5 minute read
My business partner is god
Meet my business partner. You may have heard of Him, as He is well known.
My business partner is God.
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I have had faith my entire life. Raised within a small-town congregation, filled with ministers and elders, I learned at a young age what religion looks like, and that it was not a fit for me. by Karen Baker
Religion, that is. Faith? Well that, my friend, is another story.
I think I have had a close relationship with God from my childhood. I felt him near me all the time, and my favorite way to spend time with God was to sing… alone, just Him and me. I kept my faith a secret, so my friends would think I was cool, but it was always there.
Always there
Many times, I would argue with God when I was sure I knew the right thing for me to do. Have you ever had those moments when
you feel as though you are pushing through brick walls to meet a goal or get something accomplished? I learned, slowly - because that’s how I roll - that God was putting those walls up, trying to say, “this is not your path to take.” Now trust me, I would still forge ahead! After all, I know what is good for me. Then, when I realized what a mistake I had made, He would lead me through. So that is how I learned to trust the Lord; painfully slow, while pushing all the boundaries.
God placed me in businesses and with mentors because He had a plan for me. I met amazing, high profile leaders who took the time to teach me, and I soaked up the knowledge. Then He said, “Its time to be an entrepreneur”.
Following His lead
I opened a small clothing store. Eighteen months into my business,
I wasn’t happy. I didn’t like so many factors of being on my own. I wanted out; however, God was determined I would be an entrepreneur, so He dropped a food cart into our lives.
This time, my husband is my partner. Most of the time it works well: I am bossy, and he is a worker. Together we built our little business, and it was tough. Loan payments, product issues, competitors, crappy weather (this is a big deal when you have a food truck). At one point our marriage almost broke. I knew something had to change, so after a huge blowout in our backyard, which I am certain the neighbourhood enjoyed, we decided I would go back to my career and we would scale down our commitments with the food truck. Suddenly, the business became profitable. The loans were paid off and we were able to enjoy building our wee business. I was back in my HR career and quite content for about 6 years. Then, in one of my conversations with God, He tells me again it is time.
His reply? Challenging, painful lessons at work to show me it was time to go. I fought. Then I asked a friend to pray with me. As he began the prayer, I felt a white veil drape over me and all I knew was peace. I resigned my role and listened to the Lord. Within a very short period, I had an amazing offer for a space to lease and my clothing store, Magpie Textile Co., came together, even through COVID, slowly and with little debt. Every time I wanted to change course, I remembered those hard lessons, and I stayed true. Besides, if this is what God has planned for me, I cannot really argue. I’ve also decided to stop keeping my faith a secret. This allows me to share my joy in Him, not in a preachy way, but my way. Every day I am blessed to meet women of all shapes and sizes, to listen to their stories and to help them find their joy. That can be a simple as a hug, an honest answer, or a fabulous outfit. Finally, I can be authentically me. I asked Him, “Are we business partners, Lord? “ His answer was the whisper of an idea, then the words, “It is time to grow.” Already?? He simply said two words, “Trust Me”. Then He followed it with, “Now quit talking to everyone and let me do my work”. When God tells you to be quiet, you listen.
This is my journey
I am not the woman to tell you who and what to believe; I would never assume I am that influential. However, I can tell you this: God was preparing me for this my entire life. He placed me in roles and situations to be exactly where I am today. The lessons were hard, painful and poignant. The reward?
I prayed for friendship; I received a circle of dynamic women. I was seeking wisdom; He leads me with a verse. I encounter a challenge; he sends a stranger into my world to help. This has always been His way and I am just finally seeing it. I spend my day with Him, sharing everything I love with Him and great women. I get to see them smile at their refection when the outfit works and I am just as excited to see them come through the door just to say hello. At the end of the day, when I curl up in my prayer spot, with two dogs at my feet, I start to talk with Him, going over the day and I feel his presence and his joy. My cup runneth over.
“The Lord says, I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you” Psalm 32:8 NLT
Karen Baker owns and operates Magpie Textile Co, Red Deer’s newest clothing boutique. Karen has a diverse background in both retail and Human Resources in senior leadership roles. Identifying the need for a boutique to offer style options for all body types, Magpie Textile Co is upscale casual with a boho heart. With her own authentic way, Karen teaches women to love their bodies and dress to make the most of their assets. Visit Karen at Magpie Textile Co at C14, 5380-45 Street, Red Deer
