The arrival of Baby Silas//Updates about our life

My sweet Silas Mitchell Hayes arrived into this world on April 11, 2016 at 4:09am after about 3 1/2 hours of labor. He weighed 5 lbs 14 oz and was 19 inches long. He was and is just pure perfection!!

I delivered him at the Allen Birthing Center with Midwife Teri and could not have been more pleased with the birthing center experience. Most of you know, although I had my last three children all in a hospital, the last two were all natural births as I did not make it in time for an epidural. This time I figured why not deliver at the birthing center all naturally where I could move around more freely during labor and just have a more easygoing experience. I will definitely use them again!

This was definitely most hardest labor, along with my longest labor yet. As I was pushing Silas out, the edge of my placenta became detached and I had to push him out very quickly and very hard. I was worn out after he came out and they laid him on my chest. It was a scary moment for me, but I was so thankful for excellent providers who knew just what to do in the moment.

This is Silas a few hours old right before we went home from the Birthing Center.

This was Silas just a half hour or so after birth.

This is Daddy catching Silas as he entered this world earth side :) {Photography by Jillian Eppler Photography}

The kids all just love Silas and are the best big sister and big brothers out there! They all love to hold him and love on him and Gavin is known to fight over holding him ;) We are so blessed!

This was our family of 6 on Mother's Day 2016

This was Silas at 4 weeks 4 days old. My baby bear :)

Silas is now 2 months old and doing great! He is a great sleeper, a smiler, laugher, and the greatest cuddle bug there is! He loves giving Mommy kisses and sleeps right next to Mommy every night. I am so thankful for this new life God has entrusted me with. Truly, having babies is my greatest joy. If I could just sit and hold my baby all day and do nothing else, I would be pretty happy. These days go by so quickly and I often wish I could just halt time in its place.

This is Silas 2 days ago. As you can see, he is quite handsome!

Life is moving ever quickly along for us... we are enjoying summer break and staying busy. The kids have been playing outside in the water often and staying up way too late (you're only a kid once, right? ;) ). We have been adjusting to our new normal as easily as we can, but it has definitely been a challenge in some ways.

Last year, when we moved here and started our business, we were faced with the unforeseen issue of the incessant rain and floods. This really put a halt on the booming takeoff of our business we had hoped for and we unfortunately had to wait until the weather slowly started correcting to really get back on track. Once things got back to normal, we hit the ground running and ultimately for our first year in business, we couldn't complain and we saw the Lord's hand time and time again.

This winter, we thought things were going to be really hard, but again, the Lord provided and we were given an unforeseen project to sustain us through the winter. This year as most of you who live here know, has been crazily rainy all over again. Thankfully, we have not had the flooding issue that we had last year, but still an absurd amount of rain for Texas.

During the rains and floods of 2015, we pretty much just had to live off of credit. We were a new business who couldn't really operate until the weather cooperated and that was pretty much all there was to it. Flash forward to 2016, we are trying to get all of our ducks in a row, so we can move forward with our life and buy a home, and ultimately just live a life of freedom, not bound by debt.

That has been what Zach and I have spoken of time and time over again to one another that is our biggest goal for this year.

About a year ago, I began using It Works Global products that I purchased through my dear friend, Claire, who also had a similar story as me. I followed her story closely and loved all of the products I was trying out. I saw insane results and always thought to myself how these products were unlike anything I had ever tried from anyone other company before. I saw her succeed time and time over again and was so happy for her. I always marveled at how amazing her success was and how ever more amazing God's hand was in her life.

The past month or so, we have been praying for a miracle. I have been struggling with the remnants of PPD (even though I had never previously struggled with this any of my other postpartum time periods) along with trying to get our life and our finances in order. I have always been such a happy person and going through this, I have just felt so lonely and well, often just alone. I have just begged God to help me get out of this pit of despair I am in and to throw me a lifeline, to show me what His plan is.

I have felt like I should join Claire in her It Works journey and have been praying for the Lord to confirm. Time and time again, He has confirmed it to me and time and time again I have just asked for another sign, another confirmation. This past week while doing my devotional Hearing God's voice, I prayed to the Lord, "Lord, if I am supposed to do this, just tell me. I just don't want people to think I am crazy, but I will do it if this is what you are going to do to make a way for us and help us." I began reading and the devotional that day stated, "Sometimes when you follow God, people will think you are crazy..." Talk about confirmation!

