Category: Spiritual Health

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Fitness & Training Spiritual Health

Why Two People Who Do The Exact Same Thing Will Experience Wildly Different Results…

Using the Laws of the Harvest In a Real Life Example!

 
A lot of people have asked me if I am against people doing bikini competitions since I have told so many stories about the negative consequences of having done mine.  And I wholeheartedly tell them, “Absolutely not!”   I am in fact prepping a client for a bikini competition as we speak!  She’s about 10 weeks away!
 
But also, the reason I would never dare to tell someone not to go after such a lofty goal is that there are a lot of really great things that can come out of pushing ourselves far out of our comfort zones.  There is SO MUCH that I learned about my CHARACTER in that process of taking things “too far” for MY body that I have ZERO regrets about.
 
There are some people that actually THRIVE and really LOVE the competition world and can maintain a high character approach toward doing such activity.
 
One such example is one of my best friends and prayer partner, Jennifer.  She was one who trained me and dozens of other women for these competitions with her husband.  Jennifer did a couple different competitions herself over the years and told me she was was able to actually use them to grow closer to God!
 
Anything and everything we do can be an act of worship.  So especially those really challenging goals we push for, we can definitely lean more on Him and we will be better for it!  While Jennifer will tell you she won’t do another one (they are huge sacrifices, especially if you have young kids, like she does), her experience was markedly different than mine.
 

 So why is that in life?

 
How is it that two women, both with hearts for God, can engage in the SAME endeavor, “planting our seeds” into the same routines,  desiring the same outcomes,  but experiencing radically different “HARVESTS” as a result?
 
 
This is often where we get hung up as we decide to try to do those things that we see our friends do, especially after we see their success.
 
The key to understanding the differences in these “harvests” and rewards is to realize that there are THREE vital parts to the Law of the Harvest, not just the two.
 
There’s the obvious SEED (our thoughts, our words and our actions)
Then there’s the obvious HARVEST (the results, our success, and our character blessing,too).
 
The THIRD aspect to this equation is the real difference maker.
 

It's the SOIL.

 
The SOIL is the *KEY* component into whether the seeds sprouts a REWARDING harvest or whether the the seeds withers, dies and gets ‘choked' by the weeds of life.
 
Take a look at the powerful words of Jesus’ Parable of the Sower from Matthew 13 which I like in The Message translation.
 

"A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it  fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn’t put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.” (Matthew 13:3-8)

 
It’s obvious that this Farmer had worked hard to scatter his seeds.  And it wasn’t the SEEDS fault that it failed because each seed was made with equal potential for greatness and success!  The same goes for you and me.  We are all created in equal love and ability for our own blessings and destiny.
 
The key difference as to whether the seed found success or not was the nutritious depth of environment that it was planted.
 
In other words if you don’t plant your SEEDS (i.e. your thoughts, words and actions) into an environment that doesn't have depth and nutrition, then the shallow soil will not produce the fruitful harvest you desire.
 
That’s exactly what went wrong with my experience in the bikini competition.
 
As I learned, more retrospectively, that the real reason WHY I decided to do the bikini competition was in order to “look the part” of someone I thought I was supposed to be.  
 
The real reason WHY  I chased having a “perfect body” was because I thought that was the answer to my body images issues and ultimately would give me self-love and happiness.   
 

My “WHY" was my soil.  Your WHY is your soil too.  

 
 If it’s a shallow, self-serving, or an overall unhealthy reason WHY you are really doing what you are doing then it will NOT produce the rich harvest of blessings that you want it to because God wants SO MUCH MORE for you life. 
 
{And by “really” doing, I mean, the real, deep reason why you are doing what you are doing.  Not the reason you tell others or even convince yourself you are doing something.  It might even be subconscious for a while, but eventually God will allow it to come to light.  Your WHY matters most. } 
 
"Planting on the PATHWWAY ": 
Sometimes we make half-hearted choices in our health, the most shallow of all. We know these well.  We commit to a “diet” that we’re never really going to follow.  We sign up for a “program” that we don’t even open.  We get that gym membership but never show up to use it.  We don’t ever really COMMIT and therefore our WHY is extra shallow.   These are equivalent to the “path” where the birds came and eat those seeds.  Nothing will come from these efforts.
 
"Planting On Shallow Soil":
Sometimes we get excited and so we make hasty, quick decisions and see some quick results….but inevitably those seeds sprout quickly and die just as quickly.
 
We do that 3-day cleanse, but then we go right back to eating how we used to.  We take drops or diet pills that decrease our appetite to lose weight quickly.  We do an extreme workout regime for a month or two, preparing for a “special occasion.”  But those extreme tactics cannot be sustained and are equivalent to the soil in the gravel.  The faster it comes off, the faster it will come right back on.
 
"Planting Among the Weeds"
Then, there are times we we *think* we are planting our “seeds” in rich and deep soil of good intentions.   This was me in my big endeavor in my bikini competition and DOZENS of other life experiences I’ve had.
 
We make the commitment alright, but soon realize that WEEDS sprout up all around us.
 
I love what Jesus tells us about the soil with the weeds (from The Message translation again which is extra powerful).
 

 “The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it.”  (Matthew 13:22 MSG)

 
For anyone that has planted a garden, you know that you don’t need to GROW WEEDS.  Weeds just sprout up.  The same thing happens in our head as we plant our seeds the the soil of opportunity.
 

Weeds are lies we start to believe about ourselves.  

 
Weeds are the distractions of self-doubt, selfishness or even conflict.  Weeds are the result of SIN and our human nature and the devil getting in the way of our destiny.
 
These weeds strangle our good intentions of the Spirit and distorts them, ruining the harvest.
 

"For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” Galatians 5:17

 

BUT, GOD.

 
It would seem to be a lost cause that we would ever be able to truly reap a rich harvest we desire out of life, doesn’t it?  
 
Indeed, I think a lot of people lose hope here.  Thinking, “What’s the point? I’m always going to self-sabotage and will never escape my habits of worry."
 
It is a huge challenge in our lives and I am not trying to play this down at all.
 
BUT, Jesus is "the way, the truth and the life."  (John 14:6) 
 
But I believe that it is MORE THAN possible to plant your seeds of your health and your life in the deep, rich soil that is Jesus and you will WIN the harvest of your destiny.
 
When you align your WHY with God’s WHY for your life, and not the life of those you see around you, you will find that there are far fewer weeds that will get in your way and choke your destiny away from you.  
 

"Planting on the Good Soil":

When your health becomes less about YOU and more about what you can do to better serve God’s kingdom, the richness of your soil will be incredible.  It will sprout harvests for generations and generations.  

 
Listen to what Jesus went on to say about planting seeds on “Good Earth,"
 

 “The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.” (Matthew 13:23 MSG)

 
The "NEWS" is that Jesus has already done all of the hard work for you when He died on the cross.
 
The "NEWS" is that you don’t actually have to strive for and earn the things you think you do, God has worked it all out for you.
 
The "NEWS" is that He has come through with his weed whacker and has prepared some fertile ground for JUST YOU to plant.   You just need to have COURAGE, FAITH and TRUST that God will always do what He says He will do.
 

“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.”  Jeremiah 29:11

 
There are over 7,000 promises in the Bible like this that you can ROOT yourself and your health in.   When you focus on Him and focus on His TRUTH the weeds of your doubt and the lies in your head simply cannot survive.
 

Get deep.  Look for your real WHY and you will win.  You will win!

"Harvesting My Health" Free Download!

