Coming to CGA, it was expected of me to get a part time job in the community. I ended up getting a job at a women’s retail sore called Fashion Ten Below, it’s an overstock store and everything is $10 and under. Tuesday-Friday I work in the warehouse where I sort, organize, and restock shelves. On Saturdays I work in the store since it’s their busiest day.
Left: Logo, Right: Warehouse
Today I had my first day working in the store. Coming into it, I didn’t feel like a women’s retail store was a good fit for me. I’m pretty low maintenance, and my preferred fashion choice is a Chicago sports T-shirt and Nike shorts. The idea of encouraging women to “buy this cute necklace because it would look great with that shirt they’re getting” seemed far from up my alley. God gave me a new perspective of why I’m there, though. The first part of my day, I was the greeter and while I was standing by the entrance, a woman asked me for my advice. She was buying a plain, dark grey dress and was wondering what scarf would look good with it. I’m not necessarily knowledgeable in this area, but I went with my gut and said a colored scarf would be a good option, like a red one. I then asked, “how do you feel about that?” to which she timidly replied, “scary.” Her reaction showed me that wearing a bright, bold color was out of her comfort zone. It was then that I realized I have an amazing opportunity at this store to show women that they are worthy and beautiful. I have a chance to speak into women’s lives to give them confidence. I wanted that woman to know that she is special and has something to offer the world, so she should not go unnoticed and having attention drawn to her is not a bad thing. If encouraging her to wear a red scarf with her grey dress is a way for me to do that, then I’m all for it.
Regardless of where you work, you have a ministry opportunity right in front of you. Ministering to people isn’t only for when you set out to do ministry, but it should be a way of life. How can you start ministering to the people you interact with on a daily basis, wherever you are?
