Strong is the NEW SEXY! What do you think?

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!

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.

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.

You ARE BEAUTIFUL AND…

Drown out the lies of the world and Satan with some LOUD music…..while you are out running or getting your work out on!

They may say Strong is the NEW SEXY….

but……

JESUS IS THE NEW HAPPY!

xoxo

Leigh Leigh

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You may also like She doesn’t love herself, and my Fitness Transformation.

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He thinks I’m Beautiful

Beauty through the eyes of a 29 year old Woman.

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.

❤

Leigh Leigh

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Breaking “Perfect Mom”

I have officially given up on being the “Prefect Mom!”

Now wait before you go judging hear me out! This urge to be the “Perfect Mom” comes with the territory of being a “Step Mom” and a “Foster Mom” as well. To be quit frank it has been exhausting and completely stupid to say the least!

The older I get the more I realize my kids, step kids, and foster kids don’t need me to be the “Perfect Mom.” Perfect as in one who: never never cries or feel depressed, loses her cool, never stumbles, never does something completely stupid, never misses an appointment, or sleeps through an alarm, forgets a pep rally, a lunch, wouldn’t dare open her mouth without thinking, never burns a meal, or has an untidy house. I have tired myself down to nothing trying to maintain the perfect clean house while staying on top of laundry for seven people in my home, attending as many sports games between three of my five children as I possibly could, and juggling a part time job. My smile was plastered on BIG and BRIGHT, but I felt empty and disappointed on the inside.

My children need a real mom. One whose love knows no end, disciplines when she would rather be their friend, one who is always there for them, attentive to their wants, desires, and needs, and shows grace when it is or isn’t merited. They need me more then I need the illusion of being the “Prefect Mom.”

I don’t want my children to live with false expectations of what the world has to offer in other people. I am no one special, just a woman who is trying her best at this whole wife, mother thing! I have days where I feel like an overachiever, and days like a true failure. I am a woman so I can experience both of these highs and lows about 30 times in one day!

I want my kids to see me at my best, and at my worst. When I am in first place and on top of the world am I showing them what humbleness and humility looks like? When I finish in last place and feeling down and out do I complain, or extend blame on everyone else’s short coming but my own? How about my attitude? They are watching you know, every move you make, your actions and reactions.

I want them to know that I don’t expect perfection out of them, just their best! I want them to know that I am giving up on being the “Perfect Mother” for them, but not my true honest attempts to be the best version of myself for them as their Mom. There is no such thing as perfection on this earth in my eyes, so striving for that only exhaust me and disappoints me.

I want my children to grow up being real people! I don’t want them to feel like they have to fake perfection to make other people accept them or love them. I want them to know that there will be days where they will need grace and mercy and days where they will need to extend grace and mercy to others.

We all have a story, a past, made mistakes, experienced life changing events that have impacted us and helped shape us into who we are today. I long for the days I can sit up late talking to them like we are friends, sharing my past days of when I was little with them, all the dumb things I did, and all the fun adventures I lived as well, but Today is not that day.

Today is the day I show them love, and I teach them discipline. Today is the day I train them up in the way they should live and treat others, how to make right choices, help mold their character, and teach them to always do the right thing, even if it “feels” wrong. Today is the day I show them how to seek first the kingdom of God, putting others needs before their own, and teach them how to love and forgive themselves and others around them.

It’s imperative that I share the love of Christ with them, building them up on truth and what God says about them! I think it is important that they realize that while I am their Mother here on this earth, there will be a time when I will be a sister in Christ, glorifying our Lord and Savior with them together some day.

I long for that day! That day when all this responsibility of being a Mom is gone and I am left with just being their loving sister in Christ. I will hope that they learned from me, received love from me, knew that I was just trying to give it my best, and while we were here together I loved them the closest to how God loves us, unconditionally!

When I think of how much I love them, my heart burst to know how much I am loved as a daughter of Christ! My love is far from perfect, but his love is perfect for me and every other Momma out there!

