I'm Curious. How long does it take?

Good question.

In regards to Down Home, it only took 17 years for the Lord to clearly define how my husband and I were called to combine our time & talents and merge both into a business. Who knew it would be a non-profit? We certainly did not. Quite honestly, we were blind-sided as we had only ever ventured into conversations about housing for low-income families or flipping homes for profit, but never, did we ever, imagine being directors of a non-profit serving to fill a gap for families transitioning from homelessness into housing.


One of my favorite inspirational quotes comes from a card I received from my mom:

Spark something incredible with a 'yes.'


Today, I invite you to enjoy the inside scoop of your favorite kind of ice cream. Well, maybe that and the inside scoop of how our family started on a journey of saying "yes" to a lot of things we said we would never do (IRS nonprofit paperwork and fundraising to name just a couple). Here is the abridged version of how Down Home began.


One relaxed afternoon, the Lord caught me in an unusually quiet moment without any of my four kiddos calling my name, needing to be fed, or arguing with each other. Rare moment indeed. There was most definitely Divine intervention at work. This moment provided enough quiet for me to listen. "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)


With the Lord at work, He provided time for me to read The Magnolia Story by Chip & Joanna Gaines. The Lord used their story to speak to my soul, and I felt what could be described as an obnoxious prompt to say the least. The prompt was to say something out loud to my husband, that in all honesty, I wanted to keep to myself because I was having an "ugh" moment, not to be confused with a fashionable UGG moment. If you are from the tundra like me, you can likely relate to both. My internal "ugh" moment asked this question,

"Really, God, you want me to say what?"

After allowing enough time to for my heart beat to increase to an alarmingly uncomfortable rate, I took several deep breaths and hesitantly stated to my husband:


"The Lord is calling us to something."


That's right, DH junkies. That first sentence, that leap of faith that I barely stuttered out of my mouth, was the onset of Down Home...AND it led to my husband's rightful follow up question.

"What is He calling us to?"

Well, good golly, Miss Molly, stop with the questions already. How am I supposed to know? I only just received the obnoxious prompt minutes ago. Did my husband really expect a well thought out plan and vision? Most likely not, yet I'm quite certain I sounded a little crazy, a little off my rocker in that moment. I do suppose that's what it takes to start moving some mountains and sparking something incredible.


Little did I know that His prompt that day was going to lead to family conversations, fearless & fearful steps forward, and internal conviction that within 2 months officially became Down Home, "Where they know you by name and treat you like family " (Down Home by Alabama). You are our clients, volunteers, donors, sponsors, followers, supporters, dreamers, movers and shakers that are helping empower lives one home at a time. Be sure to note that it only takes one relaxed afternoon, my DH peeps, so be ready for what the Lord has prepared for you.


Check out our logo on our bracelets. Can you see the cross embedded within the very core of DH? Our DH team humbly implores the Lord to continue the works He has begun. That we might be given His vision as we say "yes" in our steps forward. You can keep up with our most current happenings on social media. Be sure to enter our Facebook & Instagram Giveaways to win your very own DH bracelet & DH t-shirt. The drawings will take place at 12:00 noon, Sunday, May 5, right before our Open House.