Journeys of the Spirit

08 Jul Journeys of the Spirit

My story begins on a warm summer day in June, although, as I reflect on life, I have quickly come to realize that this has been God’s plan all along. June 2^nd, 2016, our 9^th wedding anniversary, to be exact, I started my day with an early morning run, probably not more than 3-4 miles. I went on my usual path along the Skeffington Trail in DeWitt. It was a great morning to be out, fresh air, birds chirping, dew on the grass and the sun already heating up the day. As I ran that morning, I kept having this saying, “For I have greater plans for you says the Lord,” run through my head. Over, and over, and over again!

So I begin talking to myself (because that’s what you do when you’re out for a morning run, sans all technology, and clearing your mind for another day). And I say, “Lord…seriously…what are the plans that you have plans for me? I have already committed to running a half-marathon with my sisters, what more do you want out of me? I’m NOT a runner, nor have I ever been. I will never run a full marathon. My sisters are runners, they’re my inspiration and I think pushing myself to run a half marathon is quite the achievement in the first place. I promise I’ll follow through with this commitment! But seriously, if you think I’m up for anything more than that, you’ve got to be kidding me!”

I head home, now with a clear mind and an optimistic outlook for the day, and get ready to start my day as usual. I shower and get dressed, and as I am putting on my make-up, John is brushing his teeth in the sun room of all places. He says, “Shelly, there’s a turtle in the backyard!” I roll my eyes of course and tell him that I’m sure it’s just a rock. Between our boys and the neighbor boys, they’re always finding rocks, sticks and other unique “weapons” and I’m sure they just left something in the backyard. Despite my disbelief, I go out with John to check it out…my hot pink pants, bright colored shirt and wet head were quite the sight to be seen in the neighbor’s backyard!

Sure enough…there was a HUGE snapping turtle. Probably about a foot in diameter. It was muddy and gross. Now where in the world did that come from?!? John and I head back to the house and he quietly says, “I think it’s an omen.” And with my sassy attitude I snap right back and say, “Oh what, like slow and steady wins the race?” He doesn’t respond. So I wait a few seconds and then snarkily say, “Or watch out or a snapper might bite ya!!” And as John’s positivity usually exudes, he says, “Oh, well, I was trying to be a little more positive than that!”

So we arrive back at the deck and he says, “Oh yeah, remember that song we always sing to you…’Shelly the Sea Turtle.’? Oh my….now you guys have to hear this song. It is the quirkiest, silliest song I have ever heard. If it doesn’t make you smile, I don’t know what will! Although the song DRIVES ME CRAZY, it also holds a special place in my heart!

So I go on about my day at work and I prepare for a 2pm phone call I have planned with a friend of mine, Samantha Boyd, who runs a successful marketing business in Ames. Now at this point, I had been considering starting my own business for several years, but I had every excuse in the book as to why the timing wasn’t right. But now, with an impending move to western Iowa (that no one outside of our family was aware of at this point in time), I had been brainstorming for the two weeks prior as to what I would talk to Sam about. I had decided I was going to see if she would consider going in to business together.

Sam and I had worked on projects here and there over the years, we were in the same industry, we worked closely together with the Young Professionals of Ames, and we spoke the same lingo! I loved her passion for marketing and her willingness to take the bold leap to start her own business. Sam and I had originally planned to talk about how she could work with more clients in the ag industry. However, I had these burning questions that I had to lay out there. And as I’m not one to sugarcoat things, I laid it right out there from the start. “Sam, I know we planned to talk about other things, but I have had a lot on my mind lately and I wanted to chat with you about some ideas I have had. It’s not public news yet, but my family will be moving to western Iowa at the end of this year. I have always wanted to start my own marketing/design business, however, it’s never been the right time. I’m not 100% sure, but I think it’s my time. I’m ready to take this leap of faith to start my own business. I have loved your passion for marketing, I’m inspired by you developing Zao 525 and the brand you stand for, and I want to know more about how you’ve done it. Would you ever consider going in to business together?”

And about then, I swear you could hear a pin drop. ‘Was that a good thing? What was she thinking?’ Oh I was so nervous. Then she begins slowly, “Shelly, I just want you to know that I had no idea we’d be talking about this today and you’re going to be shocked when you hear what I’m about to say. Not even an hour ago I got off the phone with my business manager and we had been contemplating franchising Zao 525. I told her that it’s going to take finding the right person, with the right mindset and respect for our model, yet has a strong network, and who has their own drive and determination to start their own business to make this work. Now that’s a long shot! So what did Samantha do? She prayed. She prayed that God would send her the right individual who could make this dream become a reality. And not less than a half hour later she would be having a conversation with someone who had the very essence of what she was looking for.

MORE ON THAT STORY HERE

As our discussion continued on, I began to feel hope, I began to see the light…”For I have greater plans for you says the Lord.” Wow….could this be it? Is this God’s plan for my life? For the past year, I had struggled with the concept of uprooting my family and starting over once again. Was this the opportunity I had been praying for?

I got off the phone with Samantha and immediately went to her website. I remembered that her brand was built from the ‘spirit’ and that it had an incredible foundation, but I couldn’t remember exactly what the essence of it all was. Zao 525: Infusing the spirit into your brand. ‘I LOVE IT!’ This is what branding is all about.

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks…”Walk in the spirit. For I have greater plans for you says the Lord. The random turtle in the backyard this morning?” Could this all be connected? Could this all have meaning and direction in my life? God…I’m listening…I’m here and I’m ready to do Your will!

That random turtle in the backyard that disappeared just as quickly as it appeared was indeed an omen. ‘I wonder what is the symbolic meaning of a turtle?’ I decided to Google it. What I read on that website that afternoon gave me the inspiration to move forward. The serendipitous meaning of the turtle provided me with the rock/cornerstone I needed as I faced the most difficult time of my life. It encouraged me to have trust and faith that I could be successful pursuing my dreams of being an entrepreneur. I finally had a clear vision, a purpose, and my passion would come to fruition. This was it! God was present in all of this and He is still here guiding my life today. I encourage all of you to discover what’s inside your shell. Find your purpose, and challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone, explore new opportunities, and trust that God and the turtle spirit are there to guide you through.