For Jamie Heard, co-founder of Faithfully Restored, happiness isn’t about circumstances or fleeting moments. It’s about peace—a deep, steady peace that carries her through every season of life, even the darkest ones. Jamie’s story is marked by profound loss; she walked through the unimaginable pain of losing a child. Yet, through that grief, she discovered that joy and sorrow are not opposites. They can coexist. “Happiness isn’t dependent on your situation,” she reflects. “You can hold grief, pain, and suffering, and still experience joy.”
Faithfully Restored was born from this truth. Jamie and her three co-founders had all experienced life-altering loss and, with no prior experience in starting a nonprofit, they leaned fully into their faith. “We knew we were being called,” Jamie says. “So, from the very beginning, we committed this to the Lord and followed where the Spirit led us.” Six years later, Faithfully Restored has become a beacon of hope, proof of what happens when faith and courage guide the way.
Jamie is quick to emphasize that their approach to leadership is grounded in trust and surrender. “Reactive decisions don’t always go well,” she explains. “We’ve learned to pause, to turn everything over to God.” And even amidst the heaviness of their mission, the team chooses to remain playful, finding light in community and connection.
Her inspiration comes from people like Corrie ten Boom, the Dutch watchmaker who, during World War II, helped hide Jewish families and was eventually imprisoned for her bravery. Corrie’s unshakable faith, joy, and courage—even in the darkest circumstances—left a deep imprint on Jamie’s heart. Corrie’s famous words are among Jamie’s favorites: “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at God, you’ll be at rest.”
Outside of her work, Jamie loves exploring Franklin and downtown Nashville, discovering new restaurants, and soaking up live music—a nod to the city’s vibrant culture. But at her core, Jamie carries a message of resilience: we can’t always control our situations, but we can control how we respond to them. Through her life, her faith, and her leadership at Faithfully Restored, Jamie is a testament to the truth that God’s love is unshakable, and that peace is always within reach, even when life feels unbearable.
