Do you ever find yourself wanting more time to relax?
Maybe you just want a few hours to meal prep or play.
My hope for this Better Bonding Challenge is to put some strategies in place to help you and I do just that.
How Does A 414 Better Bonding Challenge Work?
So, welcome to this challenge of 4 weeks/1 night/4-hour better bonding challenge.
Maybe you’ve decided what night to begin your screen free time, and what hours work for you and your family.
Chances are you’re thinking about activities or your grocery list. Perhaps you even have your bible ready.
Or maybe you need more time think about it and are here looking to see what the challenge is all about.
Regardless of where you are in the decision process, I am so glad you are here!
Please take your time, read the post and the graphics and let me know if you have any questions.
Who knows?
Maybe God is calling you and I to gather with our family because He has something extremely good for us in the next four weeks!
And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Most importantly, I know He will honor the time you and I take to draw closer to Him and to one another.
I believe this 414-bonding challenge will be easy to implement, and helpful in giving you and I family time to build our faith in God.
At the same time it builds structure in our homes, places God at the center of our lives, and helps us carry out the Great Commission within our family.
We are equipping our children to read God’s Word, and giving them solid principles, life lessons, and time to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives.
Part of the challenge includes a time for meal prepping.
Just think for a minute about four whole hours one night a week with no phones, TVs, laptops, or video games!
What would you like to do, distraction free?
Will it be peaceful, or will there be chaos?
Maybe it is a time to think about the health and well-being of the entire family. Preparing meals for the week as a family can help us all plan and eat more nutritious food.
Better food means a better mood and better sleep.
I’m ready for all of that, how about you?
You decide what works best for your family in this wonderful space and time together.
Once we get the meal prepping strategy ready we can relax.
Have you ever just laid in the floor and let your child or your partner play with your hair.
Oh, my! Keep me awake for the next activity!
Maybe we can adjust the sequence of these activities just a bit and save that one for last! It really depends on your day.
Did you have a long exhausting day moving around a lot or did you sit most of the day?
The energy we expend and the food we consume really affects our energy levels. You do you on this one!
If we’ve had a stressful day we may not feel like play time in this bonding challenge.
However, when we find the energy to get up and move, 9 times out of 10, we feel better for doing it!
What is fun for you and your family? Does kicking or passing a ball sound fun?
Maybe, singing a song and dancing to a tune. . . oops no phone, what will you use? An old-fashioned radio or record player without a screen?
Summary
I hope and pray this 414 Bonding challenge is something worthwhile to get you started on family time and a healthier eating routine.
I am here for you if you need encouragement, click here to join. Maybe get some extra support by getting your tribe of friends and family to do this with you!
I look forward to serving you!
Check out the Focused Family Health Podcast and follow for weekly ideas and strategies for biblically improving family health.
Daniel Overview–Unfailing Character, Unflinching Faith
The biggest impact the book of Daniel has on me as a bible student is: Unfailing character, faith, and resolve cannot be removed no matter what the circumstances are or who rules the world.
Judgement came to Israel and the fate of the people resulted in either captivity, famine, or death by the sword. Daniel is one of the captives taken to Babylon and entered into the king’s service. He and three of his friends have their names changed, learn a new language, and are taught the customs and laws of a new nation.
Since he is held accountable to the “chief of Eunuchs” I can assume he and his friends have also been made eunuchs. Just imagine the fear, trauma, and anxiety of leaving literally everything you knew as a young man and entering the service of this pagan ruler.
“Daniel resolved he would not defile himself with the king’s food or with the wine he drank. And God gave him favor and compassion in the site of the chief of Eunuchs.” Daniel 1:8
Daniel has no control over his life except in the area of food. All the choices of study, how he lives, the language he speaks, and even his name is dictated by a new king.
As followers of Christ, we can relate, can’t we?
We live in a culture that wants to dictate right and wrong with an evil lens. We can choose to go along with it or take a stand. The massively greedy retail giants control the airwaves and try to pollute our view of what’s good.
Daniel and his friends, made up their minds they would not defile themselves.
Later, God honors the three friends in one of the most spectacular displays of grace I’ve ever seen in the bible! You know this story from when you were a little child in Sunday School. The fiery furnace.
King Nebuchadnezzar creates a statue of himself and expects everyone to bow down and worship him.
“Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Character, faith, and resolve in the face of death and being burned alive is before the three young friends of Daniel. Making a choice against everything honorable and holy takes extreme courage and faith. They are resolving in their hearts not to bow down to idols.
At the risk of death, they are not giving in to evil, and their core values shine a light on what really matters in life.
Remaining faithful to God.
It reminds me of Jesus in Luke 12:8-12 telling the disciples not to deny him before the authorities. He tells them “everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God”. He tells them not be anxious about what they will say, because the Holy Spirit will teach them what to say.
Time and again God is there for faithful believers. Daniel and his three friends escaped famine and sword and were shown favor. Today is no different. It is exactly how we as Christians can have bold faith and respond when we are attacked for our convictions.
We can graciously and respectfully refuse to bow down as evil rages in our culture and Christ will show up to strengthen us.
He was in the fiery furnace with Daniel’s three friends and he will be there for our fiery trials too.
What encouragement do you find in this today?
How is God using your circumstances to draw you closer to Him?
