Five on Friday

Happy Friday!

This Sunday is May 1st, which means Memorial Day is this month, which means it 's basically summer. Or if you live in Arizona like me, the heat has already arrived 

With summer coming up (AKA swim suit season), I wanted to share a few tips on how to curb those late night munchies. Because if you are anything like me, my sweet tooth definitely comes out at night!

As a health and wellness coach I get the question a lot, "how far ahead of bedtime should I stop eating?" The answer I have heard over and over again from my own trainer and mentor is three hours

So, how do you curb that sweet tooth or munchies between those three hours?

Here are FIVE of my favorite tips from my favorite trainer, mentor and friend Stephanie Grandits

1) Herbal Tea- This is my go-to! My favorite is passion tea or Oasis. There are lots of different teas out there. Find one that is non caffeinated, one you enjoy and relaxing 

2) Take a hot bath or hot shower- Relax and take your mind off your cravings 

3) Brush or whiten your teeth- When you have a fresh minty taste in your mouth, or white strips, you most likely won't want to eat something. 

4) Take Crave Check SR- This non caffeinated AdvoCare product really helps suppress your appetite. I would even recommend before dinner so you don't overeat. It will last you about six hours. (HINT: it REALLY works! So if you already do not eat much throughout the day be careful. Not eating enough can hinder results) 

5) Drink a protein shake- Having AdvoCare's Muscle Gain is a lot better than having a full AdvoCare meal replacement shake. Muscle Gain is high protein, low carbs and helps repair muscles while you sleep #winning

And..... when all else fails, just go to bed
Seriously, works 100% of the time 

Hope these help! I am off to Palm Springs with my best friend to attend Stage Coach
Country music and Sam Hunt? YES PLEASE

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Oh, and just because I live in a beautiful state, here is a picture I took tonight after my women's volleyball game

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There's Grace For That

A moment of surrender four years led me down to Arizona

I left my home in Seattle on a leap of faith

I came with big dreams and big visions

It has almost been two years now down in Arizona

I know I am supposed to be down here

I know God is paving His Will for my life

However, this surrendered life doesn't come without difficulties

God didn't promise that even if you walk in His Will it will always be easy

If we are not careful and mindful to put God first, our comfort will set in

Our selfish desires start to overpower His desires for us

My story of Grace is one of vulnerability

I thought I had it all figured out coming down to Arizona

I thought I was bullet proof to the ways of the world
To the ways of the enemy

Turns out, I am not

And neither are you

We are human beings not meant for this world

We are more broken and fallen just like this world

More than we ever dare to admit

But we are also loved more than we ever dare believe

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

and are justified by his grace as a gift, 
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"

Romans 3:24

So, what is Grace?

When we stumble

There is Grace

When we fall

There is Grace

When we turn away

There is Grace

When we make a wrong decision

There is Grace

When we mess up

There is Grace

Even in the all out cry- face on the floor- hands in the air- surrender moments

There is Grace that wraps you up, holds you and says "I am here"

Grace says "You are loved"

Grace says "You are forgiven"

Grace says "You are seen"
Grace says "You will be OK"

Grace is not something we deserve but something that is freely given to us by The One who loves us 

Grace says, "No matter what you do, nothing can separate you from me and my love"

Grace says, "I understand this world is hard"
Grace says "There is no shame, no judgement, no condemnation" 

Grace says, "No matter what you did to yourself, no matter how you got into this situation, I still forgive you, I still love you"

 No one is too far away where the Grace of God cannot go
No one is in too deep where the Grace of God cannot reach down and rescue


Grace allows us to live freely and boldly, knowing that no matter what happens we are covered in Grace

Continuing my journey in Arizona, that is exactly what I am going to do

I will continue to press into the Lord asking for His Grace daily

Never taking it for granted

I am going to go boldly into this world knowing I will stumble

But knowing the Grace of God will ALWAYS help me back up

I am confident that He will help me & Grace me to do what He has called me to do
And because of that, I will rest in His Amazing Grace

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Jesus, My Superman

"Every woman was once a little girl. 

