But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.
The World (Kingdom of Darkness) has its own standards to which man and women operate.
What would it be like to wake up one day and see commercials with these amazing people who have hearts of Gold trying to sell us their products? Or since we are so self crazed your influencer numbers would be sky high based on the appearance of your heart and not the appearance of your body or your face?
God wants us Healthy! Heart- Mind- Soul- Spirit- Body.
He doesn’t care to much about outward beauty because that isn’t what he looks at to measure if we are usable for his Kingdom!
To be useable to the World’s system you may have to have perfect teeth, skin color, texture, height, shape, etc.. but who wants to rule in a kingdom that is going to end? God’s Kingdom is eternal!
God’s only standard is to repent of our selfish nature- accept his son Jesus who washes away our sins and makes us new. We are now acceptable, called, and equipped for his Kingdom!
No ascetics, runways, no masks, no countless perfect selfies that are filtered and airbrushed to be accepted for the job! Phew what a relief! We just say yes to Jesus and invite the Holy Spirit to start transforming us from the inside out. Heart- character- whole wellness, because after all he calls our bodies temples of the Holy Spirit! So, we shouldn’t neglect them and we should not put toxic things inside them because toxic has a shelf life and we do live in a plant – seed- harvest eco system, or what you would call cause and effect!
That is why each choice we make is costly and valuable.
So let today be a new day! Let today be a day to renew our minds! Let us cast off every evil lie that has exalted itself above the Word of Truth! Let us make peace with striving for Worldly acceptance and be brave enough to cast our cares on the Lord and seek this Kingdom lifestyle that will not lead to slavery, destruction and decay, but FREEdom, light, love, life abundantly!
It has been one incredible last 12 months! I have been on a treasure hunt to say the least with my Lord and savior Jesus Christ. In July 2017 I met up with a friend to discus a dream that was being birthed inside my soul, a God dream! A dream so big it scared me because I had no clue how I could make this dream come into reality. The dream is still a dream and I won’t share it yet, but starting a creative worship art ministry has begun in our church this was something that came along while sharing my God dream. My God dream involves worship downtown that will be open for our whole community. I realize there are season and there are processes. This realization has not put one seed of doubt or urgency, it will happen when the Lord wills it to existence, this I truly believe. I know there are Kingdom resources that have my name on them and they are just sitting and waiting to be released down to earth!
With all that said, starting a creative art ministry has been challenging and fun! I have a sister in Christ who wanted to run with this baby with me. We are currently just now fixing to launch a team and a bible study to unite all of our artist hearts together!
We have pretty much been on our own the past what I call school year, August- May 2017/2018 dreaming up and creating stage sets to help assist our preachers sermons throughout the year, and with much thanks for helping hands to help us along the way. We are thankful that the Lord always provides workers to help!
On top of this new journey I also had a job transition, I felt it was time to close a season of church preschool and pursue the public schools in our community. I was able to serve the school district for 7 months when another door opened and a new job opportunity presented its self to me. I went for it, was offered the position, and the rest is yet to come! I will still be serving our community with the school district but it will be from another angle, assisting administrators. I’m excited to begin this new career journey in just a few short weeks!
I currently sit here typing this out on my iPhone, lounging on a chase lounger listening to the discovery channel, the sounds of my husband breathing and settling into a comfy position on the couch, as people fire off fire crackers on the beach at 10:41pm. I’m writing because I don’t want to lose my creative edge for writing, and also to release creative flow.
I’m writing because I sit in awe and I’m so thankful for where my relationship with Christ has taken me. It’s been one busy exciting 12 months and as I geared up for a two week vacation I couldn’t help but notice Holy Spirit speaking to me through those around me, and a daily devotional. Basically to summarize what I was gathering was that we must rest, we must take time to escape the madness of this world, we must fix all of our thoughts on things that bring us joy and peace and release all stress and worries and chaos to Jesus. That’s exactly what I have done, I have continued to seek him as I would any day but I have just let my mind not even think about the things to come. I have entered into a Holy rest and I have even found a way to be child like and silly again.
I won’t worry, I won’t fret, I won’t sit and get all anxious for the chaos of life to hit me all at once come Monday. I trust that if he wants me to rest and rest in him, he will give me the strength to pick my big plate up and continue to run the race set before me. This excites me and makes me feel excited for the next twelve months, not the opposite to dread or fear. Did I mention I’m about to be in training and learning to do a job I have never done before? LOL but still not an ounce or worry of fear. I praise Jesus and thank him for the rest he has allowed me to enter and hide in! 🙌🏻✝️🎉🍍💃🏻☀️🌊❤️
So, if your still reading this, I know I’m so long winded, I encourage you to really take moments to rest in the Lord. Even if it’s just a weekend or a day, set your mind to rest solely in Christ and enjoy the rest. Don’t for a second feel like you are wasting your time, not being productive, or being selfish. Those are lies the enemy is trying to hang you up on. He does this because he wants to steal your rest and your peace.
