The Choice Is Yours, Part II

For many summer time means busy, on-the-go schedules.

Driving from soccer camp to gymnastics practice to a birthday party to a scouts meeting and everywhere in between 

often results in little or no time to sit down 

and eat a fresh, homemade meal.

If this describes your summer routine (or life routine, no matter the season), you probably do what many people do: eat out or eat in the car on your way to your next event/activity.  And while you may get to all the places you need to go, your body is most likely not getting the good nutrition it needs to keep up with your frantic pace.  

So, what are you to do?

Well, just as in every life situation, YOU HAVE A CHOICE.

Grab some breakfast on your way to your first event of the day:

Blueberry Pomegranate Smoothie sounds nice and healthy.

Fresh fruit, yogurt.  That's got be to good for me, right?

220 calories

50g carbs (44g of which are SUGAR)

2 g protein

70 mg calcium

1 mg Vitamin C

Gotta have my coffee too!'

I'm going to need some caffeine to get everything done on my list today.

450 calories

19g fat

64g carbs (57g of which are SUGAR)

OR

You can get up 10 minutes early and make your own breakfast, to take with you in the car:

35 g protein

30g carbs (25g of which are sugar, the real stuff)

8 servings of organic, non-GMO fruits and veggies

(from the 2 scoops of greens alone!)

Depending on how you make your coffee:

1-2 tsp sugar

Milk or cream to taste

Coffee itself has about 2 calories 

Well, the choice is YOURS.

To me, it seems pretty obvious which one is better for you!

And probably cheaper too!

Not only will your body thank you, but your wallet will be pretty happy too!

Your healthy eating and good choices don't have to go out the window come lunch time, or supper either for that matter!  With just a little planning, you can continue your healthy routine throughout the day, no matter what's on tap with your busy schedule!

You can eat out again for lunch, and if you do, make a TRULY healthy choice OR you can pack your own food to eat whenever it's convenient for you.

Option 1: 

Option 2:

Option 3: 

I think you can figure out that either option 2 or 3 would be the best bet nutritionally speaking!!!

Supper time can be just as rushed as the rest of your day.  It might even be the most hectic part of all!  You're getting home from work, the kids need to get to baseball practice, the laundry needs done, the baby's diaper needs changed, and all the dishes are still in the dishwasher dirty.  What to do for supper?

Again, a little thinking ahead can go a long ways.  You can make the meal the night before and have it ready to just heat up.  You can take a day to make 3-5 freezer meals and then just grab something out of the freezer to throw in the oven whenever you need it.  You can use a crockpot to have the meal cooking throughout the day while you are out and about getting things done.  You can have self-serve meals where everyone just grabs something to eat on the way to wherever you're headed.  Just make sure the choices are healthy ones: hummus and veggies, fresh fruit, turkey and cheese roll ups, PB sandwich on whole wheat bread, chicken quesadilla quarters (with whole wheat tortillas), homemade trail mix (nuts, raisins, cranberries, sunflower seeds, banana chips, etc) and yogurt cups.  The possibilities are endless!

And if you do need to eat out or in the car, just do what you did for lunch and make a healthy choice when placing your order!!!

Maybe you are feeling overwhelmed with the idea of making sure you eat healthy for breakfast, lunch, and supper.

Especially when you're on the go non-stop.

Well, just take one part of the day at a time.

Start with breakfast!

That right there will set the stage for the rest of your day!

If you would like to know more about It Works products and how they can help you and your on-the-go schedule, I would LOVE to chat with you.  I just got done with a great text conversation with one of my loyal customers who started using It Works in March.  She is in the car A LOT, driving from one state to another for her job.  Yet, she's managed to change her lifestyle and is feeling so much better as a result!!!  Not only has she dropped 2 jean sizes, but she has stopped smoking, and making healthy eating a part of her daily life.  She has her greens every day, be it in a hotel plastic cup or a water bottle while driving in her car.  Her manager, who saw her for the first time today since February, commented, "Wow!!!  Where have you been hiding?" when she came in the door this morning.  She told me she hasn't even wrapped for about a month and hasn't gained any weight back!  This is the real deal!!!  This is a life change!!!  And I soooooo proud of her!