If you are interested in learning more about how to Harvest Your Health in 2016, then I'd love to welcome you to my email list!  I'll be giving away the BEST content to my inner tribe!     In fact, I have a FREE 7-Day devotional series I wrote for you on "Harvesting My Health" through the 7-Laws of the Harvest!  I think you'll really like it!

Just click the button below to grab your free copy and I'll look forward to connecting with you soon!

FREE 7-Day Devotional

Categories
Spiritual Health

Harvesting More Energy In Your Life!

Using the Laws of the Harvest In a Real Life Example!

I've been doing a lot of research lately about how we get exactly what we really WANT and what we really NEED out of life, especially as it relates to our desires for our health.   My journey led me to the universal law, as designed by God, of the "Law of the Harvest" (a.k.a "you reap what you sow"principle in life).  

Understanding this rudimentary Law in life has completely changed my approach to getting what I want in life as well as my expectation of what that process will look like.  Understanding THIS helps us to understand GOD and the UNIVERSE.  When we understand Him (slightly better), we better understand ourselves, since we are made in His image.  When we understand ourselves, we are empowered to make better choices which ultimately lead us to getting what it is we say we want! 

 As some of you may have received some of my recent emails on this or the blog post introduction and hopefully grabbed your copy of the free 7-Day Devotional called “Harvesting My Health,” there are several “Laws of the Harvest” that we must consider to actually use this God-given law for our excellence.  
 
As it happens, this week that I started this conversation with you all, it  happened to be the exact week that Rick Warren did a series called “Daring to Plant In Faith” on his podcast I listen to called, Daily Hope.  Is this JUST a coincidence?!  I think not!  #Godwink
 
But, as it goes, the great Pastor Rick took my well researched 7 Laws of the Harvest from my devotional and put his own “Rick Warren" spin and expanded them to 11-Laws of the Harvest!  You can listen to Part 1 of this podcast HERE or you can listen to the original entire sermon from Saddleback Church HERE.  The man is just a genius teacher!
 
So, to help you understand these Laws in your real life health efforts, I wanted to give you an example of how you might think through the these laws. 
 
 

Rick Warren’s 11 Laws of the Harvest for Real Life Goals

Law #1:  Everything starts as a SEED.  

Your BODY itself is a SEED that will need to be planted in order to get more energy. 
Your THOUGHTS about desiring more energy are also SEEDS that need to get planted in order to provide the actions necessary.  
 

Law #2:  Nothing Happens Until the Seed Is Planted

You can’t just complain about not having low energy.  You can’t just “wish” for more ENERGY.  You can’t even just PRAY for more energy.  You have to PLANT THE SEEDS (i.e. show some action) to get more energy.  
 
You must also realize that if you DON’T DO ANYTHING to plant more energy, by DEFAULT you ARE actually planting seeds of DECREASED energy.  So the lesson is to do at least something.
 

Law #3:  When I Have a Need, I Plant a Seed

Because I NEED (i.e. desire) more energy, I need to plant the seeds that will get me MORE energy— things like work outs, proper rest, and nutritious food. 
 
It will also have to AVOID planting those seeds that will get me those things that COUNTERACT my efforts for more energy—sitting too much, not getting to sleep at a reasonable hour, over-caffeinating myself, eating junk food, eating too much food, eating too little of food, etc.  If you feel low energy, start paying attention to what choices you have made that day that’s bringing your energy down.  Putting 2:2 together is a big step!
 

Law #4:  Whatever I Plant Is What I Will Reap:

I have to plant those things that actually produce MORE ENERGY to attain more energy.  I can’t plant WORRY and expect to get MORE ENERGY.  I can’t plant BUSYNESS and expect MORE ENERGY.  
 
You might have to try some things out and monitor how it’s going.  It might take a trial and error, but the power here is in the INTENTION of it.  Try just one thing intentionally and see if it works!  Monitor, adjust and keep going.  
 

Law #5: I am not the Only Sower

I realize that I am living in some of the harvests that I did not plant.  I might have entered into a world of chaos that affects my ENERGY.   I might have “inherited” a tendency to worry and overanalyze, which drains my energy.  
 
But I have the POWER to stop any inheritance that I do not want to pass along to others.  I can’t control the past, or what other people do around me,  but I can choose to create brand new legacy and example of energy management.  
 

Law #6:  I Always Reap In a Different Season Than I Sow

These results will take time, there is always a delay.  I cannot expect instant energy from just one day of planting.  You always feel LESS energy during the workout but you get a nice big boost after!  Cutting back on sugar at first makes you feel low energy, but ultimately you'll have a much better energy balance than before!
 
You have to build up consistent effort to figure out what works and what doesn’t work.   After some time, then I will reap the harvest of high energy that I desire. 
 

Law #7:  I Must Be Patient and Not Give Up

Because of the delay that we often see in our efforts, many people become impatient and give up.  But not you!  You realize that every great thing in life results from an uphill battle and you can be ready and willing to push through those times.  You may have to lose some energy to gain some energy, and that’s a sacrifice that will be worth it if you don’t give up! 
 

Law #8:  I Will Always Reap More Than I Sow

This is the Law of Multiplication.  I will get MORE out of what I put in.  So if I want just small efforts for my healthy energy, I will get more energy than I invest.  If I need to see bigger shifts in my energy, I need to invest more in the planting!  
 
In the same way, there are small energy zappers that I could be doing that drain much more energy than I thought they would.  Having my phone on in my bed?  Hanging out with those friends who just pour out their troubles onto me?  Repeating those worries in my mind without praying or giving them to God?  All of these little things will reap and steal more energy than I think. 
 

Law #9:  I Can Always Increase My Harvest By Planting More Seeds

This is the 'Law of Proportion.’  All I have to do is start with some small acts in an effort to get more energy.  If I find that they are working, I can just push those acts more and more and get more out of them!   But there is no pressure to start BIG.  I can always add more!

  

Law #10:  The More Seed I Plant, The More God Will Give Me

God is looking for GIVERS to bless.  Those people that are the most ACTIVE for the GOOD of others are blessed with LOTS OF ENERGY.    God will bless me for those Good efforts by giving me more and more responsibility and need for energy.  The more Ido for the world around me, the more energy God will give me to be able to do it all.  
 
 

Law #11:  I Plant by Faith, NOT By Feelings:

I will never ever FEEL like doing those things that will give me more energy.  Many times I will have to plant when I don’t FEEL LIKE IT, but I’ll do it anyway because I know that’s the only way I get what I want out of life.   
 
Planting by Faith means that I do things for the deeper reason WHY.  When I cling to that reason and don’t detour on whims of emotion, I’ll get far more out of your goals and build my character too.  It will pay off HUGE dividends when I sacrifice my immediate gratification for my greater investment down the road.  
  
Reap What You Sow
 
In short, we have to realize that the things that really matter in life, and having ENERGY is something that really does matter, even though it’s something that God wants for us to have, WE are responsible in just how much we invest and therefore harvest.  
 
God doesn’t operate as just a “vending machine” where we think we just “put in” our part and “God’s part” automatically spits out what we want.  A vending machine God does not build our heart or our character.  
 
Our heart and our character are the “treasures” that we take with us to heaven.  So it only makes sense that God will ALLOW US to “store up” those real treasures in heaven while we are also getting more out of the life that we are living NOW.  What a gift that is!  (Matthew 6:20)
 
It is an honor to get to work for the things we really want out of life.  It is a privilege and it makes our reward that much more rewarding!
 
So, here’s to planting more energy for you TODAY! 

"Harvesting My Health" Free Download!

