Meet Angie
Meet Angie! One of the beautiful women who works in our shop in Nashville. Her story is an inspiring testimony to how much your life can change in one year.
“I was in the emergency room due to my addictions, and I cried out to God, asking him to send me somebody to help. My family had always helped me, but this time I had gotten so far down, I couldn’t put them through it again. I was in Mississippi at the time, and God opened the doors for me to enter a recovery program at the Rescue Mission in Nashville. I was at the Nashville Rescue Mission when I heard about FASHIONABLE. I had graduated from the recovery program in August and heard about the company through my roommate. She was working there and told me about all the women there that were so great to work with. I was looking for a job and started thinking that is where I should be. I wanted to work with good women and have good surroundings. Then FASHIONABLE came to the Rescue Mission and it was the perfect timing to talk to them. While they were there, they taught us how to make jewelry, and to this day I wear the necklace that I made there. We were supposed to stamp a word on it, and I put “Overcome” because of how much I’ve been overcoming. I didn’t even know that was part of FASHIONABLE’s mission statement, but when they brought me in for an interview and said their mission statement was “beautiful products by women who have overcome,” I began to cry. I knew it was confirmation that God had put me right where I needed. This is where I need to be. I love working here. I need this community. We help each other and support each other.
It’s about helping and supporting each other. It’s busy from the time I come in till the time I leave. I work with everything leather. It’s really interesting and I want to learn more. They show me where the leather comes from in Ethiopia, and it’s so cool to see their factory’s and how it’s all made before it comes to us. When they arrive, we condition the bags here and tag them and get ready for them to ship.
I love to listen to music and I am addicted to Sudoku. But most of all, I love to FaceTime with my grandbabies! I have 2 back in Mississippi. I miss them so much but have been able to visit them. I was even there when my last grandchild was born. I have a much better relationship with my family now. My mom’s birthday was recently and she told me that me being sober and clean was the best birthday present I could have given her, to know that I was safe. Now I can be there for her, and for my grandkids and my daughter, like I’ve always wanted to be. I love my family more than anything in the world.
I am ABLE to come to work every day and do something that I enjoy doing, knowing that I’m helping other women. And I truly love it. I’m honestly starting to feel self-worth for the first time. I had felt worthless for so long after all the things I’d been through. It’s amazing feeling good about yourself like you’re doing something good. I’m so glad I am ABLE to give back somehow now too. I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be like I have some purpose. I don’t know that I’ve ever had that before.
Source: livefashionable.com
