Investing in the New Year

If your holidays were as busy as mine (and whose aren't?!) you can probably understand why it's been a while since I've posted anything! I had always intended to post something every day when I initially started this blog. However, I've discovered that it just isn't very realistic, likely, or even very doable for me (unless I give up my day job as well as my main job of being a wife and mother...yeah, not going to happen!).

What I have learned over the years is that often times, "less is more" (who has time to read someone's posts every day anyways lol?). I've also learned how to not be so "all or nothing" and to prioritize. My health and fitness is always going to be something that is important to me (as well as helping others with their health and fitness needs/goals as well). However, my first priority has always been to put God and family first. It's not likely that I'm going to be one of the super duper elite diamond coaches out there who do this full-time, but that's ok with me. My success as a Christian, a wife, and a mother far outweighs anything else that I could possibly excel in; on Earth and in eternity! In fact, I've seen the best and most PRICELESS "returns on investments" EVER in the past year; both in my family and in my work environment. Most notably, my son accepted Christ and was baptized. There is no greater investment than when you invest in someone's life; especially your child's! If the only reason I live and breathe is to make sure my children know and choose Jesus as their Savior, then I'm confident that I'm accomplishing what God wants from me! I am enjoying every second of every opportunity I have in directing my children to walk in faith! Those devotionals and books that you see in the picture above were Christmas gifts for my children; which they have been reading and enjoying daily. I am extremely proud of them and that they are excited about growing in their faith!

My son, Casey, raising his hands in victory!

With that being said, I've been feeling a greater sense of urgency to make sure that I can continue being there to nurture my kids; which won't happen if I'm not functioning as well as I could be. I'm still an overweight, tired, aging Mom who finds it more and more difficult to make time to prioritize fitness back into my daily routine (because I got out of the habit again). Chris and I did do our first two months of Piyo, but we didn't get to the two months of the "strength" phase. Illnesses, busyness, exhaustion, and stress have been our obstacles in the past few months (though, I suppose that's everyone's excuse). We really need to get into our "beast mode" again! As I mentioned, one just has to find what is "doable" and prioritize even just a LITTLE bit of time. If all I can manage is just a few minutes on the treadmill for a while, a few glasses of water, one healthy choice, etc., then at least that's something...I just have to remember the Beachbody motto: "Decide. Commit. Succeed." With the Lord's help, I can definitely do this!

How about you? What are your priorities? With a fresh new year comes a fresh new perspective! Personally, I want my spiritual momentum to spill over into the areas where I am currently weak. The best part is that God excels in strengthening our weaknesses! In what areas do you need infused with his strength? Consider this verse; which has recently become a favorite of mine:

Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you.

Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. 

- Isaiah 33:2

Now, personalize that verse! "Lord, be gracious to me; I long for you! Be my strength every morning (and all day!), my salvation in time of distress." This prayer not only gets me through the day, but gives me a sense of joy and peace that is amazing! This verse has been very calming and I feel that it has also been a key to unlocking a prayerful heart all day!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Leave a comment with your thoughts and feel free to contact me if there's anything I can do to walk with you on your journey this year! Visit www.infusion413.com to view the special January promotions (which include the 21 Day Fix as well as the new program The Master's Hammer and Chisel) or let me know if you need help choosing a program/customizing a plan. Remember, just start small; even if it's just walking for five minutes a day! Be the best "you" that you can be for God, your family, and yourself! Be infused! God bless you!

It's an "I Wanna Punch Bob Barker" Kind of Day

I'm sure the title of this post is making you scratch your head a little; unless you totally understand my reference. If you've seen "Happy Gilmore", you already know what I'm talking about lol. It's that classic scene where Happy just can't calm his anger anymore and he completely unleashes on Bob Barker (see video clip;  but be forewarned that there is obviously some violence and a bit of language).

I would like to clarify that I don't actually want to hit Bob Barker (it was once my longtime dream to meet him and be on his show). I don't literally want to hurt or hit him or anyone else. I just simply use that phrase and think of that scene whenever I'm upset. No matter what level of agitation I'm at, it usually helps for some reason. Even though flinging golf clubs, raging, and hitting people wasn't the best venting choice, it did help Happy Gilmore to release all the the things that had been slowly building up throughout the day.

Everyone needs a way to "get their angries out" (constructively). Doing it "the Gilmore way" is NOT recommended. There are LOTS of other ways to process anger without hurting yourself or others. It's not a bad thing to feel angry. After all, anger (such as anger at injustice) is sometimes a good thing. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:26: "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath." In other words, it's about HOW you handle the emotion and not about the emotion itself. Anger is often considered to be a negative thing because more often than not, it's the the precursor for bad choices and behavior. Furthermore, letting anger go unresolved, and have all those accumulating days of sunsets pass by before you let go of it, only makes the anger grow. It poisons you inside. In fact, Master Yoda once said that "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." It really can be a horrible chain reaction. Darth Vader is the example of what happens when that path is taken. His son, however, famously resisted the urge to ultimately give in to his anger which would have turned him to evil as well. Instead, he responded with encouragement, hope, and the desire to see his father ultimately choose to finally do the right thing and not live in that anger prison anymore (if you're not a Star Wars fan, I'm sorry...but you should be lol. Lots of good lessons there and these quotes will pop up in my posts frequently lol! *Jedi hand wave* Watch the movies, you will!).

