Here at Affirmats Yoga Mats, we pride ourselves on spreading positivity, smiles and love. We receive emails daily from happy customers all over the land.
This particular email touched our hearts and compelled us to share the email with all of you. This is Stacy Stevens, owner of TWISL Studios story..........
A few years ago I quit my soul sucking (to me) job after collapsing from a ruptured cyst on my ovaries. Stress caused it to get worse and finally ended up with me getting emergency surgery the day of a big meeting. I ended up leaving with the 2 owners and vice presidents in the conference room waiting for me. After a year of still not knowing what I wanted to do, I took a job as a photo editor for a fashion company. It paid well and I thought I'd love it more since it was more creative ( like me). And I did. For about 6 months it was my dream job. And then things started shifting. My bosses started wanting me to get promoted and I just loved my job and where I was. They pushed me so hard that I ended up having panic attacks every single night for the next 6 months and was eventually put on a heart monitor for 2 weeks. The doctors couldn't' find anything wrong. I was exercising, eating right, taking "me" time, but I knew something in my soul was off. I had this idea to start selling athletic clothing wear. I have always been big into fitness and loved the clothing. So I pitched it to the current company (since they were wanting me to do more anyways) and they shut it down. They said they weren't interested in selling fitness clothing. I ended up finally quitting that job near christmas time and didn't have much money to get my family presents.
So, I ended up buying all of the really soft t-shirts at Target...I didn't have much but I did have my prayers. So here's what I did...
My dad was in the middle of writing a book that was really drawing out of him some deep wounds.
My sister had just gone through a divorce and was working on herself and trying to get herself back to healed.
My brother was working on starting his own business and developing everything towards that.
So, for my dad I got him a red shirt and prayed over it. I wrote on the card "Ernest Hemingway once said 'Writing is easy, you just sit at a typewriter and bleed'. This shirt is for you to wear when you're writing to wipe the blood sweat and tears away through every word. It has been prayed over and will help you create something magical.
To my sister, I got her a purple shirt and wrote on her card. "Purple means royalty. No matter what you've been through or how much you've been hurt, don't forget that you my beautiful sister, are royalty. This shirt has been prayed over. Wear it anytime you feel sad or lonely or maybe just need a friend to sit and cry with. It will be like arms around you and keep you company even on your worst days."
To my brother, I got him a blue shirt. "Blue is to help calm you. I got you this shirt to wear any time you're working on your business. We've all known how brilliant you are and you will be one that legacies are made of. This shirt has been prayed over. It will help give you wisdom beyond your years and discernment that can move mountains. I believe in you and am so proud of you"
Months after that I would get pictures from my family showing me their shirts and telling me what they needed that day and how it helped them knowing that they were thought of and prayed for.
That gave me a thought to do that for my business.
So, every single item of clothing will be prayed over either specifically if a customer has a specific need, or more generally.
Now...here's where you come in Affirmats!
A few months ago I had a dream and was woken up and burst into tears. The words "sex trafficking' kept rushing through my mind and I felt my heart breaking as I thought of those girls that had been through that. And then a name came to my mind. Stephanie. This was a girl I had talked to MAYBE 3 times in my life and had recently had some facebook conversations back and forth.
So I grabbed my phone, pulled her name up on the messages and asked her if she knew anything about sex trafficking.
She was amazed. She said a few months before that she had been at her best friends conference and she thought of me. Her friend just opened a safe house for girls who are recovering from being in the sex trade.
So...I felt led to eventually have it to where for every affirmat bought, I would donate one to this safe house.
It may take me a little time to figure out all the logistics of it and the laws behind doing that but that's the vision I had to do.
So Affirmats is going to be making a huge impact and I"m so thankful to you!
