My sweet and fierce girls started 1st and 4th last week. I want to share with you how proud I am of my sparkly beauties and also, how much I love them.  I want to share with you about how I really don’t know how I got here with them….no, not on a birds and bees level because c’mon you guys…but on a “I blinked and now one of my daughters is navigating her first year with a longer school classroom day and the other one being an upper grader”.  CRAZY!  Seriously, where does the time go?

And, it is a new season for me of not being a special ed. teacher. A season to be more available to my family; to be able to say “yes” to whatever God brings along my narrow path throughout the day, week, or month; to do some soul care; some health care; caring for others;  reading; writing; and learning.  A season of learning again as a 44 year old to be confident and comfortable in my own skin—-as the person God created me to be.

Two nights ago, I went to a women’s worship night at my church. I almost didn’t go because it was a school night and my girls had things to complete. I felt like I needed to be home to make sure homework and showers and picking out clothes for the next day was done. But, my husband made me go and I’m so glad he did. Thanks, hon.

At the conclusion of our worship time, another lady came up to me and asked if I was “Jess”. She said she had an encouraging word for someone named “Jessica or Jess”. I didn’t know her and she didn’t know me, but she asked someone else in the room if they knew a “Jessica or Jess” there. So, she asked if she could pray with me. As she held my hands, she started speaking all these words that were reminding me that I am of “great value” and “worth”; that “I matter in this world”; that I can “make a difference”. I don’t remember exactly what she said but I do remember that it made me feel seen and known. It made me feel significant in my tiny sphere of influence; and, on a grander scale to God’s purposes. Thank you to the lady who was bold enough to speak these prophetic words to a stranger named Jess.

If you feel like you don’t matter or you aren’t enough or don’t have very much worth, these words are for you too. YOU MATTER and YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Just by being who God created you to be. You leave your very own unique handprint and footprint on the places you go, people you interact with, and one-of-a-kind things that you do.

This should give us wings to fly and soar to new heights. Because our creator feels that we matter, we should in turn, make every effort to make others feel this way too. A smile, a kind word, a compliment, a small or large favor, a hug, a handshake, a milk shake, or something sweet from the heart can make a world of difference to someone else today. It may not always be comfortable and our lives may be interrupted, but this is seriously the best way to live. Choosing an uncomfortable and interruptible lifestyle is a courageous and kingdom building way of life. This is not always easy, but it is beautiful.

Be brave on the narrows, my friends. Because YOU MATTER make someone else feel special, seen, and known today too.

P.S.  I’m including this starfish story because it illustrates the beauty of how YOU can & do make a difference.

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

With a tag line like “Style your Friends. Change the World.” Noonday Collection is doing this AND doing it well.

Noonday Collection is a fair-trade company that creates uniquely beautiful hand crafted jewelry, bags, and accessories . Its mission is to be a “socially responsible business that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities across the globe”. Noonday is leaving a profound mark on the fabric of many developing areas around the world. In 2018, their impact reached 33 artisan business partners in 15 countries providing work for 130 community workshops. Through Noonday, women in vulnerable communities have the opportunity to participate in dignified work, develop a specialized skill set, and play a significant role in a truly world changing organization.

Noonday jewelry is sold nation-wide by over 1,000 goal setting and sometimes globe-trotting ambassadors that live from California to New York. They not only have a heart to see transformation in the communities where the jewelry is made, but also to share the vision of Noonday with women who are family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and friends of friends. Ambassadors do this by story-telling and styling at trunk shows where the gorgeous jewelry is displayed and women gather to use their purchasing power for a fabulous cause.

One of these world-changing ambassadors, Debbie Rupard, lives in Southern California and is indeed making a difference. When I chatted with her about Noonday, it dawned on me that she loves the company because it has made a difference in her life as well. She has experienced a strong sisterhood with both ambassadors and artisans. A sisterhood that extends beyond country boundaries or cultural differences. A sisterhood that is a lovely, artistic expression of beauty, faith, and hope.

