Coming Soon…

I know I have been quiet around here, and I really appreciate your patience with me. I thought it would be only fair to show you what I've been so busy working on…

Update!  My book is finished! Although it won't be officially released until December 31, it is available exclusively as part of The Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle sale. Get it here!

I have come SO FAR in my journey with chronic fatigue, and I can't NOT share with you what I have learned! I have found that SO MANY women are dealing with the same kinds of issues that I fought for so long, and it has been my desire to tell you all the things that have helped me so much. That was honestly an overwhelming task, and I didn't quite know where to start. That's why it is all going into an ebook.

I give all the credit to my Lord Jesus Christ, the Great Physician, because it is ultimately He who has healed me.

In this book I am sharing the specific answers to which he so clearly directed me.

I plan to be finished within the next couple weeks, so if you will bear with my quietness a little longer, you will get a resource from it that I hope will be huge help to so many of you.

It is possible I may be able to make this available in a print format as well. Please let me know if you would be interested in that so I can check into the logistics of it.

I know many of you have prayed for me when I was struggling, and without YOU this project would never have come about!  Thank you for your prayers, your concern, and your support! I appreciate every single one of you!

Healthy Home Giveaway {Over $1000 Value!}

I am thrilled to be partnering with Lindsey from Road to 31 as well as a number of other Christian and healthy living bloggers in offering you this incredible giveaway!  Someone is going to have a great time receiving all these goodies!

Creating a Healthy Home for Fall

As we enter into the Fall season there are many things that we think of and prepare for.  We love to watch the colors change, break out those comfy sweaters, and enjoy all of the good food that comes with Autumn.  There are so many great and enjoyable things that sometimes we forget about those things that creep up on us as the weather changes and the holiday season arrives.

With the falling of the autumn leaves also comes the ushering in of Flu season.  Head colds and sinus issues rear their ugly heads.  Holidays such as Thanksgiving and soon after, Christmas, help us to gain a little more weight than we had planned.  By the time January rolls around we are more prepared than ever to make a New Year's resolution and shed a few pounds.

Why wait until January to get healthy and in shape?  Why not prepare your whole family to ward off those nasty cold bugs?

To kick off the site launch of The Road to 31 and to help prepare both Your Home and Your Body for the change of seasons,  The Road to 31 is bringing you The Healthy Home GIVEAWAY!  There is over $1000 worth of healthy living products and services that will be going to one VERY blessed winner!

The Road to 31 has lined up a number of companies who have graciously entered their products for The Healthy Home GIVEAWAY.  These products include a Big Berkey Water Filter, a full month of health coaching, a His and Hers Bath Gift Basket, and SO MUCH MORE!  For a complete list of all the prizes one person will receive look below.  This giveaway will be open September 24-30 and is open to all residents of the United States and Canada.

The Prizes

This post contains affiliate links.  You are not required to make a purchase through these links but if you do you help to support my family.  Thank you!

Big Berkey Water Filter with 2 Black Elements $258 value

The mission of United Environmental Solutions is to provide quality products worldwide that can be used on a regular basis; but by virtue of their unique characteristics, they can also be used to provide relief in the event of an unexpected emergency. We operate under a simply philosophy: give the customer more than they expect.  You can read a full review of the Berkey and United Environmental Solutions HERE.

 REAL Health Course: A Home Study 6 Modules (Digital Download) $199 value

Angela Montgomery of Real Whole Health is a certified holistic health coach who works with busy moms to create a plan to help them reach their health and weight loss goals, naturally!

REAL Health home study courses give you the tools you need to: – Achieve your optimal weight and have the body you love – without yet another restrictive diet that does not deliver lasting results? – Finally end your battle with sugar and coffee – using strategies that get to the root cause of your cravings so it ceases to be a constant struggle that you can’t win? – Have all the energy you want, so that you can juggle all your responsibilities without sacrificing your passion? – Have the mental clarity that will bring you focus, efficiency and productivity? – Attain emotional balance so that you (and your relationships) are no longer held back by mood swings and bouts of depression and/or anxiety? Have less stress and more rest?

