Sitting at our National
Conference a little over a week ago, as is customary, our incredible Founders knew the perfect
time to stir up a little extra activity amongst the attendees. We had all been like sponges absorbing
wonderful nuggets for success and personal growth, and had been stuck like glue
in our seats for hours so as not to miss a single word of wisdom and
information. To revive that physical
inactivity, they playfully tossed objects of energy drinks and squishies
at us with a warning for a head’s up so as not to catch anyone unaware and subsequently
injured in any way. I was fine as far as
my energy level went but when they made the call for the squishy, my hand shot
up like a 5 year old just wanting one of those treasures with all my
heart! I had no idea what it even looked
like but I wanted to be the possessor of one!
To my surprise, one shot straight into my hand with the greatest of
ease. It was as if on a zip line
connected to the Owner and me. I was now the
proud owner of a foam, two-tone green creature who stands about 3” tall,
grinning largely with raised hands and a stance that secures the weight of what
it is imaginarily holding.
On the following Monday having returned home, with a renewed
excitement to delve into my work as the recruiter for my husband Kurt and my business,
one of the first orders of business was to remove that squishy from my suitcase
and place it in his new home-under my PC monitor. I wanted an intentional visual throughout my day
that Kurt and I are thriving here with our business.
How could I not feel a sense of joy as I look at that innocent, supremely
happy green face, perfectly content in its assignment to help give me a
reminder that we are blessed! We ARE
thriving as we continue to grow in our place here!
I didn’t always feel this way, however. Kurt and I were at an all-time low point in
our marriage, when he came to me with a plan to come on board with his new
career here. I was the poster child for
skeptical! I was worn out and just wanted him to find something “safe” to get
us out of the tremendous debt we had incurred after a total between us of eight major
moves in less than five years, all of which required the services of wonderful
yet albeit expensive professional movers.
We didn’t have a barrage of people to ask to help us with any of those
moves. Either I relocated or he had or
we relocated together as our life took twists and turns to be in what we
believed was God’s ordination to place us geographically where we believed we should
be. Even though I trusted God for the
first ones, by the seventh move for me, I just felt I didn’t have the emotional
or physical endurance for yet another move.
Now, with the second company's corporate decision to downsize his
position as a business move here in Missouri, and severance having run out after we had only
made a couple of payments on the new house we had purchased together, we faced
the very real possibility we were going to have to move again. This would now bring my personal total of major moves to eight.
Because of particular circumstances, my trust had eroded in
everyone and even in God, the One I thought I would never mistrust again. I had grown in my relationship with Him and
now knew Him intimately since the mid 90’s and had been through far worse life
experiences than this current one. Those
previous events only served to strengthen my resolve that my Lord was there
with my family and me in the middle of our messes and He would bring
resolution as only He can that actually turns around bad things and brings life
and goodness out of them. However, this
time I just couldn’t seem to muster up that trust; I just didn’t want to. I wanted to wallow in self-pity and a victim mentality
because it just felt good and easier to go to that place instead.
So I had to fully rest on Kurt and his faith that the Lord would
somehow turn this latest possibility of losing our home into a place of greatness
which would bring a sense of security back to me that had slipped away from my
grasp. So I agreed, begrudgingly, that this next career would be our next path.
I never knew initially that my man, whose heart is the Lord’s,
would hear His voice clearly instructing to plant in the soil of an incredible
company. I didn’t know this amazing company would be used
by God to transform us individually, as a husband and wife, and as leaders to truly
thrive in a culture that is safe, and growth minded in areas which are far more
important than our income. Our income
has done a 180 degree turn, however, and with the math and cultural aspects behind
the business model I know it will continue to grow to a place of explosion which
will provide opportunities for giving in ways we have always wanted. We have been able to change some lives now
but I know it’s going to go a level of extravagant giving that we have never
imagined.
So what does my initial introduction of that little happy, green
squishy propped under my monitor have to do with this account of gratitude to
God and our business "home"? It’s my daily reminder which symbolizes:
-In trusting God, He is in control of the entire world (World
Wide Web I navigate daily on my PC and seeing He is holding the entire world in
His hands).
-The smile on his face reminds me to not let anything steal my
joy again. It’s my decision to maintain
my joy or to let it go. With God’s help,
no matter what it looks or feels like around me, I can choose to keep my joy,
knowing He will work things out for our good since we love Him and are called
according to His purpose. We will see
Him develop His purposes in this journey as we continue to seek Him for His plans for
us.
- At other times, that squishy represents offering my praise
to God (uplifted hands) whether it’s easy to do because things are working out
well or if it's a sacrifice to give it because it appears they are not. The Lord is worthy of my praise at all times.
-On squishy’s stomach (core of his being) are the words, “thrive”
and then “stop, focus, grow”. Truly, what’s
in the very midst of us has to be a mindset of life which is shown through the
fact that we are growing. If we aren’t
growing, there is no indication that we are living this life we were blessed
each day to be given by our Creator. In order to grow, we have to be
intentional to stop and focus on what we are called to do. Otherwise, it will elude us as only good
intentions which never evolved from a thought in our mind to an actual manifestation
in our lives and in the lives of others of whom we are to give. We can only give from what we personally
possess.
It’s all a matter of trust, which comes from authentic
relationships and grace when those disappoint, gratitude in always seeing how
blessed we truly are, and intentional actions to bring us to a place we can
truly thrive in this life.
So like my squishy friend, be joyful, be grateful, and know
this is bigger than us as it’s all being upheld by a God who is more than
enough to take care of it.