In the summer of 2014 Debbie was facing a hard reality. She was recovering from a c-section she had with her third son, and her eldest son who has cerebral palsy had just undergone major hip surgery. She also had a middle son to take care of as well. In the midst of all of the emotions, nurturing and sleep deprived nights, Debbie thought that if she were to go somewhere else in the world where there is extreme suffering or poverty it would help her not to struggle so much in her current reality.

This is why Noonday Collection caught Debbie’s eye and heart. She heard about a trip to Rwanda to visit artisan partners working with Noonday on a blog she was following. Again, her heart was stirred and she decided to step into action. So, in 2015 she became an ambassador.

Since then, Debbie has poured into the company’s mission and in turn, has been ablerun a successful Noonday ambassador business. In addition to her main role of being a mom to her 12, 9, and 5 year old boys, and growing her social justice and stylish entrepreneurial adventure, Debbie works another part time job with Olive Crest as a Quality Management Director.

Debbie believes in the mission of Noonday Collection and the vision designed by its motivational, strong, and magnetic “steel magnolia” founder Jessica Honegger. She’s always loved jewelry anyway, but she loves that the Noonday jewelry is beautiful and meaningful.

Every summer, sales goal-achieving ambassadors are able to go on trips to different communities where Noonday artisans are creating the one-of-a-kind pieces using natural, sustainable, and ethically harvested resources. Debbie has been blessed to go on three of these trips. She’s traveled with a group of ambassadors to Guatemala, Peru, and most recently, Ecuador.

Debbie shared a story with me from her Ecuador trip that truly highlights the amazing sisterhood of this company and God’s grand plans. While making a necklace alongside Luzmila, an Ecuadorian artisan, Debbie and Luzmila spoke in “Spanglish” about their children and the fact that both of them have established and maintained two different sources of income in their respective lives. Debbie felt connected with this lady through the bonds of jewelry appreciation, hard work, and motherhood.

Debbie also connected with another Ecuadorian artisan named Maria and discovered that she has a daughter with special needs. Since Debbie also has a child with disabilities, she immediately felt an even deeper connection of sisterhood and God’s divine goodness.

God is good and He truly knows how to encourage and lavish love on His children in beautiful ways. Ways that remind us we are all connected through our Creator and fashioned with amazing purpose.

Thank you Debbie and all of the wonderful Noonday Collection “girl bosses” for making a difference. Please keep shining and sharing beauty, joy, and hope.

*Debbie and Luzmila in Ecuador*

I am currently hosting an online trunk show for Noonday Collection. Please join the online party and use your purchasing power for a life-changing cause. You can indeed make a difference and also, buy some gorgeous treasures.

Here is the link to the online trunk show:

bit.ly/narrowsnoonday

Be brave on the narrows, my friends. And, happy shopping to you.

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”  Esther 4:14

For such a time as this. We are living in a crazy time.   A time when there are so many injustices and false voices infiltrating this beautiful world God created.  Relief and deliverance may seem like an overwhelmingly impossible thing to attain for those who are suffering or on the front lines trying to make a difference.  This evil was not part of God’s plan.  He created an ideal paradise for us, but sin crashed this reality into a million dangerous pieces.   Rather than asking “why?” or “how could this happen?”, I think God wants us to say “what can I do through your strength to help change the course of this devastation, dehumanization, and destruction?”.  How can we be the hope and change that we wish to see in this world?

I’m reading in the book of Esther right now. Esther did this.  She chose to heed her wise uncle Mordecai’s advise and NOT be silent.  She chose to use her power and royalty to influence others for the  good.  There was a plan schemed up by someone in King Xerxes court—a pompous and paranoid man named Haman.  He wanted to destroy the Jews.  But, Esther and Mordecai were Jewish and did not want to perish along with their people.  So, Esther was incredibly brave and took a stand.  She made the king aware of Haman’s plan in order to save all of the Jews, and consequently, this led to Haman’s death.

This story is filled with adventure, a plot twist, and compelling characters. Esther is one of my favorite people to read about in the bible because she  used her voice to make a difference.  She spoke up when it would have been so much easier to remain silent.  She chose to put on her royal robe and go scared to approach her king.  She chose to take action rather than just to question why.  She was a heroine affecting the harrowing highlight on the timeline of history.