And every little girl holds in her heart her most precious dreams. 

She longs to be swept up into romance, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, 

to be the beauty of a story. Those desires are far more than child's play.

 They are the secret to the feminine heart" 

- Stasi Eldredge "Captivated"

Lois Lane grips the seat belt as she hangs from the helicopter that dangles 600 feet above New York 

 Nothing but the concrete jungle below her

She tries to pull herself up, but her grip keeps slipping

One by one her hands let go and she is free falling down to her death 

Or so we thought! 

But then out of no where, Superman sweeps her up mid air 

And Lois Lane falls safely in the arms of Superman 

She is rescued

This is the scene from Superman I watched over and over when I was a little girl

And every time my heart would fill with longing

I wanted to be Lois Lane (maybe not the near death part) 

But, I wanted to fall into Superman's arms

I wanted to be rescued (by Superman in this case) 

Since I can remember, I always had that longing "to be rescued"

When my siblings and I would play dress up, I would always be the princess rescued by the prince

Or we would re-enact the scene of Lois Lane being rescued by Superman 

My heart would set on fire during those "make believe moments" 

As I got older I would still find that longing deep in my heart

I didn't truly understand what it was or the purpose
I thought it was a silly, little girl desire I would out grow

But I didn't
And I sought after to fulfill the longing from boyfriends

Because of that, I would place unrealistic expectations on them

And every time I would be let down by unmet expectations
(Here is a hint: my boyfriends were never meant to fulfill that longing in the first place...

...And neither is yours)  

Then I met Jesus

Ya, I knew who Jesus was before but I never took the time to truly get to know the man 

But after being let down so many times I decided to seek out the only person I have been told, 

"Never lets you down"

So, I sought after this man named Jesus

I would read the Gospels and the life of Jesus every morning

I read about His compassion

His Grace

His Forgiveness

His tender Mercy

And I read about His love

His passionate, radical love to the least of these

I pursued this man more than any boyfriend I ever had

And guess what?

He never let me down

Not once

Every time I opened the Bible He would fill every longing

And I kept reading about Jesus

I could not stop

Then one day I read some verses that changed my life forever

"For God SO loved the world that He gave His only Son (Jesus). 

That whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, 

but to save the world through Him (Jesus)"

John 3:16-17 

AND 

"For the Son of man (Jesus) came to seek and to save what was lost (You and I) "

Luke 19:10 

So, let me get this straight, Jesus came into this world to save me?

You mean, I have been saved?
By Jesus?

You know what this means right?

My rescuer has already saved me

In fact, He saved me over 2,000 years ago

My "falling from a building"rescue has already been completed

(SIGH)
This changed EVERYTHING for me and I hope it does for you, too

No more unrealistic expectations put on men

No more unfulfilled and lonely nights

My heart now rests in the fact that I have ALREADY been rescued

I believe God puts longing in our hearts to be reminded that He is the ONLY one who can fill them

And as I continued to study and read more of the Old and New Testament, I realized that the whole BIBLE points to the Jesus's coming as the rescuer 

The whole BIBLE is a story about the world's biggest rescue mission with Jesus being the ultimate rescuer 

So, I may never be rescued falling from a building (heaven forbid)

But, I have been rescued from my sins 

I have been rescued from guilt and shame

I have been rescued from the pressure to be perfect

I have been rescued INTO a life of Grace and Mercy

I have been rescued by The One who saved my soul

And from what I watched when I was a little girl, Superman could never do that  

#IchooseJesusasmyrescuer

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{Believe} Boldly

When the New Year comes, I always think it's a good idea to choose a word to reflect on

But, I have never done it...

...until this year 

Call it a sense

Call it a feeling

Call it a knowing

Call it the Holy Spirit 

But this year feels different than any other year 

 So, to be different I decided to choose a word 

BELIEVE

AND... I even chose a bible verse to go with it

Yay me! 

