Chronicles of Kayla

Calm & Chaos

Some mornings feel calm.

Some days feel like complete chaos.

And most days on the farm somehow manage to be both — all before noon.

This photo was taken during one of those in-between moments. Cattle lined up at the bunk, heads down, quietly doing what they do every single day. The sky soft and steady above us. On the surface, it looks routine. Peaceful, even. But if you’ve lived this life, you know better.

Routine exists here…

but no two days are ever the same.

I’m a Type A planner by nature. Lists. Timelines. A picture in my head of how the day should go. Farming has a funny way of humbling that real fast. Somewhere along the way, I’ve had to become a Type J — J for Jason.

Because if you know him, you know this truth:

We can have a plan locked in, coffee poured, boots on… and about 261,616 seconds later (give or take), three phone calls come in and suddenly we’re headed in a completely different direction.

And you know what?

That used to stress me out.

Change in plans felt like failure. Like losing control. Like the day was slipping through my fingers. But God has been gently teaching me something through the dirt roads, the cattle checks, and the constant pivots:

Not everything needs to be controlled. Some things need to be trusted.

Farm life has a way of reminding you who’s really in charge. Weather changes. Equipment breaks. Cows don’t read calendars. And plans? They shift — often for reasons we don’t understand in the moment.

But here’s where faith steps in.

When I stop fighting the chaos…

When I loosen my grip on the plan…

When I take a breath and look around…

I see it.

God’s hand.

God’s timing.

God’s path.

The butterfly effect is real — one small change leading to something bigger than we could’ve planned ourselves. That wrong turn? That delay? That unexpected conversation? So often it’s God placing us exactly where we’re supposed to be.

Calm doesn’t always mean quiet.

Peace doesn’t mean predictable.

And faith doesn’t mean having the map — it means trusting the Guide.

As we move into a new season, I’m learning to walk the path instead of rushing it. To be thankful for the reroutes. To find peace in the unknown. And to trust that even when the day looks nothing like I planned… it’s still full of purpose.

There’s more coming down this dirt road — including the Dirt Road Anthem Podcast, launching in 2026 — a place for stories of grit, grace, faith, and the beauty found somewhere between calm and chaos.

Until then, we keep showing up.

We keep trusting.

And we keep walking — one step, one chore, one changed plan at a time.

📖 Scripture to Study This Week

Proverbs 16:9

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

🤍 Closing Prayer

Lord,

Thank You for the plans we make — and the ones You lovingly change.

Teach us to trust You when the path shifts and the day doesn’t go as expected.

Calm our anxious hearts, soften our need for control, and help us see Your hand in every detour.

May we walk this week with gratitude, faith, and confidence that You are guiding every step.

Cover us with Your grace and remind us that Your plans are always good.

Amen. 🤍

— Chronicles of Kayla