I am giving up on being the “Perfect Mom’, but will never give up on becoming my best each day for them. They were hand selected just for me! When insecurities creep in my mind, I just remind myself that they are an exact reflection of Gods love, and a reminder that I have everything they need out of a Mom to raise them up to be bold and courageous soldiers for him!

If your an Expecting Mom, a New Mom, a Veteran Mom, a Step Mom, an Adoptive Mom, a Foster Mom, you have everything your child needs to feel loved and to be loved! Don’t seek perfection, seek Jesus, he who is Perfect will work out all the perfection you need from him through you for them, and remember in your weakest mommy moments, he is strong! Lean on him, cry to him, ask him to carry your burden load.

How has being a Mom changed you? Are you seeking perfection on your adventure of motherhood? Please share and comment below.

Leigh Leigh

Don’t Box God

We box God’s abilities to do incredibly impossible things by taking power into our own hands and not trusting in him!

I don’t know about you but I want to see just what all he can do in my life daily!

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26

Whatever you are dreaming about that seems impossible to obtain have a little faith my friend! Ask God to help make a way.

LOVE
LEIGH LEIGH

9 Things Learned from a cRAZy Busy Month #motherhoodstruggles FUNNY

To make light of the Chaotic Month of October here is an insert straight from my TOP SECRET Journal!

9 Things I learned from what seemed like the craziest month of my LIFE!

#1 When your memory fails you, there are emails, text messages, and social media posts to retain every moment of our life! (Maybe it’s not so bad for you after all to be an addict!??)

#2 When given any opportunity to sit still long enough, or lie horizontal you will fall asleep on accident and maybe even snore or drool because your body is so sleep deprived from going non stop!

#3 “Mommy Time Outs” are FOR REAL and when used in moderation (10-20 minuets after you come home from work, or just anytime in your day) will SAVE your afternoon and your SANITY!

#4 Gym stretchy leggings will become apart of your daily casual wear and you can be okay with this! Why? Well all the hours of cardio and weight lifting are sculpting some nice legs!

(sorry no selfie..will work on this though!) 😉

#5 If you ditch your make up, made up hair style, and decide to skip the contacts and wear your glasses all day including public outings, your kids will question if you are okay! (My son was very puzzled when I picked him up from school after work looking like a scrub! “Mom are you okay?”) LOL

#6 PB&J on a tortilla is a wonderful back up sandwich when you run out of bread on a Thursday morning.

#lunchtimestruggles

#7 There are still NO EXCUSES for MISSING morning runs! These make you feel better!

#8 If you feed your kids cereal for DINNER (because it’s 30 minuets past their bed time due to a football game) they will announce to the world, shout it off the roof tops that you ARE “THE BEST MOM EVER!!” (I have waited my whole life for that moment-thank you cereal!) 😉

#9 If you have to skip out on laundry and cleaning up your chaotic dirty house, the mess will not disappear or disown you, it will be waiting patiently for your attention multiplying by the seconds!

WOW I feel so much more knowledged! I’m SO happy and thrilled I had to endure craziness to learn such fascinating things! 🙂

GO Busy Mommas ALL OVER THE WORLD!!

WE ROCK!

Leigh Leigh

Follow my blog! Follow me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks or Twitter @ash_leighharris.

November Please Be Good to Me

Just when I feel like I have this crazy season of Motherhood in the bag, I quickly become inflated like a balloon pricked by a sharp pin. POP!

I honestly can not recall much of October. I feel as though it was so busy I lived an entire alternate life inside of an alternate world, which was completelty disconnectd from my mind and my memories. Did I just live, go, go, go and kick into survival mode? It’s pretty sad when you have to go to social media just to see what you did last week in hopes you did actually take a picture of a real actual moment that did happen, or go through text messages with your husband to recall an event you needed to document for whatever reason, but don’t realize that event in fact happened in September! September! I feel like you were my friend last year not last month.

****And exactly after I finished the previous sentence my four year old opened our gate and let my wild dog out. I just sat down after chasing him across the streets of our neighborhood.****

He is new to our family as we have only had him for about a month, and he loves to test the limits.

