It Isn't Really About Food, Is It?

I posted this on my facebook page the other day and am now going to expound upon it.  Here's the post, as well as picture.
"Another great email message from Christine Caine today. This picture was below, as well as this verse ~ "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)" I have been thinking about this a lot.

Church, aren't we called to be set apart? If we eat and drink for the glory of God, doesn't WHAT we eat and drink matter? Doesn't what we put in our bodies matter? I think it does. Our bodies are to be temples....so, how are you treating your temple? See, what gets me is that we are not TAUGHT how to eat right, or to eat well, or to read labels, or how much water to drink, or what type of exercises to do. We continue in this vicious cycle, which isn't healthy and quite honestly is killing us. Isn't it time to rise up, and be good stewards of what we have been given? You only have one body to live in, so why not treat it with love and respect?"  That concludes the post. I would now like to expound upon it.

This weekend, we had the opportunity to attend a conference for people in ministry.  It's always interesting to me to see what type of food and drink they serve at events, especially the faith based ones.  See, it seems to me as though this is an area where the devil has gotten us as believers ~ the area of being disciplined with what we eat and drink; the area of taking care of our temples; the area of self control; the area of gluttony, particularly around food.  "It's not drugs!," some may say.  Or, "it's not alcohol," say others.  Or "it's legal." Exactly.  That is why it is a trap, because it is legal.  There is nothing wrong, immoral, illegal, or even sinful about eating, is there?  Nope, sure isn't.  We need to eat to survive, yes? However, it is a HEART ISSUE.

See, when we are eating out of brokenness, or stress, or seeking "comfort food," that is a sin.  Why?  Because it is idolatry.  We are turning away from God and turning to something else.  Yet, the church continues to do it, day in and day out.  Sometimes it is even promoted within the church at various events.  All you-can-eat type events, potlucks, that sort of thing.  Again, I am not saying that these things are wrong or sinful, please don't hear me saying that.  Let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater, but when we are encouraging or helping people to stumble, rather than helping them, we are part of the problem.  For example, a lot of events in the community revolve around food, yes? Pancake breakfasts, fish frys, cookouts, festivals, fairs, etc. You can always count on food that isn't good for us at those events.  It would be like taking an alcoholic to a bar, walking them around and expecting them to not be tempted.  It's not going to happen, is it?  So it is with us.  The exception is our addiction is legal.  It is accepted.  It is encouraged.  It is promoted.

So, back to the event this weekend.  The food. All in all, was not too bad.  There were cookies {more than once offered during the day}, soda/pop, whatever you call it, some protein and lots of carbs at lunch.  There were no fruits and not too much veggie-wise.  The problem, I see, is that it really isn't about the food, but how we are using the food and what the food is for.

See, I have learned on my journey that food is fuel.  Food is energy.  Food gives you what you need to be well fueled, prepared and ready to handle your day.  Food is not meant to be an idol, a comfort, a soother, a helper. That is what Jesus is.  So when we turn to food instead of Jesus for that, that's a problem.  From my personal experience, I had to have some inner healing take place before I was ready to tackle the food area of my life. Food was my comfort, my refuge, my solace, my comforter....anyone relate?  I was using food where I should have been turning to God.  So the problem, as I see it, is we are hurt and wounded and turning to the wrong source for healing.  Instead of turning to the One who can heal us, bind up our wounds and hurts, we are turning to something that is killing us.....both spiritually and physically.

The other problem I see is we can't give someone something we don't have.  Yes?  So, if we are ministering out of this unhealed part of us, turning to food to "help" us, aren't we teaching those we minister to to do the same? Instead of helping them be free and well, we are crippling them as well because of our own issues.  Is that why the church is so wounded? I don't know.  I'm just speculating.  From doing a quick Google search, the following caught my eye, published earlier this year

~"More than a third of American clergy are obese, according to a new study from Baylor University." Google it and see what you find.


From my own past with food and current experiences, there is a problem in the church. It's an area we either go after, repent from and transform our minds, or the devil continues to win in this area of the Bride.

What say you, church? Are you ready to rise up and take care of your temple the way we were intended to? I'm here and ready to help when you are. We already know who wins the battle, so why let the enemy keep picking on you?

Losing Your Voice?

