The funny thing about having a blog is that it is a sounding board for yourself…a place to share your thoughts and feelings and be able to pour that out in somewhat of an online journal, except it is not only for yourself, it is for the world to read, if they so choose.
The strange part of blogging, that I have found, is that it is not only therapeutic for me…but many times, my journey and words help others find hope and peace in their own journey. I didn’t set out 10 years ago knowing this would be the case, but it is something I am thankful has transpired over the years.
I feel like God has worked through this online journal of sorts to help heal, help inspire, help navigate and help curate a life worth living and celebrating, even when that journey was less than fun or desirable as it was taking place.
The journey I have been on in the last several months and even year, really, is one of those journeys that have left us thinking, “What the heck is going on here?” We were thinking, “WHY”… “What are you doing here, God”…”How does any of this make sense”?
And while I can’t answer all of that…or hardly any of it…I can say this. God is good. His ways are not our ways. His timing is not our timing…EVER hahaha. He DOES know best. He sees the entire big picture. He works all things for our good. Plain and simple. Even when not one thing makes a bit of sense…
So, 6 months ago…we officially moved to the Nashville area…Lebanon, TN to be exact. We felt a STRONG calling to go there, so we followed. Within a very very short time frame, we realized, because of reasons beyond our control…that we needed to be back in Kentucky. We had already gone through the process of listing our home in Mayfield, the one that you all have watched us build and love. We were committed to selling it and starting fresh and felt like that was truly what needed to happen. We cleaned it out, taking each room and removing each unwanted and unneeded piece and donating, selling and trashing. Each room got completely stripped of its old life. It was a blank canvas for the new owners…
The house went under contract within 1 week of putting it on the market, and we continued to clear it out…one room at a time. It was a long process. It was a happy and sad process, all at the same time. We felt like the future was bright, but it was so uncertain. We had no idea the path God would put us on from here. We got a rental property in the town over, as we had always thought it would be a great place to live…and it would be close to the kid’s school, which is in that town…close to all the places we eat, shop, etc… and this would give us a chance to start fresh and new in a place we already knew we loved.
So, we moved there.
Then, something totally unexpected happened.
The people backed out of the home sale. There was no reason for us to expect this would happen…everything had been going along fine. We were to close in less than 2 weeks. But, they decided they no longer wanted to go through with the purchase.
We got the call from our realtor while we were packing up the kitchen…and Brandon and I both just looked at each other when we hung up. I immediately said, “do you think God is trying to show us we are supposed to stay here?” He immediately said “I do.” That is not something we had talked about or expressed to each other. It was simply something that in that moment, we just knew.
Little did I know that the day before the call, Brandon had told God, “If you want us to stay here, please make that very known to us and make it happen, because I just don’t know…” He never told me that. We were just moving forward, making the changes and trusting the process.
When that call came through the very next day, he knew. It was God answering his prayer. And even though I had not prayed that same prayer or even felt that same way…in that moment, I knew too. I had peace too. God had created a full circle moment in our life.
The house that we had built on the land that we had curated for our dream property….it would be our home again.
The journey we had been on these last several months…well, I don’t know all the reasons, and I won’t pretend to. But I can tell you this. God doesn’t work in a straight line. He knew our family needed a BIG system reset. We needed to be shaken to our core and change our trajectory, in all areas of our life…in more ways than I will ever be able to share to a world that is watching, but in ways that I know on a deep and personal level. We had gotten in a place of routine and comfort and stress and overwhelm and were almost like robots in our own life. We needed to be reset to be made new and to start fresh in where God wanted us to be, even though where he wanted us to be was where we already were.
How beautiful is that? How beautiful is it that in our darkest times, God never leaves? How beautiful is it that God knows our innermost desires and struggles and He will MAKE something happen just to get us back to where He knows we need to be and where we WANT to be. He will make things happen that we never would. Never would I have done any of this on my own. He guided us. He guided us through each step. He allowed us to make decisions that made zero sense…to move locations 3 times…to change schools and communities, to realize a lot of things about our life and business that we needed to realize so we could make it better. He guided us.
One day, I hope to share the full story with everyone, when I am at a point I am able to look back and truly see more of the whys, when I am out of the midst of it all…but for now, I wanted to share that God created a full circle in our lives…and I am excited to be on this journey with you.
