Tag: self love

Beautiful Women keep their mouths SHUT!

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*image found on Facebook feed

“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” Proverbs 18:21 NLT

It’s Monday! You know what that means! We need a little piece of encouragement to move us forward on a positive note for this new week we will journey on.

I actually found this picture on my Facebook feed not too long ago. The instant it caught my eye, I thought to myself, this has to be blogged about and shared! I mean isn’t this so true!?

Wow, this scripture found in Proverbs 18 could not paint a more vivid picture of the one I found on Facebook. We see a fish who has the opportunity to swim past the hook dodging danger by keeping his mouth closed, or the fish could come running towards the bait with mouth wide open ready to seize what he thinks is going to make him feel satisfied and full, happy, and joyful, only to have his whole world turned upside down with destruction or death concluded. How many times have you been in a conversation with another friend and someone who you may have bitter feelings about pops up? Just the sound of that name could become the bait dangling from Satan in front of our little fishes faces. In that moment we want to so desperately begin to open our mouth and let all the ugliness about this person come spewing out in hopes that we convince our friend to take our side, like us more, gain alliance to us, dislike them too, as we spew our insecurities out like a volcano erupting. I use volcano as an analogy because the lava is extremely hot, and damaging, life terminating, to everything it touches. We have now pushed our opinions, hate, bitterness, onto this other person we care about, causing strong influence on their opinion of this other person as well. We cause GREAT DANGER and DEATH when we take the bait of gossiping and devaluing others!

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*image found http://amazinggeologist.blogspot.com/

 

 

“The gossip of bad people gets them in trouble; the conversation of good people keeps them out of it. Well-spoken words bring satisfaction; well done work has its own reward.” Proverbs 12:13 MSG

The best thing to do, would be to just avoid these “bad/negative” people in our lives during conversation with others. It’s simple, just don’t go there. If they are brought up, simply dodge the topic or skip to another topic of choice. If you can’t change the subject, then just simply don’t respond. The other person will eventually get the hint and move on to another subject.  Love covers a multitude of sin, so in saying this, cover their wrong doing to you. You don’t have to tell everyone how nasty they were by going behind your back last week or lying about you. Our friends nor any ones else for that matter really needs to know all this. Why? Because God is all seeing and all knowing. Our enemies can not escape him!! He will take care of them some way or another. So smile, relax, don’t worry, and by all means talk about something good!

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*image found on pintrest

“The words of a fool start fights; do him a favor and gag him. Fools are undone by their big mouths; their souls are crushed by their words. Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?” Proverbs 18:6-8 MSG

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I love, love this mental picture! Have you ever ate cheap candy? Cheap chocolate comes to mind. You know the kind that has lost it’s shelf life and is all dried out. Sugarless!  Oh my gosh, it’s disgusting isn’t it!? Not only does it taste bad, it lingers with bad after taste in your mouth! Are you seeing the similarities here? Although this scripture is talking about listening to gossip, I think it goes for sharing gossip as well.  Just like bad lingering candy, so do our words and gossip we hear. After they flow out of our mouth and heart they make it into someone else’s heart and then later their mouths.

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the moth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:45 NIV

So next time Satan lures you in with a big piece of Gossiping bait, don’t be a fool like a fish is! Keep your mouth tight, resist the bait, and swim to SAFTEY! )

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*image found at http://opendoor.tv/tongue-power/

We are human and we all are guilty of speaking ill of another person and listening to a friend bash on another. I don’t want this post to bring condemnation to you, but conviction. We all need to be reminded of how damaging words really our to others and ourselves.

This picture on my news feed was a great reminder to me, so I hope it can be a good reminder for you that will bring blessings to your life!

Being a Woman who can keep her mouth shut when it is absolutely the hardest thing you can stand is a BEAUTIFUL thing!

Don’t forget how beautiful you are!

XOXO

-Leigh Leigh

*Follow my blog, Follow Leigh Leigh Speaks on Twitter @ash_leighharris, or Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks

My secret formula to a healtheir You

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It’s Monday! The children are back in school, your husband back at work and the promises of a new start to a new work week is now your current reality. The only person that will get in the way today of your goals will be You!

5:45am my alarm clock welcomes the new day as I rub the sleepies out of my eyes and grab for my phone. My alarm clock happens to be on my phone so, therefore, I have to grab my phone first thing to quiet the annoying sound that interrupts such beauty sleep. I am definitely a creature of habit, by default I press snooze, in fear I might accidently fall back to sleep, then I open my bible app and read what the verse of the day is. I have been dealing with a little bit of anxiety lately so when I scrolled down and read anxiety in Psalm 94, I decided I would just check the whole chapter out. There it was in bold print the words I needed to hear on this beautiful Monday…..”Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord…….” I was super encouraged. I roll out of bed and head to the kitchen to prepare my children’s lunches for school. I kept repeating to myself blessed is the one who is disciplined, yes blessed is the one you discipline, Lord! How great this would be for me to just post all over my food pantry, my refrigerator, my car, my bathroom mirror. If I was going to start this Monday back on track with my eating habits then I would have to plug into the promises of God’s word. Discipline is something that does not come easy for me. In fact, I am the silly girl who will make up weird challenges and with hold certain things in my life for a month at a time just to practice self control.

