We’re at the park, and she’s happily bouncing, We’re at the park, and she’s happily bouncing, amazed by the big trucks driving by, never wanting to stop going down the slide, smiling constantly — and I’m laughing with her, amazed at her joy and think — Is this what God feels like with me as His child? 

Delight. Lightness. Wonder. Love.

I was filled to the brim with it, covering every crack and reaching every corner. And then I realized — this. is. it. 

This is how I operate in the world. 

I felt so... whole... not because of my efforts at wholeness but because I have God and He has me. (Psalm 23 rings loud: with Him as my Shepherd, I lack nothing.) 

The best I can do for myself is accept and live in His love, especially when mistakes and lack and circumstances scream reasons I can’t. And the best I can do for others, those under my roof and those on this platform, is to extend invitations of His love through my own and through His Word. 

If your life has told you He doesn’t want to love you or know you, I’m here to tell that He does. It’s waiting for you, probably even pursuing you... it just takes a Yes of faith. 

Message me if you want to talk about it; I would LOVE to hear your story, no matter how different we are. 

You're not forsaken,
You're not alone
His love is unending
So know it well
Remind your soul,
remind your spirit,
remind your heart
The love of the Father
Know it well
—Kari Jobe
Bless you and thank you for your heart and work, @ Bless you and thank you for your heart and work, @morganharpernichols.
“I told you about my life, and you answered me; “I told you about my life, and you answered me; teach me your statutes. Help me understand the meaning of your precepts so that I can meditate on your wonders. I am weary from grief; strengthen me through your word. Keep me from the way of deceit and graciously give me your instruction. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set your ordinances before me. I cling to your decrees; Lord, do not put me to shame. I pursue the way of your commands, for you broaden my understanding.” Psalms‬ ‭119:26-32 CSB‬‬
18 months old and she’s joined the ‘lover of t 18 months old and she’s joined the ‘lover of the slide’ club
“We must reflect that, when we reach the end of “We must reflect that, when we reach the end of our days, our life experience will equal what we have paid attention to, whether by choice or default. We are at risk, without quite fully realizing it, of living lives that are less our own than we imagine.” William James

With the help of God, may we strive to become abiding and attentive people instead of distracted and defeated people.
The entire thing is He loved me first. And even wh The entire thing is He loved me first. And even when our surroundings are burning or when all we see is rubble, there is an unseen Kingdom to serve, a Family to be part of, and a powerful Love to give and receive. 

Every week it seems I’m inspired by a comment a friend and pastor made years ago — “Don’t be afraid to talk to someone about the truth of Jesus. Think of it as joining a conversation God might already be having with that person.” 

May we be conduits of that strong, courageous, welcoming, comforting, healing, transforming, sustaining, peacemaking, eternal Love. Or as Bernice King said, “Love puts in work.”
Call it ‘a Sunday stroll in Appling.’ Call it ‘a Sunday stroll in Appling.’
“God is always coming to you in the sacrament of “God is always coming to you in the sacrament of the Present Moment. Meet and receive Him there with gratitude.” Evelyn Underhill 

Such brokenness we see, such pain, such fear. Attend to Jesus — Lord, Savior, King — with all your honest thoughts and feelings, and let His power and love change you. Let Him form and re-form you into a help for the hurting, a bright spot for those in the dark, a presence for others to rest in. A ‘little Christ’ on the earth.

 ^ what I’m rehearsing to myself
Living life with the Holy Spirit — “you fulfil Living life with the Holy Spirit — “you fulfill the will of God through the inner influence of His Spirit instead of the outer influence of the law of God” (David Guzik).

This took me probably 15 years of following Jesus to grasp. It felt too easy, my willpower was my measuring stick, and the freedom was terrifying. 

But alas, God’s way is the best way, and there is no substitute for the Holy Spirit. I can’t muster spiritual fruit, but His goal, thankfully and marvelously, is vineyards and vineyards.

May we surrender this work to Him.
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wellness · 04/22/2016

What I Learned About Health From Cameron Diaz

This picture was taking on our honeymoon, when we adventured to Asheville, NC. I chose this picture because it relates to this post. I’ll come back to it.

I think I was pretty late to The Body Book party, but when she recently realized The Longevity Book, I was too curious not to pick it up. She basically goes through all the basics of the human body (specifically us girls), good health, the value of exercise (which she calls movement), even our mind and soul. It’s an easy read, but quite the book. I don’t want to spoil it if you do intend to read it, but below are some of my favorite passages, and the occasional thought.