I love this picture I took the first morning of vacation. There is nothing as beautiful as a beach sunrise and the reminder from my Daddy God that his mercies are fresh and new each morning! ☀️ 🏖
Well the count down begins! I have 25 days until my 30th Birthday!
Do you remember my FLEX IT FRIDAY post with my before picture? You can read the Flex it Friday post HERE! I was weighing in at 137 lbs, I am now currently down to 132 lbs. That puts me 5 pounds lighter.
I fell off my 14 week accountability tracker. Whoops! It happens. But I have been sticking with a cardio regimen 3-4 days a week with my weight lifting, which I did share one of my treadmill 500 calorie busting work outs that you can find HERE!
I also was sick a good three weeks due to a bad experience with some prescription antibiotics I was taking for acne! 😦 If you missed that miserable story it’s right here. I seriously didn’t eat much for a full week. NOT COOL!
I am still not as lean as I was hoping to be, but I do have a few more weeks to go! I am happy to report that I didn’t gain anymore weight or slack off to the point of losing all control of myself! Yea for that!
It is time to post another flexing photo (sigh) to let you know I am still fighting hard to reach my goal!
I guess I could have taken the five seconds to clean the mirror, but this is real life people, and I do have 4 children! LOL As you can tell by the traffic light toothbrush in the picture, and all the water marks on the mirror! (I will miss dirty bathroom mirrors when they are grown, I just know it!)
I have learned that no matter how much support or encouragement I get from others, I HAVE TO BELIEVE IN MYSELF, and so do you! Your weight loss journey is yours to take control of. Be Crazy! Think Crazy! Just don’t lose faith in what you are capable of doing!
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength! Philippians 4:13
What’s your favorite cardio exercise?
xOxO
Leigh Leigh
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We are weeks away from swim suit season…are you ready? I know I am not quiet there yet, or at least not in my mind therefore I have switched up my cardio to give me an extra fat burning boost! My husband suggested we start doing treadmill cardio Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, allowing weight training for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Last week was our first week to begin our new routine. I was completely shocked at how hard it was to walk on the treadmill with the incline at 15 degrees, so since I was just starting out, I took it down to 10 degrees. I hope to challenge myself more each week. I will be sure to post each work out I create in my head as I go with you all who are following along.
I can say that at the end of last week I did lose 2 lbs. I however was keeping an eye on my clean diet and drinking lots of water.
This cardio session is intense, you will sweat a lot! Make sure you are hydrating through out the day, and you might want to bring a change of dry clothes to change into afterwards! 😉
I don’t sweat I sparkle!!
What’s your favorite way to get your sweat on?
Disclaimer: I am not a personal trainer. My blog is a documentation of my life and the views I share are mine alone, based on my experiences, and should not be taken as medical advise EVER. Work outs I post may not be right for you so please seek medical professional help before making any changes to your current routine.
Get Your Sweat On!
Leigh Leigh
Stay connected by connecting with me on Facebook and Twitter!
I hope you can take a few minutes that will spare you some extreme pain! Please read!
I have just lived an extremely difficult and very painful 9 days of my life. I wanted to use my blog to share some valuable information to those of you who are taking Doxycycline Hyclate 100MG.
Months leading into turning 30 have been hectic on my body. I have gone through more hormone changes then I’d like to mention on here, but the biggest bummer so far has been dealing with acne on my face. My dermatologist put me on Doxycycline Hyclate about a month ago, along with a topical cream. I have been taking the medication as prescribed with minimal complications. Every now and then I would notice a little heartburn, but it never lasted long at all.
Last Thursday night I was about to hop in bed when I remembered I forgot to take my second pill for the day. I usually take my second dose with dinner, but on this night we had a track meet to catch, plus squeezed a work out in, so dinner was served later then usual! I was beat from the busy week so no time to stay up, after I ate it was time for bed! I took a drink of water beside my bed, swallowed the pill, and laid down. I quickly jumped up remembering that I was suppose to, as instructed, wait “ten minuets” before laying down. This was in the medication pamphlet, not on the bottle just FYI.
That night I woke up with a lump and a pain in my throat. I figured the pill didn’t go all the way down, so I traveled to the kitchen, grabbed an oatmeal pie, and drank some orange juice. Not very healthy I know for a midnight snack, but I was hoping the thickness of the oatmeal pie would push the pill down. It still felt weird, but I continued to fall back to sleep.
The next morning I woke up with heartburn which lingered all day and made it difficult to eat my lunch and dinner, but I managed to get it down. My husband suggested maybe I had just scratched my throat on the BBQ the previous night.
