If Only...

If only I had more time...

If only I wasn't so busy...

If only I wasn't so tired...

If only my kids would get along with each other...

If only my kids would listen to me...

If only I had more money...

If only I knew more people...

If only I knew the "right" people...

If only I had a better job...

If only I was good at sewing/drawing/acting/singing/playing a sport/dancing/cooking...

If only...

What to know the TRUTH?
Those are all pretty much EXCUSES.
And guess what?  Excuses get you no where.
So stop making them.

Tough love :)

You will NEVER have more time, not really.  We all get 24 hours in a day.  We get to CHOOSE how to use that time.  We get to say YES or NO to anything we want.  Really, it IS up to us.  We do get to decide.  And if something is truly important to you, you CAN do it.  You will MAKE time for it.

If you want to work out and exercise, then get up 30 minutes early.  Use nap time.  Go to the gym instead of watching a show at night.  Whatever works for you and your life/schedule.  But if health is important and you want to work out/exercise, you CAN do it.  And when you do, you will feel great!

Life is busy.  I get it.  I have 4 young girls.  My husband and I are leaders at our church - on the elder board, direct the Kids Ministry, etc.  We have a Bible study at our house on Sunday evenings.  My husband does an after school program once a week with the 5th grade boys where he teaches.  I run a health and wellness business, teach childbirth class, and am a doula. We serve at a Bible camp in the summer.  So, I get busy.  Really, I do.

I get tired too.  My youngest is 5 months old, and does NOT sleep through the night.  Heck, she barely sleeps unless I am holding her.  I am NOT well rested most days, but this is a season of life.  One I will gladly take, seeing as how I dreamed of being a mom and now I am one.  Lack of sleep comes with the "job." I would rather be exhausted and have the title of MOM than be full of energy yet longing for children of my own.  I may not like the messes, endless laundry, or whatever else comes with being a mom, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I think being a mom is tricky.  We pour ourselves out for our families, yet we forget that we NEED to take care of ourselves to be the best wife and mom we can be.  Not only do we drink cold coffee and eat cold food, standing up, holding a baby on our hip, we also tend to put our dreams on the back burner.  Don't get me wrong - we love being a mom, but SOMETIMES in that process, we lose passion and our lack of purpose.

I want you to know several things today:
*God loves you.
*God SEES you, and all those diapers you change, those noses you wipe, the toilets you clean, the clothes you wash, the meals you prepare, the messes you pick up, the fights you break up, and the ouchies you kiss.  And He is PLEASED with you.  He DELIGHTS in you.
*You have purpose and worth.  You are valuable, precious, a MASTERPIECE.
*God created you for a reason.  He has plans for you and wants you to fulfill them, bringing glory to His name as you expand His kingdom here on earth.
*He gives you permission to pursue those dreams.  He is the One who put them on your heart.  And He WILL help you do them, whatever they may be!

Don't make excuses about why you can't do those things.
Excuses get you no where.

Do be realistic.
But also be bold and daring.
Try NEW things.
Think outside the box.
Take risks.
Be different.
Be YOU.
Use those gifts and abilities God has given you.
He made you with them for a reason.
The world NEEDS you to use them.

Saying YES to God can be scary.
You don't know all the answers.
You don't have all the details or know every step that will be part of your journey.

But I assure you that holding back, playing it safe, staying put, waiting it out gets you no where.
So, no more excuses!

You may start small, but START.
Read a book.
Write in a journal.
Make a dream board.
Get a plan.
Pray over it all.
Ask God to show you what to do and how to do it.
Then, as He opens doors, WALK THROUGH THEM.

I don't want you to look back on your life and say, "If only..."

If only I had talked to that person...

If only I had taken that art class...

If only I had traveled to see the world...

If only I had supported that ministry...

If only I had spoken up...

I don't want IF ONLY to define you. Or me.
Instead, I want to be passionate and purposeful about the time I have been given on this earth.  I want to make the most of every single day.  Hence, TODAY I sat down and wrote this blog.  I dream of being an author, of speaking on a stage and encouraging others to live out the good works God has prepared in advance for them to do.  Well, that isn't going to happen if I keep saying, "If only I had more time to blog..."

I don't know what GOD is calling YOU to do.
I don't know WHO God is calling you to BE.
I do know He IS talking to you.
Are you listening?
Are you ready to follow after Him as He shows you the way He has for you?
Are you willing to trust that He has the BEST plans for you?

Then, no more IF ONLY's.
Instead, let's be men and women who are known as those who RISE UP and say HERE I AM, LORD.  May we be the ones shouting with excitement (or whispering as we tremble in fear of the unknown), "Use ME! I am Yours. Take my life and use it for YOUR glory..."

Don't start with the...

If only I was qualified...
If only I had more education...
If only I felt like I was good at that...
If only I knew more about that...
If only I had more traning...

No. NOPE.
Throw all those IF ONLY's in the trash.
God uses ANYONE who is WILLING.

His strength shines through our weakness.
So, let's do this!
TODAY is the day!!!!!

Just Who Do You Think You Are?

Brave.
Courageous.
Fearless.
Fighter.
Dreamer.
Adventurist.
Optimist.
Restless.
Unashamed.
Masterpiece.

These are just some of the words floating in my head this afternoon.
Some are book titles...

Others are simply adjectives that have popped up in my life time and time again in the past few months here recently.

Others are words that I wouldn't say describe me YET, but rather what/who I WANT to be.

What about YOU?
What words are being spoken in your life?
What is God asking you to do?  WHO is He asking you to BE?
Are you listening?

