STELLAR DAY ISSUE 28 | DECEMBER 2017
The
December Issue
MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES An amazingly simple dessert that is perfect for the holidays this season
FLOURISH
Finishing out the year with Stellar Day Magazine, and reflecting on how this magazine has changed so many lives
INTERVIEW WITH JENNY SMITH
How flourishing inside your own life can be simple and beautiful
HSIRUOLF
Stellar Day Magazine
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18 32 05
03 05 09 13 16 18 20
Wait On Him Bell Pepper Belief Go For The Gusto! Flourishing In The Simple Supernatural Not A Plant Lady Mexican Wedding Cookies Creamy Vegan Soup
26 26 30 32 34 38 42
Interview With Jenny Smith How I Went From Loving My Job, To Hating It, To Loving It Again World Changer Clean-Up Projects Flourish Editors Note
STELLAR DAY MAGAZINE | 03
Wait On Him BY JESSICA WILLIAMS
When I think of flourishing, I think of
I am so thankful that we are stepping into
thriving. Growing, movement, never giving
a season of more thriving. I am thankful
up, and rising to any and all challenges
that these remarkable women have
with grace and humility.
flourished right alongside me. And while my journey hasn’t looked the way I thought
When I look back over the course of these
it would, it has been beautiful. And without
last two years with this publication, I have
any of the heartache and longing to
realized that every single theme that my
encourage others who were maybe going
God has placed inside every single month
through stuff like me, Stellar Day might it
has been on purpose. WITH purpose.
exist. And for that, I would journey these two years again in a heartbeat.
It’s not a surprise, but when I can look back and see his faithfulness inside this
For where your pain is, God is actually
movement, I can SEE the flourishing within
making way for new life. For flourishing of
the pages. I can see the movement and the
all kinds, on all sides of you. Wait on Him,
thriving. When we stop to ask what he
for he will allow you to thrive in his time.
wants us to share, we see that it flourishes
His perfect time that will be exactly what
because He’s giving it life.
you need and not a moment too late.
He is the giver of life.
"MY MISSION IN LIFE IS NOT MERELY TO SURVIVE, BUT TO THRIVE, AND TO DO SO WITH SOME PASSION, SOME COMPASSION, SOME HUMOR, AND SOME STYLE." MAYA ANGELOU
BELL PEPPER BELIEF By Esther Gallagher
STELLAR DAY MAGAZINE | 05
When I plant herbs, I tend to go
dreamer, fairy-tale believer,
with the hearty ones, like
optimist who wants to prove
rosemary, mint, basil, thyme, and
people and sometimes herself,
sage, that I’ve used year after year
wrong-- whereas I’m risk averse,
because I know from experience
tend to play it safe and often have
that they will grow in our harsh
to be nudged out of my comfort
desert heat. Last spring, my 15
zone.
year old, Mia, came with me to the nursery to pick up the little pre-
Case-in-point: When she was in
potted plants that I transfer over
second grade and her classmates
to my terracotta planters. Mia has
were reading the likes of Diary of a
always been my chance-taker,
Wimpy Kid and fairy princess
chapter books, she came home from the school library with The Secret Garden, one of my all-time favorite classics that I read in 6th grade. While Mia was an excellent reader (her reading level was 3rd - 9th grade as I recall), I told her that The Secret Garden was too advanced being that it’s written in turn-of-the-century, upper-middle class, British diction and with philosophical commentary that I felt would go over her little head. But Mia jumped into the story head first, devoured it within a few days, and earned a 100% on her accelerated reading quiz. Of course, I was amazed and extremely proud of her, also ashamed that I didn’t believe in her abilities in the first place, and so glad that she proved herself right despite my lack of encouragement. What an example she was to me at a tender, young age, accomplishing her goal regardless of my nay-saying parental advice. I always say, kids will succeed despite us parents and our good intentions! So fast forward to that warm, yet breezy Arizona spring break day at Home Depot, where Mia begged me to buy a green bell pepper plant. I immediately came up with several reasons why it wasn’t a good idea-- “I don’t think it will grow in this climate; “it needs to be planted in the ground and won’t do well in a planter”; “it’s not an herb and doesn’t fit in with the rest of the plants we’re buying.. What it really boiled down to though, was that I didn’t want to try what I didn’t know-- didn’t want to stray from what I knew for sure would grow and take a chance on something new. But Mia loves green bell peppers and asked with such hope, belief, and enthusiasm that flashed me back to the day she came home with The Secret Garden-- and that memory
sprung up within me a little mustard seed of faith that perhaps the little plant would flourish after all. How ironic that the story’s vibrant, lush garden that helped heal the characters’ traumatic memories and bring new life to their relationships, came back to mind as we were preparing to plant our very own little herb and (now, with the introduction of a pepper) vegetable garden-although our storyline was not as deep and emotionally layered (we just wanted to grow and eat stuff!). So I took it home, planted it into the rich, dark soil, patted it gently, and began the daily morning routine of watering it, watching, and waiting. The herbs we bought that day immediately started growing, ready to be picked and tossed into savory casseroles, soups, and vinaigrette recipes, bringing me quick satisfaction for my gardening labors. The pepper plant grew more slowly though, producing a thick stalk and a few flowers over time, but no fruit (using ‘fruit’ interchangeably with vegetable here because it’s so hard to know what’s a vegetable or fruit these days. You know, the whole, confusing thing about tomatoes and avocados being a fruit because they have seeds! Who even really knows what a pepper is anyway?!). And so, the easybreezy spring morphed into extreme summer temps causing my pepper seed of faith to grow even smaller, thinking that with the plant’s everwithering leaves, it couldn’t possibly survive the dreadful 120 degree forecast right around the corner. But oh ye (meaning oh me) of little faith because one day, what to my wondering eyes should appear but a 2-inch round pepper that literally burst forth from a bud overnight! Not even that happen to us all the time? Like, we wake up one morning and our kids, just wee little babes when we tucked them in the night before, grew 2 inches taller and have mustaches all of the sudden!
