Internet Cafe

Saturday, February 2, 2008

A Little of My Culinary Expertise…

“Everyone can be great because anyone can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve… you only need a heart full of grace – a soul generated by love”
~ Martin Luther King, Jr. ~

Quite a few years back I remember being in a seminar that would teach me how to be more successful at the direct sales business I was then a part of.

“Tell me who you are and what you do.” the instructor said.

“My name is Amy and I am a Future Director with the Pampered Chef!” I said with a smile and spunk in my voice.

“Incorrect,” she said. “your name is Amy and that is who you are but ‘Future Director with the Pampered Chef’ does not tell me what you do. Try again.”

“What?” I thought to myself. “Who is this crazy woman? Does she know who I am?”

At the time I was pretty successful at my business. I didn’t just sell products. I gave a live cooking show complete with a take home manual on how to accomplish some of the finest culinary skills that I had mastered at the time. I was asked to give my presentation at a large Pampered Chef event and my “show” was even recorded for training purposes. I already had recruits, my sales were high, and I had only been at it for a few months. I thought I was “it”! Can you tell?

So then this little woman with a big voice says to me again, “C’mon. Tell me what you do.”

“I’m a consultant with the Pampered Chef (she shakes her head no). I’m an independent contractor (now she is rolling her eyes). I’m a salesperson?

“All titles.” she says. “Do you cook?”
“Yes.” I said.
“Do you help people buy the most efficient products for their kitchen?”
“Yes” I said once again.
“Well that is something that you do!” she said. “If I’ve never been a part of anything to do with Pampered Chef then I have no clue what ‘Future Director’ means. You must tell me what you can do and better than that, show me how it works!”

Lightbulb moment.

People don’t care about our fancy titles and how we refer to ourselves. They want to know what we do and how we can help them. I can say that I am a Christian or a child of God till I am blue in the face but what does that mean to someone who has never been to church or experienced the hand of God in their lives? It means nothing.

Who am I and what do I do?

My name is Amy and I have a desire to serve people. I pray for others. I have to repent daily and I go the extra mile to help others if they are in need. I try to bless others when no one else is watching because it isn’t about the glory. I serve a God who is bigger than me and He can help me overcome anything.

That is what I do and that my friend is part of who I am. So the next time you are in a position where you are about to say, “Well, I am a Christian.” or “I’m the Assistant Pastor” or “I am a ministry leader”, remember that you could be the only one within ears reach who knows what that means and this is your chance to sell some kitchen tools, er uh, show the love of Christ by serving someone else! That is what a Christian is and that is what we do!


For you have been called to live in freedom--not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love.
~ Galatians 5:13 ~


I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: In Pursuit of Proverbs 31

In Pursuit of Proverbs 31

Labels: , , , ,

14 Comments:

Blogger Mocha with Linda said...

What a great reminder not to get caught up in church-speak.

February 2, 2008 at 6:55 AM  
Blogger 2nd Cup of Coffee said...

Now that is a super-practical relevant explanation of true communication. I loved this.

February 2, 2008 at 7:47 AM  
Blogger lori said...

Amy, my name is Lori and I have that desire to serve people. I want to teach others too....I try too to BLESS others, seen and unseen daily! I love my God...

I loved this...and I love your heart....
what a message for us...sellin' what we really are!!
thanks, I needed that!!
love you girl!
lori

February 2, 2008 at 8:13 AM  
Blogger Tami said...

Amen, Amy! How can we stop ourselves from getting caught in that trap? Thanks for making me remember what is really important.

February 2, 2008 at 8:24 AM  
Blogger Denise said...

This was awesome, bless you.

February 2, 2008 at 9:19 AM  
Blogger Cheryl said...

That was awesome! What a wonderful lesson today. We really need to watch the words we use. Thanks!

February 2, 2008 at 11:10 AM  
Blogger Keri Wyatt Kent said...

When I first left my career at a daily newspaper to begin freelance writing and care for my first baby, I didn't know how to answer the inevitable "What do you do?" question. I occasionally tried to write, I conducted interviews for magazine articles while nursing my baby (TMI, I know), and I changed a lot of diapers.
A wise friend told me to hold my head up, look people in the eye and tell them, "I'm raising a warrior for Christ! and what do YOU do?"
People may not have understood my answer, but saying that out loud reminded me about the importance of my calling at that season of life!

February 2, 2008 at 12:07 PM  
Blogger windycindy said...

How true! A title is great, but it does not tell me everything about a person. I like "Walk the Talk!" Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

February 2, 2008 at 12:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ooooooh Amy,
How easy it is to get caught up in a little ego fit. Thank you for the reminder that we are here to serve one another. When I do that, I am most like Jesus - which is what I want to be.
Darnelle
(You must go to an awesome church! ;)

February 2, 2008 at 12:34 PM  
Blogger MarshaMarshaMarsha said...

Well said, Amy!

Especially in regards to sharing our walk with and faith in Jesus Christ, not everyone speaks the religious church lingo. Not everyone knows what "saved" means! But most can understand it when you say "I gave my life to God!"

February 2, 2008 at 1:14 PM  
Blogger amy & lisa said...

Wow. Thank you for sharing on this topic today. So good!

Lisa ~ child of Him who desires to seek Him daily and to serve others with whatever He chooses to send her way in her everyday.

February 3, 2008 at 12:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh my did I need that today!! thanks, Amy, I love how you are so REAL!!

February 3, 2008 at 7:00 PM  
Blogger Brenda said...

This is excellent, Amy! It's so good to make sure we're not just using "Christian" as a title, and that we're actually DOING it.

February 4, 2008 at 12:17 PM  
Blogger Praise and Coffee said...

Good word Amy!!!

PS: I love Pampered Chef!

February 4, 2008 at 12:18 PM  

Post a Comment

It is good to hear from you... thank you so very much for leaving a note on the table. That makes us smile!

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home