If you are interested in learning more about how to Harvest Your Health in 2016, then I'd love to welcome you to my email list!  I'll be giving away the BEST content to my inner tribe!     In fact, I have a FREE 7-Day devotional series I wrote for you on "Harvesting My Health" through the 7-Laws of the Harvest!  I think you'll really like it!

Just click the button below to grab your free copy and I'll look forward to connecting with you soon!

FREE 7-Day Devotional

Categories
Spiritual Health Uncategorized

New Series: Harvesting Our Health in 2016

Harvesting Our Health in 2016

Confession time.   I have NO green thumb.  I thought it was green for a while there, but apparently I was seeing things.  
Yes, I thought I had seens some shades of sage or even a nice evergreen color on my thumb when I planted some nice boxes of fresh herbs for all the cooking I was going to do...  
...and when I bought REAL house plants, instead of the fake ones, when I thought it wouldn't be that hard to water them.  
 
...and when I bought even those EASY succulents in that planter for my office, because who can mess up a plant you don't have to water all that often?
 
I can.  That's who.  
 
Dead.
Dead.
Dead.
 
I guess I didn't really account for the fact that we travel for over 100 nights per year (although in my defense, I wasn't prepared for that).  Or just for the fact that I OFTEN forget to do MANY THINGS that are right in front of my face!
 
How many times I thought, "Oh I should water that plant!" But then thought, "Meh, I don't feel like it right now, I'll remember to later." Only, never to remember, obvi.
 
Those poor, pretty plants are all dead now NOT because of something horrible I did to them. 
I didn't water them with cyanide.  I didn't cut holes into their stems, cutting off their water system.  I didn't shut them out of the sunlight.  
 
No.
 
They're all dead because I never committed to doing the things I needed to do in order to keep them alive.    
It was my INACTIVITY, not my ACTIVITY that was their demise.  It wasn't the plant's fault, I just didn't take responsibility.  
 
Those living plants were in SURVIVAL MODE and I didn't give to them the nutrition and the care they needed to move into THRIVAL MODE and eventually, their resilience gave way and I was left with FAILURE.  
 

THIS ^^^^^ IS THE LAW OF THE HARVEST. 

 
Now, before I move forward with this principle, let's make sure we CLEAR UP what this law IS and what this law IS NOT.
 
WHAT IT IS:

In short, this is the "you reap what you sow" principle in life. 

 
However, there appears to be some common confusion and mixing of this principle with OTHER modern principles and beliefs.  For example:
 
  • The Law of the Harvest is NOT the same as Karma.  It doesn't simply mean the "what goes around comes back around" belief as taught in Hinduism and Buddhism (although, technically, these religions believe that a PAST LIFE actions determine the fate of our PRESENT LIFE).  
 
  • The Law of the Harvest is also NOT the same as "Newton's 3rd Law of Energy" either, which states that "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
 
Again, these principles are SIMILAR, and I'm not saying that they don't necessarily exist (although I don't believe in the "past life" principles of Buddhism and Hinduism), I'm stating the obvious fact that MANY PEOPLE commonly confuse words like "Karma" with this Biblical principle and Law of the Harvest.
 
The Law of the Harvest is much, much better than Karma and the laws of physics because we're talking about GOD here.  
 
We are getting into the abundant, supernatural, all powerful kind of laws that reflect God's goodness and God' love for us.  
 
Of course, in real life, this law that was designed to be a GIFT quickly become our demise because the other side of the coin is the REALITY that we do a lot of things that result in far greater negative consequences than we signed up for.  
 
Many tend to BLAME God in these times where we are suffering the consequences not of our own actions, but of the actions of others who came before us.   So what God has created for our BLESSING feels like a PUNISHMENT because the fall of Man has broken this system. 
 

Here's What I See....

So, SO  many of us are in "Survival Mode" in our health and in our life.  And, like my poor plants, we are not giving ourselves a chance to grow from SURVIVING to THRIVING.   We are barely hangin on.  
But God did NOT create us to merely survive in life.  Or to settle of mediocrity.
 
Oh no.
 
He created us to THRIVE in life.  He created us for a "Promised Land" type of lifestyle and health.
 
And I know so many of us have full INTENTION of one day "Thriving" in our health, but just haven't committed to doing the things we need to do in order to allow for that transition to take place.
 

And here's the kicker, I think it's simply because we don't fully UNDERSTAND and APPLY the Law(s) of the Harvest, so we DO A LOT OF THINGS in a way that won't allow us to graduate from surviving to thriving.

 We go half-hearted in our health effort and we reap half-hearted results.
 
Much like when I didn't water my plants, we will stop and think, "Oh I should go work out," but instead of just going, we think, "Meh, I don't really feel like it right now, I'll do it later."  And of course, later never comes...
 
Or with our eating, we think, "Oh I'm full and I really don't need this dessert," but then we eat it anyway because, well, it's there and we think, "what just one dessert?"  But it usually doesn't stop at one dessert just one day, does it.
 
So, when we put in small efforts and get small results, we think the SYSTEM and blame our "slow metabolism.
 
...Or our CIRCUMSTANCES prevented it, blaming our "lack of time."
 
...Or even our GUILT gets in our way, thinking of our failures and not wanting to set ourselves up for defeat, yet again.
 
This is painful, hard stuff.
 

But, there IS HOPE. 

By learning the 7 Laws of the Harvest you will apply HOW you can plant seeds in FAITH that will make ALL the difference in your:
 
CHOICES
ACTIONS
VISION
EXPECTATIONS
RESILIENCY
PREPARATION
& CORE VALUES
 
Remember, THRIVING in our Health is SO WORTH IT.
 
  • Surviving Health = where you feel like you are punishing yourself when you eat vegetables or exercise.
  • Thriving Health = when you feel SO GOOD when you eat nutritiously and move often that choosing NOT to become not an option.
 
  • Surviving Health = every time you pass by the mirror, you experience that tinge of dismay. The results aren't coming fast enough or aren't going in the direction you want at all!
  • Thriving Health = when you forget to look in the mirror because you are off doing the things God created you to do.  And even when you do look in the mirror, you see with new eyes of love and compassion.  You see yourself the way God sees you.

 

  • Surviving Health = when you buy and rely on overly expensive programs, shakes, or meal plans to follow because you don't trust yourself to make decisions on your own.
  • Thriving Health = when you trust yourself and know your body.  You feed it when it's hungry and stop when it's full.  You know when to PUSH and when to REST.  You enjoy food but aren't constrained by it.
 

SO, this is "Big Girl" stuff for 2016.  Part of the #SURRENDher16 initiative!  This is digging deep and as my mentor Jill Coleman would say, "leveling up" in our life and in our health.

 
Stop SETTLING for a life that is barely SURVIVING.  It's time to THRIVE.
 

So, we are going to GROW SOME GREEN THUMBS and get to plowing!

 
And, don't worry, if you're like me and are NOT GREAT at planting, not to worry, the key to your success is not in YOUR ABILITY, but in God's ability THROUGH YOU.  All you have to do is commit and SHOW UP.
 
#PLANTINGINFAITH is a game-changer mindset for our health!
 
The 7-Laws of the Harvest will allow us to life our BEST LIFE.  And because we've already learned the imperative facts that:
 
1. it take 21-days to form a MEMORY in our brain & 
2.  63-days to form a HABIT.
 
We are not going to just slide right by some of these lessons.  We are going to dig deep and make sure we understand, learn and apply them to their fullest potential in our life!
 
See you free gift below to help you start this journey!   Here's to Happy Harvesting!
 