REISE | PAGE 4
kidding. I could not believe it! But really, doesn’t
When I showed it to Mia, she beamed with that
dried up things new again (Isa. 43:19) and to
same proud, The Secret Garden-like, I-told-you-so
produce fruit in our lives. We look for the reasons
face! All these years letter and she got me, BOOM,
why we can’t instead of why we can, even while we
square in the middle of my disbelief once again!
know that we have a Messiah who strengthens and
And now, as I write this, I receive a new revelation-
tells us we can do all things through Him (Phil.
- that we find our treasures, refuge, abundance,
4:13)! I’m so thankful for those, like my children,
and protection not in secret gardens, but by
who challenge the hardened soil of my heart which
dwelling in His Secret Place (Psalm 91 and Isa.
needs to be readied for His tilling. Who are the
45:3). When we spend secret, one-on-one time
tried-and-true in your circle that speak life to you,
with Him in prayer and seek His guidance, instead
who nurture your inner soul and help ready you for
of relying on our own efforts to figure it out as we
the Master Gardener who wants to do His work in
go through life’s daily pursuits, we gain a greater
your life? Maybe, like me, it’s your children, whom
sense of peace through all of the crazy! We nurture
God calls us to model ourselves after in our faith
our faith, and as a result, our hope and confidence
and belief. Maybe it's a co-worker who encourages
soars-- even while we are dealing with seemingly
you in a project that you think is bound for failure.
insurmountable situations!
Maybe its an author from Stellar Day Magazine. Surround yourselves with those that want your
How many times does it take us to push-aside our
mustard (or pepper) seed of faith (Matt. 17:20) to
prideful, know-it-all, fearful perspectives that get
take root and flourish with fruity-like vegetables--
in the way of relying on our faith, no matter how
those that fill you with hope in the Lord and belief
small it might be? What’s the harm in just purely
through all seasons, be it the dormant or the
and simply believing like children for the hope and
harvest ones.
abundant future that God has promised us (Matthew 18:3; Jeremiah 29:11) instead of coming
Luke 17:5-6: The apostles said to the Lord,
up with reasons why this or that won’t work, can’t
"Increase our faith!" And the Lord said, "If you had
possibly happen, would require an event
faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this
of astronomical proportions? When we put our
mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the
self-will at the forefront instead of God’s will, we
sea'; and it would obey you.
are diminishing His power to transform, to make
STELLAR DAY MAGAZINE | 09
GO FOR THE GUSTO! BY REBECCA IVIE ANDERSON
Many of us are reflecting on the last year and getting ready for the new one to come. We are spending time tying up loose ends and setting goals for new projects. Some of us make resolutions, while some of us are preparing for a fresh, clean slate. Either way, we look on 2017 in retrospect, trying to make sense of where we are and where we want to be. For me, I spend much time thinking about what I’ve learned and how I want to grow over the next year. While I don’t like to focus on the negative, it would be difficult to determine where I am without looking at where I’ve been.
The last year has been one full of challenges and triumphs, but all of it seemed difficult. God has upturned my life and moved me to make changes I would have never expected. I have experienced a whole range of emotions from the deepest and darkest depression to the most uplifting joy. I moved to a new city, I lost my job, my son moved away to college, and I faced serious health problems. I questioned my place, and I questioned my faith. In turn, I became very private while my inner thoughts were in turmoil. With my silence, my family began to be overly critical while
they filled in the blanks with their own version of my story. I felt alone, and I became distant while I took a hard look at myself. I had several candid conversations with God as I didn’t understand my current circumstances. I came to a place where I had nothing left but to look for God’s quiet voice, which I was desperate to hear. Having felt like I had lost all of myself, there were days I spent in silence just thinking. Day after day, when life was uncertain, I kept living. I kept waiting. I kept watching. I kept listening for whispers of
I came to a place where I had nothing left but to look for God’s quiet voice, which I was desperate to hear.
