A Better Life: Slowing Down to Get Ahead

by Rebecca Smith, Shannan Martin (Foreword by)

Overview

The founder of Better Life Bags, Rebecca Smith, teaches us how to take little steps, say yes when God calls, and follow the passion He has given us.

Let love stretch you. As the founder of one of the most popular custom handbag companies in the country, Rebecca Smith knows a thing or two about business. A highly successful entrepreneur in a world where the focus is on scalability, brand strategy, and global marketing, Rebecca Smith also knows the truth: that every success she's experienced at Better Life Bags has been the result of very small, very ordinary, very obedient steps of faith.

Moving from Savannah, Georgia, to Hamtramck, Michigan, was culture shock enough for Rebecca. But trying to feel at home in a city where twenty-six different languages were spoken and most of the inhabitants were immigrants seemed downright impossible. It was only when Rebecca recognized that God had called her to this specific neighborhood at this particular moment in time that his plans began to unfold for her. Stepping forward into the place God had called her - a place that seemed messy and uncomfortable and unfamiliar - Rebecca discovered the true secret to success: when we slow down, pay attention, and trust that still, small voice of God to guide us, we just might change the world.

Though Rebecca never set out to build a brand or create an empire, God saw Rebecca's heart for others, and began to multiply her efforts in ways she could have never imagined, creating a company where women from different cultures, faiths, and backgrounds work together for the good of others - for a better life.

As you read this inspiring story, you will discover how to hear and follow God's voice for yourself as you slow down, take one small step at a time, and make a difference in the world right where you are.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310357582
Publisher:	Zondervan
Publication date:	05/19/2020
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishing
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	910,871
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Rebecca Smith is the founder of Better Life Bags, a custom handbag company whose workforce is made up of local women with barriers to employment.

Rebecca loves to encourage and coach young entrepreneurs who desire to use their businesses for good. She is passionate about reminding women that when it comes to pursuing dreams, waiting on God’s nudges always beats hustling hard. It’s okay being the turtle; life is better when it’s slow.

Rebecca and her husband, Neil, live in Hamtramck, MI where they run Better Life Bags together. They have four amazing kids: Jonah, Clara, Corbin, and Gavin.

Table of Contents

Foreword 13

Introduction / Special Stickers 15

1 Stand Down

When You Beg God to Fix It and He Tells You to Be Still 21

2 Bloom Where You're Planted

When You Try to Move to Iraq but End Up in Michigan 41

3 Notice the Small Beginnings

Because Everything-Literally Everything-Starts Small 57

4 Do Something That Matters

A Bag without a Mission Is Just Pieces of Fabric Sewn Together 81

5 Tear Down the Fence

Welcome to My Little Country House in the City 97

6 Let the Dream Simmer

Let's Talk about Fly Balls and Betta Fish 113

7 Manage the Hustle

Time to Turn It Up to a Boil 125

8 Don't Do It Alone

Because It's More Fun Than Being by Yourself-and Face It … You Need Help 135

9 Practice Your U-Turns

What to Do When You Realize You're Going the Wrong Way 147

10 Don't Be Afraid to Fail

It's Really Not as Bad as You Think 159

11 Do Things That Are Unseen

You Don't Need to Share Everything on the Internet 169

12 Have the Heart of a Turtle

Keep Your Eyes on Your Own Paper 181

13 Lean In to Hard Times

When God Tells You That You're a Palm Tree 193

14 Cherish Today

Stop Wishing for the Next Season of Life and Start Living Today's 205

A Better Life Manifesto

The reminder we need when life gets overwhelming 214

Acknowledgments

My favorite part of a book-and one I hope you'll read 217

Editorial Reviews

02/17/2020

Smith, founder of Better Life Bags, a Detroit company that recruits employees from low-employment communities, debuts with a marvelous ode to grace and empathy. When Smith first moved into Hamtramck, Mich., she struggled to find her place, doubting if she could ever feel at home there. But she learned to “stand down” and wait for God’s direction even when her inner turmoil demanded that she take action: “I’ve realized through this waltz of moving and swaying and standing that God was then—and is today—orchestrating a wonderful and beautiful and amazing path to my dreams and desires.” Smith recounts how her business started as an Etsy shop selling custom handbags and, as it grew, she made it a point to hire women of different faiths, backgrounds, and circumstances. Drawing from the lessons she has learned, she emphasizes the importance of small beginnings on effecting change at a larger scale and explains that it is not necessary to know the end results before taking the first step. She reminds readers that God has a plan for their lives that doesn’t require striving or hustling. This uplifting memoir will encourage Christian readers to slow down and appreciate life in the moment. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Devout Christian handbag entrepreneur Rebecca Smith describes how obedient steps of faith toward God’s plan brought her happiness and unexpected entrepreneurial success. Narrating with sincerity that sounds at once innocent and steadfast, she is inspiring in substance and tone—she’s a humble believer whose vocal sweetness will speak to people of all spiritual persuasions. Her relationship with God is a guiding force, but the core of her beliefs is in line with broadly held philosophical wisdom that human willfulness has its limitations. She says that by paying attention to signs and following the paths laid out for us, we will achieve peace and reap unexpected rewards. In this beautiful audio, the sound of her humanity and wisdom will calm and inspire people to live their lives with more faith and less ego. T.W. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2020 - AudioFile

Devout Christian handbag entrepreneur Rebecca Smith describes how obedient steps of faith toward God’s plan brought her happiness and unexpected entrepreneurial success. Narrating with sincerity that sounds at once innocent and steadfast, she is inspiring in substance and tone—she’s a humble believer whose vocal sweetness will speak to people of all spiritual persuasions. Her relationship with God is a guiding force, but the core of her beliefs is in line with broadly held philosophical wisdom that human willfulness has its limitations. She says that by paying attention to signs and following the paths laid out for us, we will achieve peace and reap unexpected rewards. In this beautiful audio, the sound of her humanity and wisdom will calm and inspire people to live their lives with more faith and less ego. T.W. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2020 - AudioFile