I worked up the courage and finally reached out to Claire and am so excited to announce that I am now a distributor with It Works also!

There are few products that I feel passionate about enough to sell, but this is certainly one of them! After using the all natural, one of a kind products for almost a year now, I have seen the results and seen how much those results effect other people using them too! I am very excited about this journey and have seen these products change so many lives and seen this business change so many lives as well. I am honored to be a part of this God honoring company!

I am thankful for all of you who follow my journey and follow my family and our constant evolving story :) I look forward to sharing more with you all and appreciate everyone's support!

For those who would like to know more about It Works and would like to view my website and see the amazing products we have, my website is brittanihayes.myitworks.com

The End of Summer & Start of a New Season of Exciting Things

Well, summer was great here in Texas for our family! I cannot believe it has come to an end, but we are excited to have started the new school year, all the sports that have come along with it, along with all the other activities that have started back up again!

A recap of our summer before moving on to current events:

Some trips we took....
We went to Arkansas in May to see my sister graduate college and also got to spend the day with Zach's grandparents, his aunt and uncle, and cousin. The kids and I went to the beach with Zach's family in June, although Zach sadly stayed behind in Texas. All of us went to Oklahoma the following weekend for a family reunion and had an amazing time reconnecting with people. Zach and I got to take a trip to San Marcos and Austin in August and had an amazing time getting away! I think this covers all the "trips" :)

Savannah and Mason both got to go to 2 different Vacation Bible Schools together over the summer in the evenings and they had such a good time. They actually were asking me what the next one they could go to was, ha! I wish there was more that I could send them to that they both could go. Unfortunately, the two they went to (our church and a church down the road from us) were the only two that Mason was able to go to as well, not just Savannah. I'm thankful for those two they got to go to as they learned so much and really were just like sponges absorbing everything around them while they were there.

The kids had a blast playing in the freshly sodded backyard over the summer, particularly playing in all their water toys. Zach and I had ordered them something that hooks up to the water hose, both of my aunts here in Texas bought them something similar, and then Zach's parents sent them something as well. They loved interchanging the water toys and deciding which one to play with each day! The boys' hair got even blonder and all 3 of them had some tan lines going on! It was good, simple fun.

Both Savannah and Mason did the summer reading club at the library. Savannah read over 80 hours by herself and to Mason (she's such a good big sister!) and Mason was read to over 56 hours collectively from Savannah, Papa, Zach, my aunt, and myself. Savannah is blowing through chapter books and making her Mommy so proud! Chapter books she was reading at the beginning of summer and finishing in 2-3 days, she is now finishing in a couple hours. Seriously, we went to the library yesterday and she read 2 chapter books in one evening. Zach and I both were like, "it's time to move up to even bigger chapter books now!" Mason enjoys picking out all kinds of different books and actually picked out some really neat ones. One in particular that we all enjoyed reading to him (literally Savannah, Papa, Zach, and I all read this one to him while we had it checked out because it was SO good and interesting.), was called Otto and was about a teddy bear during WWII that was passed around from a Jewish boy to his German childhood friend, then ending up in the hands of a US soldier, in an antique shop, and back in the hands of its original Jewish owner years later!

Savannah had cheer camp in August and loved it! She has her first game coming up and has been practicing weekly since July.
Both kids are now in soccer full swing and have both had games! Zach is assistant coaching Mason's team. Savannah is back on her old team the Fireflies and Mason's team is the Jets. Mason LOVES his time to shine. He wants to play t-ball too!

Awana's just started back tonight and both kids were SO excited! I am thrilled that they get to go and get to learn all they learn in Awana's. It is such an amazing thing. They both finished their books last year and memorized so many verses and Savannah also memorized all the books of the NT. I am so excited for them to do the next book this year.

