My near death experience was worth it if it inspires you!
I was at a meeting on Sunday with a great group of people. We
were meeting at the headquarters of Healing Waters (www.healingwaters.org). Healing
Waters International is a nonprofit organization providing safe water solutions
in communities where poverty is compounded by contaminated water. While I was
listening to the presentations I was reminded of something God put on my heart.
Some of you might know this story but in August 2009 my
family was in England enjoying a home exchange. My husband had just returned to
a meeting in the US and I was going to spend the last week with my three
children who were 14, 13 and 11.
I woke up one morning feeling off. I was nauseous and a bit
week. I just didn’t feel good. Over the next five days I deteriorated. I went
to the doctor who had no answers. Another doctor came to the house –no answer.
My husband was wondering if he needed to fly back. My mom wanted to get on a
plane and help. My kids didn’t know what to do.
By day five I was scared. I really couldn’t do anything. I
hadn’t eaten anything. I wish I could help you understand what I was going
through – every cell in my body felt like they were dying.
I was taken to the hospital –no answers but they gave me lots
of IV fluids. I flew home needing a wheel chair to get on and off the plane. I
know the people sitting near me really wanted their seats moved because they
did not want what I had. The flight home brought the most challenging hours of
my life.
From the plane we went straight to the hospital – no answers.
Back home for a day and back to the hospital. We finally had a diagnosis. I had
a parasite (cryptosporidium) from the drinking water in England. I know, who
goes to England and gets a water parasite.
By this time my digestive system was in bad shape and my
liver results weren’t great either. For 13 days I didn’t eat and then for 10
days an extremely restricted diet. Not a good way to lose weight!
So back to what God reminded me of at the Healing Waters
office last Sunday. I believe God allowed me to go through this so that I could
share it with you. I know this because one morning when I was lying in bed
asking “WHY??” I heard the word “inform”.
So often when I am talking to someone about a challenge in
their life they say, “You can’t understand what I am going through because you
haven’t walked in my shoes.” I have walked in the shoes of someone who is
suffering from a parasite. I have felt the incredible misery of this disease. I
would have died of dehydration if I didn’t have access to medical care. My kids
would have watched me die.
It makes my heart absolutely break for the moms who watch
their children die from a parasite.
There are great ministries whose goal is to allow everyone a
clean glass of water. They bring them physical water but offer them living
water too.
Healing waters has developed a purification system that
takes disgusting water and makes it safe for drinking. They are looking for
people who are willing to band together and make a change. Click here to see how you can get involved
I really mean this….. I am thankful that I went through this
experience if it changes any of you to be moved to action. Like I said, I have
walked in their shoes and I felt their pain.
Be A Tebow
My husband recently forwarded me an article about Tim Tebow’s testimony. I knew there was going to be something that was really going to grasp my attention in this
article. When I read this sentence it was as though God put neon flashing
lights on it. I knew this was what I was supposed to share with all of you.
At the 2010 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Tebow offered the closing prayer, “Thank you for bringing together so many people that have a platform to influence people for you.”
Can you imagine if all sports and entertainment figures used their platform to reach the world with God’s message? But even more can you imagine if we all used our
platform to spread the Truth?
This is what hit me; we ALL have a platform; your home, your office, the stands at your kid’s sporting event, the grocery store…….. Your mission field is all around
you.
Doesn’t that make life exciting – you are no longer just going to get your hair cut you have been given a moment to share God’s love with the person cutting your hair. You
are not just going to a job you are going into the mission field that God has prepared for you. Think about it everywhere you go today, tomorrow, and until
you die is your platform!
This gives your life purpose, a reason to get out of bed each morning. Taking proper care of your body will help you have the energy to go out into your mission field
and do what God has called you to do.
When Tebow used his platform at the University of Florida and put John 3:16 in his eye black, 92 million people googled the verse. At the end of the day will you get
92 million people google searching a verse – probably not. But could you play a part in changing the eternity of one – you bet!
My “Top 10″ to getting & staying at a healthy weight.
Happy New Year! Did any of you make resolutions? 70% of people make “weight
loss” part of their New Year’s Resolution. Sadly, only 6% succeed. If you
want to get to AND stay at a healthier weight here are my suggestions.
1. Ask God to help you, He cares about all parts of your life. Pray that He will give you
the strength to make healthy changes!
2. It starts with your attitude – Be thankful you are healthy enough to exercise. Be
thankful you have access to healthy food and clean drinking water. Don’t go – “poor
me I have to eat veggies” or “I hate exercising”. Imagine if tomorrow you were
in an accident and you couldn’t exercise wouldn’t you wish you could?? Imagine
if tomorrow you only had access to rice wouldn’t you miss a fresh apple?