One FREE Month of Health Coaching.  One hour twice during one month.  $149 value

Angela Montgomery of Real Whole Health is a certified holistic health coach who works with busy moms to create a plan to help them reach their health and weight loss goals, naturally!

Health Coaching giveaway description: Work with Angela to discover the best way for you to reach your health and fitness goals with a plan that is tailored just for you! One month of health coaching includes two – one hour phone calls with unlimited email support.

Gift Certificate $50 Value

For over 20 years now, we at TriLight Health (formerly TriLight Herbs) have faithfully supplied our customers nationwide with our high quality line of liquid herbal products. We were the first company to specialize in great tasting, alcohol and sugar free, liquid herbal formulas for pregnancy, children, and the family.

Green Pasture Blue Ice Infused Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (Choose Your Flavor) $55 value

Green Pasture Products™ is a family owned business started by Dave and Barb Wetzel in 2000. Our business focus is to provide high-quality sacred-food oils just as they were made prior to the industrialized food and farming revolution.

His and Her Bath Basket $74 value

4 bars of soap (2 for her/2 for him) @ $4.00 each – $16.00
2 all natural deodorants (1 for her/1 for him) @ $6.00 each – 12.00
2 all natural lipbalms @ $3.00 each – $6.00
1 handmade washcloth for her – $4.00
1 handmade soap bag for him – $6.00
1 jar body cream – $6.00
1 all natural soy candle jar – $10.00
1 Live, Laugh, Love magnetic box – $12.00
1 Soap Saver – $2.00
Total Retail Value $74.00

Joyful Sounds Farm sells all natural soaps, lip balms, lotions, and feathers.  You can find them on Etsy or on their website selling their beautiful homemade wares.

Traditional Recipes Bundle over $150 value

17 different digital eBooks from prominent and up-and-coming real food bloggers. There are books to teach you how to include more healthy ingredients, how to save time, how to save money, how to create food that goes with you, how to make desserts and holiday dishes, and so much more.

Kitchen Help

Cooking With Coconut Oil by Jennifer Saleem of Hybrid Rasta Mama, Design a Dish by Millie Copper of Real Food for Less Money, Restocking the Pantry by Kresha Faber of Nourishing Joy, Real Food, Real Easy by Angela Montgomery of Real Whole Health, Real Food for the Real Homemaker by Jami Balmet of Young Wife’s Guide, Jaimie Ramsey of Living In the Light and Elsie Callender of Richly Rooted

Main Dishes

7 Day Real Food Meal Plan by Roxanne King of The Holistic Mama, Much Ado About Chicken by Debra Worth of Sweet Kisses and Dirty Dishes, Stretchy Beans by KerryAnn Foster of Intentionally Domestic, Divine Dinners by Lydia Joy Shatney of Divine Health From the Inside Out (92 gourmet dinners, sides, soups, and more, GF)

Snacks and Sides

The Veggie Book by Danielle Tate of More Than Four Walls, Sara Shay of Your Thriving Family and Debra Worth of Sweet Kisses and Dirty Dishes, Healthy Snacks to Go by Katie Kimball of Kitchen Stewardship, Steeped by Katie Stanley of Nourishing Simplicity, Toadally Primal Smoothies by Primal Toad of Primal Toad

Desserts, Baking and Special Occasions

Festive Traditions by Jill Marks of Modern Alternative Kitchen, Treat Yourself: Real Food Desserts by Kate Tietje of Modern Alternative Mama, Sourdough Goodness by Anna Drozdova of Thought For Real Food, Travel Foods by KerryAnn Foster of Intentionally Domestic

FREE Bonuses: 15% off Real Salt Orders, 5% off Wise Choice Market orders over $50.  Simple Natural Health by Nina Nelson of Shalom Mama, One month FREE premium membership to Tradishen.

Gift Certificate to Special Etch $15 value

SpecialEtch is the place to visit to personalize any item. Etch your name into glass baking dishes and be sure never to lose your pan at a potluck again. Get a personalized vinyl decal with your name or monogrammed initials to stick to almost anything with a smooth surface. The possibilities are endless with the creative minds at SpecialEtch.

