Stop believing the lies

I wrote a very long comment on WCIC's blog post about decluttering and then realized that I should turn it into a post of my own. Here it is, slightly edited.

Every week I meet new overwhelmed clients who have hired me to walk through their home with them and teach them how to conquer their clutter. I break everything down for them into baby steps and teach them how to get through it themselves.

Every time, I learn the build-up has much less to do with the stuff... and much more to do with
what's going on inside the person I'm there to help. 

Decluttering is amazingly freeing, but you will need to do it all again and again if you don't figure out your whys. In business, your "why" is the reason you do what you do. In clutter, your whys are the lies you tell yourself to make you think keeping the stuff is worth it.

Have you heard some of these before?

I should get rid of this but...
... it was so expensive it would be wasteful to get rid of it.
... someone else might be able to use it.
... I might need it again someday.
... my friend who gave it to me would be upset if she knew I didn't keep it.

And those are just the little lies.

Underlying those are much bigger lies... many of which we don't even realize we believe.

God isn't really my provider.
         (If He was, why would you save so much for "just in case?")
This is how I've always lived. I can't change.
          (How many times a week do you say that to yourself?)
We can't have nice things.
          (If you believe that, you'll make sure it's true.)

I could do a whole book on the lies we tell ourselves if I got started!

The power of life and death is in the tongue and faith comes by hearing. Put those verses together and it tells you that faith is voice activated! What you hear yourself say, you will believe. Say these things to yourself out loud today any time you think about any of those lies:

     I can learn to be organized. I don't need so much stuff.

     I deserve to live with the peace of mind that comes from a clean and organized house.

     God is my provider and I don't need to fret about what I may or may not need in the future.

     God is going to use my decluttering to bless others!

Not sure how that last one is possible? Read on...

As I was helping a client a few months ago through our "Love Where You Live" program, we came across a stack of pants. Brand new, with tags, in a size that the client never intends to wear again and is not a common size to begin with.

There were a lot of lies she could have told herself to make herself keep them. "They were expensive, maybe it isn't too late to return them." or "I might come across someone who can use them." or any number of others.

Instead she chose to donate them, along with a lot of other clothes. As I was driving the bags to Redeemer Lutheran to donate to Single Mom's Morning Out, I remembered the pants and started to tear up. It just hit me.

I don't know what single mom out there needed nice work slacks in a size 18 Tall, but God had already provided them and she had no idea that they were waiting for her that morning. Because one person didn't believe the lies, another person received a blessing.

Stop believing the lies that are holding you back!

You CAN Love Where You Live!

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.
~Proverbs 23:7

Love Where You Live Updates and Giveaway!

Since the Love Where You Live program was introduced earlier this year, some changes and updates have been implemented. Here is a rundown of how it works, followed by a giveaway offer!

Love Where You Live helps you get your home more organized and keep it that way! We are already helping people in the area make progress with their homes!

With Love Where You Live, Hire A Housewife owner, Kindall Nelson, helps you learn how to break down organizing your house into manageable steps.

Here is her description of how the program works:

When I come for your first 90-minute appointment, I'll be ready for a complete walk-through of the house to determine what needs to be done and how the work should be prioritized. As we walk through, I take both notes and "before" pictures. If there is enough time left, I will help you tackle a project while I am there. We will discuss goals and strategies for the week, and I will give you homework to complete before our next appointment.

When I return the second week, it will be with a binder that has been created with your home's plan in mind. We will discuss wins and losses for the week and also tackle a project together to help give your motivation a boost into the next week.

If there is a specific project that you need done but don't want to do yourself, we can discuss having my staff or I do that separately from our regularly scheduled appointments.

I will also haul away, or arrange to have hauled away, anything you have marked for donation during the week.

There is a minimum commitment of 4 weeks, which comes to $240.
($60 per 90 minute appointment)

Please know that while Hire A Housewife is always dedicated to guilt-free, judgement-free cleaning and organizing, this does take a commitment on your part to participate. I work hard to give you strategies that fit your life. But if you don't follow those strategies, things will not change.

