My Job and Summer Camp (the power of an open palm)

I majored in History. 


Sometimes I wonder why God chose me for this job. There are 1,000 other people in our area way more qualified. But for whatever reason He still decided to follow through with me. A year and half in and I don't get it, I'll take it, I love it, but I still don't get it. 


In January of 2011 I came on staff with New Heights with the title of "Managing the boutique that will open up inside of a coffee shop that still isn't anywhere close to being done." 


With really no direction except that I would need to connect with a lady named Melody Murray (founder of JOYN, one of our most personal vendors) and  no clue where to start I began to google. Jumbling up the words..."Fair Trade, Christians, Products, Missionaries, Artisans and Countries. 


I prayed for guidance daily. I had boarded a plane blindfolded. I didn't even know when it would take-off let alone where we would land. 


During my googling frenzy I stumbled upon two vendors, Heavenly Treasures and Tukula. 


(Side-note: Praise God for google).


 Heavenly Treasures (HT) is a company that is based out of California and they are doing what The Global Shoppe wants to do on a much larger scale. They are partnered with missionaries in 13 different countries!!! HT is a nonprofit and all of their money is poured back into the artisans and projects they support. 


Caroline's mother founded HT and now she has a hand in helping run the family business. She and I began to dialogue back and forth about a partnership and had the chance to meet up last summer in California. It is so nice to have someone I can come to with questions, they get it, they've been at this a long time and I know the Lord blessed us with this relationship. Not just to have their products fill our shoppe but to also offer us guidance. 


Now for Tukula, today I got the chance to Skype with Joe (he and his wife Melissa are the founders). This was our first time to speak via screen. 


Tukula was established in March of 2011, they employ 5 women in Uganda. It wasn't until June of 2011 that products were shipped to the United States. 

Google brought me to their website in January 2012 just 7 months after their merchandise was ready for sale, I read their mission and sent them an email. Making The Global Shoppe their first big buyer in the U.S. (unbeknownst to me until today). We were both baby companies, the likelihood of me stumbling upon their website having just been launched was slim to none. 


To make things even weirder, Joe and his wife know many of the same people I know in Fayetteville. One of which had lived in Africa with them years ago. Until today Joe thought I had connected with them having heard through one of these people.


Not at all though, it was the Holy Spirit directing me their way so these brand new companies could bless one another. 


Shock and awe. The Lord orchestrates everything for His greater purposes. I think it hit me today that from the beginning He may have just needed someone incapable so that he could mold them into capability on His terms. 


At times along the way I've tried to take over and fly it myself, establishing some sense of control to make me feel better for the moment. But it's always the times when I throw my hands up in the air and ask him to just work through me that it turns out the way it's supposed to. 


Isn't that the way we are called to be? Last week at Ravencrest (the camp our youth goes attends) God began revealing to me the sin of control that I cling to. 

On the road to Colorado.

Ugh, is there anything worse than that moment where you see your dark in the midst of His light? It's sickening. On Sunday, Josh spoke to the youth about resetting the line, asking them if they dance along the fence of the world and following Christ at the same time, I began to wonder what my line was. 


My line is shame/guilt and true conviction. I walk along it like a beam, ice cream scooping my toes on either side all too often (those who grew up in Gymnastics will get this reference). I did this last week, shaming myself for the control exposed when all the while God is bringing it to light so he can heal it, not force me to wallow in it. 

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 

2 Corinthians 7:10

Today was a reminder of the good that comes upon my release. A year and a half ago when I was given this job my palms were open, laid out for him to give and take as he chose and today I reaped the fruit of that kind of life. 

I couldn't have orchestrated these partnerships if I tried a thousand times over. That is just it though, HE was in control from the beginning and because of this everything landed smoothly.  

Oh, how this makes me want to hold my palms open in all aspects of my life. He's calling me there, to lose myself and prepare for take off in a different way. 

This is necessary. 

Kels 

P.S. The Global Shoppe is blessed to partner with more than just the above vendors, check out these as well...Starfish Jewelry, Ergon, Sasa Designs, International Nepal Fellowship and Mercy International.