How are we affecting history?   Are there areas of our lives where we can raise our voices and move into action to help the plight of others in need of rescuing, rest, and reassurance that there is a God who loves them?  Like Esther, can we choose to use our position & status in “such a time as this” to share light and truth in dark places.

There are so many wonderful organizations designed for this very purpose—to “be the change” and to make a positive impact in areas of our world that are desperate for change. How can we get involved?  My hope is to share some of these organizations and “difference makers”  with you.  If you know of a company or person who you’d like to feature, please share them with me.

Let’s be brave on the narrows, my friends .

“Brave people don’t stop hearing the whispers of fear. They hear the whispers but take action anyway.”—from 100 Days to brave by Annie F. Downs

We went camping—-well, “glamping” —at El Capitan Canyon in Goleta (which is just north of Santa Barbara, along the gorgeous California coastline). It is such a beautiful spot that our family has visited for the past 11 summers.  We soak up this tradition as readily as the glorious sunshine peering through the majestic trees, the singing from the birds in the early morning, and the s’mores delicious and sticky in the evening.  The time here fills our souls in a slow down, drink in the goodness,  type of way.

One of my daughters is a bit of a daredevil. She lives on the edge, has no fear, and is always up for a challenge.  My other daughter is more cautious.  She takes things at her own careful speed, thinks things through, and has a lot more fear.  She is finally ready to learn to ride a bike without training wheels at 6 and a half.  Maybe.  She snuggles in toward me when being introduced to someone new and she doesn’t like to be around cats AT ALL.  Like freaks out around them.  Definitely her mother’s daughter in regards to the cats.  Sorry, but I’m not a fan of the feline creatures.

So, at El Capitan there is a lovely, tree lined, thin & rocky, dirt path on the walk from our cabins to the cafe. Yes, we eat at a cafe for breakfast and dinner every day that we are there.  Remember, we were “glamping” , my friends, not camping.  And, for this reason and more, I love glamping.  Can you say “showers inside your cabin”?  YES, PLEASE!

I digress…my littlest was fearful of walking down this harmless path. This path that only takes two to three minutes to stroll down.  This path that is so pretty and a feast for the senses with all its greenery and a little creek trickling beside it.  She was afraid because we have been warned years ago about the poison ivy that is growing in one tiny section  along the trail.  She does not want to go anywhere near it because she knows it is “dangerous” to touch.  She wants to be safe and she doesn’t even want to see that plant for a second.

I was holding her hand as we walked down the path. My husband was walking behind her.  He told her to focus on the beauty.  And, those words sunk deep for me.  “Focus on the beauty”.  Isn’t this what our heavenly father wants us to do?  God created a world for us that is above and beyond the most breath-taking artistic masterpiece.  The sky and the earth are His canvas and His paintbrushes are filled with exquisite, one-of-a-kind hues.  He wants us to admire His creation rather than fixating on fear, failures, and far from reality thoughts.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  Phillipians 4:6-8

Our youngest made it down the short path, grasping onto parental support, and focusing on the beauty.  She was brave on the narrows.  And, I was proud of her for going down that path even though—actually, especially because– she was going scared.

What areas of our lives do we need to focus on the true, the noble, the right, the pure, the lovely, and the admirable? When you hear the lies of fear, comparison, “not good enough”, or you’re hanging out in a pit of despair or loneliness, turn your eyes upon Jesus, God’s glorious canvas, and the good people around you.

And, if you need help focusing on the beauty and the good, please go ask someone to help you.  We need each other.  We are wired for connection. No one is perfect.  We just need to be present. And, we can be present and be brave on the narrows together.

Happy trails this summer, my brave friends.

I love divine timing—when you run into people who make you smile in unexpected places. Or, when you just happen to run into people in common ground places at unexpected times. I was picking my daughter up at the dance studio for summer “drop in” classes and ran into a friend.  We chatted briefly and then, she told me that she was going to go on a walk while her daughter danced.  I felt like I needed to tell her about this awesome trail that I had just found out about 3 or 4 months ago.  It was just down the street from the studio, so I wanted my friend to know about it.

