Hi!

All Things Agape originally started as I prayed about what God would have me do before I was so graciously blessed to stay home. The name came later.

I remember wanting to stay home with my children when they were younger and when I met Chris I shared it with him and he kind of laughed and said, “Okay, we can pray about it.” So we prayed and prayed about it. Each time we would pray he would get a raise and even had another job offer that he accepted.

Holding On

The workforce was familiar to me, I had worked since I was 15 years old. So I became very independent. I felt that I just couldn’t let go of my job. I knew God had opened the door but I kept finding reasons to continue to work. I would say that we needed to be debt free first which is certainly a good thing. I would say after this month or the next and we’ll I’m sure you get the picture.

Consequences

At work, many changes were being made that required more work, I could feel the workload, and I was stressed. I started getting anxiety, I couldn’t sleep at night, my nerves were so out of control. I remember praying before my doctors appointment asking God to speak to me through my doctor. Well, He did. My doctor told me that I needed to quit my job because I was stressing my body. I remember her saying that I would have a breakdown. She didn’t have to say anything else, because I knew what I needed to do.

I informed my boss that weekend and gave my notice on Monday. I was able to work for two more months at part time and then in November of 2016, I was a stay at home mom.

Knowing and Not doing

God was calling me to write, I knew years before this time that I was called to come alongside younger women in the faith. When I came home from the workforce, I kept putting aside the things I knew I was called to do, for a later time.

More Commitments

Instead of resting in His yoke and His burden, I volunteered within my community and in 2017, I became the Manager of my homeowners association. I was on the board, and I basically did the job of 7 people and I was only part time. I continued to get education in the areas I needed help in, by going back to school for a short time.

The Name

Another thing added. I then started making shirts. I thought maybe this was my calling, maybe it was part of it or God just worked it out for my good, because this is when I came up with the name, “All Things Agape.”

I had always wanted to make shirts for people out of country, for those who are persecuted for their faith. I wanted to make shirts for people who couldn’t have a Bible, a shirt with scripture embedded underneath the shirt.

Making shirts, seemed more like a hobby but as I continued to work with the machine I had all kinds of ideas, I started to personalize all kinds of things, so as I prayed for the name of my someday business, “All Things” kept coming to mind. I thought about loving people by telling them about God while using these shirts as a tool. So as I sought God for a name, Agape kept coming up. Agape is a Greek Word and it speaks of the sacrificial love, the love that we get from God, it’s the highest form of love. You can look it up, these are only my words. God is love.

Still healing

As I continued to add more and more on my plate, I felt restless. At the time I was also serving in five different ministries at church, although this was not a burden, and God was so gracious to me by giving me the strength I needed, I knew that I needed to rest. I was still trying to heal my body. I tried to relax more, eat better and exercise but it wasn’t too long before my duties within the association started to increase as the community grew. I continued to work but since it was from home I believed it was okay and I figured I would just keep my hours low.

Trust God

God wasn’t calling me to do all these things. I just kept holding on. God was telling me to trust Him. God I will trust you!

Broken

“God, please forgive me, I need you to lead me.” My husband prayed with me because all I could do is cry. By the middle of 2017, I had been broken. I had began to think God had forgotten about me. God has His eyes on us though, He really does and He does NOT forget about us!

Hearing Him Again and Again!

I began hearing Him speak so clearly to me. In February of 2018. I accepted the invitation to speak at my annual women’s retreat which would be in May of the following year and this is where I was able to get back on track. Before, I felt like David tending the sheep, except my sheep were in the workforce. Afterwards I felt like God brought me back to the sheep but these were the sheep He wanted me to feed.

My love for God’s Word was growing more and more as I studied and as I wrote for the retreat. I was so refreshed and renewed daily. I even decided to let go of the homeowners association after the retreat in May of 2019.

Setbacks

Well, this didn’t happen, because I didn’t let it go when I said I would. So I’m still with the association but, with hard work, we do have a plan in place to switch over to the new third party this December of 2019! It has been a long road but His timing is still perfect. I could no longer put my calling off, so I am so grateful that I have been able to write and to start this blog.

Walking in His Will

Do you have peace right now? I have peace knowing that I’m in His will. I no longer get heartbroken or bitter when I hear about all the wonderful things people are doing I can rejoice with them!

Sometimes we grow bitter because we are too busy looking at everything but Jesus and what He is calling us to do. I know what He has called me to do and I only want to walk in His will for my life. I look forward to doing all the things that He is calling me to do and one thing especially, is that I’m able to come alongside you as the Holy Spirit leads. All glory to the One who sees!

Love,

Mary