I would love to see how It Works can make a difference in your life and be part of YOUR amazing success story!  

No matter how busy your life may be, you do have choices!  

And I personally think using It Works health products 

is a GREAT choice!!!!

The Choice Is Yours, Part I

For many summer time doesn't mean fun in the sun, 

it means allergy flare-ups 

and feeling miserable for the months to come.

If you do suffer from allergies, you can do what many people do and take allergy medication.  Yes, you'll get relief from your allergy symptoms, but you might also endure some unwanted side effects as well!

Exhibit A:

Take time to read the warning label!!!!

Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat;
weakness, tremors (uncontrolled shaking), or sleep problems (insomnia);
severe restless feeling, hyperactivity;
confusion;
problems with vision; or
urinating less than usual or not at all.

Less serious side effects may include:

dizziness, drowsiness;
tired feeling;
dry mouth;
sore throat, cough;
nausea, constipation; or
headache.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. 

Um, no thank you please.  Think I will pass on all those possible side effects!  Lawrence and I make fun of commercials when they list all the things that might go wrong when you are on a certain medication.   Yes, your heart will feel great, but your lungs may stop working.  Or you may be able to breathe wonderfully, but your hair will fall out.   Or you'll have more energy, but you will have restless leg syndrome too.

But what are you do to if you suffer from allergies and need relief?  What other choice do you have except to take some medicine?

How about using GREENS!

Made with natural, organic, non-GMO ingredients, you not only get great nutrition (8 servings of fruits and veggies), but you also get all of the following POSITIVE "side effects"

*allergy relief

*detoxify your system

*balance your pH levels

*alkalize your body

*strengthen your immune system

*reduce inflammation

*boost your metabolism

*curb cravings

*improve your digestion

and the list could go on and on for quite some time!  Kind of like all the possible side effects of taking Zyrtec or other allergy medication.

The choice is YOURS!

The greens are by far my favorite It Works product!  They are good for so many things, as you saw in the list of "side effects."  

Did you know you can also use them to make a facial to help with acne and scars?

Thankfully, I don't suffer from allergies and I don't have acne/scar issues, BUT I take my greens every day.   I feel great knowing I am getting great nutrition for myself and the baby growing inside of me.  I know I am helping my body stay strong and prevent illness.  I am fueling myself with natural energy to get through the day as I take care of my 2 girls and 3 daycare kiddos.  

Oh, and I give them to my girls EVERY DAY and am delighted to know they are getting 4 servings of ORGANIC, non-GMO fruits and veggies without putting up a fight or arguing.  I don't have to pry their mouths open to shove in a spoonful of peas.  I don't have to threaten, "Eat your broccoli if you want ice cream," or "Finish your carrots if you want to go to the park or to the pool."  I just hand them a cup of 100% or keifer or a smoothie with a scoop of greens "hidden" inside (but Coralyn knows they're there and has even requested that I add them to her drink), and they drink it up in a matter of seconds.  

So summer can mean many things, which I am going to highlight throughout the week on my blog.  For each summer-time "event" like allergy flare-ups, YOU have a CHOICE.  

What will you choose?  

Medication with possible side effects, 

not to mention a hole in your wallet

OR

Greens made with natural ingredients with fantastic health benefits for you and your whole family 

(whether they suffer from allergies with you or not)

Right now you can get a great deal on the new, improved, enhanced greens!!!  

Come June the price of greens will jump $5 due to costs of ingredients and fuel and the like.  They're definitely still worth the money, but why not get them cheaper while you can!!!!

If you would like more information about the Greens or any of our products at It Works, I would love to talk with you.  You can check out my website to order or find more amazing health products we have to offer.  You can also contact me personally with your questions!  

A Mother's Dream

I love, love, LOVE that I get to be at home with my girls every day!  I get to read them books, build block towers with them, do puzzles with them, color pictures with them, create playdough masterpieces, bake treats with them, push them on their tricycle, explore in the field next to our house, and much more!

