Gathering for Blessings

About ten months ago I became an Independent Consultant with Blessings Unlimited. This is a wonderful Christian company that offers the opportunity for women to have their own homebased business. Think - Mary Kay, Pampered Chef or Tupperware. But they offer more than just a business - it's also an opportunity for ministry. At first, I wasn't sure how I could blend the biz & ministry, but it sounded appealing.

Blessings Unlimited offers amazing inspirational products. Our parties are called "Gatherings". The idea is to gather together with family & friends to share the blessings of God. At my Gatherings I start & end with prayer and read a short devotional. We play games, have a door prize drawing and of course I bring some chocolate. I mean what's a party Gathering without chocolate?!

At first I figured the prayers and devotional time would be the "ministry" part of my new little biz. However, I think it could and should be more than that. Hopefully, it will become much more than that as I make new friends and reach out to my hostesses and their guests.

So far at my Gatherings I've seen:
~young moms exchanging parenting ideas,
~a few ladies stopping to pray with one who was weeping,
~someone pausing to listen to the stories of a precious widow.

And I've come to realize:
~as we encourage, pray, listen, share, laugh - we are blessed.

As I sit here and write this, I feel the Lord speaking to my heart. As I prepare for my Gatherings I need to spend more time praying for ministry opportunities than how many people will attend. I feel the Lord truly cares more about my actions and heart towards the ladies than how much fun or how interesting my presentation is. I think He cares more if everyone feels blessed afterwards than if they got some chocolate. Whoa! Now that's pretty extreme - no chocolate?!

I'm seeing my new little biz in a fresh way. When I typed the title to this post I wasn't sure if I'd keep it. But, I now feel that Gathering for Blessings is the true meaning and purpose of my biz ministry within my biz. Whatever and however the Lord chooses to bless us as we gather together is what I desire.

Wishing you many blessings and some chocolate,