If you have ever had a "bad day" (and we all have) just remember that you CAN overcome it through Christ! He will give you the strength and grace to deal with whatever it is that is upsetting you so you can put the day behind you and not continue for days, months, or even years. Do whatever you can to get through it a positive way. Take a "time out" and have a quite moment with God. Pray. Take a walk. Work on a hobby. Write. Talk with a friend. Do what you need to do to cool down and regain focus so you can find a peaceful resolution to whatever it is that upset you. For me, that means working in the garage tonight on a new project. I'll think, pray, and paint/sand away until I've processed through my thoughts and feelings. Then, I'll put the issue to rest so that my body can rest too.

GRACE and PEACE to you, my friends! It takes a LOT of those two things to get through those golf club flinging moments of frustration lol. God will help you through it! Be infused! God bless you!

How to Be Fearless

Fears. We all have them and they come in many different forms. Some of them even have names like agoraphobia or arachnophobia (yeah, I'll fess up to the last one...but I won't be swimming in a sea of spiders any time soon in an attempt to get over it!). Though, in all actuality, there is only ever ONE fear at the heart of every one. I've heard Dr. Phil mention it many times and that is: "the fear of losing control."

Any time I ever feel worried or afraid, I always make myself ponder that root: losing control. I try to dissect the things that make panic rise up in me and do my best to identify what makes me feel that I've lost it (or WILL lose it). Figuring out and breaking down the triggers is a big help. No matter what, it all comes down to an issue of trust; not in myself, but in God. No matter what the fear is, I can overcome it because God enables me to do so. It's because His Spirit is a Spirit of courage, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7). Relying on His Spirit vanquishes fear because there is NO FEAR in love (1 John 4:18) and the strength and courage that He infuses us with deflates our fears. Oh, and that self-discipline part? Yeah, that's the part that helps us unlock it all! It all hinges on whether or not we make the right choice in accessing what He's given us. We have His Spirit inside our hearts; we just need to use Him! It reminds me of when I read Prison to Praise by Merlin Carothers and he mentioned how he said he wanted Jesus to use him, but Jesus told him something like 'I don't want to use you, I want you to use ME!' So many times, I've thought on that because it's so easy to think of things backwards; that God needs us rather than us needing Him.

The older I get, the more I realize and understand what it means to surrender control and trust God. There are so many things that I don't know, can't predict, and are unable to figure out; whether it's past, present, or future things. The only thing I HAVE been able to figure out is that God is sovereign. Sovereign. That word is a BIG DEAL. It's a word that means "supreme power or authority." In other words, ultimate control! So, here's my chain of thought on that: God = sovereign = ultimate control. If I'm worrying/fearing, I'm not trusting, which means that I don't feel in control which further means I need to "check myself" and remember who is. If I'm seeking ultimate control on my own or for myself, I'm putting myself in a place of God's sovereignty; big no-no! I am NOT God and that is what the fear and control thing boils down to; remembering who IS God and who holds the sovereignty and control. Reminding myself of that always sets me free, relaxes me, and I'm able to surrender and let go.

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I know that there is someone out there that needed to hear this besides me. I composed this as a result of the things that God was working on in my own heart today (and in the past few months). I feel humbled and broken; but in an amazingly sweet and tender way that I can't explain. His Spirit is breaking my many fears by reminding me of who He is, who I am (and am not), and how much better life is when I remember who I belong to; knowing that if any fear (great or small) came to pass, I would be ok because He is Lord. I'll submit to Him the "what ifs" the "maybes" the "yeah, buts" and whatever else makes my mind spin and rest in Him because He's saying, "Hey, I got this!" Even if any of them came true, it wouldn't matter either because He'll work it out. He'll calm the seas so I can walk on the water; as long as my eyes are on Him and not the fear underneath my feet! Be infused...and be fearless! God bless you!

Integrity: Maintaining Yours When People Lose Theirs

"Know that the world is full of ugly, but beauty too. Don't let the bad in people override the good, the evil override the miracles. Above all, there is always love and love never fails." 

- Jama Smith. 

