We Run So They Can Be Free

It's been almost two years since my last blog post. Life has been crazy-awesome. Lots of great things have happened including college degrees, bike rides, a cross-country move, new job, Rose starting school and many trips. But what I really want to write about is what's happening RIGHT NOW!

For the last seven years God has challenged me in many, many ways and he has changed me through and through. One of the things He has done for me is open my eyes to a world of injustice; things you can't just un-know. Sometimes I get caught up in the regularities of life but God never fails to return me to that place of personal sacrifice. That's where I feel most comfortable and most like myself, when I'm asked to give up something that I have for the sake of someone else. During this seven year period I've been heavily involved with an organization called Venture Expeditions. You've probably heard me talk about it a time or two :) I've biked and hiked with Venture to engage in physical sacrifice on behalf of the oppressed and this year I will be RUNNING.

Because of the way "real life" works sometimes I just don't have the flexibility of my yesteryear to leave the country for 3+ weeks or spend 2 weeks leading a cycling team through the Appalachian Mountains. This was a hard lesson for me to learn. I was really having a hard time coming to grips with the fact that I wouldn't be able to join a Venture tour this summer. I just couldn't shake the feeling that I was supposed to do something this year. Maybe an even stronger feeling was that I needed to do something. Whatever it was, God was definitely stirring something in my heart. I was talking this over with my sister-from-another-mister, Emma, and she suggested we form a Venture Local event for the Twin Cities.

Within a matter of minutes Emma and I had formulated a plan for a group of local Minneapolis women to run 100 miles in 5 days on behalf of women everywhere that are exploited and trapped in sex slavery. We'll each raise $1,000 which will be donated to Venture Expeditions and benefit their projects in Southeast Asia. Along the route we'll stop and share our hearts behind the run and educate those we interact with on the real facts of women and girls in slavery.

If you're in the Twin Cities area and are interested in running with us please let me know! If you haven't already check out Venture Expeditions' 2014 tours. My first trip was to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and it changed my life. I encourage everyone who reads this to sign up for a tour of their own and find out the beauty behind benefiting the world and discovering the soul.

On and Off the Wagon

I fell off the map for a while but I'm back. This past week was a blissful week of traveling and visiting friends in far off lands like Illinois and Minnesota. Rose and I jumped in the car and cruised across the map.

But let me start off where I last ended...
Towards the end of April I started getting bored of my daily exercise routine. You may recall that for the past several months I've been engaging in a rather difficult workout program that uses bodyweight to strengthen tone and sculpt. I was seeing major improvement with this workout program combined with my daily dose of AdvoCare but doing 50 variations of push-ups was getting boring. I'd been craving a good run for several weeks (running is something that comes and goes frequently from my life) so one morning after work I spent an hour just running around Denton. It was beautiful at 6:45 in the morning and I remember running through several lovely gardens that lined the sidewalks in various neighborhoods. It is hard, though, to muster the energy to go running after I've worked all night so I set a goal of running once a week. Well, that lasted fine until Rose and I went out of town last week and so for about 10 days I've gone without any exercise at all. Man-oh-man does that take a toll on you. Towards the end of my trip I began feeling so gross and I was literally craving a workout. Thankfully I was able to jump back on the wagon today. It was definitely tough- I've lost some strength- but I already feel better.

Despite missing my workouts last week was a great week. Whenever I get to travel I'm a happy girl and when you add visiting friends into the mix it makes it so much better! Our first destination was Peoria, Illinois to visit my dearest friends, Jessica and Brian, and their two youngins', Liam and Evvi. We always have fun together and whenever I'm around this dear couple I leave feeling inspired and refreshed by their spunky attitudes. This was an especially exciting time to see them because Jessica just started a new job as the Creative Arts Director at Riverside Community Church in Peoria and I was able to see their new house and go to work with Jess one day. She is going to be the bomb.com at this job. Her creativity, leadership, and passion to love the Lord are inspiring and contagious. I'm beyond excited for what God is going to do in and through this family.

