Now that Valentine's Day is well behind us, let’s talk about spreading love beyond our marriage.
We tend to focus on romantic love during Valentine's season, but Scripture calls us to love everyone - including our enemies. THAT one is tough.
As moms and just women who live in community with others, we have so many opportunities to show Christ’s love to our kids and the world around us.
The best part is that it doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming.
Start with your kids. Show love through intentional moments—for younger kids that might be:
- reading a favorite book together,
- playing a game
- asking about their day
- having a dance party
- baking together
For older kids, it might mean:
- sending an encouraging text
- leaving a sticky note on their mirror
- looking into their eyes as they share about something important, rather than looking at the phone or the clock
- going on a coffee date
Love is in the details, and it’s often the small, consistent acts that mean the most.
In your community, think about how you can be a light. Maybe it’s:
- baking cookies for a neighbor (or buying some if you aren't a baker!)
- volunteering at your church
- simply smiling at the cashier who looks like she’s had a long day
- leaving a larger-than-usual tip if you go out to eat
- writing an encouraging note and leaving it on the counter in a public restroom
These acts of love don’t just bless others; they also fill your heart with joy.
As adults, we don't often think about our "enemies", unless there is someone against whom we might be holding a grudge or hanging onto bitterness.
Some ways you can love your "enemies" might be to:
- pray intentionally and fervently for them (if you're no longer in contact with them)
- smile and show kindness (if it's someone you still see occasionally)
- send them an anonymous gift (Amazon works great for that)
- write them a note of forgiveness
This week, make a plan to show love intentionally. Write down one way to bless your kids (each of them if you have multiple!), one way to love someone in your community, and one person you'd consider an "enemy" to whom you can show Christ's love.
Keep it simple and achievable—this shouldn't add stress to your life.
Let’s be women who live out God’s love in every relationship.
This not only glorifies God, but as you step out in faith and obedience, you will grow in spiritual maturity and wisdom.
One act of love at a time can make a world of difference.
How well are you sleeping?
Not only does inadequate sleep affect your mood and emotions, but it also has long-term damaging effects on your heart and circulatory system, metabolic system, immune system, nervous system, brain function, and mental health.
Taking care of your body by ensuring you get enough sleep is vital in order to effectively care for your family, manage your emotions, and respond biblically to challenging situations.
Prioritizing sleep is an essential aspect of self-care that is often overlooked.
Check out the full post for tips and to download your FREE Sleep Checklist!
How often do you hear about nutrition as it relates to being a better wife (and this has NOTHING to do with weight loss or physical appearance!)?
When we treat our bodies well with proper nutrition, they function better, leading to improved emotional well-being. On the other hand, consuming excessive sugar and processed foods can leave our bodies struggling to process what they weren't designed to handle, leading to negative emotional effects such as lethargy, irritability, and anxiety.
Read the full post for a little bit about my own experience of maintaining a healthy diet despite being a busy mom. You'll find a few tips and suggestions for simple and convenient foods, along with how incorporating clean supplements into your routine can further support your physical and emotional health.
By prioritizing proper nutrition and taking care of your body, you will be better equipped to serve your husband and family.
Read more...
Oftentimes the discussion around living a godly wife lifestyle has a lot to do with ensuring you're studying scripture and learning God's instructions and expectations.
This is the most important thing to do!
You can't become a godly wife when you don't know what you're supposed to be doing. Read the instructions (aka The Bible).
Likewise, it's very, very easy for us to fall back into sin when we aren't feeling well.
When we experience:
- fatigue
- exhaustion
- headaches
- sleeplessness
- irritability
- inability to concentrate
Despite knowing that we *should* submit to our husbands, and we *should* show them respect, we can often snap at them (or our children) when we're experiencing anything from the list above.
There are several tools related to this area of physical, mental, and emotional wellness that I have found to be extremely helpful.