This past year I didn't think of a word 

But if I were to describe the year, it would be the year of preparation

That is what I am going to call it

It was also a year full of new beginnings, growth, and lessons learned

 And my favorite, lots of pruning of relationships, bad thinking habits & selfishness

It was both painful and joyful all at the same time knowing that pruning always leads to sweeter fruit

And all of that pain and joy was preparation for THIS year 

That is what I am BELIEVING

I am also believing that in 2016 the Lord will open up doors only He can open

I am believing for unusual miracles

I am believing my deepest desires to come true

I am believing for chains to be broken and miraculous healing

I am believing for answers to my boldest prayers

I am believing for a bigger platform to be used for His Glory

I am believing for stronger confidence and bolder faith

I am believing for my deepest dreams to be fulfilled 

And I am believing my biggest goals to be accomplished 

"What you BELIEVE about God will directly determine the legacy of your faith and your impact on the world for the Glory of God" 
- Steven Furtick 

I am believing God will show up big time in 2016
Why?
Because I want to leave a big legacy for His Glory 

Because I want to make an impact on this world
I am believing boldly because this is what I know about my God;

1) He is faithful to those who BELIEVE

Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. 
In fact, his faith grew stronger and in this he brought Glory to God. 
He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.
Romans 4:20-21 

Keep in mind, that the Lord your God is the only God. 
He is a faithful God who keeps His promise
Deuteronomy 7:9 

 2) He is faithful to complete the good works He started

Being confident of this, He who began the good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ
Phil. 1:6 

3) He is loves to give the desires of our heart 

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart
Psalm 37:4

4)  He always gives us more than we ever dream or imagine

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine
Ephesians 3:20 

5)  He is not an ordinary God, so our lives shouldn't be either 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth
Genesis 1:1 

 6) He is loving

For God so LOVED the world He gave His only begotten son, 
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life
John 3:16  

All over the Bible, there are examples of ordinary people, with extraordinary BELIEF
And because of their faith, amazing things happened in their life for His Glory
This is the kind of belief I want this year

I will be a woman who believes in the promises of God
I will be a woman who believes that God will fulfill her desires
I will be a woman who believes her God is trustworthy and faithful, even if

The best part?
He promises it only takes the faith of a mustard seed
(if you don't know, they are extremely small)

Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to that mountain "move from here and there" and it will move
Matthew 17:20 

Will you join me in BELIEVING that God is able, willing and ready to make this a life-changing, extraordinary year for you too? 

My and my girls

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Stepping Into A Whole New Level of Trust

Welcome to the new In The Waiting

Since moving to Arizona July 2014, God immediately placed the theme of In The Waiting on my heart 
At first I was confused as to what this would mean 
Because, in MY life, I was perfectly comfortable with "Enjoying The Journey" 
As that was the former title of this blog 
A journey has been exactly what the Lord has been taking me on 
And learning to enjoy the journey is what He has been teaching me
So, why do I have to change something that has been comfortable the past four years?

As time went on in Arizona, God continued to stir In The Waiting in my heart
I have learned that when God continues to tell us something we cant ignore it, as much as we try
Just as seasons change, God changes us as well
We outgrow the season we are in as He calls us out of our comfort zones 
And we grow and we stretch more into the person God created us to be
He challenges us to go higher and deeper in trusting Him

So, after a year and a half of wrestling, doubt, prayer, excitement, provision, and more prayer
I have decided to start In The Waiting
Call it a blog
Call it a ministry
Call it a blog ministry 
Maybe even a book one day 
Whatever the case, I am stepping into a whole new deeper level of TRUST
And I hope you will step with me

Here is a little bit more background of my story In The Waiting 

Let me take you back to one night in October 2011
I was weary, unmotivated and frustrated with how my life was going
I had little passion, no purpose and no direction for my life 
I knew in that moment I had to let go of control 
So I prayed, "Lord, I surrender"

