Understanding Your Shape

Good Morning! Today I want to talk about how we are shaped to serve God. Rick Warren says, "God formed every creature on this planet with a special area of expertise." What is your area of expertise? I wouldn't claim to be an expert in anything, but I do have several hobbies or talents that I love to share with others any chance I get.

Baking has got to be my number one favorite thing to do for myself and for others. Anyone that knows me knows I bake any chance I get. I put my heart and soul into baking, I love watching people take that first bite. Of course now that I am eating healthy I make one dessert a week to eat with my cheat meal. Woodworking is extremely enjoyable to me. I have such passion for making one of a kind pieces from pallets. I especially love being able to add my own creative touch to each piece. I enjoy crocheting even though this was not a natural talent for me. I purchased Crocheting for Dummies many years ago. My first few "items" that should have been a scarf or blanket were more like knotted up lines. I enjoy working out. I have always been athletic. I grew up playing soccer, and later into adulthood I became a runner. Along with running I soon picked up weight lifting at the gym (just to tone of course, not to get buff).

We are the way we are because we were made for a specific ministry. Are you using your area of expertise to better someone else's life? If you are a great public speaker, do you help give tips to those around you that aren't so comfortable with it? Do you know how to cook healthy meals but never talk about it with your girlfriend that struggles and makes all frozen meals? Do you see someone working out wrong at the gym and politely correct them so they don't get injured or do you joke to the person next to you how ridiculous they look? God shaped and formed each one of us to serve him in a way that makes our ministry unique. I have heard and read multiple times that if you are doing what you love to do, then you will never work a day in your life. If you are doing what you love you won't need motivation or someone checking up with you. Passion drives perfection.

When your heart isn't in what your doing you are easily discouraged. For example, you sign up for a gym membership because your buddy did. When you both arrive he hits the weights hard, while you are walking on the elliptical because you aren't sure what weights work what muscles. You both are always there for the same length of time but he is showing results, and you aren't. It's because he either researched how to workout or it is just natural to him. That would be extremely un-motivating for me. Say you start selling XYZ because your best friend is selling it and she looks so happy and you want to be that happy. If your heart isn't in it you will not have the same passion to sell XYZ and most likely won't succeed. How about all of you that see a few DIY projects on Pinterest and try to start replicating them or even start a DIY business. But yours are always Pinterest Fails...haha we have all been there but don't get discouraged this just isn't your natural talent.

"God never wastes anything. He would not give you abilities, interests, talents, gifts, personality, and life experiences unless he intended to use them for his glory."Rick Warren

We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Ephesians 2:10

I became a BeachBody Coach recently to help others change to a better way of life. I have had such amazing results it is hard not sharing and wanting to help others. I am using some of my natural talents to better other people lives. I became a coach to show you that you can have the level of energy you need to get through an entire day. I am here to show you that working out isn't as intimidating as you may think. I am here to give you meal ideas that are easy and healthy. I am here to show support and lift you up on those days you may be discouraged. I have a passion to serve God and help those around me, so I will do just that.

How can you make the best use of your God given shape?

If you are following my decluttering project I am only tackling a little each day. By a little I mean I have purchased and labeled the boxes. David went through one shelf in his closet. A little a day is how this will slowly get done. Stay tuned.

Have a great day!

Accepting my Assignment

As I sip my coffee and read my daily devotion at 5.a.m. this morning I think about my life. 

Am I fighting the changes in my life to hold on to pieces of who I am? Or have I accepted that I am new in Christ and I am here to serve Him, which means giving up who I was? Probably a little of both. I hold on to what makes me feel comfortable and push away what makes me feel vulnerable. Today I move forward and accept a new assignment in my life that is going to make me feel uncomfortable at times but is going to better my life and the lives of others.

It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others. Ephesians 2:10 (LB)

"You were put on earth to make a contribution." Rick Warren

I am so excited to announce that I have become a BeachBody Coach. I didn't accept this challenge to make it a full time job and replace David's employment (although I could have it as a Full-Time career working from home). I have accepted it to help better my life and the lives of the people around me. Who doesn't need improvement in their life? Who doesn't need to eat better, sleep and exercise more, drink and smoke less? I accepted this assignment to serve God and share my journey of a healthier lifestyle with anyone that feels their life can use some improvement as well.

