'Risking It All' Features Christian Family Selling All Possessions, Retreating to Mountains; Stars Say Experience Brought Them Closer to God
David and Shay Kemp decided to sell their possessions and move to the middle of nowhere in order to reconnect and get closer to God.
The parents of five wanted to get away from the craziness of everyday life in South Carolina and refocus their energy on their family and God. When TLC came along, offering them the opportunity of a lifetime, to participate in a reality series, "Risking It All," they prayed to seek God's will for their lives, if this was truly what God wanted for them and their family.
"We really felt like the Lord told us to do it," Shay told The Christian Post. "He was definitely all in—he had prayed about it but said that I needed to feel as convicted as he did. I felt that this is what I was called to do, to take this leap of faith and journey."
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During their time off the grid in the mountains of North Carolina, the family became closer to God and deepened their faith, which was their goal all along.
"Our family had struggled because of my hours; we had come apart some. God gives us a family for a reason, and I think He showed us how we were to have communion (unity) together and how we have to depend on Him. When you're out in the elements and faced with survival, and you're taken away from the conveniences and distractions, connections with things that really don't matter, it makes you look to God to be your provider. There were plenty of times we could do nothing but say, 'Ok, God, we're trusting You on this,'" David said.
"For me, personally, it was really difficult. I couldn't just step away from this and learning to lean on this inner peace and inner voice was something I had never done before. There was nobody else there. That was incredible growth to my faith. I learned to hear the voice of God before in my heart and mind like never before," Shay added.
Even though their journey into the wilderness is not over, Shay and David noted that they have learned a great deal about how they want to live once they come back into the hectic, connected world.
"We definitely want people to watch the show and see what happens. We certainly didn't just walk away from the principles of living off the grid. We've realized that technology is something you use, not to let it use you. You have to make deliberate choices, and that's really important," Shay said.
"Just because cameras stop rolling doesn't mean that this journey is over. When I was working, making really good money, one of my main things was that I had a reliance, a comfort in what he had. Sometimes you have to be taken out of your comfort zone to see where your allegiance lies … does it lie with material things or with God? That was one of the biggest things for me. Over the years, I've had it handed to me, and I needed something like this to pull me back into perspective with my God, my family, and others," David noted.
"Risking It All" airs on TLC on Tuesday nights.
