The Best "Yes" of 2020!

College student, Ally, recaps her Fall 2020 Marleylilly internship.

It’s funny how sometimes I think about plans I have made and how a season may have looked. Then, I look at what really happened and see that there were so many huge blessings that I would’ve missed out on. 

Don’t get me wrong I would have eventually interned somewhere at someplace during a semester of college. I would’ve gotten to meet some incredible people and miss some fun college things. However, I don’t think I would have been blessed the way I was if I was stubborn and stuck to my own plan. I think it’s funny that in mid July my semester was looking like a full load of classes and a lot of time in Clemson. Which after being home for 5 months already, I was completely okay with that! However, the Lord obviously had such a different path for me and I am so grateful.

Pastor Josh shared a message back in the summer before I started at Marelylilly. His message related to digging our ditches in a drought in order for God to bring the water. ( James 2:26, 2 Kings 3). He said, “Only God can send the water, but sometimes he wants you to dig the ditch!” I think I began digging my ditches early this year. I fully believe that my openness to opportunities throughout the year allowed me to put myself out there professionally a handful of times and experience rejection. One of the female entrepreneurs I look up to most once said, “ Work hard and learn how to handle rejection quickly. It is the hardest thing to learn and the easiest thing to keep you moving once you learn how to deal with it.” Those rejections or not available right now positions led me to the right one for the right time. 

One thing I have learned this year is to not take every rejection personally. Sometimes a no occurs because the Best Yes is coming. I fully believe Marleylilly was the best "yes" for me in this season of my life. The friendships I have made I believe will last forever. The confidence I gained in my problem-solving skills will be beneficial for anyone I come in contact with. Honestly, I am leaving Marleylilly as a different person and I am so thankful for that.

To the Customer Service Department, I am so thankful for the time I spent working with you ladies. I am thankful Lindsay gave me a chance to work for her team. You ladies are hard-working, dedicated, and kind. You don’t deserve some of the things you encounter daily but you handle your conversations with grace and respect. I hope you guys know you are so appreciated and you are the reason customers continue to return and shop. 

To all of my fellow interns, I have loved getting to know yall! I enjoyed getting to work on the projects together and build connections both inside work and outside of work! I look forward to future intern dinners and game nights finally happening!

To my marketing intern besties, I am so thankful that ML brought me closer to all of you ladies. It is kinda funny how our paths have all crossed before our time at ML. But it was ML that made us into real friends. You ladies are all so talented and loved. I am thankful for our car rides to work, our dinners after work and every laugh in between. You ladies fuel my coffee and shopping addiction but always leave my heart full! You guys are some of the kindest and most thoughtful friends. I am so blessed that this isn’t goodbye but just the beginning of many adventures. Thank goodness Maine shared one of the most loving, spunky and caring ladies with us. Without you Maria, our group would not be the same! 

To everyone else in the Marleylilly Family, Thank you for everything! You all were so kind and welcoming. Thank you for loving me so well and genuinely caring about my life. I will miss everyone’s smiling face. Keep shining your light around the country and monogramming it in the process!

Leaving work for the last time today I am just completely overwhelmed and blessed.  I fully believe I have made friends from this job that will last way longer than my time at Marleylilly! I will continue to dig my ditches in the drought and prepare for God to bring the water. I know that if the Lord planned out my semester internship so perfectly, that he will lay out every step of my walk. I just have to be open to a complete change in plans!