By Saturday night as I tried to eat my delicious hamburger my brother in law prepared for us, it had felt like the bottom of my throat where my esophagus is located, was swollen. I could feel my chewed up bites barely getting down. On Sunday I was barely getting mash potatoes down, and Sunday night, I felt horrible!
Sunday night is when I got a clue something wasn’t right and really concentrated on trying to go on a liquid diet. The pain to swallow was so severe that I was not even able to swallow water without extreme discomfort. I never ran a fever, just another FYI. I had to sip the water in small swallows or I felt like my esophagus was going to burst.
You know how it is when you are a wife and mom of four, the world doesn’t stop moving while you are not feeling well. I continued to go to work and do all my mom and wife duties, but by Tuesday the pain had traveled to my stomach and now I was experiencing burning and this heaviness sensation on my chest, like someone was sitting on top of me. The pain was so strong that it radiated to my upper back. It felt like someone was stabbing me in the chest. The pain never went away! I couldn’t escape it no matter what I did because I was limited to what I could put into my stomach. I was even sleeping propped up. The pain would wake me on and off during the night time. It was out of control, so I finally made a call to see my doctor.
He told me to stop the medication at once. I contacted my dermatologist to let him know what had happened.
My doctor diagnosed me with esophagitis and gastritis, which is inflammation of the tissue in your esophagus and stomach. He wanted me to continue a liquid/soft diet until I was doing better. He also prescribed two medications to help stop the acid in my stomach so that I could start healing. I was instructed to contact a GI doctor if my extreme pain continued still on Monday.
It’s Sunday night, and I am happy to report the medications, and prayers from my family and friends, have done wonders! I was able to eat a soft ham egg croissant last night (happy dance). I can now finally chug liquids without pain. I can tell that I am not 100% yet, as I can still feel a tiny little pain in my esophagus, but I know I will continue to recover as I am able to get some calories and larger quantities of liquids in my system!
My point is BEWARE!
Please don’t make the mistake that I made while taking this medication. I would recommend not laying down for an hour after you take Doxy! The doctor did say this was a result of the medication getting stuck in my throat, and then dissolving into the esophagus and stomach tissue.
As for continuing Doxycycline after I heal completely, which by the way, my doctor told me I was looking at 2 weeks to heal, I don’t think I will be continuing the medication. I do have to note though, my acne actually is clearing up! (Bummer for this unfortunate event!)
To help minimize the pain, I did ask my doctor for Tylenol with codeine. I didn’t get this until Friday, I wish I could have received it sooner, as it worked wonders on the pain!
This has been a very trying week for me emotionally and mentally. Not being able to eat can break your will power down. I have lost about 4 lbs during those whole experience! NOT A FUN WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT PEOPLE!! 🙂
I hope this information spares someone out there a whole lot of excruciating pain!
Let’s talk! Have you taken this medication with any complications? Has this happened to you!?
xoxo
Leigh Leigh
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So I decided to take some “Flexing Selfies” so my readers would know that I do actually go to the Gym 4-5 times a week and lift weights with my oh so attractive Husband! :0)~
I have to admit…flexing selfies…make you feel funny when you share with the world!…..No? Not you?…okay just ME then!
I have no clue what is going on with the flash and my hand up there by the way!
I took this photo about 2 weeks ago. I remember because my kids saw me trying to get it to fit on to my instagram and made fun of me! Apparently to teenagers, I am lame! Ha They never made it to instagram though, for the record! ( I am pretty sure it was because they laughed out loud at me.. oh my …and I am actually going to post them here instead!!…gulp!)
These past two months I sort of ran into a little funk and stopped my cardio! GASP! I even got lazy and stopped paying close attention to the foods I was eating. I know, this is BAD, and I do not encourage it at all! But the truth is, I am a Mom, I have 4 children, and I work, even if it is only part time! AND ITS COLD OUTSIDE!!!!!! AND I LOVE Chocolate, PIZZA, and COOKIES!!
But it’s time to get off the Excuses train and back onto Self Control Express!
I took this picture because it is going to be considered my “before” picture. Even though I could care less about the scale..I am currently weighing in at 137lbs, I am 5 foot 6inches.
I have 14 weeks until my big 3 0 Birthday gets here! My goal is to turn 30 looking and feeling better then I did in my 20s.
I have created a little 14 weeks accountability chart to fill out at home. It is nothing fancy. I made it on a word processor on my notebook. I am logging my meals, my works outs, and my cardio. I am trying to stick to clean eating with the exception of a cheat not clean meal once a week, if I desire. I am looking to get a minimum of 5 (FAST) miles of running in each week, as well as hitting the weights 4-5 nights a week. My prayer is that I have enough strength to not give up, but give it my all for these 14 weeks! I think by making this an official blog post it gives me some accountability! We all need a little accountability in our lives!
