 The economy of eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia has been hit hard due to the declining coal industry, especially in the past few years. Beau Copley of Del Barton was in the mining industry for 11 years and, like many, was laid off with no other job prospects. Rumors swirl in the coal industry about people buying out and taking over or layoffs. After the layoff in September, Copley's wife Lauren stepped up and put her hobby to a good use. When my best friends asked me to do some attorney pictures for it, I was like, okay, because I'd been playing around with my camera and it just snowballed and I guess the Lord knew what we would need down the road. Many would consider being laid off as devastating, but Beau and his wife consider it a blessing. You draw really close to your coworkers because you spend more time with them than you do your family. You talk about your kids, what you miss while they're at school or while they do things like that. I thought for sure after he was laid off that we would, you know, gripe and complain of each other and fight, but we've gotten closer since September, closer than we ever have in our 14 years together. Throughout the process, however, Beau never steered away from his faith. I just kept going over in my head how worthless I was and how little I really was bringing to the table and how much just kind of let things kind of beat me up. And God really said, you're where you're at because you're where I want you. And when I accepted that and drew closer to him, those doubts and those insecurities went away and I realized if we'll just hold still and wait on him, he'll provide it. Reporting in Del Barton for EKB News, I'm Shelby Steele.