God in the wind. Then it happened – I started to let go. I began to release things that seemed to keep me in a place of cynicism and negativity. With every breath, my load began to diminish. Not just my thoughts, but my physical body began to get lighter as I decided to finally work on losing those 150 pounds. Expectations of myself and others began to fade away along with the need to feel in control of everything. I kept friends close for counsel and began to seek out fresh perspectives. Even with the tiny humanness of a mustard seed, I can grow and flourish. “It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” (Mark 4:31-32) As God’s voice of change gets louder in my ears, I am learning to value, to listen, and to perceive things with new eyes. I look back over the last year, and realize I have come out of hiding. I’m learning to do things in new ways. I’ve lost 85 of those 150 pounds. Dropping bricks from my past have allowed me to walk a little lighter these days. I am able to look for opportunities to make a difference for someone else in an encouraging word or a beautiful affirmation of hope. I still have a lot of growing to do, and there are still many changes to come. As God’s voice gets louder, the tiny whisper becomes a mighty wind. A day lived for Jesus is a day well lived, and many days making a difference can result in the unexpected. I hope that, as you reflect and celebrate this season of life, you will find some areas to grow and go for the gusto!
FLOURISHING In The Simple Supernatural BY SARAH HUMPHREY
Each year our family has an Advent tradition of miraculous prayer. It’s my hope that as we read through the story of Jesus and His supernatural creation and birth that we would also pray inside that authority to see miracles flourish in ourselves, in our family, and in the world. Typically we’ve collected prayer requests from our STELLAR DAY MAGAZINE | 13
friends and family, and we’ve added these requests as notes on our living room wall. Each night, we would choose a request, sickness, or need, and we would purposely add our faith to the faith of the requester, and then ask God to move in our midst. It’s been seven years of these beautiful prayers. It’s
WHILE THIS SEASON CAN BE FILLED WITH STRESS, BUSINESS, AND MANY OBLIGATIONS, IT’S MY HOPE THAT WE WOULD ALSO MAKE ROOM FOR THE STILLNESS.
been seven years of some remarkable miracles, a few that were immediate and others that were not. It’s also been seven years for some in which we still wait, not giving up, but still asking God for the patience and also the wisdom to continue to pray.. Advent is a time of rebirth. As we wait for the arrival of Jesus, we learn how to walk in peace and humility, and we also learn the art of supernatural rest. While this season can be filled with stress, business, and many obligations, it’s my hope that we would also make room for the stillness, for His presence, and for His divine healing. It’s in both the silence of the heart and also in the joy of the festivities that we come into alignment with the Holy Spirit and can then flourish in response. He is peace, and love, and joy! And this is exactly what Christmas is about. As our family started to embark on this tradition of Advent prayer this year, we wanted to keep our spirits alive. And so this season, we
designed a book with 30 daily blessings that we will pray out loud, each day, as a family. Instead of taking prayer requests, we ask that you purchase the book of blessings and read them alongside us. By doing this, we can then grow our capacity for community prayer and also donate the proceeds to the Salvation Army. We hope that our simple family tradition will grow into a beautiful offering of worship as we celebrate this season. We would love for you to join us! If you would like to receive a copy of the daily blessings, you can purchase “Simple Supernatural: Living Life Aligned to the Holy Spirit” on Amazon. We will start reading the blessings together on December 3rd, and we will finish just past New Year’s Day (though you can read them personally at any time!). You can track with us by following along on Instagram at @shumpdee. We would love for you to join us! And we look forward to flourishing in the birth of Jesus together!
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TAHT
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RUOY
ROF
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STELLAR DAY MAGAZINE | 16
not a plant lady BY SARAH COSTA
So, I have this plant. It’s a bit of a problem.
When we got home, I placed it in the “perfect
I’m not a plant lady. I’m basically a black-
spot” with excitement under our clock by the
thumb. I have great intentions; I really do! I
door. A place that didn’t get too much light,
water them, try to give them sunshine, and try
and I scheduled in my week when I would water
not to over water them. Not only do I find
it. It looked so beautiful!! (Also, I should
them beautiful as God’s creation, but I think
point out, I’m not great at interior design, so
it’s such a great idea to grow your own
even thinking to have a plant in my house is a
produce, be able to have cleaner air in your
MAJOR decision.)
home. However, I just end up killing them. All of them.
