Focus on the Willing

I love my coach! Have I mentioned that before? Every time I talk to her she just leaves me feeling so excited for my goals - for my next steps - for my future. And on top of all of that, I couldn't be prouder of her and her amazing growth recently! Like..she has hit an amazing stride!

Aside from that, today I was complaining to her. I'm slightly frustrated that my team isn't growing as fast as I want it too and people aren't taking it as seriously as I want them too, and I'm just plain out frustrated. Messaging people over and over who were really close with me one month and aren't responding to me for two months now. I'm just discouraged. Then she said something to me..

"Focus on the willing."

WHAT. Mind=blown.

She's totally right. She went onto explain a pretty awesome analogy that I LOVE. What if you had a waiter that never asked you for your drink order? Or maybe never gave you the option to order dessert? You'd be pretty offended, correct? Like..dude..I'm thirsty over here. By not asking, by not putting the offer out there to have people be on my team, I'm making the decision for them.

That's why I post a lot, that's why I ask and offer and propose. I don't want to make the decision for you to not participate in this with me! Therefore, I will continue to offer it over and over, and let you decide.

This got me to thinking...this whole focusing on the willing thing...



Jesus. Oh what a great guy. He's always knocking on our door, always putting the offer of His love on the table, always there, always ready, always waiting for and loving us, and he waits. He waits until we hear that knock, no matter how long it takes, and he waits for us to be willing to follow him.

FOCUS on the Willing!

Jesus focused on the woman who bled for 12 years that so desired to be healed by Jesus because she believed in His power. God focused on Job who praised Him even after every terrible thing that happened, because Job was still willing to follow Him. Jesus ignored the Pharisees, the Saducees, and all those other priestly people, he just kept doing his thing, loving them, knocking on their doors, and waiting. He never pushed his way into their lives, he simply focused on those who were willing to follow Him and if more happened to follow him, then the more the merrier! :)

So, my new goal? Focus on the willing, the ones that want to make this a business, a new lifestyle, and change lives the way I did. Even if you aren't willing, I'll be waiting here, knocking on your door, patiently. :)

Isn't Jess just awesome?




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Debt free, oh glory be!

This topic speaks SO CLOSE to me and so ridiculously near to me that it's almost palpable. Debt is such a heavy burden that a lot of people have to bear and I feel like it's something that I've dealt with my entire life.

...I've always felt like I could never get ahead, I always owed something - whether time, money, deeds - it became a thing. I just knew that I'd never be ahead and I'd always be behind and the debt that I owed would be piling up for years to come. It wasn't hidden - but it wasn't really talked about either - but my family was in debt a large portion of my life too. So, it just seemed as if debt would always be something that I'd have to deal with.

I chose to go to a Private Christian college, Eastern Mennonite University, in Harrisonburg, VA thus beginning my debt journey by taking a plunge into a REALLY huge pool of debt. I had known that my debt was going to be decent sized - that's the price you pay for going to a university like no other ;) but at the beginning it seemed as if the scholarships and camp and church and Mennonite love would help me make it through.

To an extent, it did. However, I sped up my college process by taking online classes during the summers and winter breaks, I wanted my time at EMU to be treasured and well spent but also as short as possible so as not to accrue any more debt than I was already going to have. I graduated with a Liberal Arts and Elementary Education degree in 3 years. At the age of 21, on April 27, 2014, I officially had about $51,000 in debt from college costs alone. THIS FELT AMAZING. I mean, was it alot, yes! But, it was WAY less than others owed. So I thought I was doing good.

Then I got married :) to a completely debt-free, money minded, saver who helped me realize that this was still debt. DEBT. debt. DEBT. There's that ugly word again...I already hate this word because of it's meaning, but does anyone else get annoyed because there is a silent "b"...#frustrating. We started from the beginning - before we even got married we talked money, we talked how we wanted it to be an "us" thing not a "this is mine and this is yours" thing. Money was such a HUGE part (both good and bad) of my growing up years that I knew we needed to make this solid for us before we start adding more humans to our family. (because people, let's be real, debt affects THE ENTIRE family.) So, we started. We figured out that we could live off of  (AKA pay bills) Jared's paycheck and we put my entire paycheck towards my loans.

I know what you're thinking..how is this even possible..?!?!

The check I get as a Beachbody coach covered our extras, our spending money, allowing me to use my paycheck for my loans. At this time, I've been paying my school loans since October and have paid off $13,500. HALLELUJAH! On the way to being debt free. My car broke down and we bought a new one, so now we owe for that too. But it's okay - because we have a plan! And I know it's going to work - and I know that my beachbody business is going to continue to grow and thrive because I'm going to make it grow and thrive.

This is an opportunity that I DON'T WANT YOU TO MISS. Seriously, I'm 22 years old (each day this fathoms me) and I honestly don't know how or why this opportunity landed in my lap but I wouldn't change it for the world because it is changing MY LIFE.

**and now it's time for a 7:15 AM Polar Bear Swim** (it's for the kids, it's for the kids, it's for the kids...<--that's what helps me get out of bed. :) )

My Temple

I’ve been digging deep into the word, 

...really REALLY looking at what it has to say to me, especially in this world of crazy. Being at camp, being a beachbody coach, being a soon-to-be Kindergarten teacher, REALLY TRULY HONESTLY shapes and molds who I am – duh, those are things I am. However, it’s something about the combination, the idea that all those things involve touching me differently, that has compelled me to dig deeper, search harder, fight further, to get closer to God, take better care of my body, and develop myself professionally as much as I possibly can.

Something that I CANNOT get past, is that my body is a temple to the Lord. Maybe it’s the overwhelming emotions I feel towards my body on any given day, maybe it’s the anxiety of never looking good enough that is slowly starting to fade, or maybe, just maybe, it’s that I’ve actually realized the truth that my body is a freaking temple and I need to freaking take care of it.

SO. THERE.

Now we could debate forever and a day about piercings and tattoos, and “how are those temple-like?” they say. Well phooey on you, I had my nose pierced  and I eventually want a tattoo – the outward adornments of the body are not what I’m talking about or addressing.  It’s the innards, the gooey, gunky, insides that make the temple. I’m not treating it like a temple.

Exercise: I exercise, more often than I used to. But on the days when I know the exercises are going to be harder, I put less work and time in. On the days when it’s yoga – I think, I don’t need to stretch and breathe a lot today. On the days that I have plenty of time to workout, but facebook and instagram are more interesting, exercise goes to the wayside. MY BODY IS A TEMPLE.

Nutrition: I try to eat clean, but being away from home this summer on top of moving makes it hard. The drive-thru calls my name on more days than not and I know, I know that with the swipe of a card I’ll have a fast and quick meal that’s covered in grease and salt. I’m not putting the time and care into the food that I digest and put into my body. I’m not worried about where it came from or what’s in it. I don’t care how “fake” it is. I go for easy, I go for fast. MY BODY IS A TEMPLE.

Sleep/Rest: I don’t sleep when I’m supposed and I don’t rest when I should. I KNOW that my eyelids are heavy, that the stress and weight of the world weighs on me and that I need a break sometimes, but my stubbornness overtakes me and I refuse to just sit, and rest, or nap, or breathe. I don't take the time to just refuel and recharge my body unless I absolutely have too. I push it to the ultimate limit. MY BODY IS A TEMPLE.

Reminding myself...over AND over that my body is a temple!

Hope this is a great reminder for you!

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