Whole 30

Do you desire to loose weight without starving yourself, feel better, gain more energy, develop healthier eating habits for you and your family, help with specific body ailments, stop taking specific medications? If you answered yes to any of those questions I invite you to join me for a 30 day health challenge starting March 1st.  The name of the program that I will be following is called Whole30.  In a nutshell, on this 30 day program you eat animal protein, vegetables, good fats, and fruits.  You omit sugar, grains, dairy and legumes from your diet.  The point of the program is to heal your gut and help you to kick cravings for foods that are everything but healthy for your body.  You can read this book or get the  kindle edition written by the creators of the program. It is a very informative read.  This cookbook also has wonderful recipes for the program, I have tried a few and they were delicious.  You can also visit the Whole30 official website  to get more detail.     

 I feel it necessary to say that I am a Christian, not a fact I try to hide.  So while the authors of this program may have different views and choice of words than me, I cannot deny that the program itself is very effective.  I am fully convinced that God is concerned about the whole person, so it is our Christian duty to  make good choices for better health.  As the scriptures says in 3 John 1:2, "Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit." With that said, I am so excited about starting the Whole30 and it sure would be awesome if you joined me. Please leave a comment if you plan to join me on this challenge.

I WANT TO MAKE THAT MAN LOVE ME!

I want to do marriage the good old fashioned outdated bible way. I want to be my husbands biggest cheerleader.  I want him to be happy to come home because he knows a warm home cooked meal is waiting for him(well most days at least).  I want him to know that I respect and love him.  I choose to magnify his strengths and pray like crazy concerning his weaknesses.   I want him to share his heart with me without hesitation or fear that I may judge him.  I want my actions to make him fall in love with me over and over again.  I want him to still be happy that he chose me to be his bride even after 13 years of marriage. Now while the feminist may scoff at this and render me as a weak and needy woman, the bible says the opposite!  And oh, for the record I am so weak and needy, and admitting this has been so liberating and brought a greater level of intimacy between me and God and my husband (2 Corinthians 12:9).  Nevertheless I digress, back to the topic at hand.  Have you ever read the bible and the words just leap off the page and you can hardly contain yourself because you finally get it?  I recently read Proverbs 31. Yeah that same passage that challenges us women in so many ways.  It's amazing because often times when this passage is discussed, the focus is on all this woman DOES as opposed to who SHE IS!  I find it interesting that the passage doesn't open up with all her deeds, instead, it first highlights how her husband feels about her.  "Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?  She is more precious than rubies.  HER HUSBAND CAN TRUST HER, AND SHE WILL GREATLY ENRICH HIS LIFE. "Proverbs 31:10-12.

I must admit that I have not always proven myself to be  trustworthy to my  husband.  No I have
never ran off with another man but I I have done a lot of running with my mouth.  I have never had issues with telling him what I thought he was doing wrong, what was wrong with him and what he needed to do better.  When I was done I would expect him to trust me with his thoughts.  In short I was a being a nag!  I felt very justified in my nagging.  I must praise God for his grace because He has brought me from a very loooooooooooong way.  Let all the "expressive" ladies say amen!  I have already confessed in a previous post that I love to talk but I am learning the delicate art  of knowing when to speak and when to be silent.  I don't have to stop talking, I just take my chatting party to God in prayer.    I must confess that sometimes as he is speaking, everything in me is screaming, "I CANT BELIEVE YOU SEE IT THIS WAY or HOW CAN YOU THINK LIKE THAT!"  However, as I am learning to hold my peace and not always play therapist in our discussions,  my husband is sharing more of his unedited thoughts with me.  And you know what,  I find that when I listen, REALLY LISTEN he is more willing to solicit my advice and comments and a greater level of trust is developed.  And it sure is easy to love somebody you trust, dont you think?

Redeemed: Pay Attention...God is Answering!

Redeemed: Pay Attention...God is Answering!

Pay Attention...God is Answering!

My church (faithcfm.org) is doing a 40 day prayer challenge and I have been keeping a prayer journal.  In it, I record prayer requests, answers to prayers, and any insights the Lord gives me during my prayer and bible study time. When writing in my journal, I don't focus on proper grammar and format. As I put ink to paper my unedited thoughts flow. I am writing for an audience of two, me and God.  This approach allows me to write without any inhibitions...very liberating experience.  Its amazing because as I write, thoughts and feelings come to the surface that I didn't realize was there.  There is something about being deliberate with recording prayer request and the answers  that come.  It makes me more aware of how God is responding.  So often I pray, God answers, and for various reasons,  I miss it. Sometimes it's because I was not praying in faith and  I didn't expect God to move. Or I pray and God answers but not in the way I wanted and expected him to.    My prayer journal helps me to be more sensitive, more alert to the ways God is moving.  Everyday I have something praiseworthy to record. EVERYDAY! It's amazing.  And as I go back and read the answers to prayers, it builds my faith and encourages me to keep on praying.  He is listening.  To me.  I have an audience with the creator of heaven and earth.  Now, how awesome is that?!