His Promises are Faithful

For 12 years, Leahaven has been serving as a place of refuge and retreat, both in Alabama and more recently in Georgia. At this time when so many are in need of a physical place of refuge and retreat, it grieves our hearts to have to suspend this ministry. And yet, prayerfully and regretfully, this is what we must do. While our hearts are heavy, we know that God knows everything and holds us all in His loving hands. Even if we and Leahaven cannot be there for you, He is and always will be. This is the promise we are claiming.


But now, this is what the Lord says—

he who created you, Jacob,

he who formed you, Israel:

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

you will not be burned;

the flames will not set you ablaze.

3 For I am the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.


Isaiah 43:1-3


May God bless you and keep you and your loved ones, until we can meet again.

Herb & Susan Lea

March Flowers and Spring Sunshine

Spring has come early to Cloudland Station, and green is creeping up Lookout Mountain to hide its winter gray.  Forget April showers bringing May flowers--we have March flowers in the woods around the house!  Here are some that my granddaughter and I found last week.

Creeping or Mountain Bluet

A Trillium whose color remains to be seen.

Glade Violet

Wood Violet

Rue Anemone

Fine-leafed Toothwort

Morning sunshine glows through the trees around Wishing Bridge Pond, warming the deck of the ferry.

Maples around the Covered Bridge glow pink and red in the afternoon sun.  The beauty of Creation proclaims God's handiwork every day in this special place.

Our Wet Weather Creek

One of the reasons we fell in love with our lot is because of the little wet weather creek behind it.  It's been running all winter, but it's in full spate with all the rain we've had lately.

Looking to the right, the creek rushes toward the town center,

Directly behind the house is a rushing waterfall instead of the usual gentle trickle.

The other little waterfall in the distance drew me on . . .

. . . for a closer look . . .

. . . and on even farther until the creek's meandering bends disappeared upstream.

I'm ready for spring and plenty of green, but winter is the best time to really appreciate the creek.

As The Mill Wheel Turns

The end of January we got a lot of rain.  I stopped at the Sweet Shop next to the Mill, and the sound of running water drew me around the back of the Mill.

 To my delight, water was coming through the millrace . . .

. . . and pouring onto the mill wheel.

I climbed up the hill to see where the water ran into the millrace.

It headed gently downhill toward the mill.

The millrace resembles an aqueduct, carrying the water across the road to the mill.

The water trickled into the top of the millwheel, and as the top bucket filled, the weight of the water turned the wheel with a gentle creak.  In a few seconds, the water emptied with a splash into the millpond.

It was mesmerizing to watch and peaceful to listen to--trickle, creak, splash, trickle, creak, splash.

Hiking and Caving at Cloudland Station

My nephews and niece were up for some adventure during their New Year visit, and we found it at Cloudland Station.  We hiked to Peacock Falls, a fairly easy hike, even for me.

The intrepid adventurers setting off.

After the recent rains, the creek was a rushing torrent.  Most of the usual stepping stones were covered with water, but luckily there are log bridges for the few creek crossings.

We were rewarded by this sight of Peacock Falls' beauty.

It's bigger than it looks!

The trail to the cave goes straight up this steep hill.  It, too, is bigger than it looks!  

At the top we were able to look down onto the top of Peacock Falls.

The next part of the trail required multiple creek crossings.  This was the trickiest one, but we made it across . . . 

 . . . two bounding across on their feet, one crawling on their knees, and one of us scootching across on our seat!

After a brisk hike, we arrived at Peacock Cave.  There was plenty of cold water swirling in the cave entrance, but the intrepid explorers were not to be deterred.  

Helmets and headlamps on, we headed into the cave.  At first we had to bend over . . .

. . . but before long, we could stand up.

About that time we waded into the ankle-deep water, which wasn't as cold as we thought it would be.  We could still see daylight behind us.

A little farther on, our only light was our headlamps and phones.  The water was knee-deep with more up ahead as far as we could see, so we decided this was a good stopping place. 

