Life is full of challenges, but a little encouragement can go a long way. Whether you’re looking to boost your confidence, face a tough day, or simply share inspiration with others, these encouraging quotes for a woman are sure to uplift and empower.

Why Encouraging Words Matter

Words have incredible power. A well-timed quote can spark motivation, inspire change, or provide solace. For women, who often juggle multiple roles and responsibilities, encouragement can serve as a reminder of their strength, resilience, and potential.

Top 15 Encouraging Quotes for A Woman

1. “A strong woman looks a challenge in the eye and gives it a wink.” – Gina Carey
   • A reminder that challenges are opportunities to shine.
2. “The most effective way to do it, is to do it.” – Amelia Earhart
   • Simple, actionable advice to overcome procrastination.
3. “You are more powerful than you know; you are beautiful just as you are.” – Melissa Etheridge
   • A celebration of inner strength and authenticity.
4. “Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” – Nora Ephron
   • Empowering words to shift your mindset.
5. “She believed she could, so she did.” – Unknown
   • A timeless mantra for achieving your dreams.
6. “Do not wait for someone else to come and speak for you. It’s you who can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai
   • Encouragement to use your voice and stand for what you believe in.
7. “Life is tough, my darling, but so are you.” – Stephanie Bennett-Henry
   • A comforting reminder of your resilience.
8. “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.” – Louisa May Alcott
   • Encouragement to embrace challenges as learning experiences.
9. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
   • A quote about perseverance, applicable to all facets of life.
10. “We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.” – Malala Yousafzai
    • A powerful reminder of the value of speaking up.
11. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
    • Words to reclaim your self-worth.
12. “You’ve always had the power, my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself.” – Glinda, “The Wizard of Oz”
    • A magical reminder of your untapped potential.
13. “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” – C.S. Lewis
    • Encouragement to focus on the present and future.
14. “A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture, and transform.” – Diane Mariechild
    • A tribute to the multifaceted strength of women.
15. “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodall
    • Motivation to pursue your goals with clarity and courage.

How to Use These Encouraging Quotes For A Woman

1. Daily Affirmations: Choose a quote each day to guide your thoughts and actions.
2. Social Media Inspiration: Share these quotes with your followers to spread positivity.
3. Journaling Prompts: Reflect on what each quote means to you and how it applies to your life.
4. Office or Home Decor: Print and display your favorite quotes as constant reminders of encouragement.

After sharing inspirational posts, use Instagram Insights to learn what resonates so future messages serve your audience more effectively.

Encourage Others

Encouraging quotes have the power to transform your mindset and brighten your day. Share these words with the women in your life, and don’t forget to revisit them whenever you need a boost. Let’s continue to uplift and empower each other, one quote at a time!

The post Encouraging Quotes for a Woman: Inspiration to Empower Your Day first appeared on Be Healthy and More.

When was the last time you spent a sunny day hiking a forested trail or bathing in the sun’s rays on the beach? If it’s been too long, don’t be surprised if you feel slightly under the weather. Copious scientific evidence suggests you should prioritize spending time in nature for your health.

Why? The reasons are many and multifaceted. As doctors and researchers learn more about what creates total health, they continually discover it is more holistic, with changes in one area affecting multiple others. This ripple effect can work for the positive, with changes in mood leading to physical improvements and vice versa.

As you’ll see, nature is the perfect medicine in many ways. Here’s a deeper look at why you should prioritize spending time in nature for your health.

1. It’s Good for Your Immunity

Human bodies thrive best in the natural world, not artificial environments. People with the most exposure to the outdoors often enjoy improved health. Studies show that newborns raised on farms have fewer incidents of allergies and asthma, as they have regular exposure to microorganisms in the soil.

They also breathe cleaner air, thanks to exposure to multiple plants. Plants act like vacuum cleaners for the atmosphere, taking in carbon dioxide and toxins and releasing fresh water vapor and oxygen. Immersing yourself in a natural setting filled with them is like a spa day for your lungs.

