You’re a newly saved woman — congratulations!
This is an exciting season of your life. But I know it can also feel overwhelming when you’re not sure where to go from here (I’ve been there). It took me 14 years to get baptized after being saved, so I understand how uncertain and slow this journey can feel.
You don’t have to have it all figured out or walk this path alone. Faith isn’t meant to be lived in isolation, especially in the beginning. It’s meant to be lived out loud through community, service, and compassion.
That’s why I started Open Palms — a space to meet women where they are and walk alongside them as they learn what it means to follow Jesus in everyday life. Whether you’re discovering faith for the first time or finding your way back after time away, you’re welcome here.
Let’s Grow Together!
You’re in the Right Place if…
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You’ve recently said yes to Jesus and aren’t sure what comes next
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You grew up in church, drifted away, and feel drawn back to your faith
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You want to grow spiritually, but feel overwhelmed or unsure where to start
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You’re looking for guidance that’s honest, gentle, and rooted in scripture
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You want community without pressure or perfection
What You Won’t Find Here
Pressure to have it all figured out
Judgment for where you are in your faith
Performative Christianity or spiritual comparison
One-size-fits-all answers
Ways We Can Walk This Journey of Faith Together
Here are a few ways I walk alongside women as they grow in their relationship with Christ. It doesn’t matter if you’re taking your first steps of faith or finding your way back; these offerings are designed to meet you where you’re at in your journey and help guide you closer to Jesus.
Saved, Now What?
A faith-based blog
Writings for women navigating the “Saved, now what?” season and looking for simple, steady guidance. Here, I share encouragement, honest reflections, and practical next steps to help you grow in your relationship with Jesus — without overwhelm or pressure.
You’ll find topics such as choosing a Bible, finding a church (when you’re ready), building faith habits, and learning to live out your faith in everyday life. My hope is that each article reminds you that your questions are valid, your journey matters, and you don’t have to figure this out alone.
Faith Conversations
Public speaking for conferences, churches, and women’s gatherings
I speak at churches, conferences, and gatherings, meeting women (and congregations) where they are and inviting them into a deeper life with Jesus. My talks are rooted in scripture, personal experience, and honest conversation — always shared with humility and grace.
My current speaking topics include:
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Why Are You Here?
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Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should
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Have What You Want and Want What You Have
Topics can be tailored to create a message that aligns with your event, audience, and the needs of your community.
Faith Coaching
One-on-one or group
Sometimes you ned a little more personal support as you grow in your faith. Faith coaching gives us the opportunity to walk through your questions together, talk honestly about where you are, and explore practical next steps for growing in your relationship with Jesus.
In one-on-one or small-group sessions, I create a welcoming space to talk about faith, build confidence in your new life in Christ, and work through the questions that come with following Jesus in everyday life. You don’t need to have the right words or all the answers — just a willingness to learn, grow, and take your next step.
Let’s Grow Together Gatherings
Workshops + pop-up ministries
These small-group workshops and pop-up experiences are designed to create space for connection, learning, and growth. Through conversation, teaching, and shared experience, we explore what it looks like to walk with Jesus in real, everyday life.
These gatherings are welcoming, approachable, and rooted in community — perfect for women who want to grow in faith alongside others who’re on a similar journey.
Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, or sign up with your email to get notified about upcoming events.
Welcome!
I’m Janis Jakino
Faith Coach & Christian Communicator
This is my testimony
My story begins long before Open Palms ever took shape. I was raised in a religious home and grew up in faith, learning about God at a young age. But as I moved into adulthood, life’s hardships, unanswered questions, and personal struggles slowly pulled me away from the faith I once knew. What I learned growing up felt distant, and my relationship with Jesus became something I couldn’t quite grasp or hold onto.
My young adult years were marked by adversity (seasons of survival, uncertainty, and deep searching). I carried wounds I didn’t yet know how to bring to God. Though I still believed in Him, I didn’t feel connected to Him. I knew about Jesus, but I didn’t truly know Him.
Everything changed on August 21, 2011.
That's the day I cried out to Jesus with a heart ready to surrender. In that moment, I felt seen, known, and met in a way my childhood faith never made tangible. It was the beginning of my true relationship with Him — a moment that reshaped the direction of my entire life.
On that same day, God gave me a sign of His presence and provision.
That sign was Brandon, the man who would later become my husband. I often say, “The moment I cried out to Jesus, Brandon showed up. He was my angel.” From that day forward, my walk with Christ began — slow, steady, and deeply personal.
My salvation didn’t erase my past or instantly answer every question.
Instead, it marked the start of a long journey of healing, learning, and understanding what it truly means to walk with Jesus day by day. I often reflect that it took me 14 years to grasp what I had wished I had known from the beginning: how to grow spiritually, what steps to take next, and how to build a real relationship with Christ.
This journey, from childhood faith to drifting to salvation, is the soil Open Palms stands on today.
I carry a deep compassion for women who surrender their lives to Jesus and find themselves whispering, “Now what?”
I know that moment intimately.
I lived it.
And I’m called to guide others through it with humility and a servant’s heart.
Receive Encouragement + Resources from Janis
If you’ve found yourself whispering “Saved…now what?” you’re not alone. This season matters, and you don’t have to walk it by yourself. I’m honored to walk alongside you as you grow in your relationship with Jesus. If you want encouragement along the way, I’d love to stay in touch.
I share reflections, resources, and updates on upcoming gatherings right to your inbox.
Credentials
Janis holds a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry from Liberty University and is a proud member of the American Association of Chrisitan Counselors.
I'd love to connect with you.
Whether you're looking for a speaker to encourage your audience, a workshop that equips and inspires, or one-on-one faith coaching, I'd be honored to learn more about your needs. Simply complete the form, and I'll be in touch as soon as I can. I look forward to connecting with you!
Janis
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