Two weeks. That’s all it took for my plant to start turning brown. What was wrong?! I was
We moved to a new house in June, and in the
following the directions, watering it according
excitement of decorating, I saw this beautiful
to schedule. I moved it to a different corner
plant at Ikea. I thought it was fake, so I put it
that got a little more sunshine. Still, it didn’t
in the cart because fake plants are my jam. I
perk up. I placed it outside for two weeks
keep those alive just fine. But, when we got to
because, it’s nature. I figured if it was out in
check out my hubs realized and pointed out,
nature, it would correct itself because it was
this is a real plant. Do you really want it? Are
where God really intended it to be. It did not.
you going to keep it alive? But CAN you even keep it alive?? There was a tag with care
Meanwhile, I also have this awesome friend.
instructions, I read it and it seemed fairly
I knew she loved her animals but didn’t realize
simple, a low-maintenance plant. I assured
she loved plants as well. One day when she
him I would be able to do this. It seemed so
was visiting, she gave me some tips: trim the
simple.
brown leaves, try some filtered water, and
don’t water it as much. So, I
know how to care for it and
gave my 3 year old the fun job
asking it not to die. Yes. I’m
of trimming the leaves (she
THAT lady now. It’s ok because
loves to use her safety scissors
you know what? My plant has
on EVERYTHING, so this was
perked up and is actually
perfect), and I watered it with
growing again. Go ahead and
my filtered water only when I
laugh. I laugh at myself, too.
remembered it. And the plant stopped turning brown!! It was
But what really gets me
amazing to me. Basically, the
laughing, is that now, I’ll be
first time I’ve ever turned my
doing something and hear my
gardening skills positive.
toddler in the next room: “You’re such a sweet plant! I
Well, fast forward a few
love you little planty!” And I’m
months, and my plant is still
100% happy with it. In fact, my
green, but some of the brown is
heart pretty much explodes
starting to creep back. “Ahhh!
because I see her little heart
What am I doing wrong?” I
pouring love out, too. And the
wondered. Until one day a
joy levels in our house have
home energy salesman knocked
gone up.
on my door, and middle of one of the longest conversations
There’s so much negativity in
ever, he mentioned the love
the world. It’s all around us,
project and how plants respond
everywhere we look. Even our
to energy just like our souls do.
own thoughts and attitudes
When we speak with love we
toward things have a negative-
create that energy and send it
bent, almost automatically.
out of ourselves. There is a
But our Creator is perfect
test that shows a plant hooked
love. He showers us with His
up to a lie detector and the
love and pours it into ALL of
plant “remembers” the people
His Creation. Love begets love.
that intended it harm by
The more love we find in him,
breaking it’s leaves. What?!
the more we pass it on to
Ok, confession, I didn’t
others, and in turn, they pass it
actually do my research on this,
on to who they know. It
but I decided to give it a try.
flourishes when it comes from Him, even with our plants,
“What are you doing, Mommy?”
because we are His, and so is
my 3 year old asks me the next
my little plant.
morning because, yes, I was kneeling down beside the plant, telling it we love it, thanking it for cleaning our air, asking for forgiveness because I don’t
STELLAR DAY MAGAZINE |Â 18
Mexican Wedding Cookies BY CHRISTINE CRAM
I love this time of year. The weather is cooler, the smells are nostalgic. I always love to be in the kitchen with my daughter, but there is something special about baking cookies for Christmas together. I wanted to share with you all one of my absolute favorite Christmas cookie recipes. I grew up loving these and I hope you will enjoy making them with your loved ones.Â
Here is what you will need: 1 cup of softened butter 1/2 cup of powdered sugar 1 teaspoon of vanilla 2 cups of flour (you can use all purpose or whole wheat and you can’t tell the difference) 1 cup finely chopped pecans 1/4-1/2 cup extra powdered sugar for rolling cookies
There is something special about baking Christmas cookies together.
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. Cream butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, vanilla together until fluffy. 3. Add the flour slowly and when all combined add the finely chopped pecans. 4. Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and bake for 12-14 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden brown. 5. Cool on a rack for several minutes and then roll the cooked cookies into the extra 1/4-1/2 cup powdered sugar. Enjoy and have a very Merry Christmas!
Creamy Vegan Soup Even Meat Lovers Will Enjoy! BY JENNIFER STAMPS I’ve been trying to treat my body holistically. From happy thoughts, to doing things I enjoy for me (like taking photographs with mid-century film cameras), to diffusing essential oils, to eating whole foods. I know…so hippie-dippy. But it’s been a process and I love how I feel these days. I’ve been in tune with how certain smells and foods make me feel and either incorporating more of them, or less of them, depending on the feeling. I noticed that when I eat meat, I don’t usually feel good afterwards. So I’ve tried to broaden my horizon, eat less animal protein, and more fruits and veggies. I hate labels, so I’m not a vegan. I’m not even a vegetarian. I eat fish. I like cheese on occasion. But we don’t cook meat in the home anymore. And I’ve been trying different recipes with other forms of protein. I’ve made this soup twice now and love it. Of course, if you REALLY want meat, you could probably add chicken or even ham. But it doesn’t need it. It will fill you up and keep you warm as we start heading into cooler temperatures!