Best part: I get PAID to do all of that.  I get PAID to spend time with my kids.

You see, I HAVE to work.  I HAVE to contribute to our family's income, but we determined that the best place for me to do that was at home with our kids, at least while they are young.

So I have been watching kids in our home since Coralyn was 6 weeks old.  Staying at home and trusting God to provide daycare kids was a huge test of our faith.  Would God come through?  Would he send kids my way?  Would He send enough kids my way so that my income would be sufficient to help pay the mortgage and bills?  Some times have been tighter than others, much tighter.  Like last year when my "maternity leave" with Kellah ended up lasting 8 MONTHS, and I wasn't contributing to our income during that time, except for the occasional childbirth students.  God has ALWAYS been faithful, though, and made sure that all our needs were met.  Yes, we did without some extras, but we always had food on the table, lights in the house, running water, and gas in the cars.

This next school year I will be full with daycare kiddos for the first time since 2010!  Talk about God's faithfulness to provide.  And they are all great families too!  Drop off around 7, pick up no later than 4:30.  Can't beat that in daycare world!  Oh, and I get summers off because I watch teachers' kids.  Just an added bonus, though it does mean no income for June and July.

Usually...

This year is different.  In February, I finally decided to become an It Works distributor after passing on the offer back in 2012.  I know money was super duper tight back then, but how I wish I would have taken that leap of faith and gone ahead and joined then.  In three months, I have started receiving a commission check that matches what I make watching 2 daycare kids full time!

I am SO CLOSE to promoting to the Diamond level in the company too, which will bring it about what I make watching THREE daycare kids full time!

Not to mention, the $10,000 bonus I could earn if I promote by the end of this month!  That's an extra $400 in our bank account each month for the next 25 months!  Talk about setting aside money for a car or vacation or paying off our mortgage in half the time!

I could actually "quit my job" of in-home daycare and just do It Works come August, but I have already committed to watching kiddos for 4 great families and am excited to watch their kiddos grow up even more. What would Coralyn and Kellah do without their playmates every day?!

So, this next year, we plan to save, save, save since I will be making double the income.  We can put aside money for a car, in case one of ours happens to go out on us.  We can pay more on our mortgage.  We can save up for a special family vacation with my parents (my mom really wants to go on a cruise or something BIG).  We can be free to give to others as needs arise.

That's one of the main reasons why I joined It Works in the first place...so that we would have the availability and opportunity to bless others generously and abundantly.

I would love for It Works to be a blessing to your family as well.  Maybe you would like to be able to stay at home with your kids.  You can make that dream come true!  And I would love to show you how It Works can be a part of that.  I would teach you, support you, and encourage you every step of the way.  We have an amazing team who helps each other out, prays for each other, and are really more of a family than co-workers!

NOW is the time to join though!

$99 might be a lot of money to you at this point in life, but I wouldn't ask you to make an investment if I didn't think it would pay off, and in a short amount of time!

This really is an amazing opportunity and I don't want anyone to miss out!  So, think about it, pray about, and let me know if you have any questions or want more information!  I would LOVE to chat with you!

Being UN-Selfish

Many times I find it hard to spend money on myself.  I can't justify it, especially if money is tight or what I am considering buying/paying for is "frivolous."

So, I don't buy new clothes very often, unless it's from a thrift store or on a clearance rack, or better yet on sale at a thrift store!  And even then I don't like to spend more than $5 on a single item.  I can't even seem to bring myself to go get new socks and the like, despite the fact that I've had the same ones since college (and maybe even before).

Hair cuts are not on my radar either.  In fact, this past March I paid for my first hair cut, ever in life!  And then, I only scheduled the appointment because when I was meeting our new neighbors I found out one of them is a hair stylist.  I figured having her cut my hair would be a great way to get to know her and start developing a friendship with her!

Manis and pedis are not even in my galaxy.

I would much rather spend money on my family and other people, but even then you better believe I look for a good deal!

And now here I am selling It Works and asking you to spend money on yourself.  I want you to spend $30 on a wrap that you wear for 45 minutes.  I advertise other products like defining gel, facial wraps, and skin care items.  I rave about greens and vitamins and fish oils and protein powders.

