Wednesday, August 29, 2012
If you don't want it to rain, just wear rainboots. (An update on the Butler's.)
Monday, August 27, 2012
Praying for Others
I'll be the first to admit, my prayer life has not been and still is not where it should be. I don't have an excuse except for laziness....That is so silly and inexcusable because the Lord DESIRES for us to be in constant communication with Him...listening, renewing our hearts and minds, and always seeking Him.(Even in the small things that we think don't matter.)

Before I had a prayer journal, I was really bad to 'forget' to pray for someone when they asked me. I was all the time coming into contact with someone and I'd think, "Oh, I need to pray for them- I'll remember...," but sad to say, it didn't happen. That is not okay. And it's not an excuse. I started a prayer journal after one of our ladies' retreats a couple years ago, and I highly recommend that if you don't have one. It has been BEYOND humbling to look back through it and see my different prayers. It absolutely amazes me how much the Lord has blessed and to see Him working in ALL of those situations...
One of my favorite things to do is go back in to an old prayer and write "PRAISE!" God is so good, and it's such a good reminder when you need it later that He is faithful!!!
Since I've started the prayer journal, I've started doing something else too. If someone comes to me with any kind of issue, or asks me to pray for them, I do it RIGHT THEN. There is something so powerful about praying together and them being able to hear you talk to God on their behalf.

I thought it would be weird, but it has never been. People may be taken aback a little at first, but not in a bad way. They always seem to appreciate it.
(And if you're nervous about praying in front of others, remember, there IS no right or wrong. You are just talking to God. It doesn't matter how simple or how eloquent....He jut loves to hear from us.)
Another thing I have focused more on when praying for others is praying very diligently, sincerely, and specifically. I admit that sometimes I have been guilty of praying for someone very vaguely, just out of routine and habit. I'd say the same thing every day. For the past few months, I have been very specific and focused in my prayers for others....and it has been AWESOME to see God work and answer those prayers. He has definitely blessed BIG time...(I can share some of the praise reports later!)

I started with Big Jon. I used to pray a very ordinary and blanket prayer over him daily....until the Lord pricked my heart and showed me that I needed to be so much more diligent in praying for him. Jonathan is called to be the spiritual leader of our home and family, which means Satan is going to try to attack him big time. That is part of my role as his wife is to absolutely cover him in prayer. Daily.

And I'm also learning that when someone else hurts my feelings, upsets me, makes me mad, or does something that I feel like goes against God's Word...it is my job to LIFT them up in prayer. Not to judge, condemn, have a pity party, stop talking to them, etc. Simply pray. Praying for someone is one of the most powerful things you can do for someone and can have some of the most impacting results. So many women I know, for example, try to nag their husbands into changing. If there is something you don't like about your husband (or family member, friend, co-worker, etc.), I want to challenge you to PRAY for that person before you do anything else. And do not give up praying. Continue to. God is always working, and sometimes He is working out other things first (that we cannot see) so He can do a work later on.

We are called to devote ourselves to prayer. And a big part of our prayer lives should be in praying for others. I know the Lord is still revealing lots to me about HOW to pray for others, but I am so thankful for what He has already taught me. God is so good.

Saturday, August 25, 2012
Big Jon & His Supplements....(His 24 Day Challenge Results & Performance Elite Line Faves)
- Aids in muscle building*
- Supports muscle performance*
- Helps increase physical endurance*

2. Arginine Extreme-
- Provides and nourishes the precursors necessary for muscle growth and recovery*
- Provides excellent support for cardio workouts*
- Helps enhance strength and stamina, especially when used with AdvoCare® Muscle Fuel*
- Helps support nutrient delivery to muscles*
- Helps promote short-term increases in nitric oxide levels*
- Nourishes a healthy respiratory system*
- Helps maintain a healthy cardiovascular system*
- Helps support healthy blood pressure levels already in the normal range*
- Helps enhance reproductive function*
- Aids in maintaining a healthy, efficient immune system*

3. Muscle Strength-
- Helps decrease recovery time between intense workouts*
- Promotes building lean muscle mass and reducing fat tissue*
- Enhances muscle growth in conjunction with strength training*
- Encourages repair of muscle tissues*
- Helps the body adapt to physical and mental stress*

