Better than Better Business
- Amanda
- Jun 18, 2018
- 3 min read
My whole life I’ve never really known what I want to do or what I want to be when I “grow up”. Ok, scratch that; for a large portion of my childhood I wanted to be Michelle Kwan. Due to a certain lack of grace, that dream quickly faded and as I progressed through high school, college, and beyond I was told I could do almost anything I wanted (except probably be Michelle Kwan). For the longest time that was a frustrating, intimidating, and even scary thing to me.
However, despite my lack of a specific career path I have always been quite certain on what I am passionate about and those passions have simply grown and evolved as I get closer and closer to the elusive title of “grown up”. I’ve always loved reading, writing, communicating, and helping others. From those elementary school summers my aunt made my brothers and I write for at least 10 minutes a day (and I managed to fill pages upon pages with my ramblings) to my first post-graduate job in Motorsports Public Relations in which I wrote countless press releases and tweets.
Through helping my family start and run a local coffeehouse I discovered what I thought was a new passion, but really turned out to simply be a different manifestation of the same passions I’ve always had; business with a purpose: actively sharing the love of Christ with others through honest and open communication and meeting their needs where they are.
Take a quick peak into my closet and you will see I am a sucker for a company that does more than just sell a quality product, I firmly believe products and the money made from them and even the way in which they are made can be leveraged for true good and change. From my backpack made by employed and fairly paid adults in the United States with disabilities out of fabric from poorer countries around the world, to my purse made from women in India receiving fair wages, education and healthcare through their work program, to my favorite pair of pants made by a woman in Indonesia also receiving health care, education and bible classes, to my beanie that helps fund cancer research.
But I’ve realized I’m never going to make enough money to support all of these amazing businesses and ministries on my own. My wallet realized this much sooner than my brain…
That’s why it was like a little puzzle piece gently slid into place when in the Fall of 2016 we hired a barista at the coffeehouse leaving shortly thereafter for Hungary to do none other than pursue “Business as Missions”. I realized that maybe, just maybe, there was a way for me to be a part of these kinds of businesses by doing more than just buying the products available to me here in Greenwood, Indiana.
Proverbs 16:9 says “The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” I don’t believe as Christians we are necessarily given a five year plan. I’m also still not entirely convinced we ever truly reach “grown up”. But I believe God leaves what we do with our lives to us; and I know He expects us to use the talents and passions He has given us to serve Him.
So when I went to Budapest to visit that barista we hired, who now happens to be my fiancé, and discovered there is a position available for me to use my weirdly specific talents in baking, communicating, language, and business to share God’s love with the people of Hungary it was quite clear God was nudging me towards more.
Honestly, I believe despite understanding my passions and talents and intentions I have been skeptical and scared and haven’t believed God is big enough to use me. And I’ve also limited Him to just what I can do, not what He can do through me and through the huge community of believers here and around the globe. How dare I tell the God who created the universe I think he might be mistaken because I’m not talented or good enough? Of course I’m not! That’s the whole point; I can’t and you can’t. Be He can. And the kicker is He wants us be a part of it.
Sometimes it’s so easy to forget those verses I memorized so long ago in Sunday School; “I can do all things though Christ who strengthens me”.
At the end of the day, it isn’t my strength, but His.
And I am excited to lean on Him in this and open my eyes to what God can do through those that love Him.
If you want to read just a little bit more about the brass tacks check it out here
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