No Matter The Chaos, You Can Still Control Your Breathe

During Lacrosse season, freshmen year of high school, the air was different than what I was used to.   In the fall, I played Field Hockey, and for some reason I found it hard to breathe while we were running in the crisp spring air.
  
It was hard to breathe and the more I thought about not being able to breathe, the less I could breathe, the tighter my chest became, and the more panicked I became.  I couldn't even focus on my running, let alone playing in a game. ALL I could think about was my frantic breathing, and my racing heart. 

I still don't know why that season I couldn't breathe properly, but I learned quickly that if I didn't calm my brain down, and start to calm my breathe, I wasn't going to be able to run, let alone PLAY at all. 

So I began to speak to myself while I ran.  Slowly, Breathe in, Breathe out, You can Do this. Stay Calm, I am fine, nothing is wrong... 
(call me crazy.. it is what it is, I did it and it helped!)

But as I spoke to myself I could feel my breathe slow, my heart stopped racing and I was able to run faster.  

I did this every time we would go for a run (which was quite often, unfortunately for us girls who don't consider themselves runners.  When your coach for lacrosse is also the cross country coach, get ready to become a runner whether you like it or not!). Pretty soon I had trained my breath to remain calm, and sturdy no matter the run, and this way of breathing became second nature. 

When we were running sprints, or in the final seconds of a game, I was never out of breathe.  My breathing remained calm and controlled, while my feet pumping at super speed. (well super speed for me anyway) 

I no longer had to talk to myself to convince my breath to slow down, it became second nature. 

No matter the circumstance, no matter the length of the runs, the terrain, or the speed of the game, my body never felt over exerted and my breathes remained controlled. In fact my game improved.  My speed improved, my endurance improved!

Crazy right! 

Slowing my breathe and keeping calm, allowed my BODY to move FASTER, to IMPROVE, to gain SKILL SETS and build ENDURANCE! 

IN FACT,  no matter how fast my feet would go, my breathe never changed.  It remained constant;  slow, steady and controlled.  

My feet where spinning, but my breathing remained slow----  
Breathe INNNNNNNN and OOUUUUT 

You know, this is how God calls us to be in life.  Not just on the field, not just running, but EVERY DAY LIFE!

He calls us to remain calm amongst the chaos.  

And how do we do that?

Focus!

What you focus on Grows!

You see if I had focused on my situation, my heart beating faster, my breathing getting quicker and more shallow. Allowed my mind to tell me I was going to pass out, or not be able to run anymore, or something was wrong, well then.... Something would have gone wrong!
I would have most likely passed out. 

However, I chose to redirect my focus on positivity and speak calmness into my breathe, into my heart and into my body. 

I FOCUSED on the controllable. 

You see we live in a world that is uncontrollable, full of chaos, fear, pain, hurt, destruction, disappointment... you name it. 

But if thats what we focus on, we will never overcome.  We will never live the life God has called us to be. 

God says, 

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." 
John 16:33


So we know we will have trouble, But he says... FOCUS ON ME SO THAT YOU MAY HAVE PEACE! I HAVE ALREADY OVERCOME THE WORLD.

Just like controlling your breathe in exercise by focusing on slowing your breathing, you can also control the peace in your life by focusing on Jesus.

When you focus on Him, He will give you peace amongst the storm, stability amongst the waves, and an anchor when your getting pushed around.

No matter the chaos, no matter the circumstance, slow down your breathe and focus on JESUS!

Remember no matter how fast your feet move, you can always control your breathe!

2016s FIX your eyes

At the close of yoga, Rachel, the instructor said something that spoke to me.  She said,

"There have been moments in this class where you thought you couldn't make it.  Just like maybe some points in this year, there have been times where you didn't think you would make it.  But you did. You are here. You made it." 

WOW!

So true.  In Yoga, there are moments where you feel like you are just going to fall over.  When you are trying to find your balance, focus on your breath, all while trying to stretch, and hold a position; that may be painful or uncomfortable can seriously make your mind begin to doubt and feel like you can NOT hold it for one more second.

There are moments in yoga where you wobble, and shake. You feel like you are going to fall over, you feel like you just won't make it.

The moment you begin to feed into those thoughts and believe you can't,  YOU ARE RIGHT!
You WILL lose your balance, you WILL lose your focus, you WILL lose your breath, and you WILL fall out of your pose.
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I don't know about you, but 2016 threw some pretty gnarly curve balls into my life.  Some really UGLY UGLY curve balls.  Like when the pitcher totally fools you and the ball ends up curving right into your face.  You end up laying in the dirt of the infield on home plate.  But instead of feeling like you're on home plate, you feel like you just struck out, embarrassed, knocked down in pain, down for the count, out of the game!

