Hallelujah! I just went to the Bio section of the Evins Mill website, like I have a million times, to check on something. I hadn't been there for ages and ages. Everytime I'd go look at it I'd notice that my picture was cut off at the top, meaning my face and Amy Grant's face were cut half off. I remember when they asked for a picture of us and I sent it to them. That was at least a decade ago. Today the picture was fixed. Every time I've checked their history/Bio since they first created their website I've sort-of cringed because I knew or felt that one of these times I'd be missing. Today, not only was I not missing, I was beautifully highlighted. They had rewritten the entire History/Bio and featured me and my Chapelgate years of ownership. HERE and HERE Hallelujah, thank you God YHWH and Jesus our Christ!
I've always pictured finishing what I began there and holding workshops/retreats for Contemporary Christian Music Songwriters and Recording Artists/Media. I approached them over this many times but it was never part of their vision. Last year when I went to Kyle Saylor's Dinner with Dreamer's/Gideon Film Festival near Nashville, I took Mark DeAlessandro with me (Sylvester Stallone's stunt double for 25 years, see my stories). He had just finished "Nefarious" produced by Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman (Producers of "God Is Not Dead.") By "took with me" I mean it was originally my idea. Then, I set up the trip, took all the steps necessary to make it happen. My part of the bargain was that he'd let me take him to Evins Mill sometime that weekend.
Evins Mill is the name now, and it is 70 miles east of Nashville, in Smithville, Tennessee. It was called Evins Mill when my husband, family, and I purchased it in 1985. I changed the name to "Chapelgate." Then, if you know my story, you know my husband died on Christmas Eve in 1990, at our home, Chapelgate. In 1991 it changed hands/ownership and direction. Except not for me, I've continued to write my stories all these years and I've always kept it just like God and I originally set it up, as the centerpiece, setting, of my work.
So I took Mark there, as part of our deal.
Mark introduced me to the Producers of "Nefarious" that same weekend, and I was thrilled. In my stories I called it the highlight of my Chapelgate series. These are mighty men of God whose footsteps shake the earth. I shook their hand, "I'm Mark's friend, Angel, let me have 30 seconds to tell you my story," and both of them allowed me to do that. Today, I added one of them to my personal friends list, which is why I am thinking of this now and writing today's story.
I feel we are on the edge, the beginning, of a new era. When I went to the Evins Mill website and looked at their History/Bio and saw they were now not just tolerant of me and my years and dreams but proud, I felt that urge to document it, which is what you are reading. They had designed the history in such a way that I was honored and featured. The page starts off with "The Early Years" and with "The property is steeped in luxurious history and brings to mind a simpler time." It talks about 200 years ago, then the Evins era (Senator/Congressman/former owners for 50 years), and then the Chapelgate era, (my family and me, former owners), before moving on with their own history. My picture with Amy Grant had been fixed. Now you could see both of our entire faces. Hallelujah, lol! (I was using my property as a private hideaway for Gospel and Contemporary Christian Music Recording Artists/Media and Songwriters. Amy Grant filmed the video for her song, "Lead Me On" at my waterfalls at Chapelgate.)
I think it had sometime to do with God introducing me, through my actress best friend, Gigi Erneta, to Mark in 2016 at a "Dinner with Dreamers" Austin, Texas dinner, with our friendship and adventures, which you can find in my stories on my website, and with my taking Mark there to see Evins Mill/Chapelgate last year during the Gideon Film Festival weekend.
I was so proud to introduce him to them, he was so humble and modest I wanted to punch him, but I just turned him loose to do his Mark magic. He loves people and embraces them for Jesus, all, from maids to Presidents, and they love him right back. When we left to go back to Johnny Cash's farm, on the other side of Nashville 70 miles or so, to return to the Gideon Film Festival, I said, "I'll send you a copy of my new book, it will be called, "The Harvest of Chapelgate." Eagerly I was asked, (with my first book I had given them in 2009 lying there on their desk, "Chapelgate, a Spiritual Memoir,") "Will Mark be in it?" to which I answered, "Yes, I have lots of stories about Mark." They responded with, "We can't wait!" Thank you Mark, love Angel
The Early Years...
In 1986, Angel & Robin Isaacs purchased the land from Vanderbilt and established it as the headquarters of their business, ICDI, which developed software technology for drilling oil wells. Angel later converted the property into a private hideaway for Christian music recording artists and songwriters, which she called Chapelgate. During this time, Amy Grant recorded her record-breaking "Lead Me On" music video at the base of Carmac Falls.
The family spent thousands of hours renovating the buildings and is responsible for designing and engineering the bridge that spanned Evins Mill Pond until 2022. To this day, Angel shares a deep affection for the property that figured so prominently in her life, authoring "The Chapelgate Adventure Series" and using the property as the setting for her books.
Copyright 2024 Angel Isaacs All Rights Reserved
Written September 23, 2024
www.EvinsMill.com (History/Bio)
www.ChapelgateAngel.com (my stories)
The "triumph" scene from Rocky. Mark was filmed several times during this scene, as Sylvester Stallone's stunt double. The shots of Rocky from a distance are Mark.
