Many summers ago on a family trip, we decided to throw together a few free presentations along the way. I had a blast doing them—probably because I’d deliberately left my suits at home, tossed my hair into a ponytail, and said, “Not this time,” to the stiff, buttoned-up version of a “professionally impressive, Toastmaster-approved event.”

I didn’t break my neck trying to make everything perfect—we were on vacation, after all. Some of you may remember one of those presentations from the following year—we made it available online (free) here: Stickman Video.

We had just rolled into town, unloaded our bags at the hotel, and I barely had time to brush my teeth and throw on a little makeup in the restroom before rushing into the event where about 80 of you were waiting. Right before it began, some foundation flew off my finger and landed squarely on the front of my sweater. I knew I wasn’t getting it out, so I wiped it off the best I could, shook my head, and thought, “This will just have to do.” I had to keep going—even if it wasn’t perfect.

Sometimes, when there's something important to do, you just have to keep moving—whether or not it all looks "just so." Do your best, and let the rest go.

That night, my kids helped us set up the room, running up and down the aisles and having a blast. Nothing breakable was in sight, so I was just as happy. After setup, most of the kids ran off to play at our host’s home, but nine-year-old Kayli stayed behind. She had brought a stack of homemade bookmarks, hoping some attendees might want one before the evening was over.

One of her brothers scoffed, “That’s so dumb, it’s just paper. Nobody’s going to want them.” But Kayli didn’t let it phase her.

She quietly sat through two of our events that week, and by the end, she had earned $150 selling “just paper.”

Those of you who were there were so gracious and encouraging. And I truly believe the encouragement you gave that little girl will find its way back to you—if it hasn’t already.

Fun fact:

Nine years later, at a friend’s recommendation, Kayli drove three hours to visit Drew Christensen for help with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, as she prepared for a mission for our church. After the visit, to our surprise, he sent us some photos:

Turns out, he had already met her back in Idaho—when she was nine—and had bought one of her bookmarks at that event. I mean… what are the odds? I couldn’t make this stuff up. Honestly, it felt like something straight out of Portal to Genius.

Anyway—back to those events in 2007.

Fast forward seven months. Kayli held on to almost every penny she earned. She tithed 10% to charity and spent $60 on a box of little canvas bags from Uline.com. Her plan was to create cookie-dough mixes to sell in local boutiques or online. But when the bags arrived, they were too small to hold a batch of cookie dough.

At Christmastime, a friend suggested we use them for gift bags, but the season slipped by before we could make it happen. By the time Valentine’s Day came around, though, she was ready. She used the rest of her money on supplies and put together ten Valentine’s bags to sell.

Another cutting comment from a brother hurt her feelings, but again—she didn’t stop. And even though I had a million other things on my to-do list, her persistence finally got through to me. I dropped everything to take her to the craft store for rocks, iron-ons, candy, and miniatures. We figured out how to put the bags together, wrote up a newsletter, and took pictures for the announcement.

She sold out of her ten bags within a day or two. My first thought was to hop online and post “Sold Out.” Goal accomplished! But then came that second (inconvenient) thought: “Why not keep going?”

So we hit the ground running again, driving all over town hunting down the components to fill more orders. We even cleaned out three different Michael’s Craft Stores of their heart iron-ons and miniature stuffed puppies. Kayli was on Cloud Nine. And by the end of it, she had recouped her investment and doubled it.

That’s when her brother came to me and said, “Mom, I want to make something…”

Now, maybe you're thinking, *“Yeah, well any kid could do that if they had a mom with a website.”*

But before you go there, let me just say:

I had **seven** kids. I had a website. I had a newsletter. Every one of them had the same access to those tools. But only **one** (up to that point) had done anything about it.

(Update from 2021: nearly all my kids have now participated in or benefitted from working in our business. It’s been a joy to watch each of them grow in their skills and talents over time.)

But life is kind of like that:

We’re children of a Heavenly Father who loves us (and we love Him!), a Father who commands the most powerful distribution network in the universe. Each of us has something to offer. And if we show up with the right mindset—one of expectancy, persistence, and determination—then I imagine God smiling, setting His work aside, and stepping in to help us accomplish the very thing we’ve set our hearts on.

When my kids were little, they often begged for this or that, whined when things weren’t perfect, and made wishes left and right. But now and then, one of them would come to me—not to complain or wish—but with a *decision* to do something. They showed up with the energy, the determination, and the mindset to *get it done*. That’s when they finally got my full attention.

I’ve learned so much from watching Kayli take initiative. She didn’t always know *what* to do—but she was crystal clear about the *outcome* she wanted. She knew that with my help, she could figure out the rest.

So I ask you:

If you could have God’s help with something **this week**, what would it be?

Are you clear on it?

Are you determined to do your part—everything you possibly can—to make it happen?

Are you willing to pray like it depends on Him and work like it depends on you?

Let’s practice living this week with **resolved intention**. Decide what you want to accomplish. Get behind it fully. Throw your heart into it. Trust God to help you. Show up as the determined, teachable, persistent child He loves.

And then… watch the miracle unfold.

Here’s Kayli all grown up:

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