I want to make a difference for you!

Now for the giveaway...

Are you ready to make some changes in your home?

Do you need someone to give you strategies and hold you accountable for those changes?

Tell me in 300 words or less why you would benefit from our Love Where You Live program and send  a couple of photos (they will not be shared) of some example areas where you would like help.
I also need your name, address, and phone number.

I will be choosing someone I believe will be committed to the program to receive 4 (FOUR) Love Where You Live appointments with me, and will announce the winner on May 16th!

Send to [email protected]

with the Subject: Love Where You Live Giveaway

Love Where You Live

How long has it been since you've had someone in your home?
Do your friends feel welcome to stop by whenever they want?
Does the thought of someone doing that cause a little bit of panic to set in...
      maybe more than a little bit of panic?

I'm sure you've probably had these thoughts before...

When its warmer outside...

When we get a bigger house...

When the kids are old enough to help pick up...

When my oldest leaves for college...

THEN I'll get this place organized.

The good news I have for you is this... You can do it NOW and I want to help.

I've said many times that I am perfectly happy if I can help others get the home they want without ever using our service. That is true. I will give you tips and tricks all day long if they will help, but what most of us need is a plan of action and some accountability. That's what I am presenting here today.

With Hire A Housewife's new LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE service, I will help you decide what needs to be done, break it down into small steps, and walk you through the process, holding you accountable each step of the way.

You've heard of a life-coach before? Think of this as life-coaching for your home. The end goal is not for you to continue to use our services, it is for you to be able to keep up with your home yourself!

How does it work?

At your initial appointment, I come in and do a walk-through of your home.
(Don't panic! I am coming to help, not judge!)

I will take a look at each room in the house and make a detailed list of things that need to be taken care of at some point. I will also take "before" photos that will not be shared with anyone but you without your written permission.

Lastly, I will give you a small amount of homework to get done before I come back.

At your second appointment, I will present you with a personalized binder to help guide you through the steps. We'll talk about your strategies and then tackle a project together.

I will return weekly or bi-weekly for one-two hours to help you continue to move towards your goal.

Additional options: 

     * Scheduled text messages and/or email reminders.
     * Phone consultation between appointments for encouragement or advice.

     * Hire A Housewife services to help you reach your goals more quickly.

Why you need this:

     

     I am not going to pull any punches.    

     I am not afraid to ask you the tough questions. 

     I am not afraid to tell you that it is time to throw something away.

     I have no problem loading up the things you decide to donate 

          and driving them to Mission Mart (or your preferred donation center) for donation.

     If you follow the plans laid out for you, you will regain control of your home and
          it will become a place that you love.

Charges:

First, 90-minute appointment 

& binder creation:                                        $ 100

Following Appointments:                            $ 40 per hour, 90 minute minimum

Text and/or email reminders:                       $ 5 per week

Phone consultations:                                    $ 10 (approximately 15 minutes)

Minimum charge to start this service is $280. 

This includes the first session and three follow-up sessions. 

Payment can be made via check or cash at the time of the first appointment with Kindall, or via PayPal to [email protected]

Hire A Housewife owner, Kindall Nelson, is the only Love Where You Live specialist at this time. Space is limited, so to avoid being put on a waiting list, contact us now! There is current availability on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays.

Feel free to leave questions in the comments here or on Facebook page link. 

I look forward to helping you Love Where You Live!

Good people know good people

To me, the most important aspect of our service, is that customers enjoy a consistent, high-quality experience. We strive to provide consistent, high-quality work, by the same housewife at each visit.

Unfortunately, finding high-quality employees who are able to provide that experience is not easy!

In the past, as one employee has gone, I've used a variety of sources to quickly find, hire, and train someone else to try to avoid an interruption in service to any client. This has led to problems with quality as well as longevity of employment. When I put someone in the field who just isn't ready, they often don't last more than two months.

At this time, all of our housewives are fantastic. We just don't have enough of them to cover our current list of clients. I have been working to fix this problem, trying to avoid issues I've had in the past.

