Who We Are
Our Story
Welcome to the Family of Faith Homestead, where faith leads, family follows, and everything we do is rooted in God's provision and purpose. I'm Lava, a lifelong garden lover and a firm believer that God plants passions in our hearts for a reason. Mine has always been for animals, growing food, and living close to the land.
I grew up in Eastern North Carolina surrounded by chickens, ducks, cows (who had a funny habit of escaping and eating everyone’s laundry off the line, well, except mine!), and even a flock of turkeys who made our rooftop their favorite hangout spot. My grandmother had a massive garden every year, and some of my sweetest childhood memories are helping her grow what I still believe we're the best watermelons in the South.
Even as I spent nearly 15 years working in corporate America and living in various cities, God kept nudging me back to the soil. I remember container gardening in my Seattle apartment with 5-gallon buckets, growing tomatoes and peppers like I had a whole acre. I didn’t fully realize it at the time, but He was always gently pulling me back to my roots.
The true turning point came in 2023, when I became a mother. That’s when God opened my eyes to how disconnected I had become from the kind of life I wanted to live and the kind of nourishment I wanted to provide for my daughter. It lit a fire in me to return to the simple, faithful life, filled with cooking from scratch, baking, canning, fermenting, and growing what we eat.
One morning, while scrolling through Facebook, I came across a post that stopped me in my tracks. I can’t even remember which homesteading account it was from, but it said something like, “We lived off the land for hundreds of years, and it only took my family one generation to lose it.” Reading that hit home for me. Deep in my heart, I knew it was time to return to my roots.
My husband Tom, though new to this way of life, has been incredibly supportive and eager to learn. Together, we are trusting God to guide our hands and hearts as we build this homestead here in Southern Texas. We currently care for 19 Cinnamon Queen laying hens, 16 young chicks (12 of which are pullets), and our two gentle Great Danes, Chicken Nugget and Coda. We also have a garden that is currently loading.
Everything we do is centered around our faith in God. This homestead is more than a way of life, it’s a calling. We believe in honoring Him by being good stewards of the land, our animals, and the blessings we’ve been given. Whether you’re here to learn, share, or simply feel inspired, we welcome you to follow along as we grow in grace, grit, and gratitude.