Blessed to be a Blessing
A little over a year ago is when my true walk with Christ began. My family and I started attending Hardin Baptist last summer and immediately felt we were where God wanted us to be. My world began to fall into place as we invited God into every part of our lives. For me, everything was just better. I was reading the bible with my husband, sharing Jesus with my kids, and praying more than I ever had before, but I felt there was a small part that was still missing. I knew every part of my life was beginning to center around God, except when it came to my profession.
I have been a hairstylist for several years, but beginning last year I found myself almost miserable in my work. This was odd for me because I absolutely love everything about my job. I chose this career path because I truly have a passion for it. But that wasn’t the case for me anymore. We all know the reputation the salon world sometimes has, and I simply felt like I didn’t fit into that anymore. I wanted something more. I wanted God to be a part of my professional life, and I couldn’t figure out a way to make that happen. I was ready to walk away, throw in the towel, on a part of my life that holds a big place in my heart.
So, I began to pray. I prayed for God to show me how I could still do what I love while serving Him. Soon after, one of my clients asked me about a local salon called Color of Light. I had heard of them before but I didn’t know much other than they were a faith based salon. After that conversation, Color of Light Salon stayed on my heart, but still, I didn’t do anything about it. I just kept praying. In time, I had several clients mentioning the same salon to me. I thought, “How strange. I keep thinking about this salon and everyone keeps asking me about it.”
Eventually, I knew this was God answering my prayers. He was bringing me the opportunity I had been desperately praying for. So, I went out on a limb and emailed the owner, Lindsey. I had never met her before, but I told her I felt God had been laying it on my heart to reach out to her salon and see if there was any availability for me there. Lindsey told me she wasn’t looking for anyone at the moment, but she set up a time to meet with me anyway.
On Sunday November 9th, 2014 after church, I gave my life to Christ. The sermon I heard that morning brought me to my knees. I knew I had been living selfishly, and I wanted nothing more than to completely surrender myself to God. That same afternoon, I was hired at Color of Light Salon. Sometimes all I can say to that, in the words of Bro. Ricky, is “Wow!”
Bro. Kory recently preached a sermon titled “Blessed to be a Blessing” that really hit home for me. In the year that I have been at Color of Light, I can’t even put into words the joy it has brought to my life. I can now pursue my career while also sharing my love of Christ with my clients, friends, and family.
Our vision as a salon is to use our blessings to bless others. We want our salon to be a safe place where people of all walks of life can come and experience Christ. From the minute you walk in the door, we want to offer a positive, uplifting environment where you can read scriptures on the wall and listen to Christian music on the radio while you receive your beauty services. We want people to come to us when they are struggling and need some encouragement. We want people to know they have somewhere to go when they need someone to pray for them.
Our ideal is to grow as disciples who make disciples. We want to share the gospel with our community, not just in the salon but also outside of it. We are a ministry first and a business second.
When I announced that I had taken a position at Color of Light, someone told me “God will bless you for following his calling!” and that statement couldn’t be more true. Since joining the salon, my business has flourished far beyond what I could have ever imagined and the Godly relationships I have built with my coworkers is irreplaceable. I truly feel God placed this opportunity in my path as not only a stepping stone in my own walk with Christ, but as a way for me to reach others that otherwise I wouldn’t have. I want everyone to experience the joy Christ has brought to my life, and I pray He will use me and the salon as a means to share His love with the world.