Have you ever lost your voice?  Whether it be literally {like physically lost your voice}, or feel like you have lost your voice/presence, it stinks! While I'm not sure I have totally 100% ever physically lost my voice, I do feel like I have lost my voice/presence.  The sad thing is I'm not exactly sure when or how it happened. As a kid, I remember being pretty loud and probably obnoxious.  Then, it seemed like it was about attention, wanting and needing attention, so I did what would work to get it.

It seems as though this carried into college, but somewhere along the way, my voice got lost.  While I think I know when it may have happened, it's surprising how much of an impact that has had.  It's interesting, because I remember talking in groups and people saying "what?  I can't hear you," or "please speak up."  When Chad and I first started dating, he would say that a lot.  It wasn't that I was mumbling, but that I was quiet.  My voice was gone.  Almost like I didn't feel like I had any worth in what I said, or a lack of value, maybe?  It's interesting because growing up some of my dreams were to become a t.v. broadcaster, and aerobics instructor, things that required being up front, in front of people.  My freshman year of college, COM 114 {speech} was my favorite class because I loved public speaking!  Yet, somewhere during my 4 year college experience and even after that, my voice began to wither......

While I believe there are several contributing factors to this, it's interesting how I have not noticed it....until now.  It's an area that it seems as though God wants to work on in me. Honestly, that was part of the reason I didn't want to get certified in PiYo.  I talked about that for probably a year, but realized the fear with it, for me, was speaking into a microphone in front of people.  Hmmmm. So, I've been sitting here, afraid to do something and what does God do?  He keeps putting me in more situations that force me out of my comfort zone.   That force me to get up in front of people and speak with a microphone. {Like at church!  On the stage!  AAGGHH!}

When I made the decision to get certified in Cize, I knew that I had to do it.  The burning desire inside of me was too much to say no to. In fact, I didn't even let myself think about the microphone when I registered!  LOL.  Chad made the comment "it will be good for you." When I asked him what that meant, his reply was "I think it will take you out of your comfort zone."  Great, just what I want! The reality is I do want to grow, change and if the call on my life is to have a voice, then I need to step into that and be faithful and obedient. I don't wanna miss anything because of fear! If we do that, who wins?  Seriously.  

All this to say, God is a god of restoration. While I don't know what from your past has been lost, as my voice was, I do know He wants to restore that and use it for His good. If you're willing to let Him, it can be a wild, exhilarating ride friends!  Are you ready?  

Saving Lives

Are you a "life saver?" I would have answered this question with a "no," a few years ago. But, today, the answer would be different. There was a situation recently where someone we are close to had a health issue. In a facebook group, we were talking about bringing meals for this person and their family. "So if any one has recipes or ideas please share so we can all learn to cook healthier," was part of the post. Well, if you know me or have been following me, you know there have been some recent health changes in our lives as well and I have become a huge proponent of healthy foods, meals, clean eating, etc. This is right up my alley! I have actually made an ebook of clean eating recipes that I was thinking of posting, BUT, didn't want to come across as salesy or trying to push something. I messaged the friend who started the conversation on facebook to see what they thought, and the reply was "We all need educated and maybe save a life!! Be a blessing." Ok, then. So, the recipe book was posted.

However, the following day, the "maybe save a life," is sticking with me. See, my perception of saving lives has always been in the spiritual. Sharing the Gospel, inviting people into relationship with Jesus as their Lord and Savior. So, "saving," was a spiritual mindset for me. However, that transfers to the physical/natural realm as well. If we are physically dead, can we make a spiritual impact? I don't think so. Now it feels like God is calling me to save lives not only in the spiritual, but the physical as well. And, it's not about weight, folks. Anyone who thinks that is missing the boat. Did you know that the following diseases are related to foods: 

* Obesity 

* Diabetes 

* Cardiovascular disease 

* Osteoporosis

Just to name a few. Did you know that fast food increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes? Do we wonder why we as a nation are so sick? Look at our lifestyles. We are busy, we are not intentional about what we eat, we eat on the go, throwing fast food into our mouths more than we should be. We are eating for comfort, not to fuel our bodies. We are turning to food to pacify, comfort us, soothe us, when in reality we need to turn to the Comforter for that. "If you're comfortable, you don't need a Comforter," is something Todd White said 5 years ago that has stuck with me. We are seeking food for something it was never intended to be used for and it's making us sick. 

The other day on facebook, I posted about fatal conveniences. See, fatal conveniences are the abundances of food, but a lack of nutrients. We live in a society of fatal conveniences, folks. Look at our busy lifestyles...going here and there, but not giving our bodies the fuel they need.

