Father's Day

 It's Father's Day. A day to let our dad know how much he is loved and appreciated. A day to spend with him. And a day to walk down memory lane with him. 

Today hasn't been easy. It's not the first without my dad but the second. I don't express my emotions about the situation often because it's easier to keep them locked inside. My father is still alive and well but not in my life. I closed that door. I asked him not to speak with me until he was on good speaking terms with my mother. I did it out of respect of others. I did it out of love. I have no doubt that I was loved growing up but through the pain, that love was not enough for me. I wanted to fix things. I wanted to try and make a way for a relationship to work but it wasn't possible. There was pain and there was suffering. The man I looked up to for so long wasn't the same man I knew anymore. Something was different, something still is different. 

I'm not at the point in my life to reach out to him to try and reconcile but my brother was. My brother, who has the most genuine heart of hearts. The one, aside from our mother, has struggled through this all. He reached out. He wrote words that were full of love and kindness and hope that maybe something has changed only to be punched in the gut with "what you could do for me now". It's heartbreaking to watch someone's view of someone else be completely shattered especially when they are loved ones. It's heartbreaking to know that those "homecomings" that were eagerly awaited for were for someone that didn't even want to try for one last homescoming. Someone that isn't concerned with our feelings anymore.

I won't say there isn't pain on both sides of this situation because there is. Actions were made and we chose to take a side. We didn't take his side. We carry his name but her blood runs in our veins. 

It hurts. Us all. 

I know I'm not the only one that has ever felt this pain. I know I'm not the only one who has lost their father. I know I'm not the only one that wanted things to be different. BUT what I do know is that I have a Heavenly Father who is looking out for me. I have a Heavenly Father who has found beauty in the suffering and has brought pieces back together. He is my greatest comforter and is pouring out  unfailing love. Each year will be different and each year I will cherish the memories I had with my dad as I hold onto Christ's hand through them all. My earthly father did his best raising me and my Heavenly Father will continue to guide me through life. 

Happy Father's Day, Dad. You are loved and cherished. May you see the beauty in each new day. 

#throwbackthursday

 

The girl on the left loved mission trips and hated running (with a passion). The girl on the right still loves mission trips and loves running. 

It amazes me how much has changed in the last six years. Although my mission trips have slowed down, my love for them will never go away. My heart has been left in many countries in the hands of many children. I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had and the way God has worked in my heart through each of them. 

Not only has He changed my heart on the mission field, He's changed my appreciation towards physical fitness. So thankful not to be that girl I was in 2010 that hated running but someone who now wants to inspire others on their fitness journey. 

Do you have a story like this?

Please share! 😊

CHAlleNGE

This challenge has definitely brought change. 

I stepped on a scale this weekend and boy does that thing play mind games with you. I don't normally weigh myself because I'm a girl and those numbers discourages me. I've gained weight but I've gained muscle. My clothes fit differently because I've gained muscle. 

Will stepping on a scale change my motivation for working out? 

No. I wanted change and I got it. 

Will I step on a scale again? 

Umm I'd rather measure myself 😂 cause then I can see the real #gainz 

#challenge #change #athomeworkout #results #finishstrong #pushyourself 

Something I Strive For

In our world today there are many things that distract us in our daily walk with the Lord. Music, TV, Internet, and even our friends sometimes. I'm no where near the relationship I want to have with Christ but it's something I strive for daily. 

Ten years ago I was planning on returning to Africa for my second summer there. The summer before I truly felt called to missions and I loved it. There are times my heart longs to return to the mission field and it will someday but for right now my mission is here. 

I'm working on getting that firm foundation with the Lord. 

Embrace & Love your Body

It is the most amazing thing you'll ever own!

Often we find ourself comparing ourselves to others. She's skinny. She's tone. Her skin is amazing. I wish I could do that with my hair like she does. I will never look like that. I'd have to pay money to look that good. 

I have to tell myself all the time not to compare myself to others. I'm 28 years old and I have the most sensitive skin ever it seems like because my face is always breaking out. I thought I was going to be done with acne after high school but it's still there. It's a consistant battle for me not to be envious of someone else's clear skin. I'm cutting out gluten and dairy and trying new detergents (once again) but even while doing that I need to love myself because my "problems" aren't problems at all. They are spects on a scale to others who are fighting for their health. 

When I am loving myself to the fullest then I am able to love others to the fullest. 

"Love your neighbor as yourself" -Mark 12:31

If I can't love and embrace my own body and self, how can I fully and truly love others? I want and should love and treat others the way I want to be treated but if I can't do the same for my myself than how can I walk that out? 

