It has been such a blessing to truly focus on my shop consistently. Creating monthly subscription boxes has continuously inspired me to find new ways to encourage you to spend more time in God's Word through beautiful stationery.
Truthfully, it's been challenging at times to develop designs that I believe you'll enjoy and that also resonate aesthetically with me. In unexpected ways, this stationery shop has actually pushed me closer to God than I ever imagined possible.
I've had to rely on Him for product ideas, new strategies to share the stationery, and most importantly, to bring the very women He created me to serve. Living out your purpose isn't easy. There are days when I've found myself crying out, "God, You called me to do this! I need You to step in. Don't You see all the things I'm juggling? Why would You ask me to do this when You know I have to work, care for my family, rest, and so much more?"
There have even been days when I just wanted an "out." I've longed for that viral video that sells out all my products so I could just be done with it! 😂 I've dreamed of achieving a full-time entrepreneur income, so I could stop working in HR and having difficult conversations daily with people who have lost jobs, had job offers rescinded, or didn't receive the pay they expected.
Some days, I've wanted to give up entirely. But what kind of servant would I be if all I did was serve myself? What kind of Christian would I be if I didn't experience trials? What testimony could I share with another woman going through a difficult season if I hadn't also walked through the storm?
I won't lie to you: I don't understand the vastness of God's plans or His ways. His thoughts are most definitely not my thoughts. But it brings me so much peace to know that He cares for me. And He cares for you too.
What I am learning as I continue to do my work "unto the Lord"—whether that work is at my 9-5 job, with my husband, my kids, my business, or anything else—is that when I do it unto Him, it is never in vain.
Do I have difficult days where I don't quite understand how God will use the current circumstance? Most definitely. But even in those challenging moments, I see how He is allowing it to transform me. He uses these situations to draw me closer to Him, and in return, He draws closer to me.
He uses those difficult conversations to grow and sharpen me as an intercessor. He uses the difficult people to grow my spiritual eyes and ears, helping me to discern the spirit they are operating out of and to rebuke any demonic forces at play.
He uses casual conversations with friends to help me see new areas where I can grow in my faith and ask God for more of Him.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." – Romans 8:28 (NIV)
I pray today that you would ask God to shift your perspective so that in all times, you would see, believe, and declare that all things are working together for your good.