As always, it was hard to leave my second family but I was also very excited to head up to Chicago! If you've never been then, man, you've got to get there. We only spent a few hours there but I loved every second of it. First off Rose and I hit up some touristy attractions like the Navy Pier. It was pretty quiet on the pier because huge rain clouds were threatening us but we still were able to enjoy a nice long walk and take in some great views of the city. Next, we headed downtown to Intelligentsia Coffee to meet with some Venture friends. What a wonderful hour we spent just chatting about past and upcoming tours and how awesome it is to know that in any city we have community to connect with. And finally we headed over to Little Italy to see my amazing Kilimanjaro teammate, Tim, and his equally amazing girlfriend, Caitlyn. It had been nearly two years since I'd seen Tim (one of only two teammates that I've not visited with since our trip) so we spent a long while just catching up. Tim and Caitlyn were in the middle of finals and preparing for graduation so I was very thankful that they took time to have dinner with Rose and I. It was wonderful. Like I said, I wish we would have had more time in the city to explore and hang out with friends but our final destination awaited us.



Rose and I on Navy Pier with Chicgo in the background


That night we drove straight through the night and landed in Minneapolis at 5 a.m. We spend 3 days exploring the cities, its many parks and lakes, delicious restaurants, museums, children's theatre, and friends. Some of my favorite people in the world, Paul and Candace along with their two kids, moved from Texas to Minneapolis about a year ago. It was absolutely wonderful catching up with them and sharing life happenings. Also while in Minneapolis I went to the Venture Expeditions offices for some leadership training. It was really awesome to connect with some other trip leaders. We had training on how to drive the fifteen passenger van with a trailer connected. I feel pretty legit now. We had so much fun and I wish I could share it all with you but it would take entirely too long. I would, however, like to share with you my discovery of corn pancakes. This is definitely note-worthy. When you hear 'corn pancakes' you might be thinking cornmeal pancakes, which is what I was anticipating, but I was so very wrong. Corn pancakes are like corn casserole in a pancake form. Literally, these cakes were life changing. I promise you. I can't wait to find a good recipe and try to make them.

Myself, Rose, Lola & Candace at the MN Children's Theatre Co. production of Pippi Longstocking

It's never fun to end a vacation and head back into the 'real world' but I'm absolutely feeling refreshed and excited about all the good times that we had while on the road. I can't wait until next time!

Connecting the Dots

It wasn't long after I decided to start living my life for the one that gave it to me that my heart was bonded with the hearts of the oppressed. I began to learn and realize that it's no coincidence that I live in a time where 2 million children are exploited for sex every year, or that 1 in 5 women are victim to rape in their lifetime. God knew. He knew that there would be more slaves in 2012 than ever in the course of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. He knew that all of these things would be taking place and so he created me in just the right moment so that I would be ready to fight for his kingdom. I can still remember the day that God told me where I should be dedicating my life. He spoke quit clearly and told me of the poor children and families that struggle and lay hopeless as they are held in bondage. 


Each moment thus far has been a directional line on the map that is my life. God has used creative circumstances and people to help me connect some of the dots but for the last several months I've been the one feeling lost and as if I'm wondering around in circles. I have a burning passion to go and do yet I don't know where to go and what exactly to do. I started thinking that maybe I wasn't meant to do such extravagant work for God. What a lie I was hearing. 


This week God has used a sermon series, a tweet, and a video caption to connect another dot on my map. He is slowly but surely connecting me to people and places that will eventually lead me to where I'm supposed to be. Today I watched a video my International Justice Mission that was very moving but what was even more powerful, to me, was the caption underneath the video. It said, 

"15 years ago, IJM began in response to one massive problem: poor children and 

families around the world desperately needed a defender. "

It's a response. That sentence could have very well said, "15 years ago, Jessica responded to one massive problem: poor children and families around the world desperately needed a defender."  Have you ever encountered something that you swear could have been written just for you? This is my heart. I have to figure out what my response will be and what my mission will be. If I want to do great things for God then I need to attempt great things for God and that is going to require a beautiful relationship with Him, vision, wise partners in my life, and a heart to continuously serve others. 

I'm ready. Let's go. 

