Self-care is not selfish.  

I read this quote recently:  "Self-care is never a selfish act - it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on this earth to offer others."  ~ Parker Palmer

In this module, you'll find resources to help you take care of you.  You may need to shift your mindset about self-care.  You may need a few ideas on how to practice self-care daily.  

God has entrusted to you this one life, one body, and a circle of influence.  How will you show up each day to honor Him with what He's entrusted to you?  First step is spending time with Him and taking care of you.  

I've always viewed exercise as an act of worship.  For me, it's my holy ground. 

I know some people really struggle with exercising, moving, and simply fitting fitness into their lifestyle.  But I believe that as we begin to view exercise and intentional movement as a way to care for our bodies and connect with the Lord, we will make time for it.  In fact, we will want that time and eventually crave that time.  

This doesn't mean that it must be long nor does it have to look the same for everyone or even for you on each given day.  Some days you may go for a long walk or run or bike ride and really pour your heart out to the Lord or receive a revelation from Him.  On another day, you might offer up a quick prayer and spend 10 minutes walking around the block, lifting a few weights, or doing a yoga flow.  

In this module you'll find information that will help you move more and stick with it. 

Diet.  Is it a four-letter word?  Well, yes and no.  

I say no, because here it is simply how we eat...our daily diet.  

When diet becomes a prescribed way to eat with a list of good and bad foods, when and what to eat, etc, then it becomes a negative four letter word.  

I believe you're here, because you want to develop healthy habits that are sustainable.  I can't think of an area of our life where there is more conflict and contradiction with healthy living than how to eat. 

Eating well, eating healthy, and eating in a way that is sustainable is a practice.  

The way I look at it is nothing is off limits.   We must learn to feel satisfied and not stuffed.  We have to believe that our body is a temple and should be treated as such, not like a trash can.  

Nutrition, our daily diet, is likely something we'll always be working on and tweaking.  It's something we need to be aware of and learn to listen to our body - I must listen to mine and you must listen to yours.  We were each created in a unique way that requires unique care.  

Don't underestimate the importance of drinking water.  Make it your goal to consume half of your body weight in ounces of water daily.  

Sugar is not evil, but we do need to be aware of it.  We must educate ourselves and then make mindful and intentional decisions when it comes to our consumption of it.  

This module will provide you with helpful articles as well as a very informative presentation by Jennifer Hunt, RDN, LD of Healthy Inspiration.  

Your mental health is as important as your physical health.  We are spirit, mind, and body.  To live a healthy life, we must focus on all of these parts.  I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor.  Although I don't offer individualized treatment in this membership community, I do incorporate my knowledge of this area into all the ways we interact and can share generalized support to the entire community with expertise from my formal training.  

Faith is why we are here together.  Our spiritual health is everything.  

Gratitude is key to a content and happy life.  No matter what is happening around us, there is something for which to be grateful.  Some days it may be more difficult than others to find that thing, but stick with it until you do.

Journaling can be very helpful. 

You can journal daily, as needed, or simply when you feel compelled to. 

It can be very detailed or a few words.

Keeping a journal can serve as a place to remind yourself of events or happenings in your life.

Writing in your journal can be healing as you let go of things on your mind. 

Journaling aids you in processing thoughts.  

There is no right or wrong way to journal.  There is no specific method, and there's not even a "correct" place to journal.  

I journal in my Bible and my planner.  You might want a specific notebook or just a clean sheet of paper.  

Allow the process to lead you.  Simply take a pen and paper and allow it to happen for you.  

If you want to work on this, you can find some questions/prompts to ponder in lessons included.  Allow one idea to lead to another.  Be open to the process.  

Perfection leaves so little room for improvement.

I read this quote recently.  Isn't it the best?? First, perfection isn't attainable.  And who determines perfection anyway?  But if we ever arrive at the perfect place then what?  What's the point to keep going?  

But it's important to celebrate and to mark our progress.  That comes in a win, a non-scale victory, an improvement in a certain area of our lives.  You get to decide. 

A win is very similar to gratitude, and some days your win is what you're grateful for.  But oftentimes a win or a victory comes with action, right? So I want you to go beyond gratitude when you're thinking about this. For example, a win for me and my running buddies today was not taking a walk break during our morning run.  A win from yesterday was some mindset work I did that I've been needing to address. 

It's time to celebrate!   

The book and the devotional "Made to Crave" by Lysa TerKeurst have had lasting impact on my life, especially my healthy life and my relationship with my body.  

I read the book just as I was about to turn 40 years old.  It changed everything for me and is what set me on the path to finding freedom on my healthy living journey.  Because of that change, I now share my story and have written my own faith and fitness devotional.  

In this module, I'll share some of the highlights from Lysa's book and devotional and how I've used them to help other women build a healthy life on a foundation of faith and in turn start living fit and free! 

We're finishing 2020 strong.  How?  By becoming consistent.  We're going to be consistent with our daily quiet time and implementing habits that will lead to sustainable lasting results.  

Extra resources:  Settle My Soul (amazon affiliate link), also available: https://www.p31bookstore.com/collections/devotionals/products/settle-my-soul

4 Week Love God Greatly Bible Study https://lovegodgreatly.com/lgg/shame-breaker/

This study explores your identity in Christ. Information can be accessed on the Love God Greatly website here: https://lovegodgreatly.com/lgg/in-jesus-you-are-understanding-your-identity-in-christ/

Food is one of the pillars of the Faith and Fitness Framework™. We take a non-diet approach to how we nourish our bodies and instead use a nutrition model called #Moderation365. Essentially you let go of food obsession and eat the same on Saturday as you do on Monday. This module will give you the tools to streamline your nutrition that will have you honoring the body God entrusted to you. 

It's time to cast a vision. And it doesn't have to happen at the beginning of the year. You can do it any time. 

Log one mile a day Memorial Day through July 4.

July 2023 is about GETTING STRONGER - Physically, Mentally, and Spiritually. 

Memory Verse: She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms. Proverbs 31:17 (NKJV)

I write a monthly devotional for Faith and Fitness Magazine. You can find all the links here. 

Summary of devotional study 

Taking a fresh look at Gratitude. 

Plus bonus Mindfulness content.

Take 8 weeks to dive deeper into God's Word and how to apply it to your fitness so that you can live fit and free.

We'll look at various ways stress impacts us and how to reduce it. We'll also look at ways to embrace various types of rest. By the end of the month, you'll shed some of the extra burdens you are carrying and be ready to live life in full bloom! 

Taking 21 devotions for the Made to Crave Devotional to help you develop, reinforce, or recommit to your approach to healthy living.