We didn't go very deep into the cave, but we had a great time.  We agreed that we want to come back in the summer when there's less water and see how far we can get.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from Leahaven at Cloudland!  This is how the house looked on December 31, 2015.  It may not look much different outside than the last photo we posted, but it's beginning to look more like a house inside.  All working systems are in place and insulation is done, so the next step is sheetrock.  I think we can safely say that 2016 will be the inaugural year for the new Leahaven house.

Meanwhile, we wish you and yours a very blessed beginning to 2016, and we hope to see you later this year.  

Thanksgiving Update

Work on the house advances!

Outside, the windows are in, the chimney is up and the roof is on.

Inside, the plumbing is roughed in.  The electricity will be next, followed by HVAC.  After all systems are in place, insulation and sheetrock will be next.

Behind the house, the little creek is flowing after all the rain, and the town center is a bit more visible as the leaves fall.

After checking on the progress of the house, I drove around a bit.  A glimpse of the sunset reflected on the mill pond brought me to a halt.

The full moon glowed through a halo above the town center while strings of patio lights sparkled below.

The fading sun illuminated the coffee house with its last rays.

As I headed toward the gate to leave, I had to stop once again to admire the moon over the equipment barn.

Behind me the main road faded into darkness under a rosy sky.  This beautiful place warms my heart each time I visit, and I can't wait till the house is ready to share with guests!

Winds of Change

In May 2013, due to changing life circumstances, it became apparent that we could not keep up with everything we’d been doing. As we evaluated what we could do without, we realized that the traveling distance from our home to Leahaven and the amount of work required made it impractical for us to continue maintaining two farms, one a working farm with livestock that required feeding twice a day. 

Regretfully we reached the decision that we needed to sell Leahaven and find a new Leahaven closer to home.  It has been a sad process and long, but the Lord worked things out in His time, and we have finally sold Leahaven to the son of the farmer we bought it from in 2007.  Talk about the "circle of life!"  Leahaven was this young man's dream farm, and he is as thrilled to call it home as we are comforted to know that it will be treasured and loved.  

This is not the end of Leahaven, however!  The Lord has led us to Cloudland Station, “a mountain and valley community rich in amenities and the natural beauty of the North Georgia Mountains.” We’ve purchased a beautiful creekside lot there and are starting to build a house which will continue to welcome missionaries, pastors, and other full-time Christian servants.

A wet-weather creek runs about 50 feet from the back of the future house and is one of the reasons we fell in love with this spot.  We expect it to be a favorite spot of guests both young and old, whether they play in the creek or enjoy it from the back porch.

From the creek you can peer through the trees to the little “town center” in the distance. It will be an easy stroll to the communal fireplace and patio, the little green schoolhouse meeting room, and a coffee shop.



From the moment you drive through the gate at Cloudland Station, the natural beauty and wonderful amenities are evident. Near the entrance, Lake Angela is perfect for fishing and canoeing. Beyond it flows a creek that begs to be waded in as it winds past a multi-level treehouse that is every kid's dream.

For swimming, there’s a choice between the fresh water swimming hole with a floating dock and a rope swing and the “endless” salt water swimming pool surrounded by a large stone terrace. The natural beauty of a waterfall, a cave and miles of mountain trails provide opportunities to explore. Rainy days can be spent in the game barn, while numerous outdoor picnic areas invite cookouts in fine weather. The mill house by the creek is always open and is stocked with cold drinks and ice cream treats to buy on hot summer days.

Leahaven at Cloudland will be located on a short loop of Valley Rim Drive with woods on two sides, providing privacy and charm. The house design will blend with the old-fashioned architecture of Cloudland Station, which creates a feel of having stepped back in time.

For now, the house looks like this, but we hope that it will be ready to receive guests by early 2016.

The best compliment Leahaven ever got was from a little girl who called it “that heavenly place in Alabama.” We love Leahaven, and it will forever hold a treasured place in our hearts. Yet Cloudland Station is so incredible that we think guests of the new Leahaven just might call it “that heavenly place in Georgia.” While the house will look different outside, we think that when repeat visitors step inside, they’ll know they’re still at Leahaven–a place of refuge the Lord has provided to be with Him in the beauty of His Creation.