We just got done doing some rearranging at Papa's house this past week and Savannah now has her own room again and the boys have their own room. Savannah took the room that she was sharing with the boys and the boys new room is so awesome. Zach says it is the coolest and perfect boys' room. They love it and Savannah loves her room. She was such a trooper sharing with her brothers up until this point, literally never once complaining or anything. I was so happy to be able to tell her she was getting her own room because she was just so sweet. We love the change too and think to ourselves, "now why didn't we do this sooner?" The only bad thing is when we went to get Savannah's bed and nightstand out of storage (we already had her dressers here at the house), we realized that ALL her bedding and room decor didn't make it on the trailer load here to storage, which means it is still in NC at Zach's old work. Again, Savannah was so understanding about it and hasn't complained at all. I told her we would find a way to get it down here as soon as we could and she was just so complacent and collected. This Mommy is proud of her girl if you can't tell :)

School started back for Savannah on August 24th and she absolutely loves first grade and her teacher! She has told me that her teacher is the best teacher ever! I am so happy she loves her teacher! I got to go to curriculum night at her school this last week and I am even more pleased than I already was with her school. We are so blessed to live in such a great school district (#8 in the state of Texas).

Mason's preschool starts back this coming Tuesday (day after Labor Day) and we got to go to meet the teacher this past week also. He is THRILLED that he gets his same teachers again! They loved their particular class they had last year for the 2's that they requested they move up to the 3's to get that same class again! Mason was on cloud nine when he found out and even more so when he got to go see them! It was so sweet! Mason learned so much last year in their class and I cannot wait for him to start this school year and see how much he grows.

I got to drive Papa about an hour to Kaufman this last week to see all of his siblings (he is one of twelve) and eat lunch with them! It was so nice to be able to get to see all of my great aunts and uncles again and spend some time with them. The boys just loved it too. Gavin went to all of Papa's sisters and was just letting them take turns holding him! Papa loved showing them off too ;)

Speaking of Gavin, he has been talking up a storm!!! He can basically say anything you tell him to say now. We multiple times a day will just roll off a list to him to repeat and he'll say 99% of it. Today he said, Mason, bath, juice, milk, among other first time words nonchalantly and easily. He's also getting even more of a personality than he already had- it's just so cute! He is just in a big developmental overflow stage and we are eating it up!

Business has been growing and we are so thankful. We gained several more private resident customers over the summer, along with a couple new golf course customers, and a community customer. God is certainly blessing and enlarging Dallas Aeration's territory and keeping His hand on Dallas Aeration, so we will be free from pain. (Prayer of Jabez) He is such a good Father and we are so continuously amazed to watch His faithfulness even in ways we didn't foresee or imagine. There are so many things that have happened since we have been in Texas that there is nothing we can say about it other than "God did it."

"I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." -Psalms 32:8

Stay tuned for more updates soon ;)

UPDATES... BIG BUSINESS UPDATES!!

Wow, it has been 3 months since I last updated my blog. I knew it had been a long time, but wasn't aware it had been quite that long. Our lives have been SO busy... so SO busy... but in the best of ways (mostly).

Recap of the end of the school year before I move on to current exciting things happening in our lives...

Savannah ended her first soccer season with 2 goals scored! They won all but every game! They had a great fun party at Chuck E Cheese and received their trophies, etc. She made some great friends and had a good time. It was so neat to watch her progress through the season from being virtually clueless to actually scoring a couple goals!
She ended her kindergarten year with a bam, reading on a 3rd grade reading level! She's one of the top readers in her class! I always knew she was a good reader, but I didn't fully realize how ahead she was until I started having some other moms ask me what our secret was, etc. (By the way, to which I always answered.... "Ummm she just loves to read!!" and "she went to a great preschool!")

(Shout out to First Presbyterian Preschool back in Asheboro! They truly loved the kids and were very thorough with them! Savannah flourished there in all her time there! I am truly thankful for their influence! I know some parents would be bragging about the things they did at home with their kids, etc. and how they had the hand in their kids being so smart, etc. but honestly, First Presbyterian Preschool was such a valuable resource to us and our children! They helped prepare Savannah so much for kindergarten and I know that is largely why she flourished so prominently along with her natural love for reading as well!)

Mason ended his preschool year with a bam also! He progressed SO much this year and learned an incredible amount. He has amazed me with little things he has said here and there, where I'm just like, "how did you know that??" One of the things that stands out in my head the most is at the beach where he told me that he knew our cousin and his girlfriend weren't married. When I agreed that they weren't but asked how he knew that, he replied, "they not have rings on!" My jaw literally hit the floor. Smart boy. Mason is a big time observer. He watches, listens, and learns all the time. Mommy is proud of him! And as if being smart isn't good enough, he is seriously so sweet! I love how loving he is, gentle, and just all around sweet.

