MckMama and String Of Pearls

Hello to all you fellow MckMama readers!! Each of you will get a FREE gift for participating today and ONE person will receive additional FREE products!! Stick with me, this is going to be good! I am SO excited to share with you what we are doing today!! First, I will introduce myself so you know a little bit about me and what I do. I am 32 (almost 33!) and I'm a stay at home mom to 4 boys! About 7 months ago I was presented with the opportunity to start my own business with Mary Kay Inc. I was VERY skeptical and I told God that if this was something that He wanted me to do, He would have to give me a VERY BIG sign. (Don't you love how WE tell GOD what to do?!) Anyway, I asked my husband to pray about it and we did for 2 weeks. One morning on my way home, I prayed again and I said, "Ok God, I need to make a decision. So if this is You, I need that sign. Like, sky write it in the sky sign." I pulled into my driveway right as I said that and looked in my rear view mirror to see a brand new Mary Kay PINK CADILLAC parked right across from me. Ummm.....Ok. That is a pretty clear sign, especially since I have never seen it since that day. So, I called my hubby and he said, "Go for it."

That brings me to now and why YOU are here. I decided when I started this business that I wanted it to be about more than just making money for my family, I wanted to help others.

Today we are raising money for String Of Pearls which I'm sure all of you have heard of before through MckMama's blog. If you haven't, please visit their website to learn more about who they are and what they do. It's FANTASTIC and I really want to bless them today. Actually, I want to completely BLOW them away with our donation. I will be updating MckMama throughout the day on where we are with our sales. Here is how it works:

ALL day today we need YOUR help. I will donate 20% out of the total net sales to String Of Pearls. Place your order on my website using the secure online payment option. I take all debit AND credit cards and it is completely secure. I am offering free shipping on all orders $100 or more. Today only, for orders less than $100 I will charge ONLY $5 in shipping. (Shipping and tax is added when I process your order.) Please put MckMama in the comments section of your order.

In return for your support, I will include a special gift with each order. AND… when we reach $2500 in sales ONE blessed customer will get their order FREE! If you place an order of at least $40 with me, your name will be entered into the drawing. For every $10 spent AFTER that, you will have your name entered an additional time. For example: $50 in product would enter your name 2 times, $100 would enter you 7 times and so on. When we reach our goal, I will draw the winning name and that person will receive their order FREE!

We have some FANTASTIC products. You will at some point need or want SOMETHING that we have and why not have your purchase of those products HELP OTHERS?!! We have men's products too.....FATHER'S DAY!!! I have a lot of customers who purchase for people as gifts. Birthdays, anniversaries, graduation, etc. I even work with brides! If you would like to know more about our products or our company, email me and I'm glad to share with you or help you in any way I can.

Check carefully for our newest offerings. If you are local to me, I would be happy to spend some time with you one-on-one or share an hour with you and two or three friends to select a new look for you or try some GREAT skin care.

I am SO EXCITED about this and I want ALL of you to jump on board! There IS a product that I have that you will love....trust me! Please feel free to pass this offer on to your friends and family to help us REALLY make a difference today!! After you place your order, you can leave a comment here about your order and follow my blog to receive extra entries towards the FREE order!!! I will tweet to update MckMama on our progress throughout the day so she can stay in the loop. Alright everyone, LET'S DO THIS!!!!!!

www.marykay.com/summerwillard

She's Alive!

Oh. My. Goodness. Has it been FOREVER since I have been on here,or what?! I have been building my business like crazy to accomplish some HUGE goals in a very short amount of time. I don't know how all of you are, but I like to get things done as quickly as I can! I have always been like that, if there is a way to make something go faster....I will find it! Ha ha. I am so glad to be posting again and so glad to share with all of you some great things that have been going on with me. So, sit back and get comfortable!

Since I last shared with you I've been working very diligently to grow my business to not only benefit my family and I, but others as well. I truly believe that you should give back and help others, no matter what that looks like for you. When I started this business, I very much wanted it to be a vehicle that I could use to accomplish some big dreams that God placed in my heart many years ago. And it is so wonderful to be able to say that it is ACTUALLY happening. And I can SEE it now. It is such a wonderful feeling!!

