Alegria Accessories Prayer Partners

Last week, I shared my prayer list with you, of what I'm asking God to do over this shopping weekend to begin the holidays. And after an absolutely dismal first two days with tons of traffic to our website but only enough orders for me to know the website isn't down...I went to bed last night.  Not to be overly dramatic, but 82% down from last year is devastatingly scary. And our Q4 is recovering a little, but we are down 13% over last year's Q4. These aren't sustainable numbers for Alegria. We aren't quite 4 years old yet, and we don't have a savings account that rescues us in a down Q4. We try to save in Q4 to make it through Q1. OK, so I've set the stage for what I believe in...a God who has been planning Alegria for eternity...who trained me in retail and jewelry sales for 23 years...and planted Honduras and Faith Home in my heart on a mission trip...who brought together young women in Honduras and set us up with jewelry supplies and skills and talents...and has brought you to read this page and pray with us.  He is NOT done! I believe that He is never late. He is a God of manna in the wilderness, but also of Jericho and walls falling when we march around them in faith. He is a God of a little baby and angels announcing to shepherds on a hillside. He sets up miracles so that only He can get the glory. So today, I'm believing.  I'm believing that you were waiting to see the new jewelry tonight at 6pm and then you're getting some gifts. I'm believing our ads will blow up tonight and tomorrow for Cyber Monday.  I'm believing our Joy Box will finally be sold out with subscribers. I'm believing for tons of eyes on our new drop tonight. For stores that sold through Alegria in huge numbers this weekend that will be ordering tonight and tomorrow to restock. He isn't done. Let's pray, let's join in and shop and share, and let's see what God has in mind for these hardworking women in Honduras and how He plans for us to be able to create more jobs. 

Five Days. What can five days do? I'm praying Ephesians 3:20-21 over these 5 days.  'Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.' I'm asking for enough to finish 2025's budget. This will give us the last 30 days of the year to save for January and February. It's a big, big ask. It would be the largest 5 shopping days we've had to date. I'm asking for at least 30% of our current Joy-Creators to shop with us over these 5 days. That would also be the single largest month for returning customers (even bigger than 'May in the Black') I'm asking God to bring us 30 new customers to shop with us in those days. For our ads to return new customers, and your sharing to bring in new customers. These are really huge asks, but I believe that the Word is true and that He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. I'm asking for these things so that God will be glorified and that others will come to know Him and trust Him through what we do. Would you pray these big things with me over the next 5 days and then through the 5 days of this shopping weekend?  Thank you Joy-Creators! May the Lord bless and keep you, and make His face shine upon you and give you peace!

This week, we are continuing our One Gift Can Change a Life campaign...(read on)

If you are a mom, you can instantly feel the fear of seeing a little one lying in a hospital bed with oxygen and an IV.

I'm packing my bags, and loading my car today

I am believing that the Lord will carry these clasps to us, and this box will in turn bless our artisans through this Christmas season.

Waking up on October 19th after sharing the last two days with women from southern Illinois at a boutique market about how their shopping can change a life in Honduras, I'm grateful that this is the place God has put me for this season of my life.  But God and I had some serious conversations on the road each day in the 2 hour drive over and back.

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matt 11:28 It's Sunday, the day of rest and worship in our American church rhythm. And as I'm sipping coffee and writing this blog post, I just finished my quiet time and this verse was my take-away. A reminder that yes, we carry heavy burdens and we get weary. That is the work we are doing. It is good and godly to work hard. But, we must remember God made the Sabbath for us to rest. It's not a law (that would be another heavy burden), it's a gift. OK, to be technical, it is a law. But Jesus fulfilled it and then He told us that the Sabbath was made for us. Like when we put our children to bed at a good time, or make that cranky 4 year old take a nap. Not only is the Sabbath something I was meditating on this morning, but also prayer. My prayer life became vital when I became a mother. I realized how incapable I was and how much I had to entrust my children to God. Now Alegria and the young women in Honduras who depend upon it for their very livelihood sends me hour by hour to my knees. And I'm so grateful for you who join me in praying on Sundays for Alegria. Today, the heavy burden is January and the need for 9 more subscribers to step up and claim a Joy Box.  I know this was the prayer last week, but it didn't move. Before we cross over into 2026, we have to have these boxes fully subscribed to. Will you please do 3 things this morning? 1. Pray for these 9 Joy-Creators to see a post, or read an email, or come across the Joy Box on our website and decide to subscribe. 2. When I post about the Joy Box, would you like it, comment on it and share it? 3. If you are being moved to subscribe, would you do that today. I can tell you the November, December and January boxes are designed and they are stunning! These are a special design that we work hard on each month. We are trying to give our subscribers such an amazing accessorizing toolbox that they adore. And an arsenal of gifts to give if a particular box isn't their taste. Thank you for your prayers Joy-Creators. The 9 people, the Lord already knows them by name. And I pray blessings on our Joy Box subscribers every single month for their faithfulness to Alegria.

Today I am praying specifically for the 9 people God is calling to subscribe to our Joy Boxes. I am praying that they will see the new October Joy Box and the beautiful, hardworking and talented artisans who designed it and hand crafted it, and they will be moved to step up to a greater commitment to these artisans and enjoy this exclusive piece or pieces each and every month (even if it is to gift some of it).

So many praises and prayers as September comes to a close.

Everything we do at Alegria is to keep our artisans safe, and keep their salaries paid. The mission given to me on December 2nd, 2020 was to ‘start a jewelry company and hire the young women from Faith Home.’ This picture is our artisans saying thank you to our Joy-Creators for shopping during the week we needed to replace our air conditioner in the Honduras office. Today I would ask that you would pray over the 4th Quarter of the year. That our Joy-Creators and Joy-Partner stores would be extravagant with their shopping and that we would have what we need to make it through the winter months with bills and salaries paid. If everyone on our mailing list bought 2 Christmas presents, we could have 3 months of savings retained! If all 180 of our Joy-Partner stores placed 1 average order, we would be able to hire another artisan. We have choices in how we shop, and those choices are powerful. Choosing something from Alegria has a direct impact on women and their families because they are paid a living wage for their work. Please pray that this fall and Christmas season inspires exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or imagine shopping! (Eph 3:20-21)