God-Given Inspiration: A Jewelry-Maker’s Testimony
Lorraine’s house wasn’t always so quiet. So lonely. But after a three-year battle with cancer, her husband passed away at the age of 53. Now a widow, Lorraine was left to fend for herself in Arima, a city of 65,000 in eastern Trinidad. And as Loraine grieved, she worried. Everything she and her husband had planned—including when she could retire from her hectic job in the airline industry—had suddenly come undone.
With her savings drained by funeral expenses and other necessary projects, Lorraine turned to God, saying, “I need something more. I need to do something.” She heard a clear reply telling her to take a jewelry-making course.
Trusting God, Lorraine attended a course one Saturday afternoon. There she learned the basics of macramé, a knot-based textile. By the time she got home, ideas started multiplying in her head. Lorraine made so many pieces that weekend that she began to sell them that Monday.
Created to Create
Even as a child, Lorraine loved makeup, fashion, and jewelry. She routinely dressed up her five sisters as they grew up together. “It’s always been a part of me,” Lorraine said. “I never thought it would be something that would eventually be an income.”
Since that first weekend, Lorraine has gone on to create dozens of pieces. She often combines materials and techniques such as macramé, wire working, and wood into unique pieces of art. She sources these materials from around the globe, driven by a desire to try new things.
It takes hours of meticulous work to craft these beautiful pieces. But for Lorraine, it’s a form of therapy. After returning home from her stressful day job, she immerses herself in jewelry making. This peace of mind helps to fill what otherwise may have been lonely hours.
Lorraine promotes her products online through Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, though most of her sales come from physical “pop-up shops” in Trinidad. At these markets, the uniqueness of her jewelry attracts people, many of whom ask Lorraine where she gets her inspiration.
Lorraine uses this as an opportunity to share her testimony. “I speak to them about how big God can become in your life if you let him,” she said. “He gives you the inspiration and it comes out in such a way that other people can see. And I use it as a testimony to say, ‘it’s not just about selling. It’s not just about making money. It’s about using this gift that God has given to me to be able to inspire somebody else to find what their gift is.’”
With two grown children and two grandchildren, Lorraine also enjoys crafting pieces for her family. She recently made a beaded bracelet for her young grandson, who “became [her] model” and proudly showed everyone what his “gran gran” had made for him.
"A Testimony to What God Can Do"
Along with her artistry, Lorraine is growing her business skills. Once a month, she participates in the Designed to Succeed Program, a series of business training sessions hosted by a local partner of Partners Worldwide, Network of Christians in Business (NCB). The program uses the Partners Worldwide business training course along with other content relevant for microentrepreneurs
Right now, Lorraine’s profits go straight back into her business, but she’s not worried. With four years to go before retiring from her day job, Lorraine sees the current stage of her business as one of creating visibility, of getting her name out there. You can find Lorraine on Instagram @majestic_lady2022 and on Facebook at “Majestic Lady L. designs.”
“[I want to] continue to use my life and my business as a testimony of what God can do and how well He does it,” said Lorraine. “He continues to open doors for me in ways I never thought possible.”
September 27, 2023