That’s not all plants do to boost your immunity. They also release chemicals called phytoncides for defense that strengthen your internal troops. Research on forest bathers or those who spend at least one night in the wild a month shows higher activity in vital immune system cells you use to fight germs.

Sunlight also prompts your body to produce natural vitamin D. A vitamin D deficiency can lead to high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases and cancer.

2. It Keeps You Physically Active

There’s an obesity epidemic in America. According to the CDC, more than 44% of adults aged 40-59 qualify as obese and more are overweight. These extra pounds strain organs and joints, increasing disease and chronic pain risk.

While diet plays a significant role in the epidemic, another factor is many Americans’ sedentary lifestyles. People who work in offices seldom get enough daily physical activity to promote their health, and long schedules without breaks make it challenging for many to get to the gym.

However, simply being outdoors encourages physical movement. Consider these methods to get more outside exercise in your life this week and see their effect on how you feel:

• Walk or bike: If possible, walk or bike to work or escort your children to school. Electric bikes are a blast and keep you from getting sweaty — they’re far cooler than climbing into a car in August. If the office is prohibitively far, use this method for short errands. You’ll also decrease your carbon footprint.
• Putter in the garden: Even if you only have a small patio, a few container plants give you a reason to get moving outdoors.
• Take your workout outdoors: Yoga is a whole new experience when you let the warm sunlight melt your muscles into ooey, gooey relaxed bliss. An open garage or covered patio is the perfect place for a weight set.

3. It’s a Necessary Break for Your Eyes

Many people who labor in offices spend countless hours daily on computers. Guess what? Doing so isn’t fabulous for your visual health. It can lead to strain that causes headaches and excess tiredness, prompting you to skip the gym after work. It can also result in the following issues:

• Lack of focus flexibility: It gets harder to shift from seeing nearby objects to those farther away.
• Nearsightedness: Studies suggest that children who spend more time indoors, presumably on screens, are more likely to develop nearsightedness.
• Retinal damage: The blue light these devices emit can damage the retinal lining.

Experts recommend using the 20-20-20 rule when performing such tasks. It entails stopping every 20 minutes to gaze at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. You might also take at least one of your work breaks outside to submerge yourself in the natural world’s flowing curves instead of the harsh, even lines of the built environment.

4. It’s a Boost for Your Mental Health

Perhaps the biggest reason to prioritize spending time in nature for your health is its effect on your psyche. Multiple studies show that doing so can ease stress and reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Spending time in nature also facilitates social connections. While you might pass people by in office environments, it’s more natural to greet those you run into on the trail. However, even solo hiking makes you feel connected with something larger than yourself, part of the wondrous and ongoing part of the visible creation surrounding you.

Why You Should Prioritize Spending Time in Nature for Your Health

If you want to improve your health, head outdoors. Prioritizing spending time in nature can go far toward improving your body and mind.

Consider the above reasons to get moving in mother nature today. Even a one-time outing brings a boost, and including more outdoor activities in your daily life can promote long-term improvements in how you feel.

The post Why You Should Prioritize Spending Time in Nature for Your Health first appeared on Be Healthy and More.

Giving yourself grace is incredibly important when working on getting healthy, both mentally and physically. Making significant changes to your lifestyle can be challenging, and setbacks are inevitable. If you beat yourself up every time you slip up or don’t meet your own expectations, it can be demotivating and even counterproductive.

Here are some reasons why giving yourself grace is important:

1. Helps you stay motivated: When you’re working towards a goal, it’s easy to get discouraged when you experience setbacks or don’t see progress as quickly as you hoped. Giving yourself grace can help you stay motivated by reminding you that it’s okay to make mistakes, and progress isn’t always linear.

2. Promotes self-compassion: Being hard on yourself can lead to negative self-talk and feelings of shame, guilt, or failure. Giving yourself grace promotes self-compassion, which is linked to greater happiness, resilience, and overall well-being.

3. Reduces stress: Stress can have a negative impact on your physical and mental health, so it’s important to manage it. When you give yourself grace, you reduce the stress that comes with being overly critical of yourself and can focus more on the positive aspects of your progress.