Join the Harvesting Series!

If you are interested in learning more about how to Harvest Your Health in 2016, then I'd love to welcome you to my email list!  I'll be giving away the BEST content to my inner tribe!     In fact, I have a FREE 7-Day devotional series I wrote for you on "Harvesting My Health" through the 7-Laws of the Harvest!  I think you'll really like it!

Just click the button below to grab your free copy and I'll look forward to connecting with you soon!

FREE 7-Day Devotional

Categories
Food & Nutrition Spiritual Health

Transform Your Nutrition In 2016 Without Making A Single Change

Transform Your Nutrition in 2016

Without Making A Single Change…

This week in the TRANFORMher Health 2016 training, I am tackling the #1 most requested topic when I polled dozens of women on what they would like to learn in order to TRANSFORMher Health in 2016.  Over 98% of the women I polled wanted to learn this topic:  “How to Be Your Own Nutritionist in 2016.” It’s quite clear, that for most of us, our nutrition is our #1 struggle and point of confusion for most of us!
SO I’m thrilled to have some answers and I really am giving you MY BEST STUFF in this training!   I’m thrilled that I have years of experience with the good, the bad and the ugly nutrition habits from my own personal arsenal as well as dozens and dozens of clients!  This is really going to be a great training with a lot of step-by-step guidance that I know works!  (Again, it’s not too late to grab your spot for this training.  The times available are Tuesday evening at 5pm PST or Wednesday midday at 10am PST)
But, even as excited as I am about the potential ANSWERS and CHANGES I have to offer so many of you for your nutritional health in 2016, I KNOW that these changes are NOT going to be the END ALL BE ALL for your eating struggles.  

Why?  Because FOOD IS NOT JUST ABOUT FOOD.   We know this. 

Food is a reward.  Food is a coping mechanism.  Food is a culture.  Food is a celebration.  Food is a tradition.  Food is a temptation.  And quite obviously, we can’t just “quit” Food.
But I come with good news! 
Just I introduced in my blog a couple weeks back when I was speaking about the subject of TRANSFORMATION, this subject of food can be something that we can be TRANSFORMED in our eating without making a SINGLE CHANGE to our eating habits.  
How is that possible, you might think?
Well, if you remember, transformation happens when we “renew our minds” and we align our thoughts with the TRUTH of the Spirit of God within us. (Romans 12:2)

I explained in that blog that I knew I had truly TRANSFORMED my BODY’s HEALTH when I stepped up to the same old mirror, with the same old body, and I looked at those same old flaws, steady at that same old weight that I could not seem to lose to same old extra pounds, but I all of a sudden SAW MY BODY WITH NEW EYES.  

  
THAT is how God transforms us from the inside out.   He renews our MINDS and transforms our EYES to see in the Light of His Truth.  His Truth is the only truth that “sets us free.”  (John 8:32)

What society accepts as “true” will never set us free because it changes all the time.  

For example, what was “true” for our eating practices just a decade ago has all be proven false now.  This why our eating has been so frustrating to us– because the trends are always changing and our bodies are always changing!   
The BEST thing that can ever happen to your eating is to be met with the same old food, at the same old restaurants, with the same old family gatherings, and the same old traditions and yet see the food you choose with NEW EYES. 
To no longer be shackled to the food as though it is this thing that “you deserve” or this thing that “stresses you out” or this thing that will “make you feel better.”   
No, you will see it as JUST FOOD.  And you will eat it and you will enjoy it but you will no longer be a slave to it and will no longer worship it because you worship GOD and God fills up your WHOLE heart.  

For this very reason, I did NOT start the TRANSFORMher Health 2016 series with this topic on Nutrition, even though I knew that’s what the women who signed up really wanted to learn the most.  

I HAD to start with strengthening our SPIRITUAL health first and then tackle our MINDSET of health second ALL so then we could actually implement some potential changes with our eating and our exercising!

Real change can ONLY happen from the inside-out.  
The “Big Picture” of Health looks like this:

KNOW—————>  BE ———————> DO

Until you KNOW who you are created by, you cannot BE who you were created to BE and DO the things you were created to DO.    

This stands for your health and ANY change or improvement you want to make in 2016. 

It has to flow in this order otherwise it won’t stick for long term success and it won’t make you feel “fulfilled.”  
So, I invite you to this training where I will teach you how to monitor your EATING and make simple Nutrition adjustments that will TRANSFORM your True Health in 2016!  You will get a lot of great information and potential small changes you can make!  You’ll even get this awesome Nutrient-Based step-by-step infographic that will guide you all year long!
But know this to be true:   Your #1 way to truly TRANSFORM your health and your eating in 2016 is to know your CREATOR and put God at the center of your life and the center of your eating.  He will give you NEW EYES to see food in new ways and His truth will truly set you free in your eating! 

 So my question to you is, if you could see your food with NEW EYES in the NEW YEAR, how would you want to see your food?  Comment Below!  I’d love to hear what you have to say!

Categories
Fit Faith Friday Health Coaching Spiritual Health Uncategorized

{Fit&Faithful Fridays} Maryalice Goldsmith


As I started A. Wright Fit and stepped into this “Fit & Faith-based” company, I was met with many challenges—one of which was I really didn’t know what I was doing. (Disclaimer: To a very large degree, I still don’t!). But one of the smartest things I invested in during this start-up process was a business and mentorship coach and group of women to help me along the way. This gem of a woman, Maryalice Goldsmith, because my online mentor. She is just one of my coaches, along with Jill Coleman who started the Best of You Coaching program for online coaching professional women!

can be a bit tricky, but Maryalice has such warmth and compassion, that it actually translated very profoundly through your writing and assistance. As I started to know her better and looked through some of the awesome programming she was offering in her own online space, I was in awe. Read on about what Maryalice has to say to some of the deep Faith and Fitness related questions I asked her. You can also read the entire article on my blog post here:

Maryalice Goldsmith

InsideoutWellness, GoGetters Online Mentorship

Me: Tell us a little bit about what you do and how you started your business?

Maryalice: I started my business back in 2008 as a “hobby”. I put my 3rd and final son on the bus and thought, “What the heck am I going to do now?” After being a stay-at-home for 14-years I knew I wanted to tap into more areas of my brain. I loved being a stay-at-home Mom, but I got to that point where I knew I wanted to challenge myself and do something outside of that.
I decided to get certified in personal training and I started my “hobby” in the basement of my home. Whilst I’m still currently operating from my basement, it’s better than nothing. Eventually, the business will get to a level where I can move to a different space. For now though, I’m stuck in the basement. When I get clients, I do feel a little bit unprofessional telling them that I’m in the basement of my home. When I told my friend this, she suggested that I could always visit yourvirtualofficelondon.co.uk to look at getting an office address in London. That would make my business seem a lot more professional, so I might look into that at some point. It would also save me from giving my home address out.

In less than 18-months I had over 36 one on one sessions and 6-different varieties of bootcamps; boxing, TRX, sports conditioning and traditional style bootcamps.

I was in for about 50+ hours per week.

This was so not the goal. So I decided to check myself before I wrecked myself.

I made the decision to go online so that I can reach more people, get more time back in my life, and that work life balance we all desire. If it wasn’t for numerous guides to get me online such as this how to park a domain article, I would have had to fork out a lot of money trying to gain an online presence.

Running an online fitness empire is empowering, but it does have its technical challenges, especially where managing a website is concerned. For example, it is so important to use a reliable server such as Hostiserver to ensure that visitors to your website enjoy a smooth experience and are therefore more likely to engage with your brand.