3. Have your goals be based on your activities, not the results.
Goal: Eat 7 servings of fruits & veggies each day this week
Goal: Exercise four times this week (of course have Faithful
Workouts be part of your exercise routine!!)
Not: Lose 5 pounds in 2 weeks
4. Find a friend to exercise with – it’s more fun and the accountability will make a
differenc.e
5. Cut back on sugar. Sugar is addictive, it feeds cancer cells, and it causes weight gain, premature aging and a multitude of other health problems. Sugar, in all its forms, is taking a toll on your health. You might be thinking this is a bit extreme but I have researched what added/refined sugar does to your body and I can’t stress enough how bad it is. As sugar consumption has increased in our country so has the number of overweight people.
6. Get rid of your excuses. The biggest reason people don’t exercise is because they say they don’t have time. OK, do you find the time to shower??? Do you find the time to eat?? You will find time to do the things you value. Remind yourself daily why you are making healthy changes. If you really value getting healthy you will find the time to exercise and eat properly.
7. Put together a plan. If you wake up and say, “If I have the time I will exercise
today” it probably won’t happen. Write down in your calendar when you will
exercise and make it a priority. If someone asks you to do something and it is
during your exercise time just let them know that is not a good time for you.
Your exercise time is one of the most important appointments you will make.
8. If you want to eat healthier you have to have healthy food in your home. If you don’t
want to eat junk food don’t have it in your home. I know for some this is a
challenge because you don’t have total control about what food is brought into
your home. If someone is bringing unhealthy food into your home sit with them
and explain how much you would appreciate it if they would not bring it home.
You could also ask them to hide it if they do bring it home. I know that might sound crazy but if you don’t see the food you won’t be tempted to eat it. Have healthy food ready to go. If I have whole red peppers in the fridge and I am hungry I might not take the time to wash and slice them but if they are in a baggie ready to go I will eat them. (I know you might be thinking – well I have to have treats in my home for my kids. Your kids don’t need Oreos or junk food.)
9. Don’t go on a “diet”. When you put yourself on a “diet” it makes you
feel depressed. Instead just commit to eating healthier.
10. Like Nike says “Just do it”. I feel so bad for people who beat themselves up because
another year goes by and they haven’t made the changes they wanted to make. This is your year to stick with your plan for a healthier you. God wants you to care for your body. When you take proper care of your body you will have more energy, be sick less, have a better attitude……you will be in better shape
to respond to God’s calling on your life!
Please let me know if I can help you. I am here and I care about you!
Michelle
Don’t fall into this trap.
OK so here is a trap I think many of us fall into, we fear human
rejection more than we crave praise from God. John 12:43 says this, “For
they loved human praise more than the praise of God.” How many things do
you do or don’t do because of what people will think of you. Really, stop and
think about that – how does your concern about what people think influence the way you live?
When I turned 40 (also when I became a believer) one of the
biggest changes I noticed was that I was freed for being too concerned with
what people thought. Not that I don’t fall back to old ways but for the most
part I do not worry what people think of me. What a difference it makes when
you don’t have to make decisions based off of what others will think of you.
This is when life really becomes fun!
If you are searching for peace this is one change you can make
that will help bring peace into your life. You can try and live by God’s
standards rather than the worlds. The world will have different expectations
for you. One person wants you to live this way the other has a different path
in mind for you. Focusing only on God’s path frees you from all the confusion.
You might be thinking well you can’t just disregard what people
think because I don’t want to hurt people’s feelings. I believe if we really
try to follow God’s ways He will guide us to say and do what we should do. I
find the challenge can be in feeling confident that I am hearing how God wants
me to handle situations. If I pray and move in the way I hear God guiding me
than even if things don’t turn out as I had hoped (feelings get hurt) I still
have peace. The more I read the Bible I see that Jesus was always true to what
He was here to do. He was super kind and loving but He had a purpose and He didn’t
allow what people thought of Him to take Him off his path.
Along with John 12:43 here are three other verses that help me
when I fall into worrying about people’s opinions of me.
Galatians 1:10: Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of
people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s
servant (live this!)
1 Thessalonians 2:4: Our purpose it to please God, not people. He
is the one who examines the motives of our hearts.
1 Corinthians 16:13-14: Be on guard. Be true to what you believe.
Be courageous. Be Strong. And everything you do must be done with love. (what a verse to live by!!)
I hope this helps you have more peace and joy!