4. Encourages long-term success: Making healthy changes to your lifestyle is a long-term commitment, and giving yourself grace can help you maintain that commitment. By accepting that mistakes and setbacks will happen, you can approach your health journey with a more flexible and positive mindset.

In conclusion, giving yourself grace is essential when working on getting healthy. It helps you stay motivated, promotes self-compassion, reduces stress, and encourages long-term success. So, remember to be kind to yourself, celebrate your progress, and give yourself the grace to make mistakes along the way.

The post 4 Reasons Why Giving Yourself Grace Is Important first appeared on Be Healthy and More.

Nashville, TN: Popular Christian recording artist Tammy Trent has been ministering to audiences worldwide through her music since signing her first record deal in 1995. Starting in December 2022, television audiences will see more of Tammy as she becomes the new co-host of the daily Christian TV show LIFE Today alongside the current hosts James and Betty Robison and their son co-host Randy Robison.

Tammy Trent has been a familiar voice on Christian radio since her music career began with hit songs such as “Your Love is 4 Always,” “Welcome Home,” “Run to The Cross,” “It’s All About You,” and “My Irreplaceable.”  Tragically, on September 11, 2001, as America endured one of its greatest attacks, Tammy endured her own personal tragedy and loss when her husband of 11 years was killed in a scuba diving accident while on a mission trip in Jamaica. 

After taking a year off the road to grieve and allow God to begin healing her from a shattered life, Tammy returned to the stage with the Women of Faith Conferences and The Revolve Tour for teen girls for 6 years, sharing her testimony of love, loss, and hope. She continues to minister all over the world to this day.

Tammy will inherit the role as co-host from inspirational author and speaker Sheila Walsh, who departs the show to pursue other ministry opportunities. LIFE Today is a half-hour daily program that features guests who share their personal stories of spiritual victory and personal growth through difficulties in their lives. LIFE Today has been airing daily on various networks and stations worldwide since 1992.

“What an honor to be joining the hosting team of LIFE Today with the Robisons, who are like family to me. I’m amazed at how beautifully God has grown this relationship through the years since my first appearance on the show in 1998,” says Tammy. “Over the years, I’ve traveled worldwide on mission trips with LIFE Outreach International sharing stories of those in desperate need of life-saving resources. My prayer is that I continue to serve this ministry and encourage viewers through LIFE Today.”

Although LIFE Today is filmed in Dallas, TX, Tammy will continue to travel from her hometown of Nashville, TN, while fulfilling her speaking and music ministry events.

For additional information on Tammy and her ever-growing ministry, visit www.TammyTrent.com or her social handles:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tammytrentmusic

IG and Twitter: @TammyTrent and YouTube: @TammyTrentMusic

For information on LIFE Today visit www.lifetoday.org

To request an interview, please contact:
Pure Publicity 615-595-8466 or Ben@purepublicity.com

Or Ministry Coordinator: Anita Daneker at Anita@tammytrent.com

The post Christian Recording Artist & Speaker Tammy Trent Joins Talk Show LIFE Today as New Co-Host first appeared on Be Healthy and More.

Because the following is so personal, I must have written and rewritten it dozens of times. I want to be truthful yet sensitive to those involved, and I want to say only what needs to be said that might encourage someone else walking a similar path.

With much prayer and consideration, I believe I’ve done that. Also, given the many requests for the backstory that led to where I am today, it might be more of a short book than a blog post… I hope it’s worth it.

“The gospel is not ultimately a defense from pain and suffering; rather, it is the message of God’s rescue through pain.” – Tullian Tchividjian

“But by means of their suffering, he rescues those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity.” Job 36:15 (NLT)

Suffering is one of the biggest stumbling blocks for people who have a hard time embracing Christianity. Why does a good God allow suffering? Even for believers, there simply aren’t any easy answers to that question.

