WOMEN OF FAITH
#1
Sister Cindy Stevenson
drum role please…. introducing something new to my blog 🙂 I’m so excited that from now on my goal is for Sunday’s to be dedicated to WOMEN OF FAITH! I will be featuring women who inspire me, motivate me, and have qualities I want to emulate. There will be a special page on my blog, that will allow you to access solely this material. I will introduce these awesome women on IG using the hashtag #millennialester
In short a millennial ester is a lady of faith that millennial’s (my generation) can look to as an example as Titus 2:4 describes.
So without further adieu, the very first woman of faith & millennial ester to 1998miss.com. Sister Cindy Stevenson from Rogers, Arkansas!
Sister Cindy Stevenson is a one of a kind, & just a real cool gal. Cindy grew up primarily in Arkansas & at age 14 was enrolled in Rogers high school. She graduated from RHS. Her family is still living in Rogers & she attends church at The Pentecostals of North West Arkansas where I attend church! Cindy is a sincerely eccentric girl with a heart & passion for Jesus! Cindy is happily married to the love of her life & has two handsome boys! (I guess they’ve grown up…perhaps they should be addressed as men LOL!) Also, they have the coolest house! It’s beautiful, & she and her husband did it all! This reminded me of my Great Grandma Virgina who also built her house & made it uniquely a home!
Cindy works as an owner & florist at the LEGENDARY Zu Zu’s Petals in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Yes, Zu Zu’s petals comes from the classic & one of my favorite films | It’s a Wonderful Life | so precious right! She is a business woman with a nack for working with flowers! She says she’s always loved flowers & knew she wanted to work in a flower shop since she was a little girl. In fulfillment of her life long dream and ambition at the age of sixteen she begged every flower shop in town for a job….(I’m sure she didn’t have to do much begging because she’s amazing) & to her utter delight Georgia’s Flowers hired a young Cindy Stevenson. From then on Cindy’s passion grew & she got better & better with flowers. She was mastering the skills of a florist after just one month working at Georgia’s! That’s crazy right-it just shows you how talented she is! Eventually Cindy became the owner of her very own flower shop! 🙂 (I love how she told me her story, because she said everything in such a beautiful way that made it truly inspiring.) When I asked Sister Cindy what she attributed her success to she answered as a true woman of faith would. She said “I attribute my success to God, because I truly believe he rewarded me & opened doors for me-that I would not have opened myself.” This was one of my favorite parts of our conversation! Friends of Cindy say she has an impeccable drive to get ‘er done-in addition to making people above content with whatever she’s doing. It’s said she is not just the Sherlock but truly the Holmes to every operation. It’s never a question whether or not Cindy loves her job, because she gives it her all. Cindy says one of the most important parts of being successful as a florist & a business woman is keeping a healthy combo!! Boy isn’t that truth in everything we do in life…I enjoyed hearing Cindy speak about the employees that she hires for Zu Zu’s Petals! (I can only dream of being an employee! That sounds like the dream job) She said that she hires college girls from the U of A campus in Fayetteville! She says this is very rewarding & she loves the connections she creates with the girls + they keep her on the up ‘n up about the latest trends in fashion or prom! 🙂
Cindy always had the goal to finish college after her boys both graduated high school & has set that goal into motion. With both boys graduated she is taking classes at U of A, where she is also a Horticulture Lab Speaker! (WHAT DOESN’T THIS GIRL DO…RIGHT! SHE IS AMAZING!) So in addition to her career, family, life, walk with God, & awesomeness she is getting a few degrees! WHAT. A. WOMAN. She isn’t shy when she says that through diligent & devoted prayer she was able to go back to school! She says EVERYTHING SHE HAS IS FROM HARD WORK & GOD! 🙂
The Bentonville Film Fest.
If you know Arkansas, you know that the BFF is a big ole deal. LISTEN CLOSELY BECAUSE THIS IS SO SO SO SO SO EXCITING…Cindy Stevenson was hired in a very competitive competition to do the flowers for this prominent event! Yes you can scream, because I sure did! It goes to show you, God will honor your sacrifices and hard work. It’s the coolest thing ever, because she is making a flower wall for on stage! She is also doing a few other awesome things as the florist! They are expecting a massive turn out for the event, there will be several famous actors & actresses present! What’s even cooler than that is the fact they are going to be doing a professional time lapse video of Cindy & her team assembling the wall! SO COOL RIGHT! I’m so happy for this precious lady & I’m so inspired!
If you are going to Prom check out her shop for flowers, or just check it out because it’s so unique! I’ll be doing another blog post specifically with an inside scoop of her shop! It will include photos & so much more! The flower crowns we are wearing today are specially designed by Cindy & so sweetly she gifted them to me to take home to wear! Lucky me right! They are so beautiful, unlike any other flower crowns I’ve seen. I know I keep repeating myself but I can’t tell you enough how cool this girl is. She is a role model in my life, as she is for many others! I’m so so blessed I know her & am able to learn from her, in addition to having a special mentor like relationship!
Cindy shared with me that her braids (her trademark) are something that people associate with her & always say “you know that girl with the braids”! Cool right. I wore my hair today in honor of her! She also said that the Ester and role model (woman of faith) in her life was Sister Nona Freeman, a woman who truly inspired many people. Nona was a monumental missionary, prayer warrior, saint, & true WOMAN OF FAITH. She also was known to wear her hair in braids-Cindy loved that & sort of adopted that & made it her own! It’s so beautiful how people can impact others & help them become the people the are-sometimes without even knowing!
I have to brag on Cindy once more, because she always brings beautiful flowers to our church every Sunday! They add so much to our church, people always comment on how lovely & beautiful they are, + no one ever asked her to do this…she just does. We love our Sister Cindy.
In addition to everything I’ve shared Cindy has a fabulous style that is truly all her own.
GET HER LOOK
Polka Dotted Cover: a gift from a prominent family in the pinnacle that Cindy has decorated for, for forever! They gifted her with unique, & beautiful antique clothing from a friend they shared. This friend was an 80year old famous opera singer, from Austria! So one of a kind! The embroidery in the bottom was flowers, perfect for a fabulous florist like Cindy!
Dress: Vintage dress from somewhere! Lol! I love how she talks, it’s truly her own lingo! 🙂
Cindy loves a bargain just like me! She shops for the lowest prices & favors unique pieces. She loves originality, a trait a lot of millennial’s lack! WE ALSO BOTH LOVE VINTAGE EVERYTHING!
Thank you Cindy for your very valuable time! I’m so happy I got to know more about you. I love you, and couldn’t have selected a better girl for the launching of my millennial ester page! You’re beautiful inside & out!
Please follow Cindy personally on IG @tothegoodlifewithme! Facebook: Cindy Stevenson
Zu Zu’s Petals: IG, FB & SC @zuzuspetalsandgifts
P.S. THANK YOU FOR THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWER CROWNS!
XOXO
Love y’all!
In Jesus Name! 🙂
P.S. Get my look from today on Sunday Best!
