Time to hear from another of my sweet friends and fellow authors, contributor to the Coming Home collection, Kimberli McKay. I pretty much had to drag her into this project, but I’m glad I did. She wrote a terrific story. ~~~

It was a “novel” idea—a collection of stories with a tiny house theme. At first, I declined to participate, but as it just so happened, I was in the midst of writing a novella that contained a carpentry program for at-risk teens. As a pastor’s wife who believes in the providence of God, I couldn’t deny this was a fantastic coincidence. And having lived in Texas for two decades, I knew better than to say no when your gracious blog host insisted I participate or she would come to the Carolinas and whoop me. (Folks, do not mess with Texas or with Texas women!)

The problem? At the time, I wasn’t familiar with tiny houses. One of our co-authors suggested we watch shows featuring tiny homes on HGTV. I did so each Monday with my husband, and we were amazed at the functionality of these compact living quarters that offered various solutions for individuals, families, and communities.

During my research, I created a Tiny House board on Pinterest and found attractive floorplans that ranged from cottages to converted train cars. It wasn’t long before my husband and I decided we would someday put a tiny home on land in the Blue Ridge Mountains as an occasional getaway. We agreed it should have a cabin look with a porch. Many tiny homes have an interior loft that serves as a bedroom. While I’m not opposed to a loft (as long as it has stairs and not a ladder I would likely fall from), the bedroom would be downstairs behind the kitchen, next to a bathroom that includes a full shower. The living area would be as spacious as possible under the circumstances, with windows that offer a phenomenal view of the mountains we love.

Some tiny houses are very tiny—as small as 200 square feet. My husband and I are tall, so our tiny cabin would have up to 600 square feet.

Since my husband is a pastor of a rural church in eastern North Carolina, a cabin in the mountains was once a far-off dream. But the affordability of a tiny home brings that dream closer to reality. And we never would have known if it hadn’t been for a providential twist of faith and the stubbornness of a Texas gal who wouldn’t take no for an answer.

About Kimberli:

Kimberli McKay is the author of North of Broad, Eternal Weight of Glory, Stormcatcher and more. After moving to the Carolinas from Texas, she served as Development Coordinator for an Upstate SC seminary. In addition to writing, her hobbies include genealogy, knitting, and the study of Carolina history. She currently resides in eastern North Carolina where her husband has served as senior pastor for nearly ten years.

Find Kimberli on Facebook  and on Amazon.