Daniel and The Writing on the Wall
Moving through the book of Daniel we see his life is long as her serves four kings of the Medo-Persian empire. In Daniel chapter 5, we meet Nebuchadnezzar’s son:
“Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. 6 Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.”
The queen mother remembers Daniel and his ability to interpret visions. I’m sure the picture of her deceased husband succumbing to his pride and eating grass like a wild animal is still etched in her memory.
I infer Daniel is put aside in this king’s court because the queen mother has to remind him who Daniel is. Nebuchadnezzar made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans and astrologers because of his ability to interpret his dream.
Here is what we can gather from the text:
Belshazzar is in active rebellion against our holy God by purposely defiling the instruments used in the worship of God. His life is one of disbelief, revelry, and worship of wealth and false gods.
When he sees the writing on the wall his merriment fades and the color drains from his face as his knees knock.
He doesn’t even know what it says, but he is terrified to see a human hand appear and write on the wall.
His mother remembers Daniel and urges for him to be called.
Friend, God sees the heart of everything we do. Daneil may have even felt forgotten when Nebuchadnezzar passed, but God still has plans for him. The unwavering favor of God over his life, I believe, is a result of his prayer life and unflinching character.
It is an example of faithful living I cherish and hope to live out myself.
The queen mother remembered the light and wisdom found in Daniel. May we too be remembered for trusting God humbly for answers.
How does Daniel’s vision make you think about our culture’s attitude towards God today? Are there similarities? How so?
What does the picture of revelry then fear in this king show you about his character?
What stands out to you in Daneil chapters 5 and 6?
Daniel, the Angels, & His Visions
In Daniel chapters nine, the aging prophet begins to reflect on the exile of his people and the time elapsed in captivity. He begins to pray, earnestly, fervently, and with great remorse for the sins of his nation.
If you’ll notice as we read the Bible in a Year, Daniel’s prayer is much like each prayer of his contemporaries. The prayer pattern of the prophets looks like this:
They acknowledge the authority, love, and power of our mighty God and pay him the reverence and respect he is due.
Then they confess their sins and the sins of their leaders and people. The lack of obedience, the greed, the idolatry, and intentional following their way instead of God’s way.
Lastly, they ask for God to hear their prayer, listen to their pleas, and grant forgiveness, mercy, and redemption.
As he was speaking, the angel Gabriel came to him and assures him he is greatly loved. I did a three-day Bible lesson on this for the YouVersion Bible app a few years ago. It just amazed me the level of care and concern God showed Daniel.
I am convinced it is because of his unfailing character and unflinching faith.
Don’t you want that for yourself and your family today? I sure do. Fear can consume us if we take our eyes off the Lord and all he’s done for us.
Daniel 9:20-11
At the end of chapter nine and beginning of chapters ten and eleven, Gabriel explains to Daniel the spiritual battle taking place in the heavenly realms and gives him a vision of how this long battle will end. Kings and kingdoms will rise and conquer, and their power grows to plunder and spoil the lands they take over, but only to fall to the next king and kingdom.
Daniel is trembling and troubled for weeks at the site of this future vision of destruction and devastation. But low and behold, the final King, the messiah Jesus Christ will come to rule and reign forever!
Daniel Chapter 12
“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation until that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.” Daniel 12:1
The good news of the gospel is not good news until you and I understand the bad news. I think if people could just wrap their minds around their own sinfulness and falling short of our holy God, then they would understand why they need a Savior.
Jesus says, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Mathew 10:28) There is a promise from Him encouraging us not to focus so much on this life and our bodies, but to really think about our souls and eternity.
In chapter twelve we see this promise come to life, for the people of Israel and for us, who place our trust in the Lord.
“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above, and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. “ Daniel 12:2-3
If your walk with God and my walk with God, meaning our faith, words, action, and writing, turns others from their sin and towards the righteousness of Jesus, seeds of faith are sewn.
God waters them to make them grow! Someday, long after we leave this earth, those who listened and obeyed are wise and will shine like the brightness of the sky above.
Summary
Wow! Daniel’s life of unfailing character and unflinching faith is rewarded in a beautiful way. The assurance to go his way until the end is locked into place. He shall rest and stand in his allotted place at the end of days. (vs. 13).
Enjoy the book of Daniel this week my friend and let me know what nuggets you find there!
What do you learn about God in chapters 9-12?
What do you learn about the future?
How does knowing the future draw you closer to God?
What dos placing your faith and trust in God look like in your daily life?
I look forward to serving you here and on my podcast, Family Focused Health, where we tackle health topics each week and what God provides in His Word and the garden to sustain us body and soul, check it out on the podcast page!
Ezekiel Overview-A Wake-up Call
Moving through the book of Ezekiel you and I will see the glory of heaven and the Spirit of God in motion. Ezekiel is called to prophecy to the house of Israel but is also warned by God about their hard hearts. They will not listen to what he has to say about the coming judgement and their idolatry.
We see this resistance in ourselves and the ones we love, don’t we?
Does anyone want to hear about their lifestyle and habits that don’t honor God or themselves? It’s just not what we want to hear! The people of Israel are no different.
Ezekiel has a mountain of resistance before him and some really bad news to share. So, what does God do? God gives him a picture of the throne of glory and how the hosts of heaven worship and honor God.
The stark comparison of heaven’s glory and proper worship to Israel’s confused mix of a little of God here, and a little pagan there is striking.