How does that work with my tendency to not spend money myself?
Good question.

BUT, I don't think they conflict at all!

You see, I have absolutely no problem going to the grocery store and filling my cart with fruits and vegetables, yogurt, keifer, lean meats, cheese, eggs, and other healthy foods to feed my family.  I will gladly spend a considerable amount at the register if it means that my family is getting quality food to feed their bodies and help them stay strong and healthy.  I will fork over the cash to keep my family feeling well, performing at their best, and as far away from the doctor's office as possible.

Granted, I'm not the grocery store, but the products I am asking you to buy and use will help keep you and your family healthy.  In my book, that's a responsible way to spend your money.  Not to mention, our products are fairly priced.  $28 (as of now) for a container of greens that supplies you with 240 servings of ORGANIC, NON-GMO fruits and veggies!  If I saw a sale like that on organic produce at the grocery store, you better believe I would be stuffing my bags full of food!

When we watch Biggest Loser, I get so frustrated as the contestants and coaches talk about how they need to do this for themselves.  It's all about ME.  And yes, the men and women on that show do need to lose weight and get healthy.  No doubt about it that they need to be there at the ranch to invest in their health.  But it's not about the individual contestants.  At least not in my opinion.  It's about their husbands and wives. It's about their young children.  It's about their grandchildren.  It's about getting  healthy so that they can be there for their families.  If they don't take control of their health, then realistically they will die.  Sad, but true. Sometimes honesty hurts.  But's it necessary.  It's a matter of life and death!!!

Now, you may not be a contestant on the Biggest Loser, nor even need to apply for the show.  But your health is still just as important.

And when I ask you to spend your hard-earned cash on It Works products, I am not asking you to be selfish and spend money on frivolous things just for yourself.  If that were the case, I would probably have to boycott myself! :)

Quite the opposite.  I am asking you to invest in your health for the sake of those you love.  Your husband.  Your wife.  Your kids.  Your grandkids.  Your family and friends.  I am asking you to make your health a priority so that you can do everything possible to increase not only the amount of time you have with those you love, but also the QUALITY of time you have with them.  That's about the most UN-SELFISH thing you could do!

So, when you pay $30 (or $25 if you have a coupon) to wear a wrap for 45 minutes, you're not just spending money to tighten, tone, and firm.  You also help reduce inflammation and improve circulation, things that will help improve your overall health.  The wraps also help your body break up and use fat cells, also contributing in a big way to good health.  Sounds pretty UN-SELFISH to me.

When you spend $28 on the greens, you are boosting your immune system and helping reduce the chances of getting sick.  Again, a very UN-SELFISH thing to do.

If you buy the Fat Fighters for $23 to help absorb 1/3 of the fat and 2/3 of carbs you eat so that your body doesn't get the chance, you're not paying for some "get thin, lose weight fast diet pill."  You're helping your body stay lean so it can build muscle and perform at its full potential.  UN-SELFISH once more.

If you buy ANY It Works product, I see it as an investment not only in your health, but in the lives of those you love.  You can't get more UN-SELFISH that than.

So, when I post about wraps and greens and other It Works products, please don't think I am asking you to selfishly spend money on "frivolous" things for yourself.  Please, see and hear my heart.  Please understand that I am really asking you to be UN-SELFISH as you work to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle!!!!

The same is true as I ask you to consider becoming an It Works distributor.  Yes, $99 may seem like a lot of money if your budget is tight.  But, I wouldn't ask anyone to spend their money on something if I didn't think it would work and help their family in a big way.  I would love to show you how you can take your $99 to start your business, run it FREE for 3 months, and even earn a $10,000 bonus!

If you have any questions about It Works -- the company or our products, I would love to chat with you!  Check out my website or contact me personally so I can give you all the information you want and need!

Tools of the Trade

A carpenter has a tool belt...

A mechanic has a tool chest...

A chef has utensils, pots and pans, and an entire pantry of supplies...

