Chunking the Junk

Sometimes you just have to sit down and type! I've been wanting to organize my thoughts on what I am going to share with you today, but I realize that's probably not going to happen...so here goes it!

If you are my Facebook friend you've probably not escaped the fact I have been on a journey to healthier eating. As I read new information I have shared snippets with you through my status updates. Some of you are interested and others have laughed at me, it's okay, I'm laughing with you:)

Let's start by making this point clear, I AM NOT AN EXPERT AT ANYTHING. I'm not a doctor, nurse, nutritionist...shoot, I haven't even bought any books on the topic....yet. So, what I share with you here will be based on what I have tested personally or what has resonated with me from my research and reading online.

Of course, like any subject there are varying opinions on the topic of what to eat, what not to eat, etc. I'll leave those arguments to the "experts." If anything I am sharing this with you because if you only make one healthier choice from it I have been successful. Sharing, inspiring and encouraging...it's what I do and it's part of who God made me to be!

A couple of months ago I purchased a Vita-Mix high powered blender. I had been eyeing (okay, coveting) one for over 5 years when I first saw it demonstrated. Couldn't talk my hubby into the purchase (they're not cheap, think investment here.)

With hubby convinced and vita-mix in hand I went in search of some yummy smoothie recipes. I stumbled upon a whole new world of green smoothies. Drinking my greens was a new concept to me and I liked it. I like them so much I now have one every morning for breakfast!

As I learned more about fruits, veggies and seeds and their nutritional value I came to the revelation God has provided us everything we need to live healthy, disease free lives...but it's all in our choices. There is healing in food.

If you've been around My Soul Sings you know I am passionate about inner healing, aka healing of the heart. God is all about our health, from the inside out...healthy food choices are a great way of taking care of what He gave me, so I can not only have life to the full (see John 10:10) but live life to the fullest and have life to give to others in need of it.

No, I am not a vegetarian or a vegan...yet:) I don't believe it's wrong to eat meat. In fact, I believe the Bible gives us the freedom to eat it. You don't have to agree with me here...that's not the point of this post.

Google and I have become fast friends on this journey. I started looking up the health benefits of items I had hardly given a second glance in the produce department. Here are some of the tidbits I have put into practice and seen results from:

*Did you know that eating fruit after a meal will lead to bloating and gas? Fruit only takes about 20 minutes to process and reach the stomach. It's best to eat fruit early in the day, and especially not after a meal in which you've consumed meat. Most meat takes hours or longer to digest. Put fruit in behind that and it ferments before it ever reaches the stomach. Traffic jam! Not only is the result bloating and gas, but you've missed out on the nutrients in the fruit! Here I was eating fruit with my meal hoping to add fiber to my diet to prevent constipation and in actuality I was only making my condition worse! I have tested this. I am now a believer. Enough said!

*Artificial sweeteners are the same as drinking battery acid. They cause joint pain and aches. I haven't had a diet soda or artificially sweetened drink since last week. No joint pain whatsoever this week and no ibuprofen either...WIN!

*First thing in the morning, drink a tall glass of water with lemon juice in it. I usually use 1/2 lemon or more per 24 oz tumbler. Lemon is very cleansing and is an anti-oxidant which rids your body of free radicals which cause sickness and disease. Think of this morning ritual as a cleansing of the pipes so to speak!

*Greens, greens, greens! This is why I like green smoothies so much. I would probably never eat a big bowl full of kale in a salad, but put a few leaves of it in a smoothie with some mango and I can drink it up! Greens are also full of water; water that has already been purified naturally.

*Studies have linked a low fat diet with a tendency toward depression. Our bodies need good fat! Remember the fat in a doughnut is not equal to the fat in an avocado! I have to wonder if craving sweet junk food like chocolate ice cream or cake when we are feeling down is our body's way of saying, "I need fat!" The junky fat may satisfy and comfort for the moment, but a diet with a balance of healthy fat could make a difference for a lifetime!

I have an app on my iPhone called the green smoothie app. It has recipes for green smoothies, soups and raw puddings. What I love most about it is the nutritional information on a wide range of fruits, vegetables and greens. It tells you what they are good at preventing and/or treating. Great find for $1.99!

