Moving Time!

Bear with me as I'm building a new home on the internet. I'll let y'all know where it is as soon as construction is done!

We Have A Trades of Hope Winner!

Sorry for the delay. There's been a family tragedy that I've been dealing with, but Stephanie has gone ahead and picked a Trades of Hope Winner and here she is to announce who gets this beautiful scarf:

Congratulations to Amber Johnson our Trades of Hope blog post winner! Please contact Stephanie Erickson at stephaniefortradesofhope@outlook.com to claim your beautiful Nepali Scarf. The Nepali scarf is made on a hand loom out of recycled silk and cotton. Nepal is a very poor country. Women not only contend with dire poverty but sex trafficking as well. Trades of Hope empowers women to build a sustainable business that provides a better way of life for themselves and their families!

Congratulations Amber!

Wait

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, there will be a wait for me announcing the winner for the Trades of Hop Giveaway. I'm really sorry about this.

When The 'What Ifs' Turn to Yeses!

There seems to be an increasing interest in the introvert versus extrovert topic lately so much so that I saw someone post to Twitter the other day that saying you're an introvert is the new gluten-intolerant stance. It's trendy. I've never really been clear on where I stand on the introvert to extrovert status. I've heard it said that an introvert may not say much but there are things constantly running in their mind. That is my mind.

I may not be writing here much lately but if you could be in my mind and hear the thoughts, oh man, would you be excited for the future posts I have swirling around in my head. Why am I waiting though? I'm waiting because I want things to be good. I want to impart the things I've learned, the things I love and the things that encompass my mind on here. I want to impart them well. I'm not waiting on perfection right now though, I'm waiting on time. 

Start Experiment Round One lit a fire under my blogging bum and came at a time where there was a lot of 'What ifs?' up in the air. Now it's Start Experiment Round Two and I'm ironing out a lot of the awesome that has happened from Round One and looking at new Round Two opportunities. 

In Round One, I risked two things: getting a job I loved and working on my blog consistency. I was blessed to get a job at a church within the first two days of assignments being released. It is a huge victory knowing that I will be doing something I love doing. I had a little more time to start getting blog consistency worked up and working on some new exciting changes for it. In addition to this, I got to edit a book for a new friend. More than all of that though, I have found a loving community of dreamers. 

In the end of Round One, I started my new job in a new city. We're well into Round Two and I'm currently working remotely as I wait for some medical things to be taken care of for my Dad. I'm working, packing, taking care of my sister, saying goodbye to friends (and hello to a few who have been out of the country), making sure my dog is okay along with Start and so many new opportunities that seem to be knocking on my door right now. It's been a whirlwind of a few weeks and I'm crazy excited about all of the opportunities from having my photography in an art show to having a giveaway to making new connections with amazing individuals. 

It's time consuming though and with the 'What ifs?' turning into 'Yeses', it's becoming impossible to keep up with everything. It's impossible to say yes to everything. It's a problem that I've encountered and befriended for years now. It's time to learn to say things like 'wait' and 'not now' and even the dreadful 'no'. I need to let you know more for myself than you really that I have great dreams that I'm going to make sure don't stay in the land of dreams even if they have to frolick out there in fields filled with unicorn and streams of chai tea lattes for awhile as boxes are packed, new routines are settled into and things are figured out. 

It's been a wild ride and even though my dreams seem to just linger out in front of me right now, dreaming with the knowledge that I can do something about them and an amazing community supporting me is good enough for the time being. It is good enough to wait for better timing not due to perfection but due to the necessity of saying 'not now'.

Trades of Compassion - Who Are They? & A Scarf Giveaway!

Editor’s Note: I wanted to bring in the opportunity for others to get their stories out whether it is fashion, a ministry that is near and dear to their heart or they just want to share. I'd like to introduce you to my friend, Stephanie, a Compassion Entrepreneur for Trades of Hope. You can visit her shop here: mytradesofhope.com/stephanieerickson70. She blogs over here & tweets over there: @ericksonsteph Here she is to tell you a little bit about what stirs her heart:

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your story?
Hello, my name is Stephanie Erickson, I am married and am a mother to five kids (two are biologically mine) ages 11 to 28. I enjoy reading and writing in my spare time - althought there's not much of that. I homeschool one of my children - my 13 year old daughter who attends a small charter/home- school every Friday during the school year. I serve as the PTO Vice president of her school. I am in charge of fundraising for my step-son's premier soccer team and am a Compassion Entrepreneur with Trades of Hope.

