Rising Stars: Meet Elizabeth Keck

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Keck.

Hi Elizabeth, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
For the last two decades of my life, I have served in a local church ministry. For 13 years I worked directly with youth. One of the most beautiful gifts you receive as a youth pastor is having the ability to walk with teens as they navigate who they are, and all that God has called them to be. However, this journey looks different for some. It isn’t filled with hope and expectation, it’s laced with brokenness and trauma. I would often encounter teens trapped in habitual behaviors induced by trauma and it was hindering their spiritual growth and freedom found in Christ. Something I had personally experienced.

Working with teens who have endured pain came out the experience for me. My story is hard. It is messy and layered with trauma. I was the baby of five children. This set me up to get lost in the mix. My mother and father divorced when I was just 3 years old, which left my mother working overtime to provide, but in the midst of this hustle, there wasn’t much oversight.

Unfortunately, this lack of supervision opened the door to abuse. I endured my first sexual abuse at the age of 3 by a family member. This type of abuse continued for more than a decade by multiple offenders. My sexual abuse was coupled with drug use and left me addicted to both narcotics and alcohol and riddled with an eating disorder. My mother was at a loss. She didn’t know how to help me, so she sent me to a mental health facility. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a safe place. It was a place that exposed me to more drug use, and additional sexual trauma. The challenge in all of this is as a young girl, I felt responsible. I felt that somehow, some way, I consented to this abuse. I deserved it and this kept me quiet. Who would believe me anyway?

Through those years I felt alone, abandoned, and rejected. These experiences created deeply rooted belief systems about myself, others, and God that carried into my adult life.

Honestly, no one knew what to do with this girl who had seen and experienced so much. It took decades to unravel the pain and face the wounds.

I don’t want another family or individual to walk through that. There is life outside the trauma and pain. One that is filled with joy and postured in a future filled with hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

The heart of God is simple, HE loves you + He is for you! But when you have endured a lot, this doesn’t feel simple. It’s messy and it’s confusing.

This is where the vision for Freedom House was birthed. We didn’t want to see another student or family reduced to a statistic.

The Freedom House exists to minister complete healing to individuals struggling with habitual behaviors and trauma that have impacted their psychological and physical welfare.

It is my vision to create a space for human frailty to be welcomed. A place where the wounded can experience the truth of God’s love and encounter His healing power.

We know that God initiates healing, He is the healer, a miracle-working Father, but we also know for some, the integration of proven psychological principles and biblical truth brings individuals to the other side of the trauma, the healing side.

God has called each of us to bring the good news of His love. But he has also asked us to up to bind the brokenhearted, to care for their wounds, and proclaim liberty to those held captive. This captivity can look different for a lot of people. Captivity can be induced by the sin of others, those who sin against us, or it could be by the sin of our own doing. Either way – God desires us to be free. But we need time

Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me Because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

The Freedom House is a residential program that will be built specifically to help teen girls discover their Christ-given freedom and equip them with the tools + resources that will cultivate a successful healing journey. We will accomplish this by opening our first residential girls’ home. Teen girls from the ages of 13-18 who will live on-site for 6-9 months and work through an individualized discipleship curriculum, The Freedom Journey and work alongside professional counselors and qualified staff to help guide their journey to freedom.

Our guiding principles:

CHRIST–CENTERED, everything we do will point back to Jesus.

TRUTH + GRACE. There will be grace for the messiness of healing, but the TRUTH is what sets us free.

SAFE ENVIRONMENT. An atmosphere that models authenticity and fosters resolution.

COMMUNITY STABILIZATION. We will work directly with the resident and their community to provide continued care to ensure a confident and stable transition.

REPRODUCIBLE PROCESS. Sharing, training, and empowering residents, staff, and other organizations to care for human frailty.

Our God-given dream is to open a FREEDOM RANCH that would include an equestrian center, a garden, and multiple dormitories to house families in crisis, teen boys, and teen girls whose habitual behaviors are hindering their spiritual growth.

Right now, we are working towards opening our first girls’ home that will house and care for 12 teen girls at a time.

We are raising 1.5 million dollars to acquire 10 acres of land and build our first FREEDOM HOUSE.

Alright, 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?
The greatest obstacle at this time is raising such large funds when you are in the beginning stages of something that hasn’t been established yet.

Our struggle has been sounding the alarm, letting others know what we are doing and why we are doing it while allowing people the opportunity to partner with the vision.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have worked in the non-profit world, specifically the local church most of my adult life.

To give more attention to the future of Freedom House, I stepped away and started City Picnic Co., (event planning, catering, and luxury picnic company) which has allowed me the time and space to give to setting up the infrastructure of Freedom House. Owning my company gives me the financial resources and flexibility that a 9 to 5 would not allow.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love that our city cultivates the gifts and talents of others – it goes beyond the music industry. Music City gives way to the dreams of the heart – dreams that go beyond personal success and gives to others in need.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.freedomhousenashville.com
• Instagram: @freedomhousenashville
• Facebook: @freedomhousenashivlle.com

Image Credits
jacquelinedavisonphotography