released a whole day early since we knew the routine by then. We couldn't imagine our lives without her. She is a little spitfire and has MAJOR last-child syndrome!
Two weeks after she was born, Jesse came home after going to a Bible study. He said we needed to talk. My hormones were already raging, and I just didn't feel like I could take any news. He sat me down and started crying as he told me that he felt like the Lord was calling us to sell everything we owned and move into the community where our church is.
The house we had just literally finished after five years, in a dream location, and a business that the Lord had prospered greatly. My heart kind of just sank.
This wasn't the first time the Lord had brought this into our conversations. It had happened multiple times, but with me not having a relationship with Christ and being consumed with pride, I dug my heels into the dirt. My heart was simply not in the same place as Jesse's.
But this time...this time was different.
I knew we had to go, but that doesn't mean it was easy. There were days I would go into my closet and scream as loudly as I could. I would cry and cry and ask, "Why us, Lord?" I knew we were supposed to go, but that didn't change the fact that I am human. I was comfortable right where we were.
I remember, in those early days, telling my mom that my jaw hurt. I was so tense and clenched so tightly that it literally hurt to open my mouth.
But as the days went on, the peace that the Lord began to give me through my prayers was undeniable. He began to literally align my heart with HIS plans in a way that only He could!
When we read Psalm 37:3–5, I think sometimes we take it to mean that God just wants to give us whatever we desire. But what these verses really mean is that when we align our hearts with the way He wants us to go, His desires become our heart's desires. We can say with full trust and faith that He is where our joy is found, and we want to be wholly in His will and not our own.
Over the next year, we started selling business equipment and vehicles and asking the Lord where we would go. He had placed it on Jesse's heart to start some sort of trade school. What that looked like, we had no idea.
We sold our brand-new house and had already decided that we were going to give the proceeds to our church because we felt strongly that the Lord was telling us to go into this transition with nothing but our hands open and our arms stretched out to Him—fully surrendered.
Our church, loving us in a way that only they can, bought our Suburban and gave it right back to us. That allowed us to have a vehicle to drive.
There were two houses across the street from our church that had sat vacant for at least the two and a half years since our church had moved into its inner-city location. We began praying that maybe we could get them from a family services organization here in town that owned them.
Jesse called to see if they would be willing to sell them. They told him they were actually trying to liquidate some of their assets and would be willing to give them to us for free!!
One of the houses we planned to tear down, and the other we were going to fix up and live in. After seeing how much work it would take to get the house up to code and make it safe, we asked if the church would be willing to let us use the profit we made from our house to build a church parsonage on the property. If the Lord were ever to call us away from Sugar Camp, the house would be fully theirs!
Our plan was to start For His Glory Trade School. Here, we would take students and teach them construction skills from the ground up! We put out an application and had six students sign up almost instantly! This has been a huge bridge into our community, building connections and lasting friendships. A few of the students have become like family, and we are so thankful to have them in our lives!
During the build, we lived with my parents. It was such a sweet and precious time. They have been some of our biggest supporters, and we couldn't have done it without them in our corner.
Jesse was so sure about selling out that he didn't even take on any other work besides building the house—which paid us $0. It was certainly a time of stepping out completely in faith.
But as we were talking last night, we realized that stepping out in faith when you are so sure of what the Lord has called you to do is actually one of the safest feelings. There is no better place to be than in the palm of His hand.
We often talk about all the people who supported us financially during this time. Two churches felt called to support us and continue to do so even to this day. Every time we get a check from them, we think, "WOW. God, only You could have done this."
One family started giving us $250 a week. Others gave monthly. I could go on and on.
It was just one of those times in our lives where we put down a stone, like Joshua did in Joshua 4, so that we would be able to tell our children how the Lord supplied our every need.
Over the past couple of years, we have felt like the Lord has given Jesse peace to go back into the construction field. When one door shuts, another one opens. We continue to live as best as we can with our arms stretched wide, hands open, and our eyes fixed on Him.
We recently bought a concrete business from a guy Jesse had worked with during a transition period. They hit it off, and Dave wanted Jesse to buy the business. At first, we didn't feel like that was what the Lord wanted, so we continued to pray about it.
After some time, we began to see that it could be a great way to bring men onto a job and minister to them while working alongside them. It's super hard work physically, but it's pretty repetitive, which gives them plenty of time to work and talk together.
Even so far, after just four months, the Lord has shown Himself faithful. He has provided work ALL summer long, and it can only be explained as GOD!
We have officially lived in this community for three years now, and I can't imagine being anywhere else.
As I look back at all the Lord has done in my heart over those years, I just sit with tears of thankfulness. I don't deserve His love, mercy, or grace. Yet He constantly showers me with them daily.
And to think that there was a time when I was so afraid to let go of the life I had planned.
What He had planned was so much better.
Well I think this catches us up for the most part on to life to date. I can't wait to share little snidbits in the future about things the Lord has done as I recall them.
Until next time, I pray the Lord blesses you and keeps you, and that all you do be done FOR HIS GLORY!!
xoxo,
Kayla