The Calling To Awake

Whew! It has been a whirlwind of activity! Saturday, Mary Ellen, John, Harold and Liz came to pick up Shawn who had been staying with me the past week. When they came to get him they brought a trailer and some equipment to help get up and haul off leftover debris from years of discarded construction materials. It looks absolutely amazing! More to come, but getting the singles and some of the stumps up was a huge help! The well is worse off than thought. The main pipe to the house is corroded and will need to be reworked. Quite possibly the wire running to the pump house is bad as well. I’m working hard to get this off the list so that people can come and stay. I’m thankful for knowledgeable friends and tradesmen who are helping me chip away at this expanding project. I am certainly out of my wheelhouse. Shawn was a huge help this past week! I had a rush job I was working on when he arrived. He helped me fulfill a rather large order of outlet and light switch plates. We had to sand and ...

I had a chance to thank God’s Healing Springs Baptist Church this past Sunday for their donation. I was also asked to give my testimony. It was a whirlwind of emotions. Where I know God orchestrated this whole encounter - it didn’t make it any easier to follow in obedience. But God gave me strength in a situation I know was not my own. Not many know why I’m well suited for the vision given for this creative mission community. I understand the chain reaction and ripple effect of misunderstood and unresolved trauma. I can empathize, relate and help encourage those still stuck within the cycle of shame & guilt filled repression.  I am one of those individuals who was molested at an evangelical church by a church member. From about 9-12 each Sunday morning. Like many abused children, I didn’t come forward right away, because I was told and felt like I wouldn’t be believed. The first time I voiced the abuse - I wasn’t believed by those in spiritual authority. I was threatened b...

     Saturday friends came to brainstorm and talk about the structure of the upcoming creative mission organization. From right to left we have, Amy Jo, Mary Ellen, John, and Nanna. They came from Columbia to help plan the next steps of a non profit, grant writing, and forming a board of directors. Mary Ellen, is a natural networking agent and is well connected in Columbia, SC. She has talked with people who are willing to come give their talents to help in these initial phases.       The idea is to free licensed counseling for each person that comes to stay on the property. So far people have an overwhelming willingness to give of this special gift. A licensed therapists from the Columbia area is willing to give one day of her week to come to the property and give free counseling sessions. Another counselor I know is willing to give of his time via zoom sessions from Columbia. These types of services will be pivotal for the growth and restoration of t...

The Application of Broken Pieces Using a metaphor to invoke a deeper thought process towards healing. Giving a person a viable application and reminder of how their brokenness can be repaired can be a life altering gift. It can show a person that if we put forth the work through passion and understanding we can end up not only restored, but more unique, resilient and useful than ever before. We all know of the Japanese technique, Kintsugi, a 400 year old art form used during a time when vessels were too hard and expensive to come by that the broken vessels needed to be repaired instead of replaced. In Kintsugi the brokenness and scars of the piece are highlighted and proudly shown. This type of art form has brought a powerful application that can help others understand that their scars, their pasts, their very existence isn’t lost. That their life doesn’t have to be discarded. That their existence is desired and very much needed within a world full of people with seen and unseen scars ...

It has been a week since my initial out reach to family and friends. It has been a whirlwind of exiting movements, miracles and community action.  ~I would like to thank my retired master electrician friend, for his time, talent and energy in helping get the home's (and barn's) electric up to code. It was a pleasure and honor to spend those couple weeks with him. In no way will I be able to retain all of the knowledge this great teacher gave me, but I am certainly going to try! It was a fascinating process to be part of. This gentleman, was able to backwards fed the gas generator to the electrical panel in order to locate which wire fed what socket, light switches, etc. It was anyone guess up till that point. We both stood by as the house literally shook its self awake. It was amazing to hear the home take a reviving breath after being stagnate for so long! It was hard to not get emotional and excited. This is what I want for each person that comes to stay within this creative ...

In September of 2022 I started a new journey. It was time apart from everything I had known. I moved into a frog studio of a dear friend and former neighbor. She was allowing me the time and space to regain some strength and rebuild a business, in return for help on the farm. Mrs. B, has always been a seeker of broken souls. She takes in just about any wounded animal or human. Even in her elderly age she constantly gives her time, energy, home, and land to reach those within her community. I’m very thankful for my mentor and the faith and encouragement she gave me and many others. Our world would be a different place if there were more like her. I had been feeling a major shift in my personal and spiritual life and by November of 2022 I knew what had been laid on my heart to accomplish. So much so that I posted a headline on Facebook to remind myself that two years from that date that God’s promises would be fulfilled. Then I saw the listing for an old home in need of a lot of restorat...

Chapter 5 12.23’ The Adoption Story According to the Adoption Network US Adoption Stats, currently read: (2022 US Adoption Attitudes Survey; Adoption by the numbers, 2022) ~Currently there are around 5 million adopted Americans. ~In 2019 there were approximately 115,353 adoptions. ~In 2016 noted a near 49% non Mexican, white infant or child adoptions. 25% were non white adoptions. The African American adoptions out of foster care is apparently, “disproportionately represented”. ~26-29% make it out of long term foster care before aging out at 18. ~391,000 children are in foster care on an average day in our modern day era. In 2022 nearly 214,000 children ENTERED into foster care. 70% of those are infants.   ~In 2023 federal funding for all that encumbers the foster care program totaled 10.6 billion dollars. ~According to NSAP 75% of adopted children under the age 5 are read or sang to everyday. ~Birthparents get a surprisingly bad rap. Most birthmothers are between 25-35. Close to 1...