The half-hearted loyalty and stiff-necked people are stubborn and resistant to the only true Deity who can give them peace and contentment.
So, I think of Ezekiel as the heart of stone prophet. Not that his heart was hard but that his message was a plea for people to tear down the wall around their hearts that shuts God out. You know that wall all of us carefully build to protect ourselves from emotional turmoil and further disappointment.
Much like Israel, our culture places too much trust in the world around them. They get sucked into the mainstream of life and its ways and before they know it, the principles of God’s law are forgotten. As a society, they depend on jobs, finances, or the government for security and even guidance.
Ezekiel is saying to Israel, and I believe to us, wake up.
He becomes the watchman to warn the people of their wickedness—even though God’s already told him they won’t listen. God puts it this way:
“If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.”
Ezekeil 3:18-19
Judgement came to the house of Israel, and the people were scattered. Yet God’s plan to redeem and restore them is a beautiful shadow of how He will send His son Jesus, a few hundred years later, to save us.
God tells Ezekeil the exiled people of Israel will be given a new heart!
They will realize their sin and repent of their idolatry.
“And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people and I will be their God.” Ezekiel 11:19-20
Questions to Ponder:
Why do you think the Holy Spirit put theses verses in the bible?
How does it move you to think, speak, or live for God in a different way?
Are you a watchman for the lost people within your influence?
The hope of the gospel is to surrender our entire way of thinking to the Lord Jesus Christ and confront the broken awful blackness of our soul. As we lay it before him and ask Him to redeem and restore us, a new regenerated soul is born. We have a one heart with Christ, a new heart and a new spirit.
Gone is the heart of stone with its cracked wall of feeble protection that allows loneliness, jealousy, envy, and greed to seep in and corrupt our souls. In its place is a pliable, open softness towards ourselves, our past, and those around us!
It’s a heart willing to forgive generously, love unconditionally, and move excitedly to honor and please God.
Glory to you, God for the message of freedom to face our sin, confess our sin, and lay it before you for our healing. A new life here and for eternity!
God bless you, today. I am praying for you as you read this and listen to the message God has for you! You’ll find more encouragement, recipe devotions, and health tips on the blog, so look around and let me know what you think!
I’m expanding my physical and spiritual health ministry into a podcast too; it’s called Family Focused Health and it’s on Spotify! I would be so grateful if you can join me there each week for health topics, scripture, and ways to implement healthier lifestyle habits into our lives.
January Week 3 Meal Prepping Fun
Ok, January week 3 meal prepping is underway for the week! Hang in there, busy friend, this is doble! I will list the items and the cost and keep it simple for you.
How are we thinking differently these days about meal prepping?
Maybe we’ve made the decision to move more, have a better attitude, trust the Lord more and the world less, or maybe we are making better choices in our eating habits.
The thought patterns may be small but. . Oh! How effective they become when we take one step at time, master it, then move forward.
Intention is the key for me when it comes to all of these factors. I have to start with prayer, then move to Bible reading first thing in the morning.
As the day progresses so does writing tasks, workflow, moving, and eating. One of my favorite things to do to make my life flow more effectively and help me stay on track is to meal prep.
Although I move between making wraps and quinoa bowls, soups, salads, and meat dishes. . . all play a huge part of my meal prepping days and being intentional.
January week 3 Meal Prepping is super simple and delicious:
Keep in mind, I use organic in all of my meals as much as possible because of the heavily laden pesticides sprayed on our food. So, the prices below reflect that cost.
If organic items are not available or I can’t afford them, I soak the food in baking soda and vinegar to remove the pesticides and rinse them well. I do this with organic, too!
Here are January Week 3 Items and the cost:
Organic whole chicken —-$16 (sometimes I get two when they are close to expiration, so keep an eye out!)
Carrots —$2.99 for 32 ounces
Celery—$2.79 one bunch
Onions—$1.59
Garlic—$1.99
Salsa– $1.79
Spring greens–1 lb—$5.99 or 5 ounce container for $3.29
Wraps–-Make your own, the recipe I have makes 12 medium wraps, or 16 small. I seriously could not find a decent wrap on the Kroger website that has quality ingredients. If you find one use it!
So, a total cost of this meal prepping is $29 (rounded up) is for 6 servings of soup, 12 Wraps (I already had the flour), and 6 salads. That’s three days of eating for two in our house. It may be two days if you have young children, or 1 day if you have growing teens!
How to do it!
One whole organic chicken in the Instapot for 32 minutes (its 8min per pound)
Chop carrots, celery, onions, and garlic.
Get a small jar of salsa ready (or chop fresh tomatoes/peppers/onions)
You’ll be finished chopping in less than 32 minutes.
Pull the chicken out carefully, and let cool a few minutes until it’s ready to handle.
Separate it into three sections, removing the gristle and bones (I totally puree all the tiny bones and meat in my bullet and only the large bones and skin are wasted, I keep it for my chili) keep the broth and place it in the soup pot of veggies.
One section is shredded for wraps, one for soup, and one for a salad.
Don’t you get excited when life becomes a little easier and you don’t have to think about what to cook for dinner every day?
There are more ways to use wraps on this blog so please check them out! I am here to serve and encourage you in your health journey! It does take work, but I think you and I are up to the task!
