Kaitlyn, follower of Jesus, woman of integrity, fiancé of Neal, and Case Manager for The WellHouse

My name is Kaitlyn, I have the honor and privilege of serving as the Case Manager for The WellHouse, and I do mean HONOR and PRIVILEGE.

Allow me to explain: I met the love of my life in the little town I call home, Florence, Alabama. We met our junior year of college and the rest is….well the story I am telling you is the rest. His career path led him to Birmingham and since he is “my” person I had no choice but to follow him! So I packed my bags, left my family and friends to complete an internship with a child advocacy center in the Birmingham area while planning my wedding. Little did I know God was leading me to a great adventure!

A weekend position came open at The WellHouse and the timing could not have been more perfect! Upon being offered the job I began seeing things fall into place in my life. Things I could have never orchestrated myself. There was a higher power at work. There was a script and a set, I merely had to show up and play my part. However, I had to be willing, and I was not (at first). I struggled with finding a job in my field and though a position had come open at The WellHouse, I thought myself inadequate and under-qualified. Yet as Tajuan has said to me plenty of times, “You don’t want to end up as whale vomit”.

I cite the book of Jonah. Yes the whole book, because you see becoming whale vomit is not a simple or quick task. It took Jonah hearing God’s command, refusing God’s call, running away, stowing away on a boat, being thrown off said boat during a storm, being swallowed by a whale and THEN he was thrown up on the shore- making him whale vomit. As you can see it took a few steps to get there. Let’s not even get into how angry Jonah was with God after he was so unceremoniously coughed up by a whale, answered God’s call and disagreed with God’s decision to save the Israelites. I can see myself in this story so very much. I can recall feeling His call and pull and refusing it, it was not a part of MY plan. I can recall doors being slammed in my face and instead of patiently waiting for a window to open, I broke through the wall, I had to continue forward on MY path. I can recall knowing that I was not in line with His path for me and terrible things were happening whilst I was sticking to my own plan.  My sweet Memaw always said, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him YOUR plan.” Her quick wit and southern charm was abundant and she was full of good advice. Yet this is one of the most sobering things that she ever said to me. I am so thankful, although I am sure it was not by accident, that along that path while refusing God’s call I became the woman who was brave enough to answer His call, or at least stop fighting it!

I say all of this to say that God has worked on me since I started working at The WellHouse. I have no doubt that I am meant to be right where I am. I have experienced grace by being a part of an agency that extends it. Every time. Period. I have learned more about what it means to be a child of God and a true Christ follower. I have seen redemption; not only in myself, but also in the ladies I have the privilege of serving. I have seen resilience; a type of resilience that few may ever see; the type of resilience that only a survivor has. I have seen love, poured out by complete strangers, for ladies they will NEVER meet.

Our ladies have taught me more about surrendering to the will of God. Period. SURRENDERING. We’re talking about women who have had control of NOTHING in their lives SURRENDERING to the will of God.  I have also experienced heartache. Yet every day I learn something from our ladies, be it how to make cornbread, how to crochet or how to heal. These beautiful ladies have taught me more than I could ever teach them.  Our agency is unique in so many ways. For that I am so thankful and proud, as it helps to create the environment most conducive to our ladies healing.

When I came to The WellHouse I wanted to plant a seed of Christ and His love in one lady (you know...leave the 99, save the 1). However, in my time at The WellHouse, the ladies and staff have planted and nurtured my own seed and it has grown immensely. I hope you stick around and read more, because our ladies are worth it. They are worth your time, they are worth your prayers and they are worth your love.

May God’s grace be poured out upon you,

Kaitlyn