It’s funny I decided to write a blog to encourage other mothers. I often feel like I am the one in need of encouragement.

Right when you think you have Motherhood pegged down, life comes with constant changes and challenges causing you to fall off the tight line your walking. I am in a circus act right now but I can’t seem to make it across the tight walk. I keep falling into the net down bellow that is catching me. My net of course would be my husband in this season. The net is a constant reminder to get back on the tight rope until I make it all the way across.

Having a Husband who loves you, cares about you, and simply adores you is a blessing that I will never take for granted! With out him and just his love and support, I often wonder how I would even make it. ❓❓❓❓

I have neglected my blog because quite frankly I have had no time to sit down and write. No time to think about anything that would be helpful. No time to create something funny or fun, for you my readers, and for that I apologize.

I’m in a pruning season. But I know through God’s love and grace I will come out of it something beautiful and a better person because of it.

Can you relate? What is some advice you could share that has helped you relax and keep on trucking?

Leigh Leigh XO

Fight to be “That Mom”

It’s MENTAL!!

This is a continuation of my blog post The proof isn’t in the pudding…it’s in the picture! Read it HERE!

You have decided that you want to be “that mom”! You know the one with 10 kids and a set of Abs! 🙂 Awesome! Well first things first….

You got to WANT IT and you got to be willing to FIGHT FOR IT!

“Wait what?”

Yes I said it, “YOU got to be ready to fight for it!”

“Why do I need to fight for it?” You are probably asking yourself!

Well because once you want something so bad you can taste it you seem to find resistance, temptation, and a million reasons why this will never work! It’s called SELF DEFEAT…and you have been around that mountain TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT! Be prepared to be mentally STRONG! I talk about my transformation story HERE. It’s not only about my body but my mind as well!

Be prepared to take CONTROL of your busy life but also be FELXABLE!

Doesn’t that seem kind of like an oxymoron?

Yes, it does but lets be realistic here! IF you are a mother of small children, you know there will be those chaotic out of your control days when your children will get sick, and unexpected events will occur which will have the potential to derail your work out schedule! That’s okay! It happens! The most important thing is that you stick to is this. DON’T LET IT put a complete HALT to your goals! You can’t have a bad three day span or a week and then decide to throw in the towel to the whole thing! (I know, been there, felt like it.) Keep pushing forward. Be forgiving and extend grace to yourself! READ …SET BACKS!

Be prepared meaning have a schedule for your work outs for the week and stick to them! If something causes you to miss, then already have a plan to make up for the work out or cardio session.

For me I have had to adjust my 5 day a week schedule of working out and cardio because of School Events and Work. I work at a Preschool so summer days our mine to spend how I choose!

I lift weights Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday but I run Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday! Check out what I discovered about Fasted Cardio here….nice results!

I recommend joining a GYM or some type of FITNESS center!

If you are having doubts or fears about joining a gym please read my 8 Awesome ways to Conquer your gym-phobia here.

Maybe you just don’t want to join a gym but are considering purchasing a home gym? I say go for it! Heavy weights will not bulk you up like the Hulk, they will help burn fat and create lean muscle tone.

Need help with a work out routine but you don’t want to hire a personal trainer at your local gym? Google Weight lifting work out for women or go to http://www.bodybuilding.com and search there. I am not a personal trainer so I can’t really give you “expert advice.” I can share with you what my work outs look like. You can ask me by commenting below or you can email me at leighleighspeaks@gmail.com. Please put Work out Routines in your subject box So I don’t spam it!

YOU CAN DO THIS!!

Words to pray and speak over yourself during the beginning stages of your new journey:

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7

DO NOT BE AFRAID!!

Stay Strong

-Leigh Leigh

What is holding you back right now? Let’s talk it out, I would love to be able to share some encouragement with you! Comment below!

Follow my blog! Follow me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks or twitter @ash_leighharris God Bless!

When it Rains it Pours

Rain…. it’s so unpredictable, uncontrollable, and unavoidable to miss if in it’s path where you are planted.