Both kids finished their Awana's year strong, both finishing their books and memorizing all the verses therein. They got all their patches (Mason)/jewels (Savannah). Next year (starts in September) they'll be ready to get their next book. I can't wait!

Well, when I had written down some notes back several months ago for my next blog update, I wasn't expecting it to take me so long, ha. So some of this is old news. But at the time...

Gavin was saying: this, bird, Bella, dink (drink), ball, o there (over there), pup, (in addition to his already long time saying of Mama, Dada, Bubba, Papa, (sorry Savannah!) )
Now he also says tons of other random words he learns daily, like, rock that he learned a couple days ago, cup, Siss (what he calls Savannah- sounds more like "sss" ;) ), there it is (he learned this while playing the hiding game!), that, nose, and more that I just can't think of right now... He's a sponge... a cute little sweet squishy sponge!

Zach has been playing drums for one of our churches every 3 weeks or so. It is so awesome to watch him play and see/hear all the positive feedback he gets! (I take his compliments way better than he does ;) He doesn't know how to take his compliments! This is one area, he's far too humble in! He's a great drummer and I love to watch him play!)

Savannah is now enrolled in cheerleading for the fall and has had her first meeting and uniform fitting. She'll have her first practice here in a little over a week, although Mommy has already been practicing with her at home a ton! I cannot wait to see her cheer! She's had so much prep with gymnastics for 4 years, I know she'll do great. She has already learned all the motions at home with me and we have been working on her back-walkover and back-handspring.
She's also enrolled in soccer for the fall again and will be returning to her same team!
She'll be starting first grade the last week of August and we should find out who her teacher is the end of this month. (This summer is FLYING by!)

Mason is enrolled for soccer in the fall also and he CANNOT wait! We also told him we would enroll him in t-ball, but the registration has not opened for that yet. It should open any day now and then we can get him signed up! He is even more excited about t-ball than he is soccer. I am curious which he'll take to more, which he'll have more natural ability at, etc.
He has been doing swim lessons (just started this Monday-Thursday and will go back next Monday-Thursday too- just a 2 week session) and he absolutely loves it!! He is doing so well and not scared at all. I'm hoping that after this 2 week session that he can swim a little more with Savannah and me not have to worry as much. Right now prior to these lessons, he was just so brave... He didn't want to wear floaties, but wanted to follow her in the deep end. I'm like, "um NO!" and of course Mason is like, "why Mommy???"
Mason will be returning to his same preschool this year in the 3 year old class and we are so excited to watch him flourish for another year. They are really great with the kids up there and they even have  Spanish once a week and computer once a week as well. It's amazing how much Mason has learned to do on the desktop computer just from this past semester there!!

As a family we have been enjoying summer nights (stays light here till 9/9:15) and walking to the park in our neighborhood, letting the kids play at the playground while we play soccer in the big wide open field beside it, going to free outdoor concerts on the weekends at the shopping center right across the street from us and again, letting the kids play on the playground while we listen to the music (this past weekend they had a Dave Matthew's cover band that literally sounded just like them! it was so good!), and of course, going to the library!

We are so thankful that we live in such an active community. We are blessed to be able to do all these fun things in our community. For Fourth of July, we took the kids up to the same place where the concerts are and they were able to make free festive crafts and then after the concert, we watched a firework show right down the road. It was a fun filled holiday day and all it cost us was some ice cream that we chose to get! Seriously, we are blessed to be a part of such a great community that cares about its members! I'm so thankful.

