Paradise - Easy or Hard?

When I tell you that Jake and I are planning to move to Maui the idea that this will be hard probably isn't what will come to your mind. Instead you will probably be excited for us, call us lucky, tell us how you would love to do something like this, or maybe even be a little jealous of us as we pursue our dreams in a land many consider paradise.

You probably won't be thinking that this is the hard choice for us. You probably don't realize that we've actually wrestled with this decision for a while now, and that it actually is quite difficult to say goodbye to all that is familiar to us, to face all the uncertainty of moving far away wondering if our careers will be able to sustain us.

As much as I'm excited about the prospect of going to Maui, of starting a new adventure with the one I love as we chase after the dreams God has put in our hearts, it doesn't mean that sometimes I don't doubt that this is God's best for me.

The reality for me is this: in Maui I will be 20+ hours of travel away from everything I know. All of my family will be thousands of miles away from me. I will have to find a new church and begin to make connections there. I won't know my way around town, or how to pronounce any of the road names—seriously, there are some whacky names in Maui, e.g. Honoapiilani Highway. I suspect I'll make a fool of myself many times as I learn to pronounce these names.

It's also hard because, sadly, I believe there is a good chance you won't ever come visit us because we will be so far away. People say they will come visit, and I have no doubt that they want to, but I know that life gets crazy and when it comes down to it spending a $1,000 on a plane ticket just isn't a realistic option for most people.

Life hasn't quite turned out like we had hoped it would here in northern New England, but that doesn't mean we're running away to go live in paradise. Staying in Vermont would be easy, not necessarily always enjoyable, but easy nonetheless—close to all our family, our church body, our support system, streets with names we can actually pronounce.

In many ways, moving to Maui is the hard thing to do.

As I sit here writing this, I'm deciding between selling, giving away, storing, or bringing with us items that once made our house a home. Every little thing we get rid of or pack away is another goodbye. It's hard to comb through old photos and remember all the things you love about home, then put them in box and wonder if you'll ever see them again.

But I think it's those hard things that we choose to do that God can use to grow us, mold us, and bring us more into the likeness of His image. By following the dreams He has placed on our hearts, we come closer and closer to living out His calling in our lives.

Pumpkin Pancakes - Gluten Free, Dairy Free!

I promised to share this recipe on Facebook yesterday. They are becoming my "go to" fall treat because it isn't really fall until you have pumpkin everything!

Pumpkin Pancakes
(Gluten and Dairy FREE!)

Recipe is for one and makes 4 medium sized pancakes.

1/3 Cup Pumpkin Puree
2 Eggs
2 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (or use your own spices)
1/4 tsp Cinnamon (or a hand full if you love cinnamon :-)
1-2 tsp Honey or Pure Maple Syrup
Sprinkle of Salt

Preheat your griddle to medium heat, about 325. Your pan/griddle needs to be HOT before you start cooking the pancakes, so be sure to turn it on before you make your mix!

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl until smooth.

Oil your griddle—I used coconut oil, but any oil will do.

Pour 4 medium sized pancakes on the hot griddle, about 4 inches across each. Let cook for 2-3 minutes on one size until it begins to bubble, flipping too early may cause them to stick. After you flip let them cook 2-3 more minutes until cooked through.

If you are following the 21 Day Fix program this recipe equals 1 orange, 1 green, 1 red and 1 tsp :-)

Enjoy with a drizzle of honey, maple syrup or other toppings!

Hope you enjoy!

Would You Stay At A Job Where You Received NO PAYCHECK??

A thought hit me today: if I didn't make another dollar doing my online health and fitness coaching I still wouldn't quit!

That may sound ridiculous. I mean, this is my full-time job, and I work hard to help support and encourage people in reaching their health and fitness goals. And granted, getting a paycheck each week definitely helps my little family financially, but Beachbody is so much more than just a job to me.

When I joined this company over a year ago I knew my sponsor coach and that was it. Over the next few months I felt like a few other coaches on our team became what I would consider "friends." Then in March I traveled to Florida for a team retreat where I got to meet many of these women in person, which was such a blessing to me.

Today, a little over a year later I have dozens of friends that I have made solely through this company. They are not just friends in the business, but they are like women who have a desire to empower, encourage and support each other. They have blessed me in more ways than I can count. When I get online and see their positive posts on facebook, their genuine desire to help support and empower women, I get excited about what I do all over again. It's not just about looking good in a bikini, but instead about walking alongside other women with the goal to lift them up.

So, if last week was the last paycheck I ever received, I still wouldn't quit. Being a part of this community is worth more than the pay that I might receive.

Can you say that about your job? Would you still show up each day to a job where you made no paycheck just because you loved what you did so much and the people you worked with were amazing? If not, maybe you should considering looking into a job opportunity that would give you that!

I'm expanding my team and looking for passionate women who want to empower and motivate others to reach their health, fitness and financial goals. If you think that could be you fill out this application to join my growing team.

Looking forward to hearing from you!