From Hoarding to Hope

Child of God Gracelet, Your Identity in Christ

Kara Diehl, a divorced, single mom raising two sons pinched pennies trying to make ends meet. Kara recalls: “Clothing that I wasn't wearing anymore, it was sold. Candlesticks that weren't needed. Sold my wedding ring for mortgage. It was sold.”

By day, Kara was an administrative assistant for a financial advisor; at home, she crafted scripture-inspired jewelry. Kara says: “People started asking me for the bracelets and I would just make them as gifts and just getting orders from churches for, you know, a pastor's wife wanted to give it to her staff.”

As a new believer, Kara sometimes gave what she could at church, but tithing? That seemed impossible. Kara continues: “I felt like God understood that I couldn't afford it because I didn't wanna starve. So, I had to keep everything I had.”

Kara's prayers often left her with the strongest impression about her jewelry-making hobby as a business. Kara remembers: “God started just giving me this, this leading to do it full time. And, I thought that was kind of funny because I thought it was not financially viable, but His [God’s] leading was so strong. So, there was something in me, this gifting of courage. So, I went into the boardroom on our Monday morning meeting. I gave my notice to the four partners, and they were all very nice, but I could tell by the looks on their faces, they thought I was crazy. And I went back to my desk, and I put my head on my desk and I was like, ‘what did I just do?' I had benefits, 401K, paycheck every two weeks. What am I thinking?”

Sitting at her desk panicked, and overwhelmed with self-doubt, the phone rang. Kara continues: “So, I pick up the phone, ‘Kara Diehi, can I help you?’ And it was Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church, and it was the bookstore and they wanted to carry my bracelets.” 

Lakewood’s bookstore put her in touch with a sales representative, who quickly placed the bracelets in 26 stores in 2012. Kara’s youngest son coined her new business venture “Gracelets.” Kara was sure: To kickstart a thriving business, she had to go all in on tithing.

Kara adds: “And so even though I had never tithed before, I knew that this was now in Him. And we, we were doing this together.”

Immediately Gracelets sales provided for Kara's financial needs. Kara says: “So, I tithed on my sales. So, whatever came in, I would give back.”

By 2015, she amped up her tithing and giving to over 20% of the business's income. Later she restructured her marketing approach and traveled to shows where her sales revenue increased even more.

Kara reports: “So, at the end of the year, year after year, my accountant, she'd always be like, ‘Kara, I'm just calling to check on your, um, giving number. Is this correct?’ I'm like, ‘yep.’ So I'd give her all the, all the different numbers and it was God's way of letting me do what I wanted to do on multiple levels. “

In 2021 Kara met Darren, and by 2023, they were married. Darren left his previous career behind, and now designs the "Men's Warrior" line. Today, they commit over 20% of their income to tithing and giving to charities supporting human trafficking survivors. Gracelets' revenues jumped 525% since 2012, reaching customers in 40 states and on five continents.

Kara concludes: “I had this sticky note that I still have in my checkbook, and it says, ‘thank you Lord for 90%.’ Because I know that I can't outgive Him [The Lord, Jesus Christ]. And I'm just so grateful for what He's [The Lord, Jesus Christ] done in me, through me, for my family, for my boys, for my new husband and I. He [The Lord, Jesus Christ] has proven how trustworthy He is, and He continues to prove that to me.”

For more information about Kara Dieh's jewelry, please visit her website: www.Gracelets.com.