Do you believe Him when He says you are His masterpiece?

Are you watching for those good works He prepared in advance for you to do?

Are you walking them out?
Are you inviting Him to work in and through you until He finishes what He began the day He dreamed of you (way before the foundation of the world)?

Do you TRUST that He has your GOOD in mind?
Do you realize that He wants the BEST for you and won't let you settle for anything less because you are His and worthy of ALL He has envisioned for you?

Do you understand that His plans are sooooo much better than anything you could imagine?

I think we need to start listening a little better to our heavenly Father.
What HE thinks about us should define us.
Not the world.
Not a bilboard or magazine cover.
Not the mirror or scale.
Not a bathroom sign.
Not a pair of jeans or a dress or a swimsuit.
Not a report card or job evaluation.
Not a paycheck or bank account.
Not a house or car or boat.

Read again who God says you are.

Let that soak in.

Believe it.
Live it out.
Confidently, boldly.
Victoriously.
Because THAT is who you TRULY are!

Climb On

I don't know Rebekah personally, but I follow her on Instagram (@growing_by_grace).  Today she posted a picture that struck me.  Her comments only confirmed that I AM on the right path, that I AM doing the right thing, that I AM running after the dreams GOD has given me and pleasing Him in the process.

I truly, truly, truly enjoy what I do.

Last night, when I got a message from a mama friend about how Greens and Confianza are helping her, I almost started crying.  These products REALLY ARE changing her life!

Then, this morning, a teamie shared how one of her customers is using Greens too.  Her child with ADD and autism is now OFF the 5 medications they had been on before adding Greens to the daily routine.  NOTHING ELSE had changed in their life.

Earlier this week, I got a text from yet another mama who is excited that she has been able to get off the meds she was taking and has MORE energy now than before.  Guess what she added to her life?  GREENS and Thermofit.  She's really making health a priority and she FEELS so much better!

I get sooooooo happy when I hear back from people.  Their stories assure me that I AM making a difference.  These testimonies keep me going.  Because let's be honest, I have my skeptics.  People question and doubt our products and the business.  Hard not to take that personally and think they are doubting ME or questioning what I am pouring my heart and soul into daily.

I have to remember, though, that GOD has indeed called me to this "job."  It's NOT a job.  It's NOT about the wrap or greens or a paycheck.  Those are all GOOD things, but in reality, it is soooooooo much more. It's a MINISTRY.  A calling.  One I take seriously.  And one I thoroughly enjoy when I focus on all the positives - the blessing of the friendships with my team mates, the way we pour into each other and encourage and inspire each other and support each other and help each other live up to our potential, be the people we were created to be, fulfill the good works God prepared in advance for us to do.  When people are confused about what I do or why I do it, when they don't see the big picture, I can't let that distract me, discourage me, or get me off track.  Instead, I must keep climbing.

Christine Caine share on Instagram this morning as well.  Her words spoke to my heart as well.

Climbing a mountain is NOT easy.  It's hard.  Difficult.  Can be painful.  Slow going at times.  You could fall, get hurt.  You will get tired.  You might want to turn around and go back down.  Or take a break or stop altogether.

Do NOT do that.

KEEP GOING.
As Caine reminds us, the view from the top is worth it.

Jesus NEVER once promised that following Him would be easy.  He DID, however, assure us that we would face obstacles, that we would encounter hardship, that we would even be HATED by the world.  We shouldn't be surprised, then, when we go through a trial of some kind.  We should be prepared, confident that we can stand firm in Jesus as our roots go down deep in His love and grace and strength and peace and joy and wisdom and ALL things we need to live a godly live.  Not only will we NOT be shaken, we will overcome and conquer and be declared victorious.  In deed, we have ALREADY won.  Satan was defeated the day Jesus rose from the grave!  THAT is why Easter is such a HUGE celebration.  BUT, we need to live out that resurrection power EVERY day, not just one special holiday Sunday.

And so we say YES even when it's hard.
We don't think about ourselves.  Instead, we press on so that those behind us will do the same.  We push past obstacles, overcome hardship, fight back when Satan attacks.  We trust God even when nothing makes sense.  We remain in Him and stand steadfast, immovable and unshakeable.  Others watch us and say, "If they can do it, then so can I."

This is why I dream big and work hard NOW.
I don't just want to tell my girls they can do anything God lays on their hearts, I want to SHOW them how to do that, that it CAN be done.

I am leaving a legacy.
Not about wraps or greens or making a 5 figure monthly paycheck.
My hope and prayer and goal and biggest desire is to INSPIRE as many people as possible, to stir up in them the longing to make the most of the time we are given on this earth and to live life to the absolute fullest possible.  That is after all why Jesus left heaven and came to this planet in the first place.

I know not everyone will understand.  That's part of the climb.
I realize not everyone will say YES with me.  That's part of the journey.
The setbacks aren't going to stop me.
The skeptics aren't going to keep me from moving on, from reaching higher, from climbing on, and enjoying the view from the top.

I will daily pour myself out so that the life of Jesus might be made known through me.
I want to lay it all on the line, leave it all on the court.
When my time comes to go HOME, I want to know I didn't hold back, but rather that I gave it my absolute ALL.

And when I see Jesus face to face, and fall to my knees, I long for Him to place His hand on my shoulder, pull me into His chest for the best hug of all time, and hear Him whisper in my ear, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

Those words right there make everything I do today and tomorrow and every day until Jesus returns worth it.

What mountain is God asking you to climb today?
What is He asking YOU to say YES to right now?

Start climbing!
Take that first step.
The mountains are calling!!!