If you don't think our nation is in a health crisis, I encourage you to go where people are. The zoo is where I had my "ah ha" moment. I saw parents who were unable to keep up with their kids because their weight was preventing them from doing so. As we have been out and about, I continue to see it ~ at the mall, at the pool, at churches, anywhere people are. Do you see parents able to keep up with their children? To run and play with them at the park? To keep up with them without getting out of breath? From what I have seen, those people are becoming the minority. And, it's not ok. I am not ok with kids not being played with or enjoying their parents because their parents don't know how to take care of themselves, or aren't willing to. Is that fair to the kids? Jesus came to give us life to the FULL, yet I see people not living in that fullness He died for because of food choices, and lack of exercise. Sounds like the devil's plan to steal, kill and destroy is winning, eh?
                                         

So, if being a life saver means helping people use food as medicine, vs. poison, then yes, I'm a life saver! If you'd like me to help you with this area of your life, or if you'd like to know more about Jesus, please let me know. I would love to hear from you!

Be a blessing today, friends!  Do good!

What Cize Means to Me......

I know it sounds odd, but I have been thinking about what the release of the new Cize program means to me.  {In case you're not familiar, Cize is a new program Beachbody released that is a dance program designed to help drop pounds!  Plus, it's super fun!  I am loving it!  It doesn't even feel like exercise to me! In fact, so much so, I signed up to become a Cize instructor!}  So, all that to say, I have been thinking about this new program and what it means to me.

See, all of my life, I have danced.  My mom put me in dance lessons at age 2.  I continued all the way through high school and was on the dance team in high school as well.  Once I hit college, my dancing consisted of fraternity parties and the Neon Cactus once in a while. {Um, not so much to either really.  It wasn't the same at all!}  Dancing is therapeutic for me.  It makes sense to me, I understand it, I get it.  It's how my body works.  Now, sports....not so much.  

I was cut from the volleyball team in middle school and to be honest, since that time, I have not considered myself an athlete.  When they say in some of the Beachbody videos I've done, "think of yourself as an athlete," that doesn't resonate with me, because in my mind, I'm still the girl who got cut from the volleyball team.  Sure, sports were part of my high school experience, but I don't feel like I was good at them.  I swam my senior year {who does that for 1 year?  Apparently, me.}  I also played tennis, which I wasn't great at either.  But, I did dance and that was my "jam," if you will. Running, ugh. Not so much. Part of me thought to be an athlete, I had to be a runner.  That's not me. It's not my thing, I don't enjoy it. One bit.  So there!

So since February of 2013, I have worked out consistently 4-6 times/week doing various Beachbody programs.  I've done 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, TurboFire, PiYo, Les Mills Pump, I have Insanity Max 30 but didn't complete the whole program, tried T25 {not my thing, too athletic, maybe?}  and now Cize. Since becoming a coach, I have heard of others talk about their "soul mate workout," and wondered what mine was.  Sure, I've enjoyed Turbo, PiYo and some of the 21 Day Fix ones, but to say they were my soulmate wouldn't have been totally true. I think Cize is it!  When I'm Cizing it up, I'm in my element. I feel confident, comfortable and know what I'm doing.  Plus, at the end, I'm a hot mess so I know it's a great workout too!

I've been thinking a lot about what I wanted to be "when I grew up."  When I was a kid, there were three things on my list;

1. Be a mom who drives a mini van {not sure why?} - ✔
2. Be a business owner - ✔
3. Be an aerobics instructor - soon, friends, soon!

It might sound funny to say but Cize has been healing in a way.  It brings back the good parts of my childhood that I seem to have forgotten.  One of my former dance teachers reached out on facebook when she saw I was going to be certified, so that was fun too!  It's nice to know there really are exercise programs available for everyone now.  If you're not an athlete, great!  Cize might be a great fit for you!  It has been for me and I'm really thankful for that.  It's awesome to feel like you're in the right place at the right time. What a blessing!

If you'd like more information on Cize, please let me know! I'd love to hear from you!  We can find a live class near you, or hook you up with the program to do at your own home too! If you're not currently working with a Beachbody coach, I'd love to work with you! {Whether it's with Cize, or another program.} To make me your coach, please go to the following:

https://www.teambeachbody.com/tbbsignup/-/tbbsignup/free?referringRepId=393567

I'd be honored to be a part of your health and wellness journey!

