Meet Larissa Jean | Author| Speaker | Minister| Founder of WAIT Training Ministries

We had the good fortune of connecting with Larissa Jean and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Larissa, how does your business help the community?
Hello, Shout Out Atlanta! Thank you for the opportunity to share about WAIT Training Ministries! My name is Larissa Dayana Jean. I have the privilege of being the Founder of WAIT Training Ministries. The acronym WAIT stands for Willingly Accepting Immanuel’s Timing. This ministry is dedicated to empowering Christian single women to willingly accept Immanuel’s timing for relationships, love, marriage, and s*x. WAIT Training empowers single women to walk in their Kingdom purpose, embrace their identity in Christ, and prepare for a godly marriage as they wait on God. When God birthed WAIT Training as an organization to serve single women, I was a junior in college at the University of Georgia. At that time of my life, there were very few resources to empower, edify, and encourage single women in my community on how to steward their season of waiting well. I wanted to create a community to reach single women in this season of life to use their waiting season well because they are worth the wait!

Now, almost 20 years later, WAIT Training Ministries is the platform that houses my books in my Lessons Learned Book Series! In 2012, I published my first book for single women entitled, Lessons Learned As a Bridesmaid: what every single women should know before becoming a bride. In 2024, I released my second book in the series, Lessons Learned as a Daughter of the King. WAIT Training Ministries provides books for single women, workshops, mentorship, and curriculum for small group Bible studies, college campus ministries. WAIT Training Ministries also provides our signature single women’s conference: WAIT Training Boot Camp! Our inaugural conference was in 2018 where we ministered to single women in the Metro Atlanta area. During the pandemic, we hosted our first ever virtual WAIT Training Boot Camp Singles Conference. I am so pleased to announce that we will be hosting our next single women’s conference this year, on December 14, 2024. 10 years ago, JR WAIT Training was launched to minister to the needs of middle school aged girls through empowerment, mentorship, and curriculum tailored to the needs of young girls in this generation. I am so thankful to see how God has been using JR WAIT Training to empower younger girls, especially in the times we are living in today. As Founder of WAIT Training Ministries, my heart is for all single women and young girls to know how valuable they are, and that their waiting time is never wasted time!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
From the time I was a little girl, I have always loved to read and to write. I am an avid reader today because of the love of books that my mother instilled in me as a child. God has always graced me in the area of words and written communication. I have fond memories of writing my own stories and the joy that comes with putting an original story on paper. God put a dream in my heart to write books since I was a little girl. In 2009, when I was seeking God for direction concerning His unique plans for my life, He reminded me of the dream He placed in my heart from childhood about writing books. It was on that same night that I began writing the manuscript for my first book, Lessons Learned as a Bridesmaid. The Lesson Learned Series was birthed that night! After I had graduated from college, I was grateful for prophetic confirmation that part of God’s plans for my life was to write and publish multiple books for the Kingdom as resources, especially for God’s daughters.

What I love about being an author is that I am able to share God’s heart for His daughters on paper that people can read for generations after me. Writing immortalizes your words! I love the joy and privilege of impacting a life with the words God gives me to write in my books. Being a Kingdom author has truly been one of the greatest gifts in my life. As a creative, I love the writing and publishing process. I absolutely LOVE the creativity that being author affords me! The conception of the title of a book, to the entire manuscript process, and finally the editing and publishing process is a sacred journey. Birthing a book is a labor of love! I am blessed by God to be able to do that as Kingdom author, God’s scribe.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many amazing places in the Metro Atlanta area that makes this home for me. I believe that if you work hard, you should spa hard! I love the Chateau Elan! This is by far my favorite get way for rest, rejuvenation, reflection, and time to recharge. In the last few years, I have learned the gift of rest! Therefore, the gift of relaxation is one of my top places I would take my best friend who was visiting.

I am also very creative and love the arts! The Fox Theatre, the High Museum of Art, and the Georgia Museum of Art would be next on my list to fuel and feed the creative soul.

Next on the itinerary would be the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Gardens, in my opinion, are absolutely stunning. I love gardens because the Bible starts out with a garden, so I know God loves gardens, too! Spending quality time with friends requires time to slow down, to reset, and to “stop to smell the roses.” Life can be so fast paced. Gardens have such a calming affect on the heart, mind, and soul as you take in all the beauty of nature.

Finally, one of the best restaurants that I enjoy are Seasons 52, the Peachtree Cafe, The Brunch Apothecary, Bistro off Broad, and Herban Fix.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My first shout out goes to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! He is the lover of my soul, my God, my Heavenly Father, and my King! He is the reason I live, move, and have my being! I am beyond grateful to be entrusted to use the gifts He has given me to steward and to serve my community well. I also want to give a special shout out to my immediate family for their love, support, and encouragement in my journey as a published author and Founder of WAIT Training Ministries.

I would also like to give a special acknowledgment to the women and men of God who have been instrumental in encouraging me in my waiting season and to trust God as I willingly accept Immanuel’s timing in my life for a Kingdom marriage and family of my own: Dr. Yulonda Z. Lewis, Pastor Shelia Williams, Patricia Dunn, Apostle Michele Rucker, Reverend Betty Booker, Kara Waters, Isabelle Joseph, Pastor Henriette Robinson, Mrs. Beth Copeland, my late spiritual father Bishop J.G. Kramer, and my spiritual mother, Mrs. Kim Griggs. These phenomenal servants of God have poured so much life into me in this season of my life and have had a front row seat to see what God has been unfolding in my life during the wait. Their love, encouragement, sisterhood, prayers, covering, and words of life truly have helped me look at my waiting season with a renewed perspective and fresh hope.

Website: https://www.waittrain.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larissa_d_jean/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larissa-jean-874aa927/

Twitter: https://x.com/bridesmaid22

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WAITTrainers/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@waittraining8228

Image Credits
Meyer Inspired Photography
Mikhaela Slavik Photography
Larissa D. Jean