God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God. 1 Corinthians 6:20 (CEV)

"Anytime you use your God-given abilities to help others, you are fulfilling your calling." Rick Warren

I am currently reading: What On Earth Am I Here For? Rick Warren says, "The mature follower of Jesus stops asking, 'Who's going to meet my needs?' and starts asking, 'Whose needs can I meet?' "

So I am asking this today as I step out of my comfort zone. Who needs help eating better? Who needs help with a good exercise program? Who has never worked out before but really wants to? Who walks past mirrors in a hurry just so they don't have see the person staring back at them? Who hangs on to those pre-pregnancy clothes in hopes to wear them again one day instead of accepting that with each child we birth our bodies will change? Who would like to step out of their comfort zone and go on this journey with me? I am here to serve God and be the best me that I can. I love the changes I have seen in my life over the last 7 weeks, and believe helping others experience this as well is what I am supposed to be doing.

Have a Blessed day. 

What's happening today in my life...

Today started off like any other weekday (keyword is started). Nurse Nico, shower, read my devotion, sip 3/4 cup of my coffee, nurse again, prepare Mateo's school, eat breakfast, two older kids wake up, make them breakfast, Mateo sits down to start school and gets an attitude, send Mateo to go clean until the attitude is gone. I receive an email for the second time this week about decluttering my life and home. I took this as a sign to get serious and declutter our house, this starts today. "Kids get dressed we are headed to Lowe's for boxes." I got some great decluttering ideas from Pinterest, purchased my boxes, and brought the boxes, packing tape, and a permanent marker in for labeling. That is as far as I got before it was time to nurse Nico, fold a load of laundry, make lunch for the boys, and play phone tag with a very important lady friend. Everyone was taken care of, the two older boys are eating lunch, Nico has a full belly and is army crawling all over the house, and I got on the phone for maybe ten minutes. The phone call gets disconnected, I pick up Nico to return him to his toys in the living room and discover Jacoby has found the permanent marker that is supposed to be used by me for labeling my boxes and he has managed to get the lid off and scribble on our dining room table. EEEEEEEKKKKKKK that is really what I sounded like. After alternating between scrubbing and soaking with different cleaners I got if all off. Praise God! I might have taken some of the stain off the table with the green marker but thats okay, our guests won't notice. Now back to my day and this phone call. This phone call was about some big changes that have been happening in both my family and my life for the last 6 weeks. About 8 weeks ago someone asked me if I was interested in working out at home. I said "no" and listed all the reasons I just couldn't (or won't) workout at home. Haha jokes on me. For the last 6 weeks I have been doing just that. My life has been forever changed. I have always been active in either running or working out at the gym. I have felt like going to the gym was my "me" time. But since having our third child it has been quite hard to get everyone ready and out the door and make it through an hour long workout uninterrupted. So, I talked things over with David and explained that I felt if I was going to get in any exercise it would need to be at home. With this challenge to workout at home came a healthier way of eating as well. The day before the challenge began I wrote out some meal plans for the next week, went grocery shopping, and came home to meal prep for the week. I have been clean eating with one cheat meal (including a sweet treat) a week for the last 6 weeks and I feel great. As of last week I was down 7 lbs and 6 1/2 inches!! Yay! I have had three kids and gained almost 50 lbs with each pregnancy. For the most part the weight has dropped off pretty quick, but it takes a lot to be comfortable in your skin after even one pregnancy. I have to say I am so excited on where I stand today. I may not have abs (yet), but my family and I are eating extremely healthy (with the exception of my Husbands weekly chicken wing addiction), this is such a wonderful lifestyle change for us all. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, " Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." I want to take care of the one body that I have, and not with any temporary diet, a miracle pill, or a daily wrap. I want David and I to teach the good habits of both diet and exercise to the children so they can live long healthy lives. To all the moms out there, just because we birthed children that is no longer an excuse to not be in shape and love the skin we are in. To my family and friends who don't have time to go to a gym or are intimidated by the gym equipment this is for you. To those that want to eat clean and don't know where to start call me, email me, message me on Facebook and I would love to further share my journey with you. Now back to the regular scheduled program called life. Naps are over, dishes are screaming to be done, children want to be loved on, and I still need to get my daily workout in. Have a blessed day!