1 Bake and Take Custom Etched Glass 13×9 Baking Pan $50.00

SpecialEtch is the place to visit to personalize any item. Etch your name into glass baking dishes and be sure never to lose your pan at a potluck again. Get a personalized vinyl decal with your name or monogrammed initials to stick to almost anything with a smooth surface. The possibilities are endless with the creative minds at SpecialEtch.

2 oz. Shea Crème is valued at $15

Just So is designed to encourage those seeking a more natural lifestyle. We offer tutorials, recipes and products to help you on your journey. Just So reflects our family’s encounter with toxic mold and resulting determination to recover our health with a radical lifestyle change. You can read our full story at Our Health Journey (www.moldrecovery.blogspot.com)

2 oz. Pain Relief Salve $9.00

Creative Christian Mama's Store is where I offer you the same natural, homemade products that I use for my family. From magnesium lotion to salves, herbal bath mix to soon-to-be-released items, these products are all-natural options for your family.

5-pack of Cool Cocoa Lip Balm – value $14.02

doTERRA Introductory Kit to Essential Oils with CD $26.67 value

Learn about the amazing health benefits of Essential Oils through the doTERRA Introductory Kit. There are over 101 uses for these three oils and Lindsay @ Crunchy Savings to happy to help you learn about the health properties of Essential Oils.

3 month membership value: $29.96

Fit2B Studio is radically different from any other fitness provider – not only because we don’t do crunches or sit ups – but mostly because our founder, Bethany Learn, is no run-of-the-mill instructor. She is a real-life mom who believes you can see proper form demonstrated without seeing a bunch of skin. Bethany holds a bachelor of science degree in Exercise and has been working in the workout world for 18 years. Yet she speaks in layman terms with no unexplainable terminology or screaming, and she teaches from her home straight to yours. She works hard to monitor current research to ensure that our moves are natural, TummySafe™ and easy to apply to your everyday real life. We avoid moves that are unsafe for those with abdominal traumas like diastasis recti, hernia, C-section, as well as pelvic floor issues. Our TummySafe™ focus teaches the proper alignment and daily awareness needed to increase overall body strength and tone. For more information, visit fit2b.com today!

This post contains affiliate links.  You are not required to make a purchase through these links but if you do you help to support my family.  Thank you!

The Giveaway

Enter for your chance to WIN this amazing compilation of Healthy Living Prizes hosted by The Road to 31.
To enter you must be 18 years or older and live in the United States or Canada.  Giveaway will be open September 24-30.  Please tell all your friends!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It’s Gonna Be a Quiet Week

You all are the BEST blog readers!

You seem to get the fact that I don't consider myself a blogger; I'm just a mom and a homemaker who happens to have a blog.

I don't hang out in this space unless my home responsibilities are complete.

I would be a really big hypocrite to have a blog encouraging you to be a more intentional homemaker if I were here blogging all the time rather than taking care of my home and family.

I usually find time during my kids naps to write some blog posts, answer emails, and visit with you on Facebook, but this week will be different.

I have a REALLY big behind-the-scenes project that I need to finish up this week.  Something I hope will be a huge help to many of you.

But since my blogging time is very limited, I have to let something else go.  That means all the fun stuff, like posting new things and interacting with you all.

I'm here.  I really am.  I just need to finish this project.

Will you wait for me?

Disconnecting to Connect

The following is a sponsored post.  As always, all content and opinions are 100% my own.

Computers.  Smart phones.  Tablets. .

They're so helpful, but so much of the time they end up sucking away our time and attention from the ones who should matter the most.

The Tech Timeout^TM challenge started by Foresters encourages families to take a daily break from technology. Participating families are encouraged to disconnect from all things electronic with the goal of helping spouses, parents and children build stronger bonds, communicate more personally and get more involved in each other’s lives.

And I think it's a great challenge!

I was recently asked if I would like to participate and share our family's experience with the challenge.

