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Wellspring Treasures
1735 John B. White Sr. Blvd (Reidville Rd)
Spartanburg

3 day purse sale - nothing over $12
50% off all men's clothing
50% off all holiday wear

Mon-Fri 10-5
Saturday 10-3
Sunday - Worshiping Jesus!

A day just for me!

I had every intention of sending out another email all-call for Saturday volunteers to get us over this last big hump before we open November 20th (if all goes well). Seemed I never got around to it.

If you know me personally, you know that I am not only the director of a not-for-profit turned shop girl, painter, cleaner, loader, un-loader... I am also the mother of the bride with a January first wedding date. Which means I have also been working on the invitations ( a three part printing process) and almost have them ready to mail. According to Emily and Martha, they should have been mailed out no later than YESTERDAY! Oh well. Being the procrastinator I have always been, I hope to have them at the post office first thing Monday morning.

But this post isn't about the store or the wedding or me. It's about the plans of a gracious God that has all the details worked out for a "better than I could have imagined" day.

This morning as I turned and looked at the clock, I knew that I was probably going to be doing a solo on this particular day. But as I thought about the many days that have been spent at the Wellspring Treasures shop, I really got excited when I realized that being alone meant I could work a little while and scoot out earlier than I would if there were others there.

I think it was a little after ten when I heard a knock on the window. As I looked, I saw the face of a young woman that had stopped by earlier in the week to ask if she could volunteer. I'll be honest and say my first thought was there goes the early departure. As she came in and started helping tidy up, sort and sort some more, I was glad she had come to help.

As we talked and got to know each other, I was also glad that it was just the two of us working. I'll call her Brittany, after all, as I was saying a blessing over our lunch that is what I did call her!

Brittany lives in a group home nearby. She is a senior with the hopes of opening her own group home for girls just like her after college. She has learned first hand about all the things that she would do better, having walked that mile in those shoes. She admitted that if she had it to do all over again, she would do it differently.

We had a good time together. Or at least I had a good time with her. She hugged me before she left. I was thankful , so thankful that I got to share the day with her. I realized that maybe that was part of why I never got around to sending that email.

Sign of the Times

If you pass by right now, you'll see a sign that says Palmetto Style Salon.
But in the days ahead this will be our sign.

We have all the prep work behind us, and have started sorting and placing the good stuff. And Ray thought all those hours watching HGTV were a waste! Maybe not. It is neat to see it all come together.

Now comes the second and most important part of the whole thing.... YOU!

If you have things (gently used women's, men's and children's clothing, shoes, purses, toys, furniture, house hold items, books...) that you would like to donate, please bring your donation by Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday between 9-5. We are not excepting appliances, electronics, computers or mattresses. If you have an item you are not sure about, please call before you come (809-7457).

We are also going to have a "new" section of handmade items. If you are have a talent for that, we would be honored to have some of your handy-work too. We will give you an opportunity to tithe your talent!

We are not just looking for your old stuff or your new stuff... we are also looking for those of you who could give a few hours here and there to help staff the store. If you have a little extra time on your hands, we may be just what you are looking for. There are many things to help do now and when we open as well.

Just a reminder that the Wellspring Treasures Store is not opening to make all of us a little wealthier. We are all working as volunteers, just as we are asking you to do. The proceeds will go toward the Wellspring residential home. Through the store, we will be able to hire life-on-life coaches who will live in the home and guide the women through their healing process.

Thanks to you all who have already donated your time, talents and treasures!

You are all a treasure to me!

Yay for the Movers and Shakers!

Dean, Ray, Larry, Phillip

Chase, Sarah, Jami, Cindy & Neal

The check-out counter! Got scratched during the move,

so it HAD to be touched up!

After

The before!

Just in case...

...you think all i have been doing lately is painting and such - wrong!

This week has been busy, but a sweet reminder that all the work in the store is not really about the store at all. It is after all, just a means to an end. The end result is that it will allow us the opportunity to find, open, staff and facilitate the Wellspring HOME!

And that is what we are all about.

This week I had the opportunity to be part of a first in Greenville. FEM Fair was held at one of the city's community centers. We had representatives from several area agencies. The ladies who attended were able to get free HIV & STD testing. They each also received a well stocked gift bag and some great entertainment and food too.

Wellspring was the only faith based agency/ministry on site. That morning I was upstairs looking for who-knows-what, when it occurred to me that I should take some Bibles and devotion books to give away. Each participant was able to choose one item of their choice. It was sweet to see them trying to decide which one they wanted the most. The first things to go were the Life Recovery Bibles. Several ladies kept circling by to determine if they had made the right choice.

It gave me a chance to listen to the stories they were willing to share about their struggles and their past. The best part, it gave me a chance to hug, love and encourage them.

Like that wasn't enough my new friend and mentee invited me to accompany her to Pelham First Baptist Church to speak to their WMU. As it turned out, the pastor decided that the subject matter needed to be heard by the entire congregation, so the guys were able to come in too. Our blessing came at the end when the congregation circled around us and prayed over us.

A great encouragement to us both!

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I am so thankful that in the midst of all the hustle and hurry that has consumed me over the past few weeks that God pulled me aside to remind me of what we (HE) is up to.

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Experiencing God taught me many things, first and foremost - look and see where God is working and join Him there. It was also a great reminder that God provides not before you need it, but at the exact moment that you do. HE has faithfully provided in an Ephesians 3:20 way time after time in my Wellspring life as well as my personal life (1-1-11 wedding in the making!).

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As I also learned in Believing God...

God is Who He says He is and GOD CAN DO WHAT HE SAYS HE CAN DO!!!!

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Lead on O KING ETERNAL!

The Breakfast Club

YAY TEAM! We did it! We did not quiet make the $2000 goal, but we did reach our project goal. Our hope was to raise enough money for a specific project. We could actually buy two if we needed to, but since we don't, we have enough to purchase many more needed items to get the store up and running.

Sincere thanks to all who sold tickets, who purchased tickets, who came to eat or serve. Added thanks to those who did any of the above and THEN made a donation to the tip jar too!

FATZ CAFE on Pottery Road in Spartanburg could not have been a better host. Chris Anderson and his staff made us feel right at home.

A shout out to our kitchen and wait-staff/hosts and hostesses... pictured above are (front row) Donna Dawkins, Kim Williams, HG Hall, Christine Hall, Jill Green, Dana Stout, (back row) Cindy Denhard, Larry Armstrong, D'Anunzio Smith, Marie Brewer, Jami Crisman, Susan High & Doug Williams. We had other volunteers that are not pictures that we would also like to give a shout out to... Cindy Cantrell, Jodi Burnett, Sonia Burnett and Mary (Cindy's sister - whose name I'll post later!)

Most special thanks to Christ Jesus for being a MAN of HIS WORD. During our Broken to Beautiful Conference in October 2007 just a block away from Fazt at the Spartanburg Expo Center, these were the words I received during our communion... "I want to provide for your needs. I want you to trust me enough to say with confidence, "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." (Psalm 23:1)

Well, I have to tell you He has been doing that right and left like crazy lately. Which leads me to believe that Wellspring Living SC is an idea (plan from above) whose time has come! It so feels like we are experiencing the "YES" of God right now!

And can I say... it feels great!