June Ministry Spotlight: From Jam to Jesus - Amy Lane, a Marketplace Ministry

The Story behind Amy Lane

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Sometimes the journey God takes us on starts with what we NEVER wanted.

That was the case for John and Stacey Winder. A job transfer moved them from Cypress, TX to the Dallas area, landing them on four acres of land on Amy Lane. By spring, they discovered their new property was covered in fruit trees. Determined not to let the harvest go to waste, Stacey began making jam—and selling it at local markets. What started as an effort to avoid waste became the beginning of a calling.

Soon, her homemade jams made their way into a local gift shop, where Stacey also developed a friendship with the shop owners. When COVID hit, John was laid off from his job. Not long after, the shop owners decided to retire. That’s when John and Stacey took a leap of faith—they bought the shop and began making it their own, adding Christian gifts and products and moving them front and center. They loved the store, but something was still missing: home.

Stacey and John Winder

As they prayed about their next step, they both kept hearing the same word: Galveston.

They knew The Strand was where they wanted to be, but despite their efforts, no rental spaces seemed available. So they took a trip, continuing to pray and surrender the outcome to God. They told the Lord they’d be content with a closet-sized space—but 2,000 square feet would be ideal.

On January 3, 2021, while driving up and down The Strand looking for parking, they found a small space tucked behind what is now Amy Lane. As they walked by the empty storefront, they noticed a tiny sign in the window: “For Lease – 2,000 sq ft Retail Space.” They emailed the address listed, and by the time they left Galveston four days later, they were under contract.

On February 23, they had sold their home in Terrell, packed up everything, and moved to Galveston.

Amy Lane, 2029 Strand St, Galveston, TX

A few months after opening, a customer suggested adding a prayer wall. It began with a simple corkboard that quickly filled. At the time, the baby items in the store were tucked in a little nook. After prayerful consideration, John and Stacey donated all the baby products to the local pregnancy center and transformed that space into a dedicated prayer room.

Since then, people from all over the world—many from cruise ships—have stopped in, prayed, and left handwritten requests on that prayer wall. At the end of each year, the Winders gather the slips of paper, take them to their church’s property, and pray over every single one. Then, they burn them as a symbolic offering to the Lord, declaring them heard and answered.

Amy Lane isn’t just a Christian gift shop—it’s a beacon. It’s the only one of its kind on the island and has become a hub for ministry teams during Mardi Gras, the biker rally, and other city events. There have been times John and Stacey considered closing during slow seasons, but God would send a church or outreach group asking to use the shop as a rally point—keeping their doors open not for business, but for Kingdom impact.

John and Stacey are the only employees of Amy Lane. They work tirelessly to stock as many American-made and locally sourced items as possible. They've connected with Galveston’s vibrant artistic community and regularly welcome visitors who feel led to share their handmade goods. It's become more than a store—it’s a place of connection, creativity, and God’s presence.

Recently, Stacey was reminded of her early jam-selling days in Terrell when a memory popped up on social media—a photo from their booth at the Terrell Jubilee. They were selling homemade jams, gift baskets, and other sweet little creations. But what stood out most wasn’t a product. It was a picture of a small basket labeled “Prayer Requests.”

As Stacey shared in her post, “My favorite picture is the one of this little basket that says ‘Prayer Requests.’ And now we have a whole room dedicated to prayer here in Galveston. Look what God has done!”

As she recounted that memory with me, we were both brought to tears. Because that simple basket of prayers became the seed for something so much bigger—a room of intercession, a storefront of faith, and a sanctuary in the heart of The Strand.

“Do not despise these small beginnings,”—Zechariah 4:10

What began as a booth at a festival with a jar of jam and a heart for prayer has become a space where people from all over the world come to encounter God. It’s a beautiful reminder that God uses humble beginnings to do extraordinary things.

As John put it, "It all started with something we didn’t want—a transfer and then a layoff.”

But what looked like life falling apart was actually God putting it together. He was shifting their path—so He could make space for His purpose.

Because John and Stacey said “yes”, Galveston now has a store that is more than a shop. It’s a testimony.

From jams to Jesus…But Jesus was always in the jam.