I had no idea that that one little prayer would lead me on a path I never imagined
Since that very night the Lord has placed dreams and visions in me I never knew existed
He has taken me on an adventure I never dreamed of
He has answered prayers better than imagined
{You can read more about my journey to Arizona HERE}

Here is the thing I have learned through this journey He has me on; 

We all have dreams

We all have longings

We all have desires

And if our hearts are surrendered to Him, then we can be confident that He WILL fulfill them
And God has been so faithful to answer some of my deepest longings and desires

 "I am sure that God Who began the good work in you will keep on working in you until the day Jesus Christ comes again" Phil 1:6 

But, I am still praying for some to be answered
And I bet YOU are, too

God LOVES to answer our prayers
He DESIRES to answer them
But here is the thing, He answers them on His own time
In His own way 

There is a saying, "when God closes a door, He always opens another one"

But sometimes we forget that there is always a hallway in between the doorways
Between the answered prayers is a time of waiting

I believe that we ALL are waiting for a prayer to be answered

I believe we ALL have desires and dreams God has put on our hearts that we are waiting for

How do we stay trusting God In The Waiting?
How do we live boldly and confidently In The Waiting?
How do we live faithfully In The Waiting?
How do we stay strong In The Waiting?
How do we continue to enjoy our journey In The Waiting?
How do we live in expectation during our moments of In The Waiting?

My hope and vision for In The Waiting is not only to share my journey, but for YOU, other women, to share your journey of In The Waiting, too

A place to share moments of vulnerability, weakness and growth

A place to share moments of great JOY, celebration, and gratitude

A place to share encouragement, wisdom and support

Let's empower each other to live boldly and confidently, with GREAT expectation while In The Waiting

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Embracing the Year Ahead {2016}

A New Year brings much expectation and excitement this time of year

And even from the beginning, God designed seasons for our lives
Change of seasons is a necessary, and biblical, process for growth
To move forward into the greater purpose of our lives

"As long as the earth endures, 

seedtime and harvest, 

cold and heat, 

summer and winter, 
day and night will never cease"

Gen. 8:22

Can I be honest here? Looking back at 2015, it was a tough year for me
So the change of season is very welcomed in my life

Trying to find my path in life in Arizona was not easy in 2015 

Distractions 

Lost stability

Lost vision

Lost my balance

I felt lost 

Then one day this fall, as I was literally wondering in the desert
I knew God was calling me back
He chased me down

Pursued me and guided me back to His path
Because that is what God does

 We can get lost in life sometimes

Get distracted on the wrong path

Make one wrong decision and feel completely lost 

It might be for a day or for a year

But through it all, here is what I learned;
Through our wondering
Through our confusion
Through our doubt
We might wonder for a bit
But God will never leave us wondering

He showed me more of His Grace this year than ever before 

He showed me more of His Mercy this year than ever before

He showed me more of His fierce Love this year than ever before 

And this fall, He released a passionate pursuit to bring me back

I felt Jesus more than ever before this year 

So, this year was one of the most challenging, emotionally exhausting, and physically demanding

But here is the thing, when we decide to walk with Jesus, not ONE STEP is wasted

Not a single moment, decision, or experience is wasted
Not one year is wasted when we walk with Jesus

He will use all things to work together for OUR good and HIS Glory 

"And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

God will use 2015 to make us stronger

God will use 2015 to equip and prepare us

God will use 2015 to strengthen our testimony 

God will USE ALL things in 2015 for His Glory 

It is His promise

Today is day 2 of a new season
 I am believing for more Grace and more Mercy
Bigger blessings and bigger favor in 2016 

And so should you 

I dont know what your 2015 was like

Maybe it was the best year ever

Maybe you had a few struggles and trials 

Maybe you want to forget all of 2015

Maybe you don't remember 2015 

Whatever the case, a new season is upon us

Let us learn from the lessons of 2015 and embrace the new season with gratefulness

Let us remember the moments of 2015 and embrace the new season with an expectant heart

Let us embrace the new season knowing God is still on the throne directing, guiding, loving and preparing us for HIs Glory and His plan... which is always better than we can ever imagine

Cheers to enjoying the journey in 2016
It is going to be an amazing year ahead

Home in Arizona

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Living My Answered Prayer

Me and Sarah! 

