Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Johnson.
Hi Kayla, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My baking journey really started when my daughter was about a year old. I was in a new season of life and just needed something peaceful to do with my hands and my heart. At the time, my spirit was navigating through a really chaotic time that continued through my entire pregnancy that had drained me emotionally and mentally, and baking became something calming for me. I’ve always loved being creative, and baking just kind of pulled me in.
I started with a sourdough starter and honestly just began experimenting—cinnamon rolls, crackers, different recipes—and I didn’t get it right immediately, but I kept going. I started sharing what I made with my neighbors, and their encouragement really stayed with me.
When I moved from Pennsylvania to Tennessee as a single mom, I brought my sourdough starter with me because I just couldn’t leave it behind. That move was a fresh start for me. I came down to live with my mom, and baking became something we could enjoy together, which was really special. Later on, after being introduced to my church family at Breath of Life Ministries at 4808 Asheville highway under Apostle Jennifer Pressley, I began developing a deeper relationship with God which is something I had always wanted. I didn’t know how to go about it, and all my attempts before left me feeling like something was missing and I had assumed that was the end of the road. It wasn’t until I was taught about the Holy Spirit and Jesus being God that I started learning just how faithful He had been to me through every season of my life. My personal encounter with the Holy Spirit saved my life. God began to open my eyes to see His glory even in the midst of baking.
Over time, what started as something simple turned into something deeper for me. Baking became peaceful, it became joyful, and it became a place where I really felt God meeting me in everyday life. That’s really how Faithful Flour Sourdough Bakery was born. The name isn’t about me claiming to have perfect faith, it’s about Jesus continuing to teach me how to trust Him more every day and building my faith.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been an easy path. A lot of my biggest challenges have been in my mind—fighting thoughts that tell me I’m not good enough or that what I’m doing won’t work, even when people around me were encouraging me and loving what I made.
Learning to push past comparison has been a big one for me too. It can be easy to look at other bakers and feel like I’m behind, but God really had to teach me that everyone’s journey starts somewhere.
I’ve also had to learn how to ask for help. I’ve always been very independent, but moving to Tennessee and being around more family who genuinely wanted to support me showed me that I didn’t have to do everything alone.
There were moments of burnout too, especially baking while caring for a toddler, but I keep having to learn how to slow down, and trust God in the process instead of trying to carry everything myself. The realization that I wasn’t the one carrying me in this life is what solidified the
understanding of how faithful God is to me. God has never let me down
before and He gets all the glory for where I am in my life today!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Faithful Flour Sourdough Bakery?
Faithful Flour Sourdough Bakery really comes from a place of faith and community. I don’t bake out of pressure or needing to pay bills and crunch number because Jesus paid it all and continues to pay it all. My needs are always met because He is always on time! I bake because I love it.
I specialize in all things sourdough, however, my top sellers are sourdough oatmeal cream pies with maple butter cream, sourdough cinnamon rolls with maple glaze, sourdough plant based cinnamon rolls, fermented sourdough candied pecans, lemon blueberry sourdough cakes and of course my sourdough bread! I enjoy mixing up my flavors, yet my maple pecan sourdough scones and jalapeño cheddar sourdough bread will always be a sought after staple!
I include scripture cards, prayer cards, and little encouragements with my orders because you never really know what someone may be going through that day. Sometimes my daughter even helps hand out little Jesus figures, which has become really special for us. My hope is that what I’m offering is more than just bread—it’s a moment of comfort, kindness, or encouragement for somebody who may need it.
I think one of the things that really sets Faithful Flour Sourdough apart is the heart behind what I make and the creativity God has given me with flavors and recipes. I love creating things that feel comforting, exciting, and full of joy. Whether it’s a soft sourdough cinnamon roll, a flavorful loaf, or a moist cake, I want people to taste the care and love that went into it.
One of my favorite parts of baking is seeing people’s reactions when they take that first bite. There’s something so special about watching somebody light up because they genuinely enjoyed something I made with my own hands. I really believe food can create moments of joy and connection.
I also enjoy changing people’s perspective on sourdough. A lot of people think sourdough has to be super sour, plain, dry, or “too healthy” or that it doesn’t actually taste good, and I love surprising them. It makes me so happy when someone says they normally don’t like sourdough, but then they try one of my items and completely change their mind.
I’m always inspired to try new flavor
combinations and make sourdough feel approachable, and exciting! A flavor that may not speak to you
might be exactly what someone else
is looking for!
Right now, I sell on a small scale as a cottage bakery, but my heart is really for it to become a physical place where people slow down, connect, and feel seen. I had a few encounters several weeks apart, where someone would walk up to my table and ask
me if I wanted a bakery of my own and at least three times I said no
because I thought I wouldn’t be able to make it happen. However, about the fourth person approached me, I realized it was God asking me if this
was something I truly wanted
because he would make it happen for
me regardless of circumstance so I responded back “yes if it’s in God’s will”. His eyes got bright and he
smiled like “YES” I have been
waiting for you to see open your eyes and stop limiting me! I have to understand that the plans God has for me are so much bigger than I could imagine for myself and greater too. In the future I would love to have a storefront where I can open on weekends for my community to come by and enjoy my fresh baked goods on a larger scale. I love hearing people’s stories, remembering familiar faces, and creating conversations that go deeper than just a transaction. I am confident that Jesus will open the door in His timing!
Honestly, I used to be really nervous interacting with people, but God has been teaching me that He has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. Through this business, He’s helped me become more open, more confident, and more willing to connect with others. Every conversation at my table feels like an opportunity to love on somebody, encourage them, or even share a testimony.
I am proud of making God the foundation of what I do. I try to make my table ant markets engaging and welcoming. Sometimes I do Bible trivia where people can win a baked good or a discount, and it always opens the door for conversations and laughter. Those moments mean a lot to me because I genuinely want people to feel valued when they stop by my table.
For some people, a business may just be a job, but for me it feels much deeper than that. Every market, every order, and every interaction feels like an opportunity God has given me to shine His light and connect with people in a meaningful way.
At the center of it all is my faith. Faithful Flour Sourdough isn’t about having everything figured out—it’s about growing in faith every single day and trusting God with the process.
What makes you happy?
What makes me happiest is being able to spend time with my daughter and truly be present with her. I’m grateful that God has given me the ability to build a life where I can be at home with her, watch her grow, and not miss the small everyday moments. There’s something really special about learning and growing together, even in the simple parts of life.
I also find a lot of joy in learning with from God and discovering what it really means to be free in who He created me to be. I used to be a lot more closed off and uncomfortable in my own skin, but over time God has been gently working on my heart and helping me grow into confidence and peace.
Another thing that makes me really happy is spending time with my daughter doing everyday simple things like blowing bubbles or throwing a frisbee. I also enjoy spending time with my mom, I didn’t grow up with her, but in this season of life we’ve grown very close. We are a lot alike, and we laugh constantly. I love that we get to build a relationship now, grow together, and break down limits I once had in my mind about what family or life was supposed to look like.
Overall, happiness for me really comes from presence—being with God, being with my daughter, and being with my family in the middle of everyday life.
Pricing:
- Maple Glazed Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls (4) $20
- Classic Sourdough Loaf $11
- Individual Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Cake $8
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies 2 for $5
- Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pie with Maple Buttercream $4
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Linktr.ee/faithfulfloursourdough
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Faithful-Flour-Sourdough-Bakery-61573784987444/
