Meet Trailblazer Kerri LeDoux

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kerri LeDoux.

Kerri, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
People say God won’t give us more than we can handle, but, sometimes life throws us too many curve balls all at once. Responsibilities, burdens, commitments and tragedies get stacked on top of each other until we fear our whole world may come tumbling down. Where is God in those moments? How do we hang onto hope when we are under the crushing weight of loss, anxiety, and stress?

That is the place I found myself in November 2016 when my seventeen-year-old son, Johnny, was tragically killed in a single car accident on his way to a livestock show. When I was first told about his death, I couldn’t – wouldn’t believe it was true. I fell to the floor screaming, “Why?” and lived for months in a fog, unable to process the smallest of decisions…

The pain of loss never goes away. It takes a toll on the entire family. But I clung to the comfort scripture offers in Romans 8:28 – “For we know that God works all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose.” His purposes are so much bigger than we can fathom. As I drew closer to God through my grief, I learned to rely more and more on my faith in Jesus and His love for me and my family. After months of mourning, I came to understand that God did not take my son. He received what was His all along and welcomed him to his eternal home.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.”

It wasn’t until Johnny died that I began to sense God speaking to my heart and leading me, step by step, down an unfamiliar path that I never would have thought to walk. To be honest, even if I had thought of it, I don’t think I would have had the courage to pursue it without the support of the wonderful people God has raised up to mentor, encourage and inspire me.

Because my family was used to me working full time and contributing to our overall income, I was faced with an important career decision – go back to the oil and gas industry, which required me to be away from my family, or pursue a different career. I felt called to create inspirational insoles to remind people of God’s promises and empower them to believe He truly can do all things in Christ. That’s when I decided to step out in faith to begin Heart InSouls, a unique company that not only offers inspirational insoles, but provides a platform for people to share their stories of standing on His promises as they overcame their own struggles and found hope in the midst of hopelessness and loss.

My faith in Jesus Christ is what sustained me and gave me the courage and strength to go on after tragedies like my son’s death. I want to be constantly reminded of the promises of God. What better way to do that than to literally stand on them?

Heart InSouls was created for the Believer who knows the power of God’s word and wants to literally stand on His truths, as well as for the person who is desperate to know God is with them in the midst of their pain and struggle. Made out of genuine goat skin, each insole is imprinted with a scripture verse designed to serve as a daily reminder of God’s promises.

The vision for Heart InSouls is to empower, connect, and support people across the globe with a comforting reminder of God’s promises

As Heart InSouls desires to be more than another profit-driven contributor to the massive economy of consumer footwear, a percentage of all proceeds will be donated to the LiveLikeJohnny Organization, the 501(c) 3 namesake organization for my son, Johnny Callan. The mission of the LiveLikeJohnny Organization is to support the engagement of at-risk, underserved and often times overlooked young people who have the potential for personal and professional success. Our faith-based approach is designed to ignite the passion for living an extraordinary life…just like Johnny.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A year has passed since Heart InSouls has been in business. I have felt overwhelmed at times, but I constantly pray for God to be with me. In the midst of everything I am reminded that it’s not my business. It’s God’s, and He has a wonderful plan for it, which takes a lot of pressure off of me.

I have questioned, daily, if I am making the right decision. The financial burden is almost unbearable. Design, Marketing – it is all so costly. I wondered, who do I know to help me with all these decisions? In the beginning I felt very much alone when it came to making decisions for Heart InSouls, and my grief of losing my son was overwhelming.

Then I started making calls to a few mentors and, to my surprise, God started placing the right people in the right place at the right time to bring the idea He gave me to completion. Matthew 7:7 says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Boy, have I asked and knocked a lot in the past couple of years.

God has truly blessed me on this journey by introducing me to amazing people who have donated time, money and talent to help Heart InSouls get off the ground. In spite of the incredible darkness and pain I have endured the past months, I have had the opportunity to sit in His Word and allow it to comfort and heal my hurting heart. Because of extensive time with God, I have also been sensitized in my spirit to recognize more clearly when He is leading me. His love and my faith in His power to heal has helped me turn my pain into new passion.