Devotion
We can’t do this alone; it takes a good network of supportive people. It reminds me of Nehemiah rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem in the Bible. He had the torn down wall, ruined city, and the people on his heart. Mourning what was lost and thinking about its previous splendor and purpose to honor God, he stepped up to make a difference in the lives of his people.
He rallied each family, and side by side, they began to work on the portions of the wall around Jerusalem.
So, we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
Amazing things happen when we have a mindset to do the work. Whether it’s moving more, arguing less, loving exponentially, or eating healthier.
Our bodies rally to do the internal work of restoring and repairing our cells the way God designed them to do. The preservatives, additives, pesticides, and poison of the world and food are no longer appealing to us or our children.
Sometimes it takes planning and sacrifice, but the key is keeping it simple and enjoyable, with our focus on the prize.
The prize is good health, a stronger body that fights infection well, and a clear mind. God’s plan established the ingredients for both thousands of years ago in the garden of Eden.
The mountain of resistance we face is daunting and the only way we can climb it is with a consistent plan in place. A plan that satisfies and doesn’t make us feel deprived!
For instance, I can take any of these items to a party and enjoy the party. Once I’ve fed my cells, I can take a small piece of whatever delightful dessert is catching my eye.
I have found, when my cells are satisfied, there are fewer cravings and dissatisfaction. So, a small piece of chocolate or a sliver of cake is enjoyable and savorable as it tops off my healthy meal! I may even choose not to eat it at all!
Regardless of how you approach your battle strategy in being healthier spiritually and physically, I am here for you! Let me know how you’re doing and if you need more wellness coaching, we can do a discovery call!
Gluten Free Whole Grain Sourdough
When I meet a client with allergies, I want to help them find healthy substitutes for what they “think” they’ll be missing. So, naturally a whole grain sourdough comes to mind for someone with a wheat sensitivity.
The problem with premixes of gluten free flours is they are very expensive, and they are not very nutritious. I mean just reading the label shows they are refined white rice flours and starches. This is no better than refined white flour and sugar to spike blood sugar and insulin levels in the blood.
Both of which are responsible for making chronic disease and inflammation in the body worse, not better. As caring parents we can do better.
It’s an effort of love to learn how to do it, and even though I’ve played around with gluten free grains for the past twenty years, I have to admit, bread making is a learning curve.
The complexity of the flours, the binding ingredients needed, rising, and the water absorption capacity are all new factors to consider. Therefore, it makes sense to just follow a recipe, right?
LOL, I wish it were that easy for me. But it’s not. I have several varieties of grains in my pantry, and I have to make do with what I have. So, the resources I found helpful were on YouTube. Mary’s Nest has a great video that breaks down the various gluten free flours and there are several blogs that work through the water absorption.
One of the comments on Mary’s video said, “Use two parts flour to one part starch”. Now, that is something I can work with! Simple directions combined with a good resource for binding agents, and some past experience with dough consistency.
Another resource I used on YouTube was Elly’s Everyday Wholegrain, she is using millet to make her sourdough and that is the primary flour I am using today. I also have amaranth grain I want to use and some oats. The problem is I don’t have the psyllium husks and can’t find it anywhere in town.
I’m substituting ground chia seeds and flax seeds to see how it goes.
I also wanted to do a nutritional comparison of a gluten free flour blend and this wholegrain recipe to show you how we can make a healthier gluten free bread.
Gluten Free Whole Grain Sourdough
500 Grams Millet (ground)
1/2 Cup Oats
1/3 Cup Chia Seeds (Ground)
1/3 Cup Flax Seeds (Ground)
2 Tsps. Salt
1/3 Cup Arrowroot flour (or potato starch)
1/2 Cup Sourdough Starter
600 Grams Water
The Nutribullet blender with a flat blade that meals small grains very well. It worked perfect for the millet and amaranth.
Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Add warm water and the starter and stir until well combined. Let it sit for one hour.
After it sits one hour, you can place it in the lightly oiled baking dish of your choice. It will be sticky and loose, not well formed like a wheat dough. Don't worry about that it will set up fine.
Depending on your room temperature it will take 3-6 hours to rise. On that rise it will be just slightly higher, it will not double in size, and that is ok. I put mine in the fridge overnight and it was perfectly ready the next morning.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake the bread covered for 40 minutes and then uncovered another 15 minutes. Don't underbake this it does take just about a full hour. Let cool then, slice and enjoy!
Compare The Homemade Ingredients and Nutrition of the Loaf Above with a Popular Store Brand of Whole Grain Gluten Free Bread Below
Benefits and Drawbacks
The thing I love about this bread is there is 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber per slice! Not only that, but there is also a good bit of potassium and iron. Although magnesium and B vitamins are not listed on the nutrition label, they’re in there, too!
The millet and amaranth (if you choose to stick that in and remove 1/3 cup of the millet) alone provide 30mg of magnesium per slice of bread. There is also biotin, niacin, and selenium present to provide optimal health.
A drawback for making this bread and what I learned is it definitely needs a long baking time. I got it out 10 minutes early and although edible, it was doughy. I’m toasting it daily on the frozen setting of my toaster to counteract that mistake. Otherwise, it would have made a great sandwich bread.
Something else I noticed; there was ZERO gas and bloating with the addition of flax seeds! That has never happened before. I may have a wheat sensitivity after all.