Last Updated on November 22, 2024
I think sometimes God wants us to be obedient and follow Him with complete trust and stepping out on Faith to build our relationship with Him. To learn how to depend on Him. Refocus our gaze back on following Him so He can change and grow us. I think Reset is a great word to reflect some chapters of our lives. Thanks so much for sharing your Faithfulness.
I love your trip and your journey. Most of all I love your truthfulness and how you share it. You are not afraid and you share it . But you need to know that it does help others. Your story and the way God works in your life needs to be share for others to see how God truly works. They need to know that God doesn’t go straight forward with things sometimes , he changes it around. I thank you a million times over for sharing. It brings light into my own life. Your family , Brandon and you are troopers. You have made do with what you have been called to do. Sometimes God test us. Please continue to share . You are God’s messenger🤗
That is so awesome, and has been amazing to watch you, and your family do what God tells you to do!! Many blessings!!
A wonderful testimony of faith, and the process of gaining a whole new perspective and appreciation.
Thank you for sharing with us. People don’t realize just how far God will go to get us where we need to be. Sometimes we get so busy He quiets us down so we can hear him. He tends to take me to a hospital bed to do that.
Lovin & prayin for your family always.
Abby P
God works in mysterious ways!
The whys are not revealed to us at the time, but they appear later.
Hey, on the bright side you got to really declutter your home and start fresh!
Thanks for sharing!
This is amazing! Well now we can watch and enjoy you RE RE-fab it again. Congratulations 🎉
He is so good and His ways are not our ways! Thank you for sharing and I feel in my spirit GREAT things are coming for all of you. Your blogs and live sales and crafting moments always make me smile! And while I was going thru chemo a couple of years ago, the live sales were a true gift from God. I was able to watch, shop and be distracted for at least a few minutes during those very long days! I am grateful . I also used to always say “you gotta look cute for chemo” and would very often wear my rehabbed purchases! The chemo nurses used to say they couldn’t wait to see what I would come in wearing! People can say new clothes and shoes are shallow but I am here to say my “new clothes and shoes” helped me get though one of the hardest seasons of my life and I personally believe Holy Spirit brought Refabbed into my life because He already knew it would help me! I stood firm on Choosing Joy and Choosing to look cute—even with my bald hea and when I didn’t really “feel” like it! I love you all!!
I am glad you are back in Ky a loyal fan from Crofton Ky 💗💗💙💙🥶☃️
I’m so happy that you followed God and have found the peace that you deserve. Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to think of others and share this. I needed to see that I need to let go and let God guide me more. Have a blessed Thanksgiving.
I think it’s awesome you guys are back home in Ky and amazing you followed the signs and gave it a shot! No one can ever understand things until they experience things for themselves thru God. I was raised going to church and believing in the lord but honestly didn’t see that I had a blessed life the good lord gave me until the past 6 years when my eyes were opened up and the good lord was there for me every step of the way. I have sat down and prayed more then I ever have in my life and the good lord opened my eyes and showed me with him all things are truly great! I went thru my EX of 37 years had open heart surgery, losing my mom then him suffering depression abandoning me losing my Dad to cancer to meeting a new wonderful man who we finally are set to marry next October. It sure has been some rough years but I know thru Gods grave and his only did I survive this. My daughter says I need to write a book and she is so amazed at seeing me go thru all of this and still be standing. I told her not only was God with me through all of that she/my daughter was my rock too. I may not know you personally but I sure love your story just like mine. We have a great love from our God who truly is there for us it’s our job to seek and believe in him and he will make ALL things possible! Welcome Home Brooke and family ❤️
The thought I had was what if it was like Isaac and Abraham’s situation? He just wanted to see if you would follow Him and give up your favorite things. Just a thought.
Im so happy that God directed you back to your old home! I love this house!
This is truly a beautiful story of obedience and trust. I am soo happy for your family that you are back in the beautiful home that you built. I have watched your journey for a very long time back when you were creating on your kitchen table in the single wide and ministering to people all at the same time. Love this journey and “Welcome Home Again” .
I am tearing up and smiling at the same time reading this. You are so right God does work things for our good and sometimes it takes a whirlwind for us but He always comes through and He is always right even when we can’t figure it out He is in front of us beside us and behind us ❤️. That is for sharing this
Welcome home, Brooke. And most importantly, thank you for following His lead. Love to you and yours.