While brainstorming with fellow business owners recently, we were discussing the best ways to find good employees when someone said, "Good people know good people." 

She was totally right! And, when I think of good people, who are some of the first ones that come to mind? You! Our clients are undoubtedly some of the best people I've ever met! Besides that, you know exactly what kind of people we are looking for... because you know who you would trust in your home.

How can you make this knowledge work for you? 

Keep reading!

I would like to propose an incentive for those of you who think you know someone who would be a great fit for Hire A Housewife...

Anyone who submits the name of a person who applies and is hired by Hire A Housewife, will be be credited with 10 hours of free housekeeping when the employee reaches their 6 month anniversary. 

*Just a side note: It is against our policy to have friends and family members clean each other's homes. So the person you refer would not provide you services.

In the mean time, while I am working to find, hire, and train the right good people for Hire A Housewife, new clients and some current clients will be placed on our waiting list. 

We would rather ask you to wait for service and risk losing you, than providing you with sub-par service and lose you for sure, with good reason.

I am posting our current employment ad below. 

CLICK HERE

To submit someone for referral!

Hire A Housewife is hiring again for the Greater Peoria Area!

You must:
Have general knowledge of how to clean prior to training
Have a good attitude 
Have a clean criminal record
Have your own vehicle
Have the ability to check your email regularly
Have the ability to follow directions
Pay attention to details
Intend to stay for an extended period of time.

We offer:
15 to 35 hours per week
Monday - Friday, between 7am and 5pm
Flexible scheduling
$10 per hour to start, before tips and incentive programs
Performance-based raises
You choose your own service area

Learn more about us at our website before you apply or interview: www.hireahousewifepeoria.com

To apply: Send a resume and cover letter to [email protected]

No phone calls please.

Exciting News!

We have exciting news!

Hire A Housewife is currently in the running for a $100,000 grant from Chase Mission Main Street Grants... but we need your help!

To get to the next level in the competition, we need at least 250 people to click through the banner below and vote for us! It takes about 10 seconds and could make a huge difference in the future for Hire A Housewife and for our employees.

What would we do with $100,000?
Here are a few things...

• Trademark our name and logo
• Obtain the website we want (HireAHousewife.com)
• Hire an accountant to help us ensure our finances are being handled correctly
• Implement a more comprehensive training program to continue to ensure our customers receive the best service
• Expand to Galesburg and Henry, with the possibility of expanding to Bloomington soon.
• Begin steps towards franchising
• Update our office equipment

I want to continue to not only provide great service to all of our customers, but to also change lives of our employees for the better. We offer fair wages, flexible schedules, and a supportive work environment for people who need it most. 

I know that nobody who works for Hire A Housewife intends to work with us forever. I care about the dreams of my employees and want to help give them a solid stepping stone to the next phase of their life... leaving a little closer to living their dreams.

Please help us do that by clicking the banner above or below!

Thank you and have a blessed day!

Promise after promise

Many of you know the story of how God started this business. 

While Hire A Housewife has done much better than expected considering I have never run a business before, overcoming my personal past has been quite a struggle. Hopefully, it is a struggle that others can find encouragement in. 

In that hope, I've decided to share my personal blog with my Hire A Housewife fans as well. I've had good days and bad, and if you've not read it before you might be surprised by some of the things I say.

I started this blog as a way to hold myself accountable for my choices and promises to others and to God. I am real. I am honest. Sometimes I am confused beyond belief, but that's human... and I am definitely that.

I did not become homeless just under three years ago by living right or making Godly choices. Some of those choices I made were based on wrong beliefs I had about others and myself. 

With some of those choices I caused myself deep wounds, some that are still healing.

God is still working on me, but I am excited by all He is doing. So, if you feel inclined to share in my personal journey as well, I'd like to invite you to check out and subscribe to my blog here:

PromiseAfterPromise.com

Like I said, I am excited by all that God is doing and I want to be able to share with all of you in the coming weeks. 

Have a blessed day!