Suffering was a foreign concept for much of my life. I come from a wonderful middle-class family, I always felt loved and supported, I landed my dream job early in my twenties, and so on. It was like God just kept dropping amazing gifts in my lap. He eventually allowed a gift into my life I didn’t want, but it proved essential to who I am today: the gift of suffering. In my story, that came through the long, slow death of my marriage and subsequent divorce. So, while I explore suffering from that perspective, I hope my story will encourage anyone experiencing suffering.
_______

Pippin: It’s so quiet.
Gandalf: It’s the deep breath before the plunge.
Pippin: I don’t want to be in a battle, but waiting on the edge of one I can’t escape is even worse.

That poignant exchange in Lord Of The Rings – Return of the King perfectly describes my state of mind throughout the lengthy divorce process and the years leading up to it that made it inevitable. Anyone who has experienced a contentious divorce knows the utter destructiveness and insanity of it all. Good fathers who love their kids especially know the terror of a system biased against them from the outset. Through it all I was emotionally, physically and spiritually drained in every possible way – not to mention financially, but that’s really the least damaging in the long run. Despite the crucial support of family, friends, and counselors, it was agonizingly lonely. The uncertainty of it all was terrifying, and I lived with that day after day for several years. That amount of stress takes a huge toll: I lost weight and had heart issues, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and I lost my creativity among other things. Several people told me they thought I had cancer or some kind of disease. Despite incredible healing and restoration on the other side of it all, I’ve realized there are some deep scars that will probably cast shadows over a lifetime.

Divorce is a form of torture I wouldn’t wish on anyone. It may solve some problems when all other options have been exhausted, but it creates all new ones, and I now have a much fuller understanding of why God says he hates it. Apart from breaking the news to our daughter – a pain I could never describe – one of the most excruciating moments of my life was walking into a courthouse and seeing the girl I married sitting there, still my wife and yet now my legal adversary. Friends who were by my side that day know how that tortured me, and how I almost ran from the room in tears. There is no way to describe feeling intense hurt, anger, sorrow, and compassion all in the same moment. I wanted so badly to help her somehow, but I couldn’t. Too much damage had been done. The system is designed to suck people into contention and drain you of everything, and it is disgusting. It is a hell of a thing – and I choose those words deliberately – to choose a dark, lonely road full of pain and uncertainty while knowing that road is the only one that might lead to eventual peace and healing. What horrible irony.

It has been said that pain can be one of our best teachers, and I certainly learned some valuable lessons. I learned a lot about human nature: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I learned how quickly people take sides, make assumptions and form opinions without any knowledge of the facts. I learned I can’t worry about what people think. As the saying goes, “never explain yourself; your friends don’t need it and your enemies wouldn’t believe you anyway.” What matters to me is that I did the very best I could in very difficult circumstances, and I can truly say I don’t wish anyone any ill will whatsoever. On the contrary, I still pray for those who were involved in that part of my life, and I believe conscious forgiveness has been a crucial part of my healing. Truly, to hold unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies from it.

One of the most important things I learned is that a popular cliché isn’t true – the idea that “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” For reasons unknown to us, He does allow us to experience more than we can handle at times; perhaps because that’s when we find out just how much we need Him, and it is there that real growth occurs.

Philippians 4:13 is often understood to mean we can accomplish anything through Christ, but a look at the context shows Paul saying we can endure all things through Christ who gives us the strength we don’t have on our own.

Whether it’s a broken marriage, failing health, or something else, very few of us get out of this life without experiencing suffering in some form. So, the question of the ages is: why does God allow it? I’m no C.S. Lewis so I won’t even attempt an answer (his book The Problem of Pain is a great start). This much I do know: God hates suffering and evil, probably much more than we do: enough to enter into it, become intimately familiar with it, and put His son to death over it on our behalf. Two of my favorite quotes say this better than I ever could:

“The only ultimate way to conquer evil is to let it be smothered within a willing, living, human being. When it is absorbed there, like blood in a sponge or a spear thrown into one’s heart, it loses its power and goes no further.” – Gale D. Webbe, The Night and Nothing