If you want to be entertained, as well as have a wealth of green smoothies recipes at your fingertips, check out www.blenditandmendit.com. My younger daughter likes to sit with me and watch her video tutorials. We like her enthusiasm, it's contagious:)

I also have learned quite a bit from www.greensmoothiegirl.com. In fact, I am planning on purchasing one of her books soon.

If you are interested in making some healthier choices, and have questions, feel free to ask me. I might not have the answer, but I may can help you find one! So many health issues can be cured and/or reversed by making changes in our diets. I want that, don't you?

Today in my breakfast smoothie alone I had 9 servings of fruits and vegetables. The FDA recommends 5. This afternoon as I have written this post I enjoyed a snack size smoothie containing one peach, about 2 cups of frozen honeydew, spearmint leaves and one whole romaine heart. It was very refreshing on this hot day and tasted great! Much healthier than what I use to choose as a snack:)

Well, that's about all I have to say on the subject for now. If you found your way to this blog through a search engine please know you are welcome here, but the topic of this blog is not usually health, nutrition or green smoothies. My Soul Sings is a place where I share my journey and relationship with the Creator of the Universe and Lover of my soul...Jesus. But what better way to honor Him then by honoring my temple (body) and what goes into it. I want my outside to reflect what's on the inside! I have been saved, healed and delivered...from the inside out and that makes my soul sing!!!!!

Are You Content to be Fat?

I had hoped my next blog post would be to share things stirred in my heart from my recent experience at Jesus Culture Awakening. Hopefully I will make time to do so in the future, but for today I feel I have a word from the Lord. I believe it's a personal word for me, but one He is also wanting me to share with His body.

Perhaps it is the result of what I saw and heard shared at the conference...after all, there were many ministries represented and showcased throughout the conference all with the same mission..."Send," "Go," "Love," are words I continually heard. These were people not just content to sit in a conference and listen to great men and women of faith share their stories of miracles and moves of God. No, they were people whose lives had been laid down in total surrender. They were in the trenches doing the "stuff," loving the unlovable, rescuing the dying, releasing the captives. One lady shared of a ministry starting with 5 children rescued from the sex trade, now they are up to several hundred children. They not only feed and house them, they are providing the children an education so they can grow up and be productive citizens! These people are not just preaching the gospel, they are living and doing it!

Which has led me to question are we, the body of Christ, more content to be fat? By fat I mean fat on knowledge...continuing to partake, but never assimilating. Maybe we don't "act" on what we know because we are afraid of what the sacrifice might be. Perhaps we are afraid of failing or of the unknown.

I am reminded of the scripture in I Corinthians that says, "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." Allow me to take this verse out of context and pose the question, is it love that makes it possible for us to put knowledge into action? I believe the answer is yes. It is love that compels us to take knowledge and put action with it...to assimilate what we know.

What I love about spiritual principles is they are always first seen in the natural. If all we did is eat and eat and eat some more, but we never leave the table to exercise what happens? We get fat! Same applies spiritually...if all we do is study, go to church once a week and attend conferences, but never take what we learn and "go out unto all the world" we get fat...fat with knowledge.

"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." (Luke 12:48b)

I don't know about you, but I'm not content to just eat and get fat. I want to share my "food," share my experiences with God, share His love, bring healing to the brokenhearted and set the captives free. This is what I was destined to do, my purpose...the piece of the Father's heart I carry. What part do you carry? If you don't know, I encourage you to ask Him. He has been waiting for you to ask!

Pray with me...Dear Papa, I'm no longer content to sit at Your table and feast without sharing the bounty with those around me. I'm tired of making it all about me, my needs and my wants. I recognize I am blessed to be a blessing. I want to see what you see in this world. I want my heart to break for what breaks Yours. I want to use what I "know" of You and represent You well to others. Papa teach me to put love into action, truth into action...I want to be a living, breathing, walking around example of the gospel of Christ. I want my words and actions to bring You glory and draw others into the abundant and free life You have generously bestowed upon me. Thank You for making the way. Thank You for trusting me, Papa. Thank You for life. Amen!"

It's time for the body of Christ to start assimilating what they know in a spirit of love. There is a world out there dying, literally and figuratively, to know and experience the love of Christ...what if you are the means to bring that freedom to someone? Why not you and why not now? This is the gospel and it makes MY SOUL SING!