Tackling the girls' room

Anyone who has heard my testimony knows that I am not usually afraid to tell it like it is. It's important that people know me, my household, and my family are far from perfect. When I come into yours, and give you ideas or help you clean something up, I am not judging you... I have no right to! I say that whatever mess you have, we have already seen it and cleaned it up before, and it was probably in our own house.

Well, if you don't believe me after this post, I don't think I'll ever be able to convince you.

My three girls, ages 17, 11, and 9, share a bedroom. I am constantly telling them to clean it up, pick it up, put laundry in the bathroom, throw away the water bottles, etc. When the bottom bunk of the bunk bed broke a couple of weeks ago, I realized that even if I found a replacement, I couldn't get into their room to change anything out.

If you read regularly, you have no doubt seen my posts about how you can de-clutter anything in 15 minutes a day. I have to say, that doesn't include a child's bedroom if they are still living in it and not picking up after themselves. Today I decided I was fed up the less than enthusiastic efforts of my children, and took it on myself to get them started.

Here are the steps I have taken so far to move us forward in this process...

1. I took pictures of everything.

2. I started bagging things up while they were gone today.
 
     *All stuffed animals and pillows in garbage bags.
       EVEN FAVORITES (Motivation for later.)
     *Anything else washable from the floor into totes and garbage bags.
       ESPECIALLY FAVORITES (Motivation for later.)
     *Books, movies, etc. went into boxes.
     *Shoes went into a box

3. I didn't pick up any trash.

4. As I worked, I swept everything to the center of the room. EVERYTHING. And I stacked the stuff that had been bagged and boxed (all will be gone through one at a time.)

5. I worked until I was tired and had other things to do.   
     Then I wrote this note for when they came home.

I also added that they were not allowed to put anything "away" ... because all of the "aways" still needed to be cleaned out as well.

Next step: To have them clean off their dressers and bookshelves so there is a place to put whatever they decide to keep.


This is honestly a risky blog post to put out on my business blog... I mean, what if we don't get it done? What if it turns out that I'm too busy or too exhausted to stay on them and three months from now my 17yr old is still sleeping on her mattress on the floor because I didn't stick to this or make them stick to it either!?!

Well, that will be just another reminder that I am human as well. Hopefully, though, instead of that, over the next week I will be able to show you that even though sometimes things get out of control at my house too, it is possible to take back control.

When I said I "other things to do" and stopped cleaning and wrote that note... I didn't just mean writing this blog post...

Today I'm going to take down the Christmas tree.

Come...

I shared this elsewhere, as I do a lot of my personal writing. But I keep feeling like it needs to be shared here as well. If you are reading my blog, you probably know my story. I am pretty open and honest about the fact that I am still in the process of growing and changing, working to become more like the woman God created me to be. 

It's all a process. Everyone has room for improvement. Everyone is on their own journey. I just happen to be more open than most when it comes to sharing my journey to become that woman...

God made me a pretty smart girl.

I have some good ideas from time to time.

If a good idea in a willing servant is God-inspired,

there is very little that can keep it from becoming reality.

As much as I try to be a willing servant

so many "good ideas" have fallen apart for me 

when I tried to take action on them.

Even the ones that I thought would bring Him

the glory He wants and so richly deserves. 

Don't You see that I am trying to do something amazing here?

When people see it, they will give You the glory!

This will prove to so many that it only takes

faith to move mountains. 

Then it doesn't work out, and I am heartbroken.
Tired, depressed, angry, irritated, and unmotivated.
Pray? Why bother? (As if I'm punishing Him.)
Read? I don't feel like it. (As if somehow He will cave to my sulking.)

I'm reading a book, The Extravagant Fool by Kevin Adams. Here is an incident he related in this book between him and his daughter that floored me, probably much like it did Kevin when it happened...

At age four she came bouncing from the bathroom, dripping wet with tears in her eyes, to ask, “Daddy, didn't you say that anything is possible with God if you just believe hard enough?”

“Sure, sweet girl. Absolutely.”

“Well, Daddy . . . I’ve just come from the bathtub, and it was filled up to the top.”