The above quote comes from a dear friend of mine who had posted these wise words of advice in a recent Facebook post. Jama's words couldn't have been more timely because in the past couple days, I have been needing to mediate on those nuggets of truth in order to attempt to cope with some rather unsettling behavior and underhanded actions of a couple people. It seems that no matter how cruel, competitive, and wicked this world is becoming day by day, there still exists that sweet, naive little girl inside of me that is always amazed that someone could behave so nastily and immaturely. It doesn't matter that I have had tons of experience by now in dealing with people who have no character or integrity (or the ones that appear to have some and then flip a switch and show me that they don't). Deep down, I always believe that people are generally decent, grew up with some kind of basic faith and/or manners, and would treat others the way they would want to be treated. Sadly, that's not always the case.

Of course, there are a lot of emotions that one feels when someone purposely hurts you, betrays you, and then happily twists the knife some more for their sick satisfaction. Sometimes, the sweet little girl inside doesn't always want to play nice. The anger can sometimes make you want to fight back in a way that would hurt the one that would hurt you. However, I am incredibly blessed by the fact that faith and experience has taught me that reacting in anger and matching the perpetrator's cruelty isn't only ineffective and fruitless, it damages your own integrity and character. That is something that I am never willing to sacrifice. As Jama said, it's important not to let the bad in people override the good; whether it be in the world around you or in yourself. People who exude maliciousness and seek to be abrasive, toxic, and cruel aren't people you want to emulate. I would never want to mirror someone's ugly heart just because they have sought to poison me with their venom. Instead, I choose to stay true to one of the highest compliments that someone has ever given me (which, ironically, came from Jama) and it was when she remarked that I was one of the most forgiving people she knew. How humbling! Yes, that's the person I strive to be; and praise God, it can be seen by others! It makes me want to work all the harder to retain that virtue! Evil comes easily (because we have a sin nature) but CHARACTER has to be taught and developed. There's no way I'm going to let anyone hit my "reset" button to go back to any sort of "default" setting. I have learned and grown too much to ever be a person like them or a person like who I was.


I continue to compose these blog posts for so many reasons (and this makes post #200 already! Yay!). I don't do it simply because a lot of Team Beachbody coaches do it. I do it because I truly have a heart for people and a desire to help. Anyone that knows me know that to be a fact. So, I share with you what I have shared today as a reaffirmation of the kind of person I am and the kind of business that I run. Infusion 413 has heart, character, and integrity at its core because God is the foundation of who I am, the motivation for why I do what I do, and how I conduct this business (as well as my life). It is my hope that people will see that I'm genuine and caring and that the mission of Infusion 413 is something they would proudly want to be a part of (because I'm certainly happy and grateful for every single person who choose to be a part of my team and allows me to be their coach!).

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Remember, we all get hurt, double-crossed, bullied, and used in our lives. However, we should continue to cling to what is good and not let evil corrupt or change us (and, actually, allow the pain to help us grow instead). All things will work out for good according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Continue to act in love no matter what because love really does conquer all and cover a multitude of sins. Evil isn't conquered by evil; it's overcome by GOOD (Romans 12:21). Rest assured, God is JUST and HE is the avenger and equalizer; not us. He's not mocked and everyone reaps what they sow (Galatians 6:7). Keep living a life of love! Know what love is and isn't and how to "fight fair" when you've been hurt (I just posted about that a while back lol). Stick to God's Word as the blueprint for your life and you'll succeed! Be infused! God bless you!

Do You WANT To See?

Today's sermon reminded me of another one I heard a few years ago. Not only is it refreshing to be reminded of something that touched you so deeply the first time, but to it's great to see evidence of the Holy Spirit revealing Himself to people in the same ways! It's amazing! 

The sermon was about the story of the blind man; though it was mainly about being spiritually blind more than anything. The point of the sermon was to be like the blind man and cry out to Jesus for what we want to see. Jesus had asked the blind man "what do you want me to do for you?" That's the same thing that He asks us when we have an issue, can't see something clearly, or need some kind of healing and/or miracle. Though, it's more than just telling him what we want, it's being ready and willing to receive it. The paralytic at the pool wanted to be healed, but he was fairly passive about his healing. Jesus had asked him if he wanted to get well because the man only offered excuses of "well, others get in ahead of me". I guess he couldn't even find any good friends to help him. You know, the kind who would tear shingles off a roof in order to get their buddy healed. Nah. Too hard. Wishing, hoping, and complaining for decades was easier than finding the means/help to get himself well. Though, I can't judge him for that. After all, I've been on this weight-loss journey for years. When I have his attitude, I get no where. When I do whatever it takes to get healthy (and enlist God's help to do it) I ALWAYS succeed then!   

What is stopping us from getting what we most need in our lives? Jesus is asking us these two questions: "What do you want me to do for you?" and "How bad to you want it?" Passivity, excuses, and half-heartedness isn't the kind of attitude or display of faith to have if we expect to receive from Jesus. Like I've mentioned not too long ago, you either do it or you don't. "There is no try!" Remember?! We need to decide and be whole-hearted about whatever it is that we are in desperate need of! Jesus will be there to help us, but we have to want it (and want it with all our might) and not let anything get in the way of seeking Him for what we need! Think about it! What do you want, how bad to you want it, and are you willing to do what it takes (and will you receive it)? Do you really WANT to see what you need to see in order to be who you need to be?