4. Pro-20
- Hydrolyzed protein for fast absorption
- Supports building lean muscle mass*
- Helps improve reaction time and agility*
- Helps increase power output and accelerate gains in speed and strength*
- B vitamins for energy*
- Electrolytes for recovery and maintenance*
- Contains alpha-GPC

5. Muscle Gain-
- 25 grams of high-quality, easily digestible protein
- Provides nutritional support for increasing muscle mass
- Supports muscle-enhancing enzymes and metabolic processes
- Helps maintain & restore energy supplies during and after physical activity

6. Post- Workout Recovery-
- Helps minimize muscle soreness after strenuous activity
- Supplies essential components for muscle repair to optimize muscle recovery
- Helps maintain and restore energy supplies during and after physical activity
- Contains branched-chain amino acids to support muscle recovery, growth and endurance.

7.Night time Recovery-
- Provides enhanced muscle growth and supports muscle repair while you sleep.*
- Helps your body to more effectively respond to the demands of physical activity.*
- Naturally supports the production of growth-related hormones*
- Enhances energy production to help the body sustain higher workloads before the onset of fatigue.*
- Supports the body's ability to respond to stress such as physical training.

(regular vitamins: CorePlex, OmegaPlex, shakes, Spark, & Clear Mood)
So ladies, if you're looking for something SUPER HIGH QUALITY that will help your man get results, but that you can trust are totally safe, natural, & effective, I HIGHLY recommend this!!! I know Jon seriously loves talking supplements, so I'm sure he could recommend something or would be willing to talk to whoever to answer questions. It's pretty cool we found something we both love an are passionate about, and Advocare happens to fit right in with that!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
That time I forgot a shirt….
Rush, rush, rush!!! My life is SO BUSY!!! It’s ridiculous.
And unfortunately that means I make careless mistakes sometimes because my mind is in 8 millions different places. Like a couple weeks ago when I mailed off two letters that were returned to me for “no postage” (I forgot stamps!), or when I mailed off a check last week and forgot to sign it.
Yesterday I went straight from work to the bank, home to cook dinner, then rushed to church, and went straight to the gym afterwards.
I packed a bag with workout clothes, but when I was changing in the locker room, I realized I forgot to bring a shirt. Niiiiiice. I checked Jonathan’s truck to see if he had an extra one, but no luck…
I contemplated working out in my sports bra & workout pants for about 0.5 seconds, but that was a quickly fleeting thought. SO, I had no other option. I had to rock the ruffly (apparently not a word) tank top I wore to school that day under my cardigan. Perfect.
I was a little embarrassed for the first 5 minutes because the ruffles were hitting me in the face while I was jumping rope, but I got over it pretty quick. I mean, what can ya do??
Maybe this will start a new fitness fashion trend?
Yea, probably not.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Fast Food Pics….GROSS!!!
And then I remember why I DON’T eat it and I just keep on driving. I wrote a post about it a while back…..WHY TO SKIP FAST FOOD

We know it’s not very healthy, and even the “healthier” fast food chains don’t have the BEST options. The nutritional value and quality of the foods is very poor.
If Jon & I do eat fast food for some reason, I try to stick with grilled chicken salads (no dressing) and a fruit cup….but of course, even that’s still not the best.
One of my friends recently sent me this picture of a hamburger her family bought in 1996. And that thing is still going strong!!! (Really…I was in the 6th grade when this hamburger was bought!)



Here’s the deal. I know sometimes it’s the only option. If you do have to eat fast food for some reason, it’s important to know the best options. I am “that girl” and always ask for a nutrition guide. It’s important to know what you’re putting in your body, and some things may really surprise you. Here is an atricle that has the healthiest choices at popular fast food chains.
One of the most common times to eat fast food is while traveling. Even when we’re traveling, I always pack a cooler and basket of snacks. I typically bring apples & bananas, almonds & raw nuts, natural peanut butter & Ezekial bread, boiled egg whites (already peeled), raw veggies, & beef jerky.
![[Crafts-0243.jpg]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-05QG_tA8FpM/Tq61rFq-jvI/AAAAAAAAEF8/mNl5_bCkkn4/s1600/Crafts-0243.jpg)
Yes, it does take a little more work and preparation, but it ends up being cheaper and WAY healthier. It definitely makes it less tempting to pull through somewhere when you have healthy snacks on hand...
As if those pictures of the old hamburgers aren’t enough to scare ya off…..YUCK!!