A teacher has school supplies galore...

A mom has a diaper bag or purse...

Everyone has their tools of the trade.

No matter your profession, no matter what you do or who you are or where you live, you need tools to stay healthy.  You need resources to do one of your most important jobs: taking care of your body.  If you can't do that, then you really can't be a carpenter, mechanic, chef, teacher, mom (or anything else for that matter)!  At least not very well.

As human beings our number one "job" is to bring glory to our Creator.  Not only were we created by Him, but FOR Him.  Everything we do is supposed to honor Him, to praise Him, to enhance His reputation.  Our lives are meant for relationship with Him, everything we do should bring us closer to Him.  I believe that it is our responsibility to take care of the bodies God has given us so that we can fulfill the work He has created us to do.  Our bodies are His temple.  He lives inside of us.  We should, then, do everything we can to keep our bodies strong and healthy, equipped for the tasks He has prepared specifically for us.

Yes, we will still get sick.  Yes, illness still happens.  We aren't immune from disease.

BUT, if we can increase our chances of being healthy, shouldn't we do that?  Shouldn't we do everything in our power to take care of our bodies so that we can do the various jobs God has given us to do -- first and foremost, living all out for Him, in whatever ways that may manifest itself, be it a carpenter, mechanic, chef, teacher, mom, or any other earthly profession?!

This is one of the primary reasons I joined It Works.  To provide people with the tools and resources to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles.

I am passionate about many things, but really they all fall under one of three categories:

GOD

FAMILY

HEALTH

In everything I do, I want to honor and glorify God.  

As I love and serve my family, I want to point them to Jesus, to help them draw closer to Him, to encourage and support them as they too live all out for Him.

For me to do these first two things well, I need to be as healthy as possible.  And I want others to enjoy their time on earth as much as possible too; thus, I want to help everyone I know (and even those I don't) to invest in their health.

So, what are the tools of my trade as an It Works distributor?

And we have more too!

Really, truly, we have something for everyone.  No matter what your health goals, It Works can help you reach them.  No matter what your level of health, we can help you develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle!

So, what tools could YOU use to do your job of being healthy?  How can It Works help YOU invest in your health so that you can DO all you were created to do and BE all you were created to be?!

Check out my website for more information or contact me so I can answer any questions you have!  I would love to help you start developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle TODAY!

What I Never Learned in Science Class

Or at least I don't remember learning any of this in science class, but then again Mr. Mac very well could have explained it to us in high school.  Either I didn't understand what he was saying, or I couldn't read his writing because somehow I missed on the lesson about the importance of having an alkalized body.

Before February, when I joined It Works, alkalinity or alkalize or alkaline (or any other form of the word) were not in my daily vocabulary, seeing as how I didn't even know what they meant.

Now, just over three months later, I use these words every day, multiple times.

Maybe you were asleep in science class too and missed this valuable lesson, so I wanted to have a quick crash course in alkalinity and help you see why it's so important to your health.

I'm a visual learner, so I will use lots of graphs and pictures to get my point across...

 If our bodies aren't alkalized, then they are acidic.  What can happen when our bodies are acidic?

Simple solution -- take your greens.  Every day!

It costs about a $1 a day!

Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Most people don't think twice about spending a $1 at McDonald's for a quarter pounder or at Wendy's for a frosty or at Chick-fil-A for some waffle fries or Taco Bell for a bean and cheese burrito.  Not very many people give it a second thought when they drink a can of pop, eat a candy bar, or "refuel" with a cup of afternoon coffee.

Why not put that $1 towards something that will actually benefit your health?!

Come June, we will have Greens in two delicious flavors:

You can get them in a container that will last one person a month if he/she uses the recommended 2 scoops of greens every day.  $33 for a loyal customer.

The Greens on the Go will also last one person a month if he/she uses one packet a day.  $35 for a loyal customer.

The larger container has 90 servings (one person using 2 scoops a day).  $79 for a loyal customer, saving you $20 (if you were to buy 3 individual smaller containers it would cost $99)!  AND makes one serving LESS than a $1 a day!  Now, that is DEFINITELY a no-brainer to me!  I know I will be ordering the larger container for our family come June!  We ran out this past month, and I don't want that to ever happen again!