“Uh-huh.” I suddenly imagined myself backhanding the floating chairs, toilet seats, and toothbrushes half submerged in Bathroom Lake.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, sweetheart?” I’m now reluctantly reaching for the bathroom door, with her close behind me.

“Well, um . . . I’ve been trying and trying to walk on the water the whole time, and I just can’t do it. I’m really sorry, Daddy. I believed I could do it with God’s help, but I can’t — and I’m really sorry.”

With profound silence, I looked at her curious little face and hoped for a routine word ...

... But all I had to offer this time was a hug — one I couldn’t let go of without a little extra help from above.

Help me, Father. Just one thought that gently brought the next one:

Anything is possible with Me, but not everything is useful to Me. Peter only walked after I said, “Come.” 

“Sweet girl,” I said on the heels of that thought, “it is possible for you to walk on water, but only if it’s something God wants you to do. Did He tell you to walk on the water?”

“No, Daddy, He didn’t. I just wanted to.”

Before I could finish that brilliant thought, though, she was on to the next subject.

It doesn't matter if I have the best intentions or the worst intentions. It doesn't matter if my end goal is selfish or if I want it to work for His glory. If it isn't His will, I will ultimately fail.

I can tell God I want to make a relationship work, I want to write a book,

I want to grow my company into something huge in His name,

I want to bring people to Him with the story He's given me

I want to teach teen moms their self worth and help them

break free from the negative patterns in their lives,

I want to walk on water.

The reason why doesn't matter.

Whether trying to bring glory to my name or His.

None of what "I want" means anything...

If I don't first listen for Him to say "Come..."

And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

~Matthew 14:29

Bring joy to your home in just 15 minutes a day

What horrible, nasty, exhausting, awful things might you be willing to endure if you thought that the end result would bring something good into your life? REALLY... Think about this!


I don't know about you, but I didn't think childbirth was that fun. At least none of mine were! But, you know, I kinda liked that ending part where they handed me a baby!

What about exercise? Well, if I could quit the second I felt too tired and still get the benefits... but I can't... so that goes in the "not fun" category as well. Now, 70lbs lighter than when I started, I'm pretty happy with the benefits.

Today my pastor posted a picture of himself in our church dumpster after he had to go in to look for something thrown away by accident! Unplanned dumpster diving? Yuck! But what was lost has been recovered. :-)

(Thanks for some inspiration Pastor Chuck!)

But what if I told you that if you were willing to endure something that is likely not as bad as any of those things for a small amount of time... it could drastically improve your home? I'm serious.

You have one of those in your home, right? Just about everyone does. If not, you likely have something similar. Microwave timer, cell phone timer, neighborhood dog that barks every five minutes? Surely everyone has something...

What if I told you that this timer could solve a large portion of your clutter problems?

It can.

And it doesn't have to be difficult either. Are you ready for this amazing, mind-blowing plan?

Pick a spot in your home that has been overwhelmed with clutter. Maybe it is a bookshelf. Maybe it is a closet. Maybe you have an entire guest room full of stuff that you have been intending to deal with "later."

Set your timer for 15 minutes.

Get to work.

What!?! There is no magic involved? There is no secret trick?

No. You actually have to go through it and decide to trash, recycle, donate, or keep everything you touch. But don't get discouraged, because while thinking about that mess, you might have forgotten something.

You only set the timer for 15 minutes.

So what are you supposed to do when it goes off? Whatever you want. Drop what you are cleaning/organizing/sorting and walk away. Don't touch it again today.

I know that your initial reaction is going to be, "But Kindall, how is that going to help?" I know you are already rolling your eyes about this plan. I know that the amount of work that needs to be done in the space you were thinking about is enormous compared to the amount of time I told you to spend there. Think about it like this... at the end of a week, at 15 minutes a day, how much time have you spent on your problem?

Almost two full hours.

Before you put this plan into place, how much time had you spent on that problem in the last month?

Imagine, tackling project after project in just 15 minutes a day until your house is clutter-free?

Now, is it likely that you can keep your entire home clean with just 15 minutes of work a day? Probably not. But so often, it isn't the daily housework that gets us bogged down. It is the clutter that has built up over time, or the boxes that were all moved in at once and never opened again that make us sign when we catch a glimpse of them.

