The first week of May will be the 12th anniversary of when I started Hire A Housewife.

You could call it the day I first put the ad on Craigslist to clean houses. (Video of how we started below.) But I don’t believe that was the important part. It was that while I was creating that post I said to God, “Okay, apparently I’m not so great at making life choices right now. So I’m going to clean houses temporarily until YOU tell me what I’m really supposed to be doing.”

And now, 12 years later, here we are.

The last few years have actually been the hardest. Business was WAAAAY up, but finding the right employees has been difficult.

In fact, my frustration at being down to just two employees in mid-March led me to say to God, “Well, we’ve been going for 12 years. Most businesses don’t last that long. Closing down after 12 years isn’t a failure. If you are trying to tell me this chapter of the story is done, please make that clear and I’ll do it. If not, please help me out here!”

The next day, I got a text message from an admin in a group I’m part of, Meta Business Leadership Network. The text said Meta had sent me an important email a couple of days before and they hadn’t heard from me. I checked. Sure enough, I had been invited by Meta (the owners of Facebook) to come to Washington DC in May (at their expense) as part of their “Meet Your Policymakers” event. Why? They want me to share the story of how Hire A Housewife began and how it grows and how the laws and policies regarding social media impact small businesses.

The front page from the book of information I received from Meta in between the zoom meetings we’ve had, preparing us for the trip.

I was shocked. Of course, I said, “Yes!”

What an answer, right? I ask God if he wants this chapter of the story to be over, and get an answer that includes me sharing the story with others, just so there are no questions about it.

But something that dawned on me only a few days ago is that the text I got may have come after I asked God the question, but the email that was the answer had been in my inbox since the day before I asked. It was a reminder to me that sometimes I’ve already received the answer I need. I just need to look in the right place.

Since March I have hired and trained several new, great employees. We’ve had an influx of new clients as well and I feel good about where the business is going again!

And next week, I’m flying out to Washington DC to be part of the event that was my answer.

I’m very excited about this trip and the opportunity to learn about advocating for small businesses, connect with Senator Dick Durbin’s staff, and meet other business owners there as well!