If you have a hobby, what if that hobby could turn into something really big and change the course of your family? As moms, we make excuses and listen to those lies all too often. And, sometimes we hide behind our family because it’s easier than facing our fears. Fear of making that hobby something bigger can sometimes get in your way. You never know what taking that leap of faith can do for your future.
I’d do it for free. Truly. Ask my husband and he’d tell you the same thing. I love what I do and even if I didn’t get paid, I’d still do it. It’s a hobby that turned into a career. Let me explain…
My best friend’s husband bought P90X and had a great transformation. The P90X company asked them to be Founding Coaches (representatives of the company who could earn off their sales of P90X). My best friend asked me if I wanted to join them and I said “no”. I’d been approached by tons of companies to “sell things” and I didn’t want to. A few months later, she told me about how the company gave free customers so I listened again. I knew I needed some accountability for my health, as I didn’t want to continue the legacy of diabetes in my family. If I could earn a little money, too…that’d be great.
And so my hobby began. Working out to Beachbody products, helping others join my health journey, meeting amazing people, and earning some pretty good money. My cup was overflowing. Then, it happened…we began to dream for the first time in our marriage. Possibilities became realities. The income I was receiving opened up new doors we had never expected.
I remember sitting in the car asking my husband, “If you could do anything, what would you do?” (Again, a conversation that never would have happened before I started my hobby.) “I’d work for Compassion International,” he said. Two weeks later, Compassion called and the interview process began. Really. True story.
Weeks went by and an offer was on the table. Take it, right? Well…God didn’t give Jeffrey a peace at that time so he declined. He told me, “If it’s meant to be, God will bring it back around.” Yeah, right…like it’ll come back around.
The following May, Compassion called again and the interview process began again. That September, Jeffrey left his CIO Position with owning 5% of the company in 4 years, to working in IT for Compassion. 2/3 pay? Sure! Because my hobby was matching his new salary.
Obviously, I did treat my hobby like a business but if you peel it back…it still is a hobby to me. I’m still a stay at home mom and get to be with my kids. Not only has my hobby grown 2.5 times since we’ve been in Colorado, it has allowed us to travel, buy a house, pay for a remodel of that house, and have a substantial savings for the first time in our married life. My hobby has relieved stress from my husband to be the sole bread winner of our house…which is a huge gift.
But, what my hobby has done more importantly is allowed us to dream! Dream for our future. Dream things that only God could put in our minds.
It may be time for you to turn that hobby into more. It might be hard. You might be scared. You might fall and have to get back up. I believe God wants us to grow and dream. Are you ready?
“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” James 1:2-4