This is my roommate Sarah

She was the original dreamer of Arizona

Almost two years ago she came to me and said, 

''Jess, I am moving to Arizona and you have to move with me"

The old me would have laughed at a statement like that

The old me wanted Seattle to forever be my home

But you see, at that time in my life I knew God was calling me somewhere else

Calling me into something different with my life

 Calling me to use my desires, strengths and dreams elsewhere

I guess it was Arizona and that following summer we drove down to a new chapter! 

Arizona winter evenings are my favorite 

We have been living in Arizona for a year and a half

God has given us community, fellowship, and comfort

To say we both LOVE Arizona would be an understatement

But just because we have a deep peace that Arizona is where God called us, does not mean the transition has always been easy or painless 

Most days I doubt where my life is going

 I wonder why God called me to Arizona

Moments my heart physically hurts to see my family

Pain from losing close friendships 

Heartache from relationships

Fear my dreams won't come true

Then something happened last night that changed my whole perspective

Let me share quickly a little about Sarah 

Sarah was along side me working at Seattle Pacific for four years

We lived together in Seattle for two years 

Sarah knew the ache in my heart for more

Sarah knew my dreams and longings

I will forever be grateful for Sarah taking a leap and asking me to move with her to Arizona

 Sarah and I were on our way to have a roommate Christmas date at local, cute Arizona restaurant called The Henry, we walked in on a beautiful evening, Christmas lights around cactus', Christmas music playing, cool, brisk weather of 60 degrees, dressed up for the first time in a long time, on our way to celebrate the holidays in a city that is now our HOME

....The Lord compassionately stirred in my soul and reminded me, "Jessie, remember you ARE living an answered prayer." 

One of my absolute favorite people in my life- than you for your YES Sarah!

 Remember the times sitting at your desk in Seattle crying because your heart longed for a change?

Remember praying to Me to make your purpose bigger and to enlarge your territory?

Remember daydreaming about life in Arizona and how excited you would be IF ONLY you could leave now? 

Remember that life with no vision?

Remember that life of wanting a stronger purpose?

Remember that life of small dreams?

I have been so consumed with what is NOT happening in my life in Arizona I forgot ALL that God has brought me out of and I simply forgot what God has already answered  or answering prayers in my life 

When we forget God the goodness of God, we forget where we have been and where we are going

And when I look back at my life I see that God has been faithful through it all

All the trials, valleys, peaks, twists, turns, doubts and fears

When I look back at my life, every single past moment God was faithful

Every single past moment He delivered me through it 

Every single past moment made me stronger

Those past slides of my life I see God's hand on me through it all

You know how I know? Because I am still here

Stronger than ever with a love for Him so deep it scares me

With dreams I never thought possible

Because of my past, I can see where I have been 

Because of my past, I can see where I am going

I know where God has delivered me

My past gives me faith for the future

My faith builds and increases because He was good

He will continue to be Good and Faithful

 He will continue to prepare me for His future plan
I have a purpose in this life
His purpose

For His Glory

Yet, it is still so easy to get distracted in this world

When things are going great in life it is easy to get content

When we go through trials and tribulations it is easy to abandon Him

We can easily forget that we are living an answered prayer 

When that happens, let's rewind my friends

Rewind the tapes of your life and be reminded where God has delivered you

He delivered you from your past and He will deliver you still

Let your past build your faith for the future

He forgives your sins—every one.

He heals your diseases—every one.

He redeems you from hell—saves your life!                                                          

He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.

He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.                                                       

He renews your youth—you’re always young in his presence

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- 

Psalm 103:1-5

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In The Waiting...Don't Wait

Let me take you back to when I was in preschool

I remember asking my mom if I could wear a dress to impress a boy I liked

I had a crush on a boy every single grade since then

(just ask my sister!)

