The summer after my freshman year in college I had an internship in downtown Dallas, and every so often I would walk to Neiman Marcus.  I hadn’t been to that particular location since then.  I never would have thought that eighteen summers later I would get a message on Instagram from Erica Dias inviting me to her event, Erica’s Table of Twenty.  That invite came during a time of frustration.  I was wondering if people were really reading my posts, annoyed that I wasn’t really gaining a lot of followers, and thinking that the Instagram algorithm had me down for the count.  It turns out that none of these things were true.  As I found out more about Erica and this event, all I could think was, “how did this woman find me, and “why did she choose me?”

During our time together that day, Erica spoke about the importance of strategically putting together a group of people who wouldn’t just network, but who would fellowship, build one another up, inspire each other, and so on.  This is exactly what took place during this “experience.” I’m trying not to use the word “event” because it was truly so much more than that. There were bloggers, business owners, authors, teachers, publishers, and more, and each one came with his/her own story.

After hearing from Erica, we met founder and lead designer of Celebrate Dallas, Megan Willis.  I was astounded at how she has built such a strong business at such a young age. She focuses on event planning and coordination along with floral design.  She did the flowers for our luncheon, and they were absolutely gorgeous! Listening to Megan, I felt encouraged and knew that I needed to take my own work up a notch.

Our next speaker was the founder and creator of Curlkalon Hair, Shavone Riggins.  Trust me when I tell you that she didn’t give a speech; it was nothing less than a testimony.  To see where God has brought her from to where she is now is unbelievable. She left an impression on all of us about the power of God’s process.

Let’s be honest, one reason people enjoy going to events is often because of the swag they get to leave with. There was definitely swag here, but each of these companies- Mielle Organics,

Jessica’s Bake Shop, Annie’s Culinary Creations, and Curls Organic Hair Products– represent so much more than the great products they provided for us. They demonstrate the quality that takes place when one works from a standpoint of excellence.

I was able to leave with swag in my bag, but more importantly, I left with some lessons…

1. There’s no need to fake it until you make it. Instead, FAITH it until you make it.  Faith without works in dead. While you’re doing your work and pursuing your dream, continue to simultaneously have faith that God will do what God does- take care of his children.

   

2. Sometimes there is power in saying yes even when you could say no. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone.  You will not grow in your fear. Step out on faith, say “yes”, and get to work!
3. You can’t let the start stop you! Sometimes the hardest part of achieving our goals is just getting started. So often we allow others or even ourselves to talk ourselves out of the blessing that God has for us.
4. Don’t pause the purpose. Kill the noise. When God gives you a purpose, you need to get tunnel vision. That may require you to separate yourself from some things and/or people.

What I need for you to know in particular is there is a seat at the table for you too. No matter where you are in life, God has a plan, a purpose, and a future for you.  Just like Erica chose me to sit at her table, God has chosen you to sit as His.  It’s up to you to open your mouth and accept the invitation.