Just for Today: Reality Check

Just For Today

Today while talking on the phone to my mother, I was explaining to her how I wanted to purchase another car due to the other one giving me such a headache. Here I am scrolling looking at the best cars that meet all my requirements and then if you are like me when browsing on the internet you start out looking at one thing and then it turns into looking at other material items (the struggle). Well, while doing so I received a reality check text, we all get those forwards that we never forward well, it was one of those. I usually don’t read them, but today I did.

It was explaining how so many missionaries were going to be killed and so many churches were bombed, being a Christian woman this really bothers me. I know I am in a different part of the world and we have different privileges in the U.S. but that doesn’t make me any better. Here I am thinking about the next car I want to purchase and buying a home, and they are getting ready to take their last breath due to their beliefs. Many people take life for granted because the chaos is not around them or it doesn’t hit close to home. Reality check! The chaos is here it’s just in different forms and it is showing itself every day.

I write this JUST FOR TODAY because sometimes life moves fast and we lose sight of the important things. By important, I mean the purpose when the blessings keep coming in don’t let the purpose linger to the side. Stay focused and refreshed because one day the world could be passing around a forward about your city.

Be Blessed

Just For Today: Dreams Take Time

The past few weeks, I’ve allowed myself to pile my mind up with so many ideas that I was beginning to lose myself in all the clutter. I want to do this… I want to do that… my mind was non-stop with wonderful ideas. I began to feel this feeling of uneasiness and overwhelm so I had to take a few steps back and look at my mindset and start to communicate more with God. I began to talk out loud saying ” God, this can’t be right I’m feeling overwhelmed and way too anxious”. The answered I got back was an eye opener for me ” Just because you are following me, doesn’t make you superwoman”. Why would I think I could take on so many things at once. Now I know.

Dreams take time and they can only be accomplished one day at a time. There’s no need to try and pack all your dreams into a month or year. As long as you are making progress each and every day you are one day closer. Sometimes we just have to take in the learning process and enjoy the journey, because if we are piling our plates with too much stuff we might miss a value lesson or a blessing.

I say this to encourage anyone who is on a journey to fulfilling their dreams and are feeling overwhelmed never be afraid to go back to the basic and center your focus. When your mind is focused beautiful things are birthed, so take one step at a time. Gather a few goals and complete those before moving to the next. Beautiful things take time to blossom and as long as you continue to nurture it, it will continue to grow.

—-Just For Today—

Week 3: Women of the Bible Series (Phoebe)

Women of the Bible Week 3:Phoebe

Week 2: Women of the Bible Series (Jedidah)

Jedidah Free PDF Printable

See you next week!!!

Shawna & Syneka

(Week 1) Women of the Bible Series : Huldah

Huldah Free PDF

See you next week!

Shawna and Syneka!

5 Reasons I Quit Taking My RA & Fibromyalgia Medication

I get this question asked a lot “why don’t you take your meds?” they ask if there is medication for your diagnosis why aren’t you utilizing it? Honestly, I’ve always been someone to take up on a challenge, but this is not the reason I quit taking my meds. Some days my meds helped me and some days it caused me to feel much worse than I already was. I just got tired of taking so many meds a day and being so isolated life just felt numb to me and no reason to live in it. So I got the courage 4 years ago to grab all my meds and toss them for good! Here are 5 reasons why;

 

1. Steroids- I started taking prednisone at 14 and even though it made me feel better it was still covering up the root cause. It caused me to gain so much weight, I hated it. It was a temporary fix, I was tired of the temporary.
2. Consistency-  I was prescribed a lot of meds that were both for cancer and autoimmune diseases so my hair will grow to fall out. If I caught a cold or the flu I would have to stop the meds until it passed. For some reason all the side effects of the meds that only show in a few people, I was always that few! So doctors’ were always switching my meds trying new things.
3. Sleepiness- It’s already tough being a mother, it’s so much harder when you can’t even stay awake. I would be so out of it and by the time I would wake up the sun was down and the day escaped me. So, how did I keep a job? Caffeine! it was my BFF I drunk about 10 cups a day just to get me by, but I would only end up sicker than I was because caffeine is a big trigger when I’m having a flare-up. There was nothing I could do because my body became so immune to the meds so quickly they would have to bump it up to a higher dosage.
4. Addiction- I became addicted to Xanax, I found myself popping pills when I wasn’t even having anxiety just because they made me feel a little alive. I could smile on days I really didn’t have it in me. I drank a lot because it made me numb and in that moment took me away from that person I hated most (Sick Shawna).
5. Family- I was missing out on family, I avoided family gatherings because I would be so nervous of questions (Wow, Shawna you gained weight or Wow, you have gotten so skinny) yea…yea.. if only you knew my struggles. I couldn’t stand loud noises and I didn’t want them to see me have an anxiety attack because I was afraid to be around a big crowd. I just go tired of explaining myself.