Like baseball, and yoga, in life you will strike out and you will fall.  You will wobble, you will have moments of feeling defeated and fooled.  You will have moments of pain.

But GOD has given us a secret to stay STANDING, even when we are being knocked around, and unstable in life.
---------

In Yoga, one of the keys to holding a pose, despite the discomfort and awkward position  is to KEEP FIX YOU EYES on a spot in the room.

FIX is defined as :

1. :  to make firm, stable, or stationary
   :  to give a permanent or final form to: as
   :  to change into a stable compound or available form

1. :  a determination of one's position

When you Fix your eyes on a spot in the room, all of a sudden the pose becomes effortless, and you begin to stabilize.


Just like yoga, in life, we also have a way to stay standing, sturdy and confident in our position of life.


We are to FIX OUR EYES upon Jesus in the midst of troubled times.
When life is throwing us curve balls, when life is causing us to wobble, sway, and feel like we are going to break or fall, JESUS will strengthen us, give us a strong posture, and allow us to MAKE IT through those moments when we feel like we just can't.

Hebrews 12:2

Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. 

For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame,

 and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

2016 may have caused pain, heartache and moments of feeling hopeless, but I am here to tell you YOU MADE IT!!
You have made it!


and the amazing thing is, that God does not just call us to MAKE IT.  He wants us to THRIVE during the times we feel like we can't make it.

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Through fixing our eyes upon Him, He will give you confidence, strength, creativity, motivation,  and reassurance that HE HAS A PLAN, and HE will Carry you through!

So, you may have JUST made it through 2016. THATS GREAT NEWS!

YOU MADE IT! 

BUT...

The BETTER news is....

now you know WHO will stabilize you and 

give you a posture of confidence, calmness, and prosperity 

AMONGST the unstable times. 

So when you feel like your wobbling, and your about to fall, FIX your eyes upon Jesus.
Remain calm, remain confident, and LOOK TO HIM!

He will not only stabilize you and get you through 2017 when uncertain times come,

 but HE will help you to thrive amongst it!

FIX YOUR EYES UPON JESUS, 

Breathe, Balance and Be CONFIDENT that Jesus will stabilize you no matter what 

2017 may throw at you! 

XOXO

-AMIE

A Season for a Blue Christmas

As we did our final stretches and breathing in hot yoga class, the song Blue Christmas came on.  

The words, 

"I'll have a blue Christmas without you" rang loud and clear! 

And it hit me... The first Christmas as a single mom. The first Christmas ALONE!

A part of me wanted to cry, another part of me wanted to ask the instructor to shut it off, another part of me refused to even acknowledge the fact that it is a "blue" Christmas and the other part of me said--> recognize it. 

Breathe it in... the SADNESS, the LONELINESS 
then....  breathe it out---->    BREATHE IT ALL OUT! 

Let it go.... 

then,  INHALE BIGGER--- JOY.  

Release the loneliness, release the sorrow, and allow JOY back in!

A few weeks back I went shopping without the kids and for the first time this year Christmas music came on.

I immediate was jolted, I felt alone, I felt heart broken.  I began to feel the sadness of the holidays. I began to realize the family I once knew at Christmas time is not the same anymore.  The family events, the Christmas parties, the kids being with us, with me, the entire time throughout the holiday season. In that one moment, of that one Christmas song, I was flooded with emotions. 

In the middle of the store I began to feel empty, my heart began to break and I began to tear up. Every inch of my body wanted to run out of that store and curl up into a ball. 
Maybe if I just ran from it, it wouldn't be real, Christmas wouldn't come. If I ran, I didn't have to actually face the fact this year. The fact that things were going to be VERY DIFFERENT. 

The thoughts of loneliness and fear popped up over the next few days. The dread of how awful this season was going to be, how terrible Christmas would be.  I teeter tottered on building myself up and trying to convince myself it was all going to be ok, and breaking down in feeling completely alone and sad, feeling like my children are being ripped from me, from family and from traditions. 

I prayed and cried out to God, 

and then He spoke, 

"things will be different, but this is an opportunity for NEW healthy traditions, NEW life, NEW adventures, And TIME for YOU to grow, strengthen and rely on me.  The tears are ok, having moments of feeling alone are ok, but do NOT stay there!  Dive into my word, come close to Me, because YOU ARE NOT ALONE. You are NEVER ALONE.  

You are deeply loved, you are greatly valued.  

This is a season for change. Embrace the turning of leaves, the pruning of branches, the roots growing deeper. 

It may be painful, but through it I am preparing you for beautiful GROWTH.  This is just a season, you are not staying here." 

WHOAH ! 

God gave me permission to be angry and sad.  