I would like to finish this feeling healthier, stronger, faster (improve my mile time in the cardio department), and appear to look leaner-dropping body fat.
If you would like to journey along side of me, follow Leigh Leigh Speaks on Facebook. Click HERE! We can encourage each other!
Have you heard that Strong is the new Sexy!? So now days you can’t even look like you just need to go eat a cheese burger anymore, you have to be buff and stacked, because strong is the new skinny! TALK ABOUT PRESSURE TO THE EGO!
Approximately 91% of women are unhappy with their bodies and resort to dieting to achieve their ideal body shape. Unfortunately, only 5% of women naturally possess the body type often portrayed by Americans in the media. Information taken from http://www.dosomething.org Check out their 11 facts about body image HERE!
Over 60 percent of U.S. adult women are overweight, according to 2007 estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Just over one-third of overweight adult women are obese. Information taken from http://www.womenshealth.gov
As a Christian woman I believe in Spiritual Warfare and how the enemy’s number one goal is to make sure we never know the truth about how God sees us. For one we are created in His image, and two He doesn’t judge our outward appearance, but our hearts! We were not created for some one else’s eye candy enjoyment. We should not have to live our lives revolved around harsh words spoken about our selves from our own selves, or others, or to be at war with everything we put in our mouths!
image found on pinterest
These bodies we have now will age and wither away like the flowers, but our souls will live for eternity.
It is hard to keep this perspective in mind when we are force feed nothing but images of I am assuming the 5% of our populations women, or some very good air brushing skills! ( Might I add, ever notice how all these beauty magazines are RIGHT by the Impulse JUNK FOOD! GASP!!- A true nightmare for any emotional eaters!)
And what is it with the NEW SEXY!!? Since when did the beautiful healthy design God created our bodies to be for his glory be used and cheapened in todays society as market tools to make a buck with labels such as HOTT and SEXY? I do believe God created our bodies to be Beautiful, Strong and Healthy! Sexy? Well I believe that is where the opinion of your spouse comes in!
Let’s take the focus off of being SEXY and focus on being HEALTHY, FREE from self condemnation, and WHOLE, made right by Christ!
Let’s not just be Healthy as in physical health, but also our spiritual and emotional health as well.
It is not SEXY or HEALTHY to have what society calls the perfect body if you are trapped inside your own hell you have created in your mind of striving for perfection, self love, and self acceptance, and never obtaining it. Never looking or feeling good enough for your own standards. Not to mention over exhausting your physical abilities, or creating unhealthy eating disorders!
Eating disorders, depression, substance abuse, and early sexual activity in adolescents spawn from poor self body image that is linked to self esteem.
I am not saying it is not okay to find some motivational pictures to help encourage you to lose weight or gain size, however as long as you are totally aware that the picture of them and their body is a direct result of a long hard road of hard work, and dedication they spent on themselves. Don’t expect to achieve that with out doing what they did to get that, unless of course they are the 5% of the population. 😉 Your results may not look the same. There is thing called genetics, and so you may just not have the genes to shape your body exactly like theirs, and that is okay!
Why?
Because you are special and unique, fearfully, and wonderfully made! Who wants to have the same exact everything as someone else on this planet? I know I for one do not! It wastes the beauty that was made on me when I was created in His image. It wastes the beauty that was made on you when you were created as well!
Your body was created in God’s very own image.
Back to the spiritual warfare: So how can we beat Satan at his own game? See I just recently learned that when Satan whispers things to us they are only half true. It is masked with sort of truth, but then there is the ugly lie.
The World wants us to see other women who are strong, athletic, and lean, as nothing more then hot SEX symbols, and that our self worth, value, and happiness is all rolled into looking and feeling SEXY, but God want’s us to be healthy and strong so that we can have longevity to live out his works he has planned for our lives. He wants us to get our self worth, value, self love, happiness from Him and his love for us!
How can we continue to live out our calling and stay healthy, if we are constantly staying still and stagnant while consuming fake food, processed junk food, and load of sugary drinks? This makes us feel like junk ourselves! You have to get moving and you have to start making better, cleaner eating choices!
Stop pursuing vanity and start pursuing health and wellness and growing in your faith. What is the bonus? A more alert, energized, revitalized, strong, healthy, loving, and fit you!
1 Timothy 4:8 For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
You can be the most beautiful woman in the world, but if your inside is full of junk, lies, jealousy, envy, hate, bitterness you are not beautiful at all!
