How long in Christian retail: About seven years.

How you came to work in Christian retail: I homeschooled our daughter until she was in eighth grade when I put her in private school. I needed more income. I prayed that I could find a job without having to go through the long process of a job search. A few days later a friend at my church told me that the Christian bookstore in Monroe was looking for part-time help. I knew that was the answer to my prayers. I had just moved to Monroe a year prior and I didn’t even know there was a Christian bookstore in Monroe until that day.

First job of any kind and your age then: Babysitting when I was a teenager. In ministry, I had worked for my church full time until our children were born and then part-time in preschool ministry when my children were young. I also started the media ministry in my church and worked there until my son was born.

Are you living your dream job? I love my job because of the ministry part of it.

Describe yourself in three words: Honest, sincere and happy.

Hobbies: Gardening, crosswords and keeping up with politics. 

Favorite place: I enjoy being home working in the garden.

Favorite verse: “Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us” (Eph. 3:20, HCSB).

Mission in life: My first goal was to raise Christian children. Now that that’s been fulfilled, I seek to witness to people any way that I can and that’s why working at the bookstore offers me a lot of opportunities to do that.

Mentor or role model: I have a favorite pastor-author, David Platt. He’s truly anointed and he really humbles me.

Share a recent idea that has worked in your store. The owner is always open to new ideas. Most recently we’ve added a $5 section (books, CDs, DVDs) to our store. It has been very successful. Another area that we’ve been very successful in is jewelry and scarves.  

How about an idea that hasn’t worked? Facebook worked a while, but now it doesn’t seem to reach out to as many people as it used to.

Pet peeve in retail: Bad customer service. I had quite an episode in a big-box store recently. 

How can our readers pray for you? That God will give us wisdom as we try to improve ourselves at our store and that we can minister to the needs of our community. 

What’s the best way to reach you online? Christian Art and Book Shop on Facebook.

is a sales associate for Christian Art & Book Shop in Monroe, Ga., on the east side of Atlanta.

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