STELLAR DAY MAGAZINE | 20
19
Ingredients 1 cauliflower head 1 bunch of kale 2 cans of white beans (without juice and rinsed) 32 oz of vegetable broth 2 potatoes
It will fill you up and keep you warm as we start heading into cooler temperatures!
4 cloves of garlic
½ white onion
6. Pour vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
Salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon olive oil
7. Once potatoes are cooked, add beans and cauliflower.
Directions 1. Turn on your broiler.
8. Let soup simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Chop cauliflower in florets. Toss with oil and salt
9. Give the soup 5-7 good mashes with a potato
and pepper. Roast until crispy. Set aside.
masher to thicken the broth and make it “creamy.” Just before you serve the soup, add chopped kale and
3. In a large soup pot, sauté garlic and onions in oil.
let it wilt for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add salt and pepper.
10. Enjoy with your favorite rustic roll or crackers! And yes, you can totally get seconds!
5. Peel and cube potatoes. Add potatoes to pot.
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STELLAR DAY MAGAZINE | 26
INTERVIEW WITH
Jenny Smith BY JESSICA WILLIAMS You know when you meet someone and you just know that they are going to be a part of your life in someway for a long time? After I spent a little bit of time with Jenny, I knew we were kindred spirits. Friends like that can be rare, so I feel very blessed to be sharing about this awesome woman this month. I met her through an amazing company that we both have partnered with and while she is in Utah and I'm in Arizona, we get to see each other almost monthly. She is a wife, a mother, an incredible business owner and a true inspiration to me anytime I am with her. If you ever get the chance to meet her, you'll know exactly what I mean. So let's dive right in! I'm so thankful to her for sharing a little bit about her life, her family and who she is! 1. Hi Jenny!! Thank you so much for allowing us to share this interview! Tell us a little about who you are, where you live, your family, and what you do! A: Hi! Thank you so much for having me! I am a wife
and a mom to three (Archie-4, Jade-2, and Miles-5 months) two boys and a girl. We live in St. George, Utah where my husband works as an attorney. I graduated from Brigham Young University in 2009 and became a Master Aesthetician in 2010. I now work from home as a Nu Skin Distributor. 2. How long have you been married and tell us a little bit about your husband. A: We have been married just over eight years. My husband is my better half. He is the most patient, loving man and the best dad to our kids. we’ve known each other for 17 years, growing up just down the street from one another. Although we went to high school together, it wasn’t until after our LDS church missions that we started dating. His mom was my youth leader growing up and my mom worked closely with his dad so we joke that our marriage was arranged by our parents. Once we started dating, we were married a short 4.5 months later (dated for 2, engaged for 2.5). 3. Oh that's so funny!! I love that! What is something about marriage that surprised you?
A: Marriage brought a lot of surprises, not necessarily bad...just surprising. My husband comes from a very jovial family. All five of his siblings spoke at our wedding luncheon and his three brothers touched on all of his unique quirks...he has more than the average person. I remember thinking they were probably just exaggerating to put on a show. I couldn’t have been more wrong. If anything, they were under exaggerating. Nothing could have prepared me for the weird quirks of my future husband. Some of those I have grown to love about him over the years and others still drive me crazy! 4. Totally! I get that, for sure. The family that you guys have together is just too cute! What is something about motherhood that reminds you to slow down and enjoy it? A: The days are long but the years fly by so I do my best to live in the moment. Landon and I struggled to start our family so I feel like that experience has helped me to cherish every moment with them. I truly feel an immense amount of love and gratitude for them each and every day. Not every single moment of every day because parenting can be tough but I thank Heavenly Father for them in my prayers each day. I feel so blessed to be their mom. I think we all have those wise elderly people tell us to enjoy it because
it goes so fast. I take that to heart. I don’t want to miss a thing.
us a little bit about your work, and what you are most passionate about in it.
5. I completely agree. It is hard to do since motherhood can have it's tough days, but I think that's an amazing perspective. What is a piece of encouragement that you would give to a new mom just beginning her journey?
A: My work offers people a unique opportunity to change their lives. Life is to be enjoyed, not stressed over. I help those who are wanting to change the trajectory of their lives, those that want more. Without a doubt, the most rewarding part of what I do is the relationships I’ve built with others in the process as well as helping them to not just live life but to enjoy it!
