Can you believe a week has already passed? We hope you're continuing to meet your daily water goal of 8-10 glasses of Brita® water.

Here are your top 4 tips of the week to stay on track and keep up with your daily water goal:   1.  Flavor to taste! Try a squeeze of lemon or lime in your water. Or add a sprig of mint to a glass.  2.  Make your routine your reminder. Decide to have a glass whenever you start a new task or project throughout your day, or when you check something off your to-do list.3.  Set a Brita® pitcher or bottle near your TV. Drink a glass during a commercial, or pause the DVR for a hydration break!4.  Drink one glass of water before each meal.

 

Who Are You—Really?

Your hands have made me and fashioned me. —Job 10:8
Do you know who you really are? Do you really?
I know this may sound like a radical concept to some of you, but the more I’ve soaked myself in the truth of God’s Word, the more I believe I know who I really am. God has the kindest and most amazingly brilliant methods of affirming who we are to him.
Well, just in case you aren’t completely sure who you really are, consider this wonderful list of verses as a daily reminder of what God thinks when he thinks of you—which is, by the way, constantly. Let them lift you up and open your heart to see your true identity.

1. I am God’s daughter. (John 1:12)
2. I’m a friend of Christ. (John 15:15)
3. I’m God’s coworker. (1 Corinthians 3:9)
4. I’m God’s workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10)
5. I can’t be separated from the love of God. (Romans 8:35–39)
6. I am free. (John 8:31–32)
7. I am forgiven. (Romans 8:1–2)
8. I can do all things through Christ. (Philippians 4:13)
9. I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. (Ephesians 1:3)
10. I have Christ’s mind. (Philippians 2:5–7)

—Sandi Patty

Hey Ladies,

Watch out for "Coupon Cents" by the Saving Sisters every Friday.  Sign up to receive email notifications from L.I.F.T today. 





God is Good

God is Good !!!!

How did you wake up this morning; in what state of mind?

Did you not want to get up?  Did you say, " Oh, it's Monday, Again!"?  I'm too tired!!!  Did you just not want to get up?

Well, this morning when I got up, I said all of the above.  Monday, Again!!! I'm too tired.  I woke up this morning feeling tired and sorry for myself and didn't realize what is actually Importatint. 

I can see the light of day and I am breathing this morning.  I can actually get up out of bed and walk.  I have so many things to be thankful for but yet I want to soak in misery and have pity on myself because I have to go to work.  Wow.....  I should have opened my eyes and said; "Thank you Jesus" for allowing me to wake up this morning.  Thank you Jesus for allowing me to have a job to go to this morning.  Thank you Jesus because you are good.  Thank you Jesus.

So, I promise to wake up (tired as I may be) and give thanks to my creator for allowing me to be me.  For allowing me to have strength to get up each morning and take a step. 

I put all my trust in you, Jesus.  Take care of my family and friends as we start a new week.  Help us to realize that you are good and that we need to only depend on you.  Thank you for my job.  Watch over my mom and dad each and everyday for they are so precious to me.  Watch over us all. 

God is good,

Maria

Women of Faith

Tender Adjustments – by Patsy Clairmont

Have you ever seen a cashew in its shell? Me neither. It turns out that a cashew has caustic oil between the nut’s inner and outer shells. To rid this delectable treat of its acerbic element, the outer shell is burned or roasted off, and then the nut is boiled or roasted again to remove the inner shell.

Life’s hardships often feel as though someone has turned up the heat on us, and we wonder if we’ll survive. Yet I find when I’ve been “roasted” long enough in life’s difficulties, my outer casing of bad attitudes, preconceived notions, and high-mindedness is burned off. I’m left meeker, less defensive, more pliable, and less caustic.

Jesus died for every “nut” in the land . . . even the hardest one. And for that, I’m particularly grateful

Healthy Living Tip of the Week

Because your new hydration habit may seem a little daunting, each week, we’ll give you tips to help you sip your way to 8–10 glasses a day.
Don’t think in terms of glasses, think "1 Brita® Pitcher or 3 Brita® Bottles"—the smaller the number, the easier the goal
Set an alarm on your smartphone or computer, reminding you to hydrate regularly
Don't refrigerate your water as it can be easier to drink at room temperature

Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer

In times of struggle, remember that if God brought you to it, he will see you through it !!!!!!

Never give up.

Without going through some type of struggle, you don't know how powerful your spirit can be... Shawn Stockman.

THANKS

It will be almost one year that we started L.I.F.T. - ladies in faith together, and I would like to thank everyone who has attended a meeting.  Thank you for your support and I hope that you have found these meetings to be helpful.  For everyone who has attended a meeting, your name will be entered into a drawing at our next meeting.  (For each time that you attended, you name will be entered.  So, if you attended 10 times, your name will be entered 10 times) 
Once Again, Thank you and God Bless. Remember:  With God all things are Possible !!

