Thank you for spending time with us here today, Jessica. Welcome!
Can you tell Pen & Prosper readers a little about who you are and your professional background?
I’m Jessica. I’m originally from New Jersey, where I have lived for most of my life. I am presently a Mississippi resident of 13 years. I have two cats whom I adore and consider my kids. In my spare time, I love going to the beach, shopping for clothes, and listening to music. I enjoy watching DVD movies of some of my favorite comedians and getting a good laugh from them. The bible says, “Laughter is like a medicine.” So whenever, I can get a good laugh to brighten my day or make others laugh with a joke of my own, I enjoy doing so. I also enjoy attending concerts of some of my favorite recording artists and am always thrilled to see them perform live.
My professional background: I’m a certified holistic health and nutrition coach and certified literacy tutor. I am currently tutoring in reading for kids. I help them learn about phonemes, letter sounds and reading comprehension. I love getting the opportunity to interact with the students daily. It always makes my day to see them smile.
Have you always considered yourself a writer, or did you “become” a writer in order to share your important message with others through your book?
I’ve always loved to write compositions for other people, but never considered myself a “professional writer.” I never considered writing something I was proficient enough at to do on a professional level. I was fine with just pursuing writing as a hobby. But my parents, my grandparents, and my extended family always raved about “how good my writing was.” My presently deceased maternal grandmother always made the comment, “You should’ve been a writer, Jessica.”
In my youth and even today, I enjoy writing letters of gratitude to people in my family, as well as to people I admire as an expression of appreciation. I would see their reactions of tears and awe at how I was able to construct what I wrote to them in an impactful, passionate way.
Up until writing my book, I never wrote anything as a profession or as a career. I became a professional writer via sharing my story with others through my book.
What inspired you to pen “32nd Notes to Salvation--always seen, harmoniously loved, and eternally forgiven”?
I was inspired to write this book to share my story with others who may have endured similar struggles to mine. I want others to know they’re not alone with battles they may be facing and God is always with them.
I also wrote this book to give myself the closure I never felt like I received with many trials I went through. I wanted to give myself a sense of peace through writing this book. I thought to myself, “Maybe if I write about my life experiences in a book, like I have done in other forms so many times before, I’ll be able to let a lot of things go."
So, what’s the meaning behind the title? It's very interesting.
The meaning behind my book’s title is about musical salvation and God’s timing. Musically, a 32nd note is the fastest note in value out of all the music note types (a quarter note, half note, whole note, etc.).
Hence, I began thinking about holy salvation and religious music saving someone from a hardship as it relates to questions such as, “Why do loved ones die too soon?” “How quickly do I want God to save me with His Word in a melody from what I’m going through?” “Am I afraid of the time I’ll miss?” Will God grant me enough time to see all I want to before I leave here?”
Also, there are many battles I went through in my life, after which I received many controversial opinions of others. I received opinions from others that related to:
whether or not I should have been forgiven after something I went through, how much grace others felt like I should have received, and whether or not I should still be just as loved after something happened to me.
I wanted to let others know with my book title that:
no matter what your past, you are always seen, you are never forgotten by God, and you are peacefully (harmoniously loved). I want to tell people: don’t ever hold yourself in indefinite or permanent bondage because of something you may have done in your past! Even if no one else forgives you, God loves you unconditionally and He will always give you grace!
What do you hope readers will take away from reading 32nd Notes to Salvation?
I hope readers take away to be patient with both yourself and God. God has a certain timing planned for you. If you trust in His timing, he will lead you in the right direction.
I also want others to know music has the power to heal just as much if not more than reading the Word. I can speak for myself by saying religious and Gospel music has literally saved my life. I want readers to know, “Don’t be afraid to let God’s scripture in a melody do the same for you.”
Name two of your favorite Gospel singers.
Two of my favorite Gospel singers...that’s really hard because I have so many favorite Gospel singers to narrow it down. But two of my favorites are Mathew West and CeCe Winans.
(You've got good taste, Jessica. I love CeCe Winans, too).
As a Holistic Health Coach, can you explain a little about what you do for your clients?
As a health coach, what I do for my clients is, as I said, I currently help kids learn how to read. I believe fostering their literacy skills enriches their mind as well as their physical health.
I also focus on nutrition as a health coach. Having been diagnosed as gluten intolerant in my youth, now as a young adult, I am presently very passionate when educating others about what the gluten-free diet consists of. I love educating others about what foods contain gluten versus what foods are naturally gluten-free. I also love helping others construct meal plans and giving them spiritual/musical ways to live healthier lifestyles similar to my own.
Has the pandemic changed the nature of your services or the methodology?
The pandemic changed the nature of my services to doing everything online. I’m very much a “people-person.” So, adjusting to virtual interaction to offer services brought initial challenges for me. I had to become acclimated to regular email and or phone exchanges back and forth versus in-person health evaluation consultations.
My methodology changed with promotion of my services. I’m very much an “in-person promoter” with telling people about my services. All of a sudden, because of the pandemic, I had to get used to creating recorded videos which advertised what I do. I had to construct a website and create social media posts to promote my brand...things like that.
Many people are struggling to implement lifestyle changes as a result of New Year’s resolutions made earlier in 2023. What piece of advice can you share to help them move forward and maintain momentum?
A piece of advice I can share to help people move forward and maintain momentum is: walk through your struggles. Scripture states, “This is how you walk on water, one foot in front of the other.” I would tell a person to take on their struggles one small step at a time.
I would also tell people there are options out there and to not limit yourself. There are support groups you can become involved with who will understand your “new normal” without judgment. There are resources out there and there is hope.
To manage these stressful times in which we live, many are turning to Meditation Apps. I’m always seeing a commercial on TV or an Ad on my phone for downloads. Do you recommend them, and if so, what’s your favorite?
I’m not much of an app person. So, I don’t really have any meditation apps to recommend. However, I wouldn’t let my opinion discourage someone from looking for a meditation app if that’s something they’re interested in.
I applaud the way that you have been able to turn your various physical, medical and emotional challenges into learning experiences and personal victories. To what do you attribute this?
Thank you. I don’t know exactly what I attribute to my resilience with all of my challenges. I think prayer and looking to others for spiritual encouragement has helped me. When it comes to my physical and emotional challenges, I’ve been able to persevere because I don’t let any of my challenges just completely and utterly stop me. I’ve always been a firm believer in saying to both myself and others, “Your illness will only reach a point of deterioration to the degree which you allow.” So, I think mentally telling yourself, “I’m not going to let this thing defeat me” is always a way you can provide yourself the strength you need to keep going. Having that daily mantra that you say to yourself over and over again is helpful.
I think I’ve been able to also persevere and come out on the other side because I’ve had people in my life who have achieved greater success than me; who have given me something to work toward. I think having that person who you look up to and say, “I want to follow their example” or “I want to overcome a battle they faced with what they used to pull them through” is always a positive motivator for myself.
What’s your next project for 2023-2024?
My next project for 2023-2024 is writing another book, though I haven’t decided yet what exactly it will be about. I have some ideas about maybe writing a gluten-free recipe book mixed with education about how to live a healthy, happy gluten-free lifestyle. However, this is still very much just an idea. Nothing has actually been created yet.
How can we learn more about your coaching services?
You can learn more about my coaching services via email communication and I would love to offer you resources. My email address is: onyourteausforglutenwellness@gmail.com
Again, thanks so much for sharing your story here, Jessica!
Thoughts, readers?
Image credits: Pixabay.com
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