I got tired of living this way, and I couldn’t stand another day of it. So I prayed to God…well more liked screamed, hollered and sobbed. I said enough is enough, I won’t continue to live my life this way and gave myself away to God so he could use me. That’s when I tried my first Daniel fast, started detoxing and doing so much research. God started to overflow my mind with things that needed to be done and they work for me. Some days get tough but I press on because God is greater than my illness. See my illness had me bound on the verge to committing suicide and ending it all but God said otherwise. I feel so free and full of life, this is my why. I have now found my purpose in life. I wasn’t created to be sick my whole life, but to find God and fulfill the purpose he created me for.  I was just a person that the medication didn’t work out for. I’m just glad to be medication free and living life with a purpose.

 

 

5 Reasons Detoxing is key if you have a Chronic Illness

I grew up in a small town and around us surrounded fields, those fields were always being sprayed. I never knew they could be so harmful, I just figured they wouldn’t be spraying chemicals in an environment where people lived that could harm them..right?? Well was I wrong! If they were spraying to keep bugs away, then what was it really doing to my insides if I was breathing it in.

So, if the body is already fighting against itself how much harder is it fighting to get rid of the other bad toxins entering the body. Bad toxins don’t just enter in from breathing it in, but also the foods we eat, the things we put on our skin and the chemicals we clean with daily. While you were cleaning have noticed you became light-headed, those are the harmful toxins that already entered into your body. These harmful toxins could be making you sicker than you already are.

Back in 2011, I was introduced to the Daniel Fast during these 21 days I allowed my body to get rid of unwanted toxins and feed it the food my body has been searching for. I noticed such a big change in energy, clarity, and weight. I was sold and shocked that it changed so much of me in 21 days. Once I started to put harmful things back into my body I noticed the sluggish feeling and my overall well-being changed. Wow! I was amazed how just some adjusts in my eating habits could make a big impact.

So I began to overthink like I always do and it came to me in order to stay on the right track I must continuously get rid of harmful toxins by living on a lifelong detoxification system. I already have an autoimmune disease and I’m making it worse by not getting rid of the extra toxins my body is trying to adjust too. So if you have a Chronic Illness like me why should you detox? Here are 5 reasons below :

1. Environmental Chemicals-  You are already experiencing so my symptoms with the chronic illness you have, but when environmental toxins get in they came make you feel horrible and cause a full blown flare-up.
2. Food- Many foods we eat have toxins, fast foods are not the only foods that can harm us, some are sitting in your pantry right now.
3. Body Products- Yes, even the products we put on our skin carry toxins and we are using these things every day! Makeup, perfumes, lotions, even our deodorant…I know crazy right?
4. Electronics and Cellphones- There are so many things we use every day with radiofrequency, but it’s linked to many diseases.
5. Cleaning Products- Many products we clean with have harmful toxins, it’s very important to always read labels.

So many things are harmful to us, so being able to rid those toxins are key. What are some things you can do?

1. Drink Detoxifying Teas/Water- There are so many tea companies these days that provide you with a way to detox your body. I usually buy a detox tea and drink at least one a day just to feel a little better.
2. Fruits & Veggies- 21-day detox that focuses on feeding your body what it needs and slowly work on changing your diet. ( if you are spiritual like me you can do the Daniel Fast he fasted for 10 days and 21 days)
3. Body Scrubs- Scrubbing away harmful toxins, you can either buy from a store or create your own.

 

The detox world is really growing and it provides you with many ways to detoxify your body. Can you imagine how many toxins we carry around a day? Detoxing will allow you to feel so much better, and get rid of toxins as they come in. Chronic Illness already brings enough trouble we don’t need other things making us feel worse.