After I was home, I got a text from this friend saying “By the way, this walk is amazing. I feel so gypped that I haven’t know about this for so many years.”

I responded: ” So glad you went there…that’s totally how I felt when I found out about it a couple months ago—hidden gem!”

This is what friends are for. Revealing hidden gems to each other and encouraging one another to go seek them out.  This totally made me think of sharing our faith and relationship with God with others.  If we know about something so good—a “hidden gem”—we need to share that goodness with others.  We don’t want them to feel “gypped” about not knowing Jesus for so many years.  We want to tell others about this life transforming relationship so they can experience it and walk in it as well.

I truly am glad I shared this with my friend. And, now, in turn, I’m sure she will want to share this “hidden gem” with others as well.  My boldness in sharing it will hopefully cause her to want to tell others about it as well.  If we have something so good to share, we need to share it.  Good news is meant to be shared.

This morning in my Bible reading, I read from chapters 7 & 8 in the book of Nehemiah. After the wall had been rebuilt, Ezra the priest brought out the Book of the Law of Moses to read with all of the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem.  The people stood together, listened attentively, and worshiped the Lord from daybreak until noon.

Nehemiah declared that this was a time for celebration, eating, and drinking. He said, “This day is sacred to our Lord.  Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

The exiles had been weeping as they were listening to the words of Law perhaps because they were looking back on all that God had done or perhaps because they were being nostalgic about the “good old days” or maybe a mixture of both of these feelings.

Nehemiah wanted the people to be strong to face their new lives and their future in Jerusalem. He wanted them to stand tall and firm in their foundation.  Being reminded of how much God loved them, would be a catalyst for the exiles to keep moving forward in obedience.  This holy, unconditional love would cause the people  to put Jesus first; and to take action as a joyful outpouring of this love.

Being brave on the narrows—wherever that is that God is leading us—will require strength. Reflecting on God’s goodness, faithfulness, and lavish love for us, will give us the strength to celebrate, move forward, and continue to walk in obedience.

Who can you share the good news with today, my friends?   And, if you are reading this and don’t know about the “good news”, please ask me more about it.  I would be so happy to share it with you.

Be brave on the narrows, my friends; and remember that “the joy of the Lord is your strength” as you go through your day

So, my challenge to read scripture and to write 500 words a day is still going. I slacked a bit on my challenge on the 4th of July because I was focusing on family, friends, festivities, and fireworks.  But, I am still pressing on.  Present over perfect—can I get an Amen?

I may not post every 500 words that I daily write or I may not write about the scripture that I am reading (currently in Nehemiah), but rather share stories, thoughts from my heart, or things that can inspire or make you laugh.

Here’s some thoughts on freedom—

Happy Independence day weekend. Happy holiday weekend to celebrate our freedom and all the honorable men and women who have fought for that freedom.  A time to remember all that our American flag waves in the breeze for.  A time to be together with loved ones.  Together.  United.

We are better together. This nation was built on unity and is aptly named the United States of America.  In the current state of our nation, I think reflecting on this unity is significant and vital for us to move forward;  and to stand proud linking arms rather than trying to tear others down.  The good old U.S.A.  was formed “one nation under God” and God is not divisive but rather inclusive.  Together we can pursue dreams;  create amazing companies, campaigns, & co-operatives; and venture down exciting new paths.

In life, we need each other to complete tasks; to share community; to come up with visionary plans; and to raise moral, kind, humble, and compassionate children. I’m proud to be part of a family that values faith, freedom, fun, tradition, kindness, and respect.  I’m proud to live in a country that was founded on these strong principles.

Let’s reflect on ALL that we’ve been blessed with and in turn, live as a blessing to others.

I love this quote on freedom that author Ann Voskamp shared on Instagram:

“Real Freedom grows a heart so large that it can’t bear anything less than sharing that freedom with those buried in hopelessness.”