It has been the best, most challenging, most incredible experience of my life.

Maryalice_against the wall

I hired a business coach back in 2013 and in 2014, she hired me to help her coach her clients. How cool is that?

2015 has been one of the best years in my business, I am so incredibly grateful.

My goal for 2016 is to continue to impact women in a positive way.

I run maryalicegoldsmith.com and I have two signature programs; Go Getters Online Mentorship and InsideOut Wellness.

I literally get to coach women everyday how to live happy, healthy, and successfully from the inside out.

It is truly a dream come true!

Me:How has your Faith impacted your Fitness and your Fitness impacted your Faith?

My faith means everything to me. It was a gift given to me by my parents – the very best gift they have ever bestowed upon me.

My faith impacts my fitness because I believe in order to honor God and the body He gave me I need to treat it with care, pride, and love – the way He would.

My fitness impacts my faith because when I respect my workout regiment I am the best version of Maryalice I can be. I am happier, more energized, and I shine my light (it’s a pretty bright light!!!). When I am not taking care of me, well that light is not so bright.

I don’t have that pep in my step… it all comes down to taking care of myself and giving myself what I need to be the very best version of me. Fitness helps me accomplish that.

Me: What is the biggest struggle you see women facing today? How do you think Faith and/or Fitness can help them in finding a solution?

Busy-ness! We are so busy with work, the kids, family & friends, and life in general.

I believe this busy-ness has distanced many women from their faith. In that, they are distant from their soul.

They have lost their connection with their spirit. They no longer know what they want, need, or desire out this life. They are on autopilot and as a result, they have become more and more numb to their goals.

Maryalice Goldsmith-0003

The power of faith is enormous. There is NOTHING in this world you cannot face without faith.

It grounds us in understanding what truly matters.

It motivates us to make decisions that honor who we are and believe that no matter what, if we are staying true to ourself, everything will work out.

Having faith allows us to understand that this moment is simply that, a moment in time. NO matter your struggle, your burden, and or your fear… this too shall pass.

With faith you are armored with a strength… it is the strongest muscle that supports your soul!

Me: Do you have anything coming up that we could join in?

I am super excited about my upcoming Go Getters Online Mentorship that will kick off on January 11th. I have put a great deal into this program and I’m super proud of it.

My Father, who passed on May 23rd of this year, was my greatest motivator. I could remember being as young as 8-years old and my Dad telling me, “Maryalice, you can be anything you set your mind to, ANYTHING. I don’t care if you want to be the first President of The United States – you can do it. You have to work hard, be the best you can be, and be a go getter!”

So, in honor of my Dad I want to help women be Go Getters Online. To go after their dreams and create the lifestyle they desire by building a thriving online business.

If you want to start your own business, then you can do it. Just don’t forget that it is a lot of hard work, and you need to be determined to succeed.

Make sure you know what you need to do, make a detailed list if you need to. For example, it’s important that you register your business as soon as you can (check out Your Company Formations Limited for more information on this), make sure you have a solid business plan etc.

Don’t panic though you’ve got this. And if you are worried then I’m here to help.

This is an 11-month hand holding mentorship, NO SHAME! You can access all the information here: http:www.maryalicegoldsmith.com/go_getters_online

The application process is open, and anyone who fills out an application will receive a link to hop on a call with me. I am only taking 20-serious online entrepreneurial women, so its important that we vibe.

I also believe in human to human contact and the online space often prevents that from happening, I am looking to change that.

To all you Go Getters reading this, I would love to connect!

You can also follow Maryalice on all things social media here:

www.maryalicegoldsmith.com
www.facebook.com/insideoutwellness08
www.twitter.com/MaryaliceHere
www.pinterest.com/insideoutwell
www.instagram.com/maryalice_goldsmith

Categories
Health Coaching Spiritual Health Uncategorized

“You’re not bad at it, you just haven’t learned it yet.”

What are the stories you have been telling yourself about your health and body these days?

Are you telling yourself you’re not capable of being in shape? Are you telling yourself you are never going to overcome your serious sweet tooth and overeating tendencies? Are you miserable while eating your healthy food selections and watching the “skinny” girls eat all they want and not gain any weight?

Our health can be one of the most stressful factors we deal with. Last week, I learned a valuable lesson in probably the only other category of our life that is equally as stressful, if not more-> MONEY. I learned some great insight into the “story we tell ourselves” that I think will help you re-write your story today too whether about health, money or whatever!

Here’s how it went down….

The other day, I was at my counselor’s office having our monthly chat. We see her mainly as a marriage counselor, but I go to her independently too. I have found that I really value having a professional to go to for the times where those really tough circumstances come up, as they inevitably do, and I don’t necessarily want to always air my dirty laundry on my mom, friends or husband. If you have never tried seeking a pro, it truly changed my life. She and I were discussing a heated discussion my husband and I had recently had regarding money. Money is just one of the toughest subjects to talk about, ever. No matter how much you may have or don’t have, money is stress-inducing. And as the Bible states, “To whom much is given, much is required.” Being new to the amount of financial responsibility my husband has, there is a significant learning curve I feel the weight of. I have come to realize that whenever he seems to be stressed about money, I internalize it (well, and make it about me, darn it.) I start to think about all the ways that I have not been stewarding and spending money very wisely, often spending out of haste and convenience and just plain old ignorance. Financial stress is something that many people deal with. But it is important to realize that there are ways to get this aspect in your life back on track. Whether someone has decided to start saving for a holiday, budget for retirement, or maybe just wants to learn how to manage their finances better, having a reason to take charge of this situation might make it easier for a lot of people to save money.

I will start to internalize it so much that I will start to regret the very things that have been intended gifts of love from my husband. “Oh, he’s stressed about money, I should never have had that destination wedding….” “Oh, he’s stressed about money, I should have just kept my old car….” “Oh, he’s stressed about money, why did I get so carried away at Whole Foods the other day?”

Let me be clear, these are all actually very valid introspections for me. You learn the best by making mistakes and realizing them from hindsight.

There are some ways I spend money that does not actually align with the kind of woman I want to be and am called to be. I will need to change what I DO in order to BE who God intended me to be. However, my mind takes this ideal and distorts it in a destructive way. This is something we all do. As I was explaining this particular conversation I had with my husband to my Dr., I told her this.

“You see, I am really bad with money….”

And she immediately corrected me. “You’re not bad with money! You just haven’t learned how to do this yet. You are still learning and you need to give yourself some space and grace to process this. It’s a change for you.” Wow, without even realizing it, I just exposed my SHAME. She was right! I had only just discovered that you could get a credit card for no credit history to help build your credit or take out small personal loans at the bank. After listening to her, I decided not to be so tough on myself. Bene Brown, renowned Author of Daring Greatly and many other best selling books, explains the difference between feeling guilty and feeling shame is in that word “AM.”

It’s the difference in saying, “I did something bad” and “I AM bad because I did x,y or z.”

Shame is really common but really destructive and tend to traps us subconsciously. I had taken something I’m inept and uncomfortable with and actually internalized it to mean that “I AM BAD.” My brain will convince me of a distortion of this truth by convincing me of a story that “I AM bad” and then I act from a place of that story instead of acting from a place of my Truth. This means, I act from a place of insecurity, instead of a place of patience and grace that is required for the learning process. I learned from Rick Warren, that the natural ramifications of my insecurity will manifest in 3 ways: I either get:

DEFENSIVE-I start to justify all the reasons why I am the way I am (i.e. bad with money) –DEMANDING– I start to demand that my husband help me with the expenses more. –DISTANT-I’ll avoid the subject and focus instead on something I do feel like I’m good at.

