When one door closes, God opens a workshop. 📖🙏
For weeks, I sat in my regular seat at church looking at the worn-out Bibles and hymnals on the pews. Our church is 102 years old, and these books have served many generations, but they were starting to fall apart. I kept thinking🤔 for a while...."Someone should fix these."
The Calling
One morning, I woke up with a clear calling☎ : Stop thinking, and just do it. Then I approached my church Pastor, I was stunned😳. He told me he had been praying for God to send someone to do exactly this! It was such a divine "match", right away I told Pastor, seek no more, I'm the person who will take this mission.
The Season of Waiting
This assignment came during a deeply personal season. I have been retrenched from a senior leadership role in an MNC for two years now. Sent countless resumes, met several people, went from interviews to interviews and yet all doors are shut, even the jobs that perfectly matches my past experiences. Going from a corporate boardroom to a DIY workbench was a journey of humility and prayer. I spent many days asking God: "What is my assignment for this season? What is it that you wanted me to do?"
The answer wasn't a new title—it was using the "great hands" He gave me to be a steward of His Word.
To my fellow brothers and sisters in the "waiting room":
If you are currently retrenched, don't let a title define your value. 🙏 for God’s direction. Sometimes His "next step" is a way to serve that you never expected.
Learning at 55
I am now at Book 163 of 400(maybe more). While I'm able to learn the restoration very quickly, the digital world is a steep curve! At 55, I’m just learning how to use TikTok and Lemon8. My hands move much faster than my phone camera, so please bear with my "newbie" editing and not as frequent posting! 😅
Thank you for "listening" and following to this journey of restoration—of books, and of purpose.
Are you in a 'waiting season' too? I’d love to pray for you or hear your story in the comments. Let’s encourage each other. 👇
Transitioning from a high-level corporate role to a hands-on project like book restoration can feel both humbling and empowering. From my own experience, when life closes familiar doors, it opens new ones that lead to unexpected treasures. The mission to restore over 400 worn-out church books not only preserves history but also renews a deep connection to community and faith. At first, adapting to this kind of close-up, detailed work required a shift in mindset—moving from the fast-paced corporate decision-making environment to the patient, meticulous care of delicate pages and bindings. Every restored book symbolizes a story, a legacy handed down through generations, much like the 102-year-old church itself. It's also a reminder that our value is not defined by titles or job roles, especially when going through career transitions or setbacks like retrenchment. Sometimes, divine purpose reveals itself in service and stewardship, not status. Embracing this mindset brought peace and renewed meaning during uncertain times. In today’s digital era, learning new tools like TikTok and Lemon8 to share these experiences feels daunting but worthwhile. It’s important to allow ourselves grace as we grow new skills and expand our outreach, turning personal passion into inspiration for others. For those currently in their own 'waiting season,' whether facing job loss or life changes, this journey offers hope and encouragement. Sometimes, the next chapter is less about climbing a ladder and more about putting your hands to work in ways that nurture both your spirit and your community. Connecting with others who understand this unique space can empower us all to keep moving forward with faith and purpose.
Thank you to those of you who supported my $7 DIY tool post!🥰 This is the deeper story of why I started this mission. 🙏