Something That Has Been Bothering Me

[Beulah Land]

So for a very long time (over 20 years) God has given me a lot of ideas for Christian tshirts and I have always jotted them down and even in 2017 I got my first batch made. There were several other designs that I had done up and printed but it was always just a “hobby” and sold some and gave some away. I can’t help but feel gentle nudges to keep going with it even tho I haven’t done any shirts in probly 4-5 years. But even still, I get several ideas a year for another awesome design but just put it on the back burner. I guess it’s just a fear of actually starting a “business” with it since I am in no way a business person and know nothing about it. I have learned some things by helping my brother with the uncle b’s heat lab adventure, like farmers markets and such, but I still just shy away from doing something for myself. I really think it’s important to get some shirts made as ALL of my shirts have scripture printed out on them, mostly on the back because the design and scripture reference are on the front, and you never know how that one person sitting behind you in line may be impacted by that. I guess I am just getting onto myself about it for being afraid to take any kind of leap. Of course there is the whole money thing I’d have to figure out if I were to really get it going but I know God can figure that out better than me if I committed to it. I’m just venting out my frustrations to you guys and maybe some of y’all have had similar fears or projects that you kept holding off and might can give some input on how you pushed through it. Obviously, I know the devil will fight me every step of the way on this, but every step I take towards it is a step he is under my feet. Sorry for the long post guys.

 

[buellbrewer]

no time like the present. Trust in the Lord and trudge on!

 

[Beulah Land]

no time like the present. Trust in the Lord and trudge on!

Ha…like the first shirt I ever had printed up in 2017.

 

[buellbrewer]

Ha…like the first shirt I ever had printed up in 2017.
View attachment 9193417

yes! that's the only good blind faith that's worthy.

 

[rOmiLaYu]

About 20 years ago in January I was in Tours, France. It's a university/college town. In France, retailers only do "sales" in January and July so it's a big "to do." "The Month of Sales!" they call them. So I was there with a girl that I was traveling with and she was shopping and I was guiding her through the sea of humanity that was there with us.

I should preface this with the fact that I usually ignore panhandlers. 99% of them are asking for money and the ones that aren't, really are and if you try to give them food; they get pissed. I have worked with many, many homeless ministries and they all, unanimously, say not to give money to them. So now that that is out of the way....

There's a little cubby built into the wall of these shops going around a bend and in the cover of it there's a homeless man. Salt and Pepper beard. Dark blue tobogan on his head and an olive drab coat. He has a three legged, big, German Shepard with him on a an impossibly large blanket. Backpack, shopping bags...the whole thing. They both appear to be asleep and there's a tatty cardboard sign in front of them that says "Hungry. Bread , please."

I saw it, processed it, and kept moving. After a few steps there was this little wiggle in my soul, like, maybe I should get the guy some bread. I brushed it off and kept moving. I should stop here and mention that the girl I am traveling with does not speak French well at all. She's also short and has her hand in my belt at the small of my back so she doesn't get separated. Remember the sea of humanity? I wasn't exaggerating.

So a minute or two later, after we pass the guy, she tugs on my belt and asks if there's a bakery somewhere around here. I said "It's France. There's one on every corner, why?" Remember....her French sucks. She says "I don't know. Did you see that homeless guy? I just can't shake the feeling that I need to buy him some bread."

Completely convicted and humiliated, I carve out a path to the nearest boulangerie and we buy a baguette, some ham and cheese and then make our way back to where the guy was....and he's vanished. No trace of him. It can't have been more than 10 minutes. To this day, I don't know if dude just packed up and dipped, or if the whole thing was supernatural on some front, but I do know this; I think it about it almost every day and regret not doing what the Holy Spirit was nudging me to do.

Get the man some bread.

 

[basstracker89]

Just start off small. If it is meant to be in God's name, it will happen. I think you and you're brother may be on to somethin. Both of you seem to be good quality people. I never had the courage to go full on my own, but probably should have tried. Now retired, I finally took that plunge

 

[Beulah Land]

Just start off small. If it is meant to be in God's name, it will happen. I think you and you're brother may be on to somethin. Both of you seem to be good quality people. I never had the courage to go full on my own, but probably should have tried. Now retired, I finally took that plunge

I think it would be easier than what he is doing with the hot sauce. There is a lot more involved with what he is doing as compared to the shirts would just be to have them printed and then just sell at events. I don’t know why I haven’t leaped.

 

[Granite3]

Shirts have a long shelf life, they do not go bad, unlike hot sauce.....

Network around, talk to some sizeable churches in your area about doing a series for their congregations or Sunday Schools or VBS groups.

Facebook marketplace or Poshmark would be a good way to go as well.

 

[jonsmith6391]

About 20 years ago in January I was in Tours, France. It's a university/college town. In France, retailers only do "sales" in January and July so it's a big "to do." "The Month of Sales!" they call them. So I was there with a girl that I was traveling with and she was shopping and I was guiding her through the sea of humanity that was there with us.

I should preface this with the fact that I usually ignore panhandlers. 99% of them are asking for money and the ones that aren't, really are and if you try to give them food; they get pissed. I have worked with many, many homeless ministries and they all, unanimously, say not to give money to them. So now that that is out of the way....

There's a little cubby built into the wall of these shops going around a bend and in the cover of it there's a homeless man. Salt and Pepper beard. Dark blue tobogan on his head and an olive drab coat. He has a three legged, big, German Shepard with him on a an impossibly large blanket. Backpack, shopping bags...the whole thing. They both appear to be asleep and there's a tatty cardboard sign in front of them that says "Hungry. Bread , please."

I saw it, processed it, and kept moving. After a few steps there was this little wiggle in my soul, like, maybe I should get the guy some bread. I brushed it off and kept moving. I should stop here and mention that the girl I am traveling with does not speak French well at all. She's also short and has her hand in my belt at the small of my back so she doesn't get separated. Remember the sea of humanity? I wasn't exaggerating.

So a minute or two later, after we pass the guy, she tugs on my belt and asks if there's a bakery somewhere around here. I said "It's France. There's one on every corner, why?" Remember....her French sucks. She says "I don't know. Did you see that homeless guy? I just can't shake the feeling that I need to buy him some bread."

Completely convicted and humiliated, I carve out a path to the nearest boulangerie and we buy a baguette, some ham and cheese and then make our way back to where the guy was....and he's vanished. No trace of him. It can't have been more than 10 minutes. To this day, I don't know if dude just packed up and dipped, or if the whole thing was supernatural on some front, but I do know this; I think it about it almost every day and regret not doing what the Holy Spirit was nudging me to do.

Get the man some bread.

Had this happen to my wife and I before. Homeless guy standing on the side of the exit ramp in Alpharetta/Roswell. We went to grab him some food (I think his sign said he was hungry) and when we came back, vanished, as though he was no longer there.

It was the darnedest thing. I tend to believe it may have been supernatural.

 

[cr107]

Just know that the custom shirt market is being overrun with AI designs and china sweat shop crap. Just like 3D printing everyone and their mom does it now for craft fairs and such. If you post your designs online they will get stolen and good luck tracking down who is doing it. Not trying to be negative, just experience.