So, if I am running a business that specializes in organizing and cleaning, among other things, why would I tell you this instead of just telling you to hire us and let us handle it for you?

I shared this because what I care about most is bringing JOY into your home. Of course we will come in and clean and organize and do anything you'd like done! But I want you to know that, even if hiring help is out of budget for you right now, there is hope! 

Given the right tools, you can do this!

Today, the right tool is this...

 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.

 Each day has enough trouble of its own.  Matthew 6:34

 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7

While we are waiting...

I started writing a book a couple of years ago. God started writing it LONG before that. Recently, the need to write is being stirred again... and blog posts alone aren't the answer for me!  I have a lot more than this finished, but as I read through it this morning, I couldn't wait to share it... God is SO GOOD! We just have to open our eyes and see that He is everywhere.
 

“Everything will work out fine in the end. If it hasn’t worked out, then it isn’t the end.”

How patient are you? Are you good at waiting for God’s promises? When you are waiting on God to answer a prayer, how long do you wait before you begin to get discouraged?  A day? A week? Two years? Seven?

You might be surprised to know that patience isn’t my strongest asset. If you know me, then you probably laughed just now. That’s okay. I like to make people laugh.

There are days when I have confidently told others that God has perfect timing, only to crawl into bed and cry while telling God that I can’t wait any longer for what He has promised me.

There have been times when I have tried to take matters into my own hands. I have tried to HELP GOD. It’s nothing new… plenty of people in the Bible did the same thing. They proved it is never a good idea… but we do it anyway. It never quite works out right.

So what do we do while we are waiting? How do we keep from becoming discouraged? We need to look and see what God IS doing... to give us the strength to wait. God is doing miracles EVERY SINGLE DAY. For you, for me, for people all over… but if you stay focused on what you don’t have, you’ll never see what’s going on around you.

17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[a] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1: 17-19

I am in my 40...

No, I'm not in my 40's... lol. I have several years before that! This is a different 40.

Ever since I heard a sermon about Jesus' temptation during his 40 days of fasting, I have been thinking about how I am in my 40...

Jesus fasted for 40 days, the Hebrews wandered the desert for 40 years, Noah's family watched it rain for 40 days... Each case was something that was for a reason and, in the end, brought growth to those who experienced it.

This morning I woke up to a devotional in my email that brought me tears.

41 will come.

Jesus' fasting and temptation ended on day 41. Goliath was struck down by David on day 41. The rain stopped falling on the Ark on day 41. The Hebrews entered the promised land in year 41...

I am spending my 40 being faithful. I am spending my 40 learning from my mistakes. I am spending my 40 becoming a better person... the person God intended to me to be. I have been patient. Much like the Hebrews, I know I not only earned my 40 through my own choices... but I need it to strengthen me. I have been rejoicing in my sufferings... thanking God for the thorn in my flesh... because I know that in my weaknesses He is shown to be strong...

But reading this morning... that assurance that it won't last forever... the "you're doing a good job, but don't get discouraged... there is a light a the end of this tunnel" just melted me. I don't know any other way to describe it.

I've been so focused on what I am supposed to learn in my 40. That journey is rough... sometimes exhausting... but I keep going because I know it is what I have to do. Don't misunderstand... God is still doing amazing things for my family and me... but we are still waiting for so many things.

In the midst of all of that... I totally forgot 41 is coming.

I am so excited to hear this sermon series and read the book that is coming from it...

If you live in the area, I encourage you to come check it out..

Most of all, I want to encourage you today the way I was encouraged... YOUR 41 WILL COME TOO!

Sharing at Trinity Church in Morton on Sunday

For those of you who haven't made the connection yet, I am the woman that Station Manager Dave Brooks is talking about in the latest WCIC "Things are not business as usual" radio spot. I have told God that if he is going to give me a story, that I will share it... and He is making sure I keep that promise! :-)

I attend Rock Church in East Peoria, but I also volunteer at the Community Harvest Food Pantry in Morton. Community Harvest and Trinity Church have asked me to speak for about 5 minutes this Sunday about Community Harvest and my testimony.