As I mentioned earlier, we go to 2 churches now, Cornerstone on Sunday mornings/nights and Wednesday nights with my Papa and then Gateway on Saturday nights and then once a month special Sunday night service (Habitation) and we just discovered a once a month special Monday night service they do that we just went to and loved and plan to start going to. It was a more intimate setting (only about 80 people or so), but had a full worship set. The teaching this week was on spiritual gifts and it was truly a great service and we walked out so full and learned so much. What I love about Gateway is you can be there HOURS and it only feel like you were there for less than one hour. This past Monday, we were there over 2 hours and it literally didn't feel like it at all. The Sunday night habitation services last nearly 3 hours, but you walk away thinking, "it's over already???" Oh, it is SO good. I'm getting all excited as I write thinking about habitation coming up this Sunday night. As I said, it's only once a month, so whenever we go and then leave, we just cannot wait for the next one. It is an extended period of worship as a body completely consumed by Holy Spirit, then there's a brief message, and then an extended time of prayer over the people. For my Texas people... Come to Habitation THIS SUNDAY at Gateway church at 6pm! Gateway has lots of different campuses... go to any, whichever is closest for you, or message me if you want to go with us! We are bringing my sister with us this Sunday (she has been going to Saturday night services at Gateway with us, but this is her first Habitation) and I'm hoping to have some other people come with us too!


BIG NEWS on the BUSINESS front:

Dallas Aeration, Inc. is now proud to announce that we are a majority woman-owned business!! We are undergoing certification from NCTRCA as minority/woman owned business and we are excited about what the future holds for Dallas Aeration, Inc. We know God has great things in store and has opened a door wide for us. We are trusting Him and His hand on our business and can't wait to see what Holy Spirit does next and where He leads us next!

Zach had the opportunity to speak at a big board meeting for my parents' neighborhood's HOA a couple months ago about aeration and biological approaches to their ponds' needs. It was a big deal that they asked him to come and we are excited to hopefully work with them in the future.

There will be more later... hopefully sooner rather than later I can update! We are anticipating some more exciting things to unravel here very soon! Please pray for us and please pray the prayer of Jabez with us over our business. We appreciate it!

Dallas Aeration // Our new adventure

Many of you saw my last couple blog posts about us moving to Texas and consequently saw the brief mention of the then upcoming launch of Zach's new business, Dallas Aeration. I promised a separate post dedicated to Dallas Aeration, so here it is!

Dallas Aeration, Inc. is, you guessed it, an aeration company serving all of DFW. Dallas Aeration also can be classified as a pond management company as well. Dallas Aeration will be marketing to golf courses, HOA's, neighborhoods with ponds, private residences with ponds on their property, and businesses with ponds as well. Dallas Aeration can firstly install aeration systems into ponds to help aerate (add oxygen) to the ponds, thus preventing the water from becoming unfavorable and even stagnant. This also controls algae and other excessive vegetation problems in the ponds. Additionally or in lieu of an aeration system, Dallas Aeration offers pond management contracts where bacteria, custom for each pond based on water testing Dallas Aeration will facilitate, on a regular basis, will be added into the ponds that will naturally keep away the algae and other pond vegetation, thus creating a more aesthetically pleasing pond and safer pond as well. This is a much better alternative to what many people are currently resorting to which is chemical treatment of these issues. Not only is the bacteria natural and organic, it also is beneficial because it can help regulate or restore the proper pH level to the pond as well.

Dallas Aeration also services ponds in many other ways, such as fountain servicing and other general pond maintenance as well.

We are so excited to have just launched Dallas Aeration this week and would appreciate the spreaded word of our business.

You can learn more about Dallas Aeration and also see any further contact information you or someone you know may require, by visiting our website: www.dallasaeration.com

We would like to offer a HUGE shoutout to our amazing friend, Tyler Wendell, for the fabulous job he did on our website!! We are so grateful!

Also, be sure and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DallasAeration

Thanks for everyone's support!

Phase 2 of our move // last couple of weeks in Texas

This past weekend, Zach and David drove down my stepdad's trailer that he so graciously lent us, loaded up with all of our furniture from our house. I reserved a storage unit locally that I was very pleased with (super nice, clean, great location, super nice owner, great service- if any of my local friends ever need a storage unit, message me! I would highly recommend this one.) the day before they got here, after doing research on literally all the ones in Allen (15+) plus a couple ones in Plano. I met them at the storage unit about 7:15pm Saturday evening. My Papa had an extra lock lying around in his garage, so that was a blessing to not have to buy one! Zach and David got everything unloaded and stored in under an hour. I was proud of them and as always, impressed by their hard work. We went back to Papa's afterwards where Savannah and Mason were watching a movie and waiting on Daddy's arrival (Gavin came with me to the storage unit to meet them) and unloaded a few boxes there.