Rain…..it’s light, it’s heavy, it comes in spurts, or buckets, falls hardily fast or softly slow.

Rain….it’s life giving, renewing, quenching, refreshing, full, and running over, satisfying, yielding to an abundance of growth.

*found on pintrest — * photo found on pintrest

Leviticus 26:4 ESV

Then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

As I am swimming in my very own sea of business, the rain brought relief. RELEIF! Relief of trying to be in three different places at once, the Relief of feeding my family before 8:00pm, a goal that seems so outlandishly accomplishable these days! The Relief of being a busy mother of 5 eating, sleeping, and breathing the balancing act of my children’s sports schedules, work, time with family, time with friends, alone time with my husband, time for myself, and of course exercise (my stress relief outlet).

This past month has been with out much deliverance. I have battled sickness, laid to rest a cousin of the ripe age of 18, experienced heart ache and disappointment, unwarranted DRAMA, set backs, negativity, and plenty of ADJUSTMENTS! Moments of failure and most definitely moments of being insecure in my ability to feel like I have it all under control! It has been a season of difficult times and hard lessons learned. I don’t remember feeling this down and negative in a very long time!

BUT SUDDENLY……….RAIN and lots of it!

In a mater of seconds a night that was to be completely consumed with a volleyball game, pop warner football practice and pictures, and a JV out of town football game……………..abruptly halted to rain cancelations! Completely out of my control. If losing control feels this peaceful then tonight I look up giving thanks and gratitude. Thank you for bringing rain.. peace, rest, relaxation, more time at home with my family, renewal of my energy, my mind.

Thank you Lord for reminding me that in an instant it can all change. Did the world come to an end because everything on Thursday’s agenda did not get completed? No

I am thankful for these Flash Flood Warnings and Watches. I am thankful for every inch that has fallen from the sky and every inch that is expected to fall way into the early morning hours. I am thankful for the sleepless night (last night) due to Loud out burst of Thunder and beautiful flashes of light. Waking up from a dead sleep to sit side by side with my husband in the garage as we marvel over how amazing and magnificent the lightening really is as it brighten the dark purple nights sky. It is now a memory I will hold on to forever.

This Rain has brought me back to what’s most important. Being dependent on something bigger then me, trusting that with my life, and letting go of the control.

* photo found at http://manofdepravity.com/2013/06/jeremiah-29-11/jeremiah-29-11/

As I struggle to keep my head above such active waters I surrender to you as I lay my burdens at your feet. I do trust you Lord and I know that even though the load seems to heavy to carry some days, or in my case not enough time in the day for it all, this is a season that I am in for a reason. A GOOD REASON and a prosperous reason!

We can plan out our whole lives down to the very last detail, but we are only wasting our precious time, efforts, and energy if we are not mindful to keep our relationship with Christ growing. I will admit, my mind has been distracted by life, and often times I felt my spiritual well drying up, like a withered flower on a scorching hot summer day, parched from lack of moisture.

Hosea 6:13 ESV

Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”

Here is to acknowledging my dry soil, taking time to nourish it with God’s love, and expecting lots of colorful, beautiful blooms! This rain is a reminder of God’s love for me, and his desire for me to grow in his love.

I am thankful for all the blessing’s in my life which are disguised as my children who keep me running on my toes like a crazy woman. I just don’t want to loose focus on the one who gave me those blessings! ;0) He deserves my attention, my time, my devotion, my energy, my praise, my worship!

Are you in a dry season or is this a season of overflowing rain and blessings? I would love to know! Comment below if you would like to share! 🙂

XoXo

Leigh Leigh

Let’s just call you what you are.. A PRETTY LITTLE LIAR

Yes………well you and me both!

I wish I knew statistically how much one actually lies to themselves a day. I did come across an article via the world wide web that explained that the average person will tell 4 fibs a day, with the most common fib to be “I’m fine.” But I have a suspicion that this calculation is based on the lies we actually speak out loud. But what about the ones that we don’t say?

