Hello there and welcome to the month of November!

I can not believe we are in the 2nd month of the 4th quarter of the year! Yeah I know too many numbers lol. I love this month because it houses my favorite holiday!

Yes, you guessed it...I LOVE THANKSGIVING!!

So today I want to do something a little different. I want to share something with you.

Normally I am wearing an apron and I'm covered in buttercream, flour, and powdered sugar. But not in the picture taken above. My husband took this photo of me on October 7th of this year. We were at a good friend's wedding, waiting for the reception to start. This photo is very special to me for a few reasons.

My friend finally found her perfect match, I am wearing my absolute favorite color in the world, I am with my favorite person, and I am just feeling confident overall. I wasn't always able to look at photos and feel this way about myself. I would critique everything about it and would ultimately not post or share it. That has changed. I have changed.

But this didn't happen right away.

I used to feel like a failure all the time. I did not have someone pushing me to be my best or to not give up when things did not work out. I was not living at my full potential at all. I was just existing. I was just muddling through each year and just doing what I thought I needed to do to look successful.

Prior to this, I had started and quit college several times. I also failed Biology 4 times before I finally gave up lol. (I took Physics and passed it the first time.) I wasted a lot of time, because I had no motivation to really be successful. I watched people who went to school after me, do 4 years and start their careers, while I felt stuck working. I mean I had really great jobs, but that just what they were...Jobs. They were not my dream nor were they even remotely close to what I was supposed to be doing.

I had to do something different. I was at the end of my 20s and God was continually impressing upon my heart to begin my process. But I couldn't move, I kept trying things but I kept failing at them. One day I finally decided enough was enough. I gave myself a goal and stuck with it finally. Now don't misunderstand me, I wasn't doing any of this to look successful anymore. I was finally doing it to break the cycle of not finishing something. So this is what I did.......

1) I finished my degree (I only had 7 classes left anyways lol),

2) I published my first book,

3) And then I turned 30!!! My 30th birthday cake!! Yum!

(I forgot to add that I had my first child during all of this....hence the pacifier on the right of the cake).

So what happened? Why did I finally stop quitting?

Somewhere between getting married, having children, and starting this business, I have grown up. I am no longer the impressionable young woman I was when my journey started. I have become a woman who truly loves the Lord and wants only what His will is for my life. I have become a woman who understands that her purpose in life is to inspire others. Whether it is through baking for you, speaking to a group, or just being a sincere friend to someone, it is my purpose. It could be a kind word to you out in public or just saying thank you, even though you are doing your job.

So whether we are family, life long friends, or passing acquaintances, I hope that we together will learn from some of my past mistakes. Don't give up on whatever you are dreaming about. Go for it no matter your age.

Until next time...Bake something special today!

Jeaketa Manga

Don't Give Up

Jeaketa Manga

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