I have been working with several ministries local to me to help grow different parts of their programs and I have to say that I LOVE it! I love building relationships in my business, teaching women about how to take care of their skin, and help to make them feel better about themselves in the process. And to do all of this and be able to help different ministries and charities?! Somebody pinch me!!

I am so excited to see what all God is going to do through all of this. Do I get to sit back and do nothing while He does all the work? Nope. Do I work really hard? Yep. Is it totally worth it? OH YES IT IS. It is more worth it than I could have ever imagined.....and then some. Everything that I have been through in the past few months have been, literally, some of the BEST times in my life. I am so grateful for where I am and the experiences that I am going through. I am truly humbled and quite grateful.

What's next you say? Well, I'm glad you asked! I will be moving into leadership VERY soon with Mary Kay. I will be greatly expanding my involvement with different organizations. And I could not be more THRILLED. And.....VERY soon, I will be doing a fundraiser for whatever charity a certain someone chooses. Who, you ask? Well it is someone that a lot of you probably know and love. Someone who I know and love and am so glad to be doing this for. I am SO excited to be raising money for a charity of her choice. Her you say? Her who? Ha! I will keep you in suspense for now. ;)

I'm glad to be back and so glad to be sharing with all of you again! I look forward to the future and all that it holds. You WILL here from again SOON!

Wholesale Prices!!

This is going to be a quick post, because I have a date with my hubby! Yay! But I want to let all of you know that I am offering wholesale prices on my current inventory. I have NEW inventory coming in, so I want to get rid of ALL of my current inventory fast! And what better way to do that, but to offer it at wholesale prices! That's right....everything I have in stock right now is 50% off!! If you are interested, just contact me and I will give you a detailed list of what I have available. Some of the items include:

3 Miracle Sets

2 Microdermabrasion Sets

TimeWise Even Complexion Mask

TimeWise 3 in 1 Cleanser for Combination/Oily Skin

TimeWise Moisturizer for Combination/Oily Skin

1 each of the new Mineral Eye Color Bundles

And quite a few other items! Including lipsticks, lip glosses, foundations, and mascaras! Contact me if you are interested. I will only charge wholesale prices, plus tax!! This is a GREAT time to get some FABULOUS products!!! You can go to my website to read more about each of these items.

Poll Results

So, I found out some results from my National Sales Director on Tues. night. We have a conference call every Tues. and this past call she revealed some much needed information! MK has recently been doing polls to find out from our customers what their main concerns are in terms of their skin as well as how they feel about our products and customer service. First off, let me tell you that these results are straight from the horses mouth, I have not changed them in any way. And the reason that I'm sharing them with you is to get YOUR feedback. I want to know what your thoughts are and if you fall into agreement with these results, or if you don't.

Ok, here we go. 9 out of 10 customers are satisfied with MK. I think that is awesome. I would think that it would be more awesome if it were 10 out of 10, but hey, I will take 9 out of 10 any day!! Also, 94% of our customers would recommend our products to others. That is incredible! I mean, I don't know about you, but those numbers are great! There is always room for improvement, but I was so happy to find out that so many of our customers are that happy! And knowing this can help us make changes so we can get to 100%!

As far as the poll results on skin care concerns, it was shared with me the top 3 concerns. They are:

1) Concerns about under eye circles and bags

2) Concerns about age spots and sun spots

3) Concerns about diminished skin elasticity

I am here to tell you that we have product that addresses all of those issues! It kind of made me excited when I found out what the concerns were, because I know we can do something to help! And now I also know that as a Rep. of Mary Kay, I need to make sure that I'm telling women about all of our products as best I can. So now, when women ask me about our skin care, I can be more specific about products that can help them. Obviously, the Miracle Set is something that all women should invest in. Not only does it help diminish fine lines and wrinkles, it prevents new ones from forming. That is a must! But we also have skin care product that you can use along with this set that will give you awesome results!

If you have any of those 3 issues and would like to do something about it, here are the products for you:

1) TimeWise Targeted Action Eye Revitalizer - gets rid of under eye circles and puffiness! And I have a customer who orders this from me consistently and she said that it works so well that she won't EVER use anything else.

