I had the great privilege to be a member of Jessica Honegger’s Book Launch Team for Imperfect Courage. As a long time fan of Noonday Collection and a self-proclaimed Ethical Fashion Ambassador, this story provided me with encouragement and reminded me that no matter what my story should sound like, the real-life one is so much better and I’m better for it.
Jessica shares with readers not only the story of how Noonday Collection began but all the moments that lead to her stepping into imperfect courage to make her dreams a reality.
During a time of financial difficulty, her family made a hard decision to keep pursuing international adoption. Everything they had reserved for this was lost when the housing market crashed. Most people would believe that maybe it was a sign to step back, to not move. Instead, the Honegger family knew they must continue forward and that doing so would not only be hard but one of the hardest things they had done.
I, too, have been in those times when everything says to stop, to not do the thing and yet in your heart you know you are still meant to go forward. What I love most about Noonday is what I love most about ethical fashion/ethical business models. We are all in this together, my success is tied to folks around the world. And people in Uganda, Nepal, and Haiti are connected to me. When I promote them, when I buy from them, they are given the opportunity to have dignified work. To buy a roof they need or send their children to school & lift up literally the most vulnerable.
As a product of growing up in the 90’s and early 2000’s, I struggle with how my life compared to well basically anyone else my age. It’s something I still struggle with. So, when Jessica said, “…I began to see that life wasn’t a standardized test, where only one answer is right.” (pg 43) It brought relief to my weary heart. Life is not a test with one right answer, but an opportunity to do the right thing in life.
I appreciate Jessica’s vulnerability in Imperfect Courage simply because my most meaningful and deep relationships are the result of being vulnerable and sharing the hard stuff with people.
She recounts a story about that Class Mom at her kid’s school. You know the one that attends every party, goes on field trips and does all the things. Jessica recognizes that because of this mom, she is able to be a better mom at home and a better CEO knowing her children are loved and safe and cared for by this class mom. We are not all called to be the same things. If so how boring would that be? “Her success does not diminish mine. She is not a threat. She is a sister. I will not be threatened by her investments, her wild accomplishments, or her successes. Instead of elbowing, I will reach out my hand.” (Pg 101)
God gave every one of us a unique path in life and a unique set of skills, with these things we make our own beautiful and unique way through our struggles and triumphs. And when we use these skills to lift up and empower others, we are ultimately glorifying the God that gave us these gifts. “The fact is, each of us is distinctively wired and has unique skills and interests to bring to bear on making this world a better place.” (pg 173)
Overall, I loved Imperfect Courage because it met me exactly where I was. We are all going through and experiencing opportunities to be courageous. We could all use a little more empathy, and brave the scary thing in our lives. And as Jessica points out, “We need each other in this journey…” (pg 206)
Imperfect Courage is out today.
I was provided a copy of Imperfect Courage by the publisher, all opinions are my own.
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Stylishly Shelby 