I know some people are label readers, like myself, so here's a list of some of the ingredients in the greens:

If you want a complete ingredient list, just go to my website!  The greens can be found under SUPPLEMENTS.  Then, when you are looking at the greens, click on PRODUCT DESCRIPTION.  At the bottom you will see a link to View Ingredients.  

If you have any questions about the greens (or any other It Works products), please let me know!  I would love to answer your questions, give you more information, share testimonies, or tell you anything else you want to know!

Since joining It Works in February (just over 3 months ago), I have come to appreciate all of our products, as they can help a variety of people in a variety of ways as they all seek to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles.  But the reason why I joined this company and became a distributor was because of our greens.  Not the wraps.  Though they are amazing and I love them too, especially how they help your body from the inside out.  However, my goal is not to wrap everyone I meet (though that would be fun).  My mission is to get EVERYONE to take greens EVERY DAY.  Like I said before, I'm asking you to spend about a $1 a day to invest in your health.  Nothing crazy or super expensive.

So, think about it.  How could putting a $1 a day towards greens change YOUR health?  How could that $1 change your ENTIRE LIFE?!

Try it for 90 days.  I dare you.  See if you notice a difference in the way you look, feel, and live JUST BY ADDING THE GREENS to your daily routine!

Well, hopefully that wasn't too boring of a science lesson for ya.  I have been fascinated with all I have learned about health and wellness since joining It Works!  I love sharing what I am learning with others, in hopes that they too might benefit from these products and the things they can do for our bodies!

What Summer USUALLY Means

As the end of May and the end of the school year quickly approach, I have been thinking about summer and what it usually means for our family.

Well, your husband is a teacher, so that means you get like 2 months of vacation!

Yeah, and since you do daycare for teachers' kids, you get 2 months off too!

We have heard these comments countless times, but they are only partly true:
*My husband is indeed a teacher
*I do watch teachers' kids for my in-home daycare

The other half of both statements is completely and utterly false!
*Lawrence teaches summer school.  His last day of regular school is Thursday, May 30.  He has Summer School training on Friday, May 31.  Summer school starts on Monday, June 3.  So NO break for my  man!
*Since Lawrence teaches summer school during June, I also watch kiddos during that month.  Again, no time off for me either (not that a mom ever has a day off)!

Our summer vacation comes down to the month of July, BUT two of those weeks we gladly "give up" to spend at Ponca Bible Camp in Arkansas.  We volunteer to work with the kids, many of them from our area, to introduce them to Jesus and help them see how awesome a personal relationship with Him can be.  And in the process, we get to go on some pretty amazing hikes, swim in the beautiful Buffalo River, play a lot of games, and basically have a ton of fun.  Yes, we also help wash quite a few dishes, deal with camper drama, make sure the staff are all on the same page, and handle any other unforseen issues that may arise when working with about 80 kids and 20-30 adults with only 15-20 showers available for everyone to share!  We are honored to be able to be a part of the ministry God is doing at Ponca Bible Camp, but those two weeks aren't really a vacation.

Now that we've got the whole 2 months of summer vacation myth all cleared up, let's move on to other things that summer means for our family:
*swimming at the pool (last summer we had a membership to the Community Center, but this year our neighborhood has a pool so we get to swim there)
*bike rides and hikes at various parks (Lawrence especially likes to visit State Parks and has a goal of going to every single one in MO)
*organizing and deep cleaning in our house as we never seem to have the time or energy to do that during the school year

Those all sound good to me!  But there's one other thing that summer typically means for our family that isn't all that great:
*no paycheck for ME -- since I watch teachers' kids and take off the month of July, I don't get paid during the month of July.  That's a huge chunk of change that won't be going into our bank account, which usually means things get tight, really tight, during the summer months at our house.  Not the best timing, seeing as how we want to go and do fun things as a family when we finally have the time together to do so!
*Furthermore, this year both of the teachers whose kids I babysit aren't teaching summer school, so that means no paycheck for the month of June either!
*Two months without money coming in is a long time!  Typically, I am freaking out about this time of May, worried about how we are going to make ends meet throughout the summer.  I know that God will take care of us.  He ALWAYS provides, but sometimes it's hard to trust as I wait for Him to do so, as He has this knack for coming through "at the last minute" (at least in my eyes, but in reality it's the perfect timing all along).

