Many of you may know that I started Dashing Dish as a side hobby while working full time as a nurse about 5 years ago. I had fully intended to stay with my career as a labor and delivery nurse for years to come. However, despite all my plans, I soon began to realize that that God had something different for my life than what I had in mind.

About six months after starting Dashing Dish, I started receiving hundreds of e-mails from women of all ages, from all around the world. Whether it was about losing unwanted weight or finding freedom in the areas of eating disorders, each woman had their own story.

I started to realize the great responsibility that God had given me with this website and that it was meant to share much more than recipes. I felt the Lord prompting me to share about the freedom and joy that can only be found in Him and to teach women how to find their true beauty in exchange for the ashes of their life.

After almost one year of praying and seeking the Lord, I made the decision to leave my full time nursing job to pursue the ministry and business that God has been birthing in my heart through Dashing Dish! It has been such a blessing doing what God has called me to do, and I am truly so excited to wake up each and every day!

Finding Your Destiny

Finding your destiny will probably look different than my story, but one thing is true for all of us; The bible tells us that God has a plan and destiny for each one of our lives, (Psalm 139:15-16). Another thing that is true for all of us is that finding His plan requires a total dependence and surrender to Him. I believe that this is an ongoing daily process that involves seeking Him with our whole hearts, (Jeremiah 29:12-13).

Another important step to finding and walking out our destiny is renewing our minds with God's Word. Romans 12:2 was a very important verse when it came to finding Gods will for my life, and still is to this day. It says, “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” This verse explains that if we are going to find, follow, and fulfill God's will for our lives, then it starts with being transformed by the renewing of our minds with God's word!

Overcoming Fear

The question that I have been asked the most since starting Dashing Dish is if I had any fears about going into Dashing Dish full time, and sharing my story with the world. In the beginning of my journey, I certainly had fears about stepping out into the unknown, but with each step that I have taken, God's faithfulness has reassured me that I am walking in what He has called me to do. This gives me a great sense of peace and confidence, knowing that He is guiding me each step of the way.

As far as sharing my story goes, I can honestly say that I no longer have fear in this area. It took me some time to break free from any feelings of fear at first…But once I started to learn about how Jesus made me a new creation in Him, I realized that there was nothing to be ashamed of! I now live boldly to declare what the Lord has done for me, because I know that it has the power to set others free!

And that my friends is the very heart of our great God! He so often takes the hardest places of our lives and makes something beautiful that we can share with others so that they can be free!

Stepping Out in Faith

So often people write me, asking me for tips on stepping out in faith, and into their calling...and the very first thing I say is, Be patient, because it takes time! When it comes to walking out our destiny, patience is one of the most vital pieces of the puzzle, yet it can be one of the most difficult. I say that it can be difficult because so often when we want to help others, it is in the areas that we have been personally broken at one time in our lives....And although it is powerful when our pain gives birth to our passion, it can also be a place of great vulnerability if we don't let the Lord fully heal us first.

I remember this very well with my own journey. After years of walking out my healing with Jesus, and renewing my mind to who I am in Him, I finally came to a place where I knew I was ready to share the freedom that I had found in Christ. During this journey (and still to this day) I loved to take walks and talk with the Lord, and I will never forget the walk that I was on when the Lord told me that I would one day minister to thousands of women in the area of disordered eating. I was weeping as He ministered to my heart, telling me that He was going to use the broken places of my life and make them into something beautiful that would bring Him glory.

Moments later, I looked up to see a large tree with countless birds perching on it's branches, and I knew that it was God that brought this tree to my attention.

He began to ask me, Katie, why is it that this tree does not fall over even though it has so many birds landing on it? Knowing that God wanted to teach me something, I paused and answered, Why Father?

He went on to say... It's because before it became a strong tree that could support others, it had to grow deep roots before it even grew up to where people could see it. If this tree was big and strong above ground, but had no roots...it would topple over with the slightest wind or weight applied to it. So it is with you Katie...As you spend time with me, you are growing your roots down deep in my truth. I am preparing you to be a resting place for others to come and find shelter when they are weary.

I will never forget that day, or the lesson that God taught me through it. It took me about 5 years of growing my roots down deep in the Lord before I was able to start this ministry, but I look back, and I wouldn't trade a single day of that preparation time.

Walking in Your Destiny

Aside from preparation time, I believe the most important key to walking out God's plan for us is having a continual reliance on God, and staying grounded in His Word. This dependence for God is discussed in John 15:4, which talks about how we must abide in the vine (God) in order to bear fruit in our lives. This doesn't mean that we have to be perfect before we minister to others, or begin to walk out our calling...because if that were the case no one would ever be used by God! However, we do need to understand the importance of preparation time and abiding in God on a daily basis.

Once you feel that you are ready to start walking in what God has called you to, I would encourage you to take the first step! This first step is often a step of faith, and it may not be done perfectly, (nor will all the steps after that) but this is where God's guidance comes in! I always say that God is better at guiding us than a GPS, and we can be sure that if we get off track that He will be faithful to re-direct us.The important thing is to make Jesus your first priority, knowing that as you do, He will show you the best plan for your life. (Psalm 32:8)

And last but not least, when it comes to walking in your destiny, I strongly suggest that you don't try to do it alone! God's Word encourages us to seek out wise council (Proverbs 15:22), as well as to team up with others! I suggest asking God to connect you with people who can mentor you, and provide you with tools and talents that will further the mission He has placed in your heart. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

God desires to use each one of us to bless, encourage, and minister to others. I pray that this devotional encourages you to choose faith over fear, and to step into (or continue in) the plan He has for you! xo Katie