Just my thoughts this morning! 

Have a wonderful Wednesday!!

What We Invest In TODAY Becomes Something In The FUTURE!

         This past month I had the opportunity to go to a Network Marketing PRO event with Eric Worre. If you are in the least bit interested in being an entrepreneur I highly suggest going to one of his seminars. I agreed to going before I really even knew what I was going to or who exactly Eric Worre was. I jumped at the opportunity knowing that the person who invited me knew this would benefit me and my business and that’s all that mattered. I sat and learned for five hours. During those five hours, I did not wish to be anywhere else nor did I think that I could be doing something else. I was learning and I was enjoying it. I left that evening with many takeaways, things that really stood out to me and things that would help further my business.
    The first thing that really stood out to me was this quote from John Addison who was a guest speaker “the greatest things will happen to you, if you just DECIDE. Once you decide, things will change for you.” Goodness, I sat there thinking, I decided to start this journey as a fitness coach in the beginning just for the discounts but then it turned into something greater. Am I thankful that I turned my way of thinking around when it came to fitness and exercise? You betcha! Am I thankful that as an introvert I am stepping out of my comfort zone and making new friends that I would never have thought to do? Absolutely! I decided to be a fitness coach but that is only just the beginning and I know that. I will and do have opportunities to DECIDE on and I know at this time I will jump at them.
    Eric Worre lead us through several steps on leadership. “Leadership isn’t a position but an influence.” I want to influence people in my life because I know firsthand that being influenced by others has been a blessing to me so why not be that person to someone else? Living by example, being proof of the product, and telling my story. I workout daily which I post on Social Media (this was completely out of my comfort zone at first), I use the products and love them, and I tell my story but not as often as I should. As Eric spoke on how to present our story, there was an order to do so. 1. Tell of our background. 2. Talk about what we didn’t like with our job/share the pain in our story. 3. What was our solution. 4. How we feel about the future. As I share my story I always make sure I tell others that being a fitness coach would have been considered a joke in my eyes 10 years ago, goodness even 5 years ago. I wanted nothing to do with fitness or exercising. I didn’t like nor did I enjoy it. In 2012, my best friend and I signed up to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon. I fell in love with running. As I continued to run races and began to run races with obstacles, I started to workout more than just running, I added cardio to the mix as well. I was a different person because I DECIDED to go out of my comfort zone and run a race. In the next step, this would be where people share their pain in what they were doing as a career, what they didn’t like in their life and why they went down the road as an entrepreneur. This one had me stumped. For the past four years I have been a nanny. I will admit there are many struggles with being a nanny and there were many days I wanted to quit (and actually did) but I never saw myself walking away from being a nanny completely. When I thought about really pursuing being a fitness coach, it was to give me comfort in knowing that my hopes of moving to Colorado could happen because I would be financially stumble until I found another nanny job. Although the hope of moving to CO has been put off, the extra income has been a blessing in helping my mother financially as my parents have separated. I recently started a new job, not filling the shoes as a nanny as much as an personal assistant. I still desire to go to work everyday and continue being a fitness coach everyday. I have met many people that have walked away from their professional careers and are absolutely great entrepreneurs and fitness coaches. They found the next step - they found the solution. I want to influence others in my journey but I also want people to see that starting this journey you are capable of doing it while working full-time. That’s how a good percentage of entrepreneurs started. If you want this to be the only thing you are doing, the only job you have, then you must DECIDE to take that step. It’s not going to be easy but it is going to be worth it.
    How do I feel about the future? Where do I see myself in 3 year? 5 years? Sure...I have hopes and dreams but that’s not what I’m talking about. Where do I see myself in my business in 3 years? I see myself still having the heart and passion to help others in their fitness journey. Spending time investing into other’s lives. Helping others feel good about themselves and possibly follow after my influence and become a fitness coach as well. I’m excited for the future, just like I’m excited for tomorrow.
    At the end of the day, Eric Worre closed with “Be different - Be the best version of yourself - be uncomfortable on your way to being comfortable.” I want to leave you with those same words. I want to be different and be the best version of myself as I share my journey in being an entrepreneur and I’ve been uncomfortable but each day is a day closer to being comfortable. Are you?

Don't Wish for a Good Body, Work for it!

Don't Wish for a Good Body, Work for it!

We are starting a new two week challenge for our abs. We will be adding to them daily as well as enjoying our rest days!

Summer is coming! Let's work for our summer bodies starting today!

Join in daily - participate daily - love yourself daily 
Work It Girl Challenge