{photo}
It's hard to believe everything that has happened in less then a month, don't get me wrong it's been building for some time but the actual execution of those dreams has been about 3 weeks. In 5 days I move into my store and begin to turn it into the imaginary store that I've had tucked away in my head. Let me back up...May 1st marked my three year anniversary with my husband and we decided to get away to celebrate. Because his job entails a lot of time spent driving we decided to stay in town and rent a sweet little farmhouse in one of my favorite places in the world, Leiper's Fork.
I always knew that if I were to open a business it would be there. Whenever I came out I'd park next to the building I had my eye on but nothing was ever vacant and the timing never seemed right anyways. During our getaway and a trip into the village I once again longingly looked over at the building not expecting to see any rooms empty but lo and behold there was a vacancy. I tucked the dream away once again and finished our vacation. The day after getting home I couldn't shake the image of those empty windows and my ideas of how I'd fill them. So my mother-in-law and I loaded up and drove back out. We jotted down the number from the for rent sign and drove back home. I waited a couple hours before I called, building my courage because I knew that phone call could be life changing. I called and a sweet lady answered the phone and told me she already had someone for the space but she had another space coming available with a kitchen and that she was glad I called because she was literally on her way home to start calling a list of people who left their names and numbers if anything should open up. She loved my idea for the space and said she wanted me for it so she wouldn't make any calls. I asked if I could drive out to see the space with the kitchen first so the next morning I drive back out.
{photo}
Running on pure nerves and adrenaline I prayed the whole way there. I asked for confirmation and the Spirit to speak to me if this is within His will. I arrive and meet with the current tenant, chat for a while, I take some pictures and marvel at how perfect the space is for my needs. I can formulate products in the kitchen, there is a separate retail space where I can sell my products and meet with customers, an office or treatment room I could eventually use or lease out and a door out to a big beautiful back yard I can use for outdoor yoga. Every dream I had fits perfectly into this 700 sq ft space. I thank the tenant and step out the door almost bumping into a woman who was in town for a conference and decided to take a side trip out here. We talk for a little bit, she asks if there are any other good shops around and I tell her that next time she's in town that I may be here and to stop by and see me. She looks at me and says I feel led to pray for you, do you mind? She then puts her arms around me and asks for the Spirit to fill me with confirmation and direction and to bless me, my family and this business....a stranger on the front steps of my new store speaking life into me and answering the prayer I had been praying the whole way there almost word for word. I leave trembling, with tears in my eyes and drive home. I pull over in a church parking lot and weep with joy and thankfulness for the confirmation I received. And so the journey begins.