He Picked Up the Cross So I'll Pick Up the Cause

Two years ago I stood at the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa and cried as I realized some of the sweetest people I'd ever met sacrificed a lot to get me there. A few days after that I watched three young boys eat the crumbs from my chip bag that was laying in a trash burn pile. Those two experiences alone shook me to the core and changed my life forever. I realized that the world is full of injustice.

Coming back to my 'reality' was really hard as I made $6 lattes for seemingly ungrateful people while images of poor porters and young children living in incomprehensible poverty consumed my mind. Long before that trip I knew I was called to live a different life and now long after that trip I'm even more convinced that my life can't be about anything besides sacrifice, grace and God's story of justice.

Every year 2 million children are sexually exploited. As a mother, that fact makes my skin crawl. As a human, that fact makes me want to throw up. What if that was my child? What if that was your child? What if that was any child? What difference would it make?

This summer I'll ride my bike with about 20 other passionate individuals from Cincinnati, OH to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. to raise awareness for those 2 million children that look just like my own. We will fight spiritually and we will shamelessly ask for money so that we can see this disgusting act of injustice done away with in our lifetime. I want it gone.

What are you going to do about it? Please, fight with me. You can help by praying with me, staying informed, and financially contributing.

This weekend is the International Justice Mission Global Prayer Gathering Online. Join me and thousands of others as we pray this abuse to death.

Keep up on the reality of the situation. International Justice Mission is a great place to stay informed.

Donate to my trip. I can't do this alone. You can be a part of the amazing things that are going to happen as we cycle 500 miles for justice. Any dollar amount will be life changing- not just for you but for people around the world. Donate HERE. Please, be sure to select my name, Jessica Bell- IJM Freedom Tour, from the participant drop down box.

Be bold and believe that you too have the power to inspire positive change in the world. It's time for us to fight together.

Cracked, Bloody and Swollen

Okay, it's the Monday after Easter. Who is regretting eating all of that candy?! I must say, I indulged in my fair share of mini Reese's and Kit-Kats. I think that by buying the miniature ones we are just setting ourselves up for failure. I always think I can eat more because they are small... Then I end up overeating. But this is a new week and I'm back on track with my healthy eating plan.

If you do find yourself indulging in too much candy or junk food too often and you're ready to break those bad eating cycles, or if you're just ready to take your wellness to the next level, then seriously you guys have to try some of these AdvoCare products. Two things I can recommend right off the bat to fight off those candy cravings: Omega-3s and Amino Acids. In all honesty, you can get supplements anywhere but I trust AdvoCare's products because they are made with real food and not some chemically manufactured junk. When you're putting things into your body you want to know what you're using and use the best stuff- trust me, it's worth it.

Rose stayed at my moms last night because I had to come back to Red Oak to do some work at The Cup. We are getting ready to order our new guest roast, Avoca. They grow and roast their beans in Ft. Worth and I have heard amazing things about them. I'm really excited to have their coffee at The Cup in a few weeks. Have I mentioned how much I love my job?!

The lip gloss that ruined my life...again. 

Okay, so, I'm a girl and that means I love having glossy lips. Sadly though I'm allergic to chapstick and lip gloss. I've yet to figure out what exact ingredient it is that hates me so much but the result is always the same- cracked, bloody and swollen lips. Not pretty. Well, several weeks ago I bought one of those really popular EOS lip balm pods thinking that the outcome might be different because it's made with natural ingredients. I knew better than to use too much all at once so I was sparingly applying the balm about once a week. Well, suddenly I found myself using more and more and before I knew it I was on the road to destruction. I told myself to stop because I could feel the tingle in my lips that always leads to the outbreak but I couldn't overcome my infatuation with having glossy lips. Needless to say I'm writing this today with cracked, bloody, and swollen lips. A friend of mine suggested putting honey on them and oddly enough it's working wonders. I'll report back tomorrow to let you know how I'm healing.

Tonight was wonderful because I went to dinner with one of my best friends, Crystal. She is like a sister to me. I just love her amazing spirit and fun-loving attitude. Every time we are together I'm blessed. We went to Zen Sushi for half-priced sushi night and then walked around the Bishop Arts District. We ended up at Bolsa Mercado where we sipped ginger lattes. I'm not a huge fan of ginger (even though I know it's super good for you) but let me tell you how amazing this ginger syrup was! Bolsa makes it in house by simply boiling down ginger roots and mixing it with a simple syrup. I might have to try that. It was really amazing!