God sees our hearts! He is constantly looking at the hearts of people searching back and forth across the whole earth, looking for people whose hearts are perfect toward him, so that he can show his great power in helping them (2 Chronicles 16:9 TLB). Notice I didn’t say he is searching the earth looking for the most attractive, slim, skinny, buff, hunky, beefy, stacked humans to carry out his work.
image found on pinterest
Change your perspective and your motives that are the driving force of your desire to change your weight or you body image, and you will see something beautiful happen! Self love, and Self acceptance.
image found at word-picture.org
You ARE BEAUTIFUL AND…
image found on pinterest
Drown out the lies of the world and Satan with some LOUD music…..while you are out running or getting your work out on!
I look back now on the ages of 15,16, 17. I remember longing for the days I would be 20 something, then I told myself, I would feel beautiful. I would look mature and have a womanly figure, large breast, nice curves. You know something like Jessica Simpson. I would be able to dress so glamourous, with my matching accessories and heels because hello I would be an adult with my own money to spend accordingly. My make up would be spot on because I would be old enough to wear what ever I wanted, not what Mom preferred.
It was a real shock to look at my body 25 years old with 2 kids. I didn’t see long beautiful flowing hair, nice firm round bottom with large perky breast, quite the opposite! What Mother has time for glamour and fancy make up when she is chasing after 5 plus kids!! My breast some how became smaller then my former teenage years thanks to nursing my two beautiful babies! My waist was fine, but beautiful would never come to mind when I looked at my reflection in the mirror, more like exhausted, let go, worn out, with comfortable clothes on for fashion!
I decided to embrace my body for what it was worth. I guess that is why I started working out. I would be lying to you if I said it was just to feel strong and be healthy. There was some vanity pushing my driving force to get fit! I had the power to change my new mommy body or I could continue to let Motherhood have it’s toll on me and my appearance.
Don’t get me wrong, I totally feel so much better when I am eating clean foods and running. I actually got a taste of what I feel like when I food binge over Thanksgiving and I felt physically sick! My stomach gave me problems for days, and I felt sluggish and just GROSS! So I can now say yes I continue to work out and eat clean because it makes me feel pretty and it makes my body and mind feel GOOD!
4 and 1/2 years later, I am still in a battle with myself when I look into that mirror. I am much more satisfied with my toner body. I do wish this adult acne would go away and never return. My make up well it is still not perfect. Some days I don’t wear any. My hair is far from long and wavy and beautiful. I tend to enhance my flaws with out appreciating what I do have gazing at my reflection!
Beauty! It’s long thick beautiful wavy hair, large breasts, tiny waists, clear skin, white perfect teeth, toned stomach, arms, legs, bum.Well that is what all these magazines and TV shows throw in my face anyways.
Now my almost 30 year old self has and is experiencing, battle scars from over stretched skin due to carrying two 8 pound babies, fine wrinkles, hair growth in unexpected places, gray hair!! I don’t remember Cindy Crawford and all the other beautiful women having these issues going on with their Magazine covers!
But then you spoke just 5 words. These 5 words would shake my skewed perception of beauty. Confuse me actually!
“You are a Beautiful Woman!”
Something I had longed to be since the ripe age of 15, a ” Beautiful Woman.”
Yes you tell me I am beautiful all the time when I am all dressed up and ready to go have fun on a date night. That’s because I put in all the hard work, time, and effort to deserve such a compliment! But this time when you told me I am beautiful woman, it was spontaneous, and unwarranted. I didn’t have one smudge of make up on, no cute outfit, just my lounge clothes, and I am pretty positive I didn’t even run a brush through my hair all day.
Maybe I couldn’t believe it for myself because I have been so brainwashed (LIED TO) since an early age as to what standards of beauty are. Maybe before you I was never told that sincerely. Maybe I thought it was a lie told to gain something from me by others?
I know your words are real because I know it is true to you and you believe it. You are the only person I trust completely. You are speaking truth into my soul that only you could say for me to believe.
You made me see beauty through your eyes, not my own. You make me feel beautiful not only with your words, but your looks, your warm embrace, your kisses, your devotion to me and our family, and continuing to love me more and more each day.
I am not sure I will ever fully see what you see when you look at me, but that’s okay because each time you tell me those five words, I start to believe it more and more for myself.
Women need this truth! WE need to hear that we are beautiful bare and in our natural state. We need to believe that beauty isn’t based on the outward appearances alone but what is on the inside. We need you to remind us of these truths as the world throws the next best air brushed hottie in our face!
We trust you, our loving Husband. We believe you. Your words are enough for us, you know!
Thank you my love for seeing what I don’t see and helping change my perspective on beauty!
I wish I could go back and tell the 15, 16, 17 year old me that the beauty I was chasing after would never fulfill me the way the love of my Husband will.
“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11
If there is one thing I have learned from years of “trying” to be consciously fit and healthy is that discipline does not just happen over night!
