Last weekend I had the privilege of attending a business
conference with my sweet friend,
Sandy
Of the 3,000 women that attended, I feel like I may be the ONLY one who came home and completely shut down her
business. Beep, beep, beep, beep ______________________ flat-lined.
I am nothing if not a little compulsive and a go-getter, so it's no surprise that I would come home from a summer vacation and remodel a storage shed and start a little baking business, in a two week time frame. The only problem with this is...
I don't LOVE baking. Hey, I don't really even LIKE baking. So I believe it's safe to say that it is not my passion.
Was I scared to start? Yes. Was I afraid to put myself out there? Yes. Did I do it anyway? Yes. Did I fail? NO! I made back every penny that I invested in my little Sugar Shack within the first 2 months. The last month and a half was all profit! That is not failure.
Was I sad when I made the decision to call it quits? A little. Did I give it everything I had? Yes. I gave it what little I had in regards to time and energy. Do I regret starting something just to have to shut it down after 4 months? No! I learned so much and was able to meet so many amazing people that I would otherwise not have seen. I succeeded at what I wasn't sure about in the beginning. I was scared and vulnerable but I did it anyways.
What now?
Where do I go from here?
The second day of the conference we were told to write a letter to exchange with another lady that weekend. Say something encouraging to someone who may be scared to start, or just needs to hear that she has what it takes to make it work. Be an encouragement.
Here's my letter:
Date 11/5/16
Dear ,
Never forget to always remember Whose you are. Use your gifts and talents to shine for His Kingdom and His glory and point people to Him. You were created for an amazing purpose. Take time to be still and hear what He has to tell you and move when He speaks. Don't doubt!
To love others well, you must first love yourself. There is no shame in treating yourself well.
Be humble and kind.
Step out in faith and take the next step. Always take the next step!
Yes! This is my advice and encouragement to everyone. All of it.
However, a few hours later, when it was time to exchange letters, the host tells us to open our books and fill in the
Dear____________________ with
our own name.
Why? Why is it SO HARD to apply these things to my own life when I feel like it's good advice for someone else?
Why is it so hard for me to love myself?
Why can I not wrap my brain around the fact that
I was created for a specific purpose?
ME.
Little ol' me.
Why?
Because that Satan,.. He is a crafty thing and always bent on destroying love and beauty. Women are his specialty. Of course he attacks men, too. Don't get me wrong. But he has a special hatred for anything that brings life and portrays the beauty of God.
And I have listened to his little whisperings in my ear.
"
Who do you think you are? You are nobody special. You will never amount to anything. Nobody cares."
And on and on he goes. And I have sat and listened to him for long enough.
I was created ON PURPOSE - FOR A PURPOSE!
I am still seeking out what that might be, but in the meantime, I am going to take some time to just
be still and listen. I am going forward from here believing that there is a special place for me and a me-sized hole waiting to be filled!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You and I are chosen for a purpose, we are healed for a purpose, we are called for a purpose, and that purpose always involves other people." - Christine Caine