Taste wise, the amaranth is quite strong, so if a peppery taste is not one your palate joys, it may take some getting used to alongside the ground chia—you be the judge on that. However, I’d sample a little to see if I like the flavor before diving in to purchase the grain and make an entire loaf.
I prefer the taste of hard white and red wheat grains, but this is okay.
Cost wise, you and I come out ahead on this loaf of bread. The cost of a comparable gluten free whole grain bread on the shelf is $5.49 and I made this loaf, with twice the nutrition, for about $4.34. I’ll take that bargain any day.
When we explore new ways of baking whole grain sourdough, we find out all kinds of good things!
And may we never forget the source of all good things—the mighty God who provides these lovely nutritional grains for us! What he puts in the garden is good!
Blueberry Chia Bars
Preparation day this week is full of breakfast bars, and they are gluten free. Blueberry chia bars not only provide the antioxidants and nutrients we need, but they are also full of flavor we can enjoy.
The best part is the cost and nutrient profile beats the commercial brand on the shelf by a long shot! There are 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber in each bar of our homemade, whole grain gluten free bars.
You and I can make 9 bars for roughly $3, whereas the store brand is almost $6.
Benefits of Blueberry Chia Bars
Knowing this breakfast bar has double the nutrients of store brands, no synthetic vitamins, added flavorings, colorings, or highly processed seed oils, will be worth the effort to find quality ingredients and make these bars.
The millet and oat combo alone, give this recipe around 170mg of magnesium per 100 grams of flour. It is also rich in potassium, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins. Lutein and zeaxanthin are present, too! The antioxidants in the blueberries namely the flavonoids, anthocyanins, and quercetin help with oxidative stress.
As we know, reducing oxidative stress helps blood vessels relax and lowers blood pressure. Antioxidants also clean up DNA damage and help reduce our risk for cancer and heart disease. (1)
Devotion
What God puts in the garden is good! He knew our need for His salvation plan and His divine design of our food long before He created mankind. I never get tired of reading about how His hand is upon the prophets of old as they shared his promises.
Even more effective is knowing His hand is upon everything we do when we follow His lead today. It is a huge relief because it takes away the worry and the fear that come with striving. The prophet, Ezra, learned this during his years of captivity in Baylon.
And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. (Ezra 7:9-10)
Place the blueberries, dates, and prunes in a saucepan and turn the heat on low, keep it low, don't add water.
In a mixing bowl combine the applesauce, oil, egg, vinegar, vanilla, maple syrup, and mix well.
Add the millet, almond flour, arrowroot flour, xanthan gum and oats. Combine until well mixed and divide the dough into halves.
Place half of the dough into a 9×9 inch pan and set the rest aside until the blueberry filling is in place.
In a bullet blender with the flat blade blend the blueberry mixture and spread it evenly over the dough.
Place the remaining dough over the filling. You can roll this out and place it over the filling or just make little balls and drop them over the filling. They will bake together to form a crust.
Place in the oven for 20 minutes.
Let cool and cut into bars. It makes 9 servings.
A Popular Store Brand of Gluten Free Bars with their Nutrition Facts
I hope you like these blueberry chia bars! I have plenty more gluten free items on the website that can help you if you have a gluten or wheat sensitivity. So, I hope you check them out and let me know how you like them. The page to book a health coach is here! It is my pleasure serving you.
Have a blessed day!
Mysty RN/BSN NBHWC
References:
Cassidy A, Mukamal KJ, Liu L, Franz M, Eliassen AH, Rimm EB. High anthocyanin intake is associated with a reduced risk of myocardial infarction in young and middle-aged women. Circulation. 2013 Jan 15;127(2):188-96. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.112.122408. PMID: 23319811; PMCID: PMC3762447.
Resolved: Firmly Determining to Do Something
Another year, another promise, another hope for a different outcome loom before us in a couple of days. New Year’s plans come in strong, and we find ourselves resolved to do something. The resolve may look different for you and me, but at the heart of it is the desire, and determination, to change.
This new desire may be so strong we write it down and place it somewhere close to refer to time and again. It’s like the wellness vision tool I encourage my clients to think through and develop. Writing down strong statements affirming their strengths, abilities, skills, and support systems helps them visualize the healthy person they want to be.
The client then develops an overarching statement emphasizing those attributes. If you are interested in formulating yours, I have a free download for you when you subscribe to my site. I’ll be happy to share it with you!
Resolved–Formulating a Plan
Now, back to the hope of a new day and a new year.
How do you see yourself taking steps towards your new resolve? Maybe you need a priority list of things you’d like to accomplish. Perhaps it would help to write down all your thoughts then prioritize them in number of urgency or importance.
The hope may be to spend more time with family, stress less, care more about people, eat less sugar, be more active, read more books, pray more, be involved with the community or study more.
Whatever your dreams are for the coming year, God is here for you. He wants you to live the abundant life His son died for you to live. Guilt free, shame free, and hoping for an honorable walk with Him.
If you’re like me and need a little reassurance, please take a moment to read Daniel’s thoughts about resolve in Daniel chapter 1.
But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore, he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,
Daniel 1:10-11
Daniel resolved to not eat the luxurious food and wine from the king’s table. He also found favor with the chief eunuch who granted his request of vegetables and water. Daniel’s resolve comes from his dedication to the One true God.