A: The first baby can be stressful because it’s all new and you’re learning together so my advice would be to do your best not to worry or stress (babies are resilient and they will be just fine) and just ENJOY every moment of being a new mom to that sweet little baby straight from heaven. 6. Can you tell us one area that you feel like you are really flourishing in right now? A: Pushing myself to do more and be more. I find myself doing things I swore I would never do. As a result, I’ve experienced immense self-growth that I’m not sure could be achieved any other way. You’ll never know what you are capable of unless you set goals and challenge yourself. 7. I love that! It's really fun to be a small part of it all with you and to watch you achieve your goals. Tell
8. Incredible! Who has impacted your life the most? A: My mom. I love both of my parents but I’m a total mama’s girl. My mom is an absolute blast to be around. She lives in the moment and is always the life of the party. We have so much fun together. She has always been there for me and is the greatest example of service; always serving those around her, especially her family. The world is a better place because she’s in it. I owe her everything. 9. Wow. What a blessing that you have her! What is something simple you to every day that brings you a lot of joy? A: Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a
mom and now I get to live that dream every day. I LOVE spending time with my kids. It doesn’t matter what we are doing, I love seeing their personalities shine through. Life through the eyes of a child is the perspective I wish we all could have. I love observing that in my own children. There is a lot we as adults can learn through the purity and innocence of children. Mine teach me more each day than I could ever hope to teach them. 10. I love that. You are an amazing mom! In five years, where do you hope to be? (if you can share!)
A: Without going too in depth (my goals are very specific and detailed), in five years we hope to complete our family. We still want one or two more children. It’s an exciting thought to think that we’ll know all of our children in five years. We also hope to be debt free (we have lots of student loans from my husbands’ degrees). I want to be in a spot financially that my husband can join me in working from home. In five years, I also hope to have achieved Team Elite status (the highest pin title in our company) and as a result, achieve financial freedom and freedom of time to live life to the fullest and help others do the same.
STELLAR DAY MAGAZINE | 30
HOW I WENT FROM LOVING MY JOB TO HATING IT… AND BACK TO LOVING IT AGAIN
By Jenna Hardina
I was one of the lucky ones. I took a class in supply chain management as a sophomore in college and I immediately declared it as my major. It was interesting, it totally synced up with my personality (hello, type A), and it offered tons of different career paths all under one umbrella. A year later I landed a great
The next ten months went really well. I picked up right where I had left off and really dedicated myself to learning everything there was to know in this job. I was able to share insights from my other rotations and my selfconfidence started to soar. I was on top of the world.
lucky and a very hard worker.
My manager took notice of my hard work and presented me with an opportunity to expand my scope. I was so excited to take on more responsibilities and have a bigger impact within the group. I had limited time to train but I figured that if I really applied myself I could learn as I went. Like I said, I was on top the world… until I wasn’t.
Those first two years were challenging but offered a really unique opportunity to explore what I liked and disliked in a job role. I figured out what types of work I enjoyed, what motivated me to work harder and what type of manager I thrived under. After completing the rotation program, I chose to return to the group that I worked with for my first rotation. I really liked the job and I also liked the people which I realized was just as important.
The training period was rough. Whenever I tried to apply the learnings on my own I would encounter some sort of nuance that wasn’t covered in the training. I kept telling myself that I just needed a little bit more time or a little bit more practice. My training was almost complete and started to feel really overwhelmed. I didn’t know what to do. Tons of negative thoughts started to creep in. If I asked for help, would that mean that I failed? My manager trusted me with these extra
summer internship that led to my dream job after graduation – a rotation program. I would complete four six-month rotations in the supply chain division and then choose which one was the best fit for me. Lucky, right? Well,
responsibilities so I should be able to handle it, right? The next few weeks were a blur. I would work late, drive home in tears, get a terrible night of sleep, and wake up to do it all over again. I was incredibly stressed, I was getting really frustrated, and it started to show. My manager set up a phone call with me and very delicately asked me if everything was okay. I immediately burst into tears. Then I felt so embarrassed that I was crying that I started to cry even harder. My manager told me that she didn’t feel like my heart was in it anymore. She was right. I dreaded coming to work. My job didn’t give me a sense of pride or accomplishment anymore; it gave me a feeling of guilt and shame. I finally confessed that I was having a really hard time. We had an honest conversation about why I was feeling this way, and a lot of revolved around a lack of training. I finally started to realize that it was less about my inadequacies and more about not being set up for success.