If you enjoy My Soul Sings I invite you to become a follower of this blog. If this post has ministered to you, please feel free to share it with friends! Blessings on you!

Time for Rest

This post will be more like a journal entry; a peek inside my heart and mind the past few days.

It hit me Sunday morning while sitting at my daughter's swim meet. I am exhausted. Not just physically tired, but spiritually and emotionally spent to the point I was feeling it in my physical body. I wanted to weep, but how could I in front of all these people? Surely they would think I am crazy if they asked if I was okay and all I said was, "I'm just tired." After all, it's not uncommon to see swimmers break down into emotion because they didn't "perform" to their expectation...yes, a swim meet has it's potential for many adolescent hormonal displays of emotion:) But, that's not me and my onslaught of weepiness was not remotely tied to swimming.

In the midst of it all, I decided when I got home I was unplugging from life...or as Jack Bauer in the former Fox TV series, "24" would say, "I'm going dark." Yes, I went dark Sunday afternoon and evening and it was delightful! Turned my cell phone off, didn't check Facebook and after both of our girls were home for the day, we even unplugged our house phone. And, I rested.

As I awakened this morning I suspected I would feel completely revived and recharged, but that's not the case. Of course I immediately started to access the situation and my conclusion is this...boundaries...I broke Amy's unwritten rule of living life from a place of rest. I've lived my life the past few weeks with little to no room for time to recharge...leaving not only my body tired, but my mind and heart as well.

I have blogged before about ministering from a place of rest and this is crucial in preventing ministry burn out. I broke my own "rule." Well, I'm not real fond of having a lot of "rules" so maybe it's more of a boundary or guideline than it is a rule. After all, even though we live in the New Covenant under God's grace, His "rules" are there in order to protect us, not restrict us. I don't look at the "rules" of scripture as there to keep me from having fun, no, quite the opposite, they are there to keep me safe.

This summer has been insanely busy...mostly coming from having an active 15 year old in the house. Maybe this summer is God's way of preparing my heart to let her drive next year...something that if I ponder too long makes me slightly anxious at the thought:)

Hmmm, I really don't know. But, one thing I do know is this...our bodies were made to need rest, as much as they were made to need food and water. God even modeled resting to us on the 7th day of creation. So, in the midst of the crazy summer schedule I am going to re-evaluate my boundaries and carve out more time for rest.

This past Saturday night at our home church, Joy shared with us about stewardship. Stewardship is about more than just our finances. We will steward well what we have value for...if I'm not stewarding my body well, I'm not only not taking care of God's temple, I'm not honoring my family with the best of me. When I am weary in body, soul and spirit I am not going to be the best wife, mother or friend. Stewarding our bodies well is also an act of worship to God!

I believe I was created to share and be transparent, which is the purpose of this blog post. Somehow, just processing this on "paper" has relieved my soul of a burden...thanks for listening and I hope this will speak to many other "weary" ones.

Exchanging weariness and fatigue for His yoke makes MY SOUL SING! Now, where is my pillow and soft praise music?????

If you enjoy reading My Soul Sings, please become a follower of this blog and consider sharing it with a friend! Blessings on you!

Sweeter than Candy!

"Complaining in the Kingdom doesn't get you candy." I heard this said in a sermon I was listening to by Kris Vallotton and it really sparked some thought in this ole' head of mine.

The overall message wasn't necessarily about the direction I am taking this blog...it just sparked some thought which led to revelation for me personally...which, in my opinion, is too good not to share:)

After Kris made this statement he went on to the give the example of a child throwing a temper tantrum in the grocery store, begging mom for candy. You know how the story ends, because I think we (parents) have all been in this story...you get the child candy, in hopes of shutting them up and keeping peace. Not the end of the world if this is a rare occurrence, BUT if this becomes a pattern we really are doing our children a disservice by teaching them complaining/throwing a fit/whining gets them what they want in life. Although this may be true to some degree i.e. complain in a restaurant about the food or service and you may get a free meal out of it, it isn't how God does business....in other words, it's not kingdom.

I will be the first one to confess I have parented this way...giving in to my girls just to make peace...but then I was challenged several years ago by Matthew 5:37 in several areas of my life, but particularly in the parenting department. My paraphrase of Matthew 5:37 is, "Let your yes be yes and your no be no."