The problem with all three of those responses is that it doesn’t actually fix the subject at hand and it causes issues in our relationship. Inevitably, these insecurities and resulting issues are going to come up again until I fix the root issue and finally stick with LEARNING THE PROCESS better. I realized, I need to reframe my intention back toward LEARNING how to be wise with money and it will be an ongoing education. There’s plenty of educational resources online on how to manage your personal finances, such as MyInforms, so I wasn’t concerned about their being a lack of literature out there.

SO, let’s flip this back to health.

With those thoughts that you have, perhaps subconsciously, been convincing yourself is your “truth” (like, “I am bad at eating/exercise/sticking with a program”) is it possible that you too are just internalizing something you simply have not yet LEARNED yet?? You might be thinking, “Yeah, but Amanda, I’m not new to my body? I’ve had time to learn, and yet I still feel like I have no idea what I’m doing? To that, I think it’s important to understand the complexity of our body. Because our body’s are always changing, we are constantly having to adapt to the ramifications of the changing hormones and metabolic factors (including stress!). So what might have worked for you 10 years ago won’t necessarily work for your body where it is now. Maybe in some ways, but not completely. You have to commit to the process of LEARNING how to take care of what your body is doing this year. In that same way that I had learned how to spend money as a single person just fine, but I still needed to learn how to spend money as a married woman with a whole lot more expenses, you too will always need to adapt to the changes your body may have faced in the last year. Sometimes you may be in desperate need of something but don’t have the funds necessary to attain it. In situations likes these, it may be wise to apply for credit; but before you do, get your free report here. And just like I was exposed the negative ramifications that came from internalizing my shame in the way I would become DEFENSIVE, DEMANDING or DISTANT, you too need to be aware of your own reactions to the story you have convinced yourself too. Realize that if you simply change your story from ” I am BAD at eating healthy or exercising” to “I am in the process of learning about my body this year” you will release yourself mentally from having to be an expert in it right now. Instead, allowing yourself some grace in the space of learning. This week, what are you going to seek and learn about what your body needs from you? What are some things you need to investigate and learn about?

  • Maybe you have been experiencing some digestive issues and you need to learn about what foods might be causing your issues.
  • Maybe you have been experiencing some joint and body aches and you need to learn some new ways of stretching and exercising to help alleviate the pain but keep you feeling strong.
  • Maybe you have a life change going on that is keeping you busy and you need to learn some new rituals to streamline your health so you can still maintain a healthy system required for the additional roles you are facing.
Categories
Spiritual Health

HEADCASE: The Difference Between My “Spirit Talking” and My “Head Talking”

HEAD CASE

I am a HEAD CASE.

“You’re in your head a lot.”  This is what my friend Erin tells me all the time.  She quickly follows it up with, “Don’t get me wrong.  It takes one to know one!”

It’s true, I can get trapped in my “own head” a lot.  I love that I am able to critically think and analyze something until I fully comprehend what I should do or how I can teach it.   However, when it comes to “self-talk” and even my relationships with others, it can be my greatest downfall.

If I stay too long in my head, it prevents me from acting and doing the things I know God wants me to do. It delays me and distracts me from my Greater Purpose pathway and the peace that He can give me when I dwell with Him in the Spirit.

When it comes to our health, our MINDS make all the difference.  Our thoughts cannot be trusted to tell us the truth, but our Spirit can.  Our Spirit is our inner “knowing,” or divine intuition that leads us in the direction we should go, even when it doesn’t logically make sense.

When we are in tune with our Spirit, we can learn to trust it as our guide.

Paul encourages us in Ephesians 6:18 to, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.  Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers.”

The problem is, how can we tell, then, when we are in Our Spirit versus when we are in Our Head?  How can you understand your own intuition versus your regular thought life?

I don’t think I recognized my own Spiritual voice in my head until I was being tempted beyond my normal “head case” ways.

*******

I remember, I was angry with my husband for something.  I honestly  have no idea what it was for on this occasion, because,  let’s face it, husbands can do this to us ALL THE TIME, or at least mine does!

But my anger was manifesting itself in the worst ways— ways that I think we can all relate to.

I was playing the “worst case scenario”  in my head.   I was worrying and over-analyzing and OBSESSIVELY role playing what I was going to say to him when I saw him.  I overwhelmingly felt like I was the victim of some great marriage tragedy, which, since I CAN’T remember for the life of me what the issue was today, tells us all that this was NOT indeed the case.  Ha!

Nevertheless, I was miserable, unable to do any work and crying, A LOT (this is how I release a lot of emotion, unfortunately).

A deep part of me somehow knew I was overreacting in some way.  It naturally turned into my need to PRAY to God and frantically ask for help. (Sign #1)

All of a sudden, when I stopped “talking to myself” in my head and starting “talking to God” I would physically feel the angst in my chest lift and I would be able to relax, even if for just a moment. (Sign #2)

It was not easy, my prayers would last about 30 seconds at the most.  I could not concentrate on God very long before my mind would take over again and start spiraling.

But, again and again, I felt this tug to  turn back to God in prayer, and each time,  would relax a bit more. (Sign #3)

It was a tough day, and I was exhausted by the constant back and forth and inner turmoil, but in the end, I felt resilient.

More SURREND’hered.

******

As I reflect on this experience now,  I know that I won that battle against the temptation taking place in my head.  That’s right, when we feel the anxiety, worry, victim mentalities, that is the tell-tale sign that we are under an attack.

However, when I sought God and found my Spiritual self again,  I was then able to gather my thoughts and have a rational conversation with my husband to get to a resolution.  We were able to talk without it escalating and making it far worse, which, had I gone with my original conversation in my head, would have done just that.

What I learned was….

I would liken our “SPIRIT SELF” versus our “WORLDLY SELF”  as the inner *KNOWING* that is tugging at our heart and gut and biding us to share our burden.

The voice that I take on when I speak to God sounds different than when I talk to myself…and yet, it’s still me talking.

 As an aside, there was a time where I tried to sound really eloquent and “spiritual” in my prayers….now I just talk how I would talk to any of my closest friends and family members.  I remain authentic to my personality and communication because, well, God knows me anyway.  I can’t fake it with God and it makes my prayer life much easier.

Plus, when I speak to God versus when I speak to myself,  I will say things like, “God, I’m really angry right now and feel frustrated by x, y, z (and usually l, m, n, o, p!)….”  but then I start saying things in my prayers like, “BUT, I know that you will handle all of this.  BUT, I know that you want me to be (faithful, loving, kind, gentle etc etc). ” (Sign #4)

Those sentences, where I start to say, “I KNOW” is not my head talking to me.  My head is being attacked.  That is my divine intuition, my “inner knowing,” speaking through me that is the Holy Spirit guiding me back to the *me* that He created me to be—> the Spiritual Self.

 

The answer….

So, how do you find your “Spiritual Self Talk” and distinguish her from your “Worldly Self Talk?”

PRAYER.

How you truly start to recognize your “INTUITION” versus your “HEAD” is characterized by what happens as you PRAY versus what happens as your THINK.

The more you start to pay attention to what is going on in that PRAYER SPACE, the more you will be able to embody that space throughout the day.  Prayer doesn’t always have to be a secluded, quiet event.  It can be a inner dialogue just as your regular thoughts are.

That is how you can indeed, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion” as Paul so rightly recommends.  Those days where I can walk and talk with God all day long are my greatest days ever.

