Karla Powell grew up in Bedford, Virginia and planned to move away as soon as she could; she wanted opportunities beyond what were available in her small town. Little did she know that as the Lord got ahold of her heart, He would call her to stay in her hometown and change the future for the generation that followed behind.
At the age of 15, Karla introduced herself to a new kid who had just moved from Lynchburg, Virginia (a short thirty minutes away). His name was Harley Powell, and he offered up a business card, claiming to be a massage therapist. Karla thought his card was hilarious; Harley would later tell her that it was the only one he had made. As she suspected, he wasn’t really a masseuse; he, like her, was also only 15 years old. Harley and Karla began dating and eventually married.
Karla and Harley Powell as Teenagers
The Powells’ marriage was turbulent from the start. Karla, who was saved at a young age, had fallen away from the Lord in high school and never returned. Harley, who came from a broken home, had never come to know the Lord. After the first 15 years of marriage, Karla knew something had to change. The Powells, who had been hard partiers since the beginning, were headed for heartbreak.
Karla didn’t know what else to do, so she went back to church. Harley came along, thinking he had no idea how this would help. The Powells landed at Tree of Life Ministries in Lynchburg, Virginia (about 25 minutes from their home), where Karla and Harley attended their first Pentecostal church service. Karla was taken with the joy, the vulnerability, the peace she found at Tree of Life and said to Harley, “I want what they have.” Pretty quickly, Karla recommitted her life Christ, and not long after, Harley gave his heart to Christ and was baptized as well. Their two children, a daughter, Hailey, and a son, Blaze, were surprised by the changes they saw in their parents. The children eventually had their own experience with the Lord, leading them to commit their lives to Christ as well.
A Young Powell Family
In 2020, at the beginning of the worldwide Covid pandemic, the Powells, like many others, worried about the future. Karla woke one night with a picture in her mind of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She found the picture odd and was unsure what it meant or what the Lord was asking her to do, but she knew she had to do something. She spoke with her sister, and she learned that there were hotels in Roanoke, Virginia (a nearby city), where unhoused/displaced individuals were staying. Some of these individuals and their families had lost their jobs during the pandemic, and they had nothing to speak of, “not even a pair of flip-flops.” Karla knew that this was the place they were called to. So, on that first Sunday, the Powells made up a couple dozen sandwiches, juices, and chips and headed to Roanoke.
Harley and Karla Today
When they arrived at the hotel, they lowered the tailgate of their truck and said, “We’ve got lunch if you’re hungry.” Karla said that the bags of food were gone within three minutes, but the Powells were able to pray for a few individuals and share the love of Christ. Karla and Harley went back the next week and the next with even more sandwiches, and they started writing scriptures on the brown lunch bags.
Sandwich Assembly Line
Bible Verses on the Lunches
At about two months in, Karla woke up in the middle of the night and felt the Lord say, “Go to the skate parks and do the same thing.” Karla and Harley were obedient and headed to the park with snacks. Over the course of months, the Powells were able to build relationships with the local youth.
At the Skate Park
Harley and their son, Blaze, were already skateboarders, and Karla prayed fervently that the Lord would also give her the gift of skating. He didn’t, but Karla laughed about it, saying that He had other plans in mind for her.
Harley Powell and son, Blaze Powell
Time passed, and the Powells continued to frequent the hotel and the skate park. They celebrated Christmas with the displaced at the hotel, sneaking in before dawn to leave presents on the doorsteps of those they had grown to love. As they shared about the love of Christ, people were saved and baptized, and lives were changed. The Powells were even able to help some find different housing and new jobs.
On September 8, 2020, Karla was again woken in the middle of the night and compelled to draw. She was drawing what she could only describe as the Holy Spirit on a skateboard; she drew ramps, stairs, rails, and other skate park amenities. Karla knew the Lord was going to do this; He was going to give the skaters an indoor skate park. The next time the Powells were at the park with the skaters, she told them about her vision and that “God is going to give us this place. I want you to believe it, too.” The young people were extremely skeptical, telling Karla, “Nah! Not gonna happen.” But Karla was faithful to believe and to share the vision. She wanted the youth to see God work this miracle in their favor.