My girls don't push the envelope as much these days, especially my older daughter. I have even overheard her say to one of her friends, "when my mom says no, she means no. There's no need in begging her."

Okay, so you may be wondering where I am taking this...I'm getting there...

I started to think of how God parents us. Sometimes we pray and ask for something and the answer, or lack of answer, can be translated as a no from God. Then I am reminded of the story of Abraham and Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham was in true relationship with God and in Genesis 18 we see him plead with God on behalf of the righteous in Sodom. If you are not familiar with this story I would encourage you to go read it. Very encouraging and empowering to know we can have this kind of relationship with the God of the universe!!!

What I gleaned from this is I want to teach my children they can persuade (not manipulate) me, just as we can pray to God and persuade Him. You might have trouble comprehending we can persuade God, but we can probably agree that one of the purposes of prayer is to come into alignment with His heart. I think this is just another facet of what true relationship with Father God looks like...intimacy, where you see His heart and He knows yours...and because He is a good Father He wants to fulfill our desires, but they must be in accordance with His character and His word.

If I can see one of my daughters truly has a heart desire for what they are asking for I will do everything in my ability to fulfill their request...no complaining, begging or whining required!

No, complaining truly doesn't get you candy in the Kingdom, but it does get you something, but not anything you would want...it gives you an all access pass to visit the realm of darkness. It will empower the enemy to move in your life. I love the quote by Bill Johnson, "complaining is to the demonic what praise is to God."

As Psalm 100:4 tells us, "enter His presence with thanksgiving and His courts with praise."

I want to dwell in His presence...complaining doesn't put me there, praise does. I want to parent my girls like Father God parents me. I want everything I do and say to reflect the kingdom of God. What about you?

Thankful for the process of learning to live with a Kingdom mindset one step at a time. My Soul Sings with praise and thanksgiving for my Jesus and that, my friends, is sweeter than any candy!

If you enjoy reading My Soul Sings, please, become a follower of this blog and consider sharing it with a friend! Blessings on you!

Love is the Key

The Beatles were really onto something with their song "All We Need is Love." But, "Whose love?" would be the question I would pose.

Have you ever had someone in your life that was just plain broken? Messed up? Hopeless? Helpless? No matter what you say or do, nothing is ever enough to pull them out of the pit of despair they find themselves perpetually living. Have you ever thought if I could just love them to wholeness everything would be so much better?

Yes, I believe love is the key and love is everything, but not necessarily human love, but divine love. Until we experience God's love, nothing and no one can fill the hole or holes in our heart.

If you follow me on Twitter or if you are my friend on Facebook you will see me often post about my love for Jesus and His love for me. Friends, these exclamations of my love for Him are more than just beautiful words to me. They are deep and they are real...because I have been forever changed by His love.

I am passionate about leading others into the same healing and freedom I have found through my relationship with Jesus. I have shared my story over coffee, lunch and through Facebook messaging. Some accept what I have to offer, others do not...and that's okay, it's their journey, my obligation is just to share when He says share:)

There are others who ask for help in walking out their journey to wholeness and freedom...inevitably, along the way there are those who don't seem to be able to get over the hurdle of their past, be it sin or shame, they just seem stuck.

I rejoice with those who walk on to victory, as I believe it is the will of the Father for each of us to walk in complete victory...but I am saddened by those who choose (yes, it is ALWAYS a choice) to go backwards...which led me to ask Papa God the question...Why? Papa, why do some embrace Your healing and others do not?

The list of obstacles is lengthy. Shame, unworthiness, guilt, fear and control are a few things standing in the way of true freedom. Each of these have to be dealt with on their own, but there is one key that unlocks them all...Love, God's love.

One of my all time favorite scriptures is I John 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love."

Perfect love isn't a feeling or emotion; it is a person, JESUS.

Sounds so simple, yet it is so difficult for many to grasp. Papa was giving me the antidote and the answer to my question and it is love, His love. How can one get past the obstacles forming a wall around their heart, preventing themselves from being hurt, abused or taken advantage of? These walls have protected them from bad stuff, but they have also blocked the love capable of setting them free! The process to healing starts with receiving God's love.

