Thursday, March 9, 2017

Serving Others

At 25, I was President and Founder of a company that was the largest buyer of home furnishings accessories in the country.  I had Sears, Rhodes Furniture, and Farmers Furniture chains as several of my clients.

I felt like I had hit a pinnacle in my career.

Ever since college I had been so focused and driven to make something of myself.  But when I turned 25, I looked around at my life, and while I had achieved some level or success, it didn't feel like what I thought it would.  I suddenly  had a desire to "give back," although I wasn't sure what that would look like.

A lot of people I knew were volunteering on non-profit boards, but that didn't feel right to me.  I wanted to really get involved.

So I started doing some research and came up with the Guardian ad Litem program.  I decided to go through the training and become a volunteer.

What I soon discovered is that I had the power to truly make a difference in a child's life.  Judges listened to what I had to say because I did my homework and my focus was to help that child.  I could get services put in place and move that child through the system faster.

It sparked a passion inside of me to find other ways to help kids within the foster care system.

I soon saw so many needs that were going unmet and I got on the Guardian ad Litem Guild  as a Board member to loosen their purse strings and use money to recruit and retain more guardian volunteer. 

Then after a year I decided to create my own non-profit to get kids adopted out of the foster care system and help support some basic needs that were going unmet.  Up to that point there were no marketing programs letting people in the community know about these children languishing in foster care.

I have always found the greatest satisfaction from empowering others with what they needed, providing tools or resources.  And also helping kids in particular, find their gifts or talents, and helping them unleash their desire.

Ephesians 2:10 ~ "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do".   

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