For example.. If you are a parent you know that disciplining your children is a daily chore that continues until that day they reach adulthood!
training (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
: a process by which someone is taught the skills that are needed for an art, profession, or job
: the process by which an athlete prepares for competition by exercising, practicing, etc.
process (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
: a series of actions that produce something or that lead to a particular result
When we get down to the core meaning of the words training, and process we quickly learn this is something that happens over time!
I think this is very important and should not be over looked if you are just now starting your journey to weight loss and changing your body. Be realistic about the choice for changing your lifestyle will cost you, but know that it will be so worth it in the end!
Expect to give up, expect to throw in the towel, expect to not get it righ , right away! Show yourself some grace and forgiveness…but never give up! Pray for strength in your weak moments.
YES Skipping the pizza buffet to eat grilled chicken and a low fat salad is hard…………………………….but over time it’s worth it.
image found on pinterest
Yes saying no to candy bars, cakes, cookies, pastas while your friends cook it up and share it…………………………..but over time it’s worth it.
Ordering Water or unsweet tea over your go to sugar loaded Dr. Pepper…………………..but over time it’s so worth it.
Yes getting out of your warm cozy bed to go sweat and run at 5:00AM seems impossible when its 32 degrees outside………………………but over time it’s worth it!
Spending your time in the gym when you would rather be home relaxing after a hard days work feels warranted……but over time it’s worth it!
Yes after all those hours spent, sore muscles aches, annoying junk food cravings, tears because you know sometimes you are just having a bad day, sweat lost, unnecessary judgments passed from others………..it will happen! You will look in the mirror and see that all your hard work, dedication, commitment, and discipline paid off BIG!
They say that people who say skinny feels better then a cupcake tastes never had a cupcake, has no clue how empowering it feels to take control of your body and not submit to a cupcake.
It’s not about how good skinny feels, its about the confidence you gain in yourself knowing that because you decided to trust a process, believe in yourself, and work like a dog to get it done… YOU DID IT! SKINNY just happens to be one of those fruits your reaped from your harvest you were diligently planting! 😉
photo found on pinterest
Working out has been a life change that I didn’t get right the first time or the first 10 times. Check out my Transformation story here!
IT’s ALL ABOUT THAT HARD WORK, NO EXCUSES!!
YOU GOT THIS!
Leigh Leigh
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You may have already checked out my Body after Baby post, if not you should check it out now!
Today I wanted to share with you how working out has changed my perspective on the way Faith operates in my life! But Before I share this with you take a look at some physical evidence for yourself!
In the photo to the left I am 20 years old Mother of zero kids and I was probably if I could guess around 136 pounds. I am also five foot 6 inches in case you were wondering. The photo to your right was actually taken about a month ago. I am 29, 128 pounds a Mother of two Children that came from my belly. I am actually a mom of 5 but I can’t take credit because only two came from this tummy! As you can see from the two photos there is quiet a bit of difference going on with my body.
I actually made this photo collage for a Friend’s Facebook Page “God’s Fit Girl.” I was hoping to link her page her to my blog, unfortunately at this time she has taken a break from Facebook and deactivated her accounts, therefore I can’t link. I would like to come back in the future and try to link her up here.
She was giving away a God’s Fit Girl Tank to the first 5 transformation stories posted to her page. I was her first one! I have to admit, besides putting up before and after pictures on my blog for the world to see a few months ago, I have never been brave enough to do this and was freaking out a little to go through with it. Free Cute Tank Tops have that power over me! 🙂
The reason I wanted to share this Transformation with you today is not just to inspire you to work out or take better care of your body, of course those are a given, but today, rather I would like to share with you how working out has helped me understand how faith works and proof that I can trust God.
First of all let’s define Faith, shall we!?
1faith
noun\ˈfāth\
: strong belief or trust in someone or something
: belief in the existence of God : strong religious feelings or beliefs
: a system of religious beliefs
Merriam-Webster.com
There are so many beautiful scriptures on Faith in the Bible. I do suggest a Web search on Faith scriptures.
In my human mind I tend to be wired to be skeptical and analytical by nature. I also have a flesh that wants instant gratification! This desire for instant gratification has grown with my ability to access the Internet and all of it’s information in the palm of my hand, 24/7.
When I began working out I didn’t seem to acquire the results I wanted because I had no faith in what I was doing and didn’t trust the process. We all think if we go on a diet for a week we are going to lose the weight we put on over a long period of time. It DOES NOT WORK that way!
As I have been praying for a way to get this across to you so that you can understand it I have been dealing with a challenge. But I am going to try my best so here we go! Faith is a belief; something that we commit to fully, and we trust. But we can’t see it. This confuses us because we want to see tangible evidence that faith actually works and can be trusted.
