Why I Almost Gave Up on Psalmist Gift Shop (And Why I Won't)

"Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established." Proverbs 16:3 (KJV)

I want to share something personal today.

Many times, I almost gave up on Psalmist Gift Shop. You know what it costs to run a Shopify store every month. Yet most of the year, we make zero sales. When I looked back at the past twelve months, orders came in on just 5 days out of 365. That's barely more than 1% of the year.

Even my friends said it: "It's costly to have a Shopify store, let alone market it and keep making products to sell." They weren't wrong. I almost gave up. More than once, I was ready to cancel.

The $1.90 order

But every time I was about to do it, an order would come in. Just lately, it was a $1.90 sale.

I said, "Wow, Lord. You really don't want me to give this up, do You?"

And I prayed: "If You don't, then lead me to where this is going. Show me. Teach me."

It wasn't about the $1.90. It was about the timing. It felt like a quiet whisper: Don't quit. I'm not finished with this yet.

"For who hath despised the day of small things?" Zechariah 4:10 (KJV)

Choosing obedience over results

Now I believe God wants to share His Word through this platform. So I simply obeyed and didn't give it up.

Slowly, I'm learning to stand up for Him, for His glory. I don't know exactly where this shop is going, but I believe it will serve its purpose in His time. I will just obey, no matter what the cost. This will be my godly business.

When I look around, I don't see any business that will stand strong forever. But His Word does.

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever." Isaiah 40:8 (KJV)

His words are true, and Amen!

"For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." 2 Corinthians 1:20 (KJV)

My dream

I have a dream that I want to share with you. One day, I want to build an orphanage, where young children can be loved, taught the Gospel and pointed to Jesus.

The same for the elderly. I want to build a home for them, care for them and share Jesus with them in their later years.

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." James 1:27 (KJV)

Maybe it sounds too big for a little shop that sells a few downloads a year. But I've learned that whatever promptings God puts in our hearts, He hears them. So we keep dreaming. We keep going for Jesus.

If you're close to giving up too

Maybe you're reading this and you're tired too. Maybe it's a ministry, a business, a calling or a prayer that seems to go unanswered. Let me encourage you: don't measure your obedience by the results. Keep showing up. Keep sowing. God sees the small things, and He's faithful to finish what He starts.

We shall keep believing.

Lord Jesus, thank You for every small sign that You're still with us. When I want to quit, remind me that this is Your work, not mine. Lead me, show me, teach me. Use this little shop for Your glory, and one day let it bless the fatherless and the elderly with Your love. You're all I've got, and You're all I need. In Your name, Amen.

How you can be part of this

• Pray for Psalmist and for the dream of an orphanage and an elderly home.
• Share a post or a song from this blog with someone who needs Jesus today.
• Listen to our new worship album, No Turning Back (I Decided To Follow Jesus).
• Browse the shop. Every resource is made to point people to Jesus.

He's all I've got. And He is enough.

God's business is our business. — Psalmist Gift Shop