“Your body is your past, present, and future. It carries the memory of your ancestors, because you are made up of the genes given to you by your parents and their parents before them. It is the culmination of everything you have ever eaten, all the physical activity that you did or didn’t do, all the efforts that you’ve made to understand and take care of it. And how well you care for it will determine how well you are able to live your life.”

Nutrition

You must act as a nutrition delivery system for your cells, finding and consuming the most nutrient-rich foods possible, so your cells can do everything they want to do: protect you, energize you, heal you, as well as enable you to keep thinking and breathing. Because you are what you eat.

I like Cameron’s overarching theme throughout the book is that health is your body working at its optimum, with the energy to do all that you desire to do in a day, a body to fight off sickness and keep you strong. Health is not a size zero or the ability to run a marathon. I like this idea a lot, because everyone has a different body build, unique genetic makeup, and different passions. Some hate running, so they swim for exercise. Some bodies are meant to be a size 6, that’s where they thrive, not at a size 2.

Movement

When we think about fitness, we don’t think about playing. We think about lifting weights at the gym, running on a treadmill, and hiring a personal trainer. We think about calories burned, sweat sweated, time spent. But that kind of movement is only part of the equation. If you want to be a healthy person, you much move ALL OF THE TIME. You must remember what it feels like to move for the JOY OF IT. To move because you can move.

Your bones rely on your muscles to help keep them strong, and your muscles rely on you to make them strong. Building your body just means creating strength in all parts of your body in order to create a structure that will be able to carry you through life so that you can be strong and capable.

The joy of it. Fitness is a lifestyle decision. Even though I’ve been an athlete since 7th grade, I’m only just now realizing that good health is an overall attitude, not just one “let’s exercise for 6 months to lose 5 pounds and then eat whatever we want” season. It’s more enjoyable, I think, to give ourselves grace on days we can’t exercise, because we know that overall, we are active people. Finding an activity that makes you happy, challenges you, and strengthens you will help make fitness a lifestyle instead of a chore.

Reading this book gave me a new perspective about exercise. Exercise builds muscle, which strengthens bone, which will help me do all the things I love to do! Strengthening my bones and muscles now will help me enjoy life even more later. I kept thinking, ‘Chelsea, stop limiting exercise to only being something to help you lose weight. It’s so much more than that, so much better than that!’

Mind

The alternative to not aging is as grim as it gets, because if you’re not getting older, you are dead. Taking good care of yourself is a wonderful way to slow down the rate at which your body ages, because at some point, how old your body feels is not a question of years, but a tally of habits and choices and chance. But no matter how much we exercise and how much we moisturize, it is the law of nature and the journey of being human that our bodies are aging and changing every single day. Instead of obsessing over staying young forever, isn’t it better to want things that we can have, to aim our energies at achieving results that are actually achievable?

Health is not about depriving yourself. It’s about giving yourself everything that you deserve. And that begins with being kind to yourself, and gentle, because everything takes time — but if you persevere you will get there.

I really admire her opinions on aging. She talks much about aging gracefully, and joyfully, and peacefully. At some point, how old your body feels is not a question of years, but a tally of habits and choices and change.

In the ‘dieting world’ today, if you’re trying to lose a little extra, or train for a an event, or if you simply feel pressure from our culture to look/be a certain way, the overall attitude is that you must restrict your diet and activities. You must abstain from X, and only eat Y.

This is sometimes difficult place to live. It can be stressful, discouraging, and honestly, a bummer most days. Health is not about depriving yourself. It’s about giving yourself everything that you deserve. 

How well we care for our bodies will determine how well we are able to live our lives.

Overall, The Body Book is informative, insightful, challenging, and encouraging. Pick it up if I’ve piqued your interest.

PS – I chose the above photo because the month leading up to our wedding, I was so busy I hardly had time to truly exercise. But I walked a good bit, with my future husband, and friends. During out honeymoon, we did a handful of challenging but rewarding hikes. We walked around Biltmore House and downtown Asheville, exploring the area. For about 8 weeks, I didn’t consistently exercise, but I felt good because I didn’t let that stop me from being active. I knew activity would help me release tension, it would clear my mind, it would remind me to choose joy.

In: wellness · Tagged: body image, fitness, health

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Comments

  1. Susannah says

    04/22/2016 at 5:34 pm

    It’s so important to keep our bodies healthy – however we do it. Like you said, walking is often all we can fit into our schedules but that’s an active things so it’s still a win!

  2. Chelsea B.E. says

    04/22/2016 at 5:52 pm

    Agreed! That’s totally a win in my book. :)

  3. Summer @ Coffee With Summer says

    04/23/2016 at 12:43 am

    I love this post – so motivational for me right now as I’m needed to do all of this, haha.