Meditation: I, Forgive Myself

I, Forgive Myself

Many of us are always forgiving others for what they do but we end up neglecting one person that needs the most forgiving yourself.  We carry life’s scars and battles on our shoulders and never notice how much they weigh us down until we are stressed out and ready to tap out. Some believe they have forgiven themselves but yet they still talk negatively to themselves. Negative talk holds us back and causes us to be bound. God said he forgives you and forgets it so why don’t we do the same also? I get that this world is harsh and it will constantly bring up your past as a reminder of who you were, how you were and what you did but one thing it can’t control is your future. 

God holds your future and there is so much to gain from releasing all the baggage that continues to hold you back. You can’t go back to change what happened, but you can start the healing process now. Each of us has a testimony to tell and a life story to share that can help the next person going through a similar situation. Your past is someone’s present, forgive yourself today and allow your healing process to begin.

How can I work on forgiving myself:

 

1. Remember: You can’t change the Past– We can’t re-do our past but we can re-create a new journey, it’s our life we made mistakes and things happened that we couldn’t control. We are still our own director we have the power to change it and control what happens now.
2. Love who you are now– Sometimes we find it hard to love ourselves at this moment because the past is still lingering on us. You may not be where you want to be yet, but love who and where you are today.
3. Fill your life with positive energy-  Learn to get rid of the negative self-talk, put post-its all over your house of positive affirmations. Fill your squad circle with positive people, go positive places and continue to do positive things that bring love and joy into your life.

 

What positive things have you done to overcome something?

 

LaLanne Challenge: Juice #1 Carrot Prime

When people think of juicing they automatically think ” I’m not starving myself or vegetables, No thanks”  but what they don’t understand is juicing is very beneficial to your health and a great way to add an extra kick into your diet. When we eat food we absorb it and it benefits us well, but we also have to go through a process and then release it through our liver. With juicing it goes directly into our bloodstreams and we absorb the nutrients because juicing allow the fruit and vegetables to be broken down already so all your body has to do is digest it for you.

Okay, so now that I’ve ranted about how juicing is good for you let’s get to the punch!

Taste: ** FYI if you don’t like pulp a juicer is needed for this. I had to make my juices in a Nutri bullet until I order me a juicer. My juice had loads of pulp which I don’t mind because it will provide more fiber. I believe the celery is more potent in this juice even though you only have 1 stalk it still creates a strong taste.

The taste of the celery is worth it if you knew it was an anti-inflammatory agent and protects your digestive tract from inflammation.  No worries if you don’t want to juice celery then steam it, it is one vegetable that you can steam and it still contains most of its nutrients.

This juice is all veggies so it is great for weight loss, stomach ulcers, and cancer prevention.

The recipe for Carrot Prime is pictured below, I hope you give it a try! Let me know if you tried it and whether you used a blender (more fiber) or a juicer.

Teamwork:Working Together

I had this post about seed sowing written up and ready to go, and as I began to transfer it over onto the computer I got turned into another direction the words “teamwork” just wouldn’t leave me alone. I began to ask God why teamwork, and what is it that you want me to write about.  Well, in 1 Corinthians 3:6 it says ”  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

 I immediately fell in love with this scripture because it involved teamwork like the saying goes there is no “I” in “team”. If teamwork makes the dream work, then why lack the possibility of coming together. I began to think of how I use to be always trying to do things on my own when God provides others’ and himself to assist us. Why don’t we use the tools that are handed to us? Is it because our pride gets in the way or is it because we want to get all the praise for ourselves. Well, whatever the case maybe I know for sure two heads are better than one. When two or more people can come together and be effective amazing things will unfold in relationships, businesses and in ministry.  

 We all have a purpose in life and we want to see our purpose fulfilled. If we work hard we can make it, but when we fall who is there to help catch you because let’s face it no one is perfect and we all need help in some area of our life. Even the smartest person in the world needs help to make his/her dream happen. We can’t continue to let ourselves get in the way or it will pull us down and keep us there.

 In 1 Thessalonians 5:11, it reminds us to be helpers to one another, not be helpers to whom you choose. We have to look at things in God’s view and remove our blinders that are hindering us and see things God’s way. Every industry needs a team, every dream needs someone to back them up. So when God send a person your way, don’t turn them away. Pray about it and you never know it may be the support you needed.