What is Restored?

People often ask what Restored is. And, to tell you the truth, I own the business, but I’m not that great at explaining it.

I’ve tried a number of descriptive elevator pitches to help people “get it,” but I haven’t quite nailed it – and that’s a tough realization for me because it stabs my pride right in the heart. My day job as a public relations professional demands that I find the right words to explain the unexplainable – to create connection between people and brand. Yet, I can’t seem to find the perfect words to describe what Restored is, why it exists or how it’s impacting the world.

And I think that’s because the words will never be perfect.

I’ve described Restored in conversations as a community, a business ministry, a faith-based business, a collective of working moms, a resource for moms who work outside the home, a mom tribe, a support system to equip, encourage and engage…and the list goes on – and all of it is true.

It’s just not enough.

Yes, Restored hosts meaningful events for working moms, and yes, Restored provides resources that support moms who work. Yes, Restored is passionately and intentionally cultivating community for working moms. But those things and those words don’t – and can’t – fully explain what Restored is.

What I want to say to people who ask about Restored is more than they ever wanted to know or asked to hear. I want to take them deep into the recesses of a mother’s heart and show them that working moms centered on, or at least interested in the Christian faith, are crying out to be used by God in their work and in their homes. That they, too, feel called to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth through business deals and airline miles.

I want to show them that women who work are craving connection, but too busy with soccer schedules and expense reports to find it.

I want to tell them that working moms are starving for faith-based programming, but not at 10 a.m. when we’re knee-deep in excel spreadsheets and board meetings.

I want to tell them that many moms who work desire Christ-centered motherhood and want permission from the Church to work and love our families well.

I want to tell them about the women who discover each other through Restored and form deep friendships over their children, spur each other on during life events, and console one another when a child takes its first steps at daycare rather than at home.

I want to tell them about the heart-felt connections formed during intentional topical discussions like marriage, anxiety and time management.

I want to show them the tears that are shared over miscarriages.

I want to tell those who ask that God deeply loves the stay-at-home- and the working mom, and that He himself crafted Restored through an unlikely friendship to dive deep into the working mother’s heart and accompany her on the motherhood journey.

Except…I never have time to share those things in a short, “So, tell me about Restored…” conversation. I usually say something like, “Restored is a business that cultivates intentional community for moms who work outside the home.”

And, my words will likely remain the same.

Because I’m learning that no matter how seasoned my public relations skills may be, I will never be able to craft words perfect enough to create an accurate account of what Restored is and how it came to be.

People will either “get it” or they won’t. And that’s OK.

Sometimes the unexplainable is just, well…unexplainable.