“For whatever reason, God chose to make man as he is – limited and suffering and subject to sorrows and death – and God has the honesty and the courage to take his own medicine. Whatever game he is playing with this creation, He has kept His own rules and played fair. He can exact nothing from man that He has not exacted from Himself. He has Himself gone through the whole of human experience, from the trivial irritations of family life and the cramping restrictions of hard work and lack of money to the worst horrors of pain and humiliation, defeat, despair, and death. When He was a man, He played the man. He was born in poverty and died in disgrace, and thought it was worthwhile. The gift of Jesus gives you a resource – a comfort and consolation – for dealing with suffering, because in it we see God’s willingness to enter this world of suffering with us and for us.” – Dorothy Sayers

When we pray for deliverance from suffering, sometimes God says “yes” in the here and now. Other times His answer, like the one He gave the apostle Paul, is “my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” In that case, keep hanging on; your story isn’t over yet.

In the midst of my journey, someone challenged me with a statement I will never forget: “let your misery become your ministry.” I know how much it meant to me when someone would say “I’ve been there and you will get through it” – and I can now say the same thing to you: you will get through it, and you are not alone.

Toward Restoration:

The Rest of the Story

One of the most healing moments of my life was when my daughter came to me out of the blue one day and said “Daddy, I believe you deserve to find someone who will really love you.” In a remarkably mature and selfless gesture for a 10-year-old, my little girl gave me permission to live – and love – again.

After all I’d been through, I had reservations about dating but I’ve seen enough good marriages to know they are possible. So, I found myself on a dating website which was discouraging to say the least. After 2 weeks I was about to quit, but a new picture popped up that I couldn’t ignore. I sent an email; she responded. We started emailing back and forth and it was clear there was mutual interest. A first date followed and I couldn’t get through it without asking for a second one. I had never met anyone like Anita but I wanted to take it slow since I knew I still had a lot of healing to do. As it turned out, she had been on her own healing journey from childhood sexual abuse and the effects that had on her life. As only He could, God used us both in amazing ways to help in each other’s healing process. I never would have imagined things unfolding as they did, but 6 months after we met, we were engaged. We married on the one year anniversary of my asking for that first date, and are both constantly in awe of the things God has done in our lives. Truly He has ”restored the years the locusts have eaten” for us (Joel 2:25).

Having been rescued out of my life’s darkest valley and restored much like Job after all he endured (Job 42:12), I have a few closing thoughts and observations that might help others who are experiencing suffering, especially through the pain of divorce:

1. God really is who He says He is. He still heals, rescues, and restores. He doesn’t always do it on our timetable, but He does have a future for you. He’s in control in the meantime and He stands ready to walk through your pain with you. If anyone understands the pain of rejection or abandonment, Jesus does.

2. In his highly recommended book Necessary Endings, Dr. Henry Cloud talks about identifying and ending truly hopeless or toxic relationships, and the crucial need to process them afterward so you don’t repeat mistakes. And not just the other person’s, but your own as well – there’s a lot to learn about yourself before you can effectively move forward. In my case, my ability to trust had become severely damaged. Where I used to trust people easily, my life experiences taught me to be guarded, skeptical, and easily suspicious at times – constantly scanning the horizon for signs of betrayal or abandonment. That is really unfair in new relationships, and I’ve had to work very hard at overcoming that. It is NOT easy. It’s a necessary part of recovery though, because if “perfect love casts out fear” then it’s also true that fear casts out love. I continually pray for complete healing in this area of my life, and am so thankful for my sweet wife’s patience, understanding and grace!

3. Any good children’s counselor will tell you that the best thing you can do for them post-divorce is to build up their other parent and encourage their relationship. I’ve certainly found that to be true, and I believe it means the world to my daughter. I’ve made a point of complimenting & praying together for her mom, even with my new wife who is totally supportive of that. Every time we do, my daughter squeezes my hand as if to say “thank you Daddy.” She knows it’s genuine and I believe it has helped her own healing process. There’s no reason it has to be any other way, and it grieves me when kids get caught between their parents’ dysfunction – they deserve better than that.

4. If your marriage is in trouble, don’t leave any stone unturned. Get every kind of help you can. Marriage is sacred and worth every ounce of effort you can possibly give. If both spouses are willing to work on it with honesty and true introspection, there is hope. Even if there’s no happy ending, there is still hope for a very bright future. I’m living proof.