 

Categories
Spiritual Health Uncategorized

Embrace the Space: Why the G.A.P Method Works!

GAP

I have characterized the majority of my life as feeling like a solid B+ student wishing she were an A.  Across the board, I have felt this lacking and longing that I could be just a little better than I was.  In my looks, my body,  my intellect, my athletic capability, even my Faith! 

There always feels like there is this space between where I am and where I want to be.  Do you know the feeling? 

I feel this space also in my relationships!  You can feel the tension and the gap between where I am coming from and where, say, my husband is coming from on any conversation or subject. 

These gaps in our life can leave us feeling completely inadequate and lacking in various ways.  Like the dangling carrot on a stick in front of our nose,  we will never quite get there.  For some, it may make them want to just give up and quit!  For others, it will become a perpetual obsessive cycle to become “enough.” 

But, what I have come to learn, that these gaps in our life are the greatest gifts we can ever receive and a brilliant design by God. 

So, not only am I going to explain why you should say a prayer of thanks for your gaps in your life today, but I will give you a great tool to remind you of their magnitude to store in your heart for your next moment of inadequacy!

When we study God’s word and reflect on His nature and character sewn throughout, we can see what an act of love our own insufficiency can be.  Because, without our own GAPS in life, we would not have enough room and space for God.

God designed us to need Him and wholly depend on Him for our entire life.  Without these great spaces in our lives, we would not have that longing for Him.  Nor would we have the chance for Him to bless us in such astonishing and over-the-top ways.

He blesses us in spite of us.  Paul reminds us in Romans 3:23 NIV “for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.” 

So whether you are the Pope or Mother Theresa, you too fall short of the Glory of God. 

If life were a literal race and we were all running from coast to coast, there will be some that will be better than others, sure.  But in the end, no man is able to run non-stop all the way to the finish line.  We ALL will fall short.   

There is a GAP between where we are in our sin and where God is in His Holy throne.  We cannot get there while on this Earth. 

The Good News….

BUT,  BUUUUUUUUUUTTTTT, God is Good, ALL THE TIME and He takes these blessed GAPS in our life and transforms them into exactly what we need!  How?  By bridging the G.A.P and filling that space.

You can use this acronym to remind you of exactly what your GAPs in your life really represent!

G:  Grace

The space between REAL you and PERFECT you will be filled with God’s Grace.  It is with Grace that God sent His son Jesus down to live and die as a sacrifice for our sins we are committing now. 

This Grace is what fills up this universe sized space between our sinful nature and God’s nature. 

When we feel insufficient, we are reminded by God that, “My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV)

He takes our insufficiency and transforms it with His Grace.  We are sufficient and purposeful because we fall short.

The best part is, that God’s grace is FREE.  You cannot earn it or buy it!  All you have to do is believe to receive. 

So if you have not yet received God in your heart and are ready to unload this burden of trying to be perfect all on your own, it is time that you give your heart a break and choose to believe in Christ today.  Your Faith does not have to be perfect to trust and believe, it just has to be from the heart.

You can do it right now and say in your heart,  “God, I choose to believe that you love me and sent your son to die for me.  I ask for your presence and guidance in my life, to be my Lord and save me.  Amen.”

God will take care of growing your Faith and all of the questions that you have.  You don’t have to prove Him to yourself, He will handle it.  Just believe and you will receive.

A:  Abundance

 The second reminder is that when we feel like we are lacking in qualities, outcomes, characteristics, and even Faith, God is our ABUNDANCE. 

One of the greatest gifts you can have is to think with an abundance mindset.  To know that no matter what, there is always more where that came from. 

If someone stole your great invention, there will be an even greater invention down the line. 

If you didn’t get the great job promotion that you worked so hard for, there will be an even better opportunity coming shortly. 

All of dreams that seem impossible with your current circumstances, are POSSIBLE with God. “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Having that GAP in between the reality and your expectation, leaves room for the Great HOPE for tomorrow that only God can provide.  God gives us Hope with His Abundant nature.

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,”  (Ephesians 3:20 NLT)

P:  Power

These very spaces of inadequacy and gaps in our alignment become the areas where we gain our greatest courage, strength and POWER. 

Going back to the verse in Romans, not only do we see that God’s grace is our sufficiency, but is also our POWER because God’s Power becomes our Power.

“My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV)

When we are weak, He is STRONG. 

When we feel afraid, He is our COURAGE.

When we want to act out in anger, He is our LOVE.

All of these attributes become our very power within us to withstand every circumstance and failure in life. 

Whatever we are lacking, God exceeds and it is in HIS Might that we are so capable. 

The next time you feel the weight of the space between you and your goals, expectations, and progress, remember your GAP is your Guide.  

It is easy to keep putting more pressure on yourself to try harder or to give up rather than give IN to the God that created you, but I assure you, seeing these spaces as the Grace, Abundance and Power that you need to excel will quickly show you how incredibly rewarding our Faith can be!

Categories
Spiritual Health

10 Scriptures to Help You Endure Your Race in Health

 

IMPATIENCE

The name of the game in most of our desired BODY health transformations is found in FAT LOSS.  As you have encountered already throughout the information included this program, the process of Fat Loss is SLOW.  In fact, there is a quote I’ve used several times to reiterate the “slower is better” mentality required for sustainable fat loss–

“What comes easy won’t last long, and what lasts long, won’t come easy.” –TWEET THAT!

What Lasts Long

In other words, it’s easy to go on a crash diet and muster up every last inch of your limited willpower to restrain yourself enough to see some FAST results, but inevitably those fast results won’t last long.   That’s we have a yo-yo diet epidemic in our country and why the damaged metabolisms from such actions are triggering the overall trend in being overweight and obese. 

Obviously, since we are talking about a True Health transformation, the name of the game for finding “A Wright fit” for yourself is to take the slower, smarter, God powered route to True Health and fat loss. 

If that’s the case, we are inevitably going to need a LOT of one major character value—-PATIENCE. 

Patience does not come easy for us humans in the fallen world we live.  But patience, forbearance, endurance and perseverance are ALL character qualities that can be instilled in us through the Holy Spirit and a change in mindset. 

While we saw several examples of the severely delayed consequences that came from impatient whining and grumbling of God’s chosen people in the Bible (see Exodus 16 for the raining QUAIL miracle)  God also showed us the sheer resiliency and endurance of His most beloved followers.

Abraham, Moses, Noah, Job, Joseph, Peter, Paul and the King of endurance out of love, Jesus Himself.

We see that God tests all of His chosen and loved ones so that He may reveal their true heart and expose all sin that needs correction (with the exception of Jesus, of course)  in order to establish true character and Faith.  It all serves His purpose.

Don’t think that your HEALTH goals are not a part of your test in endurance!  Every single part of your life is a test in your ability to improve your Faith and endure gladly for God’s great glory.

So, as I hope you are on the “slow route” to Fat Loss as you *should* be, here are some of my favorite passages and scriptures on Endurance, Patience and Perseverance so you can renew your resiliency and hope in the Lord greater yet.