1. MightyPro
This is a pre- and pro-biotic, technically formulated for kids, but I love it so I take as well. Gut health is HUGE. When our gut isn't healthy, it can throw everything else out of whack, like our immune system so we get sick more easily, it affects our emotions, brain function, everything.
It tastes like a Pixie Stick, so my 2-year-old loves it as well. He can't quite "shoot" it like a Pixie Stick, so my tip for little ones is to put it in a shallow bowl or cup and let them get it on their finger and lick it off.
2. NingXia Red
Ningxia Red is a powerful antioxidant supplement drink made from wolfberry puree that packs such a punch, you only need a tiny 2oz serving each day. This is another one that my little guy loves because it's delicious! NingXia provides total body wellness. Here are just a few of its benefits:
- Supports a healthy immune system
- Helps us be proactive against all the germs coming our way
- Provides energy support
- HUGE source of antioxidants
- Support brain and joint health
- Supports healthy hormone levels
- Supports healthy blood sugar levels
- Can help curb sugar cravings
- Whole-food, nutrient dense supplement full of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and polyphenols
3. Super B
Super B is a B complex supplement that is great for maintaining healthy energy levels, supporting mood and cardiovascular and cognitive function. Our current lifestyles often leave our adrenal system (our fight or flight response) on overdrive, and B vitamins are a great way to support that system!
NingXia Red and Super B work so well together to help with regulating all the body systems and having natural energy. If your energy is depleted, it's so much easier to get irritable and impatient.
4. Exercise
This is a HUGE factor. Exercise not only helps our body to maintain the movement it was designed to have regularly, but it also helps our organs and muscles to be challenged. Regular exercise ensures that our bodies burn calories, which is a natural function of the body. It helps us to increase energy, strength, stamina, sleep better, reduce stress, and just feel better.
If you don't yet exercise regularly, please check out BodyFit by Amy on YouTube. Her channel is full of FREE workouts that you can do at home, many of them with no equipment so you don't have to purchase a single thing. She offers modifications not only for beginners, but also for pre- and post-natal moms, as well as experienced exercisers who need to up-level.
God created plants, fruits, and trees with so many different functions, all for our benefit. Scripture speaks of using plants as medicine.
When choosing oils, you want to be sure they are of the highest quality and purity. This is why I choose Young Living. They are the only company that owns their own farms and is involved in the process from choosing the soil to packaging the product. They ensure quality the entire way through with their Seed to Seal Promise, never leaving anything to chance. They perform rigorous testing, using third parties, and will often allow an item to go out of stock simply because it doesn't meet their high quality standards. You get what you pay for, and in order to ensure the health of my family, I will gladly pay for the quality, purity, and expertise I know goes into each Young Living product.
Here are some oils I would recommend for us with helping to regulate emotions:
Valor (helps with anxiety)
I recommend diffusing in your bedroom nightly to help with getting restorative sleep each night.
The most important thing is to take care of your health with good food, sleep, water, exercise, and ensure you are studying God's Word every single day.
The other measures won't mean anything if you aren't plugged into Him as your source of power.
They are simply tools that He has created in order to help you in your journey.
I am so grateful for these tools and will gladly accept them from Him! Will you?
If you have questions any any or all of these, please reach out and let me know. One of my goals is to make sure that we are being good stewards of our finances, and that means helping you save money. Please reach out to me so that I can help you place your first order and get the best deal possible for you and your family.
Which of these areas do you struggle with the most?
Fatigue, irritability, focus, something else?
Share in the comments and let me know how I can pray for you.
With kids back in school and the fall season upon us, now is the time when we start thinking about all that sick time we'll have to take when someone inevitably catches some kind of ick.
But what if there was a way to stay above the wellness line, and arm your body with a line of defense to fight back when germs, viruses, and bacteria come knocking?
There actually are several things you can do to help you and your family stay safe this season, and throughout the year.
1. Eat well
Doing whatever you can to reduce or eliminate sugar is first and foremost when it comes to taking care of your health. That's easier said than done with many kids!