When the discussion turned to what I could have done differently I was shocked to hear that her biggest grievance was my lack of communication. I told her that I was scared to ask for help because I didn’t want to admit (to her or to myself) that I couldn’t do it. I thought that asking for help would mean that I wasn’t ready for the new scope. I learned that it was actually quite the opposite - knowing when to ask for help is a sign of maturity. Looking back, I’m grateful for this experience. Women are constantly bombarded with advice on how to prove ourselves in the workplace. Most of this advice focuses on how we must establish strength. I thought that this meant that we aren’t allowed to ask for help. I was wrong – that doesn’t show strength. Self-awareness demonstrates strength. Communication demonstrates strength. Crying in the office demonstrates… well, that you’re human. Show yourself grace when you make mistakes. Learn that strength is not the absence of weakness and you’ll feel like one of the lucky ones too.
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World Changer BY ACACIA STATZER
Do you ever start to watch the news but end up
among people, violence, illness, poverty, and death,
turning it off because it’s too emotionally draining?
the more overwhelmed we become because we feel
Or scroll through Facebook feeds and see various
helpless. You start thinking to yourself, “If only there
articles about people experiencing violence,
were something I could do, but what?”
hardships, and heart ache? Oh my, it’s a lot for the heart to handle. There are so many heavy issues
I think there IS something we can do. I think there is
going on in the world today and even in our own
always something we can do to help others, it could
personal circle that can really cause the heart to
be outstretched to the corners of this world or be as
sink. I would say, that if it’s a struggle to read
close as our home base. The important thing is that
through some of those grueling news stories and
we don’t stand idly by thinking there’s no way to
hear the hurts and cries of this world, then be
help. There is always something we can do to help
grateful for that aching feeling that pulls at your
others as long as we choose to step outside of our
heartstrings, because that shows sincere
“auto pilot mode” of taking care of self and personal
compassion and a tender disposition towards
needs and choosing to look beyond ourselves and
humankind, our fellow brothers and sisters. I think in
recognize the needs of others. It simply starts with a
some cases when bad news becomes “the norm” it’s
little compassion, selflessness, and wanting to see
easy to become desensitized to the pain, especially
others flourish.
if it is not directly affecting you or your family. I also think there are people who choose to not let all the
What does it look like to see others flourish? I think if
sorrow-filled stories affect them, because they rather
we could all just take even a few short minutes in
spare themselves from the oppressive thoughts. The
our day, to speak a word of encouragement to
more we hear day in and day out about the division
someone, a word of truth about who they are, that
"I THINK THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING WE CAN DO TO HELP OTHERS, IT COULD BE OUTSTRETCHED TO THE CORNERS OF THIS WORLD OR BE AS CLOSE AS OUR HOME BASE."
simple act in itself will perpetuate a person to flourish. There are people all around us wearing masks to hide their pain, there are people out there with wounds and insecurities so deep we couldn’t begin to understand. I think to see others flourish is to make them feel loved, heard, and seen. I think to see others flourish is to be the wind at their back, their support. I think to see others flourish starts with us.
Robert Louis Stevenson
I personally think encouraging others naturally encourages us. Now, I know you may be thinking to yourself, “I’m just one person, the people are many.” You don’t always have to look at the big picture, even though we’d all like to be Wonder Woman. Do not let your fears stifle you from speaking words of life to those who have been waiting for an uplifting voice in their life. One person can make an imprint on a life forever. Corrie Ten Boom was one person who stepped out in courage to lift others up even as she was under severe tribulation herself. She stayed positive and held onto hope in the midst of a horribly dark time and she encouraged others to have hope as well. Mother Teresa was another humble individual, who we still quote today because she desired to see the emotionally, physically, and spiritually hurting, flourish. She was willing to create time to help other’s see their potential. Don’t become so discouraged or overwhelmed by the sin in this world that you give up or do nothing. It only takes one person to start a domino effect of encouragement in a world so desperately in need of it. The simple act of encouragement WILL start a process of healing. You and those around you will flourish because you took the time to speak light into the darkness. You. Are. A. World. Changer.
STELLAR DAY MAGAZINE | 34
CLEAN-UP PROJECTS BY MARIA DERMINIO The word “flourish” is a verb meaning to be in a vigorous state, to thrive, to be in one’s prime, to grow luxuriantly. My heart’s desire is to flourish in all areas of life: physical, mental, intellectual, and emotional. However, the Lord is showing me that to thrive, I must first clean up some messes. And cleaning up is hard work. As wives and mothers, it seems we are always cleaning up bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and clutter. Those areas of the home need continual attention or they become overwhelming. Relationships are the same way. They need continual attention or they can easily become messy, especially in times of conflict. Cleaning up the emotional messes I have made starts with searching my heart and acknowledging areas that I haven’t handled the right way. For me, problems occur when I have a sharp response, critical attitude, want my way, or lack self-control. My tongue gets me in lots of trouble and I hurt those I love. Then the Lord reminds me to confess my wrongs. I apologize and ask for forgiveness to those I have intentionally or unintentionally hurt.
