hello there! i’m elyssa
Writer, Bible Nerd, & Goals coach
Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I created this space to share how I’m pursing my faith, intentional planning and a balanced lifestyle. My hope is that my experiences will motivate you to pursue the things that matter most to you!
I believe that God created each of us with talents that are meant to make an impact. No matter who you are, where you’ve been, or what skills you have, you are loved, valued, and so needed in this world.
I hope you’ll consider me a sister walking along side you on this journey to becoming all you were created to be!
get to know me
I’m originally from Chicago, IL, but currently live in Texas with my husband, Steven. We love date nights, hanging out with family & friends, travel, serving in our church, and lazy weekends (which are few and far between these days 😛 ). I absolutely love being married to my best friend! He’s such a gift in my life. I don’t get to do what I do without his constant love and support.
I’m daughter to two great parents and sister to one awesome brother. We’re homeschool veterans from the ’90s – you know, before it was cool (well, idk if it’s considered cool yet but man, it is waaaaay more popular nowadays!). Our parents encouraged us to use our imaginations and follow our interests. They taught us to serve in the local church and use our talents and passions for God’s glory. I am absolutely the woman I am today because of my family.
I’ve always been a communicator. I started singing at a young age, talked too much in school (for the short time I went to private school), been told I need to slow down and lower my voice more times than I can count, answered questions of pretend interviewers in the mirror while getting ready in the morning, and pretended to host my own show on Food Network when experimenting in the kitchen. Chatterbox = me to this day. My B.A. in Communications was a surprise to no one. God definitely gave me a big mouth and I’m learning how to put it to good use. It’s a lifelong endeavor!
All my life I have loved paper & ink. My dad worked in the printing industry when I was a kid and I looooved the smell of his job. This is probably why I can’t stop buying books and I’m kind of a pen snob. Both reading and writing are passions passed down from my mom who spent hours reading to my brother and me as kids and has been published herself. I’m the girl who always has a book, a notebook, or my planner with me. Now, one unpublished (very badly written) teen novel, a Communications degree, three blogs, and a YouTube channel later, I’ve discovered that I really want to share what I’m learning about faith, goals, & lifestyle in the way that I love best – through words, both written and spoken. I’m going to talk about the books I’m reading and the planners I’m using, the projects I’m working on, and what I’m learning from the Bible. I’m not about highlight reels and perfection. I’m going to share what’s real in the hopes that you’re encouraged to keep it real in your life too.
Some things I’m obsessed with…
- mugs
- my personal library
- Notion
- The Chosen (if you haven’t watched it, please do, and you can thank me later 🙂 )
- spring & autumn
- candles
- Astaire & Rogers films
- pizza, pasta, & popcorn
- Swiss water-processed decaf (fave brand)
- my facial steamer
- strawberries, mangos, and watermelon
- Spotify
Some things I don’t care for…
- avocados
- doing dishes
- pho, sushi, or ramen
- cleaning out my email inbox
- horror or natural disaster movies
- whatever I’m doing when I’d rather be reading
- hot weather
- window shopping
- unsweet tea
- eggplant
my business journey
I’ve always loved creating things and writing things, even as a kid. By the time I was finished college, I’d had a homemade greeting cards business, I’d written a novel and a play (both are not great so they’re in a box somewhere in my closet), and dabbled in podcasting and blogging. I’d already started singing as a child and speaking when I was a teenager. In full transparency, I’ve never wanted a day job. I’ve always wanted to be a creator. And every time I’ve held a regular job, I’ve dreamt of the day when I could do my own thing.
After I got married in 2017, my husband gifted me the opportunity to really pursue entrepreneurship full time. I didn’t really know exactly what I wanted to do but I rolled up my sleeves and just started trying. I started a YouTube channel and rebranded my blog. The thing they don’t tell you about entrepreneurship is that it can be a slow burn and messy journey of self discovery. I’ve tried a lot of different things, and failed royally at a lot of things. Lots of ideas, lots of trial and error, lots of getting over limiting mindsets and lots of conversations with people who have patiently listened and advised as I’ve navigated this process over the last 5 years.
Now it’s 2022 and I’ve learned a lot about what I want to say and how I want to say it. Now I’m in the business of sharing tools and resources for women to live their lives well and stay focused on what matters most. Through all the experiments, the flops and successes, I found out that I really, really love being both a Bible nerd and a planner babe and I couldn’t pick just one or the other. I love both and I want to talk about both. So here I am, your Bible-nerd-planner-babe who wants to teach you what she’s learning about faith, setting and crushing big goals, and keeping healthy balance in life.