I ran over 2 Peter 1:5-7 a few years ago in my bible. Something about this scripture just ingrained in me that there is a natural process that occurs when we step out in faith and keep digging in. Our Faith, Our Hope, Our Knowledge, Our Desires, Our Character, etc.. they all GROW!
2 Peter 1:5-7 “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control;and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.”
I actually remember writing this out on card stock and posting it on my dresser mirror so that I would continue to read over these words so that they would start to stick.
While this scripture was helping me grow in my Faith in Jesus and encouraging me to stay in his word and pray for knowledge, self control, kindness, it was also inspiring me to test this theory so that I would be able to see transformation take place physically!
We know that when we give our hearts to Jesus he fills us with his Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit produces fruit in us. Here is a reminder of the fruits of the spirit: LOVE, PEACE, GENTLENESS, PATIENCE, FAITH-FULNESS, SELF-CONTROL, GOODNESS, KINDNESS. I know that I have access to all of these “fruit” and were I lack, I can pray and ask God to develop these fruits in me!
In my mind I took the scriptures from Peter and I connected them to my life style change.
Since Faith was going to represent my Body this is what I ingested from this scripture.
“make every effort to add to your faith goodness”
(Make every effort to add GOOD things to my body; water, protein, fruit, veggies, complex carbs)
“and to goodness, knowledge”
(Make every effort to add knowledge about Working out and making my Body healthy) I would ask questions about weight training, portion control, cardio, realistic goals, how to burn fat, calorie intake, etc.. Knowledge goes A LONG WAY!
“and to knowledge, self-control”
This was and probably still is my biggest obstacle! SELF CONTROL! I was going to have to put in the effort to practice self control on what I put in my mouth, and how committed I would be to a work out routine! Self control will always be a work in progress!
“and to self-control, perseverance”
Good old perseverance! Just when you think you have the self control down, you actually have to continue to keep the self control, continue, to practice the self control, continue to live out that self control! Whew!! Persevere through those hunger attacks, those negative comments from others, preserve through those days when you feel like it’s not working, you don’t have what it takes, you will never accomplish your goals. Persevere through insecurities you have established along the way own your own or by others. Persevere through the pain of getting through your first cardio class and you think your body if fixing to fail you.
“godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.”
Godliness! I just took from this that God did design my body, it was made for his glory not mine, and I should take really good care of it so I can be around in good health to complete the mission he has set before me here on Earth! Brotherly kindness, eh well motivating my friends and my family to fight the good fight of self doubt and no hope of achieving success with their Weight struggles! I need to be kind to my body as well! I should intake healthy foods, drink plenty of water, and get a good amount of sleep each night. Showering is also good too for my hygiene! 😉
Finally LOVE! I should absolutely LOVE my body! This ties in again with taking care of what God gave me to begin with! I should not only love my body, but My soul as well! Working out increases endorphins which make you happy! It reduces stress, and helps you tire out so you can sleep if you struggle with not being able to sleep at night! Working out has a magnitude of perks, just look them up for yourself!
Now back to the Fruits of the Spirit. I know first off, I can do and accomplish all things in Christ who gives me strength, Philippians 4:13. Did you notice that when I am building my faith I actually use some fruits of the spirit? Love, Kindness, Patience (to persevere), Goodness, and of course Faithfulness.
When I started to focus on my Body and use all these tools found in 2 Peter 1:5-7 guess what? My BODY STARTED TO CHANGE! It started out with small changes, but after time, dedication, commitment, and faith in myself, trust in the process, my body started to change! My chunky tummy started to shrink, My legs began to get firmer, for once in my life I could actually see that I did in fact have some muscle under my skin after all! I could lift more weight over time, run farther, and I had so much more energy! My clothes dropped sizes, and the pounds of weight dropped as well.
IF I COULD TRUST THIS PROCESS in 2 Peter 1:5-7 TO WORK FOR MY BODY AND ACTUALLY SEE PHYSCIAL EVIDENCE THAT IT DID INFACT WORK, I COULD BELIEVE THAT IF I COMMITED MY LIFE TO CHRIST IN MY FAITH I COULD TRUST THAT ALL THE PROMISES THAT GO ALONG WITH LIVING MY LIFE WITH CHRIST WOULD BE EVIDENT IN MY LIFE!
Hebrews touched my heart when I learned with out faith it is impossible to please God, because he wants us to have faith;trust in him and his word and what he commands us to do!
If you have been struggling with your weight or your faith in Christ, can I just challenge you today to test the theory!? Maybe you have little faith or are weak in your faith and you need physical proof? Use your body as a test. Start focusing on the challenge to change it through the process of working out and eating healthy. Maybe you don’t need or want to test it that way. Then use 2 Peter to build your faith in the Lord. Seek him through bible study, prayer, but friend you must, must, have a little faith, dig in, be strong, be kind, love, have patience, endure, preserve, and fight the good fight of Faith in Christ Jesus!