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I lift weights with my husband on average of five days a week. This is something I have enjoyed participating with him for about five years now. You never really have to beg me to go work out. I LOVE putting on the work out clothes and heading to the gym to pump some iron. I actually look forward to this during my day. If only I could be as excited about my diet and motivated about my food choices. Once I get momentum I can eventually do well with my eating habits, it is always that first initial kick start that is very daunting! I love CARBS and I love CHOCOLATE. Saying no to a warm gooey brownie may be nothing for you to, but it just about KILLS my me to say NO! My love for chocolate and brownies is that deep! It reminds me of a poem I read in grade school about a little girl named Abigail who told her parents that if they didn’t buy her the pony she wanted she would die. Okay, maybe not to death extremes, but you get the picture I am trying to paint here! When I focus on weight loss I don’t concentrate too hard on the numbers on the scale, I like to actually focus on inches lost. The scale can be a big discourager for me as I may have gained muscle mass and lost body fat that week, but because it tattle tails that I went up two pounds, here ushers thoughts of defeat and all other sorts of nonsense I could really live with out in that moment of  my vulnerability to give up.

I am no fitness pro or nutritionist, but this is my secret formula I like to live by when I get serious about changing my body.

Cardio 30-60 minuets a day + weight lifting targeted on one body part a day; post work out protein shake +  3 low carb/high protein meal choices + 2 “good- fats”, low carb snacks +1 awesome cardio music play list + water, water, water + patience and time (a good month) +hard work + self control+ lots of discipline= positive body change results and healthier me; aka, one Happy Gal!

 

Today is Monday and my mind is made up! I will not let this day disappear into the night with feelings of regret. My goal is to stay on track with clean eating food choices. I would also like to drop body fat to appear more lean and cut.

This is how I reach my goals:

  • I will seek the Lord’s help through prayer in all areas of my life that I need help with discipline, including self control and resisting temptation.
  • I will post my cute notes I have hand written to remind me that I am blessed when I am disciplined as a reminder to keep asking for his strength when temptation of bad food choices or laziness comes my way.
  • I will say no to the junk I have been eating for a month now and yes to better food choices!
  • I will ask my husband to help keep me accountable of my food choices while dinning in or eating out.
  • I will make my way to the gym and give it my all during my work out while enjoying my time with my favorite hot work out partner, my husband!
  • I will invite my girlfriends to zumba classes for cardio.
  • I will run/walk 30 minuets, 5 days a week.
  • I will give thanks to the Lord for all my success along the way.
  • I will rest my head each night on my pillow with feelings of excitement, success, and satisfaction of my good choices made; no regrets!!
  • I will extend grace, love, and forgiveness to myself on days that I fall short of my own expectations.
  • I will repeat the steps above each day following, knowing that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!

 

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“You were not meant to do what’s easy, you were designed to challenge yourself!”– Justin Timberlake

My challenge will be to starve this monster called “My cycle of self defeat.”

How will you challenge yourself on this Monday!?

What does your formula for a healthier body look like? Please comment below and share!

xOxO

Leigh Leigh

 

 

Like me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks

 

 

She doesn’t know why she doesn’t love herself

She is driving a minivan full of children to school, sorting laundry, filing reports behind a desk, listening to mindless chatter from her girlfriends, taking orders, reading food labels as she grocery shops. She is behind the voice you hear on the phone, she is in the cosmetics department glancing at all the beauty products on the shelf, reading all the promises the product will make her feel if she uses it. But, she is empty inside and she doesn’t know why? You see her everyday, you both make small talk and continue about your way. She has a dirty little secret, the same one a lot of us hide. She doesn’t really love herself and she doesn’t even know why.

Maybe it’s that she has always been told she has a wide bottom, her legs are too short, chest too flat, nose is too long, and that beauty mole that came from grandma does not make her feel beautiful at all. It has to be the dimples in her thunder thighs, her super stringy hair, acne on her checks, forehead wrinkles that are growing ever deeper. Surely she must know that this is all outward appearance stuff that pertains nothing to her heart, her soul!  But she hasn’t the faintest clue. That’s because she hasn’t discovered what true love really is.

Think of it like this. For me, growing up what my Mother said was pretty on me, I believed. She was my very first beauty and fashion expert. Even to this day as a 29 year old woman I still call my Mother and ask her what hair color looks best on me. Why do I do this? Because she is my Mom, the woman who nurtured and raised me, and the only one who will tell me the brutal truth when I ask of her opinion or advise without crushing my ego. Mother always knows best and I trust that she would never tell anything to make me, her baby girl, look or feel ugly!!

I truly believe this is how I should look to my heavenly father as well. If you think your Mother favors you, can you imagine how much God favors and adores you?! After all, He is my creator who knows me better then dear mom or myself. I know that he would never want me, his perfect creation, to feel ugly, unworthy, and unloved, just like my Mom.

