Top 3 Things I Learned About Women at my First Retail Show of 2022

We were at Art at The Lake this past weekend, I would love to share with you what I learned! It is such a pleasant show to attend, and while it is actually a good bit of work, it is also a refreshing blessing. 

It has been six months since I’ve been able to get out into “The Field”! Isn’t it  hard to believe November 2021 was six months ago! In-person shows have a special place in my heart, because it is there that I’m able to mingle in person with the women that we serve. It helps me to hear their stories, see the artwork they are drawn to, and hear them read the verses aloud as they are looking at the art.  It is there in “the field” that I learn about the women, their struggles, their needs, and what brings them delight!  

It’s always so encouraging to me to have a woman peep her head around the corner and tell me she gets my emails, or reads my social media posts, or follows my blog. When writing or posting it often feels like throwing things out into a faceless dark void hoping that the right people will find it and read it. Sure, I can pay extra for ads to help the “right” people “find” what I’ve written and I can even receive analytics proving they did, but I can’t describe the reassurance it gives me to actually see with my own eyes the beautiful face of the woman who actually received what we sent out into the world! It’s a precious gift, just like having the opportunity to observe them while they linger in our booth. 

1.  Women CARRY heavy loads. They have a continual battle with overwhelm. Health issues… their own and/or family members, financial uncertainties, complicated relationships are just a few of the many things they carry in their hearts. Many of these women know Who to entrust with their burdens… but they need gentle Truth-filled reminders of what they already know.
2. Women are caregivers. They are often juggling children, husbands, elderly parents, grandchildren and a multitude of other relationships, often leaving caring for their own needs at the bottom of the list. They care not only about the physical needs of their people but also the spiritual needs! They want to encourage and share. 
3. Most women really do want to be a Mary. They want to trade in their multitasking-Martha-list and just sit at the feet of Jesus! They want to surround themselves with Truth AND they really want to share that Truth with others
   
   

What I learned this weekend was really a reminder of what I already knew! I received a fresh refill of faces to add to my memories. So that when I write the next blog, or social media post it’s her face I write for…  When I paint the next picture, I now have a beautiful face that I’m thinking of… When I choose the verses, it’s her circumstances I’m remembering…

And the last thing I learned that I already knew… Our Encouragement Kit is on the right track. What was an idea in my heart and became a reality one year ago, is now a calling driven deeper into my heart… to Encourage her SO THAT she can continue to pour out onto many people along her path. With God’s continued Strength and Grace we will continue to send refills of Encouragement to the women God puts in our path!