One Gift can Change A Life

Sunday morning with a cup of coffee, my Bible, and this computer screen (which flashes with faces like my mom and dad, and someone who told me they pray every week when they get our request, and the last person that asked about our artisan's baby, when I close my eyes and pray). I love this time with you, Joy-Creators! To know there are people who care about our artisans and about the company we are building to keep them in a good job, and are taking the time to read and pray with us, it is beyond encouraging. Building a company is hard. Competing with manufacturers who enslave their people and don't pay them so that they can undercut our prices, trying to spend advertising dollars wisely so we can grow, but still protect our income needed for wages, designing collections without being fluent in each other's languages and across 1500 miles through computer screens. These are some of the battles this week. But knowing we have an army of prayer warriors fighting with us on our knees, it brings so much comfort every Sunday morning. So thank you!

This week, we are continuing our One Gift Can Change a Life campaign with Pink Friday, the traditional boutique shopping day before Black Friday, encouraging shoppers to support local and small businesses before they shop big box stores. Then next week is Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. To shoppers this is a day to find a deal or save big. But to a small business like Alegria, it is a time to give discounts in a hope that we have a huge week that will cover what we need for November and also for January's shortfalls (which are unavoidable in retail). What we are focusing on is the advertising dollar spend and how to target them so they reach the customers who will make a purchase. Please pray that I choose the correct audience targeting and the correct amount of advertising spend. Please pray that the posts and ads and emails will compel shoppers to buy gifts from Alegria to give this year.

God told us that if we ask Him for wisdom, He will give it generously. I'm praying for wisdom over these next 2 weeks for the sake of Alegria and our artisans. And then I'm asking for Ephesians 3:20-21 - that He will accomplish through His mighty power within us, infinitely more than we might ask or think, and that it will bring glory to His Son.