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Click here to read the blog post I wrote a few years ago about this (it's worth it!). It's regarding that similar sermon I heard years ago that touched me so much. It was preached by the late Scott Kaehr (that man had such an amazing heart for God!). Be infused! God bless you! 

Live to Love and Love Living!

Love definitely makes you feel empowered. Love makes you sing. Love envelopes you; swallows you up. You feel it coursing through your veins. It's embedded into your soul. You pursue love and it pursues you. It's a unique song. 

To know love is to know God, because God is love (1 John 4:8). When you experience His presence and sense that amazing love He has for you, you can't help but feel lost in it. Blissful. Content. Perfect. You ponder it and meditate on it. You think about the very essence of it. 

Paul says that love is patient, kind, and unfailing; that it hopes, protect, and perseveres (1 Corinthians 13). It's pure, unselfish, and forgiving. Love casts aside all pride, anger, and jealousy. Love, real love, is TRUTH and joy. 

Those verses are always rooted deep into my heart. Whenever I think about what love is, or how to love others, I measure it by those verses. Does my love look like that? Is God at the heart of it? Is it virtuous? Is it good? Is it truthful, patient, kind, and unselfish? How strong is the love in my heart? I want it to be genuine; fueled by God, for He IS love. He enables me to love.

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I hope that these words, verses, and this song will empower and motivate you to love! At this time of year, people seem more inclined to act in love. We feel generous and compassionate; wanting to bless others' lives during the holiday season. Though, we must remember, love shouldn't just be a seasonal thing. It's God's greatest command (Matthew 22:36-40). Live to love and you'll LOVE living! Be infused (with God's love)! God bless you!

Having a Content Heart

A while back, I was reading about contentment in a Joyce Meyer devotional. She said: "There's nobody happier than a truly thankful person, a truly content person. The word content means 'being satisfied' to the point where nothing disturbs you no matter what's going on, but not satisfied to the point that you never want any change." Additionally, she also mentioned that, "contentment is not about fame or being well-known, how much money you have, your position at work or your social circle. It's not found in your level of education or what side of the tracks you were born on. Contentment is a heart attitude."

Content and blissfully happy!! 

I couldn't agree more! Contentment isn't about a feeling, it's about a way of being. Contentment is a result of thankfulness. When you're thankful, you really can be satisfied in whatever stage you are at in your life because you have a joy in your heart that can't be altered no matter what is going
on in your life.

I just felt like today was the day to share those quotes about contentment. I have been reflecting so much about how different and amazing this year has been. Even as I look on the terrible years before that, I can still say that overall, I have always been content because I've had the peace of God inside my heart no matter what. There have been lots of moments of extreme pain, loss, and sadness, but the love of God has sustained me and infused me with strength. Remember these verses:

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:12-13

Grace and peace to you, my friends! May you all be blessed with a heart of contentment! Thanksgiving is the key! God will infuse you and give you all you need! Be infused! God bless you!

"Don't Look Back"

"Don't look back" is almost like telling someone "don't look down" when they are way up high. No matter how much you know you should listen to that advice, it's so hard to heed it and fight the urge to do exactly what you were told NOT to do. It's  not like you really needed to be reminded, but hearing it almost makes it that much harder to resist when you're already fighting the temptation inside to begin with.

That's how I've been feeling. I know that my focus needs to be forward and upward. I don't want to look back on the past and get stuck there. My life is in the present and moving onward toward the future. I don't want to be brought down. I want to keep looking up and not focus on falling down, but trust that I am going to continue to be able to make my climb upwards. I know I'm in good hands and that God is providing for me.

I have expressed to several friends and family members (and even through this blog) how emotional the whole moving process has been for me. I'm sure I'm not the first or last to feel this way. Moving is a known stressor and it's taxing on anyone no matter how positive the transition is. I have been triggered in so many ways, and I'm struggling a lot inside. Even though I know that I'm at a very positive turning point in my life now, I'm still maybe in a state of shock about it all. Even though it's been a process, a lot of it feels like it happened so fast. This blog entry is being composed as I sit here in my very own house with my kids asleep in their own rooms. I'm still trying to take all that in!

The thing that I can't get out of my head are those phrases above. My Mom actually said it the other day when I had called her on Friday as I was remembering the 20th anniversary of Uncle Brett's passing. It's hard to believe that it's been two decades, but we've all had to move forward. Of course, we never forget him (and we still miss him) but we wouldn't be living if we stayed submersed in the past. That's what I had to be reminded of when I was telling Mom about my vast array of emotions lately. She uttered that simple phrase I mentioned, "Don't look back". For some reason, it just resonated with me in a fresh way and I remembered in the Bible what happened to Lot's wife when she looked back:

And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. - Genesis 19:25-26

It was pointed out in a sermon that I once heard that the heart of Lot's wife was still back in those cities. She was fleeing those wicked places and the Lord told them not to look back. She just couldn't help herself. Her heart wasn't focused on the good and safe place that she was headed; it was back in the places of evil and destruction. So, she ended up destroying herself.