Since most of you will not be there to hear it, I thought I would share with you what I am going to tell them...

My name is Kindall. I am a single mom of four. I could talk to you for hours about how amazing God is… but I only have 5 minutes… so here’s what I want to tell you today!

My children and I used to live in Galesburg, but I began to feel that God's place for us was the Peoria area. I knew that I was supposed to move us here... but instead of waiting for God’s direction; I took the first avenue I saw open. Seven months and one unhealthy relationship later, my four children and I were homeless... living in an RV at a local campground. We were stuck there for nearly six months. My son was 10, and my daughters were 6, 8 and 14.

Shortly after that I started coming to the Community Harvest Food Pantry regularly. I had been once or twice before, but it never meant so much to me as it did after we became homeless. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly. I remember tearing up the first time someone loaded food into my van and telling them that they had no idea what a blessing they were. I also prayed several times with volunteers. When I didn’t, I still wrote my request down so that someone would pray for me during the week.

Trying to find work was difficult. I have my degree in Elementary education, but I had let my license lapse and couldn’t go back to teaching unless I went back to school. Besides that, what school was going to hire a homeless teacher?  Instead I decided that a good start would be to get a part time job doing some housekeeping, and put an ad on Craigslist. In an effort to make my ad different than all of the others, I titled it “Hire A Housewife” and listed off all of the things I could do that your average cleaning lady would not. Cooking, organizing, pet care, event planning… whatever was needed.

The first person to hire me truly took my ad literally. He and his boys didn’t just need the house cleaned. They needed food cooked, decorating taken care of, errands run… everything. I started working at their house five days a week. Over time I built a relationship with this family…

Thanks to some help from some friends and some people who believed in me, we were able to get into an apartment in September of last year.  Shortly after that, I started volunteering at Community Harvest. As much as it touched me to be served through the program, being on the other side of the registration table has touched me more.

I try very hard to make sure that people who come in do not feel like a number. I work on remembering their names. If I see a new haircut or something else that has changed, I comment on it too… because I know what a difference it makes to know that someone sees you as a person.  I have watched miracles take place over and over at Community Harvest. Food nobody expected, a vehicle that was badly needed, most importantly people who come in in pain… physical, emotional, spiritual… and leave with hope and healing.  I love everyone that comes through the doors at Community Harvest… but different circumstances that people have, will always affect volunteers differently.

My heart goes out to the ones who come in and, eyes looking at the ground, tell me they’ve never been here and then start explaining what happened… more than once I have had someone tear up at the registration table and say the words, “I’m sorry… it’s just embarrassing to have to be here.” That’s when I have the opportunity to say, “I understand, but you need to know that this is what we are here for… and if you look at the people who are working here… there are very few of us who haven’t stood in your shoes. Things will get better. In the mean time, we are here for you.” I get to give that peace and encouragement now because Community Harvest gave that to me.

Between my Saturdays at Community Harvest,  I worked a couple of other part time jobs here and there, but when I was working as a “housewife” I was doing something I loved.

When I decided to take on a few more clients, I started a Facebook page… and then a web page, and a blog. As interest picked up, I had a logo designed, filed with the county as a business, and even took a couple of classes through the Small Business Association. 

In the last four months, my business “Hire A Housewife” has gone from working with just two families to needing to hire three women part-time to help me with the workload. .. and while it is work, we are building relationships and bringing JOY into people’s homes every day… and who could ask for a better job than that?

I am here today because I wanted to share with you what God has done for me over the last year and a half and I wanted to tell you how Community Harvest was part of that. Community Harvest is not just about giving hungry people food, just like Hire A Housewife isn’t just about cleaning. In both cases we are building lasting relationships with people who Jesus loves... Whether they already know Him or God is putting us in their paths so that we can show them who He really is… the reach is so much bigger than we can even imagine… and it is all for His glory.

Waiting on God...

