No Sugar Lemonade

We don't eat or drink a lot of sugary foods, but I LOVE fresh squeezed lemonade in the summer!  I made some lemonade today by using my juicer and using apples to sweeten it.  It was so good! If you don't have a juicer, you could probably use a blender and then just strain out the pulp. You can adjust the amount of apples and lemons, depending on the size of your fruit and how sweet/sour you like it. 

No Sugar Lemonade

10 apples (I used gala apples)

5 lemons (rind cut off)

You Are For Me

My husband and I were talking the other night about life situations that we have gone through together. Many times we all go through times in life and say to ourselves, "Why would God ever allow for this to happen to me?", or "What purpose would this have for my life? It just doesn't seem to make any sense!", or "My life is completely ruined! All my hopes and dreams have been demolished!"

As we were talking, my husband pointed out to me how if I didn't go through "situation A" (that's what I'll call it for now)  then I wouldn't be who I am today. He is absolutely right! If situations A, B and C never happened....I may not have made some of the decisions that I have made in my life. Although they had a huge impact, it is not the situations in our life that form us....it is the choices we make as we push through those situations. 

Which is why I love the song, "You Are For Me" by Kari Jobe, so much....

"I know that you are for me.

I know that you are for me.

I know that you will never forsake me in my weakness.

I know that you have come now, even if to write upon my heart...

to remind me who you are."

If you are going through a difficult time and feel like nothing is changing or feel like no good will ever come from this situation....be encouraged! As Kari Jobe shares, sometimes God is writing on our hearts to remind us of who He is. Many times we need reminded that He is God, that we belong to Him, and that nothing on earth matters compared to our relationship with Him.  

Although the tough situations that my husband and I have gone through were not fun by any means...we have  both become better people because of them. Our faith in God is stronger, our marriage is stronger and our outlook on life is stronger with a fresh perspective on what is truly important. 

If life is crashing down all around you today, be still....and allow God to "write upon your heart." When we are reminded of who God is, there is a new joy that stands strong through the storms.  

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all my friends & family! 

If you are a mom with children from giving birth, you are honored today for the physical pains, many sacrifices, and much love, nurturing and guidance that you have given to raise and teach your precious little ones that God has entrusted you with.

If you are a mom through marriage, you are honored today for the humble sacrifices you have made to allow those precious children into your life and the struggles you have had to face to become a part of their lives.  You express true love!

If you are a mom as a spiritual mentor, you are honored today because you have given so much of yourself and strengthened us all in the most important area of our lives....our relationship with God!  Thank you for your prayers!

If you are a mom through adoption, you are honored today for the true example of God's unconditional love that you expressed from the moment you decided to welcome that precious child into your life.  You have shown what God considers "pure and faultless" religion, from James 1:27.  Thank you for the love and sacrifices you have shown and continue to do to bring new life to that sweet little person.

If you are a birth mom that decided to give her child for adoption, you are honored today for the love and sacrifice you showed by deciding to give that child life.  You have blessed so many families that are unable to have children of their own and have given them a joyful blessing!  May you find peace and comfort in God's love today.

If you are struggling with infertility and longing for that special blessing in your life, or have struggled with one or more miscarriages, or have lost a child through death, you are honored today for the heartache you have had to endure.  I truly know how hard this day can be for you.  I pray God blesses you with His peace and comfort during this time.  I have struggled for many years, but truly can understand now what it means to have God's joy while still having an aching heart.  You are on my heart and in my prayers today.  Continue to let God's love shine through your beautiful heart!

If you are single, but still longing for a family, you are honored today for being patient with God's perfect timing in your life.  Know that you are not forgotten.  You already impact so many lives around you through nurture and love, and God has amazing plans ahead for you to bless you with the desires of your heart.

If you are a woman and did not desire to have children, you are honored the same today!  God has created us to be loving and nurturing beings, so whether you have children of your own or not, you are daily impacting lives with the love that you show to people.  Thank you for being you!

May this be a joyous day for all!  We celebrate all women, for the nurturers that God created us to be, and the women of God He has called us to be.  We celebrate all women.....because we are the heart of God!  Thank you for expressing His love in a tangible way! 

How Would Your Life Be Different?

In Ann Spangler's study, The Names of God, chapter 14 talks about Yahweh Tsuri, which is Hebrew for The Lord Is My Rock. The study emphasizes how the word "rock" represents God's "permanence, protection, and enduring faithfulness."  The last question in the study asks, "How would your life be different if you experienced more deeply the truth that God is your Rock?"

This question really impacted me.  I think it's a question we need to ask ourselves more often....not just with God as our Rock, but to ask ourselves each day, "How would my life be different if I experienced more deeply the truth that God is _______?" Fill in the blank...it could be another name of God, one of His promises, one of His commands, or just the truth that GOD IS. "How would my life be different if I experienced more deeply the truth that GOD IS?"  