This is something I have really had to be mindful of. I am in a new, safe, and good place; not just in regards to this new house, but in my life as well. I am headed in a fresh new direction. God is doing great things and it's wonderful! However, if I don't keep my heart in the present, I'm going to destroy myself the way Lot's wife did. I can't allow my heart and mind to live in the past. The past isn't all bad things or anything, but thinking too much on the people, things, and events that WERE is going to hinder me from what IS! There is a new plan and purpose now. That drawing board has been erased. It's clean and fresh and ready for new blueprints! It's time to focus on the new design!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I am learning so much as things in my life continue to change. It's one heck of a journey and I pray that as I go through all this, someone reading this might just be helped in their life too. We're all in this together! Keep your eyes forward and keep walking on the good path, my friends! Fix your eyes on Jesus...and don't look back! Be infused! God bless you!

Bible on the Go!

In Sunday's blog, I mentioned that I used a really neat free Bible app on my phone. So, I just wanted to take a moment and share a little more about this great tool because it's really important to take care of your spiritual health as it is your physical health!

This is a REALLY great app to get (if your phone supports it). Imagine having the whole Bible (and in several different translations) in the palm of your hand! You can even highlight and bookmark things too! Oh, and it doesn't stop there! They even provide numerous Bible reading plans and devotionals (and even remind you to read each day!). It's awesome! You can even LISTEN to the Bible being read! That's especially handy if you'd rather hear it than read it; especially if you want to play it in the car or while you're getting ready for work or something (I do that a lot!). ;) This app has so many different features! Download it and check it out!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I hope that you will get this app (if you're able). You'll love it! Then, there's no excuse not to always have your Bible with you and to read it/listen to it every day! Be infused! God bless you!

You Can Do It!

I'm sure a lot of you have seen "The Waterboy". There's a recurring character in it that is always saying, "You can do it!" As funny as it is, it's also one of those simple and encouraging things that we all should have in life; people cheering us on and reminding us that we can do it! I don't know about you, but I am extremely grateful for the "cheerleaders" in my life who always remind me that I can do it!

Tomorrow, I'll be talking about the last of Dr. Phil's 7 keys to weight-loss freedom which focuses on support. We ALL need support; no matter what we're trying to accomplish. We aren't meant to be loners in this life! Hebrews 10:24-25 reminds us to keep gathering together and to encourage one another. We need to keep lifting each other up and inspiring one another to keep going!!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! No matter what you have going on, remember that "you can do it!" I'm here to encourage you and be there for you! More than anything, though, GOD is there to supply you with the strength and everything you need to accomplish all things! Be infused! God bless you!!

How to Hear from God

Today has been one of those days where I wasn't sure what to blog. Sometimes, I almost worry a bit until I focus and remember that God ALWAYS gives me something. I don't have to be concerned about running out of content to post on here to help others because GOD is in charge. He always supplies me with something to share! Yet, sometimes I also get concerned that I won't hear Him even when He is speaking.

Today, I was absolutely wowed by a verse while listening to a sermon at Huntington Baptist Church today. It spoke to me about that very concern that I just mentioned. It wasn't something I didn't already know, but for some reason, it hit me in a fresh way:

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. - Isaiah 59:2

Iniquity. Sin. If we can't hear, if we feel separated from Him, it's because something isn't right in our hearts. We are holding something back from Him; our unconfessed sin. When Jesus was on the cross, He had the sin of the whole world on Himself and He had asked God why He had forsaken Him (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34). God is holy. Sin can't stand in His presence. It becomes a barrier between Him and us. Until it's torn down by our confession, and the forgiveness through Christ's blood (1 John 1:9), we're going to continue to feel distant from God. We have to make it right! God wants to be near us. He'll draw near to us if we draw near to Him (James 4:8). He never leaves us or forsakes us (Deuteronomy 31:8). We're the ones that build up that wall and cause that distance by running away from Him and letting sin build up in our lives.

I've been struggling for a few years to feel God's presence like I used to (and yearn to). I keep praying for the wisdom to see and hear Him clearly and to be aware of the things that I need to do to accomplish that. I am a constant work in progress. I'm doing much better, but I still have a lot of work to do. I'm going to keep praying for God to sensitize me and to keep learning how to die to self more and more every day (Matthew 16:24-25).

I want God to hear me; and I want to hear from God. I don't want His face to be hidden from me. I want to SEEK IT! I want to connect with God, but building a wall of sin brick by brick is going to make it impossible unless it's torn down by confession and the blood of Jesus. Dear Lord, give me the strength I need to do whatever needs to be done!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! May we all have humble and open hearts to the Spirit of God; sensitized and never callused. Watch the video below. It's a powerful illustration of how God chips away at us and molds us into his masterpiece if we allow Him to work in us and remove the things that don't belong!
Be infused! God bless you!

