The Remarkable Story of the Starfish House

The picture you see on this page isn't just a house. No, this is the "Starfish House," a transitional home for women coming out of prison. Right now, it's being renovated by a crazy entrepreneurial woman. More on her later...but she has been at work refinishing wood floors, painting, installing new electrical, and so much more. There's no doubt in my mind that she has the EntreSpirit. How do I know? I can say this confidently because the woman leading this venture is someone I know very well. She's my mother! She may be a senior citizen with a full head of white hair, but she's far from retired.

You see, about five years ago, Mom felt like God wanted her to start a special ministry. It was to be a transitional home for women coming out of prison. She got the name Starfish House because of this story:

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement. She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, "Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can't save all these starfish. You can't begin to make a difference!" The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, "Well, I made a difference for that one!"

Over the years, Mom has shared the vision with so many. She's met with city leaders, put on events, and formed a board of directors. As people heard of the vision, they started giving money to the cause. Sarah and I built her the Starfish House website when we owned our marketing agency and provided her with some promotional materials. She also visited other transitional houses to learn how they work, even spending two long weeks in one to learn the ropes. She recruited counselors and set up a room to council women at their local church. More than that, she started visiting the county jail to learn about these women and their stories. Despite all of this, one huge, glaring problem might have prevented them from doing this ministry—they didn't have a house for the women to live in. Though the ministry had a little money saved, it wasn't nearly enough to buy, let alone support the monthly obligations of the house or ministry.

There comes the point in every entrepreneurial venture when you're just not sure if the vision will ever come together. It seems almost too far away, and you wonder if you've been a fool to believe in something that seems impossible. In these moments, you'll wonder if you have what it takes to see things through. You'll have self-doubt and notice other people around you who seem more qualified than you are. The truth is, you'll think you're crazy, but something inside continues to compel you to move forward, even though you really want to quit.

Eleven months ago, Sarah and I had a very special conversation with my parents. After 23 years of ministry and service to the local church, they decided it was time to retire as the senior pastors. Content to stay in their home, my mom had all but given up on the idea of the Starfish House and helping women transition from prison. But as they began to prepare for their retirement, something unexpected happened over the summer. The house pictured above was listed for sale, and like most homes in our area, it quickly became under contract. However, there was a man from our church who deeply believed in my mom's vision. He was also crazy enough to say that God would provide a house for the ministry. So, even though the house was under contract, he called my mom, telling her that God would provide that house. Furthermore, fueled with enthusiasm, passion, and zeal, he approached a friend of his, who happened to be a millionaire, and urged him to buy the house for the ministry if it came back on the market.

Fast forward to today. It is hard to explain how quickly everything has happened. First of all, the first contract fell through, and the house became available again. Secondly, the millionaire said "yes." Not only did he purchase the home for the ministry, but he's also holding the mortgage with zero percent interest and zero payments for the first five years. My mom, yes that crazy entrepreneur, also took a huge leap of faith. She listed and sold her home, feeling compelled to live on the property as the house manager. My parents have spent countless hours working on the Starfish House, investing tens of thousands of dollars of their funds to make the property ready for themselves and the women that will be coming. And now, just as they are retiring, they’re starting a brand new venture to serve others seamlessly. It's truly one of the most remarkable stories I have ever heard, and I can't help but get choked up as I think about it.

Their story has so many takeaways, but here's what hits home for me. So many people are terrified of the unknown. Frozen in quicksand, they're afraid of letting themselves dream big and fail. Because they can't see the future, they give up. They sit idle because they don't have a house yet or a millionaire in their back pocket. They dare not share their crazy vision with anyone, because after all, what if things don't work out? What if they dream big and it doesn't happen? What if they look like a fool?

Let me encourage you. As a student of entrepreneurship, I can honestly say every entrepreneur struggles. We might seem outwardly confident, but inwardly we worry if we will make it. Do we have what it takes? We're on the bleeding edge, and honestly, we have no idea how things will work out. However, what separates dreamers from entrepreneurs is their willingness to try, to put themselves out there, and go for it, even if they fail. In their twilight years, my parents have done something remarkable, and it's something that most people, even in their youth, wouldn't dare to attempt. They dreamed big. More than that, they vocalized their vision, not quite knowing where it would take them. Without a house or a millionaire to help, they walked in faith, and now they're about to walk in this new adventure.

P.S. - If you’re interested in learning more or supporting the Starfish House, please click here.