1 John 4:19

“We love because he first loved us.”

God loved you so much that he gave his one and only son that whoever shall believe in him shall not perish but have eternal life. We also know that that there is no greater love then to lay down ones life for one’s friend. John 15:13 ( I know he calls me friend see John 15:15) Jesus came into the world to save his people who where separated from God because of their sin. He sacrificed his life for me. He died so that I may be forgiven of my sin, free from the slavery of my sin, and made me holy and righteous by his blood! He loved me before I was conceived in my mothers womb, and he will never stop loving me. His love never fails, it never gives up, and it never runs out on me. His mercy and grace are new to me every morning. He thinks I am precious in his sight, worth saving, worth dying for, worth rescuing, worth healing, worth forgiving on a second by second daily basis.

When I keep my eyes fixed upon him and his love for me, I can love myself. Why? Because I know he first loved me!

We gain confidence when we believe someone does love us and accepts us flaws and all, we can start to embrace that security and love and accept ourselves. We can do this with the power of the holy spirit’s help through our prayers. We can always ask God to let us see ourselves the way he sees us. We can ask for help with self control, you know one of the fruits of the spirit we have as believer in him. Start soul searching, praying, asking God to reveal how beautiful and perfect you are in his sight. Meditate on his words and scriptures about his love for you daily.  If  you are really struggling with inward or outward beauty right now, I urge you to write down on sticky notes these scriptures you find and post them on your bathroom mirror, or stuff them in your purse. Sometimes we just need to be reminded a little more then others! These words that you mediate on are called words of truth. God can not lie and he will not lie to you. Words of criticism and negativity are just whisper’s of Satan.

God loves you so much, he created the beautiful Woman you are inside and out. He loves you on your worst days, he loves you on your best days. He never stops loving us. Even on our ugliest days he is here patiently waiting for us to seek him for his love and assurance. I am sure the last thing he wants is to see you, his child, walking around not loving yourself so Knock it OFF!! 🙂

Love yourself because HE first loved you….and he still loves you!

She doesn’t know why she doesn’t love herself …………..because she doesn’t know how loved she is.

What are the lies that Satan whispers to you about yourself? What encourages you to love yourself more? Please share, I would love to know!

xOxO

Leigh Leigh

Body after baby…

Motherhood came quickly for me. I was 20 years old when I said, “I do” to my dear husband almost 9 years ago.  I became instamom and we became an instafamily. Being that young and entering into the whole momma role I decided I didn’t want to wait to have our children. I was 21 when we welcomed my now 7 year old son, and I was 24 when we welcomed my now 4 year old daughter.

In high school I could not gain weight to save my life. I was extremely skinny. Would I give anything now to have that metabolism. My husband says it all the time, “Youth is wasted on the young!” Ha Boy is he never lying. I never was one to work out or even consider myself a gym person. In high school I participated in the athletics program. So whatever the coaches had planned for our daily regimen, I did. That was the extent of my athleticism. Looking back now at old pictures, it’s hard to remember who I was back then. I had gained a lot of weight with each one of my babies. I was the nerd who believed you should eat for two and so I did. I went from 135-170lbs! Nursing them both always sucked the weight off very quickly after my pregnancies, but my body would never be the same in my eyes, and I became depressed.

Here is ME about to pop November 2009.

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My dear husband joined a local gym when we moved and got settled into our new town. He worked out during both of my pregnancies. So as I got bigger, he got buffer! :0) I am not sure how exactly he talked me into going to the  gym with him, but he did. I started working out, (weight training) religiously after my baby girl turned 6 months old. I will most definitely blog about the benefits of working out with your spouse another time. I haven’t looked back since then, and I don’t ever plan on it. I  began to discover who I wanted to be through working out and making healthy eating choices. I was taking back my identity and I happened to really enjoy myself. We should all strive to be our own best friend because lets just face it, we can never escape ourselves. There is no other self gratifying feeling then to watch your body change because of the hard work , healthy choices, time, dedication, You invested in yourself.

I’m not suggesting that you take this to the extreme and become obsessed with yourself or start thinking all high and mighty about how you are better then others. Absolutely not! But taking the time to love yourself for who you are, the person whom God created , and what you want to become will challenge you. It will shape you and it will mold you into a better person.

Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27

I think this is a huge piece of the puzzle to that very important command. (as you love yourself)

How much you love yourself will reflect on how much you love others! WOW I believe having a positive and healthy self image is extremely important as well. Just on that point alone I could blog for a hours, but I wont today. I will save all these other important beliefs in upcoming blogs.

Instead, I will leave you with this question, how are you loving yourself today?

Are you saying kind things about yourself or constantly tearing yourself down with your own ugly words of criticism? Remember how you are loving yourself should be the same way you are loving others! I lost sight of loving myself after raising my small babies. Don’t let motherhood hold you back from working out and reaching personal goals. You don’t have to do it by yourself either. Include your spouse and your littles!

xOxO

Leigh Leigh

 

Like me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/leighleighspeaks

*gotta love those bathroom selfies 😉

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