How You're Impacting Over 5,000 People!

Last night, my son was reading from his Goodnight Warrior Devotional Bible before we said our prayers. The story was from John 6:3-13. It's about the boy who shared his five loaves and two fish with Jesus so that he could feed a crowd of 5,000. I'm sure most of us have heard the story before. However, I think we've heard it so much that we forget just how deep that story is!

For some reason, it resonated with me in a whole new way. I paused to think about it in a more modern aspect for a minute. When we have holidays or special family gatherings, there is a LOT of work that goes into food preparation. You not only have to have money to buy all of the food, but you have to prepare it all and estimate how much you'll be able to feed. Having too much is always better than not having enough (and leftovers are usually a plus). Now, imagine that you have to prepare food for more than just a small family. Think about having to buy and prepare food for several families; enough to feed a small city! In my case, that would be around HALF of my city (our population is roughly 10,000). It is mind-blowing to think of feeding that many people! I could never afford to buy enough food for ONE MEAL to feed THAT many people; let alone prepare it all! To do that would take an act of God!!

An act of God; that's exactly what happened in the Bible passage. The disciples were stunned at Jesus' suggestion that they should feed all those people! Philip told Jesus that it would take over half a year's worth of a person's income just to be able to buy enough bread for everyone to have a SMALL piece! Can you imagine the panic the disciples could have felt? How could they afford to feed the people? Would they even be able to find THAT much bread nearby to buy even if they could? It seemed like an impossible dilemma!

Of course, God always makes the impossible possible (Matthew 19:26)! Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, that a young boy unselfishly offered to the Lord, to feed everyone! What a kind act and statement of faith! Can you visualize opening your pantry and giving what sparse food supplies you had to feed half of your city? I wonder what went through that boy's mind. I wonder if he already had the faith to know that Jesus would do something amazing with it or if he just simply had an attitude of "well, it's not much, but maybe it will help." Either way, Jesus took it and multiplied it! Not only did everyone eat  until they were satisfied, but they had TWELVE baskets of food leftover!! That is BEYOND amazing!

When I let all of this soak in, I thought a bit more about how this applied to me. Sometimes, I feel like what I have to offer isn't "enough". I always find myself wishing I could do more for God and others. I think "if I had more money, I could give so much more to help" or "I wish I could donate more time or goods to worthy charities." What an apathetic attitude and a poor reason to maybe not even give at all just because we can't give as much as we would like! Where is our faith?! We have to remember that God blesses EVERYTHING and MULTIPLIES it beyond what we can see or comprehend! Every donation of your time, money, food and goods, and even your prayers, hugs, smiles, and every act of kindness MATTERS! He takes it all and does wonders with it! We have no idea how many lives we are touching and how many people are being blessed in everything that that we share! Jesus said that even a widow's two copper coins are worth more than the excess of the rich.

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Watch the video below. It's a classic song that reminds us all that everything we do unto the Lord makes an impact! We may not even know it while we live on earth, but in heaven, we will finally understand! I can't even begin to list all the "little things" that people have said or done for me that have meant SO MUCH and have stuck in my mind and heart over the years. They have no idea the degree of an impact they have had on me; even if I try to express it to them! Likewise, I may never fully know the kind of effect I have on others. I smile at people. I'm friendly and polite. I do whatever I can to make others around me feel encouraged and blessed (that's one of the many reasons I blog too!). Every time I have ever had someone say "I needed to read that today" or "thank you for the hug" or "your smile made my day" or I see that someone or something I've prayed for is improving, I feel so blessed inside! IT MATTERS to them and it matters to God! Do everything unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24)! Who knows how many people you're reaching (and the ripple effect it causes!). You could be impacting way beyond 5,000! Think about it! Be infused! God bless you!!

You Live What You Believe

For yesterday's media Monday, I featured Dr. Phil's book: The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom. In it, he mentions 7 essential keys to weight loss success that I'll be featuring in these Tuesday blogs for a while.

The first key is "right thinking." I think most of us know that positive thinking is always better than negative thinking, but I don't think most of us realize just how much power our thoughts can have over us. The truth is, you live what you believe! If you are thinking negative, condemning, and defeating thoughts, that is what you are going to believe about yourself and the manner in which you'll behave in. It's important to learn and be aware of what you're thinking and to CHALLENGE the negative thoughts that have no place in your mind. Click here to view the types of "faulty thinking" that you might be prone to. Then, resolve to challenge those thoughts. Become aware of what you're thinking and evaluate it to see whether it's true/false and whether it helps or hurts you. Journal your thoughts and find out what's really going on inside your head!