The next morning we had a great service at church and then went to lunch with Papa to eat Mexican food (I have seriously missed real Mexican food!!)! Afterwards we got some other random things done around the house while the kids napped.

We went to Sunday night church and the kids had Awanas. Mason earned two patches for his cubby vest for memorizing 2 Bible verses. Savannah memorized 3 Bible verses that night also. I'm so proud of them. **Since then, Mason has memorized 2 additional verses and is ready to recite them this next Sunday!!

Zach drove back to NC one last final time on Monday with David. (He will be moving down 2 weeks from today and I cannot wait!)

Savannah has had a great week of school so far. Last week, on Friday, in honor of a great first week of school, she and I got a treat at Braum's while Mason was napping at home with Papa. I'm so proud of her! Yesterday, was Chick Fil A night at her school, so after eating the family favorite dish, cheesy BBQ pasta that I make, we all (Papa, the kids, and I) went to Chick Fil A for ice cream! It was a nice, fun time. We went by my aunt's house afterwards to look at some logos for Zach's business, Dallas Aeration. I'm so thankful for all of her advice, input, and overall eye for things we may not always notice. She's just awesome! I'm also thankful for our great friends, Tyler & Michelle, and all the hard work Tyler has spent working on our website for Dalls Aeration. It will up and running soon and I will have a post about the business then.

Mason also had his first day of his new preschool yesterday and he absolutely loved it! It is a great school and we are so blessed to have gotten in mid year like this. The teacher said that you would have thought that he had been there all year. His school even does computer class and Spanish class too! I think that is just awesome! After I picked him up at 2, we went to the park right by Savannah's school and played until it was time to pick her up at 2:50. Mason and Gavin both had a blast and I thoroughly enjoyed (and am still enjoying) this amazing weather!

Today is my birthday and it has been a great day so far! I had a nice time with my Papa and coffee this morning, also received a lovely phone call from my wonderful sister this morning, then got to visit with my stepdad this morning for a little bit, saw my Papaw at the nursing home, along with my cousin, two of my cousin's kids, and my Mamaw. The boys and I drove through afterwards and got a sweet tea for me and Papa from my favorite place to get a tea (BURGER STREET- amazing sweet tea with Sonic style ice). Right now, both boys are napping and after they awaken and we pick Savannah up, we are all going to go by James Avery and the kids are going to pick me out a charm for my charm bracelet for my birthday present from them and Daddy :)

It has definitely been a great birthday so far!

Since arriving in Texas, I have had an overwhelming peace from The Holy Spirit about this being where we are supposed to be right now. I have found myself just singing praises to Him, literally nonstop, all throughout the day. He has given me such joy, not just here in Texas, but before we came as well, ever since I turned my life over to Him 17 months ago. I am so grateful for Him leading me and my family, revealing Himself not just to me, but now to my husband as well, and just literally guiding us every step. I'm thankful again, that He is the God of new beginnings, resolution, redemption, and hope. He has filled me with such hope and unspeakable joy. I literally cannot describe the joy He has filled me with; all I can do is just subconsciously and consciously sing praises to Him all throughout my jobs of the day. He is worthy of all praise! Hallelujah!!

A verse I have been meditating on for a couple weeks is Isaiah 47:4. "My Redeemer, The Lord Almighty is His name, is The Holy One of Israel." He is so Holy and so good! At church last Wednesday, Pastor Jim was talking about how even the demons recognize Jesus' deity and fear Him. Mark 1:24, "and there was a man with an unclean spirit and the unclean spirit turned to Him and spoke, "what have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Let us alone! Art thou come to destroy us? I know who You are- You are The Holy One of God!"" What a powerful verse. This one verse speaks volumes to me. The power contained in Jesus' name, blood, Word, and Spirit cannot be contained and is very real. Even the dark forces of this world recognize that power and fear it. We as His children, have nothing to fear because we have been covered with His blood. Hallelujah!! What a Savior!

My Redeemer lives!! And He is coming back soon!! 

"I'm giving it all to the only Son, who was and is and yet to come!" -Starry Night by Chris August

We are MOVING! // Exciting things coming up for our family!

We have some exciting news that we would like to share with everyone! We are MOVING!! Many of you knew that we were planning on moving to Texas shortly after the first of the year. Well, that is not the announcement we are making...