A broken marriage happens to be my path through suffering. Maybe yours is a different one; there are many. If that’s where you find yourself, don’t give up. Above all, don’t give up on God. Trite as it may sound, He hasn’t given up on you. None of us escape this life unscathed. In fact, we are told in John 16:33 “in this life you will have trouble.” Keep reading! The rest of that verse is the whole point: “…but take heart! I have overcome the world.”

He knows you by name, He knows your story, and He is with you in the midst of it.

You are not alone!

Blessings,
Jim

© 2015 Jim Daneker

THANKS

To the many, many people who stood by me, prayed for me, encouraged me and supported me through my journey – my heartfelt thanks. I’m not being dramatic when I say I might not be here if it weren’t for all of you. Somewhat surprisingly, my chief encourager through it all has often been my daughter Caitlin, who continues to blow me away with her incredibly maturity, insight and selflessness. Smartest 11-year-old I know!

My new marriage to Anita has been incredibly healing on many levels, and not just for me, but for Caitlin; she has seen many examples now of what a healthy, loving marriage looks like, and she’s made lots of encouraging comments about it to both Anita and me. I give all the credit for that to Anita. From very early on, she has loved me in a way I’ve never experienced. She has nurtured me, encouraged me, prayed for me, laughed with me and shown me genuine care and affection that has often felt too good to be true. Because of her love for me and Caitlin, everyone who knows me has seen a huge change in me. I am eternally grateful for such an amazing wife!

Finally, two of my counselors both happened to recommend a book by Joni Eareckson Tada called When God Weeps. I highly recommend it if you find yourself in the midst of suffering and are tired of hearing clichés!

You can READ ANITA’S STORY here.

The post Jim Daneker’s Story (Husband of Anita) first appeared on Be Healthy and More.

As I sit here in the silence, in my beautiful & peaceful new home, with nothing but the sound of the pouring rain outside…I can’t help but feel extremely overwhelmed and immensely grateful for all that Jesus has done in my life.

I feel like I’m living a fairy tale. Cinderella perhaps. However, I certainly didn’t have an evil step-mom and step-sisters.

I grew up with a wonderful family, full of lots of love and devotion. But just like Cinderella was robbed of the kind of youth that she should have had…so was I.

I had a loving dad…but one that was absent most of my life. My parents divorced when I was 4 years old…mostly due to dad’s alcoholism. Alcohol is then what drove him to 5 more divorces. He was married a total of 6 times…and was actually divorced when he went to Heaven on February 8, 2009. Dad knew Jesus. And loved Him. He just didn’t know how to accept that freedom that he could have had. At least on Earth. I have no doubt that the moment He reached Heaven… he became free for the very first time in his life. But as you can imagine, through the process of my dad’s life…my view of marriage was crumbling…let alone any desire for it!

Then imagine a young girl…being robbed of her life in yet another way. It seemed to be quite easy for me to hide my feelings. You would look at me and see a bubbly little girl who played well with other kids and excelled in school and sports. But for about 8 years, I hid a very deep & dark secret that I was being sexually abused. Again, healthy views – shattered.

But praise Jesus that He can heal and make new…and that forgiveness is given not only for us to receive, but for us to do unto others. I have forgiven…and God has restored!“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14)

Now, back to Cinderella. One day, a prince came into her life and changed everything. He loved her and pursued her…into a life of “ever after”.

I, now, have been so overwhelmingly blessed with MY prince…Jim Matthew Daneker…who loved me and pursued me until my heart (and my mind) could no longer fight it. Plus, how could I resist his heart-stopping eyes and adorable smile!! On January 17, 2015…I married one of God’s greatest gifts to me. Jim’s love and devotion to me is like nothing I’ve ever known on this side of Heaven! I have never felt more safe and protected!

I never knew this could exist. But deep down, I certainly did HOPE that it could. God has proved to me that it DOES.

And – It. Is. Good.