Confused yet? Don’t be.

We defeat our own selves before we even begin.

Example:
“I can’t wear that, I look too fat.”
“I can’t run fast, I have been slow my whole life.”
“I have NO self control, and never will.”
“I can’t find the time.”
“It’s just too hard!”
“No body cares or even understand the struggles I am facing today.”
“No one appreciates anything I do.”
“There is no use in even trying, when I know I am going to fail.”
“There is someone out there better qualified then me, no use in putting in my resume today.”
“I am too old to be trying something new.”
“Other people are going to judge me if I …….”
“My past defines my future.”
“I am not worthy to be loved.”
“My kids probably wished they had a more fun Mom.”
“I can do it tomorrow.”

Get the point I am driving home now? We need to stop being pretty little liars and become pretty little truth tellers. Speak TRUTH into your soul. Speak Truth into your life. Be a blessing to someone else and Speak Truth to others.

I know I am so quick to realize when someone is criticizing their own self and speaking negativity about themselves. Why is it so hard to recognize my own negativity towards myself? I do struggle with this, but I am praying for sensitivity to my own lies I tell myself, so that I can quickly realize it is not the truth, it’s only deception to keep me where I am, not allowing myself to become better.

When you hear someone lying to themselves about themselves to you, STOP THEM IMMEDIATELY!

Speak TRUTH into their lives. Help them realize they are only deceiving themselves.

Ephesians 4:25 states this:
So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. (NIV)

*image found on pic2fly.com

You have ears to listen to what you say, so don’t act like you excused from speaking or thinking lies to yourself, because you are not!

What a man believes in his heart, so he is. ( Proverbs 23:7)

Don’t go turning your heart ugly with your own deception!! 😉

Love yourself!

xoxo

Leigh Leigh

Brain FREEZE no ICE CREAM NEEDED

Insecurities of writing have paralyzed my fingers from typing.

I (HEART) blogging, but these past few weeks I have been at a complete stand still.

My mind races in the middle of the night with words to tell stories, but I wake with only the remembrance of something great, yet I am just blank.

Life is shifting, creating chaos, unbalance, disorder.

I am evolving as a wife, a mother, a woman, a person.

I am a creature of habit, changes corrupts my stability.
I Love a challenge….. Bring it LIFE.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
When life gives you football games, lots and lots of football games, Cheer Loud.
When life gives you chaos, embrace a change.
When life gives you events, games, practices, appointments, deadlines, make a schedule.

Philippians 4:13

xoxo
Leigh Leigh

follow me on twitter http://www.twitter.com/ash_leighharris or Facebook http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks

*featured image found at http://sweeps.piqora.com/spirithalloween

“Working Out” My Transformation Story (pics)

Good Morning on this Fabulous “Fit” Friday!!

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)

⁶He 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!

Transforming YOU is a BEAUTIFUL thing!

Be you, Be Beautiful!

–Leigh Leigh

follow me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks or Twitter http://www.twitter.com/ash_leighharris

Confession of a tattoo sleeved Mom

I confess that I was really afraid to become a sleeved Momma!

I would like to think that when you have your first child your identity of yourself transforms into one huge bubble that separates itself into two halves, the identity of yourself and the identity of their Mother.

Deciding on a tattoo sleeve took me a good two years. First I had to come up with a design , and second I had to really be for sure I really wanted to commit to permanent skin art for the rest of my life.

I remember all the areas of judgment I would struggle with every time I seriously thought about the consequences of my decision. My first initial struggle was what will my family think? I grew up in a small town in Texas where any tattoo any where was looked upon in a negative manner. I quickly put aside this fear. After all I was a grown woman! The Harsh judgments of other women, men, friends, people I knew, and strangers. I worried about my witness to others in my walk of faith. I read through my bible and discovered a few scriptures that gave me peace. I know in my heart that God doesn’t judge the outward appearance but the heart of a man/woman. I prayed about my wants and desires several times. I began to believe that if the art itself wasn’t leading someone to the evil dark side, then it would just be beautiful art on my body. Obviously being mature in my faith and getting a pitchfork and the words “born to raise hell” tattooed on my body would definitely be a stumbling long block to a new believer. It would also go against every fiber of my character as a woman after God’s on heart. ❤

