Redeeming the Coop

Jordan worked every spare minute getting the coop ready for the girls. We had roughly 4 weeks to get everything ready before the girls would outgrow their brooder box. The shed on our property was jammed full of junk from past owners and covered in years of overgrowth. It did not look like somewhere I would want to spend anytime in or around but Jordan saw its potential and went straight to work. He spent hours pulling out piles of wood, old cabinets, sheets of metal, a sink, empty bottles and much much more. Most of the items went straight to the dump but there was some usable wood, metal and a few other items we kept for repurposing. Once the shed was empty the beauty and potential started to shine.

Jordan started to remove the overgrowth that was surrounding the shed and to our surprise we found a decently sized fenced in the area next to the shed. It was not perfect but it was workable. Once we had a clear view of the entire shed it was obvious that some areas were rotted or damaged beyond repair. He carefully cut out the sections rotted by water or termites and replaced them with new boards. In one section he added the nesting boxes, I got to help with that project! He used the wood he found to reinforce the interior walls, making it feel like a cozy cottage for our girls.

Jordan spent many hours redesigning this shed. He crafted a door into the run from the metal he found, reconfigured the layout of the fenced area, added an exterior door to the run, dug a trench around the whole area to bury mesh wire to keep the critters from digging their way in, transferred about 9 tons of sand for the ground covering and so many more things! He was determined to bring this shed from being choked out by weeds to breathing with new life and purpose.

Once the construction was complete he surprised me with the most adorable decorations inside the coop. I mean you can't have a cuter coop than ours. Buffalo plaid curtains, wood perching ladders, old windows, antlers, name plates for each of our girls, and all the things that make you feel like you’re in a cabin getaway. I was overjoyed and astonished at this transformation. This old, worn out, half rotted shed was now a cozy cabin coop for our girls! What an amazing picture of redemption!

As I look back at this process I can't help but make the connection to my own redemption. I was choked out by my own sin and pride, I had piles of junk crowding my heart, I had rotted areas in my life that needed to be cut out, I had areas that were so ugly it appeared beyond repair...but God. God takes the time to clean out, clear out, and remove the junk in our lives. He sees us for who we are and still loves us. He takes our mess and creates something beautiful. It is a process and can definitely be a painstaking one. I know God is not done working in my heart and I have seen such amazing things come from His handiwork.

Redeemed! This word has so much meaning to us, our marriage, our farm, and really every aspect of our lives. It reminds us of where we were and how far we have come. We chose our farm name, Redeemed Coop and Co, not just because of our chicken coop but also to share the redemption story of the Coopers.

Check out these before and after shots