There is something I’ve been learning about myself. I was never the person who dreamed of owning a business. I dreamed of books.
I dreamed of writing stories that helped people breathe a little deeper, hope a little longer, and believe there was still light waiting on the next page. Books carried me through every season of my life, and I simply wanted to spend my life creating them. But sometimes God writes a bigger story than the one we imagine for ourselves.
Monarch wasn’t born because I wanted to become an entrepreneur. It was born because I saw readers, families, teachers, and authors searching for homes for their stories or readers deserving books they could trust. I couldn’t ignore that need. There are TOO many good stories out there that might not find a home of Monarch didn’t exist.
So here I am. Still an author and poet at heart, and I’ve realized I don’t have to give it up. On Tuesday the Lord reminded me that I am in this for joy. And joy also looks like sharing my soul writing through poetry or my own books too.
Still a professor who believes literacy changes lives. Still someone who finds joy in quiet mornings with a prayer rope, trees, journal books, and the turning of a page.
The difference is that now I serve those passions in a new way. Through all of my business experiences since taking classes, reading, and having a mentor I’ve learned that there is a difference between being driven by profit and being driven by purpose. I am, and always will be, a mission-driven entrepreneur. Business is not my identity. It is simply the vehicle God has given me to build safe shelves, champion clean stories, and create a place where readers of every age can discover books that protect hearts, inspire minds, and remind us that words still matter.
I don’t know exactly where this journey will lead, but I know why I began. For the love of stories and the simple obedience of being called to serve.
“Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.” Proverbs 16:3 (KJV)