Help Build Worship Backyard

Help Build

Worship Backyard

Fundraising Goal:

$20,000

“I will restore to you the years that the locusts have eaten.” — Joel 2:25

For many years, my backyard was something I simply couldn’t get ahead of.

After my husband left, I raised three children as a single mom while trying to maintain an aging home and yard. Broken sprinklers, dying grass, termite damage, diseased bamboo, and tree roots damaging concrete—every time I fixed one thing, something else seemed to need attention.

When I turned my life back over to the Lord, Joel 2:25 became especially meaningful to me. I stopped trying to make everything look the way it once had and began praying about what God might want this property to become.

Eventually, I built a small attached ADU so I could live independently while renting rooms in my main home. During that process, much of the old 36-year-old backyard had to be removed.

What was left was mostly dirt—but I began to see a new purpose for it.

The Vision

I believe the Lord placed on my heart the vision for Worship Backyard—a welcoming outdoor space where I can open the doors of my music studio and invite people to gather on the lawn for worship, Bible study, prayer and fellowship.

But my heart for this space reaches beyond those who already know the Lord. I have a real burden on my heart for people who don’t yet know Jesus or who may never feel comfortable walking into a church.

My hope is to open Worship Backyard to the neighborhood for monthly worship evenings—simple, welcoming gatherings where neighbors can come as they are, listen to live worship music, meet people, and hear about the hope and love of Jesus.

I also hope to use the space for fall-quarter Life Groups, worship gatherings, Bible study and prayer. My prayer is that something as simple as opening my backyard could open a door for someone to open their heart to God.

How You Can Help

The remaining grading, drainage, ground preparation, edging, artificial turf, DG and landscaping will bring the total project to approximately $32,000, largely because of labor costs.

I’m personally contributing approximately $12,000 to begin the work and am hoping to raise $ 20,000 more to help complete it.

If you feel led to give, any amount will help. And if giving isn’t possible, I would be equally grateful for your prayers—for this space and, especially, for the people who may someday walk through its gate.

I’m not trying to recreate what was.

I’m looking forward to what God can make from what remains.

Thank you for helping me bring Worship Backyard to life.

With love and gratitude,

Dawnise