Hi Friend—
I need to share a personal update with you. Particularly if you love planning the Spaces Way, please take the time to read this.
(If you don’t want the background of this story, skip to the punch by beginning your reading at the title: Short, Sweet, and Right to the Important Stuff.)
The Journey:
Life is a series of plot twists.
The phrase “failing forward” has been a present friend to me along the startup journey of creating and sharing the Spaces Planner. At times I felt like a complete boss, while other times left me feeling in over my head and sobbing puddles of tears. It’s a wild ride I’ve been grateful to be on for the past six years.
In 2020, the global pandemic caused some unexpected small biz challenges. I’ve particularly felt those effects from 2021 through the present day.
A personal plot twist came for our family on June 1st , 2022 with the news that three children, whom we were acquainted with, were being removed from their current living arrangement per court order. I knew this removal would place them in the very broken foster care system. As I imagined them– ages 8 years, 7 years, and 16 months – sitting in a stranger’s office, put into strangers’ homes, and likely separated from one another, I was overcome with great compassion.
In a moment, with what I fully believe was a prompting from God, I began to ask, “what can be done?!” The crazy thought of offering them our home as a place to stay came to mind. The timing wasn’t great. The logic wasn’t sound. The path forward wasn’t clear.
We had hardly begun our discussion about offering our home for the kids before my husband gently interrupted: "what about your business?" He knew how much time I had been putting into Spaces. Through tear-filled eyes, I quietly replied, “I don’t know, but the kids need help.” In an act of obedience and faith, with shaking hands and a pounding heart, we made a phone call just to ask – “can they stay with us?”
Long story short, less than 24 hours later, we were told the kids would be able to join my husband, me, and our three children by living in our home! I want to tell more of that story someday. It’s a good story, one mixed with pain and growth, one that’s still being written. It’s a challenging blessing shaping us all. Changing our hearts and reframing our mindsets. Building our faith and our character as now eight imperfect people work together to be a family.
Recently, we have become legal guardians of these three precious children. We are grateful to have been awarded guardianship that allows them to remain together in our home.
With this new development, the kids will be with us for an extended period of time – a time that could easily turn into forever. Addiction is a thief and satan is a jerk. Reunification for them with their parents is still a future possibility, but only time will tell.
How This Impacts the Spaces Planner Business:
Spaces Planner is run solely by me, from my home. I love Spaces. I enjoy planning the Spaces Way. I enjoy sharing Spaces Planners with so many of you!
As our family adjusts to this new season, things must also pivot for my business. My available work hours have been dramatically impacted among other limitations.
As I shift away, at least for a time, from the marathon of growing a business, it is my desire to lean into the opportunity to continue serving the women who have already found the Spaces Planner and love it. I want with all my heart to continue sharing the Spaces Planner with you all. So, what does that mean for you?
Short, Sweet, and Right to the Important Stuff:
Realistically, for the continuation of Spaces Planner, we must work together in a different way moving forward.
The 2024 Spaces Planners will only be put into production if we collectively pre-order 300 planners during the pre-order open cart May 22nd-June 5th.
I am asking you to order your 2024 planner during the pre-order window. Order one for you and a friend. Order planners for your team.
I’m going to be honest. Knowing the backend numbers, I’m not sure this will be a successful plan. If we don’t reach the necessary number of pre-orders, all purchases will be fully refunded to you after the pre-order window closes, and no 2024 Spaces Planners will be offered. If a Spaces Planner is as important to you as it is to me, get ready to shout it from the rooftops and spread the word.
Friend, thank you for being here.
I look to the next season with palms up, open-handed surrender. Just as I have encouraged many others to do, I am striving to fill my God-given role from a place of joy and peace. This business was never mine, only mine to steward. I have no regrets (but I’ve cried many tears.) These kids deserve an opportunity to see stability lived out and to live in stability themselves. They are worth the cost.
Not my will, but Yours be done, Lord. My story for Your glory.