My friend, Mark DeAlessandro, Sylvester Stallone's stunt double for 25 years, was partially responsible for all the prayer scenes in the Rocky movies. Mark in action, behind the scenes.
Mark DeAlessandro, Sylvester Stallone's stunt double for 25 years. This is during Rambo.
Mark DeAlessandro and Angel Isaacs at Chapelgate/Evins Mill 2023. I was introducing Mark and showing him Chapelgate, my former property, and the setting for my work/books.
Mark DeAlessandro and Gigi Erneta outside of the "Dinner with Dreamers" Austin, Texas dinner where Gigi introduced me to Mark and we all became best friends. They are looking at a cross in the sky. That happens to us a lot.
This was my former living room in my Lodge at Chapelgate/Evins Mill. There is a stone fireplace on each end.
My previous property, "Chapelgate," which was formerly, and now, "Evins Mill" in Smithville, Tennessee. I designed this illustration for my main book, "Chapelgate, a Spiritual Memoir," which covered my walk with God and life-story from 1985 to 2009. I'm currently writing, "The Harvest of Chapelgate," which covers 2009 to 2025.
The 2016 "Dinner with Dreamers" dinner in Austin, Texas hosted by Kyle Saylors and Brenda Golden. My girlfriend, actress Gigi Erneta, took me that night as her plus one. I met Mark DeAlessandro, Kyle, and Brenda and started this part of my journey.
Kyle Saylors, a panel of leading Christian Film Producers, with Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman in 2023. I took the picture.
My actress/stuntwoman best girlfriend, Gigi Erneta, beside my granddaughter, Laileigh, helping train her. We are at Mark DeAlessandro's Stunt Workshop at the Albuquerque, New Mexico Comic Con. We went several different years. Mark taught Lai her first stunt when she was 4 months old.
Angel Isaacs, 2017, holding her granddaughter, Laileigh, age 1 month.
My daughter, Skye, and granddaughter, Laileigh, 2017, age 1 month
My daughter, Skye, holding my granddaughter, Laileigh, at our home, "The Island on Lake Travis," in Lago Vista, Texas. Laileigh is a newborn, 2017.
Our friend, Mark DeAlessandro, holding my granddaughter, Laileigh, at my home at "The Island on Lake Travis," on the pier overlooking the lake and waterfalls. I had just interviewed Mark for my Central Texas public television series, "Texas Tales from a Lone Star." Mark had just taught Laileigh to say, "Hallelujah," one of her very first words. I said, "Teach her a stunt," so he did. After that, I began taking Lai to several of Mark's Action Acting/Stunt workshops.
My granddaughter, Laileigh, with my friend, Mark DeAlessandro, Sylvester Stallone's stunt double for 25 years, and in 180+ major feature films. Hollywood Taurus award for Rocky IV and Hollywood Stuntman's Hall of Fame. Mark is holding Laileigh, I'm on the far left. This is an Action Acting/Stunt Workshop Mark held in Austin, Texas that I took Laileigh to. Age 3.
This is my granddaughter, Laileigh, at one of Mark's Action/Acting Stunt workshops. She's 3 or 4, I took her to several. This is at the Albuquerque Comic Con.
This is at my television studios in Austin, Texas, while I was producing my public television series, "Texas Tales from a Lone Star." Mark brought 2 of his Black Belt friends to the studio and I filmed him with them. Laileigh was part of the action. Probably age 5.
I'm at the Johnny Cash farm in 2023 for the Gideon Film Festival.
Mark DeAlessandro introduced me to Cary Solomon at the Dinner with Dreamers/Gideon Film Festival in 2023. Cary is co-Producer with Chuck Konzelman with their company, "Believe Entertainment." They produced, "God Is Not Dead," along with dozens of leading Christian films. I told him my "Chapelgate" story.
Mark DeAlessandro introduced me to Chuck Konzelman at the Dinner with Dreamers/Gideon Film Festival in Bon Aqua, Tennessee, Johnny Cash farm in 2023. I told him my story of "Chapelgate." He had just co-produced "Nefarious" major Christian film that included Mark.
I'm with my 12 year old daughter, Skye, around 2004 in front of my waterfall at Chapelgate/Evins Mill in Smithville, Tennessee. I was there, in Nashville, working on my Master of Arts in Religion which then became my Master of Divinity from Lipscomb University. We lived in Orlando at the time.
My daughter, Skye, sitting in front of the Grist Mill at Evins Mill/Chapelgate in 2018 with my 1 year old granddaughter, Laileigh. We went there from Austin, Texas to celebrate Laileigh's first Birthday.
I produced, "Texas Tales from a Lone Star" television series in Austin, Texas
I took my daughter, Skye, and my granddaughter, Laileigh, to Chapelgate in 2018 for Laileigh's first Birthday
Here is a video that shows what my property is like today, including my original idea/vision to use it as a Private Hideaway/Retreat. God just went ahead and did that part for me...Hallelujah! Praise God YHWH and Jesus, our Lord.
