Some may think this post is long overdue. But in reality, I was simply waiting for the right timing to share what's been on my heart. You see, God’s timing is sometimes different than ours. He truly did place it on my heart to wait on Him when it came to sharing this news. So with my heart fully depending on Him, I have some great things to share about the future of Dashing Dish!

In case you are new to Dashing Dish or you haven’t had a chance to read my story, let me begin by telling you a little bit about my testimony because that’s where this journey truly began.

The part of my journey that I am going to share with you today began when I was about 14 years old. Young and naive, I received a series of lies about my body and believed them as truth, which led me down a road of disordered thinking about food and my body. This eventually turned into disordered eating that took on many forms over the years. Over the next 10 years my weight fluctuated, but my weight was simply a reflection of what was taking place deep inside my heart.

After many unsuccessful attempts to find this freedom on my own, I knew that the only way was with Christ. God was the only one who could change the issues that were taking place on the inside of me, which is where the healing had to begin. I made the choice to once and for all surrender every area of my life over to Him, and as I did, He transformed me in a way that only He could. Not only did He build me up spiritually, but He gave me the wisdom on how to take care of my body physically as well.

My healing took place one day at a time as I would spend countless hours in the kitchen cooking, while listening to sermons on tape. While renewing my mind with the Word of God, I started creating recipes that I had previously enjoyed in a new and healthy way. As God revealed His perfect love for me, I started to mend on the inside.

Where there were once walls built up, He stripped them down, layer by layer. Where there was once brokenness, He put me back together piece by piece. Eventually, this transformation that was taking place on the inside started to show on the outside. As I started to eat healthy and treat my body right, I found that my weight settled naturally at the place that God designed my body to be.

During this time in my life I was also attending nursing school full time to pursue my lifelong passion of becoming a Labor and Delivery nurse. After graduating from nursing school I got married and much to my surprise, I got hired as a Labor and Delivery nurse shortly after graduating nursing school.

Around the same time that I began my nursing job, my husband convinced me that I should start a website where I could share my healthy recipes. Shortly after, Dashing Dish was born! I started this website with the thought that it was simply going to be a fun website to share with family and friends. 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 to receive 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 (Isaiah 61:3). I came to a place where I knew beyond of shadow of a doubt that this was my calling and it was confirmed to me many times over.

Despite knowing my destiny was awaiting me, I started to have doubts. How could I have spent five long years in nursing school, and have the job of my dreams, and give it all up for something that wasn’t yet even established as a business or ministry!?! I began to wrestle with what my heart was telling me and I second-guessed myself every time I would listen to my head. Although it didn’t make ‘sense’ to me at the time, the Lord began to calm my thoughts with His Word.

I began to realize that what God was calling me to didn’t have to go along with ‘my plans’... I knew that I had to listen to my heart, and trust His plan. I spent many months thinking over my decision, talking to my husband, my parents, and many Godly mentors that I respect. God used every single person to confirm that this was God’s call on my life. It was then that I knew it was time to leave the ‘security’ of my nursing job and to jump full time into the business and ministry that He was calling me to. (On a side note, I believe that nursing is truly one of God’s highest callings. It is one of the ultimate acts of servanthood. I am humbled to have worked with such caring and amazing women while working in L&D).

On August 9, 2011 I decided to step out in obedience. I had made the decision to listen to God. It was one of the hardest decisions I have made {so far} in my life. It still didn’t make sense to my head, and it certainly felt like I was ‘stepping out of the boat’. However, I have found that every time I make the decision to step out in faith,

God never let’s me sink (as long as I keep my eyes on Him). On the day that I left my nursing job, God led me to the passage of scripture in 2 Timothy 4:5-6. It reads, “But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at bringing others to Christ. Complete the ministry God has given you. As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God.” I knew that by making that decision, that I had taken the first step in pursuing the ministry that God has called me to. I made the decision to pour out my life as an offering to God, and how could I not after Jesus gave His life for me!?!

During the ‘transitional’ phase of switching over to Dashing Dish full time, God began to flood my mind with ideas and ways that I could minister to people. Little did I know that God was about to lead me to a project that was far beyond myself. Something that I could have never dreamed up or accomplished on my own.

I have put my heart, soul, and countless prayers into Dashing Dish, and I believe God will use it to encourage others on their journey to health. My greatest desire is that Dashing Dish is a place where people find refreshment, encouragement, and a new way to look at health and beauty through God’s eyes.

I can honestly say that God has surprised me with where He has taken Dashing Dish over the years, so as far as the future goes, who knows what He has in store. All I know is that I am excited to follow His lead and continue to pursue the passion He has put in my heart!

One thing I have learned over the years is that despite all my plans, His timing and plan is always better than ours! For now, my daily goal is to take one step closer to Him everyday, with the hope that as I pursue to His heart, I will reflect it to those around me and bring Him glory along the way!

I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for all of your support, prayers, and encouragement, because without YOU Dashing Dish would not be possible!!! xo Katie