Almost exactly ten years ago I found out my job of five years as a retail manager would be ending. At the time my daughter, Adrienne, was still in high school and my Mr. AGPMan and I greatly depended upon my income. When the stationery store (CURRENT STATIONERS out of Colorado) closed up shop in January 2003 I had a big decision to make. Find another job in the day to day world or take a chance at running my A Gathering Place business one more time.
I chose the latter.
Even though being self-employed has it's drawbacks (like working sun-up to sun-down sometimes), I've never regretted returning to what I love. I knew then, as I do now, that it was time to get serious about the things I was passionate about in my life.
Yesterday I read the following quote that totally explains how I was feeling all those years ago. I hope if you are trying to decide WHAT to do with your life you'll step out on faith and make the changes necessary to return your heart to the things you love!
I believe our talents are gifts from God and
what we do with them are our gifts back to Him.
You KNOW He's on your side, right?
You KNOW He's on your side, right?
"You will not create change in your life
until you feel it in
your core
that your life must change.
This either happens through crisis-pain or
getting wildly excited
about
creating a life you love.
Don’t wait for crisis-pain!
Start now to get passionate about living
an awesome life…"
(Karen Salmanhosn)
Hope your day is filled with everything necessary to get you to where you need to be.
Love to you...
22 comments:
Well said Rebecca,, Hugs Marilou
Thanks for sharing this.
Hi Rebecca,
This spoke directly to my heart today.... as I have had this inward struggle lately. I'm trying to figure these things out.
Blessings,
Amy Jo
Thank you for the encouragement, Rebecca! After I move into our new house and then my grandchildren move away, I'm planning on opening a booth space in our antique mall and I really plan on making a go of it! If we buy the house we want, I will have my own little building just for my booth space stuff where i can paint, price and store things. I'm really looking forward to it and it's women like you who have given me the inspiration!
Thanks for being you! ♥
I love this post of yours and am so glad you LOVE what you decided to do.
I have just (in the last week) decided I needed to make some changes and posted about it in the Blog Post entitled "The Fork in the Road" - here's the link if you'd like to read it, Rebecca...http://allwaysdesigning.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-fork-in-road.html
Take care...
Jan ♥
Ever so true, Rebecca. My life started changing drastically in 2003, I worked out of high school for my parents small mfg. business...we closed in 2003. My brother almost lost his life from an on-site injury there and my precious brother-in-law died at 41 right before that. My sister would never grace the front door of the business again. I was going through a divorce after almost 30 yrs of marriage..but all that said..GOD has been FAITHFUL! He has taken me from there to now..and LIFE is GOOD. LORD, give me the direction in which you will have me go.....we may not understand change...but GOD has the plan for our life! From one sweetie to another~~~Roxie
Wow Rebecca, did this EVER speak to the core of my being. For a decade now I've worked in the corporate world in banking. We weren't good to prepare for our retirement earlier in life, so I've seen this as a blessing. But I don't have the energy to tap into my creativity at the end of the day...I dabble here and there...yet my dreams are so much bigger to do what I love. I use my lunch hour three times weekly to read to a recovering stroke patient friend of mine. The direction my heart wants to go in is many, my own business, working with people in need, it's much to ponder on. Thanks for the encouragement, I am going to pray on what you've shared today. I have wanted to start an Etsy Shoppe, but I put a lot of pressure on myself to create so much inventory before I do that. I guess God will just have to give me a more peaceful and polished vision so I can clearly follow Him where He leads me. THANKS again - YOU are a blessing my friend!!! Have a tremendously JOYfull SONshine filled day! xoxo ~CC Catherine
Beautiful! Have a blessed day dear friend, HUGS!
What an amazing quote, Rebecca! I am feeling the need for change, too. Thank you for the inspiration:)
Rebecca,
I agree!Beautiful inspiration!
xx
Anne
Such wise words spoken from a sweet heart.:)
You have a lovely way with words very inspirational post, change is good it helps us grow and look back at how far we have come in good and the bad. Have a lovely day. Tracy x
Rebecca- I so needed to hear this today. I have been trying to decide what I want to do- I have a few options and more than one is calling my name. I need to do some serious soul searching- xo Diana
Rebecca,
This quote has touched many of our hearts, it's awesome. My life changed when my husband Rick had his stroke. Had to make many changes in my life and in his, mine was crisis-pain. The good Lord has pulled us through all of the bad and we are in a good place now, we have adjusted to our new life.
Thank you and Hugs...Lu
Thank you for this post. It is exactly what I needed to hear today. I am in the crisis-pain place and have been trying to get up the nerve to make that change and do what I love.
Love that quote Rebecca... and I know you are doing exactly what you want to be doing in your life... and lucky me... I own a number of your beautiful creations from what you love to do!!!... xoxo Julie Marie
Read this before school today and left myself a note to read it again when I got home. I'm listening to God and am ready for Plan C of my life! I'm not a quick decision maker and mull things for ever and a day or two!! God knows this about me, so He's sent me TWO messages this week!! He might start getting cranky with me if I don't just DO IT! (I love Nike's old saying--don't even pay attention any more to ads to know what the latest of anything is). Hope you have a restful Labor Day--or will the time be spent at work?♥♫
Rebecca,
Thanks for the inspiration!!
As the major bread winner and the one who carries the Health care insurance, I can't stop working yet. If all goes as planned and I physically last full time for 3 more years, I then hope to be able to go to part time. I will still carry the health care but it will still be cheaper even at my part time status then what the federal government offers Joe at full time status. I am trying to build my 401 K up to an amount that when we retire, we will be set financially and not have to worry.
Then I will be able to have my little space and do my craft fairs. Hopefully, I will live that long!!
LOL!!
Hugs,
Deb
Rebecca ~~~ So true, I too believe our talents are gifts from God, thanks for the inspirational words from Karen Salmanhosn, those words really touched me.
Blessings,
Sincerely,
Michele
Pearl 13.1
Oh Rebecca you made the best decision! Your artworks are fabulous!!! I love to look at your items!
I have a big decision to make here soon and your post meant alot to me. Thanks!!
Have a blessed weekend.
xoxo
Kerri
What a shame it would be if you weren't using and sharing your beautiful God given talents. Good choice!!
I believe there are Angels among us Miss Rebecca. YOU, my friend, are one of them. I SO needed to read this today. I've been "cleaning house" of sorts in my mind, trying to decide what to do with myself and where to go with my dreams. I pray and ponder and then I blog LOL Sometimes we are gifts to each other and we don't even know it, wise woman. Thank you for the reminder of what our good Lord wants from us :)
Have a special holiday weekend!
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