The vision for Heart InSouls is to empower, connect, and support people across the globe with a comforting reminder of God’s promises. How can we go wrong by doing what is right in the eyes of God?

My passion is not to develop and run another profit-driven machine and add to our country’s massive amount of consumer footwear. My passion is to honor God by creating comfortable insoles that bring hope and peace to every person who wears them by reminding them through the scripture in their shoes that God loves them and has a wonderful plan for their lives.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” The insoles we offer have had that specific verse prayed over them – that each person who wears them will sense the direction and path God is leading them to follow.

Because a percentage of profit from Heart InSouls will be donated to the LiveLikeJohnny organization, I get to follow my new God-given passion and help support my son’s legacy organization as well. Losing Johnny has led me to look at life with gratitude and appreciation. I value each day more than I ever have.

Real joy is only found in being honest with ourselves and others and pursuing only what we sense God leading us to. He’s the only one who knows how the gifts and talents He planted in us will best serve the world and lead us to the kind of success He knows will bring us ultimate joy.

God unexpectedly provided encouragers for me in the beginning, and He continues to bring talented people into my life today to help build Heart InSouls into a profitable business and expand its boundaries beyond anything I could have asked or imagined.

As far as advice for young women beginning their journey toward starting a new business, I believe prayer is the first step. When God brings ideas to mind, pray for clarity as you research opportunities and potential obstacles. It’s also important to be aware of people God brings alongside of you. There are no coincidences. God is a God of order. He will bring the right people at the right time to encourage and support you if your business is part of His plan, just as He did for me and continues to do to this day.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Heart InSouls – what should we know?
Success is important, but more important than that is the impact you make. A lot of people make an impression. Johnny made an impact, and I want to do the same. I want to bless lives, help people develop their talents and gifts and make the world a better place. I guess you could say I am hoping to live in a way that causes those I have touched to cry at my passing while I rejoice with Jesus in heaven.

Embrace your gifts and talents. Be who you were created to be! If at first you fail, ask God for clarity and new direction, and when you hear Him speak or sense His leading, try again.

Always remember God’s encouragement to Joshua in Joshua 1:9: “This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

I never realized until recently that the initials for Heart InSouls are H.I.S. We are now starting H.I.S Gifts, a ministry to gift scripture-inspired insoles to those who are suffering and enduring heartbreaking circumstances to encourage them to remember, and stand firmly on, God’s comforting presence and powerful promises. It is our hope that many businesses and individuals will join us in our effort to bring hope and encouragement to those in need.

What am I most proud of? What sets me apart? I’d like to think that my overall approach to life and business is what sets me apart as I focus on seeking God’s will above all else. He has been faithful to hear and answer my prayers, and He has given me new vision, passion and purpose beyond the intense grief I experienced after the loss of my son.
There are many practical aspects to starting and operating a successful business, but God’s desire is always for us to use our success to help those in need; and that’s a deep desire of my heart. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Luke 12:34).”I want to work hard to make Heart InSouls successful, but my primary motivation is to use that success to bless students through the LiveLikeJohnny Organization and bless people in need of hope through H.I.S. Gifts.

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
The bible is my main resource. I have also written a book called “Still Standing”. It’s my journey from Pain to Purpose that can be purchased at www.heartInsouls.com

Pricing:

• Standard insoles-standard verse $24.99
• Customized insoles-choose your own verse, $34.99
• Book $21.99

Contact Info:

• Address: PO Box 1017
  Jacksboro, TX 76458
• Website: www.heartinsouls.com
• Phone: 940-229-0664
• Email: kerri@heartinsouls.com
• Instagram: heartinsouls
• Facebook: Heart InSouls

Image Credit:
Maria Shelton

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