Ecclesiastes 3:4 

There is a time to cry and a time to laugh.  A time to grieve and a time to dance. 

But then He said, take your eyes off of the storm, the pain, the loneliness, keep your eyes above the waves, and focus on ME! 

Colossians 3:2 

Keep your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth.  

Isaiah 26:3 

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! 

God clearly spoke to me to get my thoughts off of MY PROBLEMS, and to focus on HIS PROMISES!  

I sat, I prayed... and I began to be ok with the changes that were and are going on around me. 

That doesn't mean it wont be tough, it won't be painful, but through it God will deepen my faith, and trust in Him. 

God is keeping my heart soft and open, as I grow stronger in Him. 

You see, you can take a potato and an egg, and throw them into the same boiling pot of water, and they will end up very differently. 

Both the potato and the egg are exposed to the same elements, the same HEAT.... but they react completely differently. 

The egg becomes hard, while the potato becomes soft. 

When the HEAT of life, the pain of life is turned WAY up, you have options. 

You can become bitter, angry, frustrated, hateful, desperate... 

or 

you can turn to God to soften your heart, to give you hope, a new perspective and stay optimistic. 

God says ---- 

He is with me.         

Genesis 28:15  

God is with me and will keep (watch over me with care, take notice of) me wherever I may go. 

He will comfort me.  

Psalm 27:10

If my father and mother should abandon me, the Lord would welcome and comfort me.  

He will never abandon me.  

John 14:18 

He will not abandon me or leave me as an orphan in the storm- He will come to me. 

He will strengthen me. 

Isaiah 41:10

I do not fear, for God is with me; I am not dismayed, for He is my God.  He will strengthen me and help me; He will uphold me with His righteous right hand.  

He will help me.

Psalm 46:1

God is my refuge and strength, and ever present help in trouble. 

-----

You see, the facts won't change.  

Life is different. Times will be difficult and painful.
I will have to spend some of the holidays alone and without my kids. 

But my faith has changed.  

I no longer anticipate sitting alone and crying my way through the time without my kids. (Although I may shed a few tears) I will not be depressed and mope around.  I won't be that hard boiled egg, bitter and angry. 

Instead, I will use it as time to grow my roots deeper in Christ. 

A time to help others, a time to serve, a time to share Gods love.  

When you focus on God, HE grows, and your perspective shifts. 

If your finding yourself hurting, lonely, depressed, or saddened this Holiday season, remember YOU ARE NOT ALONE.  

Remember, It's just a season, YOU WILL NOT STAY HERE!

--------

Pursue God.  

Dive into what He promises to you.  

When you ask him for help, He will come!

Psalm 25:16

(Lord) turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 

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As we finish up yoga, in our final breathes... (join me ...)

Put your hand over your heart (keep it there).

Take a BIG, LONG, DEEP breathe in

-and 

now empty your breathe COMPLETELY.

RELEASE- Fear, Anger, Sadness, Loneliness, Abandonment.... 

ONE MORE TIME....

BIG BREATH IN (make it longer and deeper this time)

-and

make sure to empty completely this time!!

-----

Do you feel that!? 

You are breathing! 

Your heart is beating! 

You are alive! 

....   that my friend IS enough to be joyful over this Christmas season!

However you may find yourself this SEASON, 
I am praying for you and sending you 

LOVE, JOY, PEACE AND BLESSINGS 

xoxo

-Amie

GOD CALLED ME TO RISE -2016

RISE is defined as : moving from a lower position to a higher position

Last year this time I prayed that God would give me a word for 2016.

He very clearly spoke RISE into me.

I wasn't sure what all that would mean for me throughout the year, however as I sit here and look back at my 2016 I see how God has continually called me to RISE UP and RISE ABOVE.

This word was by no mistake for this year.

And although from the outside, from a worldly perspective, you could say that as a whole, 2016 has not only turned my life upside down but also tore my life apart,

HOWEVER----

GOD IS NOT SAYING THAT.

God has made me a "Riser".

One who has gained strength in the Lord.

One who doesn't settle for worldly reports, But God reports.

One who has unfailing Faith.

He has brought me from a lower position---- Broken, Fearful and Lost, to a HIGHER position--- Whole, BOLD and confident!

My faith has grown radically, I am stepping up and stepping out pursing not my desires anymore but Gods desires.

He has shown me how to RISE ABOVE circumstances, rumors, lies, deception, anger, failures, manipulation, defeat...

I look back today and do not see my 2016 as turned upside down or fallen apart, but instead flipped RIGHT SIDE UP with everything falling into place.

-----

Thank you Jesus for making me a Riser !

Over the next year I will share with you more on how God has helped me become a RISER!

