Healing hand of God.

I have seen it. I have heard of it. I have felt it. I have experienced it! Never underestimate what/when/how God will prepare you for what He has already prepared for you! Leave it up to Him to surprise you when you least expect it, to bring a breakthrough when you just feel like breaking down and to lead you to the next level when you are just fine and comfortable where you are at. God can't use you unless you are available. So stay available. Be willing to embark on new challenges, be ready to overcome fear and do not hesitate to lift up your hands and say "Here I am. Use me!"

I cannot wait to see how God continues to use me. I know that He is always preparing me for what He has already prepared for me. I know that nothing is too big for our God.

There are times when fear kicks in- sure. But the only way to get through that fear is to understand that God has got you- and He is just pushing you to your next fullest potential. If there is something that is holding you back physically- give it to God. Let Him heal it. If there is something holding you back mentally- give it to God. Let Him work through it with you. He can do all things. He will heal. He will make it possible.

I LOVE TEXAS

Seriously...BEST.STATE.EVER. I have loved living here for the past 18 months. This weekend- hubby and I went to the BBQ cook off and Professional Bull Riding Competition (PBR). It was incredible! Imagine....hundreds of BBQ "tents" creating a BBQ city, carnival food, country music, cowboy boots, cows, the whole nine yards!

Here are two pictures of BBQ tents. Basically, you get a wristband and are able to eat and drink all you want at the certain tent. Theres music, prizes, gifts...so much fun.












We were driving home and I told my husband "2 years ago- would you have thought we would have been here driving home from Professional bull riding and stuffing our faces with BBQ goodness, wearing cowboy boots, cowboy hats, and listening to country music?" It was dead silent then both of us said at the same time "NAHH! haha" I love moments like that. Moments when you see what God has done with you, how He has shaped you and where He places you for certain seasons in your life. Our motto for the last year: "When in TEXAS..." You're here. Soak it in. Live it to the fullest. We only have 93 days left in this incredible city.

Professional Bull Riding for ya!

 

Totally awesome

I've decided that Tuesdays are going to be the days that I list TOTALLY AWESOME things from the past week/day that I feel like remembering whenever I go through and read this again...

TOTALLY AWESOME....

1) My workouts. WOW. My trainer took me outside (the horrible black hole at the gym where everything is killer) and I did pretty well. I go in to training the next day thinking- well at least the worst workout was over yesterday- and there he goes again...taking us outside...I LOVED IT! It was full of suicide sprints, medicine ball throws, squats, hurdles, double jumps.. today- Olympic lifts, {more} double jumps, lateral jumps, medical ball throws/squats and basketball court sprints. The best fuel for after my workout: Muscle Milk Light VANILLA.

2) 5th day in a row without a single COOKIE. 5 days I tell ya! This is a record! But man..those sweet tooth cravings are still lingering every night after dinner and before bedtime..which brings me to my next awesome...

3) CHOCOLATE PB2! Yes- life.changing. So they sell PB2 at our local HEB {{love this place}} I have the normal PB2 and just bought the chocolate PB2. So- you mix 2 T of chocolate PB2 with 1T of H20 and I spread that on top of a Carmel rice cake and VIOLA a substitute for those yummy oreos/chocolate chip/smores cookies. Sure- its not as good as a buttery fat filled cookie- but its all a mind game. It was AMAZING!

4) Hearing that I would be done with my thesis in the next 4 weeks. HALL.E.LU.JAH.

5) My husband. Gotta give a shout out to my main squeeze. Hes finishing up college next year and is already planning his MBA. Gotta love a man with goals! MUAH!

quick little "nugget" that I heard on KSBJ this morning: "If God is your partner- make sure your plans are HUGE!"

Five for Friday

Every Friday I am going to write a post titled "Five For Friday". This will be any 5 things I want to talk about. Today's "Five For Friday" will be...

Five lessons from this week:

1) Growing up doesnt mean enjoying less- it means enjoying differently.

We went to a Raggae concert last night of one of our favorite bands. A few years ago, I would have been up front and center. Last night- back and right. Don't get me wrong- we still enjoyed it but there was a totally different feeling than I have had before. I was thankful to be holding hands with my husband and enjoying some music we used to listen to back home on the beach but I wasnt as in to this concert  as I thought I would have been. Sometimes- sitting on the beach with my man listening to the music is way better than spendign the money and getting to bed super late. Hey- it was a date and I enjoyed it just as much :)

2) You can do it.

I had the toughest week of workouts in a long while- and they were back to back to back. Tuesday night I couldnt imagine waking up early and doing another one on Wednesday..and thinking about Thursday and Friday's workouts werent even on the radar. Every morning I woke up, as sore as could be- ate my egg whites and oatmeal- and bundled up and drove to the gym. The hardest part is waking up getting out the door. Once I am in the car and on my way- theres no turning back. No matter what you are facing, no matter what you know you should do but really don't want to do- just GET OUT THE DOOR (so to speak) and the hardest part is over.

3) We dont like jambalya anything.

At all.

