When 1 Mother Couldn't Afford to Buy a House For Her Family, They Built It From Scratch Themselves

When Arkansas resident Cara Brookins escaped a life-threatening domestic violence situation, she and her four children were in need of a fresh start. The family had barely any money and nowhere to sleep, but Brookins was determined to do whatever it would take to give her kids a home to call their own. So she decided to build a new house from the ground up — literally. "We can afford all the supplies so we can just put it together ourselves," Brookins said as she explained what motivated her bold move in the video above.

The only problem? They had no idea where to start. Naturally, the family turned to YouTube to watch video tutorials and garnered any advice they could get from Home Depot employees about the basics of building a home. After receiving a loan for a plot of land, Brookins and her four children got down to business, laying the foundation and crafting the entirety of a gorgeous two-story house.

The Brookins family built their Arkansas home together back in 2008, and now, the empowering mother of four is releasing a book titled Rise: How a House Built a Family. Scheduled to be released on Jan. 24, the book will recount how Brookins and her kids turned a traumatic experience into an empowering one. Brookins has some encouraging words of wisdom for anyone reaching to accomplish similar feats: "Do something big. Take a big leap and set an impossible goal. With enough determination, you can do it," she said.

Watch the video above for a peek at the family's beautiful home and for a daily dose of inspiration.