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Several years ago, I was perplexed when I heard about a plan to construct an accurate replica of a 13th-century French castle in Lead Hill, Arkansas, while adhering to the techniques and tools of 13th-century European castle builders. That’s in the Bull Shoals Lake area of northern Arkansas, near the center of the northern border and southeast of Branson, Missouri. Why would anyone attempt to build a medieval castle in the middle of nowhere? 

I discovered that two French citizens living in Arkansas learned that Michel Guyot of France was the first to try this type of thing in France. (You can look up Guedelon Castle in France for pictures online.) The French couple offered to sell Guyot part of their land to build a similar project in America. He accepted. Construction began in June 2009 and was expected to take about twenty years to complete because they would forge the tools themselves, cut the wood, and shape the stone—i.e., they would have to “relearn” everything about construction.

In May 2010, the Arkansas work site opened to the public with a dedicated team of 30 artisans, supplemented by some volunteer help. Visitors could observe the ongoing construction while talking to and asking questions of the costumed artisans as they worked.

The posted plans for the castle explained that it was supposed to eventually have towers rising 70 feet tall, a drawbridge, and six-foot-thick walls surrounding an interior courtyard. It served as an open-air laboratory to relearn how our ancestors erected buildings and shed light on “green” construction methods that might be incorporated today.

We visited the site in the summer of 2011 and were amazed that they were trying to use only on-site materials. They built everything from scratch and didn’t run to the hardware store for anything. Even necessities such as rope and caulk for the stones were sourced from the natural resources available on-site. We watched the stone cutter trim a stone quarried on location and shape it to place in the vast wall he was working on. I quickly understood why they estimated it would take about twenty years to complete the project.

    At the blacksmith’s open-air shop, I began to understand its importance in 13th century and early American history. The blacksmith produced tools, weapons, wheels, and horseshoes. Not only did he have to create the tools, but he also had to repair and maintain them.

Considering the heat and humidity of that summer day, I was amazed at the tenacity of the young blacksmith heating metal in his homemade forge until it reached a workable temperature. He balanced the fuel and air in the forge’s fire to suit his particular work that day. He worked deliberately, heating the metal until it was hot enough to shape on his metal anvil, where he hammered it into the desired shape. The anvil provided the working surface against which he shaped the hot metal and was the center of much activity in the workshop.

Watching the young blacksmith hammer his hot metal on the anvil, I reflected on how the anvil symbolized strength and resilience. It reminded me of the time in my 30s when my husband suddenly lost his job because of the poor economy, and I worried about our house payments. My dad stopped by, and I talked to him privately before he left. He explained how our lives typically go through hard times like the fire of a forge so that we become “workable” and can be “shaped” by God on His anvil. Then my dad said he liked to “watch me go through the fire because it showed him what was ‘real’ in my life.” I didn’t like what he said because I wanted sympathy. But now, years later—as I stood watching the blacksmith work—I realized I was seeing a picture of what my father had said that day years earlier. I remembered how that difficult “time in the fire” had actually taught me a lot about God’s love and provision, as well as how He sometimes answers prayers in unexpected ways. It truly did “shape” me. Watching the blacksmith gave me a better understanding of the significance of “being in the fire” in my own life. He illustrated how heating to the correct temperature makes the metal (or person) able to withstand heavy blows without breaking. Even the often-heard “strike while the iron is hot” statement made sense to me as I watched the blacksmith shape the hot iron with the persistent blows of his hammer.

In 2011, I imagined we would return in a few years to watch the progress of building the Ozark Medieval Fortress. However, the project closed indefinitely the following year because it needed a buyer or new investor. It is wholly abandoned today, although the castle's deserted remains are hidden among the trees.

This castle situation sheds light on my outlook as we await the outcome of the 2024 U.S. election. The iron is hot for those who want to see a healing awakening and reformation come to America and other nations. As the blacksmith must show endurance and perseverance, so must we. If we believe the Lord is forging something new within His people, we must realize that shaping takes time. Some may quit after voting, but this is not merely about an election. It’s about being all God calls us to be—being shaped into the people and nation He envisions.

Considering that the Ozark Medieval Fortress stopped after such a promising start, let us pray that America will not be like that. Instead, let us be like the blacksmiths who methodically shape the hot metal at the right temperature so it won’t break. They shun a risky, quick fix for the slow, methodical process. This principle applies to us individually, as well as to America.

Regardless of the election outcome, many in our country will be disappointed. How we act toward each other after the election will be telling. Will we exercise tolerance and civility? Jesus told nonbelievers they would be able to know or recognize Christians by their love for others (John 13:35) and He even instructed believers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:44). Scripture further instructs us to submit to and show respect for our human authorities (1 Peter 2:13-17).

So, we have no room for acting cocky if “our candidate won” and no room for lashing out in anger if "our candidate lost.” We have to learn to disagree peacefully, for we are to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). And we must never forget that Jesus left us his example to follow regarding “how” we are to respond to whatever we consider suffering (1 Peter 2:21-23).

Ultimately, we are all in God’s hands, and we have more power on our knees praying for enemies, situations, and changes of heart than in fighting or disrupting. God—like the blacksmith—may allow us to be in a fire to help us become more shapable for whatever His ultimate will is for us.

May we trust in the Lord and pray for the healing of our land from hatred and division. In this time of great discord—no matter what happens—let us remember the lessons from the blacksmith’s forge and anvil. Let us pray for God’s will to be done as we remember to overcome evil with good by praying for and loving others.

Jesus said:

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35 (ESV)  

 “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” Matthew 5:44 (ESV)