Whenever I think about the difference between wrong and right thinking, I remember a book that I read in high school that dramatically impacted my life and changed my perspective for the better! It's a book by Joyce Meyer called: Battlefield of the Mind. She talks about how important it is to "think about what you're thinking about" because there are so many times that we fall into negative thinking patterns that go on auto-pilot and we don't even realize it anymore. I think she even mentioned putting each thought into a sort of "time-out chair"; putting it on trial and evaluating it. She cites the verse from 2 Corinthians 10:5 which says: "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every though to make it obedient to Christ."

Take your thoughts captive! Hold them hostage and hold them up to the knowledge of the Word of God to see if it lines up! If it doesn't, reject them and then replace them with the kind of thoughts that DO line up! Think on good things (Philippians 4:4-9) and renew your mind (Romans 12:2). If you don't, you'll stay stuck in the same destructive thinking patterns and you won't be able to accomplish anything positive. Take the Israelites in the wilderness, for example. Joyce points out how they endlessly kept going round and round the mountain instead of entering the promised land because of the rotten mindset they had. Their negativity kept them in bondage and their generation didn't even get to enter the promised land! How tragic (and unnecessary!). Why do we needlessly punish and deprive ourselves of success?! Thankfully, we don't have to! We CAN choose to think differently and transform our minds (and our lives!).

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Remember, take your thoughts captive and challenge them! Reject the sabotaging thoughts that may be plaguing your mind so that you can not only reach your weight loss goals, but ANY goal that you are aspiring to reach! Think on good things; things that line up with the Word of God! Watch your life change! Be infused! God bless you!

Strength & Rest

It's always stunning when you read or hear something that precisely fits with what is going on in your life right at the moment. Last week, I was reading in Brian Welch's devotional book: Stronger: Forty Days of Metal and Spirituality. I was reading day 22 and amazingly, he happened to mention Philippians 4:13! :) Here is some of what he said:

"The key to our new lives with Christ is learning. Learning to trust God always. Instead of getting scared when our negative circumstances wrap themselves around our lives, we can learn from everything that comes our way....If you're going through negative things in life right now, arise and shine with the light of understanding that God is stronger than your circumstances. One of the best lessons that I've learned is to rest in love with Jesus, because He will miraculously turn everything around for you when it's time."

I couldn't agree more! Over the past three years in particular, a lot of things have happened in my life that I couldn't wrap my brain around. So many people encouraged me to just trust in the Lord and that things would "get better" and that all things work out for good (Romans 8:28). As much as I knew that, it was hard to let it sink in. I believed it, but my faith was so weak. No matter what I knew or learned, I still couldn't "rest". In fact, learning to relax and rest in His love has always been a hard thing for me. Maybe it is for a lot of people because I know we all worry, attempt to fix and control things, and don't know how to let go and surrender.

Admittedly, I still don't have the "rest" thing figured out, but I'm continuing to learn how to let go more and more. I find that as I put forth more effort to pray and bring everything to God, I am finding more peace and rest no matter what is going on or what I've been through.

God can and will turn things around for you! It may not look or feel that way (and we are often impatient in waiting) but when things finally unfold and reveal themselves, you'll say "Oh, wow! I get it! Look what God has done!" That is exactly what I'm saying right now as I watch so many amazing things happen in my life that I could have never predicted! I am humbled, awed, thankful, and blessed!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Continue to allow God to infuse you with His strength and learn to not only be empowered by it, but to rest in it as well! Be infused! God bless you!!

Fueled with Thankfulness

Today winds up my first week of this new fitness blog. I feel very accomplished (as well as hopeful) that it will be reaching and helping others in various ways! It's my hope that people will read and engage with me (and others) on this blog and find the encouragement and motivation they need for not only their fitness goals, but their entire well-being. That's why on Sundays, I'll post blogs of a more personal and spiritual nature (sort of like my original blog). No matter what you're doing to help your body physically, it's important that you work from the inside out and make sure that your mind and heart are fueling the changes you're embarking on.

I've reflected a lot this week about everything that is going on in my life. I wouldn't know where to begin if I tried to explain and dissect it all, but let's just say that reminding myself of the core verse that is the theme of this blog (and my Team Beachbody team as a whole) is what carries me. I keep focusing my mind on being empowered and infused with the strength of God so that I can make it through whatever I have to deal with every day. Careful thought and prayer is what works out the matters of the mind and heart. Paul said in Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV): 

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I have thought about these verses a lot this week. Breaking it down, bit by bit, we can get a picture of what our general attitude should be like and how we should handle and view everything in our life. Paul says to ALWAYS rejoice in the Lord. It's not just a statement, it's a command (and he reiterates it a second time). With that kind of emphasis, we should gather that it's pretty important to have an attitude of praise and thankfulness. He says our gentleness should be evident and that the Lord is near. God will empower us as we praise Him and when we converse with the Lord in prayer, we are to have that attitude of thanksgiving. We are far less prone to being worried and anxious when we are focused on the many blessings that we should be thanking our Father for! I seen a saying once that said: "Always thank God for what you have before you ask him for more." How true is that?!