Michelle
Last night racing to the hospital I was at peace
Last night I was at the high school working with the poms
team that I coach. They were going to perform during the halftime of the basketball
game. As well, the elementary school kids who had attended our poms camp that
week were performing, 32 little girls would be arriving in a few minutes. My
daughter, Denika, and my son, Neal, were both getting ready for their basketball
games that would start in any minute. My husband, Jeff was in the Dallas airport
getting ready to board his flight to come home after being gone all week. There
was a lot going on!
My son, Quinn was also playing basketball in a town about 45
minutes from where I was. My phone rang it was Quinn’s basketball coach. The
coach who is typically a very calm person sounded nervous. I knew this wasn’t
going to be good. He told me something was wrong with Quinn. My heart beat
instantly increased. He told me his eyes were completely dilated and bloodshot.
He wasn’t able to carry on a cohesive conversation and his physical
coordination was off. He had a bad headache and his neck was hurting him. He
had not hit his head so they didn’t think it was a concussion. He asked me what
he should do? At that moment all I wanted was to be there next to him. I wanted
to see that he was OK. I told the coach to call 911. When he answered “OK… he
doesn’t look good” I knew it must be serious.
I looked at my poms girls and said told them something was
wrong with Quinn and they needed to take over the camp and everything else. All
of a sudden all that I was involved with at the high school didn’t matter I
just wanted to be with Quinn.
I called my husband who was close to getting on his plane. I
called him because I needed someone to talk to and because I knew he would pray
his entire flight home.
The ambulance picked up Quinn and brought him to the hospital.
During my drive to the hospital I called my mom and sister to get them praying.
Then I prayed, pleading with God. I was fairly certain he would be fine but at
moments that “what if” thought came into my mind
So here is where the peace that goes beyond all
understanding comes in – I was so certain that if Quinn died he would be up in
heaven. I thought, of all the people I know Quinn’s faith is so pure and real
that God would just snatch Him up so quickly and he would be in heaven having
the time of his life. I knew Quinn believed that Jesus was the son of God and
that He died on the cross and was resurrected. I wish you could all know Quinn,
he is one special kid.
When I got to the hospital my friend, who road with him in
the ambulance, said he’s doing much better. His eyes were still bloodshot but
he was coherent and really happy to see me.
The Dr. came in saying that blood work, a cat scan and neck
x-rays were lined up for him. The tests all came back normal and we left there
without an answer. If it happens again we will have to do more testing.
This morning when I went to read my Bible my bookmark was in
John and it was the story about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. In John
11:4 I read, “When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in
death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through
it.”
I know God heard my prayers and I know Quinn walked out of
the hospital feeling good. I give God the glory and praise for this.
So here is the main reason I share all this with you – If
you received a phone call saying that someone you love dearly might not make
it, would you have peace because you were confident that you would see them in
heaven again? If you are still questioning what you believe as truth about
eternity take the time to figure this out. God’s promise in Jeremiah 29:13 says,
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Ask God to
help you feel His presence, to know He is real.
If you have peace about your eternity because you have put
your faith in Jesus share that with those you love. We can’t make someone
believe but we can plant seeds and ask God to make those seeds grow to true
faith. Don’t wait, you never know what tomorrow brings.
I am so thankful that Quinn is OK. I am so thankful that God
brought me peace during it. I don’t want any of you to have someone you care about
die and you are so sad because you never told them about Jesus.
Thanks for listening,
Michelle
One of the best things you can do for your body!
Easy recipes to help you take in 7 servings of fruits/veggies daily
Our bodies really will perform best when they are properly fueled.
Your body needs a minimum of 7 servings of fruits & veggies. Yes you read
that right SEVEN. Taking in enough fruits and veggies is challenging for so
many of us. Here are some easy recipes to help you make it happen:
Fruit
Smoothie
5 large frozen strawberries
1/2 banana
1 cup 100% juice
1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
Vegetable
Soup
6 Cups low-sodium vegetable broth
28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup peas
1 cup diced red peppers
Put all ingredients in a pot and cook over low heat until
vegetables are slightly softened (approx. 30 min). I suggest making a big batch
and having a bowl when you need a snack or
Mexican
Salad
1 cup chopped salad
1/4 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup black beans
1/4 cup corn
1/4 cup diced red pepper
½ avocado diced
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 salsa
For salad dressing blend yogurt and salsa (if it is too thick add
a little skim milk). Mix together all ingredients and enjoy!
Roasted
Vegetables
Sweet Potatoes – peeled and diced
Cauliflower broken into smaller sections
Broccoli broken into smaller sections
Red Pepper diced
Zucchini diced
Onion Diced
Grapeseed Oil (or whatever healthy oil you have)
Salt, pepper, oregano (or any spices you like)
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put all vegetables in large
baking pan add oil and spices and stir. Cook for 45 minutes or until vegetables
are softened and browning. I don’t have quantities listed but I suggest making
a big batch. They are great to have on hand when you need a snack you can warm
a bit up.
