ICE CREAM, WORLD CHANGE, + EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

There’s been many incredible things I’ve gotten to do in my lifetime. Raising 5 beautiful children, being married to a godly man for over 30 years, planting a church, and helping women out of poverty. In each new season, God seems to call me to something completely different that stretches me. He wants us to always be growing into the new, no matter how big or small it may seem.
 
Over the last few years, God has made a shift in my life and asked me to focus on my community and family. I’ve spent the last decade working in global business and because of the width of that reach, I thought I’d always be called to that space. But as I built up a team to carry that business forward, God began showing me the next.
 
He began to show me what was going on in the community around me. He began to show me that my neighbors needed love. He began to reveal the tragedies of sex trafficking and heartbreak right down my street. He began to call me to use my skills in business to create change right where I live in Flagler County.
 
And it could be easy for me to say, ‘well, that’s not making global change, God. It’s not BIG change.’ I’ll be honest, I’ve struggled with that thinking at the beginning. But every time we use our gifts to make the world a better place, we are making BIG change.
 
So this last year, I’ve begun to flex my community impact muscles. I believe that world change begins with strong communities. It’s why I believe sustainable business is so important. It’s why I planted a church. It’s why I started Trades of Hope. My next big adventures will be local ministries and businesses that directly (or even indirectly) bring together communities in a way I know WILL change the world.

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Here’s a few of the ways I’ve been doing that:

• Over the last year, I’ve had more time to jump back into the church I planted with my husband and friends. I’ve used my skillset to serve on the Executive Team and to create systems for lasting change in this community. Through programs that provide counseling, a Family Center that will offer services to the underprivileged, and outreach events to those who are broken, it’s been an exciting season.

 

• I’ve been teaching and leading entrepreneurial groups with local business owners. Some of the GREATEST fruit we will ever grow is the fruit grown on other people’s trees. Because of that, investing in the next generation is so important to me.

 

• I’ve had more time to invest in local entrepreneurial ventures – a gym that serves our community’s physical health and a business flipping houses that will provide new beginnings for families.

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• I've continued my calling as a motivational speaker and have enjoyed using my voice to inspire and motivate others. 

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• I’ve consulted with and trained up local and national church planters that will be the NEXT for this country’s movement of God.

 

• And finally, my most recent adventure! When a prominent local business came up for sale in our community, I felt God whispering to me that this was part of our next. By buying this business, we could become part of the fabric of our community. Inspired by others who take small businesses and mold them into life-changing spaces (Chip + Joanna, anyone?), we decided to jump into this challenge. So I’m excited to share that we bought our local town’s favorite ice cream shop, the Waffle Cone!

 
Ice cream has a magical way of bringing together all kinds of people. And getting to oversee an environment where we can bring more magic, laughter, and the love of Jesus to our community is a dream come true.
 
So, if you see me out and about in Flagler County, I might be running to a business meeting, stopping by our Trades of Hope offices to root on our poverty ending team, attending Movies in the Park with my granddaughter Amelia, preaching on a Sunday morning, OR even scooping some ice cream. Just remember that world change WILL always happen when you choose to make a difference and invest in those around you.

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