This year is different though.  It's NOT the usual summer for the Young family!  In a good way!  I am not worried at all about how we are going to pay our bills or afford some extra activities as we make special memories as a family.  While I wish it was all because of my massive faith in God and that I have magically learned to rest in Him without any doubt or fear or hesitation in the world, it's not.  Nope, more like God's awesome and generous provision that has ALREADY come through for us!

What do I mean?

My It Works "job" is a full year one, so I don't take June and July off.  While I don't know exactly what my commission paycheck will be for those months, I have a pretty good guess.  In fact, I am hoping they are my busiest/best months yet!

My paycheck for April (we get paid on the 15th of the following month, so I just got my commission deposited onto my special It Works debit card) was over $800.  That's more than I make watching one daycare kiddo each month.  I also made over $500 in wrap cash and $300 in bonus money.  We used the bonus money to sponsor kids for camp, so that money never really made it to our bank account, but that's more than okay!  If I just look at my commission and wrap cash, I made over $1300.  MORE than what I would make for my one full time and one part time daycare kiddos!

And given that at least 3 people have already joined our team or will have joined by the weekend, I know that my paycheck will be even more for the month of May!

That's just crazy!

But, ALL God!  Only because of Him is any of this possible!  I have prayed and prayed for God to meet our needs, and what do you know, He has done so in abundance!  Like I said, He's pretty good at that!

So not only am I NOT worried about our finances for the first summer in years, but I am looking forward to being able to do special things as a family and bless others too!

I know I already posted earlier this morning about how blown away I am with God's blessings in various areas of my life, but I just had to give another shout out to God and the way He is working in my life and heart.  I love how He is taking the desires of my heart -- to be with my kids, to show people how awesome Jesus is, to help people be healthy, and to bless others in whatever ways present themselves -- and enabling me to do ALL of them in ways I never even imagined possible!  I am just in awe of God and the work He is doing.

Instead of fretting over finances this summer, my only "concern" is finding a cute maternity swimsuit to wear to the pool! :)

Beyond My Wildest Dreams

I feel like I am a living, breathing, walking, talking, blogging example of Ephesians 3:20 being played out, thousands of years after Paul poured his heart out for his fellow believers and made some pretty lofty promises as he spoke of all that God could do in and through their lives.

I'm not from Ephesus, nor have I ever been there.  BUT, I do serve the same God as Paul and the believers in that ancient city did so long ago.  He is the same God today as He was way back then.  And just as Paul was confident God could make those men and women "complete with all the fullness of [His] power," I too believe God can do His work in my life, today in the 21st century.

As Paul continued, his prayer turned to praise.  I can picture him kneeling by his bed, fervently bringing his dear friends before the Lord, and then being overcome with love and adoration for Jesus Himself.  I can just see him jumping up and shouting at the top of his lungs, "Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think!"  

Another translation quotes Paul, "Now all glory to God, who is able, through His might power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope."

Well, that's about how I feel right about now!  I am simply overwhelmed with God's goodness and the way He has been answering my prayers beyond what I ever imagined!

First, I have been excited about Ponca Bible Camp.

The first week of camp is just about a month away!  I have been praying for the kids who need to go to be signed up, for their hearts to be ready for what God is going to do and show them during their week of camp.  I have been praying for people to sign up as staff members and for all roles to be filled in a timely manner.  I have been praying for the speakers and directors. Basically for anyone and everyone who will be involved with Ponca in any way this summer.

