Continuing a Legacy
You don’t see many legacies anymore. Jesus is a legacy himself and has called us to carry on His Legacy but yet so many people want to go their own ways. So, what really is a legacy? Legacy means that you continue to carry on with the work, values, or traditions of someone or something that came before you and ensuring their impact and influence endures. It’s about honoring the past while shaping the future.
But then ever so often you come across some special people that have made it their life mission to carry the legacy of Jesus. Real, authentic, genuine love for Jesus and lay their lives down for the mission.
My mother-in-law, Carol (kids called her Mrs. D) was that person that created a legacy. She took her call seriously from God and created something beautiful. She was a house parent with her husband Jerry for 26 years at the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home. Caring for children was her calling. She cared for children that didn’t feel wanted and needed someone to show them that there were people out there in the world that loved them but more importantly that God loved them. It takes someone special to lay down their life to care for children that are not of their own.
Unfortunately, we lost Carol to cancer in 2013. God had decided that Carol had accomplished what he needed her to do and now it was time for her to come home. She had left quit a legacy fostering 275 kids in her lifetime. Everywhere she went she was loved by many.
It has been quite some time since Carol went to be with the Lord and I often think of her and have been thinking for years what I could do to carry on her legacy. I for one don’t have patience like her to care for so many children and do what she did, but it’s been on my heart for so long to continue what she started. I recently have realized that it is not me to personally carry that calling, but to carry the mantel to another person that cares about children and is another “Mrs. D” in ways more than one.
Carrying the Mantel Over
Over the last several years my husband Jon and I have had the pleasure of getting to know a very special lady named Amy Davis. When we first met her, my daughter Josie was a kindergarten student in a two-day tutorial that Amy was teaching at. Since I have gotten to know her, I can’t help but think of Carol. Amy reminds me of Carol so much! Carol poured her life out to God, and I see Amy doing the same thing. There is so much resemblance in the mission for God’s Kingdom. The love I see Amy have for the children is that same love I saw in Carol. She not only genuinely cares for the children she teaches but she focuses so much on character building. She wants to install godly character in these precious souls at such an early age. Yes, it’s important as parents to invest our time and energy in teaching our children godly character but it’s even more of a blessing when you have another person in your life that can install even more time into your children about God.
Before Josie had started school, Jon and I prayed what an education would look like for Josie and what kind of community we wanted our daughter to be surrounded by. And God has heard our prayers and has brought Amy in our lives.
Since we have gotten to know Amy, she has started Adventure Kids. It’s a small homeschool community that is nothing fancy but when you pull up it feels like home, you are greeted with a smiling friend with lots of chickens and lots of dogs. She loves to wear funky earrings and says it’s her way of teaching the kids to notice other people. Amy has a way of implementing everything she does and correlating it with the goodness of God. It’s a gift she has. Her homeschool community lets kids be kids, letting them get in nature and get dirty all while teaching them about the beauty that surrounds them. Honestly, I wish there was an Adventure Kids when I was growing up.
I for so long wanted to continue what Carol started but I didn’t know how and exactly what. I have been waiting for 12 years to get a clear direction from God. That clear direction is Amy!
The Future
Jon and I want to help Amy get the finances she needs to help Adventure Kids grow for the Kingdom of God. Growing for Adventure Kids means finding a bigger property to grow for all the homeschool adventures and also hiring more personnel to help Amy. We were thinking around the lines of a one room schoolhouse with some land that can be used to help children learn how to homestead. In our hearts we know this is what God wants. Not only are we continuing Carol’s legacy for her love for children, but we are helping build another one. Isn’t that what God wants? He wants us all together focusing on the Great Commission. And I am so excited to be a part of something special. Homeschooling has come a long way over the years. If you are able to homeschool it is such a blessing and when you surround yourself with a like-minded community it makes it even more special. If you love God, love people and love nature, when you are ready to make that step into homeschool, Adventure Kids could be the place for you!
OUR GOALS
As we just mentioned above, We, the Dyers, want to help grow Adventure Kids! We know it’s something that Lord has pressed on our hearts. With that being said there are financial needs to grow. Through here on Faith Not Fear we want to continue what the Lord has started. Any donations would be greatly appreciated and 30% of proceeds made through our website will go straight to helping Adventure Kids grow.
If you are felt led by the Lord to donate, we would greatly appreciate it. Also, we as a family have started our very own sweet treats business! It is a work in progress, but I tell you right now you try one of my husband’s amazing cookies, you will be back for more! They are dangerously good! He is quite the chef! 20% of the proceeds for Dyers Sweet Treats will be going to help fund Adventure Kids!
We hope we grow into our own and God blesses this ministry and adventure we have started to embark on. We would love for you to join the ride!