I am no different than you, if you feel broken, and like your life is falling apart, GOD TOO CAN HELP YOU RISE ABOVE!

Lead into the Lord, Seek HIM, Focus on His word and not the storm.

He will build your strength as you build your faith in God.

----

As I sit here in the last week of 2016,

now, I pray and I wait....

with anticipation for my next word--->

in 2017 💖

Baked Dirty Ginger and Lime Chicken

1 lb Chicken (thighs or drumsticks) 

1/2 Tbs Lime Juice 

1/2 Tbs Cumin 

1/2 Tbs Ginger 

1/2 Tbs Garlic Powder 

1/2 Tbs Coriander 

Salt to taste 

•Boil drumsticks or thighs in water for about 10 minutes 

•mix up ingredients above 

•mix chicken with mixture and let marinade for about 10 minutes 

•set broiler to high and cook until browned on each side (about 6 minutes each side) 

Let cool and ENJOY! 

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies (grain free, dairy free, gluten free, sugar free)

Recently my son has had to go Gluten Free, Dairy Free, processed Sugar FREE! 

So I have been getting creative in the kitchen to help him still be able to have some treats, without feeling like his life just sucks. 

Sorry to be blunt. But when you tell a kid EVERYTHING they like, they can no longer have----> you better believe there are some tantrums, frustrations and tears! 

So it's time to Mama to come and save the day! 

Meet the delicious Paleo Choclate Chip Cookie!! 

What you will need : 

- 1 Cup blanched almond flour 

- 1/4 Cup Coconut Flour 

- 1/2 tsp salt 

- 1 tsp baking soda 

- 1/2 Cup maple sugar 

- 1 Tbs 100% Pure organic maple syrup 

- 6 Tbs Earth Balance Buttery Spread 

- 6 Tbs organic Natural Almond Butter 

- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

- 1 Large Egg 

- 1 1/4 cup (dairy free, soy free) semi sweet Choclate chips 

Directions: 

* set oven to 350 

* mix dry ingredients (salt, baking soda, coconut flour, almond flour) in a small bowl 

* blend fats and sugar in a mixing bowl. (Butter spread and almond butter) until smooth 

* add in the rest of the ingredients and mix for a minute or until blended 

* slowly add in the bowl of dry ingredients   To mixing bowl 

* finally add in chocolate chips 

Roll tightly into small balls and place on baking sheet.  

- bake for 11 minutes 

Let cool and ENJOY! 

Tastes great with a cup of unsweetened Almond Milk!! 

** if you like this recipe or have a friend looking for Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free recipes, PLEASE SHARE!! * 

Thanks so much for visiting!! 

Come back again :) 

Paleo Bread Recipe

2 Cups Blanched Almond Flour 

2 Tbs Coconut Flour

1/3 cup and 1 Tbs ground flax seed 

1 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp sea salt 

1 tsp organic apple cider vinegar

3 tbs butter (melted) (I use earth balance spread to keep it dairy free!)  

3  tbs coconut oil (melted)

1 tsp honey 

1/2 cup coconut yogurt (plain) 

4 eggs 

Directions:

Set oven to 350 

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. 

Mix all liquids in a bowl (don't over mix) 

Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ones.  

Mix with spatula until smooth... Don't over mix! 

Coat pan with coconut oil, poor batter in and bake for 25 minutes or until knife comes out clean! 

Let cool in pan for an hour or two before removing. 

SLICE, and ENJOY as toast or  a sandwich! 

*** tip freeze or refrigerate to keep longer! ***

Gluten Free Chicken Nugget Recipe

This recipe is a family favorite!! 

My kids beg to have these weekly, and they are so simple! 

It's great to be in control of your food and know you are feedin yourself and your kids the absolute best ingredients without all of the JUNK!!

So here is what you will need :

1 lb Boneless chicken breast (I usually cut up more to fill an entire pan to prep for the entire week ). Then I package up the rest of the strips for later! 

1/3 cup almond flour 

1/4 cup ground flax seed 

1 tsp Italian seasoning 

2/3 tsp garlic salt 

Directions :

Set oven to 375 

Mix all dry ingredients 

Cut chicken breasts into strips 

Coat chicken with dry seasoning 

Place on a foiled cookie sheet and lightly spray with olive oil (Pam) 

Cook for about 20 min (depending how thick you cut them)  or until meat is cooked through, then for 2-3 minutes broil on HIGH to brown slightly. 

-If you prefer them saltier you can add additional salt at the end !  -

*** to make your life easier, mix a big batch up of all seasonings and store for later use.  You can also cut a ton of strips and freeze - for later use! ***

And there ya have it! SIMPLE, HEALTHY AND TASTY! 

I hope your kids enjoy this one as much as mine do!!!