Brooke, I am so glad you followed God’s plan! I got goosebumps reading your story! Thank you for sharing!❤️
Welcome back Riley family 🩷👍🙏
LOVE THIS! Only to those who believe!!
Thank you for giving us updates I love hearing all of the things, I just wish I would have let God lead me back when I was younger and my kids were younger I made so many mistakes by doing things on my own God was there all along I just didn’t see it back them I am so glad you and your family are letting God guild you love to listen about your journey
Gods ways are higher than ours.
He always has a plan and a purpose.
Love following your page.
Wow Brooke, I truly believe this was meant to be. God is good all the time!
Sometimes we have to accept that God’s timing is not ours. He may not respond yet, and we misinterpret what we think we hear or what it means. Sometimes God says “not yet” or even “no”. Or…”have it your way”. It’s all part of understanding that we may not understand. Or…determining we understand the Will of God when we are really letting our will justify our decisions. As the Bible says- who are we to know the mind of God. Scripture also tells us to act, but also be still. Listening prayer is a form of really trying to identify God’s guidance while he let’s us make the decisions. All I know is I don’t know a lot, but your story seems to have out you where God wanted you all along- despite our own desires. Another question- what happened to the house y’all bought/rented close to town? I was so excited to see what you did with it!
WOW! I am just in awe of your destiny in this world!! Trust and obey! Brandon and you sure have been on a spiritual journey.
I am glad you are back in your old house. I love that house.
You followed His Will, that’s all He needed from you was to know that you would, and you did! Where you (God) lead me, I will follow! Amen!! Congratulations Brooke & Brandon!
You owe no one an explanation Brooke. You are a wonderful person I can see it and always have since i started following you. God loves your little family and He will always no whats best.
My family took on a big change recently and do you know what tore me up the most, what others are going to think. I wish I wouldn’t do this but I couldn’t even talk about it because for one, I would cry and two, that I just didn’t want to hear any negatively. One thing I will NEVER do, is judge anyone. We all have a different paths and I know now that God is leading mine. Sounds like you know this too.
I love this post. I’m happy to follow God’s plan…but often need to be hit over the head with a bat. Thrilled you have the faith to roll where ever you are led.
I too have had a “reset “. While I have made wreaths for the last 5 years (While also being in the one and only Creative coaching with Damon Oates as a mentor). I have over the last couple of months have done something that never entered my mind to do. I’ve started purchasing and reselling designer bags and clothing!! While I still belong in the Creative coaching and will always be a part of that, I have packed up my wreath supplies and put them in storage. I still make them for my long time customers and will never totally abandon my wreath making, I’m really enjoying the reselling business. God bless you and your family. We can do all things through him!
Beautiful testimony of your family’s obedience and God’s faithfulness! I truly believe there are many things we go through in life that we won’t fully understand this side of heaven. Welcome home!
Oh Brooke….God works ALL things for good…and usually not in a straight path, as you have found. During the trials, it can seem like you’re so alone and ‘what on earth am I doing’? …but GOD IS GOOD ALL TH E TIME. So glad to hear that you’ve both KNOWN that the Lord knows your hearts, and has lead you…and that you ACCEPT his calling with PEACE in your hearts. Thanks for sharing this piece of y our story; may God continue to bless your ministry (yup, ministry…the business might be the ‘tool’ he’s using!).
God works in mysterious ways! So happy for you and your beautiful family
Follow the word of GOD, he will never lead you in the wrong direction! GOD is good!
I love hearing your stories and how God has blessed your family. So continue sharing ❤️❤️
I am quiet and just sit back and watch. Tears were brought to my eyes when I read your latest blog. I have followed you since you 1st started when you bought the mobile and made that fabulous. I was heart sick when you moved and then came back. I watched you build your dream home and sell it but like you I figured God had a better plan. Congratulations. So happy for your family.
Awe, Brooke this is the best blog I have read. I don’t know you personally, but I am a Christian Mimi, and I felt this to my core. You are absolutely correct, God’s timing is not our timing. He knows what to do & when to do it to get our attention. I am so happy for y’all sweetheart. This home is gorgeous & truly for built for The Riley Family. Welcome Home, God bless.