Earlier this year I went to a women's conference. Speaker Maureen Gray had a message about giving up control... and I thought, "I know who this message would be good for..."

Let me tell you... ANY TIME you think that about a sermon... you need to be listening more closely. Once I started listening, I heard the speaker talk as though she had been given that message for me.

She talked about how people in the Bible received promises from God and then, in an effort to "help" Him along... they took matters into their own hands. It never ended well...

Take Sarah and Abraham for example...

God promised Abraham that he would be a father. But he was old. He knew Sarah was old too. Sarah took matters into her own hands and gave him a servant to have a child with. Sarah eventually gave birth to Abraham's child as well. We all know how the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael have fought over which one is the rightful heir to Abraham ever since...


What about Judas?

Judas didn't hate Jesus. He didn't sell Jesus out because he wanted to get rid of Jesus... Judas KNEW that Jesus was the Messiah and he wanted everyone else to believe too! He thought Jesus would avoid the arrest to prove to everyone who He was... bring His kingdom to Earth. You can imagine why his life ended the way it did... believing that he had betrayed Jesus instead of proving who He is.

There are so many other examples in the Bible where people received the promises of God and tried to "help" that promise come to life. Have you ever done this? I know I have... and it never turned out right. 

I used to live in Galesburg, but I didn't want to stay there forever. I knew that God's place for me was the Peoria area. I knew that I was supposed to pick up my family and move here... but instead of waiting for direction, I took the first avenue I saw open. Seven months after that, my four children and I were homeless... living in an RV at a local campground. We were stuck there for nearly six months. Why? Because I didn't do what I was supposed to do the way I was supposed to do it...

I saw this yesterday...

Ouch. Okay, maybe not "stupid"... but impatient...

The speaker at the conference said something that was a "light bulb moment" for me... She said, "You have to stop putting your faith in the PROMISE and put your faith in the PROMISE MAKER."


What a statement... it is something I've been trying to live by ever since. Knowing God's direction is a priority for me now. I constantly pray that if God doesn't want me to take a path, He closes the door... and that if He opens wide the doors to the paths that HE does want me to take.


I have been praying for a new place to live for quite awhile. Our current apartment is in disrepair and unsafe on so many levels. I knew God had a better place for us than this. I kept my eyes and ears open for all possibilities... and I would read about places that were available, but I never went beyond that. Then last week I felt a nudge to go look at a house. So I did.

It is perfect for us. As I walked through it and was surprised time and time again by something else I saw, God said, "See? I know what you need..." The price is amazing. The location is wonderful. There is so much room!  

I have a feeling that the realtor is even annoyed that he took the time to show me the house since there is no way I would qualify for a loan on it at this point. He probably thinks I'm crazy. When he asked about price range and number of bedrooms I am looking for, I told him, "No, you don't understand. THIS is my house. I don't want to look at any others." I even told him that I have been praying about this house. I didn't really get a response to that other than a blank look.

On one hand I have told myself that I should be quiet about this. I should try to find ways to figure out how to buy the house without making a big deal about it... you know... just in case I'm wrong and it doesn't work out to be mine.

On the other hand, I really feel like I need to share it with people. I want others to have no doubt WHO is responsible when it works out. 

In the mean time... do I hit every bank and call every relative in the mid-west to see if they can help? I already emailed a man who deals with investments in real estate and offered to pay a ridiculous APR on the house (knowing I'll be considered credit-worthy within a year) if anyone is willing to invest... but I knew after I sent it that it was not likely the way God was planning on taking care of this for us.

God is asking me to wait. God is telling me not to worry that someone else will swoop in and buy it out from under me. God is saying, "Did I promise this to you? Do I EVER break my promises?"

This is the thing I am waiting on right now.

What is that GOD is asking you to wait for? What promises has HE made you that you can't see right now? Feel free to ask for prayers about it in the comments below.

I'm letting you know that I am standing here in faith with you. Whatever it is. Don't try to help HIM. Don't put your faith in the promise. Put your faith in the PROMISE MAKER and stand back and watch...

SOMETHING AMAZING IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.