Secondly, Paul says that when we behave in a way that's positive and thankful, we will receive peace from God; peace that surpasses anything one could understand or explain. It calms and protects our hearts and minds against anything that could negatively effect us. It's all because that positive and thankful heart brings about that wall of peace that prevents us from being shaken by anything the world can throw at us. 

Paul finishes his train of thought by instructing us on what to fuel our minds with to ensure that we keep our positive attitudes intact. It's all about input and output. No matter what form you're talking about, everything has a cause and effect process. Just like you have to think about what foods you're fueling your body with, one needs to think about what they're fueling their mind and spirit with. Everyone knows that if you feed your body junk, that's what your resulting output is going to be. You feel only as good as what you're fueled with. The quality you put INTO yourself is equal to the quality you'll be able to GIVE of yourself when you expend it. That's why Paul tells us to think of good things; things that are pure, lovely, honorable, and praiseworthy. The things we watch, the music we listen to, the things we do, the people we hang out with, etc. are all going to effect our behavior. Therefore, we should really try hard to surround ourselves with the things that glorify and honor God so that we are more apt to honor God as well. Yes, in the world that we live in today, it is becoming more and more difficult. It definitely is a struggle to accomplish this when we are surrounded by so much media bombardment, negative people, and things of that nature. It's impossible to escape it completely, but when we do find those good things, we need to focus on them the most so that we aren't overcome by the negatives. Then, we can be the kind of example that Paul was; and people will see and imitate our examples too. 

I hope that you are encouraged by what God has put in my heart. Focusing on prayer, positive things, and leaning on like-minded people is what helped me this week! More and more, I am reminded of how much more dependent I need to be on God and HIS strength and not my own. I am grateful for all the Lord does for me as well as the good friends and family who have been there to listen, empathize, advise, and pray for me. A BIG thank you to three friends in particular: Sarah, Steve, and Joel. You helped me make it through this week and I couldn't be more grateful for your support! I love you! Thank you also to Whitley and Racheal for the fellowship I had with you yesterday! Both of you make me smile and I love you too!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Feed your body, mind, and spirit with good things!! Stay positive and thankful!! Be infused! God bless you!! 

Infused to Overcome Anything!

Getting started. That's usually the hardest part of any process. Taking the first step is usually a mixture of emotions. There's excitement as well as fear. You wonder what you're getting into; you wonder about the unknowns and about what you'll face on the journey as you make your way to the end goal. It can be very intimidating! 

That's how I felt back in 2007 when I told the Lord that I wanted to be serious about losing weight and getting healthy. I don't think I remember a time where I actually felt that I was at a normal weight (though, what woman does?!). All I remember is that by 2007, I was WAY OVER what I should be and I wanted to give it to God. When I did, I lost over 40 pounds! 

Now, here I am again. I still have never reached my initial goal of 150 pounds (even though I've come close). I have been up and down over the years in various weight ranges due to loss of focus and discipline (and excuses). However, I'm not giving up and I know I WILL get there! He's always there to help me and I succeed when I rely on Him!

In 2010, I became an Independent Team Beachbody Coach because the workout programs and Shakeology had really helped me and I wanted to help others too. I am SO GLAD I decided to become a coach because not only am I helping others, I am helping myself too. There's more accountability for yourself when you commit to helping others be accountable too. Additionally, there are the perks of getting a coach discount on the products and earning extra income as I get fit! There really is no downside (and ANYONE can do it...no matter your fitness level!). 

That's what brings me to this new blog. I have a regular blog, but I also wanted to start a blog that was specific to health and fitness. My goal is to share a little something every day to motivate, inspire, as well as promote the kind of products that will help people reach their goals! 

Today, it's "Media Monday" where I will post some kind of media; whether it's a heart pumping workout song, a video of some sort, or article of some kind. For the opening entry of this new blog, I feel the perfect thing to share is this song from Mandisa called "Overcomer". I actually heard it for the first time just last night (and in a moment where I had been personally feeling down). It was such an encouragement to me, and I hope it is for you too! It reminded me that no matter what, God gives us what we need to get through anything! It also brought me back to the verse that has always been the inspiration for my journey (and the meaning behind the name of this blog/business). Philippians 4:13 says we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us. In the Amplified version of the Bible, it uses the words "empower" and "infuse". For me, that's a powerful encouragement and thinking about being filled and infused with the strength of the Almighty God is just mind-blowing to me! Of COURSE I can do anything if I have the strength of God Himself inside of me!! Think about it!! 

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Thank you for reading this blog! If you're already on my team, GREAT! If not, please sign up for a FREE account so I can be your coach and help you reach your goals! Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have and/or leave your comments! Be infused!! God bless you!