No need to go into details the fact that I set up the crock-pot, spent 20 minutes preparing it and 8 hours letting it cook. It is not our meal of choice over here on this side of town. PERIOD.

safe to say- Jambalaya will not be cooked in our kitchen for a while ever.

4) Show people you're serious. Don't just tell them.

As a public health professional, collaboration is keen. It's funny to see how people react to faces differently. Its all about business. They ask you the answer to question A- you give them the answer. They want you do fill them in on this situation- you fill them in and SHOW them how you have recorded it. I think I had such an awesome week wtih meetings and work in general because I decided that I dont need to legitimize my education and experience to anyone verbally. I need to show them and thats what I do. I wish that more ladies would, instead of telling someone they are qualified, would get out there and show them. God has set us exactly where we need to be. You may have a dream- and you may not think that you are qualified- and hey- you might not be...YET. Remember: God doesnt call the qualified, HE QUALIFIES THE CALLED. Get out there and show them that you CAN do it and that you are a daughter to the most high God! 



5) The rain isnt really that bad.

Being a Southern California girl, I was raised to believe that I would melt in too much rain. Moving to Texas, although its a drought season, there is still more rain here than I expereinced in California. Its actually peaceful. I love waking up to the pitter patter of rain. I love getting cozy in my long sleeves and scarfs and venturing out into the rain with a coffee in one hand and umbrella in the next. Too bad my office has no windows...





Love blogging

Thank you Casey for having this link up challenge! 

I just started this whole blogging thing- and to be honest- Its really difficult for me get all into it. BUT when I do it- I love it. Why?

*Because it lets me put my feelings on "paper". 

*Because if I actually wrote them on real paper I would either loose the paper or wouldn't be able to read my writing. 

*Because when someone reads what I have to say- I hope that their faith will be impacted. 

Sometimes I just start typing and my fingers keep going and going and going to a point where I don't even know where the thoughts being typed came from!

*I love reading other peoples blogs.

*I love seeing how creative people are. 

*I love seeing joy and positive messages being sporadically placed throughout the internet. 

*I love seeing friendships made. 

*I love people living life. 

I want to thank the few bloggers that I came across- you girls have inspired me to start documenting adventures and thoughts. I always think- wow it would have been so cool to have documented college and to be able to go back through and almost "re-live" the hilarious moments and laugh at the annoying ones. So- I need to a) start taking pictures b) learn how to make my blog "cute" and c) get this going!

PS. anyone that has any blogging advice- well- you know where to find me :)

30 day challenge

I cannot stop smiling. I put myself to the 30 day challenge- never forgot to spend my time with God EVERY day- never got too "tired" to finish a workout strong- and resisted from eating cookie after cookie. :)

it was all about- FAITH. MIND. BODY. you wont BELIEVE the impact changing one little thing can have on your life. I remember hearing that it takes somewhere around 11 days to turn a task into a habit- and in my case- I feel like it took 30 days- but boy am I glad I stuck to it!

FAITH. Now- I cant imagine not spending 30 mins or an hour or two hours or however long I can make- with Jesus. Diving into his word, reading books about Him, learning how to grow in my faith, and talking to Him every day changed so many aspects of my day to day life. Yes- I have had a relationship with God for as long as I can remember- but its so true that your relationship can always get deeper. Not only did it bring me closer to God, but this time spent with Him brought me closer to myself and it brought my husband and I even closer.
MIND. I am just going to throw it out there- getting through a hard workout is a mind game. Sure- theres a physical component where you might not be ready to run a 30 mile trail, or you may not be able to lift 150 lbs. But- find the point that your body can handle while still being challenged and follow it. When you're supposed to do 30 squats- do 30 squats. 29 doesn't equal 30. For me- the toughest part about a circuit is the middle- but I know that when I push through it- the last rounds are that much better.
BODY. Haven't you ever heard "you are what you eat?"- hear it. take it in. use it. I am drawn to sugar- I swear my body used to be hard wired for anything with chocolate in it. I couldn't go a DAY without a cookie or cupcake or ice cream or something- DIS.CUS.TING! I made alternatives for myself and did the annoying, gross, sweet tooth habit ever break! SAYONARA oreos. BIENVENIDO greek yogurt with fat-free sugar-free pudding mix and sugar-free vanilla syrup and Cinnamon with some graham crackers. YUM. Its all about clean eating. Even my husband (who wouldn't dare go near a sweet potato in his life) was eating roasted sweet potato "fries" (aka fresh wedges i seasoned and stuck in the oven for a little while), green beans and chicken.

BELIEVE.  A struggle needs Jesus to overcome it. A goal needs Jesus to help you achieve it. A blessing pours down from Jesus. A trial needs Jesus to show the light. A sin needs Jesus to forgive it. Believe that He is with you. UNDERSTAND that you are not alone. BE uncomfortable and let Him show you that He is Lord. KNOW that a challenge is a good thing. CHALLENGE yourself and see the BLESSINGS that pour down. GOD shows up when it is uncomfortable. so GET READY my friends!

Now- get out there. write down some goals. and start going at 'em.