Fashioned by the Vision

My career in Fashion was not planned. I’ve worked in fashion for over 10 years now and I don’t exactly have the childhood story that many of my colleagues do. While I was in high school, I was only focused on basketball. My dream was to graduate, play for a division 1 team and eventually play in the WNBA. I spent all my time improving at the local YMCA for hours on end. I didn’t have a plan B and I was almost certain that the only reason I was placed on this earth was to play basketball.

Little did I know, God had other plans for me. While I was gearing up for my Junior year of basketball my best friend was kicked off of the team wrongfully and I couldn’t sit by and do nothing. I quit the same day and knew that my chances of playing ball in college were ruined. My parents didn’t fully understand why I quit, and they offered advice in the way of College careers just as any loving Nigerian parent would. At the end of the year my only options were Nursing or Law. I chose neither, and I stayed home a full semester without any solid career prospects. Around this time, I began to seek God’s face and dive into the Word on the regular. It was around this time that the dreams and visions started.

I’d wake up with memories of these beautiful dresses from my dreams. Night after night, I continued to see these garments and eventually I started to keep a sketchbook of these designs. I announced to my parents that I’d found my new passion and as you can guess, they weren’t exactly thrilled. This took place around 2006 and there were not many successful fashion designers in the US that I could cite to support my newfound career path.

I relentlessly stuck to my plan of being a fashion designer as I sat through many interventions and frantic phone-calls with extended family. I sometimes felt discouraged when others did not understand my unwavering trust in my dream.

Two degrees and two companies later, I can see God’s faithfulness in the area of my career. While he got my attention with fashion, He exposed his true calling for my life. Throughout my career I’ve been fortunate to lead bible study groups and embark on mission trips to China and Nigeria. God revealed to me that he just needed a willing vessel for Him to use in these last days. Fashion is my vehicle and one of my many talents, but I see now that God wants to go beyond that in order to touch the lives of everyone I meet. God reveals the vision first in order to strengthen your faith and then He shows you the bigger picture. There have been (many) challenges, naysayers, and setbacks, but they have ALL Worked together for my good.

Is there a dream or vision that you have tossed to the wayside? Is the dream so big it scares you? If so, you’re in good company. Abram faced this very challenge after God showed him something way bigger than he could imagine. He was to be the father of many nations.

I believe that God gives us a vision bigger than ourselves in order to become our great reward. Even though I love Fashion, I spend more of my time in ministry mentoring young women and sharing the multifaceted love of this God we serve. First, He gives us a vision, then He becomes our ultimate reward.

And don’t worry, my basketball skills didn’t go to waste, I believe that I’ll revisit that dream here on earth or coach ball in heaven one day.

Sophia Adodo owns Pure Heart Collection, a women’s online boutique and Sew with Sophie, a sewing company that focuses on introducing sewing techniques to students of all ages. She is currently in Houston, TX teaching within the Fashion Department at Houston Community College. She loves her fiancé, anime, cooking and HGTV shows.