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I'm De<1nne. I moved to Ark<1ns<1s<1lone from Florid<1 just north of P<1lmBe<1ch. I W<1S born in
Virgini<1 but lived in Florid<1<1lmost <111 my life. I've been here since April 2006. For the first time in
my life I W<1S <1bleto <1sk,"Lord, where do You w<1ntme to live!" I knew if st<1yedin Florid<1 I would
be in th<1t S<1mehouse in th<1t s<1metown, but I knew there W<1S something more for me.
In 2004 I W<1S hit with three hurriqnes. Right before the First one, I h<1dlost <1iob <1nds<1idto the
Lord, "wh<1t do You w<1ntme to do for work!" I wound up driving <1gr<1pplehuck for 'l hee service I
The boss W<1S <110c<11guy <1ndit W<1S like working for the devil. Then I met <1Christi<1n m<1n from
Kentucky who subconh<1ded under FEMA. I beqme p<1rtof his dis<1stercle'lnup crew. Working <111
the different storms in Florid<1led me to working in Louisi<1n<1<1H:erHurric<1ne K<1hin<1.We <1rrived
in th<1t <1re<1on Odober 1, the First d<1ythey opened it up for workers to go in. We h'ld to get
tet<1nus 'lnd hep<1titis shots <1ndothers <1ndh'ld to we<1rm<1sks<1ndsuits. I st<1yedin <1tent for 5
months. I re<1lized <1tth<1t time I W<1Sh<1ppy<1nd h<1dgone to <1n<111bl<1ckchurch close to oUr
qmpground, which W<1S <1wesome. I loved it.
I st<1rting thinking - why do / need my home II) F/orkl'l! My children were <111 grown <1ndI W<1S
<1W<1y from them while in Louisi<1n<1.I decided to sell my house when I went home for Christm<1s.
Friends were s<1ying, "M<1ybe you should Find where to go before selling." I told them I W<1S iust
going to sell the house <1ndstep out in (;,ith 'lnd st<1rtedlooking for l<1ndin <1cert<1in price r<1nge.My
house needed work <1H:erthe hurric<1nes Cit got hit sever<11 times even while I W<1S in Louisi<1n<1). It
W<1S just 'lS well for meto sell the house <1nd<1skGod whereto go (otherth<1n Louisi<1n<1). I wentto
the internet to look <1ndended up c<1lling <1re'lltor in Ark<1ns<1s.I couldn't believe I W<1S he<1ring <1
cow mooing in the b<1Ckground! I thought th'ltlsdeflnitelywhere/w'll7ttobe. I <1rr<1ngedto come
out 'lnd look <1t<1p<1rticul<1rpiece of prorerty with seven <1cres,<1house <1nd<1b<1rnwith <1store/g'ls
st<1tion. When seeing it I knew right off the b<1tit W<1S h<1ndpicked for me by God. There were
person<1lsigns <111 the W<1y My Mom h<1d<1du<1llymentioned Ark<1ns'ls to me <1ndh<1dit stuck in her
he<1d. Now she br<1gs,''I'm the one who told you to go to Ark<1ns<1s."She ended up buying <1pl<1Ce
here too.
Getting the store W<1Slike icing on the qke When you <1skGod to do something, He sometimes
goes beyond wh<1tyou im<1gine. He knows our desires. I W<1S not looking for <1business <1ndh<1dno
intention of oper<1ting my own business. I W<1S content working for other people <1ndFigurued I
would go off <1ndwork in storm rei ief <1nd then corne b<1ck. I re<1llydid n't thi nk there W<1Smoney to
be m<1dehere. Business in my store is slow, but <1H:erselling my hurric<1ne-be<1ten house <1ndthen
in return getting <1house <1ndbusiness <1nd<1Cre<1ge plus the <1bility to stock up my store <1ndeven
h<1ve <1little money behind me, things h<1ve been gre<1tl On top of th<1t they S<1y<1round here
whoever runs the store is the m<1yor of )uddvillel So I'm the "M<1yor of )uddville"l "De<1nne's old
Number 27 Country Store," is the n<1meof my store which is south on Highw<1Y27 ne<1rM<1rsh<111.
People corne in <1Skingfor beer but this is <1dry county. I tell them they're so f<1roff from the
ne<1restbeer store they might <1Swell quitl I c<1nt<1kethe time to get to know customers <1nd
minishy sometimes t'lkes pl<1ce. I pr'lY for people 'lnd h'lve little Bible studies. I've m<1de m'lny
friends 'lnd h<1ve been to sever<11 churches In my <1re<1 Up here <111 they do IS feed cows <1ndgo to
church. The oldtimers don't re<1l1ywelcome newcomers but it seems th<1tGod h<1sgiven me f<1vor.
The people up here re<1l1yneeded the store.
God w<1nted to dr<1w me closer to Him. I moved <1W<1y from <111 my (;,mily, but feel this is
prob<1bly going tobe <1cenh<11pointfor my f<1mily since they mostly live in CoIor<1do <1ndFlorid<1.
Rel'ltionshlps Within my f<1mily h'lve Improved since my move m<1klng me closer to my f<1mily. My
sister in coIor<1do is even thinking <1bout buying <1pl<1Cehere 'lnd h<1s<1lre<1dybeen here tWice.
when I got here people 'lsked, how did you Find tFJispl<1cel Any kinl I found out recently th<1t my
children's f<1therhils rel<1tiveshere. I met my son's gre<1t'lunt when he c<1mehere. I'm <1tpe<1cehere
'lnd h<1ve never in my life felt so sure th<1t I W<1Swhere God w<1nted me to be th'ln where I <1mright
now. He hils given me minishy, is providing for me <1ndI <1mtot<1l1y<1tpe<1ce.