Sister Trails

Where did you get the guts to start your mom biz?

Who inspired to you to pursue a lifestyle of freedom and flexibility?

Who taught you what authentic femininity was and how to live it out?

Who modeled the elegance of being both a Catholic mother, embracing the beautiful gift of children, while still being the unique woman, making a positive impact on the world, God created you to be?

Most of us have had sisters or mothers or someone who has gone before us, giving us that spark to see God’s incredible plan for us women without feeling like it is out of reach. Many of us have had more than one.

When there is a chance that God is calling one of them home before you are ready, God floods you with grateful awareness of the significance of the role they played in your life.

One of my “sisters” had been blazing a “sister trail” for me—she’s a breast cancer survivor for nine years. Recently I learned that the doctors discovered new cancerous lumps. She underwent a rapid second mastectomy, and now awaiting test results to see if another miracle were possible or the cancer is past the treatable stage.

Even with the devastating news, she modeled dignity handling a potentially lethal medical situation. Prayer and discussion with loved ones influenced every decision about the next step. The second time facing cancer wasn’t novel like the first.  Novelty replaced a painful awareness and better understanding of the reality of what is to happen and what the doctors were saying.

The same humility, fidelity, and deliberateness I’ve seen in my years knowing this sister that gave me confidence as a Catholic woman, wife, mother, and business owner carried her in this difficult time.

Humility

Watching her as she daily communicates with constancy, fulfilling her roles as wife and mother and mompreneur herself, showed me how much I need the Eucharist. I can’t do what I need to do in my business and personal life without the comfort, wisdom, and calm I receive in frequent reception of the Eucharist.

Deliberateness

While not a hard charger, this sister was conscious in her thoughts, actions, and consequences in her role as wife, mother, and woman. She hungered for more – more meaning, more support, more fellowship—and listened and followed the gentle guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Fidelity

This sister was a founding member of the Regnum Christi team I’ve been a part of for over 13 years.  Through the ups and downs she was faithful to the principles of the group and steadily did what it took to keep it strong, including pull back when she had her first bout with cancer.

I learned to embrace both my womanhood, my motherhood, and my personhood by watching the example of this sister. Her modeling freed me to fully engage in my mom biz because I was comfortable first with who I am as a Catholic woman.

I’ve always benefited from learning from other mompreneurs.  But I gain a much clearer vision of who God wants me to be when I witness the virtue of a Catholic mom business owner navigating life’s unexpected turn.

God gives us many sisters and “sister trails” to guide us on our journey. May our clarity and gratitude be as sharp as it is when we recognize he might be calling one of them home.

The Catholic Mompreneur Tip for Biz and Life:  Tell those who love you and support you what you appreciate about them.