We actually will be delaying our move to Texas by a few months... because we will be attending DTS (discipleship training school) through YWAM (Youth With A Mission) in Harrisburg, PA and also be attending the international outreach with them as well afterwards. This DTS is actually calling Musicians, Entrepreneurs, and Love Messengers. This is so fitting as Zach IS already an Entrepreneur and recently incorporated his new business. At DTS, we will learn how to not just use our business to be successful for us, but rather how we can advance the kingdom through our business and show others Christ's love through the business.

Many of you read my last blog post about the supernatural events that took place while we were in Harrisburg a few weekends ago and how my husband, Zach, experienced The Holy Spirit's presence for the first time while we were there. While we were there, we felt The Holy Spirit calling us to be a part of this upcoming DTS. When we got home, we began to pray very fervently about this and asked The Spirit to give us His perfect peace and show us this was what we were without a doubt supposed to do. I could go on for a long time about some of the many confirmations we received from Him! We realized that we undoubtedly were supposed to do this and that we were there that weekend by divine appointment. We then decided to tell our families.

While we have come across many emotions throughout the process of telling people and we know that this is something many people do not understand and may even think we are crazy for doing, we know that we are doing the absolute right thing! We are not choosing the comfortable path ahead of us for sure; it would be SO much easier and smoother to just go on to Texas after the first of the year like we had planned and Zach start up his business, also like we had planned. However, we know that HIS ways are higher than our ways and HE is calling us to do this, so we are being obedient and following HIM!

For the past year and a half, I have prayed for my husband to have the same beautiful encounter with The Holy Spirit that I had after my Mam-ma died. It was then that I realized that while I had all the head knowledge, I did not have the heart knowledge. It was then that I realized I was merely and tragically, lukewarm. The beauty of His grace is that it is never too late to make such realizations. Encountering The Holy Spirit for the first time changed my life. I had a newfound hunger and thirst for Him, whereas before every thing I did was seemingly just going through the motions. I was on fire and began to separate myself from those who were not and sought to surround myself around those who were. (I will post the full story on my next blog post as I have just given the condensed version the last two posts.) I made some amazing new relationships during this time, but ultimately I desired for my husband to get to this point as well. In Harrisburg, he had the same realization that I had had a little over a year before- that he had all the head knowledge, but no real relationship; that he had never actually encountered the presence of The Holy Spirit! The change I have seen in my husband since that weekend has been absolutely phenomenal. He is so happier, so much more aware of things he should and should not do, he has quit dipping, and I could seriously keep rambling on because I am in so in awe and so so proud of him!

Now that we are spiritually on the same page, it is so incredibly amazing. We can relate to so much as we both had similar backgrounds before our first encounter with The Holy Spirit. Now that we are walking in sync with Him, we are making decisions so differently. We were able to make this decision, both knowing that this is what The Lord had in store for our family and both having the peace that only He can give!

There are still many unknowns that lie ahead of us. We know that we live in a world that views unknowns as risks and a world that also values certainties. We too have found ourselves with this type of mindset. We, however, know that by taking this step of faith and doing what The Holy Spirit is leading us to do, that He will take care of us and direct our paths. We are taking care to not lean on our understanding, but on HIS, for we know that HIS ways are higher than our ways! (Proverbs 3:5, Isaiah 55:8-9) We ask that you have faith with us on this journey as well and cover us in prayer.

We do have to raise a large sum of money (approximately $30,000) to be able to complete our mission. Those of you who are willing and able to sponsor us during this journey, we have set up a PayPal account specifically for these donations. The PayPal email address is brittaninicolehayes@gmail.com. Those who are able to give to our mission, we will be very grateful and we ask that you know that what you are giving is not just to us, but is going to help advance the kingdom of God as well. Your donation to our mission literally will have an impact on many people's eternities!

We know that not everyone is in a position where they are able to financially give and that is okay! We ask that whether in addition to giving financially or in lieu of it, you please commit to praying for us regularly while we are on this journey. We treasure your prayers and can feel the difference they make in our life.

We know that this likely will come as a shock to many and we welcome any questions anyone might have. Stay tuned for more blog posts throughout this journey and if you have not already, please subscribe to my blog updates if you would like to stay updated on our journey!