last week i shared with you my sewing story — a little glimpse into how i came to owning a small indie business by learning to sew in a most unconventional way! today, i want to share with you a continuation of that story…. how God is allowing me to use sewing as a means to combine a spiritual gift, a love language & a desire to create. thank you so much for reading along as i share such a huge part of my heart with you guys!
♥ ♥ ♥
when i first started sewing & filling my shop with handmade goods last year, i was overwhelmed by the fact that people actually wanted to buy my stuff! i was excited, thrilled even, but definitely overwhelmed. i had just learned to sew & looking back now, i cringe at the quality of some of my earlier items that people paid for. i had no idea what God has in store for me — in fact, at that time, i didn’t even realize that God’s hand was at play in the whole scheme of Marine Parents.
it wasn’t until about three months ago when our small group in california was discussing spiritual gifts that God chose to open my eyes & guide my heart down a renewed path for business ownership. in the weeks following, through more small group discussions & supplemental sermons on sundays, i realized that God had put me right where i needed to be & He had given me the tools to finally find my purpose & a meaningful way to serve Him with a full heart.
can we just stop for a second & soak that in?? because after 26 frustrating years of not knowing my purpose, this was pretty life-changing.
with this new information in hand, i was excited to redirect myself, my thoughts & my actions in owning & operating my own handmade venture. can i just say that i get goosebumps & tear-filled eyes when i let my mind wander over the breakdown of this amazing, God-sent equation that i’ve been blessed with??
a spiritual gift + a love language + a desire to create
=
a blessing unto God
let’s talk first about spiritual gifts. everyone is blessed with at least one dominant gift {1 peter 4:10} & many combine several strong suited gifts to serve the Lord & others. for SO long, i didn’t feel a strong pull towards any of the common knowledge spiritual gifts. i wasn’t a healer, prophet or speaker of tongues. i wasn’t meant for leadership, nor did i have a heart for unconditional mercy. our pastor introduced me to a quick online spiritual gifts assessment where i found more spiritual gifts, talents & abilities that resonated loudly in my heart.
craftsmanship is a common vehicle used to exercise the gift of service. that’s me!!!! when my assessment results were tallied & this gift was rated ten fold higher than any other, it was like the muck was wiped from my eyes & i felt my heart stirring with His calling.
another spiritual gift & my long time love language:: hospitality {also known as acts of service}. i was once asked what part of my life does my shop actually represent. my answer now would absolutely be my service to others. i long to care for others, to make sure they are well taken care of — well fed, pampered & comfortable. i didn’t realize it until then, but when i finally found my little niche in the handmade market, it was because i was creating items that shadowed this gift.
ruffled iPad & eReader sleeves:: made to safely protect & care for your electronics.
knotted necklaces:: perfectly soothes a teething baby’s gums.
toddler backpacks:: to carefully tote around all his or her’s little treasures.
when i finally had all the necessary insight to put together this equation, i was so humbled by the Lord. i knew i had been praising Him & giving thanks along the way; desperately trying not to make this whole shop thing “my thing.” but this was the icing on the cake — a firm understanding as to why God had given me the tenacity to learn to sew, the bumps in the long road to get where i am now, the encouragers who keep my handmade heart afloat.
now when i sew, it’s not just a “thank you” thing — it’s a service thing. by honoring God in what i do, He’s blessed me with an opportunity to share Him with others — through the outpouring of love as i stitch each product together & the top notch customer service that i strive so hard to maintain in hopes of building lasting clientele relationships. relationships that grow beyond my storefront, hopefully finding their way along to my little ol’ blog where i can share my blessings & my heart. where i can hopefully share Christ & the fact that He has a purpose for me — He has a purpose for all of us.
it just may take 26 years to find the right equation.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
love this so much, April. love your heart on this!
thank you jacky! you are such a sweet new friend :]
Good thought and thanks for sharing!
Throughout the past year especially, I have prayed fervently, that God would reveal my Spiritual gifts. Because honestly, I don’t see them. This post was very uplifting and reminds me that God reveals in His own time, not mine. Your story gives me encouragement to continue seeking His will. Thank you so much for sharing!
I also wanted to thank you for sharing the Spiritual Gifts Assessment. I took one, years ago, but just went back to test again. My top 3 are mercy, discernment, and craftsmanship. Now to figure out how to use them…….:hmmm.
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i’m so glad the post helped you in a few different ways!! have you read the five love languages?? i feel like love languages absolutely coincide with spiritual gifts & maybe reading through the book would help you discern [!!!] where you are lead to best use your gifts!
I have been praying so hard that God reveal my purpose, my niche, reveal me..the real me. I’m also 26, well, 27 next week but…26.
I have had 2 different Etsy shops over the past 3 years, I try my hand at so many different things but nothing gives me just pure joy. Nothing I do feels like the right fit. I’ve loved crafting for as long as I can remember. I am also a SAHM of 2&3 year old girls & have been trying to find a way to help my family financially. My love language is gifts. Anyone & everyone (even strangers that are kind) I adore, I make them something or buy them something. It’s my way of saying I appreciate you, I like that you’re in my life, and I love you as my sister or brother in Christ. Anyway!! Last night I was talking to God, basically begging, for him to show me what I’m good at. What is my future? who is the real me? What do I enjoy? Why do I get interested in so many things but they don’t fill my soul so I just quit??? And then today, I see your blog post. It gives me hope. A little bit of hope that I’m not doomed.
i’m so glad we connected, kara! your comment is so sweet & you’ll be on my heart + in my prayers as you search for direction.
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