When I was younger I would be the only girl invited to all boy parties

I was what people called “boy crazy”
But I did not care

So, at an early age I was familiar with the desire to "be in love" 

I did not know exactly what marriage was at that age, but I knew I wanted it

As I graduated high school and started college, it seemed only natural for me to meet my husband freshman year, get engaged senior year, married after graduation, move back to my home town, buy a house with a white picket fence, have 2.5 kids, a dog and start my carpool duties

So, that did not happen after college
And it didn’t happen at 23, 24, or 25 either

So, you can imagine my frustration when I was 26 years old, most my friends were married, in fact I was in most of the weddings, and I was still totally single

On the outside it looked like I had a good life
Living in the city of Seattle, great job, great friends and family
But inside was empty
I was not fulfilled at all

I was lacking purpose and passions in my life

I was just existing and not living to my full God given potential

Not even close

One evening, I knew I had to confront my life

So, I asked myself “what am I waiting for?”  

I realized that I had put all my dreams on hold while I was “waiting” to get married

I would tell myself I would wait until I was married to do this or do that

"I will wait until I am married to find a home church, move out of the state, or go on a mission trip"

Ethiopia- July 2014 with my mom and four other daughters and mothers 

One evening in October 2011, I drew a line in the sand
I decided to start taking action steps to pursue my dreams

I started getting involved with non-profits, which was a passion of mine

 I started investing in my health goals, which is how I started with AdvoCare

I said NO to the business right away , but when I got my first check of $150 which I used to go to Nashville to run in a half marathonfor St. Jude, which was a dream of mine, I saw AdvoCare as a vehicle to pursue more dreams

I said YES to start my own business with AdvoCare

Within, the first three months I saved up enough to go on a mission trip to Ethiopia, which was another dream of mine

Last spring I felt God calling me to move to Phoenix to pursue some dreams of mine

Because the income I was making with Advocare and my commitment to pursue my dreams, I stepped out in faith, left my job, my friends and all my family in Seattle and moved toPhoenix

My best friend Molly, who I would never have met if I didnt move or pursue AdvoCare
My sister Beth on the right, visiting me in Arizona at my HOME church

So, here I am today, working at a non-profit, which is a passion of mine
I  have a part time business helping others in health and wellness with AdvoCare
I have been to Africa
And moved away from home, and found an amazing home church
 All without being married

My life is not how I imagined it
Not even close
But guess what?
I  am more happy now than I was when I was "just waiting"

So, whatever you are waiting for, whether it is to get engaged or married, to buy a house, to fall in love, to start your own business, for an addiction to be broken, whatever it may be
 I want to encourage you that there is a whole life to still be lived while in the waiting

There are dreams to be fulfilled in the waiting

There are adventures to be had in the waiting

There is love to be found in the waiting

There are goals to accomplish in the waiting

There is growth and transformation in the waiting

There is joy and Grace in the waiting

Some of my best friends I met at City of Grace- My HOME church 

So, here I am at 30, and still not married, the desire still strong, yes, and if you would have told me when I was 18, that this would be my life at 30, I would have never believed you or would have punched you in the face for speaking that over my life (just kidding...maybe) 

But now, I have a completely different approach on my life while in the waiting

You will never see me on the sidelines of life

I will always be running full speed in the race that God has laid out just for me

Yes, I fail and stumble sometimes

I make mistakes and I offend people

But I am not waiting anymore to chase my dreams, pursue my passion, or take adventures

I know that some dreams are meant to be lived now and I know that when I get married we will create new dreams, new adventures, and new experiences together

I want to encourage you, while you are in the waiting...do not wait

Something amazing happens when you choose to have a decided heart and start pursuing those passions that stir up your soul and sets it on fire 

Doors start to open for you, people come in your life that bring purpose, opportunities come up you never imagined, and you will start to see that there is a beautiful and thrilling life that needs to be lived in the waiting

“Never allow waiting to become a habit. 

Live your dreams. Take risks. Life is happening now.”

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