Family Steps Up to Serve Dawson Springs After Devastating Tornado

The Global Leadership Network’s premier two-day leadership event of the year has been held annually in August for the last 25+ years. Gathering hundreds of thousands of people from various industries and backgrounds, one of the things that makes The Global Leadership Summit (GLS) so unique are the leaders in our audience with a huge heart of service and care for their local communities. Kristen Hudson and her family have become exactly those kinds of leaders, which God then called to serve their local Dawson Springs, Kentucky community after the wake of a devastating tornado in December 2021.

The Summit takes the Hudsons to New Heights

The Summit really inspired me (along with mentors in my life) towards a truly transformed life.

When they first started attending the Summit, Kristen and her husband Jack were entrepreneurs and business owners, excited for the opportunity to develop their leadership skills. Little did they realize how this event would inspire them with a grander vision. “Since our first Summit, we have attended each and every year,” said Kristen. “It is two days of inspiration that impacts us and energizes us to newer heights. We simply love it. I leave the Summit each year with PAGES of notes on new projects, missions ideas, entrepreneurial ideas, and ideas to integrate into our home…EVERY YEAR!

“Before the Summit, I used to be a very compartmentalized Christian. Business and secular work were my weekday habits, and Sunday got my ‘Jesus thoughts.’ But the Summit really inspired me (along with mentors in my life) towards a truly transformed life—where Jesus BECAME my life regardless of where I was or who I was with.”

The Hudson Family

One of the things that impacted Jack most about the Summit was a talk that Andy Stanley gave where he reminded leaders that ‘the most important thing in life may not be what you do, but someone you raise.’ That changed the way I look at things at home as well as other people I can make an impact on in our lives,” said Jack. “It was also very influential for me deciding to sell my business and stay at home full-time with our kids.”

Kristen and Jack’s oldest son displays his art after experiencing a taste of the Summit with his parents

“In a culmination of homeschooling, a heart for missions, entrepreneurship, and the Summit—we raise our kids to see the unique ways that God gifts us for His purposes,” said Kristen.

Living Out a Transformed Life in the Local Community

With a vision that impacted the entire Hudson family, God opened their eyes to opportunities to serve right in their backyard. Not far from where the Hudsons live is the town of Dawson Springs, Kentucky. Not typically the kind of town that makes headlines, Dawson Springs was devastated by the wake of an EF-4 tornado in December of 2021.

Having made service and ministry a part of their family values, the Hudson family of six realized God was calling them to serve. “God has always had a ‘missions’ tug on our hearts,” said Kristen. “We have considered moving our family to various developing countries because we feel the burden of sharing Jesus with those who don’t know Him. When the tornado came through, God made it clear to us that THIS would be our mission field for this time in our lives.”

When they first arrived, they didn’t have any connections or plans, but decided to simply start with listening. “We just showed up,” said Kristen. “We arrived at the state park that was housing many displaced tornado survivors, and we just started listening. People were anxious to share their harrowing stories, and we just sat and listened. We prayed for them, we hugged them, but mostly—we just listened. We knew this was where God wanted us by the joy the people brought to us. It was life-giving in every visit. Our hearts were melded to theirs. Our new friends now have a permanent place in our hearts.”

Now the Hudsons travel to Dawson Springs about once a week. “We just love on families, meet individual needs, and share the Gospel story with them in word and deed,” said Kristen. “This very low-income town was just devastated, and God has taught us so much through the people there. They are truly a blessing to us. My dream for Dawson Springs is to see true God-sized restoration—not just seeing homes built back, but an entire community come to know and love Jesus.”

A Transformed Life—Worth the Investment

“Today, my transformed life is focused on glorifying God—as a parent, as a wife, as a business leader, and as a church member,” said Kristen. “When I feel like giving up, I realize the importance of my life in God’s grander plan—how my sphere of influence is different from anyone else’s sphere of influence, but also that I can rest in knowing that He lives through me.

“The Global Leadership Summit is an investment—in you, as a leader both in and outside of your home; in your organization as you grow in your leadership; in your community as you are inspired to take action,” said Kirsten. “When I intentionally invest in my leadership, there is a ripple effect of positive impact that come from that in all areas of my life.”

Join the Hudson family and thousands of other servant-hearted leaders at The Global Leadership Summit on August 4-5, 2022! Get Tickets >>