I don't have a smartphone, so checking Facebook or email throughout the day is not a temptation for me.  We also don't have T.V. or video games.  Pretty much the only electronics we have are the computer and Kindle, but I did want to disconnect a little more than I normally do and see if I thought it made a difference.

When I would normally be on the computer writing here on the blog, or just relaxing on Pinterest while the kids nap, I decided to stay off and spend time outside with the kids.  We enjoyed the extra time spent together outside, but since that was during their naptime I can't do it on a regular basis.

I think if I had a smartphone I would be really bad about messing with it and not giving my undivided attention to the kids.  Having a designated time each day to specifically have it OFF no matter what would be really helpful in making sure I'm not getting distracted from paying attention to my kids.

Do you think you would benefit from a designated Tech Timeout?

Here are some GREAT ideas of things you could be doing rather than being connected to technology:

Which of these fun family activities would you enjoy most?

Visit techtimeout.com to make the pledge with your family!

How to Make a Difference in the World

This post was originally written in February 2012.  These thoughts have been on my mind again recently, and I hope they will be an encouragement to you.

It seems like just recently I have really been struck with the incredible needs in the world around me. One of the things that influenced me was this post regarding adoption and the needs of orphaned children around the world. Of course I wish I could help every single one of them. Then I started thinking of villages in Haiti where people are dying because they don't have clean water to drink. I want to dig a well for every single one of them. Then I started thinking about the homeless right here in America – there are multitudes of them in every city and even right here in my own little town. I want to help them all! What about the nursing homes I have visited where there are not enough staff members to properly care for the residents? Many of them don't get proper nutrition because they cannot feed themselves and the staff members are too busy to do it. They lie in bed begging someone to come change their soiled pants because they are starting to get sore, but are only replied to with, “We'll get to you later.” I want to stay there all day and personally tend to all of their needs!

I could continue to go on listing needs – desperate, heart-breaking needs of people all around the world. I want to do something – to make a big difference somehow. But the whole world is full of needs! There's no way I can possibly do anything that will help!

Then, it dawned on me. I have had the attitude that since the needs are too great for me to fulfill, then I will just throw up my hands in despair and say, “I guess there's nothing I can do about it other than hope that the Lord will come back quickly and redeem the world from the curse of sin.”

I was reminded of this story by Loren Eisley. I'm sure many of you have heard it:

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.
Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”
The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”
“Son,” the man said, “Don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't make a difference!”
After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said , “I made a difference for that one.”

I may not be able to make a difference in every person's life who needs help, but I can make a difference in someone's life. That will be one more person who can be shown the love of Christ who would otherwise never know it. Just think! When I get to heaven one day I will be so ashamed at all the lives I didn't influence just because I wasn't trying, thinking that it was impossible to make a difference.

I don't know what God has planned for my life, but I know he wants me to do something more than what I've been doing. I am praying specifically that He would lead me to the one thing that I can do to make a difference.

In the meantime, I have three little people for whom I will strive to make a big difference every day. I have a husband for whom I will make a difference every day. There are store cashiers, church members, neighbors, and numerous other people with whom I come into contact on a regular basis. Am I making a difference for them? Am I doing all that I can to help them both physically and spiritually?

I am excited to see what doors God will open as I do my part to meet the needs of others. If we all do our small part, just think how many more people can be helped than if we all throw up our hands in defeat!

You may not be able to make a difference for them all, but you can make a difference for one.

The Internet: A Tool…Or a Trap?

As the world of technology progresses, it seems that it's almost impossible to even live without the internet.  I know very few people who do not have internet access at their home, and even so there are occasions when they must go to a friend's house or to the library to get online.

You almost cannot complete paperwork anywhere without having a valid email address.  And many times crucial information is sent to that email address that you will never receive unless you actually get online and check it.

Companies are trying their best to eliminate paper bills and move to all online systems.

Printed research material is becoming outdated, and new information is available mostly online.

Friends and family members may only be accessible to contact through Facebook or email.

Even missionaries for whom you would like to pray may only send their updates via email.

If you are going to stay on top of some of these tasks which are necessary for living, you're pretty much forced to have internet access.