For me the most difficult struggle that seemed to be the hardest to just overcome was my children.
What would they think?
Would I be an embarrassment to them?
Would their friends parents misjudge me and then not allow their kids to hang out with mine?
This was a hard pill to swallow and I really tried to patiently deal and come to grips with all these insecurities I had about becoming a sleeved Mom. (Now I do have to interject here that my husband has a sleeve on his right arm and has had it since our son was about 3 years old.)

More months went by and more time was spent on making a decision. I finally realized that I really did want this tattoo sleeve for me. I had my reasons and meaning behind the sleeve design, which is of a beautiful peacock. I knew I had to do this now or I would regret it later in life. So I talked it over with my children. I wanted to hear their thoughts and let them know that their opinions did mater to me. The decision was finally made and the first appointment was booked!

For me personally this sleeve represents the beauty of FREEDOM! More importantly for me, the freedom I receive in Christ by his abundant mercy, grace, and love. I am free to be me and you are free to be you. I also like to think of it as being an example to my children to be free and be strong, stand up for what you believe in, and just simply be who you are. Don’t settle, don’t mock, don’t be a copy, BE AN ORIGINAL!

It may not be as drastic as a huge tattoo for you, but whatever piece of you that is just screaming to come out of inside the MOM shell you hold together so well, embrace it and let it shine through the Mom shell. Trust me you are doing yourself, your children, your spouse no favor by holding back who you are in the other half of that identity bubble. You are cheating them out of a wonderful, creative, fun MOM and wife!! We are all way too harsh and critical of ourselves. We hide behind those FEARS of cruel and harsh judgments we think other woman are thinking about us. I bet you that there are a lot of women out there who hold back just because of these fears, which are just false evidence appearing real. Who cares anyways what others think?

What better day, then on Mother’s Day to reflect on your MOM bubble and figure out how to pop the line of separation of being you, and being their mom! BE you, Be BEAUTIFUL!

*I did explain to my children after each ink session how much it hurts and that they really do not need to consider getting ink until they are almost 30 ;0) if that is something they choose to do!!!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
xOxO

LeighLeigh

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!

They may say Strong is the NEW SEXY….

JESUS IS THE NEW HAPPY!

Sharing is Caring!

Beauty through the eyes of a 29 year old Woman.

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.

Sharing is Caring!

I have officially given up on being the “Prefect Mom!”

Sharing is Caring!

Sharing is Caring!

To make light of the Chaotic Month of October here is an insert straight from my *TOP SECRET* Journal!

9 Things I learned from what seemed like the craziest month of my LIFE!

#1 When your memory fails you, there are emails, text messages, and social media posts to retain every moment of our life! (Maybe it’s not so bad for you after all to be an addict!??)

#2 When given any opportunity to sit still long enough, or lie horizontal you will fall asleep on accident and maybe even snore or drool because your body is so sleep deprived from going non stop!

#3 “Mommy Time Outs” are FOR REAL and when used in moderation (10-20 minuets after you come home from work, or just anytime in your day) will SAVE your afternoon and your SANITY!

#4 Gym stretchy leggings will become apart of your daily casual wear and you can be okay with this! Why? Well all the hours of cardio and weight lifting are sculpting some nice legs!

(sorry no selfie..will work on this though!) 😉

#5 If you ditch your make up, made up hair style, and decide to skip the contacts and wear your glasses all day including public outings, your kids will question if you are okay! (My son was very puzzled when I picked him up from school after work looking like a scrub! “Mom are you okay?”) LOL

#6 PB&J on a tortilla is a wonderful back up sandwich when you run out of bread on a Thursday morning.

#lunchtimestruggles

#7 There are still NO EXCUSES for MISSING morning runs! These make you feel better!

