It Takes a Village, People!

After nine years of hosting and leading a women's Bible study in my neighborhood and then one season of teaching women's Bible studies in my home church, First Baptist Woodstock, I began getting recurring thoughts and becoming more and more desirous of hosting a women's Bible study --outside the four walls of the church -- in a central location in our county area. The year was 2009. Since this desire was growing I sensed it was the will of God for me to pursue it so I shared this vision by sporadically mentioning it to a few friends.

One friend and Sista in Christ, Jamie Williams, founder and president of Five Talents Wealth Management, (http://www.fivetalentswealth.com/) said she was networking with another business owner, Ben Looper of Southeast Restoration Group (http://www.southeastrestoration.com/) in the Holly Springs area who was very supportive of community service and evangelism. Jamie said she'd be glad to ask him about providing space for That Girl Marketing (http://www.thatgirlmarketing.biz/) to host a marketplace ministry for women.
The answer? An enthusiastic, "Yes!" from Ben included a very generous option of which meeting room I wanted to use, too! I was already overwhelmed with God's goodness and the 'red carpet' treatment I was receiving.

I realized that when I took the step of faith and 'put my foot in the water to see if God would part the sea' He sent a tidal wave of His favor in October 2009 and lightlunch was born! HIS LIGHT (the devotions I planned to share each week) and the ladies' BROWN BAG LUNCH (they'd bring each week) was the plan! The idea came to begin compiling devotions from my own inspired personal devotions and use them to be the study material.I created flyers and began to publicize That Girl Marketing's lightlunch was beginning January 7, 2010, in Holly Springs! I also sent an e-mail invite to all the Sistas on my database.
The following day I received an e-mail response from another Sista in Christ, Diane Oberkrom, founder of The Soul Food Market (http://www.thesoulfoodmarket.com/) who joyfully offered to donate her freshly baked, made-from-scratch muffins for lightlunch! Her e-mail stated: "Could I leave a big box of Scripture-wrapped muffins on your front porch the night before each lightlunch for your lady friends? It will be like manna from heaven, you just gather it up in the morning...no fuss no muss." Diane told me God wants her to provide this 'manna' for my marketplace ministry! I need to mention that Diane has a full-time corporate day job in a bank in downtown Atlanta! As God continues to open doors in the marketplace for these devotional Bible studies, Diane remains steady in coming alongside That Girl on this wild ride!

The Lord was in these details and the flow of His favor spills over! Since that time God has opened the door for additional marketplace ministry...this time to women teachers in a local high school! Therefore, rise 'n shine Devotional Breakfast was birthed!


I don't believe I could have the privilege of the ministry to the precious teachers without the door being opened for me previously to be the chaplain to the girls' golf team and the cheerleaders' chaplain at Creekview High School by Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) of Cherokee County (http://www.cherokeefca.com/ ).

No one can do any of this alone! "Apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5 NIV). It really does take a 'village' of God's people to network together to accomplish His purposes in this world.

I don't know where all of this is heading as far as what God has planned, but I will say, "PRAISE THE LORD! ALL GLORY TO GOD!" A fall lightlunch will be hosted on Thursdays, beginning August 12, 2010, at Southeast Restoration Group. This is all for you, Sistas. Contact info is below!

Thank you, Lord! I am blessed beyond what I could of asked of Him or thought of asking Him! (Eph. 3:20) And that's WHO HE IS!

Love & blessings,

Polly

polly@thatgirlmarketing.biz


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