The idea for Staghorn Jewelry was born on a quiet stretch of Texas coastline — a moment that would change everything, long before I knew it.

Before the Waves Shifted My Life

For seven years, I lived deep in the corporate world — banking, accounting, account management. I worked all through high school and college, hoping to build a future working with wildlife. But without the connections or unpaid internships the field often demands (and with bills that very much existed), I drifted into office work.

That drift slowly turned into a feeling of being stuck. I left one corporate job only to land in another that left me even more drained, discouraged, and hopeless. I knew I was meant for something different, but I couldn’t see the path forward.

A Quiet Return to Faith

I grew up in a strong Christian home, but as I got older, I moved through life trying to do everything on my own — I knew about God, but I didn't have a personal relationship with him. After a long break from attending church, my husband and I decided to go back. The sermon was on fasting. The speaker talked about how it draws you deeper into God’s presence, how it quiets the noise so you can hear Him more clearly.

Something in me knew I needed that.

I’d never fasted before — and honestly, the idea terrified me. I get hangry, and the last thing I wanted was to unleash that on the people around me. But the church was doing a three-day fast midweek, and if I was going to do it, I wanted to go all in. Before it began, I wrote down the things I desperately needed clarity on. At the top of the list: direction.

The fast wasn’t as brutal as I expected. Besides a slight headache the first day and missing the taste of food, I felt surprisingly steady. I kept praying for God to show me where to go next.

The Last-Minute Beach Trip

My husband and I had loosely talked about taking a quick beach trip. After work on Friday — the final day of the fast — we looked at each other and decided, “Let’s just go.” We packed the car and drove to Port Aransas, planning to camp in the car next to the water.

My fast had ended… and I felt nothing. No nudge. No direction. I went to sleep disappointed but still praying, still hoping God would open my eyes.

The Walk That Changed Everything

The next morning, I took our dog for a walk. He quickly decided he was over it, so I brought him back to the car and headed out alone.

Walking along the shoreline, I started imagining all the ways I could change my life — from starting a travel blog to doing a thru-hike and disappearing for a while. My mind was swirling, but my hands kept reaching down for shells.

Not the perfect ones.
The broken ones — the ones with missing edges and worn shapes. Those were the ones that caught my attention.

And as I picked them up, an unexpected thought surfaced:

Even what’s broken can be beautiful.
It can be valuable.
It can be loved.

That’s when the idea hit me:
What if I turned these into jewelry?

As I kept walking, the ideas multiplied — jewelry made from nature, incorporating my love for the ocean, educating others on conservation, organizing beach cleanups… It all felt connected, like something blooming after being buried for too long.

When I got back to the car, excitement clashed with doubt. I had never made jewelry before. I asked God for a clear, physical sign — something undeniable — to show me this direction was truly from Him.

The Sign I Asked For

Later that day, we moved to a fishing spot under a bridge. The tide was high, so we walked around looking for another place to set up. As we did, my husband suddenly looked down, picked something up, and handed it to me.

It was a charm bracelet.

I stared at it.
Then looked up.
“Okay,” I said quietly. “I hear You.”

Not even thirty minutes after praying for a physical sign, God placed one right in my hands.

From That Moment Forward

When we got home, I didn’t hesitate. I put in my two weeks’ notice, determined to pursue this dream wholeheartedly:

• learning how to make jewelry

• learning how to start a business

• researching nonprofits to partner with 

Everything was new. Everything was intimidating. And there were many days in the beginning when I wondered if I was doing the right thing.

Every time I prayed for reassurance, God answered — sometimes through peace, sometimes through an unshakable sense of keep going. Many times through others saying just what I needed to hear.

It hasn’t been easy, but it has been deeply rewarding. Staghorn Jewelry has become more than a business. It’s a calling, a mission, and a way to protect the ocean that inspired it.

Looking ahead, I often wonder what God might weave from this small beginning — how many reefs we can restore, how many people we might inspire, how many stories of hope and restoration might ripple outward. What started as a simple walk on the beach is growing into something far bigger than us, and I’m eager to follow wherever He leads next. Our commitment remains steady: give generously, teach boldly, steward the ocean well, and let our work point back to the One who gave the vision in the first place.