My story....

A member of my upline in Premier texted me Friday and asked me if I would be willing to speak at the next area training to share my testimony about Premier and what is has done for my family and me.  I've thought about what to say since she and I last spoke, and my story is this....

I was working full time at a local credit union plus part-time waiting tables at a local steakhouse here in Georgia.  My husband and I were trying to have another baby with no success, and I felt like my life was spinning out of control.  As much as I tried to control every single aspect of my life, I still could not make things go the way I thought they should be going.  One Sunday I went to church, and I felt like God had told the pastor exactly what to say to me that day, because it felt like his sermon was written just for me.  I cried like I often do in church, but I felt compelled to go to the altar and ask the pastor to pray with me.  I told him that I needed God to take control of my life, and to help me understand that it is HIS will that needs to be done and not mine.  I expressed to him that I was exhausted from working two jobs, one that often kept me from church on Sundays, and I wanted my life to change.

It wasn't long after that Sunday, that I took a leap of faith, and I quit my job waiting tables.  I knew money was going to be tight, but I knew God would make a way.  Shortly after that, I had to have my gallbladder taken out, and it was so bad I had gangrene.  I was out of work for several weeks, and my short-term disability check didn't come in until I was back at work for two weeks.  My husband and I had used our entire savings to make ends meet while I was out. About a month after I got back to work, I found out I was pregnant!!! We spent lots of money on fertility treatments that didn't work, and we had medical bills to prove it, so it was such a blessing to hear since we thought we would never have a second child.   Soon after we found out we were pregnant, things at my husband's job started getting worse and he began having furlough days.  Instead of laying off employees, they decided to put everyone's name in rotation and give them what they call "standby" days.  They are unpaid days off, but you are basically on call in case they need you to come in and run a route.  At first, standby days only came once a month, but before we knew it they were once a week, sometimes twice a week.  We were losing anywhere from $300 to $600 a week.  To top it all off, in January I was placed on bed rest for 4 months.  By the time our son was born, we were drowning.  I felt like there was absolutely no way things were going to get better.  I thought, how am I going to go back to work? Can we even afford day care? Can we even afford for me TO go to work?

We sat down and calculated exactly what everything would cost and realized that it was actually cheaper for me NOT to work.  If I went back to work, by the time we paid daycare, gas, food, and clothing, we were coming out in the negative!  Right about that time, I got an e-mail from the woman who is now my sponsor, Lisa Wesley.  She was running a promotion for jewelers that signed up that month.  I got some information from her, but I just wasn't sure I wanted to commit.  I talked it over with my husband, and he encouraged me to do it.  I contacted Lisa, and I told her I was ready to join Premier, and I took off running, and I haven't looked back.

I have been with Premier now for almost 8 months, and this year my goal is to make it to Designer level by the end of 2011.  I currently have 2 jewelers in my downline, so that means I need 5 more by the end of the year.  I have received so much encouragement and love from my upline, and I am pumped about my future. Not only am I making more by doing one party than I was working a 40 hour week, but I'm having a blast doing it!.  Premier has met so many financial needs for my family, but ABOVE ALL THAT Premier has truly, truly blessed me spiritually.  The women that are jewelers with Premier are passionate about enriching lives, sharing their knowledge, and worshiping God.  They are some of the best people I have ever met, and I am proud to call each and every one of them friends.

Thank you to each and every one of you that have made this business what it is, and thank you to every person I have crossed paths with along the way.  Each and every one of you mean the world to me!!

Reflection

Yesterday my grandmother called to chat.  She isn't doing well so I guess she is taking the time to call all of us and say what is weighing on her heart.  She and I have always been able to have deep conversations, and I've always felt like I could talk to her about anything.  We were discussing God and forgiveness, and where she thought God had led me, and that she was proud of the woman I had become.  About two years ago, I went to the front of my church, and I asked my pastor to pray with me.  I knew that I had a terrible need to control every single thing in my life, and I needed God's help to allow Him to take control.  The pastor prayed with me and shortly after that things happened in my life that weren't the easiest to go through.

My husband and I had been having a lot of trouble getting pregnant with our second child,  After many failed attempts with fertility drugs, we had decided that another baby just might not be in the cards for us.  Shortly after, I had to have my gallbladder removed and learned that it was so bad, I had gangrene.  A few weeks of recovery and I was much better, but I missed some work, and money was low.  Shortly after that I found out I was pregnant.  Such a blessing!! With that blessing came sacrifices.  I was placed on 4 months of bed rest, and I couldn't work either of the two jobs I had.  Money was tight to say the least.  Furlough days at my husband's job only worsened our situation.

Then I found Premier.  Premier has not only blessed us financially but spiritually as well.  This company was founded on Biblical principles.  Joan and Andy Horner vowed to always serve people in the name of the Lord.  As I was talking to my grandmother yesterday, I reflected back on what the last two years had brought for my family and me, and I realized that the day I asked God to take control, He did.  The last two years haven't been easy by any means, but they have brought us HERE!!!  My faith has remained strong, and continues to grow stronger because of God and the people he has put in my path.  I am thankful everyday for what Premier has done for me, and I look forward to the years to come.  I know that I am where I should be with a company that puts God and people first before all else.  I finally let God lead me, and I am now home with both of my children, and very blessed to have the life I have.  I'm surrounding myself with all the right people in my life, and I know that God has good things in store for me.  I can't wait!!!

This is only the beginning....

Today is my first day as a blogger.  I wanted to start this blog to reach out to other moms like me who are not only looking for ways to SAVE money, but ways to EARN money as well.  As it says in my About Me section, I am a full-time jeweler with Premier Designs.  I joined back in July after I had my son, and decided going back to work just wasn't economical, but I still wanted to contribute to the household income.  Honestly, Premier has been both a blessing and lifesaver to my family.  It not only provides extra money for us, but it has been spiritually rewarding as well.  I look at myself in the mirror everyday and realize I am slowly becoming a totally new person...and I LOVE IT!!!  I am surrounding myself with some of the best people God placed on this earth, and I am richer in more ways than I can count.  I can't wait to see what the rest of this year has in store for us!!