In my family, we work on saying what we are apologizing for, “I was wrong for __________. Will you forgive me?” not just a simple “I am sorry.” This is a humbling exercise, but I have found it is easier to deal with my mistakes quickly instead of denying or ignoring the messes I have made. The results are a clear conscience before the Lord and restoration with those I have offended. Another area I need to work on before I can flourish is to forgive those who have offended me. This is a hard process especially if the offender doesn’t realize their offense. In the Bible, I am told to “forgive and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37), and to “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other” (Ephesians 4:32). I have experienced many benefits by forgiving others. First, I learn to look at the situation from the other person’s viewpoint. Atticus Finch, the wise father in To Kill a Mockingbird, is a great role model
for this. During a family conflict one of my sons said to me, “Look at it like Atticus would and Finch it, Mom.” His expression has become a motto between the two of us and a great tool for dealing with conflict and forgiveness. Another lesson I have learned is to pray through the situation and trust that God has something to teach me. Romans 5:34 assures me that suffering produces endurance, perseverance, character, and hope. The final lesson I learn by forgiving others is bitterness dissolves. Sometimes the hurt and memory remain, but the ugly root of bitterness is plucked out before it grows and permeates my soul. Addressing clean-up projects is hard work, but when completed, I am able to move forward in my relationships. If I strive to “make every effort to live in peace with all” (Hebrews 12:14), then I will flourish.
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flourish BY RACHEL SCHROEDER
I’m so thankful for this magazine. I love it so deeply and every year I think about what a gift it has been in my life. Since its beginning, I felt in my spirit that these writers, these pages, this thing that happens each month, is a treasure. I see a legacy of women reading it and finding life here. I see the transparent vulnerability within each issue, and it astounds me. I see the timeliness of each issue - the perfect theme coming together for just that moment every month, and I also see that the words these brave women share are forever. The moms who write have children who will one day read their mother’s words and know exactly what was happening in her heart. They will see her journey because she was brave enough to share it in written form. What a gift for them! As a daughter, I love to read my mom’s words, and I am so excited to see her submissions within these pages. I see the story of a magazine that needed to exist and so it did, and it is flourishing with life. There’s room for any and every woman here, and she is invited and wanted and I hope she feels represented. I know that is the heart of this magazine. So every year as I count up reasons for gratitude, this magazine is a major one. This year, though, it changed my life. It brought me a chance to explore my own heart in writing. Words that maybe I held too tightly or maybe I just thought no one else needed, have made their way into these pages. I’m so honored to be among these brave writing women. Thoughts that swirled around inside my head have had a chance to breathe more freely since I shared them. Most of all, a community of people I’ve admired and loved from reading their words has become my very own tribe of dear friends. I realized this year that every once in awhile, the people you most admire and love feel just might actually feel the same way about you. It feels like flourishing, like an over the top, perfect gift; especially for someone who struggles to see her own value. It feels like a miracle to belong.
STELLAR DAY MAGAZINE | 37
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Jessica Williams, Editor in Chief Jennifer Stamps, Associate Editor Nicole Thompson, Publicity Sarah Humphrey, Creative Consultant
Contributing Writers In This Issue Acacia Statzer Christine Cram Esther Gallagher Jennifer Stamps Jenna Hardina Jenny Smith Jessica Williams Maria Derminio Rachel Schroeder Rebecca Ivie Anderson Sarah Costa Sarah Humphrey
Special Thanks AFC Chiropractic Dani Homemaker Honeybook Jay & Jess Photography Jenny Smith Nine Retreat Nu Skin Sarah Costa, Beachbody Coach Stamps & Co.
EDITORIAL OFFICES Located in sunny Scottsdale, AZ Stellar Day Magazine is published by Issuu and created in Canva. www.stellardaymagazine.com
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Dani Homemaker Young Living Consultant
EDITOR'S NOTE Flourishing isn't always easy. The journey to being successful, thriving, prospering is often laden with a hundred stories of defeat, grueling work, heartache, and sometimes even loss. We rise from our defeats and we thrive even though it can be hard. When I started SDM, I was in the hardest season of my entire life. But I saw that there could be beauty from the ashes and heard the Lord ask me to take small steps inside my despair and heard him promise that He would use it for His good. That HE would cause it to flourish. You might not feel like you're at the top of your game right now. You might feel like you're never going to get ahead, lost, alone, hopeless. But let me encourage you one last time within these pages and in 2017 and say this: God can use any of your suffering and grow you through it for His glory. And He WILL if you let Him. He will allow you to Flourish like a tulip bursting from underneath a heavy snowstorm. One that pushes through to reach the light simply because it knows that it's there. Thriving and flourishing isn't always easy. But if you push through your pain, your hurt and your loss, there will be beauty on the other side. God won't allow this to be for nothing. His purpose is always to flourish and to grow us in the process. Jessica Williams Editor-in-chief