Do you have a favorite latte flavor?

"Do you not know I have had diarrhea since Easters?"

My favorite movie is Nacho Libre. Hence, the title of this post. That movie never gets old. It's literally funny every time I see it.

Man, today was such a good day! Easter at The Oaks Fellowship was phenomenal. For those that don't know, I'm the manager at The Cup which is the coffee shop at The Oaks. This is the best job ever! I get to work with the best volunteers and I also get to drink all the coffee I want! Today was such a great day to serve because we got to see so many new faces. My volunteers were so amazing today. Gosh, I'm such a happy gal.


My mom cooked the best Sunday/Easter dinner today. Chicken cacciatore is what we indulged in (I skipped the chicken)  and it was so yummy!

Rose, Grandma Joyce, Mom

Also, HELLO! It's was Easter! Jesus Christ died viciously on the the cross, was buried, and came back to life so that I could be saved. It's hard to grasp but I've spent a lot of today trying to let that sink in. Although we should be celebrating this daily I think it's good to have this one day each year as a little wake up. In the last week I also realized how burdened my heart has been for the folks that only come to church on this one day every year. I pray that in the midst of whatever they are going through their hearts were captured and they were able to see Christ for who he is. 

As soon as I got home from church this afternoon it started raining so that botched my plans for an Easter egg hunt with Rose. While she was dying eggs with my mom I snuck to the back of the house to hide her basket and leave a trail of eggs. As soon as I dropped the last egg Rose turned around so I jumped up and yelled, "Look what I found! The Easter Bunny came while we weren't watching!" I'm not sure if I've seen her as excited as she was when she saw that trail of eggs. Although it wasn't as grandiose as I would have liked it to be it was really fun. She had a huge Reese's Peanut Butter Egg, a chocolate bunny, a dollar, a quarter, and two DVDs. Lucky little gal!

We really did have a great day celebrating the resurrection of Christ. What a glorious gift he has given us!

What is your favorite kind of candy to buy on Easter? 

Happy Easter, y'all! 

A Recap

On Friday I went with Rose and her pre-k class to see Disney on Ice at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. It was fun to watch all of these little four and five year olds in awe of the actors skating around on ice. I'll admit, I was expecting a much better performance but I guess the kids know no difference. Anyway, it was a fun way to kick off the weekend.

We had Rose's birthday party at the park on Saturday and several of her friends came. It was Word World themed so the kiddos made cute little word picture frames and had delish cake that was decorate with the Word World animals. Instead of getting gifts from all of her friends we asked them to bring books that could be donated to a children's center. Reading is one of Rose's favorite things to do so we are very excited to be able to share that privilege with other kids. I'll post pictures soon.

Enter Monday... It was a typical day in the neighborhood with work and Rose going to school. My workout was killer- it almost made me throw up. It was set of 17 reps with 30 seconds on and 10 seconds rest. I was feeling rather strong so I completed it twice through... then I started getting nauseous. I had to rest for a while before I could get up and start dinner.

At the beginning of the year I decided that I wanted to pursue a vegetarian diet. There were a few specific reasons that I wanted to do this but basically it all boils down to the purity of it. When I started the AdvoCare 24 Day Challenge at the beginning March, and my new workout routine, I found that I was craving protein like crazy! I definitely didn't anticipate that happening. I felt like I was eating my weight in beans and hummus and although I was adding alternate sources of protein to my diet I just couldn't get my fill. So, after about a week and half into the challenge I decided it was best that I added meat back into my diet until the end of the 24 days. Well, I feel AMAZING after the challenge and I have figured out how to satisfy that protein need so I am beginning again with my vegetarian diet. All that to say; I made the most delicious vegetable stir fry on Monday night. It was so easy and so yummy! And Rose loved it too, which I was pleased to see. I'll definitely be making it again soon.


Have you ever given up certain type of food?