God Restores...

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In the last two weeks, God has restored a couple of things for me. When I lost my possessions, I also lost my business. It was difficult trying to keep it up, even doing it at the library, with having to weigh everything; then packaging it up; printing mailing labels; then ultimately getting it to the post office. I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off! Plus... Being homeless and in the extreme cold and heat, landed me in the hospital several times. I just could not physically do it, and was not able to mail the products in time, which cost me my good rating, and store. I was devastated!!! Completely...devastated!!! So... In a nutshell... There went my business. I could no longer get a PayPal account, and eBay pretty much ostracized me. When they say "time heals all wounds"... I imagine that goes for businesses. Last year... PayPal allowed me to open up another account. This was a start to getting part of my life back. However...they would not allow me to have a "PayPal Business Debit Card." I loved this card. Whenever you use it as a credit card, they give you 1% cash back, which they deposited into my account monthly. It was nice to get those few extra dollars every month. I have been working on trying to build my online business again, with various products. I knew however... As good as these websites were, I would never get the exposure, that I would have gotten on eBay. A few sales have trickled in, but that is it. I had pretty much lost hope, of ever making a decent income again. But something has happened over the last couple of weeks. As I began to talk to God, and sort some things out with Him. I started talking to Him, about how I wish I could get another eBay account. I really enjoyed selling online, and I was very good at it! In fact...eBay once told me that I had such an impressive store, that they believed I would be one of their millionaires, one day. I was selling party supplies, all around the world. I did business in Israel, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, Japan, Norway, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Africa, United States, and a host of other countries. It was so exciting for me to see my products go all over the world. The upside to living in Houston, I had access to some of the most incredible party suppliers in the business. One of them has a warehouse that is two stories high, that covers 30 thousand square feet of space! My goal was to have the largest party supply store on the Internet, offering unique items that could not be found in a standard party supply store. There is nothing like that here in Jacksonville. So...having a store that large is impossible, right now. I would have to order directly from the suppliers, and have them shipped to me. I just don't have the funds, or space, to do that...at this time. I still cry from time to time, when I see pictures of party supplies, I once had. I had over $5,000 in wholesale inventory, that I could have turned into a nice profit. However... I can't seem to get the business on Facebook, that so many others are able to do. So... I was asking God about getting another eBay account, but did not know how to do it. I had tried several times...and all I got was the "left foot of fellowship" (so to speak)... So... I just threw caution to wind, and gave eBay another try. This time... I was able to open an account. At first...I was only allowed to sell 10 items, or $1,000 in products (whichever came first). Hardly anything, against the millions of products on eBay. But I was happy to have an account. I was starting somewhere, again. Then a couple of days later, I was talking to them, and the rep offered to raise it to 30 items, or $1,500 in products (whichever came first)... That made it even more exciting! They told me every 30 days, as long as my account was in good standing, they would increase it even more. For some reason...I had to call eBay for something (can't remember what)...and this guy offered to see if he could have it increased again. I told him that I did not think they would do it, since I just got an increase. He insisted, so I let him. He turned me over to this rep, who asked me if I was interested in opening a business account, since I only had a personal account. I did not know there was a difference. She told me that with business accounts, higher selling limits were given. I just had to answer a few questions (given by a third party) to identify who I was, then they would determine my eligibility. I said okay, and answered the questions. By the time she hit enter, she got a response from eBay. I was approved for a business account, and my selling limit was raised to 350 items, or $17,000 (thousand) in products, (whichever came first)... I was floored!!! This will give me a good start. Sounds like a lot, but when you add products, and quantities, it gets eaten up fast. So I will need those increases every month. But at least now...I have an opportunity to put up some kind of variety, and have a fighting chance to sell something. I am adding my leggings; my custom products from Zazzle, and of course party supplies. I love selling party supplies, so I have to have a section for that... Might not be as large as it once was, but I will have a good selection. My other dilemma was the money, that I would be paid from my sales. Yeah...I can have the funds transferred to my bank, from PayPal. And even though PayPal has sped up their deposit process, where we only have to wait 24 to 48 (depending upon holidays and weekends); verses the 3 to 5 business days it use to be... Believe it or not...those few hours can make a difference getting a good rating, or a bad one. So... I was talking to God again, about getting a PayPal Business Debit Card. Afterwards... I felt impressed to try again. This time...PayPal said I was pre-approved. In the business world, that does not always mean instant approval. So I was holding my breath. I decided to bite the bullet, and give it another try. As soon as I hit enter, after plugging in all the information requested...I got in big letters "CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE BEEN APPROVED!" I just cried and shivered...at the same time. Could it be? Was I reading this wrong? I could not believe it! Then I get another message, stating that my card was being mailed the next day. And yesterday... I went to the mailbox...and there was my card, from PayPal. I opened it up...and just looked at it in amazement. Sounds silly I know... But when you have lost everything, the way I have... Getting something like this back, is a feeling words can't really describe! It will be nice to have "instant" access to any funds, in my account now. Here it is... In less than two weeks time... God gave me back my eBay business, and my PayPal Business Debit Card. I have begun to add things, and set up my store. It is going to take me a long while, to get my store the way I want it to be. But it is a process. Line upon line... It is exciting to know that each day, my store will get better, and better. I have not sold anything yet. But like a credit card... It seems to take a while before the first person/business, gives you a chance. But after that first one...(like a credit card)...you will get another one, and another one, and another one...and so on. I can not remember how long it took, when I got my first sale, from the last time. But I know that in time...the sales will come. With all this being said... What matters is...that I am in business again. I feel like for the first time in almost 5 years, I am an active, vital, part of society, and the business world. I am not just floundering around. wasting my time away. I could use your prayers. I need a new laptop, so badly. This old Windows XP is so slow, at times. Last night...it took me almost 6 hours to do 3 listings. Really crazy. I can't always get to the library. I am a night owl, and do my best productive work, when everyone else is sleeping. Besides... I am up to answer questions from customers, who live on the other side of the world; so they don't have to wait long to get an answer. I also need a postage scale, that can handle up to 60 pounds. I had a good one, once. It is going to be so awkward, having to go to the post office to have it weighed; then drive to the library to print out postage, from eBay. Then drive back to the post office, again. Getting postage from eBay, saves us some dollars that way, because we get eBay's volume discount. I will just have to pay (.10 cents a page), for the postage labels at the library, until I can get a printer. Anyway... If you all can pray for me about these things, I would appreciate it. And pray about the sales...too. I can't wait to see some $$$ in my PayPal account again. Yay!