Take care,
Susan/ Mimi
WOW!!! JUST WOW!!! What amazing testimant of how God works. He is truly in control, we just have to let him take the wheel and although we may not always know the why he knows what he is doing and you are right, maybe the last 6 months was just to allow you all to put things back into perspective and have a restart. You know he will not let us fail as long as we trust and believe in him. I am happy for you and your family Brooke….YOU ALL ARE RIGHT WHERE YOU BELONG!! 😊 Thank you for sharing you story and your life with ask of us!!!
Brooke and family I’m so happy and excited for you. I kind of wondered if this might possibly happen but I knew u had sold your house. It definitely is God you know how it is God and what he is doing. Do what he is leading and you will never be wrong. God bless.
So very happy for all of your family! Always loved your beautiful home! So happy you we’re obedient
to Gods callings! We will understand it all one day! Be happy and enjoy your beautiful life! Love y’all
Roselyn Smith
Dublin, ga
God is good I’m so glad you’ve made it to your full circle moment I’m praying for the same in our lives. I’ve loved watching every moment that I was able to catch and may God continue to bless you and your family.
Praise God 💋❤️
All thing’s through Christ! How cool to be back in the home you built…and yes full circle ⭕️!!
That’s amazing Brooke! I’m so happy for y’all to end up back in your home that you worked so hard to build. That reset is going to make it that much sweeter to go back to a place that you know and love. God works in mysterious ways.
This made me cry. Thank you for sharing. It took my mind back a year when things that were happening in my own life made ZERO sense, but God had a plan! Looking back, I was baffled in the moment, and I had to make some really hard decisions, but He knew just where I needed to be. 💕
What a beautiful and terribly hard journey you two (four) have been on. God has to shake us up sometimes to get us to truly hear Him. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
I think sometimes God just wants to get our full attention. We think we have given it. It’s a journey we all take at some point. HE is closer to us at that point than ever. Holding our hand through the rough and uncharted waters. We tend to wonder if it was necessary for us to go through those waters. It was necessary because it is part of the pruning process to give our lives in Him to produce more fruit and live in the abundance He promises. In order to grow more fruit we must be pruned deeply and it’s painful . If we submit to the pruning (which you and your family did) abundance is coming. My favorite little book as a suggestion is by Bruce Wilkerson and it’s called Secrets of the vine (how to live in abundance). He also wrote the prayer of Jabez. Secrets of the vine centers around John 5 with emphasis on verse 15. I recommend the hardcover original version still available at Amazon or half.com. I don’t have any connection to this author or any gain in this recommendation . I got my copy many years ago and it has blessed my life. Praying that you continue to hear and listen to His voice. You are making a difference with each testimony. Be blessed . Karen Reed from Attalla, Alabama.♥️🙏
Glad you’re back in your dream home. Yes, God works in mysterious ways.
So glad you are back in the dream home that ya’ll
so lovingly built. God knows best and he is good all the time!
I hope your family will be happier than ever to be back at home!
BROOKE, I’m happy for you and God is good. We don’t have to know the details of His plan to recognize the beauty within it. Love & Continued Blessings ! jen❤️
Sometimes we also do things on our own, thinking this is what we want, but as you said, God never Leaves us, and is probably laughing at us thinking we know what’s best, but he does see the big picture , and he knows exactly what we want. So he saved the house, knowing you was coming back. god amazes me He’s such a good God. I’m glad you’re back, now we can see your beautiful home again
MERRY CHRISTMAS
This is wonderful news. I don’t really know y’all, and was sad when y’all moved. I really enjoyed watching your lives, and seeing the pictures of your home decorated for Christmas! Welcome home!
That’s quite the journey in such a small timeframe! Everything happens for a reason. I’m glad you’re enjoying the ride! Merry Christmas Riley family!
I’m so happy that y’all are back in your beautiful home! It may sound strange to say this, but I did not have a good feeling about your move to Tennessee.
Enjoy the holidays with your family! Best wishes for the future.
How AMAZING is God Brooke??!!
Thank you for sharing you and your family’s journey! Merry Christmas! 💗
He is AMAZING!!
WOW!!! That’s incredible! God is definitely funny like that! I’m glad that y’all are back to your old home, and starting afresh!! Praying that God continues to reveal the “why” to you !
I was moving right about the time all of this was going on with you so I wasn’t following for a few months- but one day I do hope you’ll share more of your story! Sometimes it’s so hard to know if it’s God’s will or if it’s something we want so badly we think it’s God or we convince ourselves.