Faithful to follow - Stepping into what God has called you to

It's funny how, when you step into the calling Jesus places over your life, the easier it is to do it. Sure there's spiritual attack for it, because the enemy DOES NOT want you to really know and be who you are called to be. (Fitting for Halloween yeah? But this isn't going to be a post about dressing up or not)




I wrote all the time as a kid. You name it, I probably did it: Diary entries, blogs, stories, poems, short stories. Then when I found Jesus, I wrote my prayers, hashed out bible studies (as in like responded to them, not created my own). Then when I had that falling away period, I never really got back into writing.




Just recently, as you may or may not know, I've partnered with Lindsay of The Faith Feast. Our first phone call together was Sunday September 23rd. And she prayed over me before we hung up the phone (Classy ladies we are :) ). She prayed over my writing. And since then, I've been itching to write, to blog again, to talk about what God is teaching me, what I've learned, to continue to share my story in hopes I can help other women who may be struggling.




So if you've been following along, there have been 4 weeks of consistent blogging. Week one was I'm back and how to work for the wonder, not drudge through for the weekend. Week two was being free and not a slave to my Fitbit. Last week was a retreat summary and today, is this one.


Wednesday I felt was a good day to put out content. It's the midweek hump between the rough Mondays and the quick Fridays. It's a little 'speed boost' to refresh you and keep you going through the rest of the week. It may change in the future, as I know Lindsay sends out her newsletters Wednesdays, and I think I'd rather my followers follow us both and get two shots of energy and revival throughout the week on different days, rather than two on the same day.


Anyway, I'm saying all this to say, God gave me creativity, a desire to write (type). My heart craves a novel, but my steps dictate a blog. Maybe in the future I'll summarize the blogs or elaborate and turn it into a book. It's all in God's hands.


My heart and hands also crave paint. I'm a believer in: if you're creative, your outlets and avenues are endless. I'm also a painter, which I guess is a different form of writing.


A few weeks ago, one of my coworkers approached me about being a vendor at an event she is coordinating/facilitating. She originally asked about my doTerra stuff, which I turned down as it wasn't something I'm actively pursuing (I've got quite a bit on my plate), but after a moment of thought, I suggested my art instead. So, I'll be branching out from just posting on Instagram and word of mouthing my business, and having my own table, and being in person out there with my work. What is it you ask? I paint journals and Bibles, even a canvas if you request. I'm in the workings of working with a designer to get a logo made, so stay tuned for that; then business cards made after. The opportunity was given and I believe it's God's will and timing to step forward and use Anchored Aesthetic for his glory.


Being able to translate a compilation of favorites to visual documentation on an item used daily, or as regularly as possible, is something my heart lives for. When it's God centered, I let Him dictate what I'm to paint. Even though I may have a great idea for an elaborate plant, He tells me to paint an ombre of color and the recipient gets chills when she gets. That's my jam, doing His work and making Him and His will visual.


So we'll see what the future holds and what is coming. But that's a little back story for why I'm back and what I'm up to. I'm just thankful that I've been given the gifts I have. I love them and am looking forward to growing them for His Kingdom.


Amen and Amen

Fit to a Bit: The day I took my Fitbit off

May of this year, I decided to really grasp onto my health. I decided I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was tired of aching. So I charged up my Fitbit HR and put it on my wrist and away I went. I re-downloaded MyFitnessPal and started logging my foods.

Each day I tried to reach my goal of 9,000 steps.
Each day I tried to make sure I was taking at least 250 steps per hour from 7:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m.
I participated in Workweek Hustles.
I participated in Weekend Warriors.

It was hard.

I work a 9-5 desk job (ok more like 730-5) and then go home and relax from that work day with my dogs who just want loves and snuggles.
There were a slew of days I slept in on weekends.
There were numerous days where I got knocked down (endo, migraine, sick).
There were days where I just didn't feel like moving.

I didn't always hit my 9000 steps per day.
I didn't always hit my 250 steps per hour.

I felt like a failure.

I counted steps like some count calories. I would push myself to sneak in as many steps on a bathroom trip by stepping in place trying to get the last of the 250 steps before the time changed to the next hour. I was a slave to technology.

So, on Saturday October 13, my Fitbit was low on battery, I took it off like normal to charge it. And haven't put it back on since.

I went dancing that night and didn't worry if I got more steps in than my friend dancing next to me. I slept in Sunday morning and didn't worry about the first 3 hours not having enough steps. Monday, I didn't worry if I made my 250 steps per hour of my desk job. I just worked and did my day. Tuesday was the same.

I didn't know how freeing that was, until I didn't choose to wear it.

I know I average 5000 steps per day with this job. I know abs are made in the kitchen. and I know without that Fitbit, it's been the most freeing time since I decided to take it off. Now I know that some people really need the help of the Fitbit to get them moving and to lose weight. But I am not one of them.  I'm going to keep it, in case I decide to wear it again (I wonder how many steps I'd get at Disneyland or Disney World...) but I think for the most part, I'm not going to need it.