Although not clear in the text, it is inferred that the food was used in pagan worship and did not contain was the Mosaic law described as “clean”. Regardless of the state of the food, Daniel’s resolve came from his desire to continually honor God.
Despite his captivity, being stripped of his identity, and placed in a palace to learn a new religion, language, and way of life, he remained true to God.
His prayer life, kindness, respectful attitude, and ability to maintain his faith in a culture of depravity gives me hope to carry through my challenges too! I hope it does for you as well!
After all, staying the course on our new hopes and dreams is so much more than a New Year’s resolution! Because truthfully, we don’t always approach them with the planning and seriousness they deserve.
Sometimes we just jump in and tackle the monstrous goal with all of our newfound drive, then fizzle out in a frazzled, defeated mess. All the previously failed attempts come rushing forth and we berate ourselves once again.
But what if we take a different view and implement the baby steps necessary for success?
Resolutions are weak and wear out if we don’t determine our true need and plan accordingly.
The allure soon fades when we don’t see the results we want. Or we get caught up with the same daily grind and fall back into our familiar habits of comfort food, mindless eating, sitting for long periods of time, and fault finding.
Given his circumstances, what do you think Daniel would say to that mindset?
He resolved (determined in his mind) to do something different than the world around him for the purpose of honoring God with his mind and body.
What does being resolved look like for you today and how can I pray for you?
I am only a discovery call away if you need extra help, too. You can book your appointment here and find recipes and encouragement too. I look forward to serving you!
Mysty
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Coconut Cherry Almond Cookies
My favorite no-sugar cookie is hands down, coconut cherry almond! When I say no-sugar, I mean zero unrefined processed sugar and lightly sweetened with a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup.
So, yes, you and I will get some carbs and fat in this delicious cookie for the holiday season, but we will also load up on fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants. That’s why when I do our traditional cookie day, I make this low sugar coconut cherry almond cookie for my personal enjoyment.
Being careful to indulge and not binge is the key to staying on track with healthy eating. One way to do that is to think about the upcoming holiday parties and plan meals and treats accordingly.
Asking ourselves a few questions keeps us aware and intentional about what we are eating.
How many parties am I attending this week and what can I do between them to offset indulging?
What treats at work, school, or home are tempting me between meals that I can choose to set aside and savor after my salad for lunch? Enjoying the small treat after feeding my cells will help me feel satisfied and full. Also, by eating it this way, I am not spiking my insulin or blood sugar between meals.
Some Benefits of Coconut Almonds and Cherries
Since saturated fat has been ostracized for decades, it may be a little difficult embracing its beneficial properties. However, they are still there! For instance, coconut oil has been shown to help with weight loss and Alzheimer’s. It also has antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. (1)
As with any high fat, high calorie food, we want to be wise in how we combine it with other foods. When Pacific Islanders ate their native coconuts with all the fiber present, they were at low risk for metabolic disease. Once they began incorporating highly processed (refined white flour, refined white sugar, etc.) foods to their high saturated fat diets, they too became susceptible to increasing risks of cardiovascular disease.
Almonds are also rich in monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, vitamin E, fiber, potassium, and magnesium, nutrients essential to heart health. (2) Throw in some anti-inflammatory cherries, some fresh milled soft white wheat with all its B vitamins, and overall, you have a decently healthier cookie. As I always say, “What God puts in the garden is good!”
We can enjoy a few treats with our family and friends while keeping the fruit of self-control firmly in our hearts this Christmas season. I pray you are filled to overflowing with the love of God and His plan for restoration for one and all.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
I savor the hope, joy, peace of Advent too, but there is something about the love that tops it off and stirs my heart in a way nothing else does. It’s so nice to rest in the love of God, and not worry so much about feeling unloved by others.
I talk more about God’s love in The Gift of Love blog post, check it out if you have time.
In the meantime, I hope this low sugar coconut cherry almond cookie becomes one of your favorite treats for the holidays as much as it is mine!
Coconut Cherry Almond Cookies
Coconut Cherry Almond Cookies
1 Cup Oats
1/2 Cup Flour ((Your choice, almond/gluten free/fresh-milled))
1 Egg
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil (melted)
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Almond Extract
2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1/2 Cup Cherries (Fresh/Frozen/or Rehydrated)
1/2 Cup Coconut (Flakes/Unsweetened)
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
Combine melted coconut oil, egg, and maple syrup in a mixing bowl.
Add the oats, flour, coconut, cinnamon, and almonds, then fold in the cherries.
Form into rounds and flatten into disc, bake for 18-20 minutes, let cool, and enjoy!
I hope you enjoy this easy cookie recipe and share it with your family and friends! I look forward to offering more recipes and health tips on this blog without annoying advertising.
You can always contact me for coaching if you need further assistance in making healthier choices. I look forward to serving you!
Merry Christmas!
Mysty
References In Order of Use:
Sekhar S, Makaram Ravinarayan S, Kashmer D Yu A, Kilic F, Dhawan R, Sidhu R, Elazrag SE, Bijoora M, Mohammed L. Are We Nuts Over Coconuts? Studying the Effects of Coconut Oil on Low-Density Lipoprotein and Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 2022 Apr 17;14(4):e24212. doi: 10.7759/cureus.24212. PMID: 35637823; PMCID: PMC9132222.
