Quality Breakfast

I've been trying to be intentional lately about eating an adequate amount of protein daily and staying away from gluten and excess grains in my diet. Most of this has stemmed from my reading a lot about the Paleo lifestyle. I've been reading a ton from this site, Wellness Mama. The more I read and the success stories that are told are simply blowing my mind. Although I feel like a giant Grain Science traitor contemplating giving up most grains, I've already found that decreasing my consumption of them has already contributed to my overall health. More of this discussion in the future.

Here's a beautiful picture of what I have been dining on for breakfast this week. It contains a great amount of protein and good fats to fuel my day!

Local, natural eggs with bright colored yolks

Quinoa

Garlic

Avocado

Spinach

Homemade salsa 

Just Go

Tonight I want to tell you about a little adventure I am super pumped to take part in. Just a little less than two weeks ago I was presented with the opportunity to take part in this project: Go Walk America. While spending the weekend with my dear sister, she mentioned the need of a good friend for support partners in his walk across the country. My friend, Mr. Barrett Keene, is walking across the U.S. to raise funds for an amazing project called The Global Orphan Project. This project raises funds for uniforms for orphans in parts of the world where without a uniform, children cannot go to school. Additionally, they set up sewing centers in the countries to provide jobs for locals while clothing orphan children. It really is a beautiful picture of Jesus caring for the least of these.

If you read a little more of Barrett's story on the website he addresses the need for support people in his trip and the unfortunate circumstances that left him walking solo for the first several months of the trip. This is where I fit in, driving a support vehicle while Barrett walks. Barrett has worked so hard to get the word out about the project and literally relying on the Lord to provide all the necessary details.

After learning a bit more about the project I really was thinking why not? I love adventures. I love being a part of actively living as Christ's hands and feet. I love a really great road trip. I love hanging out with new friends. I don't have any family or major commitments that would inhibit me from taking off for a month at a time. Why not?

After some much necessary time in prayer and reflection, I decided that I had to act. I really believe that the Lord provided this opportunity in order for me to trust in His provision and just go. Long story short, I asked off from work for a month and just found out today that it is definitely going to work out. I'm going! I'm going on an adventure of a lifetime and will be traveling the state of Georgia for the month of March. I'm positive the Lord is going to do incredible things during this trip! Please check out the websites and see how you can get involved as well!

Go Walk America

The Global Orphan Project

Rejoice!

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:4-7

Wow. So much has been going on in my tiny little mind and soul over the past several weeks. I have felt many different emotions including joy and thankfulness yet also feeling anxiousness and even confusion. I obviously haven't put much effort into the blog world in quite awhile because I haven't really felt like I knew where my thoughts were going. More to come soon on some really exciting life adventures that have been unfolding for me.

For now I want to tell you this story:

Just yesterday I decided that I needed to quit complaining about my lack of x,y, and z in Abilene, Kansas. I often tell people that I enjoy the activities I'm pursuing here, yet feel like a few key things in life are missing. So enough of just talking about it, I decided that I need to start being proactive and lay all my wants and desires at the feet of Jesus. I decided to go for a prayer walk. I walk often and yesterday I decided to actually pray out loud to Jesus as I walked around town. I was actually inspired to take this action after spending time with a dear friend in Philadelphia who walks weekly in prayer for her neighborhood. I walked past our community garden and prayed that the space would come together and we would fill all our garden spots with excited neighborhood people wanting to garden. I then walked around town and simply prayed that God would provide other like-minded people right here to invest in this town. I know that I'm here right now for a specific reason and it would be really great if I had a few other people as excited about the things that I am excited about. I also prayed for a great number of others things and people but I want to tell you about how God has already provided.

Today, I met an amazing like-minded lady. One of my co-workers introduced us as we apparently share many things in common. In the short 10 minutes of a conversation I learned that she is writing a grant with hopes of starting another community garden at a local church. She mentioned she tries to eat as much organic food as possible and has her entire yard in edible landscape. She also is involved in natural healing and acupuncture as her career. Wow!

I am simply amazed at how quickly God speaks when we ask. Rejoice. I say it again, Rejoice!

Greetings!

Friends,

I send you all the warmest holiday greetings and trust that you had a blessed Christmas day! Very soon we will be bringing in the New Year and with that excitement for the year of possibilities ahead. I write to you today to tell you about some exciting news in my life that I want to share with you.

Recently I have started studies at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. This is in New York City and while I have not moved to New York I am taking part in a year long online study right from my own home in Abilene, Kansas. I am studying to become a certified holistic health coach. This year program will equip me to start my own business and counsel clients to lead a healthier lifestyle. The options are really endless as far as what I could do with this certification. This is exciting; however, at this point I am uncertain where it will lead me. 

Currently, I am learning a background of over 100 different health ideas and gaining skills to set up my own business and counsel individual clients. As most of you already know, I have been involved in nutrition education for several years now and have been one of those food snobs for quite some time. I'm enjoying learning a lot about holistic health and how many different aspects of life affect our overall wellness. This includes a discussion of the importance of relationships, career satisfaction, physical activity, and spirituality as critical components to our health and wellness. 

I tell you all this because I hope to gain your support in this new endeavor. In the near future I will need to practice completing health histories which are the first step consultations we complete with prospective clients. If you are interested I would love to chat with you about your health and assist you in meeting your own wellness goals. Even if you never wish to receive my health encouragement, I accept your encouragement as I complete this new endeavor!

Thank you so much for the part you have played in my life so far. As I think about my own personal wellness I am continually reminded of how blessed I have been with great friends and family that support me. Thank you. I would love to hear about what's happening in your life as well.

Blessings to you!

Amanda

P.S. If you would like to learn more about my program check out the website: http://www.integrativenutrition.com/

Jack Frost

Jack Frost finally decided to visit Kansas. Last night as I went to get on my bike to ride home from a friend's house I noticed that my seat was covered in frost as well as my side mirror. I joked to my friends that I was going to need a ice scraper so I could see out of my mirror. It was chilly. Today I decided to bundle up and go for the bike ride to work. After arriving at work, my legs and fingers were numb, my glasses fogged over, and my core body sweaty. I have decided that I have an awesome down jacket that keeps my core nice and warm and zips right up to my nose, however, the rest of my body is lacking. The ride home tonight in the 25 degree cold into a strong north wind was simply ridiculous. Despite the cold, I'm going to grin and bear it because somebody has to start a revolution!

Get on those bicycles people. Save some gas money and burn those calories!

On other news regarding the weather it is making our community garden progress come to a halt. We have been waiting on a local business to haul some compost to our garden so that we can complete our first plowing of the ground. Today as I attempted to arrange alternative movers of the compost I was told that we will need weather of at least 40 degrees in order to effectively haul and dump compost. With it being so cold, the material sticks to the side of the dump truck bed and literally freezes in place making dumping the material impossible. With that being said, I think we're stuck and going to have to wait on Jack Frost to exit the scene for a while before we can do anything. Sad day, but what can we do?