I have so much to be grateful for ,but I have to say having my mom as my mom is one of the greatest gifts God has given me. I think so much of who I am today is because of who my mom is. My mom turns 94 on April 5th. She has some health challenges but she is still the most encouraging person I know.  When someone steps close to her she always has something kind to say to them. She was recently hospitalized and then in a rehab facility and each time a nurse or helper would come into her room she would say something that would help them see the beauty inside them. I hope you’ll take a minut ..read more

Meditation in its simplest form is reflecting on or contemplating something. Whether or not we mean to, we likely all meditate on something – good or bad: the tragedies happening in the world, that big job interview, saving enough for retirement, something someone unexpectedly said to us, and so on. When you think of meditation, you might not think it connects to your faith. You might have visions of Buddhism or people sitting on yoga mats and saying, “Om.” But, that’s not what we’re getting at today. In fact, eastern meditation and Christian meditation are not the same thing. Eastern mediatio ..read more

Journaling is one of those often-overlooked healthy habits. Many of us would probably claim we aren’t writers or don’t have anything in our lives worth writing down, so we just don’t. I want to be honest, I am not one who journals BUT I know so many who do it and are so blessed by it.  Journaling – or, if you prefer, writing in a diary – doesn’t have to be a form of poetry, the world’s most beautiful sketch, or your life’s greatest work (unless you want it to be). Journaling is about sitting down regularly to get your thoughts out of your brain and onto paper, which then helps you to proc ..read more

I find that knowledge can be super helpful when trying to change. Too often, I hear from people who think they are making healthy choices when in reality their choices aren’t leading them to better health. It’s hard to know what really is healthy because there is so much “noise” when it comes to what leads to better health. In this video I’ve tried to simplify what macronutrients are. My hope is this video will help you to make healthier decisions because you are educated in this area.   If you struggle with cooking healthy meals make sure to check out our cooking show called The Fresh T ..read more

Why Community Matters If you’re like me, our lives can often be busy, overwhelming and noisy. Filling our mind with noise and our life with busyness, however, doesn’t always save us from experiencing loneliness. According to a Meta-Gallup survey last year, nearly 25% of adults globally reported they frequently felt lonely. Loneliness was such an issue in Great Britain that they hired a “Loneliness Minister” because they realized just how much it affects every area of life. Studies show that feeling connected with a community is essential to our health. It can be even more impactful to our heal ..read more

My plate is full of commitments and responsibilities. I am sure yours is too. In a world where the demands of life seem never-ending, it’s easy to overlook one of the most precious gifts we’ve been entrusted with: our bodies. It’s important to remember that your body is more than just a “vessel”; it is a temple entrusted to you by a loving God for a purpose. The Bible says that God knit YOU together in your mother’s womb, and that YOU are fearfully and wonderfully made by him!  In Ephesians 2:10 it says that He created you  to do “good works, which God prepared in advance for us to d ..read more

Lots of people I know live with aches and pains, bloating, brain fog, and other subtle (or not-so-subtle) health issues that they just accept as their normal. Many write it off as simply part of getting older. What if I told you that these issues could actually be linked to chronic inflammation which can wreak havoc on your body, and that making some simple changes could help reduce or even eliminate many health problems? You have probably heard the words “chronic inflammation” before, but let me explain what it is and why it is harmful to your body. In simple terms, short-term inflammation is ..read more

How to Be Your Best This Holiday Season While the holiday season is often associated with joy, togetherness, love and celebration, it is also often a time of hustle and bustle that can cause us to miss out on some of the joy this season has to bring. It can also mean not being our best selves. (Anyone else ever been short with a loved one while you were trying to accomplish an extra holiday responsibility? I know I have.) But, it doesn’t have to be this way. We can enjoy our holidays to the fullest while still showing up as our best selves and with more presence. Here are some practical sugges ..read more

There are so many things I enjoy about the holidays but truly what gets me most excited is the chance to share the love and truth of Jesus with others. I find that people are more open to talking about Jesus and about faith during the holidays and I don’t want to miss that precious opportunity! I know that many of you want to share God’s love and truth with people too but maybe aren’t sure how to go about it. The reality is there is not one “right” way and perfection is definitely not a requirement. Even though I may not always articulate things perfectly and I can’t make people believe what I ..read more

As you can see from the long list of benefits in my previous post, meal planning can be a game-changer. I hope you’re ready to give meal planning a shot. Good or bad, dinner is something we inevitably encounter day after day for the rest of our lives. Maybe you look at meals as a dreaded puzzle that needs to be solved each day, maybe you want to figure out a way to eat healthier or to save time and/or money preparing them, or maybe you enjoy the process but would like to try a new approach. Whatever your motivation, if you are willing to take some time each week to follow the steps below, I ha ..read more