Communication, Or Lack Thereof

Communication.  Yes, it was my major in college.  Why?  Because I liked to talk. Seriously.  At one point, I wanted to be a broadcast journalist, like Katie Couric. However, after doing a mentorship at the local t.v. station {WLFI}, I learned I would have to do my own hair and make-up and edit my own tapes.  That was kind of a deal breaker for me.  {Sound a bit like a primadona, eh?  It's ok, I was.}  So, back to communication.  It's interesting how we have so many ways of communicating these days ~ phone, texting, email, facebook, instagram and lots of other modes I'm not even aware of but have heard rumblings of.}  Yet, at the same time, we don't seem to know how to communicate with one another.  There have been a few interesting communication scenarios that have happened in the past week that have really surprised me.  The more time and reflection I gave it, the more I realized how flawed our communication really is with each other.  Which then leads me to wonder how that impacts relationships?

I'm the type of person who prefers to be told the truth.  I suspect most people don't like to be lied to, correct?   Or have information withheld from them?  Or have someone be dishonest with them?  Or not be told something upfront?  The whole beating around the bush scene?  Yeah, not so much. Yet, it seems like all of those things happened in these scenarios.  As I look back on them, if the person had been upfront, open and honest from the get go, a lot of frustration could have been avoided on both sides.  It seems like we are very good at burying how we really feel about something, yet, when that happens things "come out sideways."  This is exactly what happened.  It is perfectly acceptable to say to someone, "you really hurt me when you did xyz,  I was hoping you would have been upfront about the situation from the get go." Or "my feelings were hurt when abc happened." It is ok to have an open, honest conversation if/when someone has hurt you.  Or, if you think you have hurt someone to go to them and say "I am sorry if I have hurt you.  I'm under the impression that perhaps you are upset with me. Will you please forgive me?"  That solves things in such a healthier way than pushing it down, letting it come out sideways and being nasty at off times because you've buried the hurt and anger.  Eventually, it comes out, so why not deal with it from the get go? What would our world look like then?  Think we would have the anger issues?  The violence?  I don't know, just a thought here.  It seems like we aren't educated on how to communicate with one another in a healthy way.  How to process our feelings and work through them.  Why is that?

The other thing that I'm noticing is people doing things that affect others without saying something to them.  A good example would be someone borrowing your car without asking or without your knowledge, yet when you go to get into your car...it's not there!  Um, hello! Everything we do affects someone in a positive or negative way.  Please think through the ramifications of your actions and words and how they impact others.  A lot of times people don't intend to hurt people and I understand that, yet a lot of times that happens.  

Part of me wonders if this is due to the fact that we don't really know how we are feeling. We are so busy, so go, go, go, go that we don't take time to stop and think before responding. We simply react before thinking things through.  Is part of that is because we are so unsure of our own feelings/thoughts/etc. that we don't know how to handle our own, let alone others? Have we not taken time to work through and process our own issues?  Could that be part of it?  We respond to situations based on our own wounds and hurts?  Just some food for thought here as I've been processing some communication scenes that have impacted me recently.

Why Freedom Isn't Free

The quick fix.  You know what I'm talking about right?  Oh, you know....just wanting everything to either "Poof! Disappear and go away!"  or "Magically get better."  It seems like lots of people want that, but they don't want to do the work it takes to get results.  I see it a lot with health, wellness, weight loss, but believe it's affecting us in other areas as well. Relationships, for example. Marriages. Relationships with our kids.  Our friends. Neighbors.  At church.  Anywhere, really.  Our lack of knowing how to work through things is affecting many many areas of our lives.  I see it daily.

What really gets me with this are a few things, really.  The mindset.  Do we think we are entitled to certain things because of who we are?  Is that a part of it?  Why do we think we deserve something we aren't willing to work for?  Chances are our actions have gotten us where we are and we don't like that so we want to snap our fingers and make it all better, or go away.  Why is that?  Why don't we realize our actions or lack of actions have led us to this point? that there are consequences, positive or negative, for what we do or don't do.  You know, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, right?

Or there is the victim mentality.  "I can't because __________."  "It wasn't my fault, it was so and so's fault." Basically saying "I'm not responsible for my own actions." Um ok. Since when is that the case?

