Mary Kay March...

From Teresa Hackwith
Ginger Stones Unit Debut Speech
I am the Excited Director, Ginger Stone of Stones Sparkling Stars, because Stars Win Cars. We are a Team on a Mission with a Passion and a Vision, and will not Stop until we reach the Top.
We are Believers and Achievers who are Consistent,Persistent, and Determined to reach our goals!
And We know as God is our strength, He does not give us A dream We can not Achieve.
Let me tell you about my dream, which began over 5 years ago. We lived in Spokane Washington, where my husband, Bob, was under going major back surgery, one right after another. He had a total of 6 surgeries, with the doctors fully expecting him, at any time to end up in a wheelchair. Even with the use of a cane, Bob would fall down 3-4 times a week. We were soon told by the doctors that we needed to move to a drier climate. Arizona. The Desert! So we put our house up for sale, which at that time, it was not a sellers market, people around us had been trying to sell their house for months and months. But ours sold in 2 weeks. God had a plan!
We moved to Surprise Arizona, not Knowing anybody, bought a house, and settled down, and this is where my Mary Kay Career began. Because my husband was medically retired and we were on a set income, and we wanted to landscape around our house, I knew it would help if we had a little extra income to offset our finances. So I prayed a prayer that would totally change my life forever. I asked God for his help in finding me the right Job. One where I could make very good money by only working part time, one that would give me the flexibility so I could be with my husband when he needed me, and go to his many doctor appointments. Now in my mind, that meant, computer programmer, upper management jobs, things I already had lots of experience in. But when we ask God for help, because he is a awesome God, he sees the whole picture, he sees the dream inside our heart.
So I prayed my prayer of help, and the phone rings. Its my daughter, and she is very excited. She thinks I would be great at doing what she does. Mary Kay! And although her excitement was contagious, I told her NO! First of all, I didnt even know how to use makeup properly, I couldnt understand the benefit of a good skin care program, and more importantly, I was extremely shy. Extremely Shy! I had no intentions of going door to door, and since I was new to the area, I didnt know anybody. So it was out of the question.
When I got off the phone, my husband asked me who I had been talking to. I told him, our Daughter, She thinks I would be great doing Mary Kay. My husband said, But youre too shy. I said I know, thats what I told her.
A few days later, as I was praying, asking God once again to lead me to that perfect job, the phone rings.
It was like Deja Vue! It is my daughter. And she asks me, Mom, What part did you not understand? And my response? Did I mention that I was extremely shy?
Well that day, changed my life forever. She shared the Mary Kay career opportunity with me, and I shared my fears with her. Trust me, I had every objection in the book! I told her that I was too shy, She said, well take baby steps. I told her that I didnt know how to put my own makeup on, how could I possibly do it on somebody else. She said, well teach you. I told her that handing out business cards could be a issue. She said, Well teach you how to overcome. I told her that the idea of Meeting new people made me nervous. She said, Well teach you how to meet strangers, and this would also be a great way to meet new friends. I told her that I didnt have any product knowledge, She said, We will teach you everything you need to know about Teaching Skin Care. I told her, I wasnt the sales type. She said Good, Im not either. We must have talked for about an hour that day. Me giving objections fast and furious, and her meeting my objections head on.
I learned a lot of things that day. Did you know that
**Mary Kay Marketing is Part of the Required Curriculum at Major Business Schools Including Harvard? And when I heard that this company did everything by the golden rule, and that God was first, Family was 2nd, and career was 3rd, I signed my Mary Kay Agreement that day, 4 years ago. I knew God was calling me, he had a plan! And their was no objections he couldnt overcome.
But trust me, I had other things to overcome. When I received my showcase, it sat on my kitchen counter for several weeks, I was too afraid to open it up. When I went to my 1st MK meeting, And seen how excited and positive these ladies were about their Mary Kay Careers, I cried all the way home, makeup running down my face, knowing I could never be one of them.
For they were too positive, and I was too shy. When I got home that night, my husband asked me what happened, did they beat me up? And when I tried to explain, through my tears, he gently put a bible in my hand. Or when I made the decision on whether to have product on hand, and the boxes arrived at my front door, it scaired me half to death. Didnt open them for two months. If I did, it might mean I had a Mary Kay Business. And phone calls? Every time I would pick up the phone, I would have laryngitis. Immediately. Put the phone down, I would be just fine. Pick the phone up, I had Laryngitis. Definitely not good for a business. But God had a plan.
Now, 4 years later, I look back and praise God for helping me to see the bigger picture. To believe in myself, and to Never Give up. To not give in to my fears or my shyness. You see, when I prayed that simple prayer, God gave me a gift. He called me into Mary Kay. And This gift gave me choices. Choices I didnt have before. There is a book by John Ortberg titled If you want to Walk on Water, Youve got to GET OUT OF THE BOAT. When we step out of the boat, it brings us growth. If I had not opened the gift that fateful day and took a chance, I would never have
Realized my full potential, my abilities, and gifts.
Weeks would have became Months, Months would have turned into years, And one day I would have looked back on a life Of deep intimate gut-wrenching honest conversations I never had; Great Bold prayers I never prayed, Risks I never took, Sacrificial gifts I never offered, Lives I never touched, & Forgotten dreams I didnt allow myself to dream. I would see the person I never became, had I never got out of the boat.
But because I did Step out of the Boat, Today I have choices. I will now be able to afford special treatments, that insurance wont cover, for my husbands back, because surgery is no longer an option.
I will be able to take trips to visit my daughter in Germany every year.
I will be able to be Debt free. Not even a house payment.
I will have choices, and the money to back up those choices. And I have to thank several people for making this possible. My Daughter, Lisa Kollman, for offering me this Awesome Career Opportunity, and not giving up on me after that 1st phone call. My Husband for being my biggest cheerleader, Encourager, and Supporter, allowing me to live my dream to the fullest, fully believing in me. Teresa Hackwith, my Senior Sales Director, for walking me through all my fears, and bringing me to a closer relationship with God, Fully Relying on Him. Kim Helms, my adoptee Director, for making me Stretch in My Growth, and for all my sister directors, in their help and support for making tonight possible. And I want to thank my Unit. You guys are awesome, You made it happen! You are all women of Integrity, Leaders of Dreams. Thank you.
The Theme for tonight is Never Give Up. No matter what. Accept the Gift, Step out of the boat, face those fears. Be Consistent, and Persistent. Even when other people are whizzing by you with high sales, lots of bookings, keep on keeping on. Dont focus on them, focus on you, and Open up Your Gift. You are not in Mary Kay by mistake, you are not an accident. God has a plan. Believe in yourself and Never, Never Give Up.