How many other things in my life am I a "slave" to without realizing it? My phone, I realize that. Food? Perhaps. Friends? Perhaps. I'm interested now to pursue breaking chains and being freed of unconscious slavery.

What are you a slave to? What do you need to be freed of? Comment down below and let me pray for you.


Amen and Amen.

Working for the Weekend or Working for the Wonder

Are you just getting through the hum drum of the day? Or are you working for your maker?

Are you counting down the minutes until you're free from the workday? Or are you cherishing the moments to minister where you are?

I've had a number of jobs prior to the current career I'm in.

1. First job I had was babysitting, which I think is a job we all have. I babysat mostly prior to finding Jesus, so I can't use that as an example.
2. My first real job, with all the W-2 paperwork goodness was working for Hallmark (no, they did not invent Valentines day). I worked there for 3 months in Las Vegas, then when I went back to college I was able to transfer to a store in Reno.  I had Jesus in my life back then, but didn't fully know the extent of what He could do, or what I could do as a believer. I was still very self focused at the time. I ended up  leaving that job because I think I couldn't get time off to go see my family in Las Vegas for Christmas.
3. My second real job was working as a Resident Assistant in the dorms. Oh how many lives I could have impacted if I prayed for all my residents. There were a few I'd pray for here and there, but over the 2.5 years I was an RA, that could have been 30+ students who had another stepping stone. (We could also talk about all the kids in my classes too, but that's for another time)
4. The third job, after I said goodbye to ResLife was a brief summer job in Vegas working at a photography studio (school pictures). It was a small downstairs staff of 5ish people. Again, how self centered was I to just think about me and my circumstance, rather than those around me I could have been praying for! This summer though, I was starting to fall away from Jesus and do my own thing. This was the start of my not so great few years walking independently of Jesus.
5. Following that was working at Ann Taylor (Job 4). It was there I met a friend who later calls me out on my lifestyle choices. There, I really got to see humanity. There I developed an appreciation for leaving clothes better (or as best I could) than I found them. There, God began to work on me. There, he provided a temp job which turned full time. There he provided me the foot in the door to where I am now.
6. After a year in retail, and the last couple months working that part time and the new full time job, I said goodbye to that and fully embraced the full time career where I've been for 5 years now.
7. Once summer hit however, I itched somewhere to work retail again, so for about a month I worked at a Coach outlet store.
8. A short time later, while still working the fifth job, my seventh job was working as a Daisy Duke line dancer, which I did for 2 years and quit this past June.

All that to say, look how many lives I've interacted with,  whether one time customers or repeat ones, talking Jesus (when I could), acting like Jesus...


Romans 12:2 states, "Do not be confirmed to this world". We are called to be different. Let us stand out from being the complainers and the gripers, from posting about how much Monday sucks and how the weekend is gone too soon. We are where we are for how long we are became God put us there. Let him use you.


Do not worry...there are many verses that address this, so pick your fave, but do not worry about your job/your career (also preaching to myself here). You're where you're at to serve a purpose.


I'm learning to embrace where I am and show Jesus when I can. I'm not in a place where I can necessarily talk about Jesus all day everyday to anyone I come in contact with, but I can read my Bible on my breaks or Lunch in the break room. I've left my bible on my desk between those times.


Work for the Wonder, don't necessarily work for the weekend. There have been so many times at my current job where I've hated every minute of every day. I've wallowed in the slowness, felt frantic and crazy in the busy times, gossiped, talked behind people's back. And after the first couple years, I wanted out. I also did not like nor get along with my supervisor for 2ish of those years. I looked for other jobs, somewhere I could be more free, wear jeans rather than business casual. But something kept me there.

God. 

There never was another job posting I saw that I liked. I never got interested enough to set up a job interview. I just stuck it out here, wallowing to myself "At least the pay and benefits are worth it." Man, what kind of life and perspective was that?

I have a purpose here, and in the past 2 years, I've worked real hard to change the way I talk to and about my coworkers. I've really tried to bring Jesus with me into the work environment. I'm still not great at counting down the minutes to the end of the day. I'm still not great at taking upsets and frustrations and looking for the good. But I've been more conscientious of thinking, "If someone didn't know, would they figure out I'm a Christian, would they figure out by my actions I love Jesus?" In a customer service field where most of your interactions are "scripted" so to speak, it's hard to talk about the day to day, especially when my time with the public is more limited these days, as I don't interact with the public like I use to.

As of today, I'm switching my mindset. I'm letting each day be a renewal for my mind to work for the wonder, "Jesus, I can't wait to see what you'll do today". I still get excited for the weekend for other reasons, but at least now it isn't, "I can't wait to leave this cruddy place."

What are you struggling with in the day to day? Comment and let me pray for you <3

God is so good and faithful to answer. Go into the rest of this work week asking God how you can work for the wonder instead of working for the weekend.