2) TimeWise Even Complexion Essence - Clinically proven to restore skin's natural, even tone by reducing visible dark spots and skin discoloration. I use this MYSELF and I can tell you that it really does work! I developed brown age spots and they are almost completely GONE. I've only been using it for a couple of months, and it keeps getting better! I also have Rosacea and you wouldn't believe how much of a difference it's made with that. And to make it even better, we now have the TimeWise Even Complexion Mask that you can add to that. Brilliant!!

3) TimeWise Replenishing Serum+C - I could go on and on about this stuff. It is incredible. I use it, I have customers who use it, and I have NEVER had anyone say anything negative about it. It is an antioxidant rich serum formulated with ingredients that enhance the production of new collagen AND help keep existing collagen from breaking down. It also contains ingredients that support elastin, a protein that gives skin it's elasticity or it's "spring". I seriously would recommend this to every person I know....women AND men.

There you have it! Real poll results from real MK polls. What are your thoughts? Are you concerned with any of these things? Are you concerned with other things about your skin? Please share! Feedback is important in my business....plus, I just like hearing from all you wonderful people!

Click here for fantastic products that meet all of YOUR needs!!!!

Morning Thoughts and Change......

My goodness it's been too long since I have posted here! We have had some sickness in our household the past week and a half. It started with my 2 year old, then went to me, and so on. That is part of having a large family....when one gets sick, we usually end up passing it around. Anyway, I finally started feeling better this past Fri. once I had been on antibiotic for awhile. My oldest woke up this morning sick, yuck! I'm SO over this. I think we need some warm weather and sunshine!

I have had a lot going on with MK, which is awesome. I've been on the lookout for new ways to give back. It's hard for me because I see someone that needs help and I just wish I had all the money in the world so I could help them. Everywhere I look there is need. Seriously. Just in the blogging world alone, you could spend all day going from blog to blog to read about different stories and how they are crying out to God for help. I want to be able to help them all. It breaks my heart. I really run across something new almost every day. And then of course there is the devastation in Haiti. But they were in plenty of need before all of this. As is a lot of this world that we all live in. I really feel like change is coming for my family. An opportunity to step out and do something to really make a difference in people's lives. I really hope that is the case. I have been feeling like that for several months and I hope that this feeling is something that comes to pass.

I met a wonderful lady a few weeks ago who is the president and founder of a fabulous ministry. It's called Angels On Assignment and she started it 15 years ago to help single mothers in need. This hits close to home for me as I used to be a single mother of 3 boys when my ex-husband left us. I know the struggle, the exhaustion that comes with that. She actually gave me her business card when we met and I had no idea what her ministry was about. All the next week, I kept having this thought to call her and ask her to tell me about her ministry. I finally did and we sat and talked for almost an hour. It was and is amazing what this precious lady is doing. I told her that I would love to do an event to help her raise money. So, we are currently in the works with that. There is even a place here local to me that houses single moms and their children and helps them get back on their feet. We are going to schedule a day of pampering for them where I can go in and give them all facials and gifts. I know from experience that as a single mom, you rarely think about yourself. Much less getting a facial and time to relax. I am SO thrilled about this. This is why I wanted to do this business. To help people and bring joy in some way to anyone I can.

Well friends, thank you for reading and being so supportive. I appreciate it more than you know! I also wanted to let you know that from now through Friday (the 12th) I have my Miracle Sets on sale!! I'm offering all of you a $30 gift certificate towards your Miracle Set!! That means you will only pay $60!! WOW! And it will last you 3 months or longer! You can't beat that. Trust me! Anyone who places an order on my website or emails me to place an order, I will adjust the price for you to only $60!! DON'T WAIT! You won't want to miss out on this!!! Click here to place your order now or email me. Have a fabulous day!!

Trend Report 2010

Hello friends! I wanted to take a moment to share with you our trend report 2010! It talks about fabrics, prints, colors and more! Check it out on my website so you can see the details and contact me on how to get the Mary Kay Spring/Summer 2010 look for you! I'm ready for Spring and Summer! Give me some warm weather and sunshine! Yay!! Here is a preview:

Trend Report 2010

Contact me for the full report! You WON'T want to miss it!!!

