What It's All About

For some time now I've been struggling with business. Things have been so slow and I get discouraged. I see others selling online - selling lots - and I just can't figure out why I don't. I was going to give it up completely. I had the retirement sale and then got so many kind emails from customers begging me not to. I knew in my heart that I could never give up making soap or bath products. I love it that much.

But I still have felt a sense of restlessness. I've prayed and prayed for God's direction. After all, this is His business. He gave me the talent and guides my hands in what I do.

Today I got direction. I got an email from sweet Cora who is battling breast cancer. She is now undergoing radiation treatment - we all know what that does to a person's skin. She was checking in to thank me for prayers and then asked if I had ever thought about making a salve/balm/butter for breast cancer radiation patients. Something that would be natural and healing (the stuff she got from the hospital is mostly petroleum jelly and mineral oil). My mind had kind of been going that way for a couple of days after reading her posts on her blog about her treatments.

I read a post on MaryJane's Farm Forum the other day from a Farmgirl who was asking for help with her skin problems. She said that her skin was so dry and sometimes her face just burned and hurt. I posted some ideas for her and then decided to send her a sample bar of my calendula soap.

There have been other instances like these two. People who have skin issues and just can't find relief from over-the-counter things. When I send samples I truly don't do it to try and sell. I just want these poor people to find some relief from their discomfort. That's when I realized why I haven't felt like I have been getting an answer to my prayers about my business.

I was focusing on selling. I was so worried about being one of the "big soap sellers." I was trying to build a business so that I could have income for retirement in a few years. It was all about the dollar. That's not what it's all about. That's what God has been trying to tell me and I wasn't listening.

It's about helping. It's about listening to those around me who are having problems with their skin and finding a way to help them. Finding a way for them to have natural products with ingredients that will actually do something for their skin. It all became so clear - the money is like the frosting on the cake. It's the added blessing. I just wept because I finally had my answer.

I have felt excitement today that I haven't felt for a long, long time. I will probably never get rich monitarily from my business. That has never been my intention anyway. I do it because I love it. Now I will be rich in the knowledge that I can create to help people to feel better. What a blessing!