Fortunately there are some delicious treats you can make for your kiddos that will satisfy their sweet tooth while simultaneously supporting their immune system as well.
NingXia Red is an antioxidant juice that my family drinks every day. Not only is it delicious, but it's FULL of good-for-you antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. I have some great recipes for a Peanut Butter & Jelly Smoothie, as well as NingXia Red gummies, for the kiddos who love their fruit snacks. These are included in my free Back to School Wellness guide. You can grab that here! The guide also includes some diffuser recipes, wellness capsule recipes, and a checklist of items to have on hand that will help keep your family healthy and safe.
You also want to make sure that your family is consuming lots of foods with Vitamin C, antioxidants, probiotics, and prebiotics. Garlic is a great one too! Load up on oranges, spinach, and berries.
2. Exercise
Before you groan at me, exercise doesn't have to mean hitting the gym. There are lots of ways for your family to exercise together! Here are just a few ideas:
- Hit the bike trail
- Throw on some music for a dance party
- Pull out that old Twister game
- Go ice skating
- Take everyone bowling (just try to avoid the snack counter!)
- Laser tag
- Hiking
If you need some ideas to get a workout in yourself, I highly recommend JessicaSmithTV on YouTube! She has TONS of free workouts, some as quick as 5 minutes and some as long as over an hour. Whether you're looking for indoor walking, cardio, yoga, kickboxing, HIIT, or strength training, you can find it all on her channel.
3. Know what can deplete your immune system
Did you know that our bodies were not designed to handle the plethora of synthetic chemicals and toxins we're forced to process every day? From products such as household cleaners, body wash, candles, home fragrances, perfumes, lotions, makeup, just to name a few.
As a result, our bodies become sluggish and overloaded, working hard to overcompensate - meaning that our energy levels are lower, and our immune system function is not as strong as it could be. We're much more susceptible to illness because our bodies are spending so much time trying to process all of these chemicals.
Some of these chemicals are beyond our control, because they're found in our environment or in public places. However, we have complete control over what we allow inside our homes. Research greenwashing to make sure you're armed against companies who claim to be "green" or safe and toxin-free, then make educated decisions about the types of products you'll bring into your home. I am SO grateful that I work for a company where I can be sure each and every product is pure, plant-based, free of synthetic chemicals and toxins, and actually does good things for me and my family!
If you would like more information about Young Living and how their products can help you, please reach out to me any time. I would be honored to answer your questions and walk alongside you into a lifestyle of wellness.
4. Mindset actually does matter
You may not realize this, but the more stress you're under, the easier it is for you to get sick. Stress triggers the production of the hormone cortisol in your body, which can lower your ability to fight infection. It can also cause higher blood pressure and contribute to poor sleep.
There are lots of ways to improve your mindset:
- Meditation
- Mantras
- Gratitude journal
- Essential oils
- Maintaining good gut health through nutrition
- Sleep
Again, many of these can seem easier said than done, but my role as a wellness coach is to walk with you every step of the way to help you find what works best for your lifestyle and family.
5. Consistency in your daily routines
A lot of people swear by taking over-the-counter products when they start to feel a little under the weather. Sometimes this works; sometimes it doesn't.
It is much easier to stay healthy when you are consistent with your daily wellness regimen. That includes taking your supplements regularly; using essential oils daily (topically, aromatically, and if you're using Young Living, internally is a great method as well); spoiling your body with healthy food and regular exercise; keeping your mind focused on positivity.
These are just a few ways to help your family stay well this season.
If you'd like to get started with a 3-day Kick Start Your Immune System challenge, you can find that in my Drops of Blessings community on Facebook.
For members of my exclusive Essentially Vibrant community, we're going to begin a three-week Fall Into Wellness series to implement everything we've learned and walk through it together! I'd be happy to give you more information about that, just reach out to me anytime!
Tell me, which steps are you and your family going to take to stay above the wellness line this year?
To grab my free guide on 5 Ways To Boost Your Energy, click here.
To subscribe and never miss a post, click here.