I'm offering free facials as well as a $15 gift certificate for YOU to spend at your facial! Also, if you would like to share your facial with 2-3 friends.....I will give YOU a $30 gift certificate to spend when we get together! And for those of you who are not local to me, I'm offering $15 off your purchase and $30 off when you refer 2-3 people to me! I want to make sure that everyone gets in on this! So contact me today to get your gift certificate!!

Random Thoughts

I have so much going on right now and I'm learning to balance it all. I see other women who seem to have it all together and I wonder how they do it. I keep going back and forth with whether or not this blog was a good idea. I mean, I started my own business and then waned to partner with different charities to give back to others. Then I decided to create this blog to share with everyone what I'm doing. But sometimes I wonder if people even want to know what I'm doing. You know? I'm not having a pity party, these are just thoughts that run through my head. I mean, there are SO many blogs out there. Sometimes you can get overwhelmed with as many as there are. So, I wonder, will my blog really reach people the way that I hope that it will? And then I tell myself that there is only one way to find that out. Keep blogging! I really felt led to do this, so I'm doing it. And I guess time will tell where it all goes. If all it does is give me a place to put my thoughts down, that is awesome. It helps me process what is going on in my life and my business when I get on here and share. Whether it be about product that I have available or about a wonderful charity that I feel passionate about. Or, to just get on here like I am today and put my random thoughts out there. I have so much in my heart that I want to do with all of this and I really hope that those are dreams that will come true. Not just for me, but for others who, hopefully, I can help. Or rather, God can help through me. Because it's not me, it's Him. And I really like the idea of being able to connect with others through blogging. I think it is a wonderful thing (if used right!) that can help people grow and be encouraged. And I think that is awesome! I'm hoping that I am able to help encourage some of you as we get to know each other. This morning when I got up, I wondered, is it weird to create a blog about your business and giving back to others?! And to want to connect with people all at the same time?! Sometimes, I wonder! Ha Ha! But I really did feel led to do this, so here I am doing it. Ok, so now that I have share a bunch of random thoughts with you and probably confused you...I'm off to get some work done. I hope you all have a GREAT day!!

Haiti

I can't begin to express how heavy my heart is for the people in Haiti. It is something that just stays with me throughout my day. The government in Haiti has raised the confirmed death toll to 150,000 people and they expect it to keep rising. I sat on my couch this morning drinking my cup of coffee and thought to myself, "What if it was you?" "What if it was YOUR child that was trapped beneath piles of concrete, unable to get out?" I sat and cried for them. For all the moms, dads, brothers, sisters, and children that have lost their loved ones or are waiting to see if they will find them alive. I know that it seems as if one person can't make a difference. We all think that. We think, well what difference will it make if I give my $10 or my $50, etc? It DOES make a difference. We can help save someones life. Give them food, water, shelter. Something. And even if your donation helps just one person, isn't it worth it to help that one person? My husband and I are donating at least $100 this week. This is money that I have set aside to help grow my business. It's not a lot. It's not a lot for even growing my business. But it will help someone and we want to give it. Please consider doing the same. And I know everyone is not in the place right now to give $100 or more. But $10? $10 is something that most of us can do. And can you imagine if even half of everyone in America were to give at least $10? What that would accomplish? It would make a BIG difference for a lot of people. And no, it won't fix everything. I know that Haiti needs billions of dollars. But they certainly could be better off than where they are now. And we can help get them there. There are plenty of ways that we can all donate. I will list a few sites here for you. One of which I will be donating to myself. You can also Google "help Haiti" and a ton of sites for different organizations will come up for you to donate to. It's easy and quick and it will make a HUGE difference in this horrible situation that the people of Haiti are in right now. Wouldn't you want someone to help you?

Help Haiti

You can go to Compassion's Website to grab a banner to post on your website that will direct people to give online. Or you can make your donation to them online. Or do both.

There is also Operation Compassion - A ministry of blessing. I found this organization through my local church.