Before long, a local church, Blue Ridge Community Church, purchased a 30,000-square-foot abandoned department store building. Through a series of God-planned meetings, the Powells were in the presence of the church leaders and told them about their work with the displaced in Roanoke and their dreams for an indoor skate park in the town of Bedford. The church leaders bought into their work in Roanoke, encouraging their church members to get involved, and they also gave them access to the building, allowing them to bring their skate park dream to life.
At that same time, Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia was shutting down its skate park. They had ramps, stairs, rails, and anything the Powells could think of. Liberty University planned to sell the skateboarding equipment, so Karla and Harley approached them, telling them about their own plans and asking if they could have it. Liberty sold the equipment, worth more than $100,000, to the Powells for just $9,000! The only caveat was that they would have to find a way to move the equipment by themselves. The Powells, with help from their church family and supporters, got the equipment moved and set up in its new location.
The Indoor Skate Park Coming to Life
The Indoor Skate Park Coming to Life
It wasn’t long before the young people could come by and see all that God had done. Karla could point to the tangible proof of God’s love and speak about the depth of that love and care for every young person who came into the Center.
The skateboarding ministry has grown; the Powells see between 80 and 120 teens weekly. These teens view the center as their “church.” Though the center began as a skateboarding park, the skateboarders are now the minority, as so many youths from varying interests have joined.
80-120 Teens Enjoy the Center Weekly
Baptizing Teens
Service at the Indoor Skate Park
Through the years, the Powells have recognized the parents of the teens as old friends they partied with in their younger years. The parents are surprised to see them, knowing the lives that they used to lead. This shock value, the visible representation of the life-changing power of the gospel, has opened doors to share Jesus with these former party-going friends.
As Karla was praying over and thinking about a name for the center, she was woken up in the middle of the night with the name “Anxious for Nothing” on her heart. At first, she wasn’t a big fan of the name and even asked the Lord if He was sure this was the right choice. She continued to think on it, thinking about this new generation of young people and what the world has to say about them. They are labeled by some as the “anxious generation” – the most anxious of any generation that has gone before. Karla wants that language to stop. She is declaring them the “un-anxious” generation; she still believes in their worth, their purpose, and the plan that the God of the universe has in mind for them. Karla relented, and “Anxious for Nothing” now graces the building.
Anxious for Nothing Exterior Pic
The Powells no longer travel to Roanoke with their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They were only called there for a season of about two years time. The hotels they visited have since been torn down. God used that experience to prepare them for the work that they would be doing with the youth in Bedford at Anxious for Nothing.
Anxious for Nothing’s ministry is continuing to grow, and it was essential that the Powells establish a non-profit pretty quickly. At the beginning of each school year, they hold a backpack and school supply drive, and throughout the year, they hold a prayer walk around the town. Each summer, they rent a campsite for three nights and take several of their regular attendees, knowing many have never had the opportunity to attend an overnight camp. Each Friday night, they feed the teens as they come in for the fellowship and worship services. Anxious for Nothing’s reach has gone beyond just teens, as they also offer women’s Bible studies throughout the year. This has led to Karla writing her first book: REST: Don’t Stop Being His Daughter.
REST: Don’t Stop Being His Daughter Written by: Karla Powell
Karla Powell’s obedience to the voice of the Lord regarding sandwiches and skateboards has brought about miraculous opportunities for a forgotten town in rural Southwest Virginia. The Powells don’t anticipate slowing down; they will remain faithful to the work that the Lord lays in front of them, waking, listening, and watching for the next adventure.
The Powell Family today: Karla, Hailey, Blaze, Harley, and son-in-law, Luke Hogan
You can purchase Karla Powell’s book, REST: Don’t Stop Being His Daughter on Amazon. Click this link: https://a.co/d/j6GDThc