Love and Prayers,
Maria

Cece Winans- Alabaster Box (Lyrics)

Apple-Cinnamon Wontons a la Mode

Ingredients

2 serving(s) butter-flavour cooking spray, divided
2 medium apple(s), McIntosh, peeled, cored and minced
1 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
24 item(s) wonton wrapper(s), half of a 12 oz package
1 1/2 Tbsp powdered sugar
3 cup(s) light vanilla ice cream
Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine apples, brown sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon; toss to coat apples.

Place wonton wrappers on a flat surface. Drop apple mixture by teaspoonfuls onto center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of wrapper with wet fingers, fold over one corner to make a triangle and press sides together to seal. Transfer filled wrappers to prepared baking sheet and coat surfaces with cooking spray.

Bake until wontons are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Place wontons on individual plates and sift powdered sugar on top. Serve with ice cream on the side. Yields 4 wontons, 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar and 1/2 cup of ice cream per serving.

PointsPlus® value | 6
Servings |  6
Preparation Time |  15 min
Cooking Time |  15 min
Level of Difficulty |  Moderate

 desserts |  These wontons are an unusual way to highlight fresh picked apples. Head to the orchard and get ready for a great fall dessert

Journaling can help you work through a bad attitude. When I am struggling with bad attitudes, I have found that writing out my thoughts to God helps me to unload them and sort them out and keep accountable to Him.
Take your life continually before God and He will change you into His likeness. Stuffing feelings might eventually lead to outbursts of emotions. Colossians 3:8 says that we are to put off and rid ourselves of unhealthy emotions.
“But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” (Col 3:8 NIV)
You can unload them and sort them out when you feel angry, confused, or hurt. We usually suppress them and put a lid on them or we explode. If they are stuffed, they can eventually become volcanic. Journaling is a healthy and safe way to take the lid off and diffuse them.
When your emotions feel like they are going to erupt, look at them by bringing them to God and sharing them with Him. He will pour His Holy Spirit on them and diffuse them. He will show you why you are so angry and how He wants you to respond.
Pay close attention. Many times as I write out my emotions I begin to see things I never saw before about the situation and about myself. I finally see why I do the things I do.
If you don’t deal with your feelings, they’ll deal with you or others in an unhealthy way. As you write them out before God, surrendering them, He will change your character.
Journaling your emotions will reveal to you how you are really feeling. Many times people do not even remember why they are so angry. Have you ever had that experience? Once you journal if you are still struggling, it’s time to wash with the water of God’s Word. God’s word has a cleansing effect.
God’s word is alive, full of cleansing and energizing power that can change you into who He created you to be, someone with a beautiful heart.
Through your interaction with God, He will continually knead your heart – the clay and will add the water of His word in order to expose and work out all of your impurities. As He kneads, you may feel pressure.
For example, God continually kneads my heart trying to work His love into it. When I am tempted to turn away from walking in love, He lovingly washes me with His word knowing that with just the right amount of water my heart will soften.
One night when I was really struggling with loving someone, He woke me up two times with this verse:
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8
He was instructing me to love this person unconditionally. He seemed to be saying to my heart, “If you say you know Me, then you will walk in love, for God is love.”
Even though I struggle with it, and even though I might not feel like reading God’s word, I know I must, for He is trying to mold my heart into a vessel of love. It is never comfortable when God reveals my imperfections. And it will not be comfortable when He reveals yours. But if you yield to His hand, He will remove them.
Many people never journal because each time they try, they struggle not knowing where to begin.

‘Begin Journaling’
Tips to Help You Get Started
Find a quiet spot.
Do not think too hard about what you are going to write.
Try not to edit your work.
There is no right or wrong way to journal. It is okay to make mistakes in spelling and in punctuation. This is the one place in your life where you can make a mess of things.
Allow God to minister to your heart. Do not be concerned if you do not hear Him speaking anything to your heart. In time this will come.
Use journaling as a tool to bring you closer to God and to record what He is doing in your life.
Begin by addressing your entry to God.
Examples:
Heavenly Father, I love You, please help me. I am so angry because…
Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me. I surrender my life to You. Today I sensed You speaking this to my heart…
Jesus, forgive me for….
God, I am not sure which direction to go. Please help me to know…
Or plainly:  Today I………

Start Journalling. 

There is still time if anyone is interested in attending the next Women of Faith conference.  Sept 30th - Oct 1, 2011.  Also, register for next years Women of Faith 2-day conference, cost is $89.00 for both days.

Celebrate « Women Of Faith

Celebrate « Women Of Faith