If you don't feel led to donate to one of these 2 organizations, please click on the above link for Help Haiti and it will take you to Whitehouse.gov where you can donate online through the Clinton/Bush Haiti Fund. Or research it yourself and find something that you are comfortable with. Just find somewhere you can give to help Haiti in this desperate time that they are in. And my prayer is that as time goes on, we won't forget them. That we will remember them in our prayers and hopefully, donate again. If we all pull together, we can make a HUGE difference in these precious people's lives.

*At this time, all my profit will go to help Haiti. Please know that is where my heart is right now. I have also found another fabulous organization that I'm partnering with here local to me. I will share with you about that soon. But for now, Haiti needs our help. So that is where I will focus.*

Valentine's Day and A FREE Lip Gloss!!!

First off, I need to apologize for taking so long to post this. I had said I was going to get it done last week and I didn't. I have REALLY not been feeling well. Long story, but I'm hoping to be better soon. I have also been working hard on building a new team for Mary Kay! As of this month, I joined a program with Mary Kay to be a director by June! WOO HOO! My national sales director is working with my director and myself so that I can meet this goal. I am SO excited! It will keep me busy, but I still get to work from home and still not as many hours as a regular full time job. And that ROCKS! The income potential for a director with the Mary Kay Corp. is INCREDIBLE. Seriously, it knocked my socks off. So, I said all that to say that I'm sorry it took me a few days to get to this post.

We have a GREAT new product that is fabulous for Valentine's Day or really, any other day too! Birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Any woman would LOVE this. It's our Limited Edition Romantic Petals Gift Set. It includes: shower gel, body souffle, and a eau de toillete spray with hints of iris, orchid and gardenia. It smells WONDERFUL. A premium netted body sponge is also included and it comes in a very pretty specially designed box. Which makes gift giving SO much easier! Please click here and check out this great set!!

I also need some volunteers for my Director training, who's up for the challenge?! All you have to do is listen to a recording of my National Sales Director for me and do a quick practice interview with my Director and myself. It's quick and easy and it REALLY helps me because I get hands on training to meet my goals that have been set for me! And as a thank you, I'm offering 20% off any product you want OR a FREE lip gloss for your time! You will get the FREE lip gloss either way, but I also want to offer the 20% off for those of you who are interested in ordering. So, if you can help me out, contact me today! Thank you so much and have an awesome day!!

Mineral Powder Foundation

I have been a fan of mineral powder foundation for quite awhile. It's a fabulous way to get great coverage and still be light and comfortable. And Mary Kay's mineral powder is fantastic! It's weightless and skin-perfecting and also provides buildable coverage. It blends effortlessly for a flawless look and makes lines, wrinkles, and other imperfections seem to disappear. It's also transfer resistant so it won't fade away mid-day. It's for women of all skin types (which is so nice!), even sensitive skin, looking for sheer to full coverage with a matte finish.

And while our mineral powder foundation isn't brand new, we have 6 new shades to add to our collection! Making it even more easy to find your perfect shade!! We now have 12 shades so that you are sure to be able to find something that works for you. Here are our NEW shades:

Ivory 0.5

Beige 0.5

Beige 1.5

Bronze 3

Bronze 4

Bronze 5

And we have all shades in between as well! You can go right here to find whatever shade works best for you. And, if you are like me, it's sometimes hard to figure out what shade is best for you. Especially when you are looking online. That is what I'm here for! You can call me whenever you want or send me an email and ask me anything. I'm here to be YOUR consultant. Even if you just want to know more about Mary Kay product, but you're not really interested in buying anything right now. I'm here to share with you!

I hope you are all having a fabulous week and I have some new stuff to share with you for Valentines Day! That is coming either later today or tomorrow. I also have some FREE offers on my website! Check them out! Have an awesome day!!

Beautiful Hands

Raise your hand if you like the Satin Hands set?! I love, love, love this set. It works wonders for the skin on my hands. It's easy to forget the skin on our hands and often, it's what needs the most attention. With all we do in today's world, the skin on our hands can get pretty dry and flaky. I know that a lot of people love the Satin Hands Set and I'm proud to introduce to you the NEW Fragrance Free Satin Hands Set! And yes, I already have mine and it's wonderful! If you are the type of person who would prefer something fragrance free so you can layer your usual scent, this is for you!