Kalita S, Khandelwal S, Madan J, Pandya H, Sesikeran B, Krishnaswamy K. Almonds and Cardiovascular Health: A Review. Nutrients. 2018 Apr 11;10(4):468. doi: 10.3390/nu10040468. PMID: 29641440; PMCID: PMC5946253.
Determined December-Snacking
Hello friend! I’m calling this month, determined December because you and I’ve worked hard all year to feel better and function with clarity and purpose, so we don’t want to blow this healthy streak we’ve got going, right?
The joyful season of Christ’s birth is fun to celebrate, but if we have a sugar addiction it can derail us completely!
Since we don’t want brain fog, high insulin, low energy, chronic pain, and stiffness creeping back in either, we need encouragement to stay the course. So, how do we stay determined?
For me, it’s easier to focus on the good, enjoy the people and places, and remember why I started this journey in the first place.
However, I’d love to know how you stay in the groove of healthy eating, sleeping, and activity during the holidays. Maybe you keep your wellness vision statement handy, so you don’t forget why you started. Or maybe you just feel so much better without all the sugar and heavy carbohydrates, you can see past the pretty packaging.
Whatever the reason, I am here with you, and making the best of every situation. One of those situations is the habit of snacking. I mean that is exactly what it is for me, a habit.
At times, it is just part of our culture and something we do, but most of the time we are not even hungry. Where does that term come from anyway, is it a marketing term pounced on by the food companies to sell more products and make more money?
Determined Not to Snack
Well, after a little research, I found out that snack comes from an old Dutch work, “snak” which means to bite or snap. The original term is similar to the sound of a dog’s teeth snapping when they are trying to steal a morsel of food. It then became associated with small bites or meals. So, here we are today with the term firmly ingrained into our daily lives.
I can think of several reasons snacking is not the same today as it once was. I’ll share a few with you today and let you decide on how you want to proceed with those intermittent small meals. If we’re not homesteaders, preppers, or farmers, generally speaking:
We are not dependent on the land for our meals and food is not scarce
We don’t have to walk far or climb a tree or do much work to gather our food
Most meals are obtained from our grocery store or local fast food restaurant
The meals we partake of are large in comparison to what people ate a hundred years ago
The ingredients in the snacks are not whole food.
When we understand we are moving less as a whole population, and eating more, then we get an idea of how snacking is no longer necessary. In fact, it simply keeps insulin high in the blood and puts us in that fat storage mode instead of fat burning mode.
Plus, it’s not real food! Like say an apple, or nuts. It’s ultra-processed, cheap material combined to make a product without significant nutritional value.
Check out my Facebook class in the client support group to see how to evaluate 100 calorie snacks!
Reading labels is really nice for helping us stay determined this December! The Bible reminds us to do everything with wisdom and discernment, and I believe eating real food is key to functioning well and completing our purpose.
For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.
Thinking about all the good reasons we started our health journey and focusing on the true meaning of the season may help you and I stay determined this December. Maybe the wisest thing we can do is still enjoy our sweets but remember the portion sizes. Keeping the tasty morsels for dessert after our main course and not over-stimulating insulin with snacking between meals, keeps us on our healthier way of living.
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
Futility of their thinking is defined as useless thoughts. Therefore, spiritual and emotional health starts by letting Christ take every thought captive. He wants you and I free from futile thinking because it is purposeless and unfruitful for us and our children.
So, how do we follow the apostle Paul’s advice and no longer live in futility of thinking?
Or as I like to say, “What does letting go of useless thoughts look like in the Christian life?”
I don’t think it’s easy by any means, but I’m hoping with more time in prayer, and quickly recognizing when I’m susceptible, God will guide me through it. Especially if I take a biblical approach to those useless thoughts.
With that in mind, my plan is to dive a little deeper into Ephesians with you today and define futile thoughts. We will then identify them in our lives and the lives of our children and learn how to biblically create new thoughts to replace them. The best part is we all have the ability to do this!
It’s called neuroplasticity. The brain’s ability to adapt to changes in the environment, learning, recuperating from an injury, and experiences. (1) If you want an in-depth way to learn about creating new thought patterns check out Dr. Carline Leaf’s blog.
My friend, I believe building ourselves and our children up in times of great evil depend on our ability to biblically adapt our brains to this environment.
Shall we get started?
How the Gentiles (Non-Jews) Are Futile in Their Thinking
When the bible talks about Gentiles, we know the writers are referring to non-Jews. In today’s culture believers of Christ may consider non-Christians in a similar light.
The one of the primary themes in this powerful book is how experiencing Christ’s grace gives us a heart for others, a persona of general peace, and a loving nature.
Now, I understand we don’t get there overnight.
But as Christ continues to transform our hearts into his image, we long to be rid of the ways of the world alongside futile thinking. Paul, the author of Ephesians, gives us four distinct descriptions of useless thoughts the Gentiles practice and what we may even see in ourselves at times.
“They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.” (Ephesians 4:18)
Darkened in their Understanding
Separated from the life of God
Ignorant
Hard Hearts
Four Ways Useless Thoughts Affect Christians
First, we Christians can be darkened in our understanding, just like non-believers. We see this when morality and spiritual issues arise. Lack of knowing and reading God’s Word can affect how we respond, think, and feel.
