Why I sell thirty-one

Just received this Google Instant Message from a friend, Moses, in Kenya...love technology that brings us together!

May God bless you for all the Good work that you are doing.You are helping the voiceless and God will always Bless you and your family.Thanks

Praise God for all He has done and we give all glory to Him.  This message leads me to explain why I sell thirty-one...

I am not very good at selling things.  I can sell an idea I believe in like why you should visit orphans or adopt.  But selling someone a product is more intimidating.  Call me silly, I just am not sure they really need the product.  I don't want to encourage them to get something they don't want just because they feel pressured to and I for sure don't want to be part of the pressuring.  But all that aside, God is revealing to me that sometimes He uses the things we aren't comfortable with to do great things for Him.  thirty-one has been ones of those things in my life.

I was originally drawn to it because of the cute products.  I love bags and these are so fun.  I also attended a sale that was an adoption fundraiser for a friend and I thought, well I could do that.  The more I looked into it the more affirmations I received, yep sell this stuff and give the proceeds to adoptions, orphans, and widows.

The thirty-one name is in reference to the Proverbs 31 woman.  And while I strive to be that woman, most often failing with great magnitude, the reason I sell it is found earlier in Proverbs 31.  The verses that Gabe and I have been quoting for years to each other that are the reason we do the things we do.  The reason we have this blog in the first place.

 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
   for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly;
   defend the rights of the poor and needy.   

And that is really as simple as it is.  I use the thirty-one products that are useful and wonderful for families to raise funds and speak up.  My commission goes towards these things.  And I love to do fundraisers!

In the past 3 months of selling these products (October 2011-December 2011) I have been blessed to, in no particular order:

• Raise $200 for an adopting family that in turn gave half of those proceeds to a mom of 35 in Kenya.
• Help to give 2 large capacity washing machines for a friend in Kenya that runs Haven of Hope orphanage.
• Give $110 to a family that is adopting 2 girls through the local foster care system
• Give $110 to a family adopting from Congo
• Sponsor a child through Children's Hopechest.
• Raise $680 towards Keaton and Gabe's trip to Kenya
• Sign up a consultant who is selling thirty-one to raise money for special needs adoptions all over the world.
• Sign up a consultant who is selling thirty-one to bring in some extra money for her and her retired pastor husband.
• Provide 83 people with new bags that they love or gifted to someone that now loves them!
• Provide 11 hostesses with lots of free products and the chance to clean their house and hang out with their friends.

And God receives the glory for all these things.  Because I am simply a vessel that is so blessed to be used by Him to bring hope to others.  

If you ever want to have a party for fun, need a fundraiser, want to sell thirty-one for your own reasons, or just need a new bag, I would love to help.  Just e-mail me or visit my thirty-one site!