Just as much as the rain pours down outside right now, so can God’s love, mercy, and grace in our lives. Our pasts, our hurts, our failures, our struggles – our sins – are nothing in comparison to what we can have when we put our trust in Jesus and choose to walk in a life devoted to Him. The Bible says in Psalms 103:12 that “as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” And in Jeremiah 29:11-14 it says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity…”.

Jesus loves YOU. He desires to rescue you, heal you, restore you…and move you forward into an amazing season of grace, love, and blessing beyond what you can ever imagine!

Maybe into even a fairy tale.

You can read MY HUSBAND’S STORY HERE.

The post My Story – Once Upon A Time Is Now first appeared on Be Healthy and More.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

I read this verse differently today.

Whenever I read this, the part that always sticks out is that God prepares the good works for me before I even know about them. That in itself is amazing, right? That’s how very specific God is about each of our lives! He cares so much to even prepare our days for us! (The hard part here is that you and I have to actually choose to walk in them! Imagine if we always did!).

But what stuck out to me today is the fact that God created ME to DO the good works. God created me specifically to do the things that He has called me to do! I don’t have to question or be fearful or compare myself with others. I just have to step out and walk in the destiny that He not only has prepared for me ahead of time…but has specifically created me to do!

Wow, doesn’t THAT take a load off????

The post God Created ME as Part of the Plan first appeared on Be Healthy and More.

I put this verse on an image on my Facebook cover photo about 1 month BEFORE my husband walked into my life. I was feeling that a new season was coming… I finally was getting to a point of being ready.

I spoke it…breathed it…believed it…and then waited patiently.

And look what Jesus did! (You can READ MY STORY here.)

I was reading Isaiah today and came across this verse again. In fact, the entire 43rd chapter is SO powerful.

It starts in verse 1 with this! “But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.”

Verse 2 goes on to say: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.”

Verses 3-17 continue to talk about how He formed us and how He is the only Savior.

And then verse 18 and 19 come along: “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.”

This entire chapter tells us that God is all-powerful and capable to restore your life! He formed you so He can surely put all the pieces back together again! In fact, as Tammy Trent always says from the stage “He doesn’t use duck tape to put the pieces back together and then hopes that it will all stick! He makes it all completely BRAND NEW! As if it’s never been done before!”

I don’t know about you…but I can’t imagine serving any other god. My God, not only restores and refreshes my soul…but can actually restore my life and give me a life that’s abundantly overflowing. And He can absolutely do the same thing for you!!

Let go of what’s behind…and wait expectantly to see what God will do!!

The post For I Am About To Do Something New first appeared on Be Healthy and More.

The person who wins the race isn’t the one who’s the fastest. Even world-class runners have bad days…even they can trip & fall.

The one who wins is the one who endures.

I love the definition of “endurance” in Wikipedia. It says that endurance is “the ability of an organism to exert itself and remain active for a long period of time, as well as its ability to resist, withstand, recover from and have immunity to trauma, wounds, or fatigue.”

I don’t know about you – but to me, that sure sounds like just trying to get through life! However, I love what this picture of the flower growing up through the cracked cement portrays. BEAUTIFUL LIFE is still possible if we can just endure.

Life is hard for most people! There are many great seasons for sure…but there can be some really tough ones! Wounds, sin, fatigue…they can overcome the best of us. OR, we can choose to endure and overcome them.

How do we endure? We must TRAIN. There’s no way that I would ever try to run a 26.2-mile marathon without having trained for at least 4 months prior. I would never make it to the end without being in incredible pain and having injuries. So why do we think we can get through LIFE without training?

How do we train for LIFE? We must know God’s truth for us. Why are we here? What is my purpose? What am I supposed to do with my life? If you knew the truth…right out of God’s mouth…it would definitely help equip you to live this life more victoriously. How do we know the truth? It’s found in God’s Word (the Bible) and through the Holy Spirit (the God whispers that we hear).

So I want to encourage you (as I’m encouraging myself just the same) to spend more time getting to know the truth of who God says you are and what your purpose is. And spend more time praying and asking Him to reveal things to you as only Holy Spirit can.

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