Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. Psalm 143:10
This is my life verse, and I remind myself of it often. I want to always be learning and growing, discovering my why and what it means to live in God’s will. Looking back, I can see how His gracious Spirit has been leading me all along, even when God and faith were the last things on my mind. The path hasn’t always felt firm and steady, but God has been my rock and my light.
I recently listened to a podcast about finding our why, and one thought stayed with me: “Our why is an act of service.” Just as Jesus taught us, we are here to serve, not to be served.
Sometimes I wish Cherith were further along after being in business a couple of years. But I’m learning that slow is good. Slow is steady. Slow is firm footing, and I am becoming my why along the way. Cherith was created to encourage and uplift others, but God has a beautiful way of using the people I meet through Cherith to encourage me, too.
At times, stepping outside my comfort zone brings clarity to my why. I was so excited for the Paper World Stationery Expo in September. Out of 80+ vendors and over 1,000 attendees, Cherith was the only faith-forward stationery brand there. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but there were so many moments I will treasure. One VIP attendee told me Cherith was the first table she wanted to visit that day. I was truly honored.
Throughout the day, I heard things like “We need this,” “It’s refreshing,” and even “God directed me to you.” Hearing those words meant so much to me.
I also loved hearing who everyone was choosing gifts for: daughters, moms, neighbors, friends, and students. Our new Blind Date Books with God were a favorite and sold out. Someone told me I had inspired her to start her own business, and a generous customer came back and gifted me a Paper World tote bag.
I left that day so grateful for every conversation and every person I met, knowing God is using Cherith to spread His love.