Yesterday was a long day but another victory. My store manager, Tami and I spent about 5 hours driving…pulling a trailer in some fierce winds. All that time driving to just spend about an hour at our second location in Tecumseh. We delivered some displays and hung the new sign. We also took a few minutes to stop by the Greater Lenawee Chamber of Commerce where we met the new Chamber President Sean Dennis. If others are as kind and enthusiastic as Sean I suspect a very welcoming atmosphere. We picked up the key from our new landlord Daniel Stahl of Integrity Painting Pros, LLC and set forth our plan to move forward. We are very excited for the new people we anticipate meeting and to be able to provide our services to them. Tami is looking forward to not only meeting many of the business owners and organization leaders but is already adding dates to her calendar of various community events. As a business owner I have always felt it important to participate in the community. It is great exposure but it is even more rewarding.

This victory belongs to God first. He is doing wonderful things in my life. These last couple of months have been so eye opening. I never realized that God could care so much about me and my simple business of printing apparel. Though my days on this earth will end and my business will no longer be of importance to me I realize now that God doesn’t just want us to live for Him but He expects us to live for Him while we enjoy our life. I have succeeded and I have failed at many things but I have never failed without learning from the experience and getting right back up to keep going. My biggest challenge was that I did this for so long on my own. When things would get hard I would question myself as to why. Sometimes I would even ask God why but in a way that I really was not acknowledging Him nor seeking His guidance. I was just using Him as an outlet for my anger and frustration. As James 4:10 says “Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.” That is the biggest change in my life. I realize now that I do not have to do anything alone. When I feel stress or frustration or even anger coming on I now shout out to the Lord. I ask Him where am I going wrong, what can I do differently, what is your will for my life at this given moment. This is literally the chain of events that occurred just a couple of weeks ago. Please stay with me as I share an experience from just a few weeks ago.

In October we had a pretty good savings to get us through the winter. It was far from wealth and complete stability but it was sufficient to carry us with minimal work coming in during the winter. The problem was for over two months or more there was literally no work. The cash flow dried up. Well about that time at the end of October the pastor of one of our local churches approached me and informed me they were looking at changing the name of the church and would need to replace the sign we made for them a couple of years ago. Well this is the same pastor that has been assisting my wife and I with counseling. So after he told me and knowing we were sitting pretty good I told my wife I was going to donate the sign. As we got through winter it was not until January that he was ready to order the sign. When the day came to deliver the sign I really teetered on whether to donate it as now our savings had been depleted and there was still no work. I told him that there was no bill and I am telling you my anxiety skyrocketed. I needed the money. But I also knew that I had told my wife out loud and God had also heard. The pastor had no idea I had made that decision. Well here is the exciting part. As the pastor was leaving the store one of my salespeople rolled in. She had an order for 200 shirts! The next couple of days another 100 shirts rolled in. The amazement that I felt inside was mind blowing. This opened my eyes to how much God is truly paying attention to even our simplest of trials and tribulations. He hears and sees eveything in your life and the only thing that keeps Him on the outside looking in is you. If you live God’s way and if you give God’s way, you can expect him to multiply your seed of generosity: “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness” (2 Corinthians 9:10). As my pastor said, after exclaiming joy, “He doesn’t always rain down money, but He always meets your needs.” That was the incredible part. The work we received wasn’t wealth that we could pander away on things of pleasure. It was enough to get us through hard times and to keep going. I have been in this business several years and that jump in business is over a month early compared to every single year we have been doing this. Since this day a couple weeks ago doors have opened and opportunities have presented themselves. It is what drew us toward Tecumseh. He has purpose for us there. Not just me but my employee Tami. Her children are now grown and moving south, her father is down there. She gets to be closer to her family and continue to be part of this business that she has become accustomed to. What a win win for both of us. When I searched for a location in that area I literally only found one listing online throughout several towns. He led me to our new landlord and he blessed us with a great deal and opportunity.

This circumstance grew me closer to my Heavenly Father. It amazed me but also humbled me to know I am not alone in my journeys. It softened my heart to be even more giving than I was and gave me the confidence to know that my needs will be met. I will not quit and I will always give the glory to God.

Heavenly Father I thank you for all you do in our lives. I thank you for each day that we are able to honor you as we journey through life. I thank you for the people you have brought into my life and continue to bring into my life. May I be an example for you as I work diligently in my own business. I pray that you watch over Tami as she takes on the task of being responsible for this new location and that she may reap many rewards for her loyalty and dedication to our company. I pray that we may benefit our new landlord Dan and that we build a lasting friendship. God you are awesome and your way makes more sense than any effort I have ever made on my own. I am excited but still pray that you work on my anxiety as I come to terms with my abilities and inabilities, knowing that you have got this. Amen

GOD HAS GOT THIS!