The Big Surprise Shocker: Journal #19

Journal entry: “Lord, thank you for the many blessings of yesterday.”

Simple. That’s all I wrote at the beginning of my journal entry when I opened it up this week. I knew I had a great week and made so many strides towards many projects we are working on at CW. But until I started writing it down, I had only felt joy and a sense of accomplishment.

Then, the big surprise shocker happened.

Okay, here’s where I need to back up a bit.

This past year, I’ve been sharing how I’ve sort of gone back to school to learn how to properly run a foundation; launch a ministry that is more effective and intentional. Through coaching with a non-profit coach, taking classes, and the prayer of mighty friends, the fear of failure over time has slowly subsided. Especially over finances. In the past, one of the thoughts that continuously ran rapid in my mind was, “why would anyone want to give?” Then I got the slap in the face that it wasn’t about the money, it was about the women we are helping. Oh yeah, that’s right!

The thoughts then turned to why wouldn’t people want to give? That was hurdle #1.

Hurdle #2 came when I finally said out loud at our team retreat this summer that we were headed somewhere bigger. And that bigger meant physically bigger – a building bigger. A big building where women can come to find refuge in a lovely environment to meet with their dream launcher friends, where we would gather for our monthly Gather Her, hosts other non-profits or churches for their events and team meetings, a place where God-ideas can came true and women everyone walk out knowing who they are created to be! Much. Bigger.

….Gulp!

Maybe it’s time to pause, because I sure had to pause after I heard the idea. I mean, who am I?

But then, who am I not? I am a child of God, a daughter of the King, chosen, loved and more than a conqueror just like you!

Okay, back to the big surprise.

Last week while I was on the phone with my coach talking through our financials as we enter into fundraising season – of course, we are not ready to break ground, buy a building or start looking at decorations – she said what we can do and should do is hire an architectural designer to draw the building. With that said, the action step would be to include the action of creating a design plan as part of our fundraising package. “That’s a great idea,” I thought! But then the fear said, ‘Where in the world do I find a designer?”

So here’s the timeline:

• Tuesday: I pulled out our budget for 2017 and added line item “Architectural Designer” and then stared at it. For a really long time. What dollar amount do I put on that big blank staring back to me?

• Wednesday: You could say it was a random act or maybe it wasn’t, but I stopped in “randomly” at a local co-working place and as I was getting the tour, I commented how I loved the design asking who their designer was because I, too, was looking for one. Well, wouldn’t you know it, the kind lady who was giving me the tour walked me straight over to a woman sitting in the corner who was working on her designs. She was an architectural designer! Okay, so that may not be a big deal to you, but it is to me! I mean its not in my daily routine that I meet architectural designers!

After our introduction I explained the vision of the building – a place for everyday women just like me and you who have found themselves sitting on the sidelines of life and are ready to dive back into life, a place of healing and where dreams are birthed, a place where women can become the leaders they were always meant to be and learn how to make a difference in their community, church, and family. The much bigger.

So here’s the BIG SURPISE!

As I was journaling my simple, “Thank you,” the Lord gently and quietly spoke to my heart that the “chance meeting” with the architectural designer that I don’t meet everyday didn’t happen until I took even the small step of faith to write it down (Habakkuk 2:3). Just by writing it down it was as if I recognized the need and planted a seed of faith that this is true.

An idea that seemed bigger than me, God showed me He’s bigger than any idea!

What’s bigger than you?

[title subtitle="Vision Statement for CW Building"][/title]

The Created Woman building is a place where God-ideas are created and brought to life! It's where dream launcher friends gather to launch dreams that impact communities. It’s where women can grow in their faith in a lovely environment that feels safe and warm while equipping themselves and each other on how to walk out their purpose!

[title subtitle="We need your ideas!"][/title]

Tell us below what you think this building – a meeting place, a place of gather – should be called? Give us your God idea in the comments below.