Maybe you have little doubt or feel like your faith is too small! Let me leave you with another life changing, faith building scripture.
Luke 17: (NIV)
6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
I didn’t just transform by body, but my mind, my faith in Christ, my hope for a good future, and my love for others. I can’t give God enough thanks, praise, and credit for all the good things he has done within my heart and my life! I pray the same for you reading this!
Being female, and utilizing the Women’s locker room at my gym a great deal, I am always bound to walk in a see a beautiful lady on the scale. Every time I pass by I want to whisper,” That scale is a liar!” Sometimes I do, and we giggle, but most of the times I just keep quiet.
For YEARS the scale was not my friend but my enemy! I literally let what those numbers told me each morning dictate how I would feel about myself for the rest of that day. It consumed my thoughts, exposed my fears, and deceived me. It told me I was ugly, fat, not good enough, not skinny enough, that I didn’t try hard enough, it often made me feel like a failure.
Until I got a hold of the cold hard facts that I am loved, I am fearfully and wonderfully made, I am Special, I was thought of way before my existence became known, I am included in the ALL of God’s grace, love, mercy, redemption to whom He gives it to. I was created in my creators image, and that He has a good plan for my life. I couldn’t get past my own insecurities to see me through the eyes of my creator, how he see’s what he has created.
I let my identity stem from how I felt about myself and the harsh criticism and opinions of others. This is dangerous as we may feel all kinds of things about our selves from a day by day basis. Jesus is the Truth and therefore all Truth comes from him. What’s so different now? What was that pentacle moment for me to realize the scale had no control over me anymore? I learned my identity is no longer of myself, but rather who I am in Christ Jesus. What is so awesome about this is what he feels about me or thinks about me, never changes! He doesn’t deceive me, rather he is very upfront about how he feels about me along with all of his creation!
If you have a love hate relationship with your scale like I use to have, can I just tell you that there is hope in Jesus? THERE IS! You don’t have to be a slave to those numbers you are so desperate to read one day. There is freedom were there is no bondage. Don’t allow yourself get deceived into thinking that scale dictates any happiness in your life. Instead let your happiness develop through your relationship with Christ!
Give what ever you are struggling with, body issues wise, to Jesus and ask him to change your thinking about yourself. Ask him to give you more desire to take good care of your body. Let him guide you through your eating choices with self control, which is a gift of the spirit. If you are not happy with your weight, then by all means change your habits but don’t ever just be stuck in the same place, doing the same thing, getting the same results!!
When I stopped focusing on my failures and my disappointments the scale brought me each day, I began to focus on me through Jesus’s eyes. I created good habits and started thinking more positive thoughts about my body. This caused a rippling effect of positive results all around, and now when I step on the scale I show HIM WHO IS BOSS! I know now I control those numbers by my own actions. The SCALE DOESN’T CONTROL ME ……AND….IT DOESN’T CONTROL YOU!!! You are more then a conqueror in Christ Jesus, and you can do all things in Christ who gives your strength. But the key ingredient in this equation is JESUS! 😉
Hello there beauties! Well today is INK DAY for me! 🙂
Finally after a year into the making, my peacock sleeve is finally completed! (BIG SIGH)
Maybe you are a tattoo virgin and you have been contemplating getting something pretty and permanent but you have no clue where to start or what to expect. Let me help you by sharing the steps I take leading to ink day.
First things first, you want to really do your research and meet with different tattoo artist before you commit to an artist. No rush, remember this is going to be on you for the rest of your life! He will want to set up a consultation appointment with you so yall can talk about tattoo placement and what you are wanting to design. He will draw something up and critique it until you are %100 satisfied. My artist is awesome, he just totally freestyled my whole tattoo! Obviously you have to have a lot of faith and trust in your artist before you attempt this! 😉
Also if you are contemplating a sleeve, I highly suggest you stick with one artist, and have him draw the whole sleeve up so you can work on it in sessions. You could go to other artists and have them add on each time, but most artist have way different styles and people will be able to tell that more then one person worked on it!
What I will bring with me on appointment day!
What you will need to purchase for inked skin after care
I will follow up soon with how to take care of freshly inked skin!
Are you obsessed with ink? Comment below and share with me what ink you have and where it’s placed! Have any more question for a Pro-inked Lady? Ask away! I would love to help answer any questions you may have! Let’s talk!
xOxO
-Leigh Leigh
*Stay up to date on my upcoming before and after pictures of my sleeve and after care tips! Like Leigh Leigh Speaks on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks
Leigh Leigh Speaks 