It's suitable for sensitive skin and will keep your hands irresistibly smooth and super soft. It even will last through several hand washings! It also helps to maintain the moisture in your hands, cleanses and exfoliates, and provides instant hydration to condition your skin for hours.

And this one is NOT just for the ladies! This is for all of you guys out there too. Even if you don't admit it, you would love this product. And for just $34! This set will last you a super long time, depending on how often you use it. Even if you use it 3 times a day, it will still last you over a month! WOW! I don't use mine that often, usually just once a day either in the morning or at night.

I'm really excited about this set! I think that a lot of people are really going to like the Fragrance Free option and it will quickly become an addition in your house! So, check it out and if you have any questions, shoot me an email. I'm here to answer all of your questions! I hope you all have an awesome day!

Eye Color....made easy!

I have more new product! I told you I would give you time to relish....hope it was long enough! Ha Ha. Ok, so I wanted to let you know about our Mineral Eye Color Bundles. Mary Kay make-up experts have put these eye colors together to make it so much easier for you guys to find great quality eye shadows and KNOW it will look good on you! Each bundle comes with step-by-step professional make-up artist application tips and FREE eye applicators. As with all of our mineral eye colors, these eye colors have high impact color that provide long lasting wear. They are each mineral based and contain vitamins A, C, and E to help protect you against wrinkle causing free radicals. Of course, as with all of our make-up, they are suitable for sensitive skin and contact lens wearers (Ophthalmologist tested and clinically tested for skin irritancy and allergies).

So, you are asking, how much is this fabulous product and where can I see it and buy it?! Each bundle is only $19.50 and you can see each of them on my website by clicking here:

Beautiful Brown

Brilliant Blue

Gorgeous Green

Hypnotic Hazel

I ordered the Brilliant Blue for myself and I love it! I also love that if you want to mix and match these bundles, you can! I'm all about being versatile! I'm so glad that we have these new bundles, people are loving them! And I have to say, I am one of them.

Ok guys....until next time! I still have new product to tell you about, so stay tuned! Hope you all have a fabulous day!!

New Even Complexion Mask!

I have new products to share with all of you.....yay! I'm going to share them with you in different posts so that you all have time to relish in their greatness. Ha Ha!! Ok, anyway. I love to try new things, so when my TimeWise Even Complexion Mask arrived yesterday, I was thrilled. I incorporated it into my nightly skin care routine and I loved it. My skin felt great and there was a noticeable (in a good way!) difference in my skin. Here is some info. from my website on this fabulous product:

The TimeWise® Even Complexion Mask is formulated with the patent-pending MelaCEP™ Brightening Complex which was developed to fight the environmental elements that can leave skin tone looking uneven and dull while leaving the skin feeling soft and moisturized.

TimeWise® Even Complexion Mask is infused with botanicals and other ingredients that deliver visible benefits. At the heart of the formula is the patent-pending MelaCEP™ Brightening Complex that contains:

· Kakadu Plum extract — Derived from the Kakadu plum, a fruit reported to have one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C. For example, the amount of vitamin C in 3 ½ ounces of Kakadu plum is 3000 mg, while the same amount of orange contains just 50 mg.

· Ferula Foetida extract — Derived from a prized plant native to the Mediterranean and known to contain the antioxidant ferulic acid which is widely used in skin brightening formulas.

· Helianthus Annuus seed extract — A powerful antioxidant derived from sunflowers that helps protect against UV damage. Sunflower seeds are reported to have high levels of vitamins and minerals, and sunflower oil contains high levels of linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid.

· Lactobacillus ferment — A skin-conditioning ingredient.

Pamper, soften, and brighten in one step?! I'm game! I am loving this. I am looking forward to seeing the benefits that this product offers with continued use. It is recommended that you use this mask 2-3 times a week and even with using it that much, it will last you 2 months! Wow. That is awesome. A 10 day consumer study brought these results:

Women who tried TimeWise® Even Complexion Mask during a consumer study saw a significant improvement in how their skin looked and felt, both immediately and after using the mask three to four times over a 10-day period.^†

90% said their skin immediately looked brighter.
95% said their skin felt soft.
90% said their skin felt moisturized.