Our freedom is not just meant for us to keep to ourselves and delight in it purely for the sake of our own satisfaction. True freedom looks bondage, depression, and darkness in the face and lends out its hand.  It’s easy to look at these things and think there’s no way we can fix this; solve this; cure this; and/or eliminate this, so consequently, we DO nothing.  Our freedom was bought at a price.  Our freedom is a precious thing of beauty —a rare and valuable gem in this world.  Let’s use this gem to illuminate the darkness  for those who may literally be dying to grasp onto some of this freedom.

I would love to hear stories; and share stories of how others are shining lights in dark places and inspiring others to do so as well.  Please let me know if you’d like me to share yours.

Be brave on the narrows, my friends.

For my Bible reading today, I read in the book of Nehemiah. We are going through a series on Nehemiah at our church.  The series is titled “Nehemiah: Rise & Build”.  I am struck by the fact that Nehemiah felt called to leave his comfortable position of being cupbearer to King Artaxerxes in order to go to back to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall that was destroyed.  He had to be brave to ask the king for permission to do this and he had to be bold to execute this mission.

Being a cupbearer was an official, loyal, and lucrative position. Cupbearers needed to be trustworthy because in this time period people would often try to poison a king or someone who held a great deal of power and prestige.  Nehemiah had to guard the cup and sometimes drink the first sip before the king to make sure the wine was not tainted.   Nehemiah proved to be an honest and devoted cupbearer because when he approached King Artaxerxes about leaving to rebuild the wall, the king granted his request and even gave him some supplies and letters of approval.  This was a huge answer to Nehemiah’s prayer.

Where in our lives do we need to rise up and build? Are we in a position, a situation, or a lifestyle that is too comfortable?  Can we leave these comforts and follow the calling on our hearts?  Can we rebuild relationships, work with the homeless community, fight for injustices, and share the good news with our neighbors?  There are so many areas in our gorgeous, manufactured bubble of southern California that need rebuilding.

For me, I needed to step away from teaching to focus on my family.  I want to make sure I am pouring into our foundation to make it firm and lasting.  Time is so fleeting and I cannot buy back this time with my girls and my husband.  But, this does not mean that it will be easy.  I have to roll up my sleeves, make sacrifices, and put in the hard work to see the sturdy results.  The fruit of my labor will be an even more beautiful bond with my girls and husband—-one built on faith, hope, trust, respect, and love.

This is what drove Nehemiah to rebuild the wall. He wanted that firm foundation to stand tall symbolizing faith, hope, trust, respect, love, and the passage of time.

I watched a movie called “About Time” recently. The men in the family are able to travel back in time, but it’s a secret to the women.  After the death of his father, the leading male in the movie realizes that he needs to live fully in the present and savor each day to its utmost potential.  This becomes more precious  to him than traveling back in time.  This is what life is truly about—-savoring the moments.  Living each day as though it was your last.  (Sidenote—-I recommend this somewhat quirky, British based, independent- feeling  movie.  It  really has a lovely message.  Sorry if I spoiled the ending for you, but you’ll still enjoy it.)

I think Nehemiah was doing this. He wasn’t sulking about the days of old and living in the past, but rather focusing on rebuilding for the future.   If we are constantly being nostalgic for “the good old days”, our present will never look good to us.  Our minds will not be able to focus on what God wants us to work on today, so we can leave a legacy for days to come.

Let’s rise and build in the places God is calling us to, my friends. Be Brave on the Narrows.

Doing anything for 30 days can help build or break a habit. Those 30 days can pass by in the blink of an eye without being marked with something special in your own signature style OR you could be intentional with your time and fill them with something memorable and meaningful.  It will take desire and discipline.  It will take being Brave on the Narrows.  But, it is attainable and definitely worthwhile.

Often times it’s just easier to take the easy route—to avoid things that require persistence, self control, and obedience.  It’s more enjoyable and comfortable to eat the extra piece of cake, to watch the TV show, to lay down and take a nap, to have the glass of wine, to buy the dress or shoes, or to hop online & zone out on social media.  I’m not saying these things are bad, actually they are quite wonderful, fun, relaxing, and entertaining.  But,  if one of these things is a regular habit that you want to break, then it would be more beneficial to stop escaping from obedience and get serious about developing some skills.