Have you ever met someone who seemed unlovable or hard to love? Perhaps even feeling like you didn't like them too much, but you couldn't put your finger on why. Odds are, they don't love themselves and they project a "I'm not lovable" vibe. In actuality, they are dying on the inside from lack of love.

When I realized I couldn't love anyone to wholeness until they were ready to receive it, my perspective shifted. I realized I can not be more zealous about pursuing their healing than they are. So, what do you do until they are ready? You love, you surrender the person to God and pray for them how you would want them to pray for you. Ask Papa to fill them with His love, making His love real to them, filling every place in their heart where there is pain or void with His perfect love that casts out fear. He will. Loving us is His speciality and no one is excluded!

If you are reading this and the person needing to experience God's love is you, I pray you would have the courage and desire to move forward in your pursuit of our loving God. I pray you would become a target for all the goodness and love Papa God has for you! He has been waiting to lavish you with His love. The first step to walking out a path to wholeness and healing is allowing Him to love you. Let Him use the key of love to unlock your heart, you can trust Him with it!

There are not enough adjectives in the English language to describe the love of God. I am thankful He loves me with an abundant, never ending, furious, extravagant, lavish, all consuming, passionate, perfect, luscious, unconditional, marvelous, amazing, brilliant and radiant LOVE...my soul will forever sing of His love for me and for YOU! I pray your soul is singing too!

If you enjoy reading My Soul Sings, please, become a follower of this blog and consider sharing it with a friend! Blessings on you!

Ready for a Divine Upgrade? Embrace the Process!

This post is closely related to my previous post, "Grace for the Process." If you haven't read it, I invite you to scroll on down and do so.

Have you ever heard the saying, "a leopard can't change his spots?" Basically we believe one or two things to be true...you either believe a person can't change, maybe believing "they were born that way." Or, if you subscribe to the ultimate truth of God's Word, you know when one accepts the gift of salvation they become a new creation in Christ (see II Cor. 5:17.)

I 100%, adamantly, without exception or apology, believe the second statement! Upon salvation I became a new creation and will spend my entire life embracing the process to look more and more like Jesus with each passing day! Which brings me to the topic of this post...divine upgrades.

Graham Cooke (yes, I am quite fond of his teachings:) says there are unclaimed upgrades lying all around us. When difficult times come including trials, temptations, battles, etc. we can take a defeated attitude, accept things as is, wallow in self pity or hopelessness...or we can focus our thoughts and eyes on Jesus and allow Him to show us the "upgrade" available through the process! Although I am hesitant at times in submitting to the process (aka, refining) I am always looking for an upgrade...because I have learned the upgrades are well worth the "fire" to get there!

History almost always repeats itself, unless the cycle is broken. Many times we fall into the habit of doing things as usual, the way it's always been done in our families, perhaps our churches or even our denomination...finding ourselves in the same situations, with the only difference being the cast list. It was Albert Einstein who said, "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Maybe it is time for us to change perspectives?

I want to share with you how you could apply this concept to your spiritual walk while merging it with the concept of heavenly upgrades.

I believe God gives us tests. I also believe He has given us EVERYTHING we need to pass these tests. There are no failures, just as many retests as needed in order to pass on to the next one, thus stepping into your upgrade in that area of your life.

Let's take offense as an example...this happens to be a common problem for all of us, after all, it was Jesus who said, "WHEN offense comes." He didn't say "IF."

How we respond to offense is a crucial step in growing up in the Lord. Offense involves relationships, rather they be friendship, family or business oriented.

I must admit my goal use to be when offense took place to make it go away as soon as possible. Sadly, this usually didn't involve seeking a solution or common ground or even agreeing to disagree...no, it meant my goal was to separate or run away from the issue...almost always without resolution. Instead of acknowledging my part in the situation, taking responsibility for my actions I would also be quick to proclaim it was spiritual warfare.

Friends, we need to be careful what we blame the devil for...taking responsibility for seeds you sow is an important first step to walking in your divine inheritance as a son or daughter of the Most High. Blame shifting, rather it be toward other people or a "the devil is after me" mentality won't get you anywhere but the pit...I know, I've been there!

