A HOME.

That’s what I’ve been “looking for” for several years. I’ve been away from the Home that made me who I am for over 10 years now. There were several home-away-from-home destinations that God placed me but never fulfilled me. Then Covid happened and provided me time to get back to my roots on the farm. I loved my escape from the city and the normal I had come to know. That’s when I realized that God wasn’t just giving me a break, but he was really tugging at my heart. So I decided to make a move...to a bigger city. (In my defense, it was closer to my “person”, my sister, Kellie. Who was also becoming a new Mom.)

When that home didn’t fulfill me, God opened another door, all while working to close and lock some behind me too. He sure has figured out how stubborn and indecisive I can be! The big, open door wasn’t the “Home” I had been saving to build. It was instead a piece of land on a hillside, with a barn. It just happened that my Mama Jean’s Estate needed to sell this little piece of land. I’ll spare you the details, but months after tugging at my heart, God aligned all the steps to allow me to sign the deed to make this piece of land my own!

Fast forward several more months and hours of sweat, poison ivy/oak, blown tractor tires, a hurt foot, and thousands of dollars of fencing supplies, hired labor+machinery, and tires. This little hillside has become more than I ever dreamed. I’ve decided that signing my name to make it mine and committing to pay for this little piece of land has given me a sense of pride I didn’t know I was missing. It confirmed what I’ve always known about hard work...if you never have to work for it and save for it, you’ll never appreciate it.

And that’s not all that makes it so special. See, this little piece of land has belonged to three generations of family before me, my Dad, my Grandmother, and my Great Grandmother. This family land dates back to 1942, when the Great Grandfather I never had a chance to meet first signed the deed to make it his family’s farm. It became the hilltop where he and my Great Grandmother would build a store that would fuel and feed more mouths than I’m sure they could even imagine. It’s the same piece of land where they would build a house that would become the last earthly Home my Great Grandfather would know.

I tell this story for so many reasons.
1. I am beyond grateful for the opportunities God has blessed me with.
2. I am honored to own and farm this little piece of land that has been in my family for nearly 80 years.
3. I want you to know that God opens doors that you never dream exist! Ask him for help, have faith, and hold onto hope. He’ll tug at your heart and align the rest!