Tag: faith

Chronicles of a SAHM, Lavender Fields Creations, Saving Money

Unexpected Surprises

Sonja Hollis

I have been struggling to find the perfect fit when it comes to finding part-time, work from home employment.  For me, it is much easier to find employment in a brick and mortar business and just as easy to find part time, but looking for a flexible, permanent, part-time, work-from-home job – has not proven an easy task for me.

I need flexibility because I invest so much of my time into my children and their activities.  In addition, I have to make accommodations due to my disability.  I can’t lift heavy things or sit/stand for long periods. I also cannot be outside in extreme weather- so yeah – my opportunities are limited.

I have continued to focus on growing my own business during my job search however, by making jewelry, painting, and writing.  It can be so disheartening when the money just doesn’t come in fast enough.  I try not to get discouraged, because I still get a pension check and of course, my husband – but it’s nothing like working to get what you want. Sometimes, I break down and allow myself to cry but then I pick myself right back up and pray and work as hard as I can.  I am researching new ways to “enlarge my territory”  and finding new networking opportunities to increase the traffic to my store, Lfieldscreations.etsy.com.

My husband, having seen me trying as hard as I could for additional employment and working hard every day to create items for my store, did something I was not expecting.  It happened on the day where I was about to break down again but instead prayed and asked the Lord for guidance because I wanted to make sure that what I was doing was what God wanted me to do.  Then, I received an email copy from my husband:

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Cricut Maker -Everything Rose Bundle

It was letting me know that “my” Cricut Maker was on the way!  I cried like a baby! I mean – ugly cried.  To have someone believe in me and support me in the ways that he has shown me – setting up both my business and crafting offices, installing a landline, and now buying a Cricut! I am so grateful and excited! This is confirmation for me.  I have been watching Youtube videos and writing notes preparing myself for the day that I could afford it.  I wanted to be ready to go whenever I got it.  My friend Sarah and I talked about it all the time about what we would do when one of us got one…and now I do.  I can’t wait to start our craft days.

God is so good and His goodness knows no limits. I give Him all the glory.   Love yall.

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Chronicles of a SAHM, Journaling

“Faith without Works is Dead”

Sonja Hollis

I ask for the Lord to use me daily -to be a light for others to see His goodness.  I also ask for the Lord to bless my creativity.  My heart is always in the right place, just not my head and for that reason, I have made a very costly error in not moving when the Spirit tells me to move.

A year ago, I was blessed with an idea that could make a huge impact in the world. I only told my husband about it because I didn’t want anyone else to steal the idea.  I worked on it for about a week, but allowed my finances to be an excuse to not continue.  I looked for patents – none were found – not even pending. I knew that I would have to hire an attorney and then pay for the patents.  The costs seemed to keep piling up, so to add another bill was just not a smart thing to do (flesh talking).  But God gave me that idea, right?  I knew the Lord wouldn’t bring me that far and leave me.  So, I did the easy parts; bought the supplies, created a journal to document the ideas over time and I even tried to make it myself.  Then, I put it all in a drawer and left it alone.

Some time later, my husband asked what I was going to do with my idea.  I told him that I needed help with drawing.  He told me to try it on my own.  He told me to add the free apps to help me with drawing. So I tried.  I worked on it for another week or so, then lost interest.

I always kept in the back of my head, thinking…”I need to work on that” but then, I didn’t for one reason or another -“It’s too expensive,” “I don’t have time,” and “It’s no longer needed.”

Late last night, I opened my facebook page and what was staring at me in my face?  The idea the Lord gave to me.  Except, it didn’t have my name on it…deservedly so.  It was on a major news website. I couldn’t even be upset. I could not even cry.  It was my own fault. The Lord supplied my needs according to my faith, but as it said in James 2:14-26, “Faith without works is dead.”  He handed me bread to eat because I was hungry, but I didn’t eat because I was too lazy to lift my hand to my mouth.

I can only pray that I do better when given another opportunity.

I decided to write about it today because I believe it’s important to share my trials just as I share my testimonies and so others dont make the same mistake.  Keep the faith, keep praying and keep going- don’t quit.