Big News!! Shop Update :)
Hey Friends! I wanted to share a really BIG update with you about our shop.
After many years of your support and after MUCH deliberation and prayer on our end, we have decided to sell out of our current inventory and take an indefinite break for the shop side of Beholden. I have felt a pull in this direction for awhile, but it never felt like it was truly time to let go until now. I have a lot of peace about it but it's still pretty tough to let go of something that has been something I poured so much time and energy and love into. It is bigger and more helpful to our family than I had ever hoped. But, there are some logistics that keep shifting in my world. The cost of the goods I sell keep going up, the postage keeps going up (it's $12 to ship a mug to the west coast now) and it feels like I need time to regroup. I have been reaching the end of my bandwidth lately over the past two years. I haven't created a new design in over a year and have been just managing to keep up with orders.
Managing Beholden and the rest of life has been a continual lesson to me that I have limitations. It's been a lesson I've had a hard time learning. I was having a conversation about trying to balance motherhood, church, family, health, friends and business about a year ago with a friend. And that wise woman told me I would find the peace that seemingly evaded me when I learned how to accept my God given limitations. As I begin to walk down that path of acceptance instead of pushing against them and trying to find energy that I don't have, it seems that she is right. So, although I will miss the selling and the customer service and the raving reviews and stories of successful gifts, I will love having my nights back after the kids go to bed. I might even find a few minutes of free time!
And... isn't that what this whole endeavor was supposed to be about? Encouraging you to take a moment to behold Jesus? Encouraging you to slow down and breathe and move slower through life? What would I be doing if I don't take my own advice? When COVID-19 started here in the States in March, life slowed down over here. And it felt REALLY healthy. To have less to do, very few orders and little social pressure.
All that said- I don't know what the future holds. (Do we ever?!) I might get to pick the shop back up, and I might never. My kids are growing and I plan to homeschool so that is a new endeavor! I want to pay attention to the season I'm in and be faithful with it. I'm convinced that this is the next step that the Lord is inviting me to take. Who knows what awesome things await! The last thing I want to do is try to make something happen with a venture it's past time to let go of. It's only in His presence I want to be found.
The beauty is that I don't have regrets about wishing I would have tried this business, wondering if I COULD have. I DID. I encourage you if there's a little idea that's been nagging at you and you have bandwidth for it, give it a try- you never know where it will lead!
All of that said, here is what this means: we will not be restocking items as we have in the past. Our hope is to be sold out by Black Friday or shortly after. I still plan to be over here blogging at www.beholdenlife.com and we will see what the future holds! Your support of our small shop has meant the world to our family and provided us with so many blessings! Thank you so so so so much.