It can also leave us open to false teaching. But what happens to people like you and me who read the Bible every day and still struggle with areas of darkened understanding?
We are easily frustrated, fall into a defeated mindset when we mess up, and berate ourselves and others when we don’t get our way. Before we know it, we are falling back into our old patterns of coping.
Binging on food, television, our drink of choice, or ranting verbally to anyone who will listen is something I’ve been guilty of more than I care to admit. Even worse, is withdrawing into myself and believing the worst about myself and how the other person feels about me.
They are lies from the enemy, I am too eager to believe because he is so good at convincing me it’s true. And I forget who I am in Christ.
I know Jesus came and died to free me of that way of life and that way of thinking. However, living out victory takes intentional thought-grabbing moments and laying them at his feet.
I don’t mind admitting, I need help doing this more often. It’s also something my heart longs to do better in my closet relationships. Maybe you do too.
After all, understanding is a gift (Daniel 2:21) to be prayed for (Psalm 119:24). It has cognitive, moral, and spiritual implications. (1) When you and I are darkened in our understanding, there may be an area of our sin nature we are reluctant to surrender to Christ.
This can be an area of pride, fear, or anger. Or it may be lustful desires for material things, desire for attention, success, or food. Paul is urging us to see with new eyes and grasp with new thoughts, the power of Christ’s grace and generosity.
He knows how hard it is to put off the old self and what we’ve been taught to believe our entire lives. However, we’ve been given the special gift of a renewed spirt. With the Spirit comes a heart willing to bow to Christ and love anyway. It’s a heart who yearns to let go of the old life and its corrupting ways.
Second, useless thoughts separate us from the life of God.
When you and I heard about the good news of Jesus we were taught the truth that is in Him. (Eph. 4:21) The sinful life entangling us and separating us from God has been bought and paid for by Christ.
Ideally, we can come before Him and commune with Him, whereas before, we could not fully do so. No longer darkened in our understanding of who God is and what he has done to repair and restore relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus, we desire to walk with Him in holiness and righteousness.
Although this new relationship does not take away the sins naturally falling from our human nature, it does change our hearts to please God, seek Him, and get to know Him better.
The thing I notice the most is when I give in to selfish, useless thoughts, I feel distant from God. Do you ever feel that way?
Sometimes I still choose to do things my way, and not His. Then I have the nerve to complain, “Where is God? Why isn’t He doing something about_____?”
Thirdly, ignorance can be at the root of useless thoughts.
The context of ignorance in this verse seems to be willful and intentional. God has said from the beginning if we love Him, we will find Him when we search for Him with all our hearts. (Jeremiah 29:13)
The question may be, “Where are we searching for answers?” When old wounds, hurtful comments, or difficult situations take place in our lives we have a choice.
We can stop and identify the emotion triggered with the experience. Before letting our thoughts get carried away, we can ask, “Is this true?”
Sometimes we associate and insert thoughts that progress us towards a negative direction when they are not even true! Instead, we can memorize a familiar scripture to plant the seeds of God’s truth in its place and counteract untruth.
I’m not talking about denial I’m talking about confronting negative thoughts, determine the root, and determine if it’s true.
Or we can hang on to our old patterns of thinking. In my life it may look something like this:
My Family: “Why did you leave the door open to the garage and let all the cold air in?”
My Thoughts: “Great job being careless and leaving the door open.”
My Words: “I don’t know, I guess I forgot to close it.”
Maybe ignorance, in this case, is willfully choosing to continue a negative cycle of thinking with others because of a history of criticism, distrust, or fear. Were my thoughts above true?
No. They were not true. However, the emotion evoked was shame and guilt, which from previous experience with the person asking the question made me feel careless.
Lastly, a hard heart dwells on the interaction repeatedly and holds a grudge.
Jesus taught us to forgive offenses as often as they happen. We tend to think, well, he was God in the flesh, He can do that. For you and me, it’s not so easy.
The idea Paul inspires is putting off the old self corrupted by its deceitful desires and be made knew in the attitude of our minds. (Eph. 4:22b, 23) God loves us so much we can be filled to overflowing with His love.
When I worked in a hospital as a registered nurse, I resisted getting too close to my patients. I purposefully hardened my heart, so I would not get hurt. It was a practice I had learned early in life when my father chose to live far away and my mom had trouble showing love.
But, like he does so many times in life, God had other plans.
I married into a wonderful family who did show love in big ways and often. And despite their many and varied illnesses, my patients and their families showed massive love to one another and those of us who cared for them, too.
Slowly and gently God chipped away at this hard heart. The power of his love builds resilience and replaces useless thoughts with those that restore and heal broken and hard hearts. Slowly, as we learn to trust Him more, He renews our minds, too.
Summary of Letting Go of Useless Thoughts
Maybe we can close in a prayer today using scripture to speak to our hearts and opens our eyes to God’s better plan.
Father in heaven, you see our hearts, you know we struggle at times with futile (useless) thoughts. The enemy can easily attack us through the words of those we love because of the way we show our emotions. Thank you so much for enough grace to build our faith so we are not tossed about by careless words, human cunning, or deceitful schemes of the devil. Praise you for your glorious renewal of our spirit each day, Lord. In Jesus name, amen.
Have a wonderful day, my friend. May your heart be light as you place your spiritual and emotional health in the hands of the Lord!