I believe if we grasped a deeper understanding of His truth, we would be able to stand more firm with no worries....no fear....and a peace in knowing that He has this!  When we stand firm, we receive a fullness of joy and are able to enjoy life more, which strengthens us to live victoriously for God and His purpose for our lives.  If He is solid, then we can accept what He says over our lives.....even if our human understanding can't make sense of what's happening around us. We can believe...because He said it! 

With any growth, discipline is the key. If we want our bodies to get healthy, we have to discipline ourselves with eating right and exercising more often.  If we want to do better at a sport, hobby or other interest, we have to discipline ourselves with time, reading, studying, practicing, and training.  So is the same with our spiritual relationship with God and living His truth in our daily lives....we need to discipline our hearts and minds to see things more through His eyes. "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:1-2)

Worship is more than just music...it is living a life of obedience.  By offering ourselves as living sacrifices, we strive to put aside our human desires & understanding, and instead offer our time & energy to grow in Him.  As we do this, I believe we will see the answer to the question.  Our lives will be different because we will live with more confidence...more strength...more peace...more joy...and more passion in all that we do.  

So take a moment to ask yourself today...."How would my life be different if I experienced more deeply the truth that God is my Rock?" 

Living Like David....a Heart After God

In our Bible study last night, we were talking about David and the strong faith and confidence that he had in God.  The Bible says he had a heart after God's own heart. He believed God had his back no matter what came against him. Even when fighting a battle against his enemy, Goliath, he chose not to wear the normal coat of armor and proclaimed to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands." (I Samuel 17:45,47)    
 I Samuel 18:14 says, "In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him."

Many times in our own lives we are facing similar battles. We might not be fighting a giant backed by soldiers, but we are facing battles against sin, temptations, sickness, loss, finances, relationships, life struggles, and everyday decisions.  So you might be asking, "How can I have great success in life?  What does it mean to have a heart after God's own heart?  How do I live with faith and confidence?"  Like David, we all must make a choice....a choice to follow God.  Seeking God on a daily basis stirs our hearts to desire more of God, to live more like God, to become more like God....thus increasing our faith and confidence to face whatever comes our way. John Bevere says, "We will only hunger for what we feed on."  This applies both physically and spiritually.  If we are not surrounding ourselves with things of God and feeding on the things of God, how can we expect to live with his power in our lives?  By feeding on the things of God, we daily increase our power to live victoriously!  Our hearts become so tuned into God's truth and the promises that He has for us, that nothing can defeat us.  Will we still have hearts that are heavy & saddened?  Yes, because we are still human...but God's spirit strengthens us, and His truth over our lives becomes our solid foundation. Faith, confidence, strength, and joy overpower the doubts, fears and insecurities that we struggle with.  God has already won these battles for us!

I am a huge advocate for Whole Living and becoming healthy in all areas of our life.  I strongly believe they are all tied together. If we are not putting healthy foods into our bodies, then we are unable to live at our fullest potential, thus hindering our attention and desire to seek after God.

Here are 3 tips to becoming healthy and living with a heart after God:

1. Get healthy physically- eat whole plant foods (especially lots of veggies), reduce meat & dairy, ditch the sugars, say no to packaged/processed foods, exercise
2. Get healthy spiritually- read & study God's Bible (He's speaking to you!), talk to God everyday (nothing fancy...just tell Him what's on your heart), choose to see God in all things
3. Get healthy mentally/emotionally- getting healthy physically & spiritually will help this area, surround yourself with positive relationships, speak God's Word in your life, turn on some great worship music (Kari Jobe, Hillsong United, Chris Tomlin, etc.)

I say a prayer today for all of you that are facing battles in life right now. Let's join together and allow our hearts to strive after God's heart. Let's grow our faith and defeat our battles......one day at a time. :)

Homemade Granola

This recipe is great for your morning cereal or just as a snack in the afternoon. This recipe is gluten free and so much healthier than the gluten free cereals in the store.

Homemade Granola


5 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup raw unsalted sliced almonds (or whole almonds)
1/4 cup raw unsalted pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup local raw honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4-1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Melt coconut oil in a small sauce pan on the stove on low heat. Add the honey, vanilla and salt to the coconut oil. Pour liquid mixture over dry ingredients and mix together.  Bake for 20-30 minutes in a large casserole dish, stirring every 10 minutes.  Let cool.

Top with fresh banana or fresh blueberries and some almond milk.
Enjoy! :)

Dairy Free Pesto

                                
I LOVE fresh basil!  I also love making fresh pesto.  I don't eat dairy, so I made this recipe with nutritional yeast, which gives it that salty, cheesy taste that you would normally get from the parmesan.  Nutritional yeast is a great super food loaded with fiber, protein, folate and B vitamins. This pesto is great mixed in with your favorite pasta and lots of veggies!

Dairy Free Pesto

2 cups tightly packed basil leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup pine nuts (or pecans if you do not have pine nuts)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp-1tsp sea salt