  4. Chelsea B.E. says

    04/23/2016 at 8:00 pm

    I’m glad, Summer! I’m in the same boat. :)

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We’re at the park, and she’s happily bouncing, We’re at the park, and she’s happily bouncing, amazed by the big trucks driving by, never wanting to stop going down the slide, smiling constantly — and I’m laughing with her, amazed at her joy and think — Is this what God feels like with me as His child? 

Delight. Lightness. Wonder. Love.

I was filled to the brim with it, covering every crack and reaching every corner. And then I realized — this. is. it. 

This is how I operate in the world. 

I felt so... whole... not because of my efforts at wholeness but because I have God and He has me. (Psalm 23 rings loud: with Him as my Shepherd, I lack nothing.) 

The best I can do for myself is accept and live in His love, especially when mistakes and lack and circumstances scream reasons I can’t. And the best I can do for others, those under my roof and those on this platform, is to extend invitations of His love through my own and through His Word. 

If your life has told you He doesn’t want to love you or know you, I’m here to tell that He does. It’s waiting for you, probably even pursuing you... it just takes a Yes of faith. 

Message me if you want to talk about it; I would LOVE to hear your story, no matter how different we are. 

You're not forsaken,
You're not alone
His love is unending
So know it well
Remind your soul,
remind your spirit,
remind your heart
The love of the Father
Know it well
—Kari Jobe
Bless you and thank you for your heart and work, @ Bless you and thank you for your heart and work, @morganharpernichols.
“I told you about my life, and you answered me; “I told you about my life, and you answered me; teach me your statutes. Help me understand the meaning of your precepts so that I can meditate on your wonders. I am weary from grief; strengthen me through your word. Keep me from the way of deceit and graciously give me your instruction. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set your ordinances before me. I cling to your decrees; Lord, do not put me to shame. I pursue the way of your commands, for you broaden my understanding.” Psalms‬ ‭119:26-32 CSB‬‬
18 months old and she’s joined the ‘lover of t 18 months old and she’s joined the ‘lover of the slide’ club
“We must reflect that, when we reach the end of “We must reflect that, when we reach the end of our days, our life experience will equal what we have paid attention to, whether by choice or default. We are at risk, without quite fully realizing it, of living lives that are less our own than we imagine.” William James

With the help of God, may we strive to become abiding and attentive people instead of distracted and defeated people.
The entire thing is He loved me first. And even wh The entire thing is He loved me first. And even when our surroundings are burning or when all we see is rubble, there is an unseen Kingdom to serve, a Family to be part of, and a powerful Love to give and receive. 

Every week it seems I’m inspired by a comment a friend and pastor made years ago — “Don’t be afraid to talk to someone about the truth of Jesus. Think of it as joining a conversation God might already be having with that person.” 

May we be conduits of that strong, courageous, welcoming, comforting, healing, transforming, sustaining, peacemaking, eternal Love. Or as Bernice King said, “Love puts in work.”
Call it ‘a Sunday stroll in Appling.’ Call it ‘a Sunday stroll in Appling.’
“God is always coming to you in the sacrament of “God is always coming to you in the sacrament of the Present Moment. Meet and receive Him there with gratitude.” Evelyn Underhill 

Such brokenness we see, such pain, such fear. Attend to Jesus — Lord, Savior, King — with all your honest thoughts and feelings, and let His power and love change you. Let Him form and re-form you into a help for the hurting, a bright spot for those in the dark, a presence for others to rest in. A ‘little Christ’ on the earth.

 ^ what I’m rehearsing to myself
Living life with the Holy Spirit — “you fulfil Living life with the Holy Spirit — “you fulfill the will of God through the inner influence of His Spirit instead of the outer influence of the law of God” (David Guzik).

This took me probably 15 years of following Jesus to grasp. It felt too easy, my willpower was my measuring stick, and the freedom was terrifying. 

But alas, God’s way is the best way, and there is no substitute for the Holy Spirit. I can’t muster spiritual fruit, but His goal, thankfully and marvelously, is vineyards and vineyards.

May we surrender this work to Him.
“The deeper our faith, the more doubt we must en “The deeper our faith, the more doubt we must endure; the deeper our hope, the more prone we are to despair; the deeper our love, the more pain its loss will bring: these are a few of the paradoxes we must hold as human beings. If we refuse to hold them in the hopes of living without doubt, despair, and pain, we also find ourselves living without faith, hope, and love.” Parker J. Palmer

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