10/06/2026
Long post, but please humor me by reading...
Incredibly humbled and thankful. ❤️
The blessings upon blessings this past weekend… WOW.
First, the HARD.🤔
The West Virginia Pumpkin Festival is a coveted event for businesses. You have the opportunity to get your products in front of 50,000+ people, and understandably, it can be hard to get into. I was incredibly blessed to be chosen to participate for the second year in a row.
But what most people don't see is everything that happens behind the scenes.
Making enough products for four days and for that many people can take months, especially while working a full-time job. Planning the booth. Packing everything you could possibly need—not just products. A full day of setup. Arriving early each morning to restock and get ready. Travel time. Then actually working the event: three 12-hour days and one 9-hour day.
Between the festival and my full-time job, I worked well over 80 hours this past week.
It is mentally and physically exhausting.
But then there's the GOOD. ❤️❤️❤️
And WOW… was there so much GOOD.
New customers. Returning customers. Coworkers. Friends from church. My sweet neighbor. Fellow vendors. Friends from all over. Sweet kids and babies. My high school softball coach, whom I hadn't seen in so many years. Customers who know me from online, Mountain State Merchant Mall, Rise & Grind Cafe, and Bri's Bowtique.
And then there were the words that meant more to me than people probably realized:
"I came here looking for your booth."
"I saw you on Facebook."
"My friend bought your products and let me smell them, so I had to come find you."
"Someone recommended your products to me."
Those moments stopped me in my tracks.
There were smiles, conversations, laughter, tears, hugs, fist bumps, peek-a-boos with little ones, and so many little moments I don't ever want to forget.
And then there were the quiet moments.
The worship time I had alone in my car driving to the festival and driving home. The prayers. The tears. The overwhelming feeling of love and gratitude.
And apparently I was REALLY into worship one morning… because I completely missed my exit. 😂 I was just driving, singing and worshipping until I suddenly realized, Wait a minute… where am I?! 🤦♀️ So I had to turn around and head back the other direction. 😂
I guess you could say I was literally letting Jesus take the wheel that morning. 😂❤️
But honestly, even that is a memory I'll treasure from this weekend.
I missed my kids more than words can describe this weekend. But all of these experiences and people made those long days a little easier.
This little candle business has become something I never expected it to become.
I've never had a big advertising budget or some huge marketing campaign behind Elk River Candle. It's grown so much in such a short amount of time through hard work, word of mouth, returning customers, people telling their friends and family—and ultimately, God.
I've worked incredibly hard for it, but I also know that hard work alone doesn't explain all of the doors that have opened, the people I've met, the opportunities I've been given, or the way this business has grown.
God has blessed it far beyond anything I ever expected.
And the more it grows, the more I realize that maybe this isn't just a candle business.
Maybe, in some small way, it's a ministry too.
Maybe it's simply loving on people. Maybe it's a conversation at my booth. Maybe it's the Christian shirts I wear. Maybe it's something written on one of my business cards. Maybe it's a smile, a hug, a fist bump with a kid, or just making someone feel seen for a few minutes.
I sell candles, wax melts and car diffusers—but I truly believe God has given me this business for reasons that go far beyond selling products.
I put in the work, but He gets the glory. ❤️
Love,
- Brandy, Elk River Candle