#8 If you feed your kids cereal for DINNER (because it’s 30 minuets past their bed time due to a football game) they will announce to the world, shout it off the roof tops that you ARE “THE BEST MOM EVER!!” (I have waited my whole life for that moment-thank you cereal!) 😉

#9 If you have to skip out on laundry and cleaning up your chaotic dirty house, the mess will not disappear or disown you, it will be waiting patiently for your attention multiplying by the seconds!

WOW I feel so much more knowledged! I’m SO happy and thrilled I had to endure craziness to learn such fascinating things! 🙂

GO Busy Mommas ALL OVER THE WORLD!!

WE ROCK!

Sharing is Caring!

Sharing is Caring!

It’s MENTAL!!

You have decided that you want to be “that mom”! You know the one with 10 kids and a set of Abs! 🙂 Awesome! Well first things first….

You got to WANT IT and you got to be willing to FIGHT FOR IT!

Be prepared to take CONTROL of your busy life but also be FELXABLE!

YOU CAN DO THIS!!

Words to pray and speak over yourself during the beginning stages of your new journey:

DO NOT BE AFRAID!!

Sharing is Caring!

Rain…. it’s so unpredictable, uncontrollable, and unavoidable to miss if in it’s path where you are planted.

Rain…..it’s light, it’s heavy, it comes in spurts, or buckets, falls hardily fast or softly slow.

Rain….it’s life giving, renewing, quenching, refreshing, full, and running over, satisfying, yielding to an abundance of growth.

Leviticus 26:4 ESV

Then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

BUT SUDDENLY……….RAIN and lots of it!

Thank you Lord for reminding me that in an instant it can all change. Did the world come to an end because everything on Thursday’s agenda did not get completed? No

This Rain has brought me back to what’s most important. Being dependent on something bigger then me, trusting that with my life, and letting go of the control.

* photo found at http://manofdepravity.com/2013/06/jeremiah-29-11/jeremiah-29-11/

Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”

Here is to acknowledging my dry soil, taking time to nourish it with God’s love, and expecting lots of colorful, beautiful blooms! This rain is a reminder of God’s love for me, and his desire for me to grow in his love.

I am thankful for all the blessing’s in my life which are disguised as my children who keep me running on my toes like a crazy woman. I just don’t want to loose focus on the one who gave me those blessings! ;0) He deserves my attention, my time, my devotion, my energy, my praise, my worship!

Are you in a dry season or is this a season of overflowing rain and blessings? I would love to know! Comment below if you would like to share! 🙂

Sharing is Caring!

Yes………well you and me both!

We defeat our own selves before we even begin.

Don’t go turning your heart ugly with your own deception!! 😉

Sharing is Caring!

Insecurities of writing have paralyzed my fingers from typing.

I (HEART) blogging, but these past few weeks I have been at a complete stand still.

My mind races in the middle of the night with words to tell stories, but I wake with only the remembrance of something great, yet I am just blank.

Life is shifting, creating chaos, unbalance, disorder.

I am evolving as a wife, a mother, a woman, a person.

I am a creature of habit, changes corrupts my stability. I Love a challenge….. Bring it LIFE.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When life gives you football games, lots and lots of football games, Cheer Loud. When life gives you chaos, embrace a change. When life gives you events, games, practices, appointments, deadlines, make a schedule.

Philippians 4:13

*featured image found at http://sweeps.piqora.com/spirithalloween

Sharing is Caring!

1faith

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!

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.”

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!

Since Faith was going to represent my Body this is what I ingested from this 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!

Sharing is Caring!

I confess that I was really afraid to become a sleeved Momma!

Sharing is Caring!

To make light of the Chaotic Month of October here is an insert straight from my TOP SECRET Journal!

I am a creature of habit, changes corrupts my stability.
I Love a challenge….. Bring it LIFE.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
When life gives you football games, lots and lots of football games, Cheer Loud.
When life gives you chaos, embrace a change.
When life gives you events, games, practices, appointments, deadlines, make a schedule.

¹faith

⁶He 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.