10 Scriptures to Help You Build Your Endurance Today:

  1. On endurance Producing Character:  “We also boast in our troubles, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance brings God’s approval, and his approval creates hope.” (Romans 5: 3-4 GNB) (Tweet that!)
  2. On renewing strength: “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and now grow weary.  They will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 NLT) (Tweet that!)
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  3. On Paul’s Endurance: “But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach and how I live and what my purpose in life is.  You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance.  You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured.  You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra–but the Lord rescued me from all of it.” (2 Timothy 3:10-11 NLT) (Tweet that!)
  4. On learning patience from God’s word: “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.” (Romans 15:4 NLT) (Tweet that!)
  5. On why God tests us:  “do not listen to them.  The LORD your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul.” (Deuteronomy 13:3 NLT) (Tweet that!)
  6. On eagerly awaiting with hope: “But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.” (Romans 8:25 NLT) (Tweet that!)
  7. On running with endurance the race of Faith: “let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.  And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our Faith.” (Hebrews 12:1b-2a) (Tweet that!)
    Therefore let us strip off every weight that slows us down
  8. On God’s blessing for persevering: “As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered.  You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” (James 5:11 NIV)
  9. On Waiting Patiently for God’s Promises: “When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.” (Hebrews 6:13-15)
  10. On enduring to the end: Jesus said, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:13 NLT) (Tweet that!)

 BE BLESSED!  Endure gladly today!

Categories
Spiritual Health

SURREND’hered to the STIGMA: Does Faith Based Equal A-Hole? [Part 1]

SURREND'herED TO THE STIGMA

An Epiphany….

We all see them and they make us cringe.  They are the people that are so caught up in their own beliefs, whether whole-heartedly with an established religion or whole-heartedly against established religion, that they start pushing their beliefs on everyone they know and questioning anyone in their way. 

With the advent of social media, we’ve seen this interaction on the rise.  People have more courage to be a-holes when they are typing their responses instead of saying them.  Plus, things get lost in the text and translation and it’s a slippery slope to a non-stop loop of slander and defense. 

All of this has made a strong case for society now telling us “keep your Faith and your political beliefs to yourself!”

So, deciding to take courage to ignore said opinions and put my Faith into my business that is built for the online space is something that is pretty scary to do!  I’ve opened up a few times regarding these fears that I’ve been able to overcome. 

And yet, at the same time, writing about my Faith is also kind of a “safe” way to be open about it.  I have the protection of my screen blocking me from any riffraff.  I can choose to read comments and respond or hit delete and move on! 

Alas, this past weekend when I had the opportunity to do some face-to-face interaction and opening up about my business and the Fit and Faith movement, I was nervous.  I was among 80+ other health and fitness female entrepreneurs attending the Best of You Coaching Club fitness retreat all the way in Asheville, NC.  I have been in this group all year, but as it is a virtual coaching club with the majority of our interaction via Facebook, I had met only very few of the women in attendance before that day.

The Best Of You Coaching Club of Women
The Best Of You Coaching Club of Women

As is customary, at the first session, everyone was asked to stand up, give their introduction about their business and tell what they’d like to learn over the weekend.  I was nervous of course, because, well, #publicspeaking. 

But I was also really nervous because I knew I was going to be “breaking society’s rules” and attempting to do it face-to-face.  In fact, my mentor herself has written that she is not a Faith-based person at all, which I totally get!  Not everyone is where I am.  Talking about Faith among other believers can be awkward enough,  but putting it all “out there” to people who don’t share your faith is HARD.

But I knew I needed to stand in my Truth.  My Truth is that A. Wright Fit is not just a regular “I want to help women get healthy” kind of business.  I know, that ultimately, I am in the life-changing business because I want to use Fitness as a way to help women grow into their Faith and a real relationship with God.  Then I want to use their Faith to excel and balance their Fitness!

With married health power-houses, Jade Teta (Metabolic Effect) and Jill Coleman (Jillfit.com and my business mentor)
Me (center) with the married health power-houses, Jade Teta (Metabolic Effect) and Jill Coleman (Jillfit.com and my business mentor).

I stood up smiling and said my piece, “Hi, I’m Amanda Wright, I own A. Wright Fit that is a Fit and Faith based company that I hope to expand and lead a Fit and Faithful movement.”  I sat down and my heart was beating audibly in my ears.  “Whew, I did it!” I thought.  As I listened to all the other women, I realized, we all had different ventures (which is awesome!) but I was the only one that had decided to be combine Faith and Fitness. 

What happened was pretty remarkable.  Later throughout the day, I had several women come up to me and talk about being Faith-based in this industry and give me such great praise for being the only one there that said anything about their Faith and business together. 

One woman told me she was in awe that I was willing to just be bold and say it because she had a hard time admitting to her faith in her business out of fear of isolating some clients.

Another friend said the same thing, while she had one Faith-based component of her business, her main business aspect she wanted to pursue was outside of the Faith realm because she knew that so many people would be “turned off” by it and wouldn’t buy from her.

Another woman said that she was not religious at all (she had had a bad experience growing up) but she really respected the way I went about my Faith and wrote about it too.   Such amazing encouragement!

Everyone had very valid points in their concerns!  While I do not believe that it is necessary for everyone to make their “business” about their Faith like I feel I am called to do, all this does point the very real fear of breaking “Society’s Rules” that I mentioned before.  This can go for ANY belief and stance in life, but specifically, I believe….

…as Christians, we fear the STIGMA that everyone thinks Christians are Self-Righteous A-Holes. 

I have admitted on this blog a few times that one of my biggest fears in starting A. Wright Fit was not about standing up to the non-Christians, but about standing up to the CHRISTIANS.

To date, the only person that has ever “ruffled my feathers” over an article I wrote was in fact a Christian guy whom I agreed with on all of his points!  But he still felt obligated to post some crazy offensive stories with some very defensive remarks that were pretty unwarranted.

So all this to say, there is some legitimacy to everyone’s claims.  There are some of the overly religious, overtly rules-based, sin-pointing, shame-inducing, types that are frankly, 100% WRONG, in how they approach and speak to anyone that does not yet have a relationship with Jesus. 

But you know what?  Even though there are these extreme types, I want to make a stand and say it.  NO! Not ALL Christians are Self-Righteous A-Holes! 

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In fact, NOT MANY are.  I don’t have hardly any Faith-based friends and family that are self-righteous because frankly, why would I be hanging around a person like that?!  

I realized that if I am hoping to start a Fit and Faithful MOVEMENT, which will highlight and celebrate everyone that is embracing their Faith in their Fitness, then we need to start the conversation about simply being BRAVE enough to admit to your Faith first!  

The reason why so many of my fellow believers don’t admit it is because of the STIGMA that society has given “religious” people.  But the STIGMA is NOT TRUE in MOST CASES.  Fearing the stigma and shying away from the stigma does not make the stigma going away.  

We must SURREND’her to the STIGMA and stand up for the truth! 

Faith-Based DOES NOT Equal A-Hole.

Faith-Based means humble. Faith-based means kind.  Faith-based means loving.  Faith-based means passionate, strong, God-powered and centered. Faith-based means you know how screwed up you are, but you just serve a God that’s greater. 

To be Faith-based simply means that we are attempting to grow and cultivate our character to be like that of Christ, albeit it quite imperfectly.  In case you don’t know, Christ, in the 33-years He was on this Earth wasn’t an A-hole.   I know that sentence is not exactly in the scriptures anywhere, but I can read between the lines and that’s what it comes down to.  (;-)) 

If we can get over our FEAR of what everyone is going to *think* about us, than we can move on to freely do what we are set out and called to do, help those we love find God in their heart.  To, as is my Mission Statement and Life Verse says, “Let our light shine before others, so they might see my good deeds and glorify my Father in heaven!” (Matt 5:16).

Matt 5-16

So, to prove my point, I’m going to a second-part of this series on the 5 Distinguishing Things I Did Last Weekend to Avoid Being a Faith-Based A Hole..     

Be sure you check it out!