God works in mysterious ways…for sure. Sometimes He works in a coffee shop in Westfield, IN, through conversations that are overheard and misinterpreted! I hate to use the word “eavesdropping”. “Eavesdropping” sounds so wicked. I prefer to say “overheard” or it-was-quiet-and-their-voices-carried or something less intentional. 🙂 This was the case on an early weekday morning in the fall of 2021. I was sitting in one of my favorite coffee shops working on my Bible study, and I “overheard” a lady sitting at a table nearby talking to a client of hers. She was using words like “design”, “layout”, “color scheme”, etc. I thought she must be an interior designer. My husband and I had been contemplating talking to an interior designer to get some ideas on updating the interior of our home. So I decided to stop her on her way out if she left before I did since I was sitting near the exit door.

Now I am not going to say that I dilly-dallied to make sure that she left before me, but I certainly did not speed up my quiet time to leave before her! Their meeting was wrapping up, so I rallied myself to speak up and stop her. I bluntly stated, “Excuse me, I overheard you speaking with that gentleman. Are you an interior designer by chance?” She stated that no, she was not an interior designer, but a graphic designer. Really!? Now that is a turn that I was not expecting. I let her know that being a graphic designer was even more intriguing to me than an interior designer. I told her that I was seeking a website designer and if she would consider meeting with me to learn more. She said, “YES!”

That is how I met Amy Durbin from Fat Cat Sam Designs!

Amy is amazing! We spoke on the phone first to talk about my vision for a website, the purpose and intention of the website, ideas/styles for a logo, audience, and ideas for the subpages and growth of the website, and also my personal story. She was interested and excited about the challenge. We decided to meet in December 2021 to talk about the specifics.

At our first meeting, Amy had already been noodling over logo ideas and colors. At the same time, I had been pulling examples of logo ideas that I liked for other companies. When we met, she brought in her initial drawings based on our phone call. She felt drawn to the idea of circles and how circles represent completeness, community, and wholeness. This is exactly what I had been thinking too and many of my samples included this idea. We already felt connected and in-tune with each other regarding the design elements. And I really felt heard by Amy. I was impressed with how well she listen to my ideas and was able to incorporate what I was speaking to a visual representation that portrayed the same message. The final logo is a very close edit of one of her original designs.

We worked closely together for the next four months. From December 2021 to April 2022, she created the website stacyturley.com. She incorporated so many of my ideas by using her own artistic flair. I love the result and I treasure Amy. I am grateful for the friendship that grew out of this relationship. She is so talented and you may contact her directly too! Her information is on My Favorite Things – Other Stuff.

I believe God had a hand in this chance meeting. Even if it was through eavesdropping or overhearing someone else’s conversation in a quiet coffee shop. I have experienced so much joy and gratitude by meeting Amy. Here are some of the things I am grateful for:

• I am grateful that the Holy Spirit nudged me to speak up.
• I am grateful for the change meeting as it reminded me how God provides for the little things in our lives if we listen and respond to him.
• I am grateful for the easy way Amy and I communicate and understand each other.
• I am grateful for Amy’s creativity and talent.
• I am grateful for the final result. It so perfectly expresses my vision, Amy’s creativity, and God’s purpose to reach other women who need to hear how valued they are…how loved they are…just they way they are.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER:

• What are the big things and little things each day that you are thankful for?
• Take a moment to write these down in a notebook. How does it make you feel when you read over them?
• Do you feel more joy or peace or contentment than before after reviewing this list?
• How have even negative experience brought about change that you may be grateful for?
• What has made me smile or laugh recently?
• How can I make this a daily habit in my life to document the big and little things that I am grateful for? (Join the Circle of Friends and receive the Gratitude Worksheet and 34 Gratitude Prompts. Just mention GRATITUDE in the Message box.)

PRAYER: Abba Father, you love us more than we can imagine. You desire a relationship with us. You have a plan for us. You want to prosper us and give us hope for the future. (Jeremiah 29:11). I know we have this hope through your precious Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you, God, for your Son and the sacrifice He made for us to conquer sin and restore our relationship with You. Thank you for speaking to us through the Holy Spirit….through the tiny nudges we feel each day to respond to you. Thank you for the big things and the little things in our daily lives to remind us that you SEE us, you HEAR us, and you FEEL our pain and our needs. Thank you for never leaving us alone for you are always with us. Lord, help us to remember these promises. Amen.

Hugs & blessings, Sweet Circle,

Stacy