The internet is a wonderful tool.  Many aspects of life have become much more convenient because of it.

Prayer requests shared on Facebook can spread around the world in a matter of minutes.

God's Word can be shared on blogs and social media and reach into areas of the world where it is normally suppressed.

Research material on any topic imaginable has become readily accessible.

Bills can be paid without cluttering your house with papers and without any money spent on postage.

Shopping can be done conveniently from home, saving gas money and time.

But as convenient and as great of a tool as the internet is, it also has the potential to be a deadly trap.

Although your goal may be to use it as a tool to spread God's Word, keep up with missionaries, pray for the needs of others, or save time on essential tasks, the devil's goal is to use it for your destruction.

He may do this blatantly by throwing pornographic advertisements in your face when you least expect it. Or he may take a more subtle approach by leading you to more and more interesting (although entirely appropriate) content which slowly sucks away your time.  Both tactics can result in the destruction of homes, families, and individual lives.

Men, Satan would love for you to become addicted to pornography even though you came across it completely by accident.

Ladies, he would love for you to frustrate your husband and children by neglecting your household duties because you were glued to your Facebook feed or Pinterest account.

Parents, he would love to expose your sons and daughters to perverse material that will forever be etched into their minds.

He wants to destroy your home and Christian testimony however he can.

You must not be blind to his tactics, and you must arm yourself against them.

Ephesians 6:11-18  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints…

In the previous passage, you find instruction in the use of the spiritual weapons with which God has provided us to withstand the devil.  They are useless unless you take advantage of them!

Daily infiltrating our minds with God's Word, a lifestyle of prayer, and yielding to the Holy Spirit should be our first line of defense against the devil's tactics.

But I am also thankful for practical tools to help us protect ourselves as well.

It would be foolish to delve into the online world without any type of protection against the traps that are embedded there.

Covenant Eyes is a wonderful place to find that protection.  My husband and I have invested in a  subscription each year because we both know that our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).  Although we had the standard internet filters set up on our computer, we knew that we are capable of any type of sin and we figured, “Why take the risk?  Why even give ourselves room to be tempted?  Why let the thought remain in the back of our minds that we have the possibility of accessing any type of material our lustful flesh desires?”

Here are some reasons I think Covenant Eyes is an excellent choice for families:

• Separate users – you can add different members of your family and configure the settings to be most suitable for them.  For example – for young children, you could set it up for them to be allowed on one or two websites to play educational games.  For teenagers, you could select the strongest filtering so that they can browse and do school research without the ability to accidentally land on an inappropriate website.  The administrator can enter their password to allow access to a website that has been blocked but doesn't necessarily need to be.
• Internet Filtering – select as strong or weak of a filter as you feel you need, and make the strength different depending on the user.
• Internet Accountability – Besides filtering out content that could potentially cause you to stumble in your Christian walk, you can also ask a friend or relative to be your accountability partner.  Covenant Eyes will send regular reports via email of your online activity to the partner(s) of your choice.  You can have as many accountability partners as you wish and choose the frequency of the report (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.).  The report will show your accountability partner how much time you've spent online, what webpages you visited or attempted to visit, the search terms you used, and even whether you tried to uninstall Covenant Eyes from your computer.
• Time filtering – one of the more subtle ways the devil uses the internet against us is by tempting us to use it to waste time.  If you struggle with wasting time on the internet, you can take advantage of the time filters on Covenant Eyes.  You can restrict internet usage to a certain number of hours per week or day or you can choose to block internet usage during certain times of the day.
• Resources for families and churches – Covenant Eyes offers free e-books on topics relating to Family Protection, Pornography Use and Recovery, and Helps for Churches to address the subject of pornography.  They also have a great blog with many informative and thought-provoking posts.

Covenant Eyes pricing starts at $9.99 per month and goes up depending on how many users you have and which services you select (accountability, filtering, or both).   You can also use the Covenant Eyes browser on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad or use the accountability app for Android.

I am determined to do all that I can to make sure the internet remains a tool and not a trap. How about you?