I, myself, want to take a stand and develop some healthy habits. No, I’m not giving up my Del Taco carne asada spicy jack quesadillas, blueberry bagels, or love for all things bread and cheese.  I’m talking about developing patterns and lifestyle choices.  Perhaps its shutting the TV off at night and reading instead; waking up early to devote time for communing with God; exercising regularly; learning how to play an instrument;  painting; cooking; and/or sewing.  So, what habit would you like to build into your life?  Who would like to take a 30 day challenge and do the thing you want to develop into a habit (or get rid of a habit) for 30 consecutive days in a row.

My challenge for the next 30 days is to read the Bible daily and also, write 500 words a day. I want to grow as a writer and be in God’s word every day.  I will keep you updated on how this challenge goes.  My blog may be my outlet for writing 500 words a day, so I would love it if you would follow my blog.  My challenge will start tomorrow.  I will have to sacrifice things in order to make this happen; and in turn, I will perhaps develop some other new healthy habits and character traits along this journey.

This 30 day challenge was inspired by a TED talk I watched at a Special Ed Department Meeting this past school year. A man discussed that anyone can do a 30 day challenge; and he also communicated how it can give you more confidence and change your perspective on yourself and life.

Sounds like a good thing to me…

I think challenging ourselves is part of being Brave on the Narrows. I also think it’s important NOT to compare our challenge to someone else’s challenge.  We all have different gifts, talents, and capabilities.  It’s important to just aim for growth and success—to water our own grass rather than noticing how much greener someone else’s grass may appear to be.  It could be a challenge to try something new for 30 days or to quit a bad habit for 30 days.   Just don’t compare.  That’s not part of the challenge.  That does not promote growth, but rather hinders it.

“A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.”—-Iris Murdoch

Ok, friends, here’s to a 30 day challenge. Please take the challenge with me and let me know what you are going to do or not do.  It will make us stronger by building discipline muscles that may be experiencing some atrophy.  Let’s be Brave on the Narrows together.

I love dance recital weekends. My two girls both danced in shows this weekend.   From the two days of dress rehearsals to the three different shows that they collectively performed in, it was a fun and memorable weekend.  ” Adventure Awaits”  was the theme of the recital shows and I think it was such a fitting theme.  Each dance tells a story with music and movement.   And, every good story is filled with adventure.

In honor of the weekend, I wrote a poem.

An Ode to Recital Weekends

The costumes, the make-up, the music, and  the smiles so big and so bright

The choreography, the artistry, the joy, and the radiant stage light

Trying to create the perfect ballet bun with hair nets, spray,  gel, and countless bobby pins

Endless hours of dedication and preparation so that each routine is a spinning succession of wins

Waiting in the wings and sitting in seats— anticipating the moment a dancer steps on that well scuffed and loved floor

Ushering in the spirit of excitement, beauty, creativity, and camaraderie as we open the theater door

Backstage bonding and memory making for dancers who have become dear, life-long  friends

Gathering parents together who have experienced the growth, the turns, the leaps, and the bends.

All of the hopes, dreams, and talent passionately displayed in a uniquely remarkable, rhythmic dance

Recital weekends will forever leave footprints on a dancer’s heart and their lives, in turn, will abundantly enhance. 

I am so grateful my girls love to dance and perform. I am so grateful we are part of a wonderful  studio (shout out to Momentum Dance and Performing Arts).  I am so thankful that my girls are learning about focus, hard work, grace, flexibility, team work, and building friendships from being involved in dance.  I hope we have many more dance recital weekends in our future.  It will indeed enhance my daughters’ lives and my life as well.

P.S. I still cannot do the perfect ballet bun.  And, I am never quite sure if I am using the three different shades of eyeshadow on the pallet to their utmost potential  on my daughters’ eyes, but that is not the ultimate point of the weekend.  Regardless of the perfect hair and make-up,  there is a confidence, beauty and grace that is attained when the luminous stage light beams down and the dancer begins to sway and shine.

So, keep dancing my friends and being brave on the narrows.