Sound good?! Yep. It does to me too. And are you ready for the best part? It's only $20. Yes, you read it right. Only $20. Love, love, love that. Great quality and affordable?! It doesn't get any better. So, that is a bit about one of our great new products. You can use it alone or pair it with our other skin care items, especially our TimeWise Even Complexion Essence. I use that as well and it's awesome.

You can click here to see and read more about this wonderful new product and to order some for yourself! Let me know what you think....I love feedback on my products. Have a wonderful rest of the day!!

Dreams

My 9 year old son came up to me this morning and said, "Mom, what is your dream?" I asked him to elaborate and he went on to say, "You know, what is your dream for your life?" Astounding. I went on to say that my ultimate dream is to be able to help people on a consistent basis and truly make a difference in this world. There have been various things that I have been interested in during my lifetime. I wanted to be an actress, a lawyer, a business owner. I feel passionately about so many things that when people have asked me what I want to "do" with my life, it is a hard one for me to answer. But for some reason, when my 9 year old asked me that question this morning, it hit me. I want to make a difference. Truly.

When I was a little girl I would play make believe just like every other little girl. Except I would play business owner. I had an old phone of my parents and office supplies and I would go in (almost on a daily basis) and set up my "office". I would then pretend to answer my phone, type letters, and make notes on what I was to do that day in my "office". Even then, I wanted to be doing something. Making a difference. I wanted to be actively pursuing whatever kind of business could change things for the better. Plus, I really liked having my own phone. ;)

I went through various stages in life trying to "find myself". Trying to come to the conclusion of what God would have me to do. What path would He have for me? I became a mother and a wife very young. To be honest, I became a mother first and then a wife. When I was only 19. I was then divorced and then re-married and now have a wonderful husband and 4 wonderful children. Needless to say, I have been very busy over the past 12 (almost 13!) years. Recently I had a stirring within me to do something different. Not to do something instead of being a wife and mother, but to add to that. I have had a stirring to move forward in that dream that was placed in my heart so many years ago. To have my own business and have it be the vehicle to truly make a difference. I just didn't know what it was going to be.

Then, the opportunity to be a Consultant for the Mary Kay Corp. came about. To be honest, I wasn't interested at first. I thought to myself that it would be hokey and most people that do it probably fail. But there was a continued tugging in my heart, so I talked to my husband about it and asked him to pray about it. I did the same and told God that I would have to have (don't you love it when you TELL God what to do?!) a VERY clear answer. I told Him that I wasn't going to invest in this business unless I knew that it was from Him. This went on for weeks. One morning I was driving home and I was praying about it again and I said, "God, I really need to know." I pulled into my driveway and looked in my rear view mirror and saw a brand new Mary Kay car parked right across the street from my house.

I'm sure God was saying, "Is that clear enough for you?!" I then went in and emailed my husband at work, told him what happened and asked him what his thoughts were. He emailed me back and said he thought I should go for it. So I did. So, my dream of having my own business had come true. I was laying awake that night and something came to me out of nowhere (Ok, it was probably God again) and I realized that I could use this as a vehicle to help others. That I could give back out of all of my proceeds to help different organizations and ministries who are also trying to make a difference. My head was swarming. Swarming with so many ideas of how I could do that. That is when I thought to create this blog, to help get the word out about my passion to use my business to help others. And to give all women a place to connect with each other.

So, that is where this blog came from. It came from a dream that God placed in my heart a long time ago. I have my days where I think that I won't succeed. That this was all in my head and I should just give up now. Then I have my days where I think that God can do anything and if He wants me to do this, I'm game. I guess that is how most people feel when they embark on something new. And that is when God asks us to trust Him and move forward. And to be honest, I may fail. But I am moving forward into something that I feel very passionately about. Helping others. And I told my 9 yr. old the same thing. Always be willing to follow what you feel passionately about. Whatever your dream is, it is there for a reason. And my hope is that this business will succeed so that I can make a difference for others.

So, what are your dreams?