Omelet
2 eggs
1/2 cup cooked diced broccoli
1/2 cup cooked diced zucchini
Salt and pepper to taste
Beat eggs add vegetables pour into hot pan (if you are not using a
non-stick pan add a bit of oil to the pan). Scramble the egg/veggie mixture.
Start adding these recipes into your diet and your body will be so happy!! Let me know if you have any favorite recipes with lots of fruits/veggies!
Don’t forget about the special Christmas pricing on the Faithful Workouts Total Body Conditioning DVD (Not $17.99 Now $10), Faithful Workouts Youth (Not $22.95 Now $18) and the Faithful T-shirt (Not $19.95 Now $15). Give the gift of health (physical and spiritual) this Christmas to those you love!!
Thanks guy,
Michelle
Healthy, quick Mac n’ cheese recipe
Healthy, quick mac n’ cheese
1 Box whole wheat penne pasta
1 1/3 cup skim milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I like cojack but any kind will work)
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
2/3 cup lowfat plain Greek yogurt
Ground Black pepper to taste
Cook noodles according to box. In large pot add milk, cheeses and yogurt. Cook over low heat until cheese is almost melted. Add cooked hot noodles & pepper and stir. Sauce will thicken as it sits. That’s it!!
You can also add veggies or meat to your mac n’ cheese. A fun idea for a party is to prepare the mac n’ cheese and then allow guests to add their own toppings. My favorite topping are:
Roasted Red Pepper
Peas
Italian Sausage (chicken is good too)
Cooked Broccoli
We served a mac n’ cheese buffet with these topping at my daughter’s 16th birthday party and the kids loved it!!
New Faithful Workouts Youth DVD Series
Hey there – hope you are doing well!! I am so excited about the new Faithful Workouts DVDs series made especially for kids. The set includes three 30 minute workouts.
Finally — a Christian workout DVD series for youth that is fun, cool, uplifting and based on God’s Word!
After helping thousands of adults get physically and spiritually healthier, I felt God prompting me to produce a series of workout DVD’s with music, messages, and moves that kids will love.
If you are looking for something fun and educational to help your kids get healthier and learn more about nutrition and God’s Word, these workouts are for you. Each workout contains popular Christian music, cardio, strength training, stretching and a unique message of hope.
Instilling a lifelong appreciation for faith and fitness in our kids is not easy to do. But it’s essential if they want to live a life of joy and health. Faithful Workouts for Youth is specifically designed to help parents accomplish this important goal.
I have three kids 16, 14 and 12 and I’ve been working with middle and high school kids so I hear about the challenges facing them. It’s tough for them to get physically and spiritually fit.
You can watch a video clip of the new DVDs and purchase the Faithful Workouts Youth DVD series at http://faithfulworkouts.com/store
Thanks all for supporting Faithful Workouts and for helping your kids get physically and spiritually fit!!
Michelle
Can you help FW inspire others
If you feel Faithful Workouts has inspired
you on your journey to better physical and spiritual health can you help bring
this inspiration to more people!
I just received this letter from a
wonderful lady who has been working out with Faithful Workouts; I would
never believe that exercising would change my entire life. It has truely
allowed me many opportunities to witness.
Another wrote in and said, I can NOT believe how strong I’ve become in less than a month! Thank
you! Thank you!! We homeschool and have incorporated this workout every morning
at 9:30!!Recently, I lost a great friend in a car accident and each day, you
seemed to say exactly what my heart was crying…truly anointed!!
So cool to see how God is using
Faithful Workouts to reach people!
Here are a few ways you can help
Faithful Workouts
You can purchase one of the Faithful
Workouts items. I just added two new listings!
1. A “faithful” grey tank
top – $15.95 Free Shipping Until 5/1
2. A 3 DVD Box Set – $27.99 Free
Shipping Until 5/1
You can support Faithful Workouts
with a financial donation. Your money will go to spreading God’s message in
this unique way. Also, your donation is tax deductible because Faithful
Workouts has been approved as a non-profit!
(Think of it as paying for an
exercise class!!)
Please also keep Faithful Workouts
in your prayers. God promises that He hears our prayers!!
As much as I don’t like having to
think about money – I realize that in order to continue to deliver the Faithful
Workouts message I need your help.
Faithful Workouts is now reaching
people over the TV in Canada, South Africa, Great Britian and other parts of
Europe. Through the internet it is available all over the world!
Thank you for your support!
Michelle