What about the "I don't want to be rude/hurt feelings?"  This seems to be really prevalent with food.  "I ate something I shouldn't have because I didn't want to be rude to those serving me."  I understand that, I don't want to be rude either, but at what point are you in charge of your actions, choices, etc? If someone offered you a cigarette, would you feel rude saying no?  What about at the drive through when they ask you to Super Size it?  Is that rude to say no to those folks, too?  I don't think so.  Do you feel hurt when someone tells you "no thank you," and then think the rest of the day about how rude they were to you?  I don't.  So why do we do that with food or other things?

Now, I'm going to talk health/wellness/weight loss here.  I don't understand how people think they can eat like crap for 25 years, then all of a sudden think a pill will make them thin? How does that work?  Or other products on the market for weight loss {wraps, pills, oils, etc}  How does that change anything?  It doesn't.  It might give you short term results, but the sustainability isn't there.  You're not learning how to change your behavior.  You're not learning how to re-train your brain and your habits.  You are taking a quick fix that quite honestly I don't think makes sense.  I have tried so many things out there and none of them worked for me. None of them taught me how to eat, or why to eat that why.  I didn't learn how to exercise effectively.  I didn't learn anything, I just took/used the product, didn't change my behaviors and expected to see change.  I wanted a quick fix. It didn't work.  For sustainable change. you have to learn to change.  Change your mindset.  Change your habits.  Change your situation.  As you likely know for me, that change was a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. {You can read more here.}

The other area I see this a lot in is in freedom from the past. It's hard to work to admit where you've come from, what's happened, what you've done, etc.  And it's harder work to pursue healing for it.  A lot of people don't seem to want to do the work to get results, which just baffles my mind.  Yes, it's hard, I get that!  But it's harder to live in that place of bondage, paralysis, and the pit of the past. Believe me, been there, done that, bought the t-shirt as they say.  Has it been hard?  YES. Has it been worth it?  HECK YES!  Would I go back and change anything?  NO WAY JOSE.  

Freedom isn't free, it's worth fighting for though, friends. You are worth fighting for. So, what's holding YOU back?  Is it you?  Stop it!  Is it what others might think?  Stop giving them that much control over you!  Is it fear? That's False Evidence Appearing Real.  It's also a tactic of the devil to steal, kill and destroy, which is exactly what he's doing if you're not free.   So, if you're ready to do the work, freedom is waiting for you!  But, you do have to do the work.  It's not just going to come.  But, I promise you, it is SO worth it! Let me know if I can help.  God has given me freedom in many areas and I love to help others find freedom as well.

Why I Can't Stand the Word Busy!

Busy, busy, busy, busy!  We are all so busy, aren't we?  It's like we thrive on how busy we are, how much we can cram into our already full lives, schedules, just to see how busy we can be.  I really can't stand the word busy.  It makes me cringe.  Why?  I'm glad you asked :) There are a few reasons ~

1. For me, we were always busy!  I grew up in a very busy home.  That taught me to always be busy.  In fact, in high school, college and even for a bit after college, I THRIVED on being busy!  How much could I take on?  How much could I do?  Ya know what it led to? Burn out.  Adrenal fatigue.  Exhaustion. Crabbiness.  Lack of self care.  For me, being busy became a coping mechanism to not handle any of my "junk."  This may or may not be the case for you, but it certainly was for me.  When I was busy, I didn't have time to think about past pain, wounds, or things that needed healing in my life, because I was just too busy.  Being too busy denied me the opportunity to heal.

2. I believe we are all in charge of our days, our schedules our lives.  Granted, there are some things that are out of our control, but for the most part, we can say yes or we can say no.  I can hear it now "but my kids to this and this and this and this."  Ok, so, who's in charge of the kids schedules?  You or them? You can tell them no.  You might not want to, but as parents, it's our responsibility to set the boundaries for our kids.  You can say yes or no.  Setting boundaries for kids teaches them to set boundaries for them as adults too.  It's a great teaching opportunity too.

3. Finally, I heard someone in church say busy stands for:

Buried
Under
Satan's
Yoke

My eyes were open wide when I heard this.  At that time, I took off my "busyness badge," and decided to change my ways. 

I get it.  Our lives are full, we have responsibilities, families, commitments, etc. How we navigate those commitments is huge! What are we saying yes to?  What are we saying no to?WHY are we doing these things? I encourage you to ask WHY before signing up, saying yes, committing.  What is the reason behind it?  Do you have room in your life to add something new in?  Just some food for thought so you are not too busy!  Enjoy!