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“Consider this: Wouldn’t it be tragic if God called us to do something, but we were not in the physical condition to accomplish it?” - Michelle Myers When I first read this daily devotion on the REAL importance of health and self care a few months ago it hit close to home because I’ve been on both sides of the spectrum. I used to workout for self centered reasons you know, to look good and be skinny when really I wasn’t being healthy at all! I was what has now been termed “skinny fat” meaning I ate garbage food that was ruining my insides while still being small on the outside. Yes, you can be skinny but still have terrible cholesterol, fat lining your vital organs and a multitude of other health problems. Thankfully my candy diet eventually gave out on me and didn’t produce the same effects on my body after having a baby that it did before. I actually had to work to lose the baby weight despite the old wives tale of, if you’re breastfeeding the weight will just fall off. So I dove into learning how to live a healthy lifestyle with simple nutrition, portion control and just 30 minutes of workouts a day all from my living room. I was becoming healthy on the inside which produced the best results I’d ever seen on the outside but more importantly I was becoming stronger each and every day. Stronger so that I could take care of the beautiful baby and household God blessed me with. Stronger so that I could lend an actual helping hand to a friend or family member in need. Stronger so that when God calls me to do ANYTHING I can do it and give him the glory! Like I said I read this devotional a few months ago and reread it again today with my challengers but this time it was with a whole different perspective. I looked at it with the perspective of all that I’ve been able to accomplish in the past couple months that I wouldn’t have been able to if looks and being skinny were my priority versus health and strength. One day specifically came to mind and it was the day all my brothers and husband aka the man power were gone but my dad desperately needed help laying down fresh sod before the rain came. My dad and I laid 6 pallets of sod that day and if you’ve ever taken on a landscaping project like that then you know those things are HEAVY! I didn’t complain though, in fact I loved every minute of it! I was getting to spend time with my dad and I was thankfully capable of taking on the task God laid before me. I needed to be strong that day and I was but it didn’t happen overnight. It happened because day in and day out I make health a priority with my devotions, workouts and clean eating. I do this so that when God calls I’m ready ❤️ “She equips herself with strength and makes her arms strong.” - Proverbs 31:17  Devotion referenced is "Famous in Heaven and at Home" by Michelle Myers
which is a character study of the Proverbs 31 woman.
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I'll be honest, I'm not much of a journalist. I enjoy writing but find myself to be too much of a perfectionist and end up getting frustrated with how it sounds. My mother, on the other hand, is a beautiful writer and her handwritten journals tell the stories of God's unending love, forgiveness and faithfulness for her and our family throughout the years. I dream of one day having the wisdom and ability to write as she does because her journals will be a priceless gift to us kids one day when she's gone and I want to be able to do the same for my children. At the beginning of the year, I did start writing more but never envisioned sharing some of my journal entries. However, after my ultrasound today I feel compelled to share the following excerpt because it's a testimony of God's provision for our life. Written January 20, 2015 It's no secret that I have been struggling with when we should have another baby. A part of me longs to be that "perfect" stay at home mom and another part enjoys the success that comes with being a business woman through Beachbody. I've been praying, "God you know my purpose and if you choose to bless us with another child do it in YOUR timing." Well, God is so good and definitely honors prayers because I'm shocked to be pregnant with number two! I'm only a few weeks along but had a pretty good idea when I could hardly make it through a workout without being short of breath and overheated. I took tests that showed faint positives so again I prayed, "God give me a sign if this is true." In my impatience I did take another test that was a big, clear positive but God still gave me a sign the next day. At church, they played a beautiful video showing a infants growth inside the womb which correlated with Bible verses, Psalms 139:13-16. There was also a print out in the bulletin that pictured a precious baby and the importance of treasuring life. Lastly, they handed out balloons to all the children (Kellen included) that pictured a baby and said "life is precious". Attached was Jeremiah 1:5, "before I formed you in the womb I knew you." WOW! Talk about a sign that I am indeed pregnant and it was all in God's hands! All my anxiousness as to if I'm ready for another baby has already passed and I'm more excited than ever to meet him or her in just 9 short months. For now, I pray for health and safety as another child of God is knit together in my womb, praise Jesus! "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13-16  As I sit drinking my coffee on the last morning of 2014, my mind is flooded with the happenings of the past year. Chase and I have continued to grow in our marriage, painfully at times, but that’s all a part of God’s process. We sharpen each other’s sword and push one another to be a better person on a daily basis, which I am so thankful for. Kellen transitioned from an active infant to a running, screaming toddler with no fear. Every day he explores new things and I swear gives me a few more gray hairs! Parenting has proven to be a one-of-a-kind job and some days we hardly come out alive. Thankfully. we have God’s grace to cover us in our not-so-perfect moments. As a whole, our life hasn’t changed too much this past year, but God has been working on changing me tremendously.
After having Kellen in September 2013, I felt lost and an internal battle began. I have always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, but once that day came, it just didn’t feel right. I still work about one day a week as a Registered Nurse and don’t get me wrong I love getting to be home with Kellen the rest of the time, but there is still a longing in my heart for more. More what, you might ask? To be honest I’m not quite sure, which is why I’m clinging onto Jeremiah 29:11 which says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” How amazing is our God that he knows the words we’ll say or the steps we’ll take before we do? In the past I have been prone to worry and needed to have all things scheduled. Now, I’m resting in the comfort that God already has a beautiful purpose for my life and all I need to do is be faithful and trust in HIS timing. Although, I don’t quite know what my “more” or full purpose is, I have felt some strong pulls on my heart which that have led me to my many goals for the new year, one of which is this blog. Some of you know that I started my journey as a Beachbody coach in May to lose the last bit of baby weight, but to my surprise, coaching has bloomed into much more than that. I have had numerous people say they find my honesty about life inspiring, which I am both honored and humbled by. The ironic part is, I have never been so inspired and fulfilled in my life then when I’ve been able to help someone start their fitness journey, watched my coaches reach their goals or encouraged someone to turn their heart towards God. With that being said, it is my hope that in 2015, I can help even more people live faith-filled, healthy lives! |
