Happy New Year (a few days late)

Hello out there, remember me? Hahaha. I’ve been away a long time.

I wanted to wish you all a very Happy New Year!!!

2019 will be a year of major change for me. I will be returning to WordPress sometime next week, and I will be starting a video channel as well. In March my family and I make a HUGE move to Canada, and who-knows-what awaits us there. Change in location, change in work, change in lifestyle… It’s all very… hmmmmm… I don’t even know how to explain it all. Maybe a bit nerve-wracking, but also exciting.

Change is very difficult for most people. We are creatures of habit and don’t like to be shakin’ up. I tend to think of it as a good thing though. Adventure. Uncertainty. Expectancy. We’ll see.

Here’s to a wonderful, adventurous and prosperous new year to us all.

See you soon….. 🙂

1/2 Way Mark on Project “40 to 40”

This is not just a post about food and health.  Read on for the deeper meaning.

For those that may not know yet, I am carrying out a project right now called, ’40 to 40′.  I’m turning 40 at the end of November and I wanted to get my self into tip top shape for the big day.  I started on September 30th, so I have just passed the half way mark.  I’m already a pretty healthy individual, but I wanted to step it up a notch.  I started a fairly rigid diet and have been following ‘BodyRock TVs’ 30 day challenge (which will not end after 30 days).  I haven’t been eating any grains generally throughout the week except for oats sometimes in the morning. And on the weekends I’ve been more lenient, with Saturdays being my cheat day (however I kind of fell off the wagon this last weekend).  I have been feeling great – I mean GREAT!  I don’t feel like I’ve been depriving myself at all.  I have tons of energy, never feel heavy or too full, and I don’t have yucky morning breath anymore – YEAH!  Pluuuussss, I’ve been losing weight and toning up.  My jeans are lose, my elasticized belt is lose, things that used to fit snug or were just right are baggy now.  And so I’m happy.  (–to see some of the food I’ve been eating – recipes, check out and like my facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/godcolouredgirl.  

Or you could just click on the link to it on the side bar.) So this is all very well and good, however life isn’t all about being physically healthy and feeling good.  It’s definitely a plus, but it’s not the be all, end all of life.  Even the most fit and athletic person in the world will not be able to outlast the effects of gravity and aging.  Sooner or later, parts will start to sag, muscles will start to atrophy, strength will start to wane, physical health will deteriorate.  Nobody can overcome the final earthly destiny of all mankind and living entities.  Death is a reality for all.

The one thing that doesn’t change though is our creator.  He is always the same.  He doesn’t change.  He is always strong; His strength never falters.  He is always there.  Stable and unshaken.  He is always permeating with peace.  And He lives in me. You see, physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next (1 Timothy 4:8). Or lets look at it another way, “Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. (the message)” So yes, I may feel awesome eating super healthy and getting regular, hardcore exercise, but what really brings health to my bones, life to my body, energy to go about my days and overall well being is the indwelling peace that I feed upon when I’m alone with the lover of my soul.  He sustains me.  He strengthens me.  He feeds me food that will never rot.  And as I drink from his water supply, my thirst is quenched.

So tell me, what do you think?  Are you striving to maintain your youth, vigor and beauty alone? Or are you investing in maintaining and strengthening that which far exceeds physical vitality – your spirit? Leave a comment and let me know.

Who is your Life Coach?

I absolutely love the movie, “Peaceful Warrior”.  It has inspired me to do a blog series called, “Who, What, Where, When and Why?” This post is the first of this five part series.

Who is your life coach?

Ok, don’t tell me you don’t have one.  Everyone has one.  It’s just that many people don’t realize it.  There is always someone or something dictating to you how to live your life.  People, by nature, are opinionated, whether they express their opinions or not.  Everyone will tell you what to do and what’s good for you (or at least they’ll think it).  They don’t really want you to figure it out on your own.  They want you to believe what they think. They want you to buy into their mentality, philosophy, ideas. (thank you “Peaceful Warrior”)

So what is it then that a life coach does? I did some research and found various definitions on the topic around the internet.  The following are my findings:

1.) A life coach helps you get from where you are in your life now, to where you want to go.  A change facilitator, so to speak. (lifecoach.com)

Now, speaking as a Christian, for me the first step is realizing that I can’t do it on my own.  Do what Staci? you may be asking.  LIFE!  I can’t do life on my own.  I tried.  It didn’t work.  It was only after I reached rock bottom that I realized how much I needed help.  How much I needed direction.  How much I needed to get out of the driver’s seat and let someone else take over.  And that someone else, my friends, is Jesus (of course).  It was only after I let Him come into my life.  After I let Him take over.  After I let Him take control and be my boss, or my owner (because everyone has an owner, whether they realize it or not).  So, Jesus took over and helped me change.  He was, is and will always be my “change facilitator”.

When I first let go and let him direct my life, he cleaned me up.  He enabled and empowered me to give up the immoral life style I was living that was essentially killing me and digging my grave.  He gently led me, step by step, out of my hole, getting my life together, providing me with education and work.  And during it all, he gently changed me from the inside out.   He renewed my twisted mind. He healed me up of unhealthy thought patterns.  He brought me from a place of instability to a place of stability and balance.  He took my anxiety and gave me peace.

2.) A life coach helps you to find fulfillment, success, well-being and happiness.

Man, you can try and find fulfillment is soooooo many different things.  It could be your job, your kids, your husband or wife, money, position, you name it.  I love the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible.  If you want to read a good piece of literature containing much wisdom, read the book of Ecclesiastes.  It says, “I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.  That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil–this is the gift of God” -Eccl 3:12-13.  You know, so many people think they will find happiness if they just achieve that one ‘thing’, reach that one ‘goal’, earn just that certain amount of money, have the love and affection of that one specific individual, obtain all the material possessions that they dream of, and the list goes on.  All I can say is that I ran after material possessions, the love and affection in the arms of the ‘wrong’ man, fun, pleasure and peace through excessive alcohol and drugs, recognition of and praise for my talents and abilities.  However, none of these things could do the job.  None of these things gave me fulfillment, satisfaction, peace of mind, happiness – NADA.  It was only after I – you guessed it – stopped being in control of my own life and allowed God to take over.  It is only in Him, by Him and through Him that my life has any meaning, peace, satisfaction, joy or fulfillment at all.  It is only in Him that I live, move and have my being (Acts 17:28).

So, in a nutshell, my Life Coach is God.  He leads me in everything.  He shows me the way to play this game of life.  He doesn’t force me into anything, but I know that any encouragement, direction, motivation or advice that I receive from Him is truly the best of the best.  So I will play this game His way.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.  If you agree, disagree, have anything else to add to what I said.  And hey, if you liked this post or this blog, do me a favor and like my facebook page at www.facebook.com/godcolouredgirl.