Yesterday, my friend and midwife asked me how to register her son.  I had no idea he was even interested in going to Ponca!  He is all signed up now!  Then, this morning, I see a post from another friend saying she had registered her daughter.  I am super excited about her coming, especially since her family just moved to a new place and that can open up the Ponca experience to all the people in her town!  Ponca is spreading like wildfire!  I also got a message this morning from a counselor last year letting me know that she too had registered not just her kids, but had signed up to as well!  I talked with yet another mom yesterday who wanted to know how to sign up to be a cook the week her daughter was at camp.  Last week, another mom did the same thing for the week her son will be there!  I LOVE this!  Such an answer to prayer!  Ponca is special place in my heart, and I truly believe God works there in a miraculous way.  I want everyone to experience this amazing camp for themselves!!!!

Second, I have been praying for our neighbors and the opportunity to develop meaningful friendships with them.  Last night, Lawrence got to play volleyball on a team with a few of the neighbors, and he will again for the next two weeks.  No, we didn't present the gospel to them or talk to them about the Four Spiritual Laws, BUT we are definitely laying the foundation to introduce them to Jesus.  We want them to SEE Him in our lives, to WITNESS Him at work in us, and to WANT the same thing in their lives!  I have talked with two neighbor ladies and supper plans are in the works for both families!  I am excited to see what God is going to do as we become friends with our neighbors and introduce them to the Ultimate Friend Jesus Christ!

Third, I have been praying for my It Works team.

Some of these ladies I don't know personally, as my friends have invited their friends and family members all across the United States to join the team.   I love that!  Regardless of whether I went to high school with these girls or their sisters, worked with them at camp, or have never met them before in my life, I pray for each of them daily.  I pray for God to bless their business, to allow them to contribute to their families' incomes while doing something they are passionate about and enjoy.  I pray for God to use them to bless others as they help people get and stay healthy and change their lives in the process.  I pray for God to add new members to our team, so they too can get in on the amazing opportunity It Works provides.

Well, God has blown me away with the answers to those prayers for sure!  This morning as I sat down to eat my scrambled eggs and check my facebook, I read a message from one of my team members letting me know that she was in the process of signing a new distributor AND would be signing her mother-in-law this weekend!  I am so excited for her!  To top it off, for me to promote to the next level, I needed just one more distributor and that person needed to be under this very girl on my team!  Now, how cool (and divine) is that!  I was jumping up and down with joy, talking Lawrence's ear off about how wonderful this is!  I contain myself, sit back down, and go to our team's group page.  There I read a post saying another team member signed up her sister-in-law!

I am definitely going to keep praying for the FIVE people I have been talking with who have shown an interest in becoming a distributor and joining the It Works team.  Who knows what God can do with all that potential!

I am also going to be praying for my teammates who have friends and family interested in this It Works business.  I know of at least 4 individuals and 3 salons who are contemplating joining our team!

My goal, which seems so far out there some days, is to earn the $10,000 bonus It Works offers to distributors in their first 3 months.  At times I have laughed at the possibility of actually reaching the Diamond level in such a short time and getting an extra $400 in my account each month for 25 months, but then God does stuff like this.  Then, God reminds me, "Hey, with me nothing is impossible!"  He pulls me to His side and doesn't just whisper in my ear, but rather shouts, "I can do infinitely MORE than you can ever imagine or hope or even dare to ask!"  He waves a bright, flashing neon sign in front of my face, "Dream Big!" and has me read verses in Scripture that tell me over and over and over again that the God who formed the mountains, set the ocean's boundaries, placed the stars in the sky and knows them all by name is the same God who is at work in ME!

On my bathroom mirror, I have these verses from 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 posted so I see them every morning as I get ready for the day:

So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.

I definitely feel God's power in my life today!  No doubt about it!  No other way to explain it!  I truly believe He has laid the three things I have been praying about on my heart.  I have stepped out in faith, trusting Him to guide and direct us, to bless us as we seek to live for Him in every area of our lives.  And now more than ever I can see Him working to "accomplish all the good things my faith has prompted me to do."  Not only that, He is blowing my mind with the way He is answering my prayers in ways that are far beyond even my wildest dreams!

And as He does, I pray that His name will be honored and glorified.  Because above all, THAT is my utmost hope and desire in life!