Now, when offense comes I ask the Lord to search my heart according to Psalm 139:23. If I have sinned or acted in a way not pleasing to the Lord I deal with it through repentance and when necessary apologizing to those who I have hurt. I take the pain in my heart to Jesus and get His perspective...trusting Him to meet my needs and releasing those who have hurt me from any expectation I have of them to change or meet my needs...only He can do that anyway!

You have heard me say on this blog many times before and if you hang around you will continue to hear me say it again and again..."You are only responsible for you!" You can not change anybody else and if you wait on those around you to change or if you think they are the problem and your life would be better if they would only (fill in the blank) you might be waiting a very long time...and in the meantime you could have been experiencing a more joy filled, abundant relationship with Jesus as you allow Him to refine YOU! And, of course, during this time you will be presented with more opportunities to pass the test I was referring to earlier. I don't know about you, but I'm not fond of tests and don't like having to take them over and over...I want to pass the first time (although, FYI, I'm not there yet:)

If you are reading this and realize history is repeating itself over and over again in your life...I would suggest you ask Jesus a question. "Jesus, what area in my life are You exposing through Your light, in order to equip me to pass the test and receive my upgrade?"

Friends, I promise He reveals the yuck in our hearts without condemnation. He isn't mad at you or frowning at you...no, quite the opposite...He is yearning for you to come to Him, like any good father, so He can lavish you with more of Him and His solutions. Any area of your life that doesn't line up with the truth of how heaven sees you is a prime target for an heavenly upgrade! So, what are you waiting for?

Learning to seek Him for His solutions, cleaning up my own messes (instead of begging Him to make them go away) and taking responsibility for myself has led me into a more fulfilling and empowering relationship with Papa God...which always makes MY SOUL SING!

If you enjoy reading My Soul Sings, I invite you to become a follower of this blog and consider sharing it with a friend! Blessings on you!

Grace for the Process

Wanted to hop on here and share with you a prayer Papa laid on my heart yesterday. It's a prayer I believe if we all prayed it, there would be a fountain of grace flowing more freely in the body of Christ.

I am not saying there is a lack of grace on heaven's part, but I think we have to be mindful that we have freely received grace for ourselves and it's time to freely give it to others as well. We need to be grace givers, not just grace receivers.

In life we are going to have conflict with others. Misunderstandings and offense are inevitable. Unless you live with your head in a hole, it's going to happen. I am at a point in my life where I want to use each opportunity to grow and become more like my Papa. Instead of avoiding or running from difficult situations, I want to meet them head on, in a spirit of love and grace. This is what I refer to as process. I am in process and everyone I come into contact with is in process...some are embracing the process and others are running from it:)

Graham Cooke refers to people in our lives that are difficult, needy or abrasive as grace growers. I have some grace growers in my life and I am sure you do too. Boundaries are necessary with your grace growers, but it's important not to completely shut them out because by doing so you will miss a wonderful opportunity to "grow in the Lord."

When we take offense and pick up our toys and move elsewhere we are just setting ourselves up to be introduced to more grace growers. He will continue to give us opportunity to grow up. It doesn't matter if the environment is different, the process is the same. Truth is, when we move, our junk goes with us...the same areas that need His touch and healing don't go away with new territory...you might as well deal with them where you are and save yourself some time and additional heartache!

For example, maybe you have a pattern of having issues with your boss. You think changing jobs is the solution, only to find the same issues surfacing within a few months in your new environment. Could it be possible, perhaps, YOU have an issue...maybe with authority? We can't control other people and we are only responsible for ourselves...so, take a look in the mirror. Allow Holy Spirit to shine His light on YOUR heart. Ask yourself the hard question...could I be part of the problem? Work on changing YOU and watch what God will do in your environments. It doesn't mean you won't have issues, but you will have His perspective and handling them with a goal toward solution will be possible with heaven backing you up!

So, the prayer He gave me was simply this, "Papa, help me to give myself grace in my process and give me grace for others in their process as well."

Yes, grace for my own process is important, because I have a tendency to beat myself up when I handle things less than "perfect." He isn't mad at me, therefore, I shouldn't be mad at myself. Who doesn't need more grace?

The day I realized I was trying to make people earn the grace I received for free was a day MY SOUL truly learned how to SING!

If you enjoy reading My Soul Sings please become a follower of this blog and consider sharing it with a friend! Blessings on you!