The Shop Reveal: Building Destiny

I believe that we each have a calling on our lives. It is unique and only the person called can fulfill the role. If we choose not to walk in our calling, our destiny the world misses out on something incredible. If Benjamin Franklin chose not to be who he was and to sit idly by, America might not have been forged as we know it. If Thomas Edison had given up on the nine hundredth and ninety ninth time and not given it one more go we may have never had the Edison Bulb, which illuminated the world. What if Ford had not made the Model T, or the Wright Brothers (and sister) not kept at it with their flying machine? We would have never known, of course, but it does make me think about my own destiny and making sure I do all I can to be all I was created to be.

Many years ago I was given a vision for the future. It was the biggest dream and I knew I wouldn’t be able to fulfill it on my own. It would take many hands and divine assistance to see it through. It wasn’t my dream, but rather one I would get to take part in. Life has a way of carrying us into all sorts of directions… but I never forgot that dream that lay waiting. Once I purchased the farm I live on now, I knew it was to be one of the locations set aside for this. Dreams are best left unspoiled so I have only ever shared little bits and pieces over the years with dear friends and of course you. I am so thankful that you have followed the journey of Esther’s Eden and taken part in all that it has become. I worked on this farm for over three years before people started seeing a glimpse of what I saw in my mind’s eye all along. I had drawn up dozens of sketches of the farm and all that it would become. I planed, researched, collected seeds and plants and kept going. I poured blood, sweat and tears into this farm for what I knew and still know as a worthy endeavor.

You see, my greatest joy has been teaching others to garden, to forage and to know about plants as I do. It brings me great pleasure to help people on their own freedom journey. The more I learn the more I can share. Part of this great vision is to make Esther’s Eden into a teaching center and a place of healing. I firmly believe that we are to work with what we are given all the while trusting more will come in time. Being creative is one of God’s greatest gifts. It allows us to work hard for the bigger goals. It builds us and molds us into a more resilient version of ourselves. When we create and use what resources we have we can stand back and be proud of what we did. I used this same principle as I have been watching this vision come into being. Use what I have and be creative.

I asked the question: How can I use what I have to further Esther’s Eden?

The answer was simple. My shop. I had a 30x40 shop on my property already. Most of the shop had been filled with unusable things and garbage from a past life. Yes, I do mean actual trash. (A story for another time). I am a creative person, but I lack the know how for actually building things. A skill I intend to build up over the next year. (No pun intended). I talked with some friends about the possibility of building a shop inside my shop. A teaching center. An office. A place that could hold my herbal remedies and somewhere that I could do sort of a “porch pick up” area…. and the idea took off. The answer came back as YES. Anything can be done for a price.

I waited for a quote. Being a recently singled woman, raising 3 kids, and working to get the business off the ground isn’t exactly a prime position for a large investment, But then a thought came. This is for this community. Why not see if they want to help? So I put a place for donations on my website. Laid out my plan on my Youtube channel and I was shocked at the results. So many people donated, not just money but materials! In the end the entire shop project got donated! Doors, windows, insulation, labor, everything!

Sometimes a vision is not really about what gets done, but rather the lessons and opportunities that are born from it. In this case I was given the opportunity to learn how to receive. As a person who has learned to be self sufficient it was a difficult lesson to learn. Harder than I expected. I was put into a position of really having no other choice but to quit or receive. So I opened my hands so to speak and let God take the vision and run with it. What happened out of that is something quite remarkable.

God used the opportunity to give some people purpose. To others he gave work when they needed if for their slow season. For some it brought the chance to visit and be apart of something unique. For my little family it gave us an opportunity to receive and also learn some new skills. We loved the time we spent mudding, texturing and painting. My daughter especially. She learned the skills needed to fix her own bedroom wall. (More on this to come in a future post.)

One year after I asked the question: Can this shop be built?

The answer was yes, and the shop is very nearly finished. I had been waiting until it was perfect & complete to reveal it and then I was reminded it’s not about perfection or completion. It’s about inviting people to be apart of the journey. So without further ado here is Esther’s Eden’s new teaching & healing center/office/filming studio from before to now!!!

Join us this Thursday (11/7/24) for a full walk through on our Youtube Channel! See you there!

I’d like to personally invite you to come check it out. We will be hosting a Grand Opening Celebration after the holidays! I truly can’t wait!! This space will only continue to improve and develop as time goes on. NEW class schedule will coming soon!! Sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of the homepage, to stay up to date on everything happening at Esthers Eden.

A HUGE shout out and thank you to all of you donated and helped with the project! Thank you so much!

- Esther

P.S. We still need to get the shelves and countertop built. If you are interested in being apart of this here is a link to donate.