What got you interested in Trades of Hope?
My interest in Trades of Hope stems from personal tragedy. Due to people whom I love dearly and out of respect for them I will not mention names nor specifics. Just know that I understand the pain of a mother who has become fully aware of the suffering her child/children have experienced by the hand of a person who was supposed to be trustworthy. My heart has been so devastated that the only way for me to cope was to help suffering women and children suffering. The thought that I am making a difference brings joy to my brokenness and prevents bitterness from touching my soul.

What particular aspect of TOH captures your heart the most? Why?
One of the most rewarding experiences for me is the blessings my friends and family give me in allowing me to host a party in their home. This gives me opportunity to share my burden for these women and children worldwide who suffer in extreme poverty and/or sex trafficking dangers. To bring truth to people and birth hope to women who only want a chance not a handout brings immense satisfaction to my heart. It is an honor working with so many like-minded women who truly desire to break cycles of poverty and sex trafficking worldwide!

How have you changed since you started working with TOH?
I feel more hopeful than I ever have. I feel like there truly is a way to help sex trafficking victims and poverty stricken women worldwide.

Which is your favorite piece and how do you love to wear it?
I like so many items. I guess my favorite is the Sunrise Necklace from India. The colors are red, brown and oranges. It is a beautiful piece. 

The most touching items are two from our own country (USA) and a third from Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi item is soap in a variety of scents made by former sex slaves. All these women are able to be free of sex abuse and provide for themselves through the making of The Sacred Mark Soap Set. This item that makes you clean is such a perfect fit! 

Cherished, a ministry in California, focuses on teaching women who were terrorized by sexual exploitation how to function in society again. These women make a variety of items but Trades of Hope purchases a pendant called The Redeemed from this ministry. One of the neatest things is that upon completion of the piece the artisan engraves her initials on the back - the redeemed proclaiming their redemption. 

Thistle Farms in Tennessee ministers to women who have suffered through sexual exploitation, addictions and domestic violence. These women make a variety of body products and Trades of Hope purchases their all natural Lip Balms.

Thanks to Stephanie and Trades of Hope, they would love to give one of my lucky readers their gorgeous Nepali Aqua Scarf for free! Who wants a gorgeous scarf for free? I thought so! Leave a comment on here on a way that Trades of Hope has struck a chord with your heart. This giveaway is open from Monday, August 12, 2013 until Wednesday, August 28, 2013. Stephanie and I will be choosing the winning comment after that (if you have any questions, feel free to ask!). We can't wait to hear your stories!

Swirling Around In My Head

I don't feel like doing this. I've got a swirling of thoughts encompassing my mind begging me to go to bed and forget all of them for a later time. I've got work thoughts piquing up with questions on what to do and when. I have health questions begging to know when things will be better and why not yet? I've  got fashion and stores and price tags swirling around in a creative project featuring one of my dearest friends in the world with a complete wardrobe overhaul. I've got thoughts of what's next in this or that TV show with no time to find out. I've got writing to do, blogging to take care of, messages to reply to, posts to create, etc. etc. I've got a book to edit. I've got packing to take care of. When will this or that be ready? I tend to have a ton of things open on my laptop and I guess that's just how my brain works. 

Most of all, I'm looking for rest and to figure out why God won't let me shake the lyrics of Alli Rogers, The Day of Small Things and Zechariah 4:10 where it says, "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin..." There's surely a lot of work to begin. {Go look up the song, it's totally worth it!}

What's swirling around in your head? What thoughts are you having trouble shaking?

A Few Words Written, A Few Words Read, & A Cup of Clean Water

The internet is a huge place. For my explorer's heart, there's a lot to discover. One of the best things that has come from the Start Experiment is a ton of new blogs, ideas, internet spaces that I can explore. I feel like over the past few weeks I have learned a great deal from people that just a few weeks ago I did not have any knowledge of them, their stories, their hurts, their causes, their fears, and what makes them come alive.

It's funny. I saw the simple tweet from Jon Acuff when I was sitting on a hotel bed pondering a life altering decision and decided 'Why not?'. A simple tweet, a quick email back and a lifetime changed is how it has turned out. I've been reading his stuff for years now. It's amazing to have seen a community connected just through his writings rally around each other to support each others' dreams coming true.

One of the fantastic things I've run across is Cause Pub which is a 'for-profit crowd-book-publishing company that partners with nonprofits to help them achieve specific goals within specific causes'. For their latest venture, they have gathered 127 storytellers together to share the moments when they have been pushed outside of their comfort zones to experience the world around them.

The best part? You get to read tons of awesome stories and help people around the world through Blood:Water Mission to help provide clean water in Africa. Why clean water? Because water is life giving.

Another really cool thing? You can read and vote on some of your favorite stories to be in the book. Would you rather write or photograph